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Million Dollar Les Paul: In Search Of The Most Valuable Guitar In The World (Genuine Jawbone Books)

Tony Bacon (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
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Million Dollar Les Paul: In Search Of The Most Valuable Guitar In The World (Genuine Jawbone Books) + The Gibson Les Paul Handbook: How To Buy, Maintain, Set Up, Troubleshoot, and Modify Your Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul + The Beauty of the 'Burst (Book)
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  • The Gibson Les Paul Handbook: How To Buy, Maintain, Set Up, Troubleshoot, and Modify Your Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul by Paul Balmer

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Guitar great Eric Clapton famously featured his Les Paul Standard, which originally sold for $280, on the seminal 1966 Blues Breakers album. But Clapton was only one of many legendary players who made this solid body electric with mahogany body and a three-color sunburst maple top their guitar of choice. In this exciting history, Tony Bacon examines the "burst" phenomenon from every angle. He begins with the "Les Paul Primer," documenting the guitar's brief production period from 1958 to 1960. He then profiles and interviews everyone from the man who inspired it, Les Paul, to dealers, collectors, forgers, roadies, and, of course, major players like Stephen Stills, Duane Allman, and Jimmy Page. Million Dollar Les Paul also looks at the science, investment history (and increasingly astronomical pricing), and almost mystical appeal of the instrument whose small production numbers — only 1,500 were made — belie its stature as the single most sought-after guitar in the world.

About the Author

Tony Bacon is one of the world's best-selling authors of books on guitars and guitar players. His many titles include The Ultimate Guitar Book and Electric Guitars: The Illustrated Encyclopedia.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Jawbone Press (October 1, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1906002142
  • ISBN-13: 978-1906002145
  • Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,307 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
custom shop, guitar collector, guitar nuts, sunburst finish, particular guitar, guitar market, maple top, neck pickup, real burst, vintage guitars, bridge pickup
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Les Paul, Eric Clapton, New York City, Jeff Beck, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, Duane Allman, Guitar Trader, Lcs Paul, Kerry Keane, Eric Clayton, Peter Green, Roger Giffin, Lew Davis, Maurice Berlin, The Yardbirds, Fillmore West, Scot Arch, Freddie King, Fender Telecaster, Charing Cross Road, Peter Svensson, Paul Kossoff, Tim Shaw
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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Million Dollar Les Paul: In Search Of The Most Valuable Guitar In The World (Genuine Jawbone Books)
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8 Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating History of a Rock 'n' Roll Icon, November 12, 2008
And you thought you knew everything there is to know about Gibson's fabled Les Paul Sunburst ...

Noted guitar expert and author Tony Bacon has done a superior job digging into the lore surrounding rock's favorite axe and has succeeded in producing a hefty volume that is both highly informative and pleasurable to read. He traces the evolution of the Sunburst from its early days as an experimental contraption in the hands of its namesake, to its role as Gibson's answer to the Fender solid body challenge, and to its pivotal rediscovery by Brit blues enthusiasts.

The story, as it unfolds, takes two paths -- one tracing the seemingly boundless admiration that players have for the instrument, the other an at times tragic-comic tale of corporate mismanagement and greed. Bacon begins with Albert Lee, the first Englishman of the modern era to fall in love with the Lester, and credits the almighty Eric Clapton with ultimately popularizing the guitar with the general public. That he is able to track the provenance of their various instruments says much for Bacon's prowess as a researcher, and offers the reader a glimpse of the halcyon days when a vintage Les Paul could be had for a bit of pleading and a few hundred dollars.

The narrative continues with the business side of things, an essential part in the creation of the Les Paul mystique. Gibson's seemingly clueless inability to respond to the market led leading guitar stores to "special order" replicas of the Sunburst as a desperate attempt to meet the demand for the discontinued model. Had the company seen the light and produced a suitable copy for anxious guitarists back in the late `60s, it's likely that the astronomical prices command by vintage Lesters these days would be considerably more reasonable. But that's not what happened, and as a result we may eventually see the "million-dollar Les Paul," as Tony posits.

Two criticisms of this otherwise excellent book: The first is that there aren't enough pictures. Bacon's included full-color splash pages at the front of the book, but one would have liked more. But Bacon has certainly offered wonderful photos in his previous books, so this is really a minor complaint.

My second bone to pick has to do with the popularizing of the guitar here in the States. While Bacon gives Clapton much credit for bringing the Les Paul to the broader British audience (and hence the world), it was really Mike Bloomfield who made the instrument de rigueur on this side of the Atlantic. He began playing a Goldtop in 1965 and, after switching to a Sunburst in 1967, continued to use that guitar until he lost it in 1974, far longer than any of his English contemporaries. Carlos Santana, Jerry Garcia, Steve Stills and countless other lesser lights all owned Lesters in large part because Mike did.

These, however, are minor points. Bacon's work is a real addition to the pantheon of books about the Les Paul, and a welcome one. Recommended!

(In the interest of complete disclosure, I was one of the many contributors to "Million Dollar Les Paul." My small part in the book concerned -- no surprise! -- Mike Bloomfield.)
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8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Intersting and Frustrating, October 30, 2008
This is just me. But I'm a guitar player of 29 years. I love the Les Paul and the sound of it that impacted a lot of the players who influenced me. I am not fortunate enough to afford a burst, but I'm trying my best to get the tone I love with what I can afford --- and probably a bit more.

With that being said, I enjoyed very much the first half of the book, reading about the history of the guitar as well as how my heroes have come across their destined (or maybe not) bursts. It was also interesting to read the story regarding how Gibson came about along with its owners --- good and terrible --- up to how they finally arrived to a level where they were able to call their reissues as "Vintage Original Spec". I wish the quest would have been a bit more detailed, but I guess that's for another book.

As being a player myself, as mentioned at the beginning, reading the latter half of the book, which is filled with thoughts of the collectors, was frustrating and partially disgusting. There is so little mentioning of the tonal quality or character of the instruments and too much Ooo's and Aaah's about how beautiful their top is and how much they want something even better more and more and more.... Although there are several who mention that the most important part is that it needs to be played, the chapters move on to collectability and market value and so on --- which I'm sure do fit into the range of the book's theme. But I'm sure it wouldn't have hurt to read more about the tones of the bursts from actual owners, especially since they own more than any of the musicians mentioned earlier in the book. I guess they didn't have much to say or maybe it was the author's intention to focus this book for collectors rather than the more common and numbered players.

Anyway, I had to jump to the last chapter to read what Les Paul had to say about the whole thing that has happened to this guitar. Then I just closed the book. I'll probably read the first half a few more times in the future, but the rest --- although I probably should have known better to begin with --- I will never attempt to read again.

These guitars are so much limited in number and each one deserves to be played. I for one --- although it was no burst --- have sold my 1961 SG Les Paul (an appraisal of 9.8 out of a 10) because of the same reason. It didn't fit my style and I wanted it to be played by someone who would appreciate it as an instrument and not a part of a collection, most certainly not as an investment. The guitar is now in good hands and it was used in a recent recording as well. I felt the strong urge to save this guitar than to be an owner of a "Vintage" with original PAFs and I'm very proud that I actually was able to do so, let the guitar be played. Sure, that's MY opinion ;-)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, November 16, 2008
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Tony Bacon does his homework! This is a great book, based on interviews of many afficionados of the Burst and a lot of research. If you want to look at pictures, this isn't the book for you, but if you want a great documentary, this is it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting investigation
Easy to read and filled with data that was researched. Makes you think: what if?
Published 1 month ago by Luther Fussell

4.0 out of 5 stars just what I needed
I know next to nothing about guitars or Les Paul, except that after his death everything about him doubled in price and my 17 year old nephew loves him. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jeremiah Glenn

5.0 out of 5 stars Got me back to reading books
This is a book I've read twice now, and I cannot stand reading books. This has SO much cool stories about the late 60's and 70's that are widely talked about. Read more
Published 9 months ago by N. Bongers

5.0 out of 5 stars A strong choice for any Rock and Roll historian
In the second half of the twentieth century, no musical phenomena could compare to Rock and Roll, and for many of its creators, the Les Paul was the electric guitar of choice... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Midwest Book Review

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock and Roll Fantasy
This book is a great journey through the glory years of true Rock and Roll. If only I'd been able to live it and buy one of these guitars, my life would be complete! Read more
Published 14 months ago by Johnny K

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