A really really insightful article - what it shows is that tone is in the hands & fingers. Rest in Peace BM - enjoy jamming with Jeff Beck, Jon Lord and Paul Kossof
Love the fact that Mr. Marsden is fiddling around so much with the volumes and tone control, that is a forgotten art of getting so much more out of the guitar! Very nice to listen him, both his words, thoughts and of course his playing!
I think that comes from having single channel or non-footswitchable amps, a lot of which had very few tone controls. Which is what was available in 50s, 60s, 70s. In order to get different levels of gain you had to play with the volume of your guitar. If the amp was too trebly you had to roll off the tone a bit. I believe that it made for a more complete understanding of how your instrument worked. That’s the reason why my main amp only has one channel.
This is as real as you get. No marketing bullshit about bursts, relics, true historic specs and what not. If it sounds good, it's good otherwise get rid. What a legend.
@Large Coke exactly, amazing how people want to believe someone selling something doesn't have an agenda. All this markup is bs. Shows how stupid people are.
What's a shame is that the people who believe this bs are the ones keeping these prices up. Every Gibson should be made like the relics at a decent price but it will never happen because of the idiots who buy this high priced stuff. It sounds good compared to a standard but those should sound awesome anyway. I shouldn't have to replace pickups on a Gibson or Fender.
@@ArcticRaven0 Depends on the sound you're going for, there are many different stock pick ups that Gibson uses. I like my stock burst buckers because they have bite, however if I were to ever experiment and swap I would want to try some super distortions or even some t-tops or shaw buckers. I don't know about you but I sure as hell wouldn't buy a Gibson if I didn't like the pickups it came with.
@@ArcticRaven0 watch itchibashi used listings - there have been r9s in the 3k range and LPC black guitars for low 2000s that are relatively recent. Unless gibson is hiding something, they don't really do the work of a custom company in their production customs (the kind of work that they do in the vault at PRS or the details that collings does on what's essentially really high effort production guitars - better than most full custom guitars - having eaten s__t on a few full custom guitars that weren't that great when I got them. What do you do when you commission a custom guitar and then it's just OK? You're stuck with it. You lose at least half the cost if you want to sell it). Only problem with buying gibson custom guitars overseas is that I've had people buy used collings off of me and say they ran the racks to get a really good R9, and then found out that they can mail order a cl deluxe and it's better than all of them (and then mail order another one, and it's just the same ....there's a reason for that. collings actually voices the guitar bodies.....but if you don't like what they're doing to make the guitar bodies resonant, then you won't like any of them, because they all sound the same. All you can really do with them is change pickups and pots and find the electrics that you really like).
Nice job Mick. Bernie seems to be a genuine gentleman. Loved his take on guitars, "this one is good, the next might be better or not as good...but that's the way it was in '58.." A very polished statement which would come out completely different by many today.
I have to make a comment on the subject of people upset with this video/discussion. It may be because I'm nearing 50yrs old now and I've been playing guitar for 35 years. I enjoy discussing guitars, amps, and gear in general these days. All I had was magazines as as kid followed by MTV. Now I can watch a million TH-cam videos on any piece of gear I want. Guitars are art in my opinion and I appreciate things like Guitarist magazine that have the opportunity to bring us discussions about these instruments.
Stuart Gudgeon - Somebody has to pay for it...what did it cost you? They tried pay TV and now they are trying pay 'internet TV', but it never had this content anyway.
I had the pleasure of playing Bernie's Beast one year ago while in England to record with Bernie. What a guitar and what a great guy Bernie is. I was surprised about the Paul Kossoff connection. Bernie had told me that it had belonged to Clapton at one time. Cool, another great that played the same guitar I got to noodle on for a bit.
Very cool...yeah that beast..les Paul..just sustains...I don’t know ..dried wood degaussing pickups ...but Man U can on an iPad hear the audible difference.....👍...oh and Bernie...does seem like a humble down to earth guy...not full of himself...like many ..
He's brilliant isn't he, telling it like it is. He's up there with the greats and has a great outlook on playing guitar. National treasure, British guitarist.
Yeah with their regular USA production guitars they have improved tremendously! I had a 2022 standard myself and it was very impressive but the Custom shop's have been really good for quite a few years. My 2018 historic R9 i traded the standard towards is stellar and i played a few 2016 R8 historic's that were incredible. There is no denying the latest Production line Gibson's are the best they have been in a really long time!👍
Bernie's a great fellow, and a damn good guitarist too. I emailed him before asking him about one of this guitars and he replied really quickly and was really nice and polite...
I was in another tab looking at random stuff, but when I heard that first note, I said "That's the Beast", I didn't even know what was going on, but that guitar has THAT sound, it is the sound we think of when we think of a '58-'60
Kind of always like interviews with Mr. Marsden ... he is so laid back and on the point! What he said remind me playing auto-quartet as a kid: never touched a Ferrari but is was supposed to be the best and we behaved like experts telling everybody "the truth" (;-)) So the simple question Mr. Marsden turns up with: "oh show me yours ... which ones did you play " solves it all. And Bernie does give the healing answer to this dilemma too: "the one you take home from the dealer ist the one for you ... just play it and love it". Great post ... thanks a lot!
He talks straight and plays great. I'd rather listen to him talking than some of the people commenting here. He's been there, done it and he's still doing it. Give him some credit. Joe B, and Clapton get the same treatment from the Epiphone polishers on TH-cam.
Wow! That was a great clip. Thanks so much for posting it. Always love to hear Bernie play and talk guitars. I think aside from her pure vintage tone, I hear the 42-year relationship when Bernie is playing The Beast. For those interested in back-to-back tone comparison.... 00:01 1958 Historic Select; 08:35 1959 Historic Select; 12:19 1960 Historic Select; 20:18 The Beast
Through my dealings with a local vintage guitar dealer I had the opportunity to play two different late 50s Les Paul Standard guitars many years ago. One was essentially a closet queen. It clearly had not been played much. It was a great guitar but it played and felt much like a new guitar that you might pick up in a store. The other guitar was Joe Perry's 59 Les Paul. This was after Joe had originally owned it and the dealer had chased it down for Slash (who has since returned it to Joe). That was one of the nicest playing and sounding Les Pauls I have ever had in my hands. It was beat up but it was amazing. Bernie is right - a great guitar is a great guitar but I am also of the opinion that decades of use contributes to a guitar's tone and playability.
As a working luthier, I feel that the custom shop historic reissues, guitars made by ONE man, are superior to any "average" 58 - 60 Les Paul, in materials and craftsmanship. Not to say that there aren't truly remarkable examples from those years, but there are remarkable guitars made now, too.
Do you think Gibson historic reissues are made by one man? Given how many are released every year, I think that's unlikely. They are great guitars nevertheless.
I don't think you can actually make judgement on original or "average", as you put it, '58, '59 or '60 Les Pauls unless you've played several yourself. Just for insight, how many have you actually played?
+Dagger 323 a dozen or so. I'm almost 60 and learned to play in the '60's. By the mid 70's i was "buying and selling" guitars, like most teenage players of the time. These were just used guitars then. As more and more marquis players turned to the 58 - 60 les Paul's, us armatures followed suit (I'm a tele guy, so I've never owned one myself but several colleagues have in the 70's and 80's) I've played two 1958s in recent years, both of which were refretted, and they were both exceptional guitars (at shows/events) I also was the GM of one of Canada's top 10 blues fests from 2002 - 2009 and got to rub elbows with some of the players who made those les Paul's famous, so it's more than just my opinion that I expressed, originally. Peace Keep on pick'n
Wow, that is actually fascinating! Do you think there are any areas where the originals are better than the reissues? What's your favourite guitar / Les Paul?
I truly love this video. It’s especially great for anyone looking to purchase one of these magnificent reissue works of art and you can hear the insight of a legendary musician. What more could you ask for!
i kind of like this interview because the magazine journo's keep prodding bernie to break out the snake oil and he counters everytime with common sense answer''s rather than adding to the already ridicules hype surrounding these guitars. i love the hagstrom story it just pissess on their bonfire.
You frankly just come off like an ignoramus, and a jealous one at that, who's never experienced what a good 'burst can do. The good ones are absolutely worthy of the hype. And by the way, there's nothing wrong with geeking out and getting excited about guitars like this. The journalists being in awe of such a fine and famous instrument as "The Beast" is no knock against their character, but your condescending attitude is certainly a knock against yours.
Always have loved Bernie. This interview gives me even more respect for him. And, it's really subtle as to why. Why? Because you can tell he is TRULY listening to the interviewers, giving legitimate answers, and is really enjoying this.
What a class act. He’s obviously done this so many times yet still takes the time to go through the motions as it were. He truly loves the guitar. Bernie gets it. Legend.
Well I have to say this is one of the most interesting youtube videos Ive watched. Bernie is very honest in his approach to playing guitar and answering questions. The story behind "the Beast" is an incredible one indeed and hearing the other Les Pauls was an interesting comparison. I hope to see and hear Bernie playing this one for many years to come and hey how humble of him to hope to see the great one ( Clapton ) reunite with and play "the Beast" again some day. Thanx for posting this video as I feel its a significant documentary for all involved.
The older Les Pauls were factory-made guitars, just as the ones made today, so the level of craftsmanship used to make them can easily be achieved today. The main thing that makes guitars from a particular model/year great are the design specifications for that year. Those specifications are constantly changing as the guitar manufacturer tries to "keep up" with changing musical styles and tastes. The reissues are great insofar as they are trying to re-create a highly praised design from the past, so they at least have the right "idea". The other factor is the raw materials (wood especially) and the attention to detail, and that's where the reissues may often come up short. "The beast" has such a great, resonant tone that I'm sure has a lot to do with the wood from which it was made. The aged pickups also contribute to the smoothness of the tone.
Bernie’s wonderful. I wish the video was longer. The Beast as always sounds magnificent but personally I liked the 59 Select the best. It had a bit more bite and that hollow nasally honk that I love. I trust my high end ATC monitors in a treated room to provide accurate resolution. Some of the comments are pretty funny and typical, yes, the burst will always have that something extra provided we know which one is the burst, otherwise it’s just another great Les Paul. I’d love Bernie to play them all without saying which is which so we can see the comments.
It’s crazy, wonder why Gibson can’t replicate that even though they’ve tried so many times. Makes me feel no reason to fork out 6,500 for a guitar that doesn’t even sound like a guitar made 60 years ago
The 1958 Reissue had more bass in it's tone. Ilike it the most of the reissues, but his guitar "The Beast " had the best sound period. Maybe it was because he played it for so long, he is able really make the instrument sing .
The custom shop Les Paul's are much more accurate now! My 2023 Murphy lab heavy relic R9 is insane!🤘 you would swear it was a old original played and toured with for many years.
He seems like a genuinely decent man. Imagine having a few pints of stout in an old pub while talking about guitars with Bernie. Fuck...that would be awesome.
I played Joe Perrys old burst.It was owned by a local Boston guitarist who had it for sale at Cambridge Music.In the late 80s it was for sale for $5500.It was nice.Slash owned it.I heard Mr Perry got it back.It was scratched around the neck pickup volume pot.I wish I could time travel back with a bag of cash.
Never had the chance to play an original from 58-60. After experiences with Standards and Customs from the 90's i went to custom shop models. An R8 from 2012 didn't satisfy me pickup wise. I now own a CC 28 (The Montrose 1958 reissue) and i'm sure this one will stay. I also tried one from the 60's which sounded the best but i prefer the bigger necks on 58 reissues. Even in the same model line you will notice differences. I tried three CC28 and ended up with the one i felt sounding best. Someone else would have chosen one of the offers. It's all personal preferences. And as Bernie said, even in the old days there had been real good ones and some not as good. I got a good deal on mine...the full price would have been way too much for me.
They all sound great. The one thing I'll moan about is the VOS finish. It lets the guitars down. They look like they have been rubbed down with sandpaper. The head stocks look flat & dull with a shiny truss rod cover. However the genuine 59 was as shiny as ever. So the VOS is pointless in my opinion. Leave them gloss.
An old interview, but watching the questions, it seems to me that what Bernie is saying is use your own judgment and work it out for your self, it's your inspiration as to how a guitar should sound to you.
Really enjoyable video! Love Bernie, great man and a magic player- he did a show for the guitar shop I work at a couple of times and we have been super proud to have him each time and hopefully again! As for the disembodied voices, why should anyone care!? Haha- I actually liked the imagery that portrayed! Well done Guitarist on your continued quality content!
Im 42 yrs old many yrs ago when i was 13 yrs old i was taking lessson from a freind of mines father. I had a cheap knockoff ibanez les paul from late 70s. Id been taking lesson maybe 3 months and he went into his room and came back with a case and said look i got something ive had since i was your age it was my dads . it was a 1960 burst he handed it to me plugged into a fender twin i was blown away at the resonances and sustain. It played ok neck was fatter than i like but oh man the sounds that came out my fingers vs my ibanez. He still has that guitar ive played it many times just special instruments.
A great chap, a great guitar player. And a great guitar. Quoting Joe B, that beast is insane. Always a pleasure to watch and listen to Bernie. Hats off sir!
This man tells it like it is!! When I bought my first electric guitar, I was looking at Epiphone LP DC's. I don't really know why, probably because I liked the way they looked. The salesman said "Why don't you buy this one instead, it's waaaaay better and really cool for the same price" He handed me a late 70's Kramer aluminium neck with the sandwich timbers. It played so nicely, it sounded just as nice. I handed it back and said "Nahh I want a new one, and the headstock looks funny" Regretted it ever since. It felt much better than the guitar I bought! Duhhh. That is why I understand personally what Bernie is talking about.
My friend works at Gibson.He has a custom shop 335 dot,blonde with flame.New.It's beautiful but the best part of it is the neck.It feels like LP JR but with a bigger neck,a real hand full.He tells me they are using hide glue again and that it makes a bid difference.
I was just talking to an aquantaince of mine who had gone to see Martin play and I said Martin is one of those players that has huge respect from people who are aware of him. He is under rated because he's under known, I think. Great player. Same with Bernie.
Can we get a video done on the “put it in the great mans hands” that would be interesting as well! I could listen to Bernie talk all day about this stuff
Back in 1992 I played 2 brand new Les Paul Standards in Hanks. They felt like two different makes. It was after having played a few in other Tin Pan Alley shops. I think the No1 rule is: If you find one you like, swap your granny to get it, until a better one comes along.
I usually like Guitarist videos for their professionalism. Surely they could have done something with the balance in this video. I have to keep turning it up to hear the people off camera and then turning it down when Bernie plays. I want to hear Jamie and Mick also!
The issue is that the guy talking behind the camera wasn't properly mic'd, you hear his voice through the same mic as Bernie's but obviously Bernie is in front of the mic so you hear him much louder. Making the other guy louder in that context during editing would have required some insane automation work. They just needed to get him his own mic haha.
Yeah there are some really sweet Gibson re-issues. you just have to hand pick them. People play 1 or 2 and are not impressed then they go around saying the Gibson's are not good? That is total BS because my 2018 Historic is incredible. and i agree about that R0 bernies played in this vid. it had that Wow factor!
I think that anyone who has played a lot of different guitars realizes that some "have it" and some don't. Electric guitars are truly enigmatic when it comes to what makes them sound "good" to anyone who plays it. Many small differences add up to what many would perceive as something special. Plenty of personal tastes - subjectivity - out there as well. "The Beast" is clearly a good one!
I have a Gibson custom shop 58 les paul reissue and I have no idea if it's sounds like the real thing a I have never played one but it looks great plays great and sounds fantastic. It just sounds like a really great les paul . Put some Seymour Duncan whole lotta humbuckers and i don't know it they sound like real Paf or not but they sound very nice . Lots of 70s and early 80s grunt and growl . . Very new wave of British heavy metal .
when he said at the end it might get played by the great man he must of meant MR PAGE because calpton went down hill after cream. but i love the guitars and i like bernie as well.
Bernie's guitar seems brighter and hotter than the other two. You know how the tele gets brightness with the ash tray, makes me wonder if the wood on the body hardens with age, or even if the nut or lacquer somehow changes chemistry with age? These are all great sounding guitars, but I can really hear the difference in Bernie's Beast. Thanks for the great video!!!
There's a great video of a young lady playing a $5,000 cello to a $100,000 cello to a $1,000,000 cello. I thought the second cello had a better presence, but the $1,000,000 one brought out a passion in her playing... a depth of emotion... It seems like the '58/'59 Les Pauls have a personality...an emotion... I almost feel like the guitars 'made' the players. Like each one has a soul.
For those of us mere mortals who can't afford a reissue, much less a custom shop model, check out the Vintage Reissued V100 and Lemon Drop models from Fret King (or their ICON equivalents, if you prefer your guitars to look seriously worn!)
Collin Groat exactly. Some people have families, children, mortgages and the like. I make pretty good money but could not justify spending 4 to 10k in a guitar. Vintage does make nice guitar for the money. I own a 91 Gibson LP 60s reissue that plays great. I also recently acquired a vintage V100 that feels very LP like for a fraction of the price.
What a true gent and an amazing guitar player.
How can anyone not love Bernie, a true gent who has really been there and done that. His videos are always interesting.
What a player! I can safely say I’d never buy a record he’s played on, but he is one amazing Blues guitarist.
This man has absolutely no ego and is severely underrated.
I was influenced by Bernie Marsden and Micky Moody when they were in early Whitesnake. The live album Walking in the shadow of the blues
A really really insightful article - what it shows is that tone is in the hands & fingers.
Rest in Peace BM - enjoy jamming with Jeff Beck, Jon Lord and Paul Kossof
Love the fact that Mr. Marsden is fiddling around so much with the volumes and tone control, that is a forgotten art of getting so much more out of the guitar! Very nice to listen him, both his words, thoughts and of course his playing!
It is a lost art, that one of the reasons I love jimmy page
I think that comes from having single channel or non-footswitchable amps, a lot of which had very few tone controls. Which is what was available in 50s, 60s, 70s.
In order to get different levels of gain you had to play with the volume of your guitar. If the amp was too trebly you had to roll off the tone a bit. I believe that it made for a more complete understanding of how your instrument worked.
That’s the reason why my main amp only has one channel.
Such a lovely guy and no mean player….. So glad I saw him in 1972/3 with UFO. RIP Bernie.
All those into the classic rock / blues idiom should listen very carefully to what this guy has to say. Not many people like him around any more.
This is as real as you get. No marketing bullshit about bursts, relics, true historic specs and what not. If it sounds good, it's good otherwise get rid. What a legend.
@Large Coke exactly, amazing how people want to believe someone selling something doesn't have an agenda. All this markup is bs. Shows how stupid people are.
This stuff boils down to good pickups and no polyester lacquer.
What's a shame is that the people who believe this bs are the ones keeping these prices up. Every Gibson should be made like the relics at a decent price but it will never happen because of the idiots who buy this high priced stuff. It sounds good compared to a standard but those should sound awesome anyway. I shouldn't have to replace pickups on a Gibson or Fender.
@@ArcticRaven0 Depends on the sound you're going for, there are many different stock pick ups that Gibson uses. I like my stock burst buckers because they have bite, however if I were to ever experiment and swap I would want to try some super distortions or even some t-tops or shaw buckers. I don't know about you but I sure as hell wouldn't buy a Gibson if I didn't like the pickups it came with.
@@ArcticRaven0 watch itchibashi used listings - there have been r9s in the 3k range and LPC black guitars for low 2000s that are relatively recent.
Unless gibson is hiding something, they don't really do the work of a custom company in their production customs (the kind of work that they do in the vault at PRS or the details that collings does on what's essentially really high effort production guitars - better than most full custom guitars - having eaten s__t on a few full custom guitars that weren't that great when I got them. What do you do when you commission a custom guitar and then it's just OK? You're stuck with it. You lose at least half the cost if you want to sell it).
Only problem with buying gibson custom guitars overseas is that I've had people buy used collings off of me and say they ran the racks to get a really good R9, and then found out that they can mail order a cl deluxe and it's better than all of them (and then mail order another one, and it's just the same ....there's a reason for that. collings actually voices the guitar bodies.....but if you don't like what they're doing to make the guitar bodies resonant, then you won't like any of them, because they all sound the same. All you can really do with them is change pickups and pots and find the electrics that you really like).
Nice job Mick. Bernie seems to be a genuine gentleman. Loved his take on guitars, "this one is good, the next might be better or not as good...but that's the way it was in '58.." A very polished statement which would come out completely different by many today.
I have to make a comment on the subject of people upset with this video/discussion. It may be because I'm nearing 50yrs old now and I've been playing guitar for 35 years. I enjoy discussing guitars, amps, and gear in general these days. All I had was magazines as as kid followed by MTV. Now I can watch a million TH-cam videos on any piece of gear I want. Guitars are art in my opinion and I appreciate things like Guitarist magazine that have the opportunity to bring us discussions about these instruments.
SHOOK well said.
too much advertising for my liking this is one of their better videos
Stuart Gudgeon - Somebody has to pay for it...what did it cost you? They tried pay TV and now they are trying pay 'internet TV', but it never had this content anyway.
R8: 0:00 R9: 8:35 R60: 12:19 Beast: 20:17
The sound of the beast is to die for
I had the pleasure of playing Bernie's Beast one year ago while in England to record with Bernie. What a guitar and what a great guy Bernie is. I was surprised about the Paul Kossoff connection. Bernie had told me that it had belonged to Clapton at one time. Cool, another great that played the same guitar I got to noodle on for a bit.
Very cool...yeah that beast..les Paul..just sustains...I don’t know ..dried wood degaussing pickups ...but Man U can on an iPad hear the audible difference.....👍...oh and Bernie...does seem like a humble down to earth guy...not full of himself...like many ..
Could listen to Bernie talk about guitars all day!
pete, incidentally, i have kinda been doing that today!
He's brilliant isn't he, telling it like it is. He's up there with the greats and has a great outlook on playing guitar. National treasure, British guitarist.
I really like my 2022 LP 50's standard, I find no fault with it and it sounds absolutely great. I think Gibson is getting back in shape.
Yeah with their regular USA production guitars they have improved tremendously! I had a 2022 standard myself and it was
very impressive but the Custom shop's have been really good for quite a few years. My 2018 historic R9 i traded the standard towards is stellar and i played a few 2016 R8 historic's that were incredible. There is no denying the latest Production line Gibson's are the best they have been in a really long time!👍
Bernie's a great fellow, and a damn good guitarist too. I emailed him before asking him about one of this guitars and he replied really quickly and was really nice and polite...
I was in another tab looking at random stuff, but when I heard that first note, I said "That's the Beast", I didn't even know what was going on, but that guitar has THAT sound, it is the sound we think of when we think of a '58-'60
He's such a lovely guy.
Kind of always like interviews with Mr. Marsden ... he is so laid back and on the point!
What he said remind me playing auto-quartet as a kid: never touched a Ferrari but is was supposed to be the best and we behaved like experts telling everybody "the truth" (;-)) So the simple question Mr. Marsden turns up with: "oh show me yours ... which ones did you play " solves it all.
And Bernie does give the healing answer to this dilemma too: "the one you take home from the dealer ist the one for you ... just play it and love it".
Great post ... thanks a lot!
He talks straight and plays great.
I'd rather listen to him talking than some of the people commenting here.
He's been there, done it and he's still doing it.
Give him some credit.
Joe B, and Clapton get the same treatment from the Epiphone polishers on TH-cam.
I love Bernie. Such a genuine guy. I love the way he approaches the guitar. He always seems to get a good tone.
Bernie has a good perspective. A good guitar, for you, is a good guitar. If you love it, thats what matters.
The 1960 was nasty sounding, I like it. I like Bernie too, very honest and great player.
Bernie seems to be such a nice down to earth bloke and I've only heard positive things about him from people who have meet him.
Wow! That was a great clip. Thanks so much for posting it. Always love to hear Bernie play and talk guitars. I think aside from her pure vintage tone, I hear the 42-year relationship when Bernie is playing The Beast. For those interested in back-to-back tone comparison.... 00:01 1958 Historic Select; 08:35 1959 Historic Select; 12:19 1960 Historic Select; 20:18 The Beast
Through my dealings with a local vintage guitar dealer I had the opportunity to play two different late 50s Les Paul Standard guitars many years ago. One was essentially a closet queen. It clearly had not been played much. It was a great guitar but it played and felt much like a new guitar that you might pick up in a store. The other guitar was Joe Perry's 59 Les Paul. This was after Joe had originally owned it and the dealer had chased it down for Slash (who has since returned it to Joe). That was one of the nicest playing and sounding Les Pauls I have ever had in my hands. It was beat up but it was amazing. Bernie is right - a great guitar is a great guitar but I am also of the opinion that decades of use contributes to a guitar's tone and playability.
satinwhip it was probably a great instrument already. That’s why it was played
As a working luthier, I feel that the custom shop historic reissues, guitars made by ONE man, are superior to any "average" 58 - 60 Les Paul, in materials and craftsmanship. Not to say that there aren't truly remarkable examples from those years, but there are remarkable guitars made now, too.
Do you think Gibson historic reissues are made by one man? Given how many are released every year, I think that's unlikely. They are great guitars nevertheless.
I was referring to Cherry Picker Guitar's original comment
I don't think you can actually make judgement on original or "average", as you put it, '58, '59 or '60 Les Pauls unless you've played several yourself. Just for insight, how many have you actually played?
+Dagger 323 a dozen or so. I'm almost 60 and learned to play in the '60's. By the mid 70's i was "buying and selling" guitars, like most teenage players of the time. These were just used guitars then. As more and more marquis players turned to the 58 - 60 les Paul's, us armatures followed suit (I'm a tele guy, so I've never owned one myself but several colleagues have in the 70's and 80's) I've played two 1958s in recent years, both of which were refretted, and they were both exceptional guitars (at shows/events)
I also was the GM of one of Canada's top 10 blues fests from 2002 - 2009 and got to rub elbows with some of the players who made those les Paul's famous, so it's more than just my opinion that I expressed, originally.
Peace
Keep on pick'n
Wow, that is actually fascinating! Do you think there are any areas where the originals are better than the reissues? What's your favourite guitar / Les Paul?
I truly love this video. It’s especially great for anyone looking to purchase one of these magnificent reissue works of art and you can hear the insight of a legendary musician. What more could you ask for!
I love the sound of the 1960 reissue a lot! Love that biting aggressive sound! The Beast is awhile other thing
i kind of like this interview because the magazine journo's keep prodding bernie to break out the snake oil and he counters everytime with common sense answer''s rather than adding to the already ridicules hype surrounding these guitars. i love the hagstrom story it just pissess on their bonfire.
I'm like 1:35 in and I have to agree!
One of those ‘Journos’ is Mick Taylor from ‘That Pedal Show’ and they’re all good mates, so I doubt any of it was intentional bonfire pissing!
You frankly just come off like an ignoramus, and a jealous one at that, who's never experienced what a good 'burst can do. The good ones are absolutely worthy of the hype. And by the way, there's nothing wrong with geeking out and getting excited about guitars like this. The journalists being in awe of such a fine and famous instrument as "The Beast" is no knock against their character, but your condescending attitude is certainly a knock against yours.
He looks like a combination of angus young and Kyle gas.
Trash Bulb Angus Gas
Island Gore Angas
He looks like a bucket of kfc
@@joshmuz9018 I have a feeling you look pretty funny yourself. Such a mean comment about such a stand up guy. You must be a teen.
@@nevigo5519 I'm a giant transgender alien with 4 dicks
Bernie is such a cool cat. Oh, and he has a pretty nice Les Paul too! ;-)
Always have loved Bernie. This interview gives me even more respect for him. And, it's really subtle as to why. Why? Because you can tell he is TRULY listening to the interviewers, giving legitimate answers, and is really enjoying this.
'This one is...this one is a bit angry". I have never heard a better description of a guitar.
No doubt, and on the spur of the moment. The English are soo spontaneously descriptive in such an eloquent honest way (:
Fascinating insight into the history of his guitar and what a tone from it.
This was an awesome video cheers Guitarist! The reissues were great but the Beast smashed it!
Didn't it just. Definitely a bit of magic in that instrument. Good to see how much he loves it, too.
+Laurie Harper
she seems to love him back, too
What a class act. He’s obviously done this so many times yet still takes the time to go through the motions as it were. He truly loves the guitar. Bernie gets it. Legend.
Well I have to say this is one of the most interesting youtube videos Ive watched. Bernie is very honest in his approach to playing guitar and answering questions. The story behind "the Beast" is an incredible one indeed and hearing the other Les Pauls was an interesting comparison. I hope to see and hear Bernie playing this one for many years to come and hey how humble of him to hope to see the great one ( Clapton ) reunite with and play "the Beast" again some day. Thanx for posting this video as I feel its a significant documentary for all involved.
Yep, man knows his stuff. Great player and a lovely feller :-)
What a great guy. You could have a pint with a fella like Bernard.
He came up to us after one of his gigs and asked us if we wanted to go for a curry. Lovely guy.
Bernie is so cool .He lost a close friend named Peter a few days ago . Thinking about how they lived the dream .Great vid , thanks
What a fantastic video!
Bernie seems quite a humble kind of guy.
Loved the story of how he obtained 'The Beast'
Thanks for posting a great video.
A true genuine guitar player, one of the best and humble as hell! You just gotta love Bernie.
There's a guitar for everyone. whatever looks or feel or sound you want, it exists out there somewhere.
Always the gentleman, it with sadness this morning rewatching this 😢 Bernie was truly one of our British greats ❤
Video starts at 20:18.
It's incredible to hear the difference in tone when he pics up the Beast at 21:00. The reissues just don't have that thick buttery warmth of the '59.
its the pickups
The older Les Pauls were factory-made guitars, just as the ones made today, so the level of craftsmanship used to make them can easily be achieved today. The main thing that makes guitars from a particular model/year great are the design specifications for that year. Those specifications are constantly changing as the guitar manufacturer tries to "keep up" with changing musical styles and tastes.
The reissues are great insofar as they are trying to re-create a highly praised design from the past, so they at least have the right "idea". The other factor is the raw materials (wood especially) and the attention to detail, and that's where the reissues may often come up short. "The beast" has such a great, resonant tone that I'm sure has a lot to do with the wood from which it was made. The aged pickups also contribute to the smoothness of the tone.
brilliant interview, really enjoyed watching this.
Bernie is a top notch gentleman !
He really comes across as truly cool and down to earth guy, on top of being a hell of a guitar player.
I thought those re-issues sounded awesome. Then you hear The Beast and you realise what a great guitar can really sound like.
More nuance,and resonant. Can't really put a price on it. Bernie is a great player. And what a story!
Bernie’s wonderful. I wish the video was longer. The Beast as always sounds magnificent but personally I liked the 59 Select the best. It had a bit more bite and that hollow nasally honk that I love. I trust my high end ATC monitors in a treated room to provide accurate resolution. Some of the comments are pretty funny and typical, yes, the burst will always have that something extra provided we know which one is the burst, otherwise it’s just another great Les Paul. I’d love Bernie to play them all without saying which is which so we can see the comments.
It’s crazy, wonder why Gibson can’t replicate that even though they’ve tried so many times. Makes me feel no reason to fork out 6,500 for a guitar that doesn’t even sound like a guitar made 60 years ago
lovesgibson I think it’s fair to say they sound pretty similar! 😛
@@lovesgibson It would be interesting to measure all the harness/pickup values on the Beast . The old wood isn't what a new one is made of either .
The 1958 Reissue had more bass in it's tone. Ilike it the most of the reissues, but his guitar "The Beast " had the best sound period. Maybe it was because he played it for so long, he is able really make the instrument sing .
The custom shop Les Paul's are much more accurate now! My 2023 Murphy lab heavy relic R9 is insane!🤘 you would swear it was a old original played and toured with for many years.
Bernie you are full of knowledge love how you play
He seems like a genuinely decent man. Imagine having a few pints of stout in an old pub while talking about guitars with Bernie. Fuck...that would be awesome.
I played Joe Perrys old burst.It was owned by a local Boston guitarist who had it for sale at Cambridge Music.In the late 80s it was for sale for $5500.It was nice.Slash owned it.I heard Mr Perry got it back.It was scratched around the neck pickup volume pot.I wish I could time travel back with a bag of cash.
Never had the chance to play an original from 58-60. After experiences with Standards and Customs from the 90's i went to custom shop models. An R8 from 2012 didn't satisfy me pickup wise. I now own a CC 28 (The Montrose 1958 reissue) and i'm sure this one will stay. I also tried one from the 60's which sounded the best but i prefer the bigger necks on 58 reissues.
Even in the same model line you will notice differences. I tried three CC28 and ended up with the one i felt sounding best. Someone else would have chosen one of the offers. It's all personal preferences. And as Bernie said, even in the old days there had been real good ones and some not as good. I got a good deal on mine...the full price would have been way too much for me.
I could listen to Bernie's story all day long. I hope one day to meet him.
They all sound great. The one thing I'll moan about is the VOS finish. It lets the guitars down. They look like they have been rubbed down with sandpaper. The head stocks look flat & dull with a shiny truss rod cover. However the genuine 59 was as shiny as ever. So the VOS is pointless in my opinion. Leave them gloss.
An old interview, but watching the questions, it seems to me that what Bernie is saying is use your own judgment and work it out for your self, it's your inspiration as to how a guitar should sound to you.
man that 59 reissue! my brain lit up when he started playing it!
My favorite LP comment ever: This one is a bit angry...
Really enjoyable video! Love Bernie, great man and a magic player- he did a show for the guitar shop I work at a couple of times and we have been super proud to have him each time and hopefully again! As for the disembodied voices, why should anyone care!? Haha- I actually liked the imagery that portrayed! Well done Guitarist on your continued quality content!
That 3rd reissue really spoke to me .. very few reissues in Aus to try relative to Eu/USA
2016 is one of the golden ages for gibson
Such a normal, down to earth individual. It would be so cool to sit down and “talk shop” with Bernie.
Im 42 yrs old many yrs ago when i was 13 yrs old i was taking lessson from a freind of mines father. I had a cheap knockoff ibanez les paul from late 70s. Id been taking lesson maybe 3 months and he went into his room and came back with a case and said look i got something ive had since i was your age it was my dads . it was a 1960 burst he handed it to me plugged into a fender twin i was blown away at the resonances and sustain. It played ok neck was fatter than i like but oh man the sounds that came out my fingers vs my ibanez. He still has that guitar ive played it many times just special instruments.
Class! You only have to look at the expression on Bernie's face to understand what he really thinks...
Well worth reading Bernie's autobiography from 2019. He touches on some of it later in the video. RIP Bernie.
What a great guy Bernie is!Have meet him many times one off the kindest nicest dude on the planet and a great blues player!
Rest in Peace Bernie!! 🙏 ❤ you
That neck pickup on the beast, holy smokes. Where so many LP’s fail.
He's wearing a Sun Studio shirt! Born and raised here in Memphis. Rock on!!
A great chap, a great guitar player. And a great guitar. Quoting Joe B, that beast is insane. Always a pleasure to watch and listen to Bernie. Hats off sir!
This man tells it like it is!! When I bought my first electric guitar, I was looking at Epiphone LP DC's. I don't really know why, probably because I liked the way they looked. The salesman said "Why don't you buy this one instead, it's waaaaay better and really cool for the same price" He handed me a late 70's Kramer aluminium neck with the sandwich timbers. It played so nicely, it sounded just as nice. I handed it back and said "Nahh I want a new one, and the headstock looks funny" Regretted it ever since. It felt much better than the guitar I bought! Duhhh. That is why I understand personally what Bernie is talking about.
My friend works at Gibson.He has a custom shop 335 dot,blonde with flame.New.It's beautiful but the best part of it is the neck.It feels like LP JR but with a bigger neck,a real hand full.He tells me they are using hide glue again and that it makes a bid difference.
Bernie is so Great! He mentions Martin Barre a lot, who, in my opinion is one of the most under rated guitarists out there!
I was just talking to an aquantaince of mine who had gone to see Martin play and I said Martin is one of those players that has huge respect from people who are aware of him. He is under rated because he's under known, I think. Great player. Same with Bernie.
A sympathetic bloke. Would love to have a pint, a chat and a jam with Bernie.
Can we get a video done on the “put it in the great mans hands” that would be interesting as well!
I could listen to Bernie talk all day about this stuff
Back in 1992 I played 2 brand new Les Paul Standards in Hanks. They felt like two different makes. It was after having played a few in other Tin Pan Alley shops. I think the No1 rule is: If you find one you like, swap your granny to get it, until a better one comes along.
I usually like Guitarist videos for their professionalism. Surely they could have done something with the balance in this video. I have to keep turning it up to hear the people off camera and then turning it down when Bernie plays. I want to hear Jamie and Mick also!
The issue is that the guy talking behind the camera wasn't properly mic'd, you hear his voice through the same mic as Bernie's but obviously Bernie is in front of the mic so you hear him much louder. Making the other guy louder in that context during editing would have required some insane automation work. They just needed to get him his own mic haha.
I knew when he hit the first note it was the beast
that 60 sounding amazing
Yeah there are some really sweet Gibson re-issues. you just have to hand pick them. People play 1 or 2 and are not impressed
then they go around saying the Gibson's are not good? That is total BS because my 2018 Historic is incredible. and i agree about that R0 bernies played in this vid. it had that Wow factor!
Fabulous video with some iconic guitars played by a giant of a man.
Very humble man
Keef, Bernie, Angus, and Ralphs the only four guitarists anyone needs to listen to
He might not know but he is a Legend.
I think that anyone who has played a lot of different guitars realizes that some "have it" and some don't. Electric guitars are truly enigmatic when it comes to what makes them sound "good" to anyone who plays it. Many small differences add up to what many would perceive as something special. Plenty of personal tastes - subjectivity - out there as well. "The Beast" is clearly a good one!
I have a Gibson custom shop 58 les paul reissue and I have no idea if it's sounds like the real thing a I have never played one but it looks great plays great and sounds fantastic. It just sounds like a really great les paul . Put some Seymour Duncan whole lotta humbuckers and i don't know it they sound like real Paf or not but they sound very nice . Lots of 70s and early 80s grunt and growl . . Very new wave of British heavy metal .
What a great interview!
Every video like this I’ve seen is the same. He absolutely comes alive when he has the beast in his hands. I’d love a shot. Just for a wee minute!
I would have liked this video much more if both people each had a microphone.
I hope they mic all those in the discussion next time.
when he said at the end it might get played by the great man he must of meant MR PAGE because calpton went down hill after cream. but i love the guitars and i like bernie as well.
Respect to his honesty
Bernie's guitar seems brighter and hotter than the other two. You know how the tele gets brightness with the ash tray, makes me wonder if the wood on the body hardens with age, or even if the nut or lacquer somehow changes chemistry with age? These are all great sounding guitars, but I can really hear the difference in Bernie's Beast. Thanks for the great video!!!
Loved the article!
Good to get to know Bernie
There's a great video of a young lady playing a $5,000 cello to a $100,000 cello to a $1,000,000 cello. I thought the second cello had a better presence, but the $1,000,000 one brought out a passion in her playing... a depth of emotion...
It seems like the '58/'59 Les Pauls have a personality...an emotion... I almost feel like the guitars 'made' the players. Like each one has a soul.
For those of us mere mortals who can't afford a reissue, much less a custom shop model, check out the Vintage Reissued V100 and Lemon Drop models from Fret King (or their ICON equivalents, if you prefer your guitars to look seriously worn!)
Bro, all you gotta do is save up. The problem is everybody wants stuff instantly.
Not everyone wants to spend $4000+ on a guitar, wether they have the money or not.
Collin Groat exactly. Some people have families, children, mortgages and the like. I make pretty good money but could not justify spending 4 to 10k in a guitar. Vintage does make nice guitar for the money. I own a 91 Gibson LP 60s reissue that plays great. I also recently acquired a vintage V100 that feels very LP like for a fraction of the price.
Wonderful vid!! Thank you Guitarist!👌👌👌👌