Kossoff Burst

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by Ad_02Std

Read post #19.

Wow

And people what do you think of the headstock, it definitely does not look a 59, what year did the luthier based his, or its just the angle of the camera from Frank's photos?

[Beano Geno]

Originally Posted by nicolasrivera

Wow

And people what do you think of the headstock, it definitely does not look a 59, what year did the luthier based his, or its just the angle of the camera from Frank's photos?

I think the headstock is part of Rock n Roll history.

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by Beano Geno

I think the headstock is part of Rock n Roll history.

Totally, but if Gibson ever decides to do the guitar and they change in any way the headstock and charge 11K for the guitar........well they probably will any ways.....

[JRW8214@AOL.COM]

Originally Posted by Ad_02Std

Would it be the guitar on Free Live then?

That's my favourite Les Paul tone of all time; particularly the versions of "Moonshine" and "Trouble On Double Time" on the expanded CD.

Most likely not. Those tracks were recorded in 1970. His main guitars at that time was the darkburst(the one everyone knows he got from Clapton) and the sanded one. My money is on the sanded one. It was so much clearer than any other LP he had.

[Kossoff_Fan]

I love Koss. Flashriffs, thanks for the pics. Beautiful!

A few years back, I'd had this notion of petitioning Gibson for some sort of Koss Tribute Reissue, but dropped the idea. While I'm fascinated by and love vintage 'Bursts and particularly by the ones Koss owned (like this one, and the stripped 'burst), I didn't really want to pursue that; That said, and having said that, I think it would be cool if only to see Koss get more recognition on a wider scale, here in the US. Free were much more popular in Europe, Japan and Australia than here in the US.

I forget which post mentioned this in the thread, but by way of helpful information, I'm fairly certain that this 'burst is not the one that Koss traded with Clapton.

At one point, I'd compiled and posted to the LPF a listing of all the various Kossoff guitars, where they ended up according to published/reliable sources. I think I revisited that posting a few months ago and noticed a few inaccuracies that I'd made. There are several books and magazines with pictures of Koss' 'Bursts. David Clayton, who runs the Free Appreciation Society (Free fan club), co-authored the biography Heavy Load, and spear-headed many of the re-mastered Free releases put together a special issue of the F.A.S. magazine devoted to Koss' guitars a few years ago. I haven't looked in a while, but he'll often sell copies of the F.A.S. on ebay. It's very detailed, and while there are a few minor errors that most vintage guitar lovers would notice, it's pretty much the definitive document as far as determining which Les Paul was which, and where they ended up. Koss bought, sold and traded all these instruments quite often; While certain guitars of his may be linked to specific periods, I don't think it was really quite that specific (in terms of instruments used on certain records) as some may have speculated here. In other words, (in my opinion) he simply used what he liked at that time, and bought, sold and/or traded guitars throughout the Free and Back Street Crawler periods. Or rather, I think that, much more important than the specific gear details, the overall vibe, approach and spirit of Koss' playing is what is MOST intriguing and inspiring to me. Does that make sense?

Anyway, sorry to ramble on. I love Koss. He's still my all-time favorite musician. His playing was so soulful; I love his style, approach, tone. For me, when he was at his peak (1970 Fire & Water period into the making of Highway), he was unmatched in every way.

all best,
James
Kossoff_Fan

[JRW8214@AOL.COM]

James,
Its not the burst he traded with Clapton for. But Sandhe told me he did get it from Clapton at a concert of his that they went to. This either occured in late '70 or in '71.

[2002standardmat]

IIRC the burst that Clapton is playing on P43 of the Tony Bacon 50 Years book is the burst he swapped with Koss.

Please chip in and post a link if you want - scanner not to hand and had a qucik look on web but can't find it.

[mistersnappy]

Originally Posted by JRW8214@AOL.COM

James,
Its not the burst he traded with Clapton for. But Sandhe told me he did get it from Clapton at a concert of his that they went to. This either occured in late '70 or in '71.

That's very interesting! Never heard that...

Originally Posted by Kossoff_Fan

A few years back, I'd had this notion of petitioning Gibson for some sort of Koss Tribute Reissue, but dropped the idea.

IMO, the stripped top one would be a unique tribute b/c the top is unlike any other vintage Burst (or goldtop?) I've ever seen. The Ramm Burst is lovely but is more "typical", if you will. YMMV.

Or, one could do a Koss (and Clapton) tribute on the cheap and get one of the G0 Guitar Center DarkBurst/Tobacco plaintops that come up for sale on the 'Bay fairly regularly. Gibson did a tribute to them and didn't realize it!

[JRW8214@AOL.COM]

Originally Posted by mistersnappy

That's very interesting! Never heard that...

Yup. As i said earlier, she told me Koss got both that burst and the white strat from Clapton.

[Skipped]

Originally Posted by Kossoff_Fan

Anyway, sorry to ramble on.

No need to apologise! Your list (along with Google) is what led me to this forum so I owe you one.
However, I am still puzzled by the sequence of events as far as Koss's first 5 or 6 guitars are concerned. Was he really trading guitars with Clapton before this photograph was taken? I know some children can be precocious but.......

[JRW8214@AOL.COM]

He didnt meet Clapton until FREE supported Blind Faith in '69. Thats Koss' first burst(in the pic you posted). Most likely the one he used with Black Cat Bones and on FREE's first lp, Tons Of Sobs.

[Kossoff_Fan]

That's correct. There were several sunburst Les Pauls. The story of which ones were traded is detailed really well in that F.A.S. issue (if memory serves). My list, which I can dig up, did contain some errors. That Burst in that photo was Koss' first 'Burst, as Jacob mentioned. If I recall correctly, it was traded, and re-traded with another player during that early period. The other guitar was the 3-pick-up Les Paul Custom.

[gr4ntc]

Frank does Arthur gig this guitar on special occasions ?

[nicolasrivera]

Originally Posted by gr4ntc

Frank does Arthur gig this guitar on special occasions ?

Good question.....

[flashriffs]

Yes it goes out, it was out this year with a Free tribute band with Simon Kirke drumming at the same venue that Alright now was written, apparently Free walked off stage to the sound of there own footsteps, thats when they decided they needed something a bit more uptempo and alright now was concieved there and then in the dressing room, not sure if they went back out and played it though !! It comes out every now and then at the annual Free conventions held around the N.E. My mate's got a dvd of Arthur playing it at such a convention, Geoff Whitehorn, Koss's replacement in Backstreet Crawler is on it too.

[gr4ntc]

Originally Posted by flashriffs

Yes it goes out, it was out this year with a Free tribute band with Simon Kirke drumming at the same venue that Alright now was written, apparently Free walked off stage to the sound of there own footsteps, thats when they decided they needed something a bit more uptempo and alright now was concieved there and then in the dressing room, not sure if they went back out and played it though !! It comes out every now and then at the annual Free conventions held around the N.E. My mate's got a dvd of Arthur playing it at such a convention, Geoff Whitehorn, Koss's replacement in Backstreet Crawler is on it too.

Thanks Frank, Thats good to know...

are those DVD clips availible anywhere to view, I would love to see them ?

[flashriffs]

No, that particular dvd is not on the net, but it will be if I get my way, I haven't seen it yet, but my mate's bringing it round my kip this week, whether I've got to get permission to post it on youtube or not I don't know but I'm certainly gonna look into it.

There is some video of a gig at Dunelm where Alright now was wrote, the quality is not good, so I can't tell if it's the burst or not but I know for a stone cold fact it was there, I know thats the case on the floor behind the guitar player.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOFz5...eature=related

[wsaraceni]

Originally Posted by flashriffs

I keep the rest of the pix in my photobucket site.

too bad its password protected :D

[Dirtypool]

I tried it too :-) off course not with the intention to steal photo's but just to watch

[zorglub!]

Hey, I just found this link on the stripped guitar... strange.

[Ad_02Std]

Originally Posted by zorglub!

Hey, I just found this link on the stripped guitar... strange.

I don't know whether that was owned by Kossoff at all, but it's not The Kossoff stripped burst. In fact, it's a Norlin.

[flashriffs]

Zorglub; I dunno about that one mate, smells a bit fishy to me, I just can't see it........naa !!

Apart from the fact that the guy offers no evidence to support that it was owned by P.K. The bridge volume knob looks too far forward almost level with the tailpiece, I dunno maybe it's just me, just looks as ropey as a box of monkeys to me mate.....that my 2 bits Frank

[TW59]

That's not a Burst. It's a Norlin, although he might have owned it right before his death.

[zorglub!]

Sure, I am with you guys, there is no Burst there, that is why I said the stripped guitar...

[JRW8214@AOL.COM]

Ive never heard of Koss owning a Norlin. The latest Les Paul ive heard of him having is the late 60s reissue that he traded to Arthur Ramm for in '71 in the original deal(Koss offered his burst to Arthur for Arthurs new guitar at FREE's last gig in '71 before they broke up. But he'd broken the neck so he offered Arthur his stripped one until he got the burst repaired). Other than that the only newer(for the time) lp that ive heard of Koss owning is one of those Profession/Recording/Personals....i can never tell which one is which. James its on your list, can you help me out?

[Kossoff_Fan]

Hi Jacob. It's a Les Paul Recording model according to the David Clayton F.A.S. issue.

[JRW8214@AOL.COM]

yea thats it! thanks james

[flashriffs]

There's one of Koss's yellow 57 TV's in one of the hard rock cafe's, I've seen it but can't remember which city, anyone else seen it ?

[Jim Jones]

Thanks for sharing your visit, flashriffs! That's an extremely cool experience!

[2002standardmat]

It's in Manchester HRC - if you ever wana visit it, I am always up for a beer, a plate of their nachos and to talk Koss/Free.

It is also on P11 of the Treasures of HRC book.

[Steve-hose]

What a cool experience that must have been

[flashriffs]

Thank you for all your replies gents I'm sure you wont mind me bringing this thread back to life with a few more pix of the Koss burst, not from my visit but with the man himself, taken in 72, I'm told from the Newcastle City Hall, but I think not, most likely the Newcastle Mayfair, Sept 15th or Oct 20th, anyway what the hell, where and when, ENJOY. Frank

[porterburst]

The other day I posted this in the Koss amp thread, but I thought it should be posted here as well.

Here's a picture of Koss 58 dark Burst. I love the tone of this Burst.

[Billy Porter]

Originally Posted by flashriffs

Thank you for all your replies gents I'm sure you wont mind me bringing this thread back to life with a few more pix of the Koss burst, not from my visit but with the man himself, taken in 72, I'm told from the Newcastle City Hall, but I think not, most likely the Newcastle Mayfair, Sept 15th or Oct 20th, anyway what the hell, where and when, ENJOY. Frank

Doesn't look like Newcastle City Hall to this Geordie either

BTW - just beginning to get into Kossoff after 38years (trying to) playing guitar. I've been missing out a lot methinks

[Kossoff_Fan]

Frank, thank you for posting those pics. I think this has to be one of the all-time coolest pics of Koss I've ever seen, as well as the last one with the big smile.

Thank you, mate!

I love Koss.

Originally Posted by flashriffs

[JRW8214@AOL.COM]

I agree with James. Great pics!!

[mistersnappy]

Whats with the speed knobs?

Seriously, great pics! Thanks

[JRW8214@AOL.COM]

Ive always wondered that aswell. Speed knobs on a burst...yuk!

[porterburst]

Here are more pictures of Koss 58 dark Burst from the "Free Forever" DVD.

[JRW8214@AOL.COM]

Great shots Porterburst. Thanks!!!