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John McLaughlin's Les Pauls

sgtJoe

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Oct 25, 2003
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2,242
I remember reading somewhere that he said the black LP Cust he used on Inner Mounting Flame was a rented one.
 
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JM - clearly one of the most original and creative players-
His work during the Miles Davis era can only be described as brilliant and brave.
The Black Custom used on IMF was in fact rented.
In the end it's still all about the music- the instrument is a vehicle of inspiration.
 

CPM55

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Jul 1, 2011
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184
I have emailed the two photos of McLaughlin's vintage Gibson Les Paul Custom to the administrators for posting. The one he had from IMF was rented to my knowledge, as already posted. I have seen quite a few articles in which John mentions that he only has kept a few guitars over the years and this Les Paul Custom, a '55 I think, is one of them. As you will see in the pics, it is quite a fine looking specimen...looks like Alnico & P90 with a Bigsby and Gold hardware. I am sure that our experts can shed some more light. These days he is pretty much using the Godin models....but the articles I've seen also mention the Gibson Les Paul Custom, a Fender Strat, at least one PRS, and a slew of Gibson hollow bodies that he still has and plays.
I agree that he is not only one of the most amazing players and most influential, but he has to be amongst the most versatile, excelling in quite a few different genres.
 

CPM55

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Jul 1, 2011
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If someone gives me an email address I'll send the two photos to you of McLaughlin with his Gibson Les Paul Custom. I just couldn't figure out how to post them. I sent them to the forum email but as they are not posted yet, maybe they didn't go through or they couldn't post them either. It looks like a pretty clean example which I am guessing is either a '55 or '56, Bigsby equipped.
 

Mahalo

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Nov 19, 2005
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If someone gives me an email address I'll send the two photos to you of McLaughlin with his Gibson Les Paul Custom. I just couldn't figure out how to post them. I sent them to the forum email but as they are not posted yet, maybe they didn't go through or they couldn't post them either. It looks like a pretty clean example which I am guessing is either a '55 or '56, Bigsby equipped.

Hi there. Just tried to send you an email to help post these photos but your profile has email turned off.
 

CPM55

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Jul 1, 2011
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Ok...I think I turned it on. Send me an email and I'll send you the two photos! Thanks!
 

Wilko

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Mar 11, 2002
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20,854
From the Gibson Website:
john-mclaughlin_August-85_by-Jeffrey-Frank.jpg
 

Wilko

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Flat top carve, wide cutaway binding, speed knobs and small upper inlays...likely a 70s model.
 

buckaroo

Formerly Tweedguy
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Feb 17, 2009
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938
He sure plays fast. Having said that, I don't know that he makes "every note count".

I guess I am a fan of "less is more" when comes to playing music. I can't help but admire his rapid fire dexterity, but I have been moved more by players with greater economy of style.:rolleyes
 

CPM55

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Jul 1, 2011
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Much thanks to Mahalo for posting the pics!!!
I always hear McLaughlin talking about a '50s Custom that he still had...I thought for sure this would be it. It definitely doesn't look like the one from the back cover of extrapolation, unless it's been significantly modified. I always thought the back cover Custom was the "renter" he always notes.
So it is a '70s model? I didn't realize they came with Bigsbys and those pick ups then. You guys are the experts, so I leave it in your hands. I wonder if someone from McLaughlins site or McLaughlin himself would clear it up?
As for his playing style...I agree that for alternate picking, it is hard to beat McLaughlin, DiMeola, Lane, and Maalmsteen. These days likely Petrucci is up there as well. McLaughlin and Lane still seem the most versatile. I'd probably put Steve Morse in there as well. DiMeola, although he can still burn with the best of them, seems to have gone a different direction these days....more composition and feeling...less speed.
Well regardless of the year, that sure is a pretty Custom!
 
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John McLaughlin: not your average Claptonesque player-
a completely different set of concepts-
He has extended the guitar vocabulary into a range of new zones
imho : one of the worlds most creative players w a lasting impact.
Absolutley landmark work on IMF
 

tooold

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Jul 31, 2006
Messages
2,071
He sure plays fast. Having said that, I don't know that he makes "every note count".

I guess I am a fan of "less is more" when comes to playing music. I can't help but admire his rapid fire dexterity, but I have been moved more by players with greater economy of style.:rolleyes

Yep, he can play fast as hell. But... I saw him three times '73 - '76 - first with the original Orchestra (Cobham, Hammer, et al), then with the second incarnation (with Narada Michael Walden on drums), and then with his Indian acoustic group, Shakti. The thing that knocked me out, with every group, was that the grooves were unbelievable - incredibly soulful, real pulse even in the odd time signature stuff. And the sound - with the first Orchestra, two Marshall stacks with the double neck SG - the sound coming from that 12-string was ridiculous. Defining shows for me.

Throw in what he did on Bitches' Brew - playing a flat-top Gibson with a DeArmond soundhole pickup :bigal - and he was pretty amazing.

I'll admit, not much that he's done since then really gets to me, but I don't care. Those few years were enough.
 

Rich R

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Jun 4, 2002
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4,999
The Paris stories are correct. That was a while ago, in the early Nineties. The dealer, Hertz Maron, got it in some sort of "package deal". Who he sold it to, on the other hand, is not known to me, although he used to sell guitars to the guys in Oasis, so maybe one of them bought it. Hertz is a great guy, and a character. Don't know if he's still in business, but check him out if you're ever in his neck o' the woods.
 

emguitar

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Jan 10, 2014
Messages
6
Hey guys, although this thread is quite old, I'm able to provide you some accurate information regarding this Mac Laughlin Les Paul Burst.

There are several videos on Youtube where you can see JML playing this guitar in 1985/1986 with The Mahavishnu Orchestra. Most of them are of very poor quality but one : John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra live at the North Sea Jazz Festival • 1986 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofO599uw2DY is decent. As all burst from this era, this guitar has distinctive body figures that makes it recognizable, among others a wood mark coming from under the pickguard down to the tone button that can be seen at 13:51 in the North Jazz Festival video.

The story regarding the deal with Hertz Meron in Paris is absolutely true. Check the article : JOHN McLAUGHLIN FULFILLS THE PROMISE Guitar Player 1996 http://users.cs.cf.ac.uk/Dave.Marshall/mclaughlin/art/promise.html that explains it's a 58 LP that JML traded against 3 Johnny Smith.

I know first hand because I'm an old friend of Hertz and actually bought this guitar from him. In fact it was yet an other exchange deal where I traded 5 guitars (including a 54 Telecaster + a 61 Strat) to get it ! Anyway I still own this guitar absolutely untouched since JML era. The only 'alterations' so to speak are:
- non original jack plate (replaced with a metal one),
- metal sleeve to isolate the pot cavity
- Originally this guitar had a bigsby, you can see the 2 'snake bites' on the body. No idea when it was converted to a stop-tail as I do not know how and when John got this guitar.
- refret with 59 style frets - likely at John's request but not sure

Otherwise the guitar is stock, serial # 8 6XXX plays and sounds as it should...

A picture is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-Qx3F2sZw04L2_CzTcvchScbOza6rrQn/view?usp=sharing

Let me know if anybody wishes more info
Cheers
Eric
 
Last edited:

deytookerjaabs

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Nov 6, 2016
Messages
1,592
Let me know if anybody wishes more info
Cheers
Eric



Awesome, wow!!!

Yeah, anything ya have to say about it I'd love to read. JM tore that sucker up albeit with the 80's tone vibe thingy all those folks fell into....plus the clothes, lol.

Is this one on burst serial etc?
 

Maxmc

Active member
Joined
Mar 15, 2015
Messages
652
That may be some of the least musical guitar playing I've ever heard--sounds like some Berklee dropout trying to "blow" at the Mass Ave Guitar Center...
No argument from me on that score. This breakneck speedpicking of his is the one thing that puts me off him. Like listening to a typist trying to type out 80 words a minute.
 
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