Last night my wife asked me a very interesting question that really got me to think. She asked me "what guitar I have always wanted but has seemed to elude me for my entire playing career". The answer was simple and I didn't even need to think about it. The Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty has held my attention since I had the chance to play on in a music store over 15 years ago. At a price tag of over $4400 however, it is not a guitar that I have ever felt that I could afford to go out and buy.
She went even further in the question and asked what my motivation behind wanting this guitar was based on. I have to admit that my motives on other guitars I have desired and bought had to do not only with the sound and playability, but with the fit and finish, or simply just how cool the guitar looked. Don't get me wrong. The Black Beauty is an awesome looking guitar in its own right, but I lean toward finishes that show the wood grain, especially a beautiful flame maple top. Black has not been my color of choice since the first black guitar I owned. I really like the look of black guitars, but the task of keeping them clean is just more than I want to deal with. No color shows fingerprints and oils worse than a gloss black guitar. Still, the Black Beauty which only comes in.... you guessed it ... "black", would be my guitar of choice. The reason is the great playability, and the tonal options that the third pickup offers. This guitar is so much different than any other Les Paul I have played. This led me to think that my motivation to own this guitar was based more on sound, and not on looks, and to tell the truth, I could not name a well known player off the top of my head that plays a Black Beauty. This is a pure motivation for all the right reasons, because my choice is based on the most important aspects of what a guitar should be.
I would like to hear from some of you on your "dream guitar", and why that guitar holds so much appeal for you. Please feel free to chime in and leave your comments.
Gary Allen
May 6, 2009 @ 11:26 am
I received an email from a friend’s wife last November. She needed help with a Christmas gift. She informed me that my buddy has always wanted a flying v guitar with a American flag painted on it. After laughing for about 20 minutes straight I figured out that it was a Dave Mustaine model but unfortunately was going to be out of her price range if we could ever find one.
May 7, 2009 @ 7:45 pm
Peter Frampton is the only person I can think of that’s primarily identified with a Black Beauty.
May 25, 2009 @ 12:07 am
Great point Mike. I didn’t even think of Frampton. I guess there is a well known player for the Black Beauty.
July 3, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
I don’t know why but I’m still searching for the ultimate P90 guitar. I really would like a sweet Gibson SG with P90s.
I wouldn’t call it my dream guitar, since I already found that one (24 fret Gibson DC Standard) - but there’s something about the growl of P90s that I’d like to add to my arsenal.
Dan
October 27, 2009 @ 8:16 pm
Page and Clapton both had Black Beauties in the 60’s. My dream guitar is probably a sunburst Gibson L5-S (w/humbuckers, not the low impedance pups)or a 60’s Sunburst Les Paul Standard.
November 13, 2009 @ 2:17 am
I haven’t found my dream guitar yet. It’s eluded me well. There seems to be too many usable variables for me to find what I really like best. I’ll pick up one guitar with specs on one end of the spectrum and play some really awesome stuff with it, and then pick up a completely different guitar and love it just as much.
I’ve found that I can adapt to most guitars well enough. Sound is VERY important to me, sustain being a part of that. I like a guitar with BITE that can still mellow out without being to woolly.
I can tell you some things for certain though:
Most likely has a maple top
Has humbuckers with coil-tapping
Has serious carving or is an arch-top
At least 24″ scale, medium/thin neck 24 SS frets
Medium nut and bridge widge. Narrower than a les paul, wider than most strats.
Oh, locking tuners. Man those make my life easy.
I think other that custom, carvin would be the way to go for me. I really like their guitars. I’m not so fussy about the looks though, that’s for sure.
November 17, 2009 @ 5:56 am
It may not technically be a black beauty, but Ace Frehley is well known for playing a three pick up Les Paul. Also, Jimmy Page had one that was stolen, which Gibson recently started making again. It comes with a Bigsby trem and a six posistion selector switch.
I also want a Black Beauty BAD. Although I will be happy with the Epiphone version. Say what you will about Epi, but I think they are giving Gibson a real run for their money, good thing they own them.