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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Joe's Guitars, Amps and Gear → Joe's black 74 Custom
Thanks for the update.
Perhaps the best bet will be to try and take it along to a meet & greet with Joe? Then he can check it over himself and hopefully be able to give you some info on its history?!?
Good luck...
Post this thread in the 'joe's guitars, amps and gear' section. He often reads through the threads over there, so you never know, he might spot it!
A dead thread lives? Thanks guys for the input. Optimists prevail in the world, but most of us appreciate the blues. "Just sayin".
I have a RARE opportunity to see him in concert during the Fall tour (first time after two failed opportunities). Come show your support - I will be the idiot standing out back with a black LPC.
I will try to post it in the gear section, (new at this). I added a Marshall stack to my collection after the last visit to that part of the forum, luckily my wife remains a strong supporter. You should hear this guitar with it. Awesome!
I personally love my '72 black custom. It was my first guitar, super-skinny neck, broken in and I could never get rid of it.
Also love the Gibson Stamped gold covers. 
Just saw this so I moved it to a more relevant topic. Maybe Joe will see and respond as he sometimes does. You might want to post some more links with pictures.
One last effort to identify this guitar - Hope this works!
Joe they tell me you might actually read this post. I'll write this note as if to you directly just in case.
(Please note that Rachael - who was very polite - should have a few emails with photos and my contact info if that helps. You had just returned home from Australia, hectic schedule, so maybe this little request didn't get to you.)
I picked up this Black '74 Custom (Gibson verifies that it was a Kalamazoo blem). Seems that you sold it with some others to Rumbleseat SW, I got it from the next owner, a broker and I got it with no authentication.
I've done the homework, and I'm almost certain that you owned and performed with it, specifically during the performance of Mistreated March 17 2010 in BCCs first live performance.
I have NO plans to part with it. I am a huge fan, along with my wife. I'd love for you to authenticate it for me, and perhaps sign it sometime? I can ship it to you easily, otherwise I hope to see you for a meet and greet this fall. (I've never gotten to see you in person, missed two shows already due to work and travel.)
Gear Video
If it helps, you refer to it as your "John Sykes" moment during the Guitar Center Gear Interview Part II - It appears at 5 min 40 seconds.
Photos
I will TRY now to post a link to a photo album I created today, just photos of the guitar, and a few performance photos from March 17 2010 Riverside CA (some courtesy of an anonymous photographer who was kind enough to contribute to the cause.)
http://s1313.photobucket.com/user/lovem … y/My%20LPC
Nitty Gritty Amateur Detective Details: The inlays reflect light in a unique way, it's the best evidence I can offer to help you identify this guitar. The pattern of light reflected by a series of pearl inlays is always unique. The ninth fret is the easy one to spot - a consistent diagonal pattern. The15th inlay is consistently bright - The 21st has a bright center. I shot the neck at home today, these inlays match the performance shots in the album.
When it arrived, a local luthier was particularly curious about some routing in the body. He thinks it was done to accommodate the bridge pickup? He figures it was done at the custom shop in Kalamazoo, which is where (Gibson verified for me that) the guitar was built. I'd love to know more about this and whether it accounts for the awesome tone which you refer to as "warm" in the video.
I think you have a guitar tech? That person might know about this - There was green high vis cloth tape on the case, and a small bit well hidden under the bridge tone knob (probably to secure it). The same tape is evident on photos of stored cases, and all around the stages (used to outline hard to see speaker cabinets and to marks mic stands, etc.) also, a tiny bit of emory cloth rests under the pick guard screw (prevents scratch and dampens vibration).
Had to post links one at a time....
Here is the link to the gear interview part II check out 5 min 40 secs to see the guitar in question.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vwbx-q8l8s
Enjoy!
Dude, stay patient. Joe is on this forum all the time, and frequents this part of the forum quite often, answering questions about gear and giving his two cents. You'll get your answer in due time. 
I think it is guilty by circumstantial evidence. You make a pretty good case for it. It obviously matters to you whether it really was Joe's apparently. If you paid a fair price for it without a Joe owned markup and it isn't going anywhere like Deezer says be patient. He does check in. Whether he chooses to chime in is another thing. If it was his and he played it and it makes it more special I understand wanting to know I have a thing for Joe owned guitars myself. That being a guitar that may have been briefly in the vault and played at least one gig maybe Joe didn't think giving a COA was all that big a deal at the time.
I have a guitar that Joe is holding the COA hostage for reasons I can not divulge here but you gave me more circumstantial evidence that I can make a case for it's authenticity just in case he gets mad at me and decides to not give me the letter. 7 minutes into the video is the clue. Not planning on putting it on Ebay anytime soon but maybe he will give the COA to my heirs. 
I'm a little bummed myself. I think since Joe is getting bigger, he is becoming less accessible. It was bound to happen, as busy as he is. I have a white Flying V that he auditioned or played with when he jammed with UFO back in the day. There is even an article that mentions the V in Classic Rock magazine. I have a letter authenticating it, and I was hoping to have him sign it in Detroit.
I was unsuccessful in getting a M & G pass, and I thought I would just wait and have him sign it after the show. I was really bummed to find out he doesn't come out after anymore like he used to. He even has a seperate bus now.
Don't get me wrong, I love the music and I think he deserves every bit of success that comes his way. He deserves 10 buses! Lol. That was just one aspect I always thought was pretty cool about him. I can't complain, as I had the opportunity to meet him on several occasions. All good things must end.
Well, long awaited good news. It was arranged for us to meet Joe recently before an performance at the incredible Fox Theatre in Atlanta. He was immediately distracted by the appearance of the case, leaning over to peek at it while signing an autograph nearby. The old case still had the lime green tape typical of his touring gear. Before opening the case Joe accurately predicted that it was a '73 - '74. He smiled and shouted in surprise to see the guitar with a photo of him performing with it. "Wow, it's one of mine!" He held it up for the large group to see, and explained to everyone that we'd brought one of his guitars back to him, something "you don't see every day." He shared some details about it, he particularly liked the weight and tone it has, and he had it refretted while he owned it. He apologized but didn't sign it. He was really cool about it, signed the performance photo as he explained why he doesn't certify older guitars. Basically, Joe feels a disproportionate value is introduced when artists associate themselves with vintage instruments, and gave an example. I will leave it to you guys to debate that. As for me, I am happy to grow old playing this wonderful guitar. It may not be bonafide by your definition, but in my world, it's BONAfide! A personal connection to the greatest guitarist I have ever known? Priceless. As the username implies, Love my LPC.
Getting it refretted was the best idea anyone ever had for that guitar. Those fretless wonders were very difficult to play imo
wow, how awesome is that! So happy for you to have met Joe and i'm sure to see the look on his face was priceless! So funny he knew what the guitar was before even looking at it!
Well, long awaited good news. It was arranged for us to meet Joe recently before an performance at the incredible Fox Theatre in Atlanta. He was immediately distracted by the appearance of the case, leaning over to peek at it while signing an autograph nearby. The old case still had the lime green tape typical of his touring gear. Before opening the case Joe accurately predicted that it was a '73 - '74. He smiled and shouted in surprise to see the guitar with a photo of him performing with it. "Wow, it's one of mine!" He held it up for the large group to see, and explained to everyone that we'd brought one of his guitars back to him, something "you don't see every day." He shared some details about it, he particularly liked the weight and tone it has, and he had it refretted while he owned it. He apologized but didn't sign it. He was really cool about it, signed the performance photo as he explained why he doesn't certify older guitars. Basically, Joe feels a disproportionate value is introduced when artists associate themselves with vintage instruments, and gave an example. I will leave it to you guys to debate that. As for me, I am happy to grow old playing this wonderful guitar. It may not be bonafide by your definition, but in my world, it's BONAfide! A personal connection to the greatest guitarist I have ever known? Priceless. As the username implies, Love my LPC.
Glad to hear that it turned out to be one of Joe's and he 'claimed it' for you.
I tend to agree that guitars shouldn't be turned into collectors items just to (cynically) inflate the value - you know it was his and he is happy to say so - that's great. Play that thing to death!
He apologized but didn't sign it. He was really cool about it, signed the performance photo as he explained why he doesn't certify older guitars. Basically, Joe feels a disproportionate value is introduced when artists associate themselves with vintage instruments, and gave an example.
Glad you got it authenticated and got a chance to meet Joe - always a great experience.
I'm confused about the quoted part above though - did he not want to deface/devalue a vintage instrument - or did he not want to "add" value to it by saying it was definitively his?
Congrats again!
kestrou
Glad to hear that it turned out to be one of Joe's and he 'claimed it' for you.
I tend to agree that guitars shouldn't be turned into collectors items just to (cynically) inflate the value - you know it was his and he is happy to say so - that's great. Play that thing to death!
Right on, and that's the plan.
Well, long awaited good news. It was arranged for us to meet Joe recently before an performance at the incredible Fox Theatre in Atlanta. He was immediately distracted by the appearance of the case, leaning over to peek at it while signing an autograph nearby. The old case still had the lime green tape typical of his touring gear. Before opening the case Joe accurately predicted that it was a '73 - '74. He smiled and shouted in surprise to see the guitar with a photo of him performing with it. "Wow, it's one of mine!" He held it up for the large group to see, and explained to everyone that we'd brought one of his guitars back to him, something "you don't see every day." He shared some details about it, he particularly liked the weight and tone it has, and he had it refretted while he owned it. He apologized but didn't sign it. He was really cool about it, signed the performance photo as he explained why he doesn't certify older guitars. Basically, Joe feels a disproportionate value is introduced when artists associate themselves with vintage instruments, and gave an example. I will leave it to you guys to debate that. As for me, I am happy to grow old playing this wonderful guitar. It may not be bonafide by your definition, but in my world, it's BONAfide! A personal connection to the greatest guitarist I have ever known? Priceless. As the username implies, Love my LPC.
Pretty much the same story with me. I own joes firebird 1 '91 custom shop and got to meet him in oslo this october. He saw the guitar and asked me if it was his old firebird ,and he wanted to buy it back. His guitarteck mike also asked me if i would sell it to him:). I said i would never sell the guitar but joe tried for a long time to buy it back from me:). He said he didn't want to sign the guitar or the letter of authentesy caus it would bring up the value of the guitar but after a little back and forth He finaly signed the guitar and the letter of authentesy that followed the guitar with this line" if this guitar is sold it goes back to me only joe bonamassa". He also signed my bonamassa customshop #50 and my bonamassa studio.
You can see the firebird 1 in this clip in one of his many rig rundowns
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7Vwbx-q8l8s
Pretty much the same story with me. I own joes firebird 1 '91 custom shop and got to meet him in oslo this october. He saw the guitar and asked me if it was his old firebird ,and he wanted to buy it back.
That firebird is a killer guitar - well done and enjoy!
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