Everyone knows the story of the two Les Pauls that Johnny Marr gave to Noel Gallagher – the 1953 Sunburst conversion and the 1978 Black Custom (both extensively detailed in their dedicated pages). But there’s another Les Paul, arguably Johnny’s most played guitar (!), that also made its way into a few of Noel’s recordings.
The guitar in question is a 1984 Les Paul Standard in Cherry Red, fitted with a Bigsby B-5 vibrato and Seymour Duncan pickups. Over the last two decades, it has developed a cult following and earned the nickname “Meat Is Murder Les Paul“. Now, it’s been faithfully replicated in a limited run of just 20 pieces, available exclusively through the Gibson Garage in London.
Keep reading for a VERY detailed, in-depth look at this legendary instrument, which has shaped so many iconic tracks from Johnny Marr’s career with The Smiths and beyond…
The “Meat Is Murder” Les Paul
This Cherry Red Les Paul Standard (serial number 822645381) was built in the Nashville factory in August 1984. Sometime between September and October, Johnny bought it from A1 Repairs in Manchester – specifically to record Meat Is Murder, the second album by The Smiths:2
“I was looking for a harder sound for the Meat Is Murder album, and I tried a few different guitars before coming around to the Les Paul. There are a lot of traditional rock cliches associated with this guitar, so I had to work past that.”
The Les Paul is not commonly associated with Johnny’s chimey signature sound, but this one is the guitar he’s used on more records than any other:3
“My red Les Paul is on more records that I’ve done than any other guitar, by a mile. It’s on everything I’ve done. It’s my go-to for that thing that I think people think that I do all the time. Which I do a lot, but not exclusively! But I do think it makes me play that way – which might surprise a lot of people, with it being a Les Paul.”
The colour choice was inspired by George Harrison’s Les Paul Standard from the ’68/’69 Beatles period, which was gifted to him by Eric Clapton and nicknamed “Lucy”.4
The Les Paul had its first documented appearance at a Smiths gig in Paris on December 1st 1984.5 During The Queen Is Dead era, the 1978 Black Custom became Johnny’s most-used Les Paul, but the Cherry Red Standard remained one of the three Les Pauls he played throughout The Smiths’ career – the third being of course the 1953 conversion!
According to Johnny, this was the guitar he used for the last song The Smiths ever played live – fittingly, their debut single Hand in Glove – during their final show at Brixton Academy on December 12, 1986.6 7
The Bigsby B-5 vibrato unit was installed by Johnny himself in mid March 1985,8 mainly because he liked the look on Neil Young’s famous “old black” Les Paul.9 The horseshoe-shaped B-5 is rarely seen on Les Pauls. The B-7 model is a far more common choice, as it better suits the arch top. Johnny had it installed mainly for the look, but it soon became a powerful tool on stage, as he mentioned in an interview with guitar historian Tony Bacon:10
“Like a lot of guitar players, the look is very important, and I like the look of a Bigsby on a Les Paul. It’s quite unusual. I won’t lie: a lot of it was about how it looked. I’d written the song Nowhere Fast on an Epiphone Casino with a Bigsby. […] Anyway, I didn’t want to take it out on the road, so I just thought well, I’ve got this new Les Paul, so I’ll put a Bigsby on that and be able to play Nowhere Fast and a few of the other twangy things. That was my logic.“
If you look closely, you can spot the original stop-tailpiece bushings peeking out from beneath the B-5.
In the studio, the red Les Paul was of course Johnny’s main guitar for the Meat Is Murder recording sessions. It was used to write and record The Headmaster Ritual, That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore and What She Said.11 Additionally, it was likely used to record overdubs on Nowhere Fast and I Want the One I Can’t Have.12
The Headmaster Ritual, in particular, had been around since the band’s demo sessions with Troy Tate in the summer of 1983, during work on their debut album.13 The red Les Paul played a key role in the song’s final recording:14
“I knew The Headmaster Ritual was a happening piece of music, and was quite inspired, but, because I’d been playing it on an acoustic guitar for months, I just couldn’t get away from it sounding like Joni Mitchell. But when we came to make the Meat Is Murder record, and I had the red Les Paul, I kind of put that in the tune and it then sounded like a Smiths song, and it all came together.“
Sometime between 1987 and 1992, the original Gibson humbuckers were replaced with a set of uncovered “zebra” Seymour Duncan pickups.15
At the same time, a coil-split was added16 – most likely activated via push-pull pots.
This modification was probably inspired by the coil-split on the 1978 Les Paul Custom, which had proven highly versatile for replicating single-coil tones by bypassing one of the humbucker’s coils. Unlike the 1978 Custom, which had a mini toggle switch installed between the knobs, the mod on the Cherry Red Les Paul was far less invasive, requiring only one (or possibly two) pot replacements.
Johnny definitely loves a coil-tap feature, as confirmed by Tony Bacon:17
“He finds the coil-tap great when he’s doubling-up arpeggios. The usual trick is to double with a different guitar, for textural and sonic variation, but with this modded Les Paul he can just keep the same guitar on, flick the coil-tap, and dial in a different tone.“
The exact pickup model can’t be confirmed with certainty, but my educated guess is that they are Seymour Duncan ’59s – excellent Alnico V-based P.A.F. replicas known for their versatility and great tone when coil-tapped. For the picky anoraks out there: the bridge pickup is a “reverse zebra”, while the neck pickup is a standard “zebra”.
After The Smiths disbanded in 1987, the Cherry Red Les Paul cemented its status as one of Johnny’s favorite guitars. It was used to record 1969 by The Pretenders and served as Johnny’s main guitar in The The, appearing on various recordings between 1988 and 1993 – including Dogs of Lust and Slow Emotion Replay.18 The guitar can also be seen in the official Dogs of Lust music video, released in early 1993.19
Between 1989 and 2001, it was also used during various recording sessions for Electronic, Johnny’s side project with Bernard Sumner of New Order.20 Bernard also borrowed it to write and record the New Order song Regret, which was released in April 1993 as the lead single from the Republic album.21
During his time with The Cribs in the late ’00s, Johnny brought with him the Cherry Red Les Paul in the studio. In particular, it was played on We Share the Same Skies – recorded in early 2009. While he came up with the riff on a Jazzmaster, he recorded it with the Les Paul:22
“The band were excited that it was a very typical ‘me’ kind of riff, so I just thought OK, I’ll make it sound like I’m supposed to sound. So I recorded it on the Les Paul. There’s a documentary online about the making of that album, and you can see me using that guitar quite a lot.“
The red Les Paul has remained one of Johnny’s main studio guitars throughout his solo career, featuring on every album he’s released since 2013: The Messenger, Playland, Call the Comet and Fever Dreams Pts 1–4. It was used to write and record tracks like Generate, Generate! and Bug, among others.23
In late 2016, the Cherry Red Les Paul – long overlooked by casual fans and overshadowed by the usual Jaguars and Rickenbackers – finally got its 15 minutes of fame. Singer-songwriter Ryan Adams proudly showed off his replica of the Meat Is Murder Les Paul, based on a period-correct 1983 Candy Apple Red Standard (although he fitted it with the wrong Bigsby – a B-7 model).24 25
Ryan played it extensively from late 2016 through 2017. Initially, it retained its original Gibson humbuckers (with unusual gold covers), but he later swapped them for a set of zebra P.A.F. replicas.
Johnny was later asked about the LP in a 2018 interview with Premier Guitar magazine, just before the release of his third solo record, Call the Comet:26
“I should say that the red ’80s Les Paul that Ryan’s so fond of is an exceptional guitar, and I used that one on this record [Call the Comet] on quite a lot of arpeggio parts to double-track what I would do on the Jaguar.“
In the same interview, Johnny explained why he loved – and still loves – using such a wide variety of guitars:
“All of those guitars had a real direct effect on my songwriting back then, simply because it was so incredible to me that I was able to own each one of them. I had been so broke as a kid that I wrote a whole load of songs as soon as I got one of those guitars, and that was a rule I had for myself to justify buying one. The only Smiths guitars I don’t have any more are the ones I’ve given to Noel Gallagher and Bernard Butler.“
He did give away a 12-string Gibson ES-335 to Bernard Butler, the guitarist from Suede. And as for Noel, we already know what he got – the aforementioned 1953 conversion Les Paul, the 1978 black LP Custom, and the 1965 Stratocaster that was played on Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back in Anger.
In late 2023, this guitar was featured in a brilliant 1.5-hour interview on The Pedal Show, where Johnny once again expressed his love for this particular Les Paul:27
“People assume that it’s Rickenbackers and stuff, but the cleans are actually this guitar. […] This is the one I’d run into a burning building for.“
He then proceeds to play Regret by New Order and That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore, a song which he “would only have written on this guitar – some guitars have music in them“.
I suggest you to watch the entire interview, but if you’re in a hurry the video below should start right where Johnny is talking about (and playing) the Meat Is Murder Les Paul.
And finally… here’s where the Noel Gallagher connection with this guitar unfolds.
In February 2022, Johnny brought the Meat Is Murder Les Paul to Noel’s studio in King’s Cross, London. He also brought along a 12-string Gibson SG, an ’80s Yamaha, and his Lake Placid Blue signature Fender Jaguar modified with a Sustainer pickup.28
In his book Marr’s Guitars, Johnny states that the Les Paul was used on Pretty Boy, though I believe the Jaguar is the one we can hear in the final version of that track. However, the Les Paul was definitely used on the album take of title track Council Skies.
On the same day, Johnny also played Noel’s Epiphone Royal Tan USA Casino to record guitar parts for Open the Door, See What You Find.
As one of Johnny’s favorite studio guitars, the Cherry Red Les Paul might have been among the gear he brought to the studio in 2014 to record guitar parts for Noel’s Ballad of the Mighty I. However, this is purely speculation, based on Noel’s comments and Johnny’s well-documented love for this Les Paul:29
“He just arrived with two guitars and a bag of effects pedals. And I have to say, he’s unbelievable. He’s way up there, on another level to the rest of us. The result is a burst of energy that helped make Ballad of the Mighty I one of the best songs I’ve ever written.“
Inside Marr’s Guitars, there’s a photo showcasing all of Johnny’s Les Pauls.
From left to right: the 1984 Meat Is Murder Standard, a 1957 Goldtop Standard (also played by Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien), a 1960 Black Custom (used with Electronic and The Healers), the 1953 conversion, and the 1978 Black Custom. The latter two, of course, still belong to Noel – they were only loaned back to Johnny for the photoshoot!
But if you want to learn more about the other Les Pauls – and see more of Pat Graham’s stunning photography – you’ll have to buy the book. He truly is the best guitar photographer around, with an unmatched eye for detail and patina.
The 2025 “Gibson Garage” limited edition replica
In February of last year, to mark the opening of the Gibson Garage in London, a limited run of 20 replicas of Noel’s (ex Johnny’s) 1978 Black Custom was released: all profits from the sales were donated by Gibson and Noel to support the Teenage Cancer Trust.
If you missed it, I wrote a deep-dive post about the Gibson Garage replica of the black Custom a couple of months ago (click here to read it).
Now, exactly an year later, it was Johnny’s time to team up with Gibson and TCT to release another super-limited edition replica, and Johnny himself chose the Meat Is Murder Les Paul:30
“These guitars are a faithful reproduction of my beloved 1984 Gibson Les Paul, bought in Manchester back in the day. It’s the guitar I’ve kept and used since that time on loads of different records, so I was beyond delighted to see it recreated in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust. It’s an amazing organization that I’ve had an association with for about ten years. It’s a privilege to be involved in this good cause and I’m very glad to be affiliated with it, especially when it involves making a fantastic Les Paul.“
Like the black Custom, the Meat Is Murder replica is a limited run of 20 pieces: it was available exclusively at the Gibson Garage in London on 21 February 2025. Each one was signed by Johnny Marr on the back of the headstock. Again, all profits from the sale were donated to support the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Based on the photos I’ve seen, the replica is pretty much perfect – even better than the black Custom. The attention to detail, especially in recreating the wear and tear on the Bigsby, is incredible. Hat’s off to Gibson’s Murphy Lab! I may have noticed a couple of very minor differences that are completely irrelevant, and the pickups are likely regular Gibson humbuckers rather than Seymour Duncans, but overall, it looks absolutely stunning.
That said, back in 2019 – obsessed with the Meat Is Murder Les Paul – I built my own replica starting from a 2007 Gibson Les Paul. I fitted it with a Bigsby B-5 and Seymour Duncan ’59s, and I have to say, it’s still one of my favorite guitars to play. It’s not as accurate as the Gibson Garage replica, but it was definitely a lot cheaper!
Thankfully, this time Gibson has thought of us mortals without deep pockets, allowing us to support a good cause without dropping £10K or more. They’ve released a limited run of apparel – a t-shirt, a cap, and a hoodie – inspired by the Meat Is Murder Les Paul, featuring an illustration by Jamie Hewlett (of Gorillaz fame). The best part? They’re available online while stocks last. I’ve already ordered the hoodie, and it should arrive in the next few days.
I’m leaving all the useful links below.
Thanks for reading – and as always, please respect the hard work and the research that goes into this website. That’s all I ask.
On to the next website update!
Links!
- Teenage Cancer Trust – Shop
- Official Gibson Shop – TCT x Gibson collection
- buy Marr’s Guitars & check out Pat Graham’s website
- Marr’s Guitars – Johnny Marr, 2023 ↩︎
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1208926/Heres-Johnny-Marr-Morrissey-guitars-Smiths-reform.html ↩︎
- https://reverb.com/news/johnny-marr-on-the-most-important-guitars-of-his-career ↩︎
- https://reverb.com/news/johnny-marr-on-the-most-important-guitars-of-his-career ↩︎
- http://www.smithsonguitar.com/2008/12/johnny-marrs-gear.html ↩︎
- Marr’s Guitars – Johnny Marr, 2023 ↩︎
- https://youtu.be/qByswgS7c_M?si=xrOdnKVru3Z_fWN7&t=3464 ↩︎
- http://www.smithsonguitar.com/2008/12/johnny-marrs-gear.html ↩︎
- Marr’s Guitars – Johnny Marr, 2023 ↩︎
- https://reverb.com/news/johnny-marr-on-the-most-important-guitars-of-his-career ↩︎
- Marr’s Guitars – Johnny Marr, 2023 ↩︎
- http://passionsjustlikemine.com/songs/songs-nowherefast.htm ↩︎
- http://www.passionsjustlikemine.com/songs/songs-headmasterritual.htm ↩︎
- https://www.anothermanmag.com/life-culture/10616/masterclass-songwriting-tips-guide-johnny-marr-interview ↩︎
- Total Guitar Magazine, May 1995 ↩︎
- Total Guitar Magazine, May 1995 ↩︎
- https://reverb.com/fr/news/johnny-marr-on-the-most-important-guitars-of-his-career ↩︎
- Marr’s Guitars – Johnny Marr, 2023 ↩︎
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T-c1x0ILWI ↩︎
- https://www.instagram.com/johnnymarrgram/p/B5SnsdRBhiX/ ↩︎
- Marr’s Guitars – Johnny Marr, 2023 ↩︎
- https://reverb.com/news/johnny-marr-on-the-most-important-guitars-of-his-career ↩︎
- Marr’s Guitars – Johnny Marr, 2023 ↩︎
- https://www.vulture.com/2017/03/guitar-shopping-with-ryan-adams.html ↩︎
- https://www.gbase.com/powered/rivington-guitars/gear/gibson-les-paul-standard-1983-candy-apple-red-1 ↩︎
- https://www.premierguitar.com/artists/johnny-marrs-mancunian-charm ↩︎
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjY2O92ByNw ↩︎
- The Making Of Council Skies, Part 2 ↩︎
- https://www.nme.com/news/music/noel-gallagher-170-1220172 ↩︎
- https://gazette.gibson.com/news/gibson-custom-replicates-johnny-marrs-smiths-era-les-paul-for-a-limited-run-of-20-signed-models-benefiting-the-teenage-cancer-trust/ ↩︎
The Chief's Guitars - Noel Gallagher's guitars: a complete guide - Oasis and NGHFB 
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