Author: Lazy Guitar Anorak

That black Les Paul Custom…

Insight
A vintage-correct replica of the iconic Johnny Marr / Noel Gallagher Gibson Les Paul Custom

Since the very first days of my oasis obsession, few guitars have captured my attention like Noel Gallagher’s black Les Paul, forever immortalized in the Whatever video clip which – not by coincidence – was filmed on this very day 30 years ago, on December 5, 1994.

I wasn’t such a guitar nut back then, but that Les Paul looked badass and truly special. And it really is, given its background history: it is a 1978 Custom model, formerly owned by Johnny Marr, who used it to write and record various songs for the album The Queen Is Dead. For all the historical details, check out the dedicated page, which will be updated in the next few days with plenty of new material.

In February of this year, to coincide with the opening of the Gibson Garage in London, a gorgeous, uber-limited, and uber-pricey replica of Noel’s black Les Paul was released: only 20 pieces worldwide, and they were only available in-person to attendees on the official opening day. Getting one was never an option for me, but its release prompted me to assemble my own vintage-accurate replica – something I had wanted to do for years.

Keep reading this post for everything you’d like to know about the 2024 Gibson reissue and how to build a proper vintage replica.

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Noel’s guitars on display in Tokyo

News & Updates
Photo: rockarchive – Instagram

This November, Oasis fans in Japan have a special opportunity: the “Live Forever: Oasis 30th Anniversary Exhibition” at the Roppongi Museum in Tokyo showcases a collection of memorabilia, including some of Noel’s guitars. The exhibition runs from November 1 to November 23, 2024.

All these guitars have been displayed before in the last decade, but it still is rare chance to see these iconic instruments up close.

Keep reading this post for more details and a photo gallery!

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Update – 23 Oct. 2024

News & Updates
Oasis photographed by James Fry at Nomad Studios – November 1993

It’s been a long and busy month, but now it’s time for some updates on the website. Nothing really major, but there are definitely a few interesting tidbits to share!

UPDATED PAGES:

Three guitars were auctioned last month by Sotheby’s, and their pages on the website have been updated accordingly. These guitars include the Supersonic Epiphone Les Paul, Johnny Marr’s Flying V, and the early ’70s hollow-bodied EA-250.

A couple of fans pointed out that the Gretsch was not a Tennessean but a Country Gentleman model, and they are indeed right! Also, I had forgotten about these backstories: allegedly, the guitar was owned by John Squire, and Noel wrote Live Forever and recorded Married With Children on it!

After careful examination, involving detailed analysis of grainy old photos (I love this kind of stuff!), I believe I have managed to identify the correct model of the bridge pickup on the famous Gibson Les Paul Burst conversion, also known as “Johnny’s old one.”

There has been an update regarding Gem’s recent live usage of the Tahitian Coral Stratocaster and the Firemist Silver Telecaster. Additionally, Noel played the white Nash Jazzmaster from the Who Built the Moon? era during the July 2024 Asian dates.

Last but not least: more details about the SG ’61 Reissue and one of the Les Pauls – both used during the early HFB rehearsals in Summer 2011.

Johnny Marr’s Gibson Flying V

Insight, News & Updates
Recording Definitely Maybe at Monnow Valley, Jan. 1994 (Photo: M. S. Jones)

Everyone knows the story of the Sunburst Les Paul that Johnny Marr lent Noel in January 1994 – and never got back! But fewer are aware of Johnny’s Flying V: Noel is said to have used it for recording Slide Away and Cigarettes & Alcohol during the Definitely Maybe sessions at Monnow Valley.

With the guitar currently up for auction at Sotheby’s, I’ve decided it’s time to finish the dedicated page that has been sitting in drafts for a few months.

NEW PAGE:
Gibson Flying V (1980)

In 2019, when Johnny Marr handed the Flying V to a dealer for sale, the guitar’s connection to Oasis wasn’t mentioned. Johnny likely forgot that he had lent the guitar to Noel 25 years earlier! I immediately recognized the Flying V as the one Noel played in the Monnow Valley photos taken by Michael Spencer Jones, so I contacted the unaware dealer to inform him about its history. Guess what, he thought I was messing with him and wasting his time…

Keep reading…

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Recording the new Oasis album, clearout or photoshoot?

News & Updates
Noel Gallagher’s studio in London (Photo: The Postman)

After the historic Oasis reunion announcement last week, Noel has been spotted several times in and around his studio. Media speculation is at an all-time high, with some suggesting that this could be a sign the band is ready to record new music.

Rumors gained traction when a few photos of Noel’s guitar tech transporting guitar cases were published by the usual tabloids. For some, this is confirmation that new Oasis music is coming sooner rather than later. But for me, it is not – though I’d love a new record soon.

So, what’s inside those guitar cases? And why is Noel moving guitars in and out of his studio? Keep reading as we try to figure it out…

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Noel’s Epiphone Les Paul is being auctioned!

Insight
Thirty years of patina on Noel Gallagher’s Epiphone Les Paul Standard! (Photo: Sotheby’s)

As you might already know, Noel’s Cherry Sunburst Les Paul will be auctioned starting on 29 August 2024 – coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Definitely Maybe. All the details are available on Sotheby’s website.

The estimate is £60k-£80k, which is quite a lot for an early ’90s Made in Korea Epiphone but hey, this is the Supersonic guitar – the one used to record the song and featured in the video! It was also Noel’s go-to guitar for both live performances and studio recordings from 1993 to early 1994.

The page of the guitar has been updated, so check it out!

And keep reading this blog post after the break for a few remarks about serial numbers and, erm, knobs. Yeah, right…

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The Knebworth Sheraton – “for cheap”!

Insight
Noel Gallagher’s Epiphone Sheraton – or maybe not?

On 10th & 11th August 1996, Oasis played the legendary, era-defining and record-breaking shows at Knebworth Park. Noel’s guitar throughout the gigs was the Sunburst Epiphone Sheraton – which remained his main live guitar until the end of the Be Here Now tour in early 1998.

This instrument is undoubtedly among the most significant and iconic guitars ever played by Noel Gallagher. Knebworth aside, just think about G-MEX 1997 (when the famous Man City sticker appeared on the pickguard!) or the insanely long Champagne Supernova from Budokan 1998: it was this guitar – which sadly got lost or stolen years ago.

Finding a Sheraton with the same distinctive appointments of Noel’s one has always been challenging – until last year. Now, you can have one that looks exactly like it at a reasonable price – and it’s a fantastic guitar for the money. Keep reading for the details!

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Update – 23 Jul. 2024

News & Updates
Noel Gallagher in his studio, March 2022

NEW PAGES:

Fender Jazz Strat (Burgundy Mist):
A bizarre hybrid between a Stratocaster and a Jazzmaster, made by the Fender Custom Shop for Noel. “One of a kind” – as he says. And there’s a nice geeky tidbit for the sticker aficionados!

UPDATED PAGES:

A a deeper dive into the specifics of the red Les Paul Standard that Noel has been rocking throughout the Council Skies tour, including a definitive confirmation of the exact model and specifications.

The Royal Tan USA Casino was used to record On the Game with The Black Keys, a track that features Noel as a co-writer. Its twin, the Sunburst USA Casino, was played by Noel during a live performance of the song on Jools Holland.

More Casino content again! The Cherry Red USA Casino has reappeared at recent summer gigs without its pickguard. Weird.

The two main Nashguitars Jazzmasters have just reappeared: the black JM63 has replaced the red Les Paul (boo!) at recent gigs, while the white JM63 is being brought on tour as a spare. Also, Noel’s Sparkling Burgundy Trini Lopez is currently back in Gem’s hands.

More details about the Fender Lead III, the Fender The Edge Strat, and the Jetglo Rickenbacker 330 – as seen in the Council Skies making-of documentary.

Update – 23 Jun. 2024

News & Updates
Noel Gallagher’s Gibson Trini Lopez (Original photo: talktonight27)

NEW PAGE: Gibson Trini Lopez Standard

This page has been long in the making because it involved a lot of investigation and pixel-peeping. The Trini Lopez that Noel has always been associated with actually belongs to Andy Bell, who still plays it in RIDE. However, Noel owns a Trini too, and it has been around since 2005, mainly played by Gem Archer. The page covers both guitars with plenty of background history and geeky info.
Enjoy!

I’ve always had a soft spot for the Trini Lopez Standard, which might be my personal favourite among all the semi-hollow guitars. It is basically an ES-335 with three distinguishing features: diamond-shaped f-holes, split-diamond fretboard inlays, and a peculiar Fender-style (or rather, Gibson Firebird-style) headstock with six in-line tuners.

Trini Lopez was a mainstream pop singer and guitarist in the early ’60s, but this lovely 335 variant stayed quite low-key in the following decades until a guy named Dave Grohl popularized the model as his go-to electric guitar…