Gibson Les Paul Standard (Goldtop)

Photo: Des Willie
Model: Gibson Les Paul Standard
Color: Goldtop
Year: early 1990s?

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Used in...

- 1995-1996

- played live during the later concerts of the Definitely Maybe tour

- probably used as a backup live guitar during the Morning Glory tour

- used during the recording sessions of the Some Might Say single
Details

It can be speculated that this Goldtop Les Paul Standard was bought around the end of 1994 or in January 1995, as it was Noel's main guitar during the USA dates in early 1995.

The guitar is equipped with a set of custom humbucker pickups made by Bill Puplett in the UK:1 2

"I've got a guy in England, Bill Puplett, who makes pickups for us. I brought him these Seymour Duncans that were the loudest fu**ing things I'd ever heard. I said to him: 'Make me ones just like these, only louder.' I've got them in my Les Paul, and they're great."
According to Noel, in late February 1995 this Les Paul was used to record guitar parts for Some Might Say at Loco Studios in Wales.3

For years, the only available photos from the session showed Noel playing only his Firebird. But with the release of Tom Sheehan's brilliant book4 in 2025, we finally have confirmation that the goldtop Les Paul was indeed used to record Some Might Say - and likely the B-sides Acquiesce and Headshrinker as well. The ex-Marr Les Paul 'conversion' was also played during the Loco Studios sessions - and can be seen in the newly released photos.
Recording Some Might Say at Loco Studios, February 1995 (Photos: Tom Sheehan)
On 14 April 1995 the Goldtop was Noel's guitar of choice for the last time, performing Acquiesce and It's Good to Be Free at Channel 4's show The White Room.

Three days later, at the Southend gig, the famous Wine Red Epiphone Riviera became Noel's main guitar.

In 1995 and early 1996 this Les Paul was probably brought on tour as a spare guitar.
In August 1996, Noel gave the guitar to Gerry McKay, the lead guitarist in the Oasis tribute band No Way Sis:5

"I gave him a guitar at Loch Lomond. [...] It's the gold Les Paul I used on Some Might Say. He was going: 'How do you get that guitar sound?' So I wrote down all the pedals we use, but I go: 'You've got to get a guitar with these pickups', which I'd had specially made. He's like: 'Fu**ing hell, man, how am I gonna be able to afford that?' So I'm like: 'I know, I'll give you the guitar!' I got him up onstage and gave it to him."

The gold Les Paul can be seen during No Way Sis' appearance at Top of the Pops in December 1996, performing their successful cover of I'd Like to Teach The World to Sing.

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For informational and non-commercial use only. Please do NOT publish this content elsewhere.
If you share or use this information, please provide proper credit and link to the website.
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  1. Guitar World interview, May 1996 ↩︎
  2. Bill Puplett was a luthier based in the UK. He has worked on guitars owned by Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Johnny Marr, among many others. ↩︎
  3. Select Magazine interview, August 1996 ↩︎
  4. Roll With It: Oasis in Photographs 1994–2002 – Tom Sheehan, 2025 ↩︎
  5. Select Magazine interview, August 1996 ↩︎

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