Reverb's Guitar Safari Champion? The Guitars Responsible for the Title

2021 has been a spectacular year for buying vintage guitars worldwide, but I was still shocked when a friend at Reverb.com reached out with interest in featuring my shop. I've bought and sold a lot of guitars through Reverb and was thrilled that they had taken an interest in the vintage guitars I've had this year. When they mentioned that Tony Bacon would be writing the article about me titled The Guitar Safari Champion, I was truly blown away! Tony's books on vintage Gibson and Fender guitars have greatly increased my passion and interest in both brands. 

You can check out the entire article here: The Guitar Safari Champion by Tony Bacon on Reverb.com.

I'm always out on the road buying the vintage Gibson and Fender guitars I've always dreamed of. Have you inherited a valuable vintage Gibson or Fender and are curious about how much I would value it at? I'd be happy to take a look and offer an opinion. I may even be interested in acquiring it for myself. You can reach out to me here to sell a Gibson or here to sell a Fender guitar. 

Another guitar responsible for the title: Fender Jazzmaster 1960 Black with Gold Hardware

Gibson Les Paul Standard 1958 Burst

Perhaps the most special and interesting vintage guitar to ever come through my humble shop is this Gibson Les Paul Standard 1958 Burst. I received a message from a guitar shop in Cape Town, South Africa about a very cool 1950s Gibson Les Paul they had just purchased from the family of its original owner. They described over the phone to me a Les Paul guitar with Cherry Sunburst finish, flame Maple top, two humbuckers, and a serial number indicating it was made in 1958 (check out Les Paul Serial Number Lookup). I asked for pictures of this guitar and was gobsmacked at what came through. A truly special 1958 Les Paul had just emerged. 

As a Gibson guitar collector, the 1958 Les Paul Burst is nearly the top of the game. I knew I had to get it, but how could I? The Les Paul was half the world away and extremely valuable. I turned to the true Guitar Safari Champion for help: Joe Bonamassa. Joe agreed that this was a very special 1950s Gibson Les Paul and wanted to be its next owner. My job was to connect both buyer and seller by going on the guitar safari of a lifetime. 

I arrived in Cape Town, South Africa nearly two weeks later and found myself holding the vintage Gibson Les Paul of my dreams. The condition of the Les Paul was best described as perfectly imperfect: the bridge was a poor replacement with the original inside the case, the nickel hardware was significantly tarnished, the frets were nearly worn down to the tang, and the whole thing was awesome. It had its original patent applied for humbucking pickups with rings so thin and oxidized that they could only be real. The top was wildly figured but not bookmatched at all. The neck profile measured exactly the way a 1958 Les Paul should (0.90" at the first fret and 1.00" at the 12th). I was smitten from the first time I sat down to play it. 

This Gibson Les Paul 1958 Burst has now moved onto its next owner but I'm lucky to be friends with its next owner. You can hear this Burst being played by one of the best in the game at your nearest Joe Bonamassa show.