The various guitar models that Gibson produces hold a personal, mythical status for many guitar players. Many legendary players are closely identified with a specific body style and shape: the legendary bluesman Robert Johnson and his L-1, hard rock innovators Angus Young and Tony Iommi with their SG’s, Slash with his Les Paul, Jimmy Page with his Les Paul and his famed EDS-1275 double-neck are just a few we can name-drop. Ah, we'll add one more: Les Paul with his Les Paul.
Gibson TV’s “My First Gibson” series features artists telling their own personal story of how they acquired their first Gibson guitar, complete with anecdotes on their influences, playing styles and more. The short video clips cover a range of artists, producers, shredders and even an actor or two.
“Every guitar has a story, and for most guitarists, getting their first Gibson guitar is a rite of passage that often requires patience, persistence, sacrifice, a twist of fate and even some good luck” says Mark Agnesi, Director of Brand Experience at Gibson.
MIKE NESS (Social Distortion)
In this clip, Mike Ness recalls being a young child listening to AM radio hits from Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beatles, Rolling Stones and Motown artists. “My first guitar was an SG. Bought it at a pawn shop and that was it." Ness always wanted to own a Les Paul but was concerned about the guitar's weight, until he borrowed one from a friend and realized he would still be able to jump around on stage. He also fell in love with the guitar's P-90 pickups. "This guitar has funk on it!"
Erik Paparozzi (Cat Power)
Erik Paparozzi (Cat Power) remembers attending a BB King concert experience in the late ‘80s and watching the legendary bluesman play a Gibson ES-335 and loving the body shape of the guitar. “I was in the front row and shook his hand after the show.” Paparozzi saved his money, working two jobs and went to Jacks’ Music in Red Bank, NJ. “This has been with me ever since. It’s my number one guitar. It’s aged wonderfully and gets better and better.”
Jeff Garlin (actor Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, The Goldbergs)
Actor and comedian Jeff Garlin is famous for his boisterous and humorous characters on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development and The Goldbergs. He’s also a first-time buyer of a Gibson J-45 acoustic guitarist and Gibson fan.” A self-described amateur strummer, Garlin purchased his J-45 at Chicago Music Exchange in 2013. “It’s a delightful sounding guitar. I heard this and I was done. I don’t eat sugar, but it felt like sugar. It was so sweet-sounding.”
Other artists featured include: Joe Barresi, (Producer/Mixer), Lee Ving (Fear), Jared James Nichols, Gilby Clarke and Tom Keifer (Cinderella), with more to debut in the coming months.
All Gibson TV original shows are streamed for free on Gibson.com (HERE); subscribe to Gibson TV on YouTube and be notified when new episodes become available (HERE).
