The Ace Frehley Les Paul was one of a number of new axesunveiled at the Musikmesse Frankfurt 2012 music fair that wecovered last week in Germany.
The guitar has been produced in a very limited edition, with fiftyof them personally signed by Frehley himself and with Gibsoninsisting that it is an exact replica of the originalguitar Frehley used onstage with Kiss at Nippon Budokan inJapan, 1977.
Gibson Custom, Frehley and the guitar's current owner Matt Swansonused digital scanning technology to capture every detail of theoriginal instrument. Gibson say this about the guitar.
The Ace Frehley "Budokan" Les Paul Custom is crafted with thetraditional ingredients of the Les Paul Custom circa the early tomid-1970s. Its carved Grade-A maple top is joined to a Grade-Amahogany body that is weight relieved to reduce the load andenhance resonance. This classic tonewood pairing gives you theblend of maple's snap and articulation with mahogany's depth andwarmth, cornerstones of the legendary Les Paul sound. Seven-plywhite-and-black body binding enhances the Custom, as do the neck'sacrylic pearloid block markers and the headstock's multi-plybinding and split-diamond inlays. The quarter-sawn mahogany neck iscarved to a traditional slim, yet rounded, profile that measures.818" at the 1st fret and .963" at the 12th, and is topped with afingerboard made from renewable Richlite®. A fabricated materialcomposed of cellulose fiber and phenolic resin, Richlite® offersthe constructional and resonant properties of fine hardwood, butwith improved durability, for a superb playing feel.
In the image of Ace's original guitar, the Ace Frehley "Budokan"Les Paul Custom from Gibson USA is loaded with threeperiod-correct, double-cream DiMarzio Super Distortion pickups formaximum rhythm crunch and lead tones of unparalleled fire and fury.To maximize the sonic versatility of the traditional three-waytoggle switch and four-knob control section, the guitar is wired toselect the neck pickup alone in the switch's upper position, bothmiddle and bridge pickups in the middle position (sharing the lowervolume and tone controls), and bridge pickup alone in the lowerposition. Hardware includes the classic pairing of chromeTune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece for optimum sustain andprecise intonation, with Ace's modification of Grover™ tuners withpearloid "banjo" buttons. Strap it on, and it's your own slab orraging glam-rock excess, as well as the perfect Les Paul for anybreed of heavy rock and traditional metal riffing.
Each guitar includes a Gibson hardshell case, owner's manual, andGibson USA's Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 CustomerService.Features
- Mahogany body, Maple top with Heritage Cherry Sunburstnitrocellulose finish
- Richlite fingerboard with aged white acrylic block inlays
- Three open-coil, double-cream DiMarzio Super Distortionpickups
- Chrome-plated bridge and stopbar tailpiece
- Grover machine heads with pearloid banjo tuners
Visit the Gibson site here for more info
