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If you’re a regular Thalia blog reader, you’re probably aware of Jared James Nichols. We published an in-depth interview with him a couple of years back, and are big fans of his incendiary blues-rock revival work.
Now, JJN’s making headlines because of an insane guitar restoration he’s involved with, featuring one of the first Les Pauls ever made.
As Guitar World notes, Jared is the owner of a 1952 Gold Top Les Paul that – to put it kindly – has seen better days. The instrument – appropriately nicknamed Dorothy – was literally caught up in the tornado outbreak that swept through Washington, Illinois in November 2013. It’s currently missing its neck, much of its hardware and has most definitely been through the wars.
As Nichols himself notes:
“On 17 November 2013 one of the biggest recorded tornadoes tore through Washington, Illinois killing and destroying everything in its path. This guitar was found in the front yard of a home in the rubble. It has not been touched since, there is still mud on it!”
“The original owner was found (it was her grandpa’s guitar who has long passed) and she gave her blessing to my new friend who has kept the guitar since then.I want to thank my new shred brother TJ Duckwiler from the bottom of my heart for hitting me up and gifting me this incredibly special instrument... He knew my love of LPs and P-90s of course. We talked the idea of this guitar being risen from the ashes and brought back to its former glory. It is happening!!!”
Joel Wikins, known for his work on vintage Gibson and Fender instruments of the period, will handle the restoration itself. According to Jared, the Les Paul will be fitted with a brand new, hand crafted Brazilian board neck. The project is strictly a restoration however. No refinishing will be done on the instrument, meaning that the what’s left of the original goldtop paintjob will remain.
Here at Thalia, we’re super-excited to see the result of this project. And, we fully anticipate that, once, finished, Jared’s new axe is going to have some serious mojo.
Reading about this crazy restoration has gotten us thinking; do you have any guitars that have been through the wars? What restoration projects have you undertaken on your instruments? What are the stories behind the instruments that you hold closest to your heart? As always, share your stories in the comments section and let us know the history of your best loved axes.
It’s safe to say that some of the most influential musicians in the 1960s came from Britain. The list sure backs up that fact: Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Peter Green, Richie Blackmore, John Lennon, George Harrison, and I can go on and on and on...
Notice, though, that I said musicians, not just guitarists. There are many heroes to be found for every instrument, particularly with our focus for this piece: the drums.
I’m not sure what the origin of this particular instrument was (though we may find out later), but maybe it was a crafty guitarist who thought: “You know what’s better than six strings? Double! Twelve strings!”
This story likely isn’t true, but the 12-string guitar is valuable in any guitarist's arsenal. With its thick, bright, and lush sound, the instrument has been a staple in most styles of music since its inception.
From being found in the wash to being left on counters and desks to being counted with change out of a guitarist’s pocket, guitar picks are the definitive proof that the holder undoubtedly plays the instrument.
But as omnipresent as they are, how many guitarists have pondered the history of the pick itself? Who are they? What were they doing?
