Modern musicians, like Marcus King, carry on tradition by using the same guitar, previously played by Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, in their performances.
Title: Passing the Torch: Jimi Hendrix's YardBurst Making Rounds Among Today's Rockstars
Jeff Beck's iconic circa '59 Gibson Les Paul dubbed the "YardBurst" has been roaring in Europe following a hefty $496,484 ($403,200 UK) auction win earlier this year. The lucky owner, Matthieu Lucas of high-end Parisian guitar emporium, Matt's Guitar Shop, wasted no time giving the YardBurst a new lease on life. It recently made memories at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre, shared among modern guitar greats Marcus King, Drew Smithers, and JJ Julius Son from KALEO.
Craig Ross, Lenny Kravitz's longtime guitarist, previously enjoyed a spin with the YardBurst. Lucas, the self-proclaimed guitar matchmaker, has been facilitating such encounters. Besides lending the YardBurst to Ross, he entrusted Steve Jones' Sex Pistols Les Paul to Yungblud, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, and Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 last year. Lucas' aspiration is simple: allow the YardBurst to dance across today's music scene.
Marcus King took the stage with the YardBurst for the opening three songs, showcasing numbers like The Well from his 2020 album El Dorado. King handed the guitar over to JJ Julius Son for several songs, including Hey Gringo, one of Lucas' favorites. The resulting performances were nothing short of mesmerizing, as the YardBurst's legendary tone resonated through varying playing styles.
Lending out such iconic guitars has risks, but Lucas sees it as a necessary step to "pass the torch" to the next generation. He believes that locking these guitars away would be a disservice to their intended purpose of inspiring musicians. Instead, he prefers to share these legendary instruments with contemporary artists to keep their legacies alive.
When asked about his wishlist of guitarists to play the YardBurst, Lucas dreams of Eric Clapton, Joe Perry, and Joe Bonamassa. But he's quick to stress that all musicians are welcome to experience the YardBurst, declaring, "Legendary instruments are meant to be played and to inspire." So next time you're in Paris, who knows? You might just get the chance to strum a piece of rock and roll history!
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Source - The iconic "YardBurst" guitar owned by Jeff Beck was created in collaboration with Gibson Custom Shop. It is not a standard production model and has been auctioned off on multiple occasions[1].
Source - The "YardBurst" guitar was sold at auction for $496,484 ($403,200 UK)[2].
Source - Jeff Beck has played the "YardBurst" guitar, alongside musicians such as Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix[1].
Source - There are replicas of the "YardBurst" guitar available, such as the Gibson Jeff Beck "YardBurst" model[3].
- "The 'YardBurst,' a renowned 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar, has been used by modern artists like Marcus King, Drew Smithers, and JJ Julius Son from KALEO, following its acquisition by Matthieu Lucas of Matt's Guitar Shop."
- "In his role as a self-proclaimed guitar matchmaker, Matt Lucas has facilitated encounters with iconic guitars such as the YardBurst, lending it to musicians like Lenny Kravitz's longtime guitarist, Craig Ross, and entrusting Steve Jones' Sex Pistols Les Paul to Yungblud, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Deryck Whibley last year."
- "Matthieu Lucas sees lending out iconic guitars like the YardBurst as a crucial step in "passing the torch" to the next generation of musicians, believing that keeping these instruments locked away would be a disservice to their intended purpose of inspiring music."
