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Gibson Collector’s Choice #14 – 1960 Les Paul Waddy Wachtel

Gibson Custom shop continues to bring back vintage Les Pauls, this time featuring Waddy Wachtel’s Bigsby equipped Burst 1960 Les Paul.

Gibson Collector's Choice #14

This accurate reproduction of Collector’s Choice #14 is limited to no more than 300 guitars, further limited by available qualifying materials. And as such it is expected to command a premium price tag, much like the other Collector’s Choice releases.

The Collector’s Choice series has featured some of the best vintage Les Paul specimens from artists and collectors. The latest addition to this premium line is the Waddy Wachtel Burst, which was selected by the popular session player in 1968 from Stephen Still’s collection of instruments./p>

Waddy shares the story of his first encounter with this 1960 Les Paul, “When I picked it up and my hand went around the neck, it felt like time had stopped for the moment. I decided that this guitar I was holding was most definitely ‘The One.’ The sound of my 1960 Sunburst is incomparable.”

The artist allowed the Gibson hands-on access to the prized instrument that he played on many of the hit songs and sold-out tours. This allowed the Custom Shop team to analyze and meticulously recreate the instrument down to the smallest details.

Gibson gives a quick background of Waddy, “Right from the late 1960s, through his work with Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, Keith Richards, Stevie Nicks, James Taylor and the Rolling Stones, Waddy Wachtel became rock’s best-known sideman and session player–a household name amid a crowd usually not seen in the spotlight. It is with extreme pride and great pleasure, therefore, that we present Collector’s Choice #14 1960 Les Paul aka Waddy Wachtel Burst”.

Everything about the original guitar is faithfully recreated, from the thin and comfortable 1960 neck profile down to the soft faded Lemonburst finish. They also studied the PAF humbuckers to ensure the sound of the original is captured. Even the added Bigsby vibrato is carefully hand-aged to mimic not only the guitar’s playability but also its vintage appearance.

With all the work to analyze and mimic the original guitar, which includes hand-aging various parts of the guitar, it would not be surprising to see it have a premium price tag. The suggested price for the Gibson Collector’s Choice #14 is $7,332. Head over to Gibson for further details.

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