A customer of ours from Dyersburg, TN asked us to customize it according to these specifications:

1. Finish it entirely in chocolate brown.
2. Replace all the nickel parts with Gibson Gold plated parts.
3. Install full size humbucking pickups.
4. Reshape the neck and make it slightly thinner.

There were a few other small modifications but that's the gist of the customization. When the guy returned to the store to pick up his creation, he took one look at it and said he didn't want it. We told him "NO PROBLEM!" because we thought it was KILLER and had grown kinda fond of it! We put it on the show floor and all the Memphis 'pickers' thought it was cool. The color was definitely strange, but the gold parts did a number on the finished look. It was a very unusual guitar!

How Did Jeff Find Out About It?

So, Jeff happened to be in town recording an album at Steve Cropper's Transmaximus Studios. He came by the store one day looking for a new guitar. He had been to Memphis several times before, the first of which was a small time tour of the Yard Birds playing the club circuit. He returned again to Memphis this time with another band called Beck, Bogart and Appice. Bogart and Appice had been with a most incredible group called Vanilla Fudge. (These guys were awesome. Find some of their old stuff and take a listen. I think that they did two albums. This may be a good link to VF)

Anyway, Jeff played a few guitars, but found nothing that he liked. He saw the chocolate Les Paul and wondered what it was. We told him about how it came to be and he asked to plug it in. Jeff Beck has got to be one of the most underrated guitar players ever. He is absolutely one of the most soulful and stylist guitarists that England ever produced, but it seems like all his fellow Englishmen pickers have always gotten more praise. But not here at Strings & Things!

Well, Jeff went nuts over the Chocolate Les Paul and said "how much?" We talked money for a brief moment and he bought it. We asked him to sign the bathroom door and he did. He drew a little street rod and signed his name under it. His drawing was really very good. He obviously can do more that play guitar.

He came, he played, he bought, he left! But we saw him two more times after that. Once, when he played Memphis with Jan Hammer. (if I remember it correctly?) A Memphis friend of his, Buddy Davis, gave him a '50's Fender Esquire at the North Hall at Sound Check. The second time was when Jeff returned to the store to get another Les Paul because his roadie knocked the chocolate L.P. over and cracked the neck.

Jeff Also Spotted a '55 All Gold L.P. In Our Collection.
He loved that handrest only tailpiece and I would have to agree. I have a late transition '53 Gold Top with the handrest only and the intoe is perfect (don't ask me how). With the handrest only, the body contact is massive and the wood effect on the tone is the most I've ever heard. Even thought nothing in the collection was for sale, he wanted it and we sold it to him. It's hard to say 'no' to guys like him.