The first artist proof they sent for the double neck was wired wrong. How many artist proofs were required till they nailed it? Any little issues along the way? They produce what is called an artist proof. How and when do you get to try out the guitar before they start selling it?
I asked them, “How do you put these scratches in? They look so identical.” He opened the drawer and took out an Elvis rhinestone belt buckle and said, "This is what we use." They actually had Billy Gibbons’ Les Paul there at the time. Then I went back and had a meeting with the head of their custom shop, who does their reproductions. So I had them send the 12-string from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to Gibson's custom shop, and I shipped them my '59 Les Paul. The one thing I felt impelled to demand was that the guitars be as close and identical in production, scale, tone, pickups and finish as humanly possible. GUITAR WORLD: How does a signature model get off the ground?įirst of all, we have a lot of meetings - in advance - about what they’re gonna do.
We recently asked him about the process went into creating the high-end "Hotel California" models. While the originals are safely stashed away (the '59 is under lock and key and the 1275 is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio), Felder tours with the Gibson Custom guitars ("I honestly can't tell the difference between the originals and the copies," he said).
With both guitars so closely associated with the classic track, Gibson Custom created not one, but two signature Felder signature models - the "Hotel California" 1959 Les Paul (MSRP: $10,351 and up) and the "Hotel California" EDS-1275 (MSRP: Aged White, $9,174 Aged White - Signed, $12,704).