The Gibson Garage London– the guitar giant’s very first flagship shop beyond the United States– formally opened its doors today, accompanied by 2 long time champs of the brand name, Jimmy Page (who revealed his own multi-guitar collaboration at the occasionand Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi.
Standing in between them was somebody less associated with Gibson headstocks: Brian May.
“We are so happy to have him in our Gibson household,” excited Gibson President and CEO Cesar Gueikian. “From a little band called Queen … Brian May!”
For us grizzled guitar journos, the curly-haired virtuoso’s entryway was a surprise, to state the least. The Queen icon is seldom seen without the Red Special, the guitar he constructed with his dad– and he’s been offering mass-produced variations of it under his own brand name, Brian May Guitarsfor 20 years.
(Yes, history enthusiasts will keep in mind that May did play a Chet Atkins SE nylon-string back in the ’80swhile a Flying V and Les Paul Deluxe served as backup electrics, however considered that’s not precisely typical understanding, we do not believe that’s what ushered him into Gibson’s inner circle.)
What does this all indicate? Attempt as we might, Gibson associates were tight-lipped about what their relationship with May had in shop. We have our theories.
Since 2004, Brian May Guitars produces mid-priced, sub-$1,000 variations of May’s hallmark instrument, put together in South Korea and produced under the careful eye of May’s long time tech Pete Malandrone and House Music’s Barry Moorhouse. They are available in a wide range of colors, with distinctive pickup changing faithful to the Queen icon’s initial.
What BMG does not do is construct the kind of amazing, careful reproductions that the Gibson Custom Shop and Murphy Lab are understood for. And would not that be a wise concept?
We understand May has actually had slavish Red Special entertainments integrated in the past for the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic, however those were quite not-for-sale. If Tom Murphy and co can provide their significant skills to recreating every nook and cranny of among the electrical guitar‘s most really distinct instruments … well, that’s extremely huge news.
May is no complete stranger to partnering with other companies, naturally– he has actually accredited his guitar styles to Guild and Burns in the past. It’s been over 2 years given that he last launched a guitar that wasn’t under the Brian May Guitars banner.
We ‘d bet May’s old pal — and jamming partner — Tony Iommi had something to do with the brand-new collaboration, having actually dealt with Gueikian and Gibson on the ‘Monkey’ 1964 SG Special reproduction back in 2020. May was plainly pleased with the outcomes.
Presuming a reproduction is on the cards, what could be next? Provided Gibson’s trickle-down release schedule– called ‘anchoring’ in the biz — we may fairly anticipate a USA-built Red Special in the coming years.
Undoubtedly an Epiphone variation would contend with May’s own brand name? We’re amazed to see what the collaboration has in shop. Enjoy this area …
For more on the Gibson Garage London, including what makes it rather unlike any other guitar shop, have a look at our special behind-the-scenes protection
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