Epiphone has finally released the long-awaited Adam Jones signature guitar and it presents his Antique Silverburst Les Paul Custom as you have never seen it before. Rather than just release a regular Epiphone version of Jones’ signature Gibson models, the Tool guitarist has hooked up with five artists for a special limited edition Art Collection release.
While front of the Epiphone Adam Jones Les Paul Customs look like facsimiles of their Gibson counterparts – the headstock style and Epi logo the main difference – the back features a custom art print, the first of which is titled The Veil Of Bees and was painted by Mark Ryden.
The Veil Of Bees made its debut in 2018 at Art Basel – Hong Kong, and Jones explained why Ryden was one of the first artists he reached out to for his signature Epiphone project.
“Mark Ryden was one of the artists that I was hoping would say yes to participating,” Jones said. “Mark’s work is instantly recognisable, uniquely his own, and while he started in primarily fine art, he has expanded into music and theatrical productions. What a perfect partner to kick off this series with. Mark’s technical execution is exceptional and makes him a modern master. His visionary journey using surrealist imagery really tugs at my heart and continues to influence me as a musician and artist.”
Jones, who serves as art director for Tool, designing their album packaging, directing their videos, splitting his role between riff writing and multi-media content provider, said that visual art and music were part of one continuum for him.
“When I think of art, I see both the visual and the aural as equally important, with one bolstering the other and giving listeners, or viewers, a more complete experience,” he said. “Naturally, when Epiphone and I started discussing the potential of a custom art collection, I was instantly dedicated from the get-go.”
Jones’ Les Paul Custom is typical of the 2022 Epiphone lineup, a Chinese-built electric guitar with a generous spec that asks serious questions of Gibson’s entry-level US models.
There is a Seymour Duncan Distortion humbucker at the bridge, a reverse-mounted Epiphone ProBucker Custom at the neck, a three-way pickup selector and the usual two volume, two tone control setup, with black Speed Knobs wired up to CTS pots and Orange Drop caps.
The body is solid mahogany with a maple top, with seven-ply binding on the top, five-ply on the back and headstock, and single-ply binding finishing that ebony fingerboard nicely. The 12” fingerboard seats 22 18 per cent nickel/silver medium frets, with block inlays as per the Les Paul Custom’s house style, split diamond inlays on the headstock facing for added wow factor.
The vintage-style chrome tuners have a 16:1 ratio. As per its contemporaries in Epiphone’s top-line Les Pauls, the Jones signature model has a LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge and Stop Bar.
Only 800 of each instrument in the Art Collection will be made. Ryden is joined on the project by Frank Frazetta, Julie Heffernan, Korin Faught, and Ernst Fuchs, whose artwork will be revealed at a later date, while Korin Faught supplies the design behind each headstock.
The Epiphone Adam Jones Signature Les Paul Custom Art Collection is available now, priced $1,299. For more details, head over to Epiphone.
