Joe Bonamassa might be out buying many of the world's most desirable vintage guitars but he's committed to making models based on them affordable for players with Epiphone. He's already got six successful Epi signature guitars to prove it – including the gorgeous 'Amos' V – and now there's a seventh. Unsurpsingly, it's a beauty!
The Epiphone limited-edition Joe Bonamassa 1960 Les Paul Standard 'Norm Burst' is based on the guitarist's jaw-droppingly pristine 1960 Les Paul that Joe discovered at Norm’s Rare Guitars in Tarzana, California.
“Norm took ownership of it in the 1980s and his staff nicknamed it the 'Norm Burst,' says Bonamassa. “It’s the cleanest vintage Les Paul Standard I’ve ever seen. It’s so new that the nickel pickup covers look chrome. Even the original hang tangs were still there.
"Acoustically, the first sample that Epiphone sent me sounded like the original. Once again, Epiphone has made a great guitar that I’m proud to have my name on.”
The guitar features ProBucker humbuckers with 50s style wiring and a Lifton-style case. A limited-edition signature inlay version of the guitar (from $799) is available exclusively at Joe Bonamassa's official store now.
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I'm the Guitars Editor for MusicRadar, handling news, reviews, features, tuition, advice for the strings side of the site and everything in between. Before MusicRadar I worked on guitar magazines for 15 years, including Editor of Total Guitar in the UK. When I'm not rejigging pedalboards I'm usually thinking about rejigging pedalboards.