The Heartbreaker Mike Campbell is making some room among his epic electric guitar and amplifier collection by selling off a stack of collectible vintage gear on Reverb.com.
Among the collectibles on sale are a first ever amplifier – a Heathkit TA-16 solid-state combo – a Gibson Les Paul Custom Lite with onboard compressor, and a bright red Les Paul with a B-Bender installed. Campbell admits that saying goodbye is pretty tough, but the guitars have got to go. Fans of the Heartbreakers might recognise the red Les Paul from the band's 2003 residency at the Victoria Theatre in Chicago.
“I used this with The Heartbreakers for a string of dates we did at the Vic in Chicago," explains Campbell. "I like this because it has a string bender on it, which is rare on a Gibson. But this is a great-sounding guitar, and a real workhorse. I hate to part with a lot of these, but something's got to go.“
The Gibson Les Paul Custom Lite is another unicorn. Featuring an onboard compressor accessed via a push/pull function, it was used extensively while Campbell was rehearsing with Fleetwood Mac.
Campbell is also selling a 1980s Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty '55 Reissue, which was used as a road dog while his '56 was at home, an Italian Monza with a built-in amplifier that Campbell assures us it is very playable, and a very cool 1950s Kay Barney Kessel Artist.
“It's got these big, fat pickups and an art deco look,“ says Campbell of the Kay. “It's a really nice instrument and pretty rare.“
Of course, if you miss out on the Monza, there are a host of amplifiers for sale. Campbell's Heathkit TA-16 is a great example of 60s solid-state tech and would make an excellent pedal platform.
There is a stage-played Kustom 250, complete with its Tuck & Roll naugahyde covering, a variety of Fender amps, a Vox Beatle Head and Super Beatle Cabinet with Heartbreakers stenciled on the side, and a variety of Fender amps including some Bassmans that Campbell describes as “about the best of any amp you're ever going to hear.“
As for effects, there is a Boss GT-6 multi-effects unit and a very special MKII Watkins Copicat tape echo up for grabs. The Official Mike Campbell Reverb Store is online from tomorrow, Wednesday 21 July. Sign up for alerts and preview more items over at Reverb.
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