Mike McCready Aged '59 Les Paul Electric Guitar

The original, serial #9 1910, was owned by Jim Anderson, the last guitarist in Van Morrison's band Them, who purchased it from a Pawn Shop while on tour in Seattle sometime between 1967-69. Once Jim retired from touring, he returned to Belfast, gigging on weekends where he'd often carry the guitar, sans case, to the Pub. It was left behind a few times after "a pint or two" according to legend, occasionally found leaning against the outside wall, where it was rescued and returned to the stage by the bartender closing up that night. At one point, the guitar went missing for a year, only to turn up in the backroom of the pub.

In the late 1990's, Jim's daughter, Shelly, was living in Seattle and contacted Danny Mangold (Danny's Music of Everett, WA) about her dad's original '59 back in Belfast and Jim's desire to sell. Danny and Jim spoke by phone, hit it off and Jim brought the guitar to Seattle to consign it at Danny's. Danny recalls standing at the airport baggage claim when the guitar slid off of the conveyer belt. Jim had simply checked it as baggage.

Knowing Mike McCready was in the market for an original '59, Danny made a call to Mike, who selected it over a few other 1959 Les Pauls in Danny's inventory. It was the feel and tone that grabbed him. He had no idea of its unique history at the time.

"I picked it up, played for a few seconds and said, "Yeah, this is the one." It just felt right in my hands. I've used it on four or five albums since and take it on every tour."

Like most of the artists fortunate enough to own an original 1959 Les Paul, Mike feels the pressure of traveling with such a valuable guitar night in and night out with Pearl Jam, but a player gravitates towards to best tools . The chance to have his own replicated by the craftspeople at Gibson Custom meant the chance to provide the occasional respite to a nearly priceless instrument without sacrificing tone and playability.

Offered to True Historic Specifications and in two finish options (aged and Vintage Gloss), and with the first 50 aged being hand-signed by Mike McCready, the Mike McCready 1959 Les Paul Standard is available on a limited basis, with qualifying materials ultimately determining the size of the run.