Steve Marriotts Custom

[Mats A]

Was Steve Marriotts Black Custom really a 57 with the middle pickup removed?

 

[Ad_02Std]

It does look that way in this photo.

 

[TM1]

It does look that way in this photo.

How can you tell? I can't see anything that looks like a hole or a space between the two pickups where a middle one would be mounted?

 

[Ad_02Std]

Here's the same photo with the brightness cranked up:

See it now?

 

[CPM55]

If I am not mistaken, one of the Customs that Marriott eventually found it's way to Robert Fripp. Fripp had (I think actually still has) two Gibson Les Paul Customs, one a '57 and one a '59...one of which was modified with an extra volume knob to allow better use of the middle pick-up instead of the typical 3PUP BB wiring...the other was pretty much stock. One was supposedly previously a Marriott LP Custom...obviously not the one pictured above though. I think Fripp got it at Selmers...seems that was the place to be...everyone either worked there or picked up their guitars there.

 

[chasenblues]

Here's the same photo with the brightness cranked up:

See it now?

 

[Xpensive Wino]

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http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?134252-Great-Live-Shot-of-Steve-Marriott-from-1972

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[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]This guitar was used almost exclusively at Humble Pie performances from 1973 onwards; it looks like it was still being used right at the end of the groups life. I saw it still being used at the time of the ‘Marriott’ release and on the Humble Pie reformation in US. [/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]A beautiful looking guitar with gold pick-ups and hardware, often misnamed as a ‘Black Beauty’ (they had black pick-ups, a P90 and an Alnico V).

This one although reported to have 3 pickups shows no evidence of this; they were also produced with two pickups, as the middle one was accused of getting in the way.

[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Steve’s son, Toby now owns this guitar, and as I recall, played it at the Memorial Concert in 2001.


http://humble-pie.net/rockon/features/html/steves_guitars.html
[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

[AVGDeluxe]

It does look that way in this photo.

Way back when .....Steve was living in Atlanta ....I could have bought this guitar or one that looked very much like it ...that belonged to him for 1800.00 !!! It had a plate that covered the hole where the middle pickup had been !! I had seen him use that guitar at a place called Rumours in Atlanta with a version of Humble Pie .....they came on 1 and 1/2 hours late and played like 5 songs and Steve was zonked out of his mind !!! The guitar was for sale at Atlanta Discount Music ..and there are a lot of folks who will verify that guitar was ..there ....1800.00 was like 18000.00 at that time !!

 

[bramley]

If I am not mistaken, one of the Customs that Marriott eventually found it's way to Robert Fripp. Fripp had (I think actually still has) two Gibson Les Paul Customs, one a '57 and one a '59...one of which was modified with an extra volume knob to allow better use of the middle pick-up instead of the typical 3PUP BB wiring...the other was pretty much stock. One was supposedly previously a Marriott LP Custom...obviously not the one pictured above though. I think Fripp got it at Selmers...seems that was the place to be...everyone either worked there or picked up their guitars there.

Robert Fripp bought the Custom after Steve sold it to us at Top Gear in Denmark Street. ( Which was actually the place to be by the late 60's, Selmers was a bit formal and buttoned down for the times by then. )

Steve sold guitars to Top Gear on a regular basis , mostly stuff he brought back from the US to make some cash , occasionally one of his players. A fellow staff member ended up with his Dwight which sold a few years back when the ex employee passed away. Steve was skint pretty often and called in one day to ask if he'd sold us a trans red Custom, turns out he'd loaned it to Keef and forgotten about it.

Scroll through the FB page, there's a heap of info . https://www.facebook.com/Top-Gear-Music-London-289183784906634

This is an interesting read too.

The Definitive Story of Bob Marley’s Les Paul Special

First owned by Marc Bolan, modded by Dan Armstrong, and repaired by Roger Mayer, Marley's guitar was a thoroughly special Les Paul Special.

reverb.com

 

[Lars Andreassen]

.

 

[Supergee]

Robert Fripp bought the Custom after Steve sold it to us at Top Gear in Denmark Street. ( Which was actually the place to be by the late 60's, Selmers was a bit formal and buttoned down for the times by then. )

Steve sold guitars to Top Gear on a regular basis , mostly stuff he brought back from the US to make some cash , occasionally one of his players. A fellow staff member ended up with his Dwight which sold a few years back when the ex employee passed away. Steve was skint pretty often and called in one day to ask if he'd sold us a trans red Custom, turns out he'd loaned it to Keef and forgotten about it.

Scroll through the FB page, there's a heap of info . https://www.facebook.com/Top-Gear-Music-London-289183784906634

This is an interesting read too.

The Definitive Story of Bob Marley’s Les Paul Special

First owned by Marc Bolan, modded by Dan Armstrong, and repaired by Roger Mayer, Marley's guitar was a thoroughly special Les Paul Special.

reverb.com

Actually, I was regularly at the Denmark street shop and you (or someone else, cant remember) has lined up for me to buy the Dwight Coronet, after the mods had been made by his guitar tech, (so we're talking it now had 2 pickups, a custom cut black pick guard and new knobs as well as an odd headstock design...I think it was glued on, but not sure). Anyways, you guys had acted as an intermediary for me between myself and Steve. There wer 2 appointments for me to meet up and get it from Steve and they got cancelled, I flew back to NY and that was the end of it.

 

[roxrob]

I read an article in one of the guitar magazines in the 80s (Beats Instrumental??) where Steve said it was originally a 3 pickup one....might still have that mag somewhere in the loft.