Gibson Les Paul 58 Collectors Choice CC#28 STP Montrose Peter Weihe Artist Proof (2015)

The 1958 Gibson Les Paul with serial number 86787 has a long history, inextricably linked not only to Ronnie Montrose but also to another name: Professor Peter Weihe, arguably Germany's most famous studio guitarist and lecturer at the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre. He owned this legendary 1958 Les Paul for many years. Therefore it is better known – at least here in Germany – as the "Peter Weihe Les Paul" than by its original name, "Montrose STP Burst." This Les Paul first gained fame in the hands of legendary Rock guitarist Ronnie Montrose, who used the guitar on his last tour with Edgar Winter and on the first two Montrose albums (Montrose and Paper Money). Ronnie himself called his Les Paul "STP" because an STP sticker had been affixed to it years before he bought it, and after its removal, only a red silhouette remained on the faded "Cherry Sunburst" finish. In 2015 Ronnie received a posthumous tribute when the Gibson Custom Shop released the Collectors Choice CC#28 Montrose STP Burst, a limited edition of 300 specimens based on the original guitar. Gibson collaborated with the original guitar's owner, Peter Weihe, on this project, conducting a comprehensive analysis and development process. Every detail of the original was meticulously reproduced and Peter received several "Artist Proof" guitars for review, of which we are offering number 003 here. Regarding this guitar Peter Weihe says: "It truly possessed many of the qualities I so valued in the original Burst and for the next nine years, with very few exceptions, it became the only Les Paul I played in my studio sessions including several number one productions and numerous gold and platinum awards. It can be heard, for example, on recordings and hits by Helene Fischer, Gregorian, Sarah Brightman, Heinz Rudolf Kunze, Ben Zucker, Kerstin Ott, Maite Kelly and many others—basically everything I played over the course of nine years." He further explains that he showed this Montrose Artist Proof to guitar maker Stefan Zander and pickup manufacturer Andreas Kloppmann, both of whom were very familiar with the original '58 Burst. They both shared his impression and agreed that this Artist-Proof was the best-sounding new Les Paul they had ever heard. "Both my guitars, my CC#8 and my CC#28, are equally fantastic and meet all my expectations of a great Les Paul that won't let me down, even in critical sessions. My CC#28 sounds more charismatic to my ears and has even more sustain on the B and E strings. The bass isn't muddy, the mids are colorful and transparent and the highs have bite without being shrill with enough fundamental tone to make them sound full and singing. The guys at the Custom Shop nailed the neck shape perfectly and the weight of 4 kg is just right. When I play the neck and see the three little dots on the cutaway, it feels almost uncanny. The guitar is simply superb." We couldn't add anything to Peter's praise; this is simply a phenomenal Les Paul with a super authentic look and top-notch playing and tonal qualities. The fact that this is a truly unique piece, one that has played a part in legendary music history, makes the whole package even more appealing.

• Includes original case, certificate, hangtags, case candy, original shipping tag, cover letter by Peter Weihe
• Weight: 4010 grams