Jeff Beck LP 1954 Oxblood: the Iconic Les Paul by Epiphone

Beck's heavily modified 1954 Gibson Les Paul, known for its unique Oxblood finish, is immortalised on the cover of his first solo album, Blow by Blow, from 1975, and recently sold at auction for a record $1.3 million. In 2009, Gibson revived the Oxblood model with a limited series of just 50 aged guitars, most of which were acquired by wealthy collectors.

Now Epiphone, in collaboration with Gibson Custom Shop, is offering a more affordable alternative to the Oxblood, which, like its predecessor, features a mahogany body with a maple top and a glued neck made from a single piece of high-quality mahogany with a long tenon and a matching Jeff Beck Custom Large C profile. The Indian rosewood fingerboard carries 22 medium jumbo frets, a Graph Tech nut and trapezoid inlays made of aged mother-of-pearl, which was also used for the Gibson "open book" style logo on the headstock.

Epiphone didn't skimp on the electronics either, as evidenced by the pair of American-made Custombucker humbuckers, which are connected via a 1950s-style wiring to premium CTS potentiometers with time-tested Mallory capacitors, a three-position Switchcraft toggle switch, and an output jack from the same manufacturer.

The same attention to detail has been paid to the nickel-plated hardware, consisting of high-end Schaller M6 90 tuners and an adjustable Gibson Historic wraparound aluminium bridge. Other thoughtful details honouring the specifications of the original guitar include Gold Speed potentiometer covers with metal "Dial Pointer" washers, a cream-coloured 1959 Les Paul pickguard with a gap at the bridge pickup frame, etc.

The instrument comes in a sturdy Epiphone case with Inspired by Gibson Custom graphics and includes a replica of Beck's vintage-style strap. The Epiphone Jeff Beck Oxblood 1954 Les Paul with a Vintage Gloss finish will only be available for a limited time, priced at around 1,400 euros.