Peter Frampton's "Phenix" Les Paul Custom Comes Alive
The Peter Frampton "Phenix" Inspired Les Paul Custom VOS Electric Guitar is that rare electric that has both a story and a tone that have to heard to be believed. More on the story in a bit — let's first focus on the specs of this incredible solidbody instrument. The Phenix features a weight-relieved, all-mahogany body that produces rich resonance and is incredibly light for hours of comfortable performance. A trio of hard-hitting CustomBuckers arms you with an endless array of classic 'bucker tone reminiscent of that decade when rock came alive: the '70s! A smooth mahogany neck with an ebony fingerboard and 22 jumbo nickel frets provides outstanding feel and playability up and down the neck. And with VOS details, the Phenix oozes stage-ready aesthetic that will delight you and your audience day after day.
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Trio of humbuckers for killer tone
Peter Frampton fell in love with the feedback-free humbuckers in his original '54, and that's why Gibson outfitted the Phenix with CustomBuckers. These renowned pickups represent the company's truest PAF-style offerings. Since no original humbuckers wound and wired from the '50s through the '70s sounded exactly the same, Gibson listened to recordings of original humbuckers from Les Pauls manufactured during these decades to get the tone exact as possible. Just like these classic pickups, the CustomBuckers are unpotted for more bite and an overall hotter sound. With Alnico 3 magnets and approximately 10,800 turns of wire, these humbuckers are quite literally wired for heavy output and killer warm tone. And with a master volume and tone shared by the neck and bridge pickups, plus a second volume and tone for the middle pickup and 3-way toggle, you can dial in a dizzying array of 'bucker tone to suit just about any style.
Set-neck joint and Plek'd frets make the difference
The mahogany neck features a set-neck joint for wonderful sustain and warmer overall tone. Here at Sweetwater, we've found that these are differences you will surely feel and hear whether you are playing chords or lead runs. And just like all Gibson necks, the frets on the ebony fingerboard have been Plek'd to ensure precise intonation and fret-to-string interplay — goodbye buzz, hello amazing tone! To give this custom axe even more Frampton vibe, a custom block of the guitar legend's signature has been sandblasted into the 12th fret inlay.
An incredible journey home
In the world of guitar lore, there are few stories that are as incredible as the tale of Peter Frampton's original 1954 Les Paul Custom. Peter's "Black Beauty" '54 Gibson was lost in 1980 in a fatal cargo plane crash in Central America, after he and the band traveled separately to take a day off before a show in Panama. Peter learned of the crash and assumed, as most would, that his beloved axe was lost for good. He and the band flew back to the States in short order and resumed touring, albeit with the glaring absence of a special guitar he was sure would never be replaced.
Fast-forward 32 years later, to the eve of the Frampton Comes Alive 35 Tour in 2012 to celebrate the release of one of the best-selling live album of all time. Frampton was about halfway into the tour when he received an email from a stranger with pics of a Les Paul '54 that looked uncannily like his original Black Beauty. By closely examining the detailed photos included in the email, Frampton learned the truth: his guitar had, in fact, survived the crash and would now be on its way back to him! The "Phenix" Inspired Les Paul Custom VOS Electric Guitar is a prized celebration of this reunion, as well as an homage to one of rock's legendary players.
Gibson Peter Frampton "Phenix" Inspired Les Paul Custom VOS Features:
- Custom solidbody inspired by Peter Frampton's original '54 Les Paul
- Weight-relieved, all-mahogany body produces rich resonance and is incredibly light for hours of comfortable performance
- 3 hard-hitting CustomBuckers for an endless array of classic humbucker tone; CustomBuckers are unpotted for more bite and overall hotter tone
- Master volume and tone shared by the neck and bridge pickups; second volume and tone for the middle pickup and 3-way toggle
- Smooth mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard and 22 jumbo nickel frets provides outstanding feel and playability up and down the neck
- Mahogany neck features a set-neck joint for wonderful sustain and warmer overall tone
- Frets on the ebony fingerboard have been Plek'd to ensure precise intonation and fret-to-string interplay
- VOS details oozes stage-ready aesthetic
- Vintage Grover kidney tuners keep your tuning solid
