There are some players that go beyond the simple act of playing. Some guitarists just have the skills, and the guts, to do something else. Vivian Campbell is one of them and has been a musical force and guitar hero throughout his career, compiling a rock ‘n roll resume as jaw-dropping as his playing abilities. His instrument of choice for nearly all that time has been a Gibson Les Paul. So when Gibson Custom Shop approached Vivian about collaborating on a signature model, the goal was to keep the guitar familiar and highly playable while capturing Vivian’s personality in both aesthetics and tone. This limited-edition Vivian Campbell Les Paul Custom is the result of months of thoughtful design and construction tweaks and it has received Vivian’s final approval. It features a fast-playing 1970s neck profile, passive high-output humbuckers, satin chrome parts, Les Paul Custom “tuxedo” appointments and a rubbed-patina black-and-grey color scheme inspired by the coastal rock formations of Vivian’s hometown in Northern Ireland. Every part of its creation was a thorough and meticulous team effort from the skilled artisans at Gibson Custom.
Cost: $5,999
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!