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GALLERY: The Rickenbackers That Rocked the World
Take a walk through this brief historical photo gallery which outlines the beginnings and design progression of the Rickenbacker guitars that rocked the world. Photos and captions by Ron O''Keefe
Epiphone introduces the Jeff Beck 1954 Oxblood Les Paul, a tribute to the iconic guitar immortalized on the cover of Jeff Beck's groundbreaking album. Featuring Gibson USA pickups, solid wood construction, and premium electronics, this limited edition guitar is a must-have for fans and collectors alike.
For over 150 years, Epiphone has been a leading innovator in instrument design. By leveraging its iconic past and leaning into the future, Epiphone has set the stage for the next era of sound for present and future generations. Epiphone’s game-changing Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection, developed in close collaboration with the skilled luthiers at Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, Tennessee, continues to expand, establishing a new tier of premium Epiphones for every stage. Featuring Gibson USA pickups and premium electronics, world-renowned Gibson “open book” headstocks, solid wood construction, and one-piece necks, Epiphone’s Inspired by Gibson Custom Collection brings Gibson Custom designs to the masses, adding to Epiphone’s full array of instruments for all player levels.
Today, Epiphone is proud to introduce the JeffBeck1954OxbloodLesPaul from Epiphone, an Inspired by Gibson Custom recreation of one of the most famous guitars in history–JeffBeck’s famous Oxblood, the heavily modified 1954LesPaul that was immortalized on the cover of his groundbreaking 1975 album Blow by Blow. The world-famous guitar is now available worldwide at Authorized Epiphone dealers, the Gibson Garage in Nashville and London, and online via epiphone.com.
“Bringing the Epiphone version of the infamous ‘Oxblood’ LesPaul to life was something JeffBeck wanted, and the team has now truly delivered,” says Lee Bartram, Head of Commercial and Marketing EMEA at Gibson. “Making this guitar accessible to a wider market was important to Jeff and his family; this Epiphone guitar turned out truly exceptional and is a worthy tribute to the legacy of a legend.”
In the minds of many of his fellow guitarists, as well as those of countless fans, JeffBeck remains one of the finest players ever to pick up the instrument. From his early work with the Yardbirds to his work with the JeffBeck Group, Beck, Bogert & Appice, as a session musician and throughout his solo career, JeffBeck was one of the most influential lead guitarists of all time. A guitarist’s guitarist and sonic innovator, Beck was a master of genres who played rock, blues, hard rock, and jazz fusion, and helped popularize the use of feedback, fuzz pedals, and distortion, influencing countless players to this day with his inimitable style. An eight-time GRAMMY® Award winner, including six times for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, JeffBeck also received the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a member of the Yardbirds and as a solo artist.
Known to millions as the Oxblood due to its unique chocolate brown/oxblood finish, JeffBeck’s heavily modified 1954LesPaul™ was immortalized on the cover of Blow by Blow, his groundbreaking first solo album. This past January, the original Oxblood recently sold at auction for a record-setting $1.3 million. In 2009, Gibson Custom first recreated the Oxblood in a limited edition run of only 50 aged guitars, which collectors still highly value. Now, Epiphone, in collaboration with Gibson Custom, is immensely proud to introduce the JeffBeckOxblood1954LesPaul™, based on his iconic 1954LesPaul. It features a mahogany body with a maple cap, a one-piece mahogany neck with a long neck tenon and a JeffBeck Custom Large C neck profile, a rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and aged mother-of-pearl trapezoid inlays, and a Gibson “open book” style headstock with an Epiphone logo inlaid in aged mother-of-pearl. The headstock is equipped with a low-friction Graph Tech® nut and Schaller M6 90 tuning machines. It is powered by a pair of USA-made Gibson Custombucker humbucker™ pickups that are connected to CTS® potentiometers and Mallory capacitors using 50s-style wiring. Other thoughtfully considered details are included to match the original guitar, including gold Speed knobs, a LesPaul pickguard with a gap above the bridge pickup, and a Gibson Historic Wraparound bridge. It comes packaged in an Epiphone hardshell guitar case with Inspired by Gibson Custom graphics and includes a vintage-style replica strap. The EpiphoneJeffBeckOxblood1954LesPaul is available for a limited time, so do not miss this rare opportunity to own an accessible tribute to one of the world’s most famous, cherished, and valuable electric guitars and the master instrumentalist who made it famous–JeffBeck.
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram's highly-anticipated new album, Hard Road, is set to be released on September 26. The album will be available in various formats, including limited-edition vinyl. Kingfish will embark on a North American tour followed by shows in the EU and UK. Don't miss out on this epic "Hard Road Tour" experience!
Voodoo Charm - YouTube
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GRAMMY® Award-winning blues, rock ‘n’ roll, soul, and R&B musician Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has unveiled his much-anticipated new album, Hard Road, arriving via his own Red Zero Records on Friday, September 26. Pre-orders/pre-saves are available now. Hard Road will be offered in a wide range of formats, including digital, standard Green & White Swirl vinyl, and limited-edition of 500 Purple & Gold Swirl vinyl, available exclusively via the official Christone “Kingfish” Ingramwebstore, 100 of these will include a special Golden Ticket insert that will give winners a pair of tickets to a Kingfish show of their choice.
Kingfish’s fourth collection and first new studio album since 2021’s GRAMMY® Award-winning 662, Hard Road is heralded by today’s premiere of the fiery first single, “Voodoo Charm,” available everywhere now.
“I’m definitely excited to drop the first track from Hard Road. ‘Voodoo Charm’ is a high-tempo one that I look forward to playing live, and I also think it will set the stage for what’s to come with my third studio album,” said Ingram. “I hope people dig it and have some real anticipation for what’s in store.”
Widely regarded as one of contemporary blues’ most dynamic live performers, Kingfish will celebrate Hard Road on an epic North American tour that includes headline dates, top-billed festival performances, and more with dates currently underway and then continuing through October. From there, Ingram will take “The Hard Road Tour” across the Atlantic for eagerly awaited shows in the EU and the UK, set to visit Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom through November. 2026 will then see Kingfish making headline appearances on both the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise #44: Eastern Caribbean (January 24-31, 2026) and Jam Cruise 22 (February 7-12, 2026). For complete details and ticket information, please visitwww.christonekingfishingram.com/kingfish-tour.
A native son of Clarksdale, Mississippi — a city steeped in blues history — Christone “Kingfish” Ingram stands at the crossroads of legacy and innovation, channeling the spirit of the Delta while fearlessly reshaping its future. His mastery of the guitar, steeped in the tones of B.B. King, Albert King, and Buddy Guy, first turned heads when he was still a teenager. But what sets Ingram apart is how he’s expanded the form, blending in funk, soul, hip-hop, pop, and jazz to create a modern blues fusion that resonates across generations and genres. 2019’s debut album, Kingfish, topped Billboard’s “Blues Albums” for an incredible 91 weeks and earned him his first GRAMMY® Award nomination, plus three Blues Music Awards, including “Album of the Year.” Kingfish followed up with 2021’s 662, titled after his Mississippi area code, which won both the GRAMMY® Award and Blues Music Award for “Best Contemporary Blues Album.” In 2023, the incendiary Live In London received yet another GRAMMY® Award nomination as well as his second Blues Music Award for “Album of the Year” and third consecutive triumph in the “Best Contemporary Blues Album.”
Now, with Hard Road, Kingfish reflects on a journey that’s taken him from local prodigy to global torchbearer for a new era of blues. Executive Produced by Ingram and Ric Whitney for Red Zero Records with production support from Patrick “Guitar Boy” Hayes, Nick Goldston, and Tom Hambridge, the album marks Kingfish’s most introspective and ambitious project thus far, lyrically, emotionally, sonically, and thematically. Songs such as “Bad Like Me” and “Nothin’ But Your Love” explore love, loss, identity, perseverance, and personal growth, but with a harder, emotionally rich edge to Ingram’s signature sound. As always, Kingfish’s renowned guitar work is both explosive and tender, a fusion of rock and R&B sensibilities with vulnerable, honest, resilient blues at its heart. A true statement of purpose from an artist who has already made history and is only getting started, Hard Road is infused with the wisdom of someone who’s lived through transformation, seen the world, and returned home changed.
“This record comes from real-life reflection,” says Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. “I’ve been balancing fame, heartbreak, love, and relationships while trying to stay grounded, touring, creating, and maturing. These songs are about owning my story. They’re about learning to see myself clearly and seeing others with more compassion. That’s changed the way I write, the way I play, and the way I live.”
Introducing the PRS Chleo Limited Edition, the signature model designed in collaboration with Herman Li. Featuring Fishman Fluence pickups, a sculpted body carve, and a Gotoh locking tremolo system, this guitar offers players versatility and precision craftsmanship. Only 200 pieces available in 2025.
Chleo Limited Edition | Herman Li Signature Model | PRS Guitars - YouTube
PRSGuitars today launched its first signature guitar with award-winning guitarist, songwriter, producer, and content creator Herman Li, best known for his work as one of the lead guitar players in the power metal band DragonForce. The model is called Chleo, named by Herman as a combination of the names of his children. Featuring several departures from traditional PRS designs, including Fishman Fluence powered pickups, a new sculpted body carve, and several other unique appointments, the ChleoLimitedEdition exhibits PRS further spreading its wings. Available in Orchid Dusk and Charcoal Purple Burst, only 200 pieces will be made in 2025.
“With the PRS Chleo, I wanted to create a guitar that combined effortless playability, precision craftsmanship, and a versatile tonal range. It brings together modern innovation with timeless style, giving players the freedom to explore both classic sounds and new creative possibilities. The Chleo isn’t just a signature model — it’s a guitar built to inspire,” said Herman Li.
PRS Guitars Releases “Chleo” Limited Edition Herman Li’s Signature Model
As a guitar player who is as dedicated to understanding his instrument as he is to continually refining his craft as a player, Li was a formidable partner in designing his signature PRS. At first glance, the Chleo is a seemingly dramatic departure from classic PRS design, but its craftsmanship and quality are wholly PRS. Featuring PRS’s tried-and-true combination of a mahogany back and figured maple top with a maple neck, the Chleo’s body shape and neck have been specially engineered for this model. The body has been modified in several ways from PRS’s traditional profile. Most notably, it is remarkably thin, making it light enough for high-energy stage performances and comfortable for longer gigs. The neck shape and neck joint were specially designed to be comfortable and fast, and with glow-in-the-dark side dots you’ll never lose your place. The neck is very thin front-to-back with a slightly taller playing surface and 20” fretboard radius, and the neck joint has added surface area to promote build integrity and tonal transfer. PRS’s trademark scoop has also been modified for ultimate access to the upper frets, and the last 4 frets are scalloped so players can dig into those notes with ease. If the Chleo wasn’t unmistakable already, its ebony fretboard features a unique “Eclipse Dragon” inlay pattern.
Li’s Signature Series Fishman Fluence pickups are at the heart of the PRSChleo. These copper-free pickups use layered PCBs for consistent, noise-free performance. With three distinct voices and a versatile switching system, the guitar offers up to 13 unique tone combinations. From fat, aggressive rhythm tones to smooth, warm leads, soaring screams, and crystal-clear single-coil sounds, these pickups cover it all. The performance-friendly control layout makes it easy to switch between tones on the fly. Whether you’re using high-gain tube amps, solid-state rigs, modern amp modelers, or DAW plugins, the Chleo’s pickups are built to shine across any setup.
“This guitar represents a new evolution for PRS. We spent more than four years in research and development, working closely with Herman to get everything exactly right,” said PRS Guitars Director of New Products Engineering, Rob Carhart. “Partnering with Fishman for yet another project continues to be rewarding as well.”
Adding to the innovation is a Gotoh locking tremolo system, enhanced with a new custom PRS stabilizer. It delivers the expressive freedom of a fully floating tremolo, while offering the tuning stability that players love from fixed bridges, delivering confidence and control in any situation.
Mick Ralphs’ burly guitar tone and arrangements made “Ready for Love,” “Can’t Get Enough,” “Bad Company,” “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” and others part of the soundtrack of the ’70s.
English guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Mick Ralphs was among a select group of performers who achieved both consistent commercial success and artistic triumph throughout a career that extended from the mid-’60s until 2016, when a stroke led to his hospitalization and, eventually, retirement. Ralphs, who died on Monday, June 23, at age 81, was a founding member of two seminal British rock bands, Mott the Hoople and Bad Company. But he also had other collaborations and led groups that faithfully performed the other idiom he loved besides rock—the blues. Bad Company was recently voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with its induction ceremony scheduled for November. His co-founding Bad Company member Paul Rodgers issued a statement Monday on the group’s website shortly after the news broke.
“Our Mick has passed; my heart just hit the ground,” Rodgers said. “He has left us with exceptional songs and memories. He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humor. Our last conversation was a few days ago, we shared a laugh, but it won’t be our last. There are many memories of Mick that will create laughter. Condolences to everyone who loved him—especially his one true love, [Ralphs’ wife] Susie. I will see you in heaven.”
Ralphs was born in 1944 in the Western English county of Herefordshire, and began playing with blues bands in his teens. As a soloist, Ralphs could deliver either flashy, speedy licks or thoughtful, intricate riffs and phrases. His songwriting prowess reflected an ability to create catchy lyrics and pen engaging melodies that would hook audiences. His fame and recognition expanded during his tenure in Mott the Hoople. Initially known as the Doc Thomas Group, and later the Shakedown Sound and/or Silence, the band began in 1966 with Ralphs on guitar, vocalist Stan Tippis, and bassist Pete Overend Watts. Later they added drummer Dale “Buffin” Griffin and organist Verden Allen.
They changed their name to Mott the Hoople after signing with Island in 1969, doing so on a request from producer Guy Stevens. He’d read a novel by Willard Manus titled Mott the Hoople, about an eccentric working in a circus freak show. Before releasing their debut album, Ian Hunter was recruited as frontman. The band’s early records didn’t make much impact, but David Bowie was a fan of their sound. He penned their first huge hit, “All The Young Dudes,” and produced their breakout LP of the same name in 1972. The Bowie influence heavily shifted the band’s idiomatic focus to glam. Still, Ralphs had one of his first big hits as a songwriter, “Rock and Roll Queen,” while with them. He also wrote a tune that would become a much bigger hit later: “Ready For Love.”
Ralphs’ dynamic guitar style would be headlined on yet another Hoople hit, “Roll Away the Stone.” This came right before he departed the band in 1973, in large part due to tensions with Hunter. Their beef even reached the rock press, though Ralphs’ decision would lead to a different pathway and subsequently more personal success as an instrumentalist and songwriter. He’d developed a friendship with vocalist Paul Rodgers, who’d also recently left the band Free. What was first viewed as only a writing partnership blossomed into a recording session, and drummer Simon Kirke asked to sit in. They would recruit former King Crimson member Boz Burrell as the bassist, and Bad Company was born. The self-titled debut LP topped the charts, Ralphs’ tune “Can’t Get Enough” (also known as “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love”) reached number five on Billboard Hot 100, and the album was ultimately certified as a five-times-platinum seller.
Instantly identifiable power chords, crackling riffs, and engaging, entertaining lyrics were the assets of the best Bad Company singles and albums. Ralphs’ array of compositional gems also included “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad,” and a re-recorded, bigger hit version of “Ready for Love.” In addition, he co-wrote “Bad Company,” “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” and many other staples of the classic-rock canon. Bad Company cut 12 albums in one incarnation or another between 1974 and 1996. Ralphs and Rodgers would maintain their friendship and work together periodically during Ralph’s later years. He’d also have reunions with his mates in Mott the Hoople (2009, 2013) and Bad Company (2008, 2010, 2016). He even toured with Hunter in 2002. One of his finest post-Hoople/Bad Company achievements was co-writing “Flying Hour” with George Harrison in 1988, plus he toured with David Gilmour in the mid-’80s, for Gilmour’s second solo album, About Face.
“Feel Like Makin’ Love” and “Ready for Love” might be the most familiar essays in Ralphs’ guitar style. He favored Marshall stacks and explored both their clear and overdriven characteristics. In “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” his blend of acoustic and electric guitar helped define that classic rock trope, and the crushing chords of the refrain are the stuff air-guitar fantasies are made of. Plus, his closing solo, a backdrop to Rodgers’ singing, is pure Les Paul and Marshall bluster. In the latter, his sweet-toned playing walks a line between blues and rock balladry, with a pre-chorus and chorus reinforced by his stinging chords. And while the solo is yielded to Rodgers’ piano, it’s Ralphs who creates the song’s spine. His usual tools: Gibson Les Paul Standards and Juniors, Firebirds, SGs, and a Flying V in the video for “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” as well as Fender Stratocasters, Telecasters, and Esquires.
Ralphs’ forays into solo albums wouldn’t prove quite as successful as his group projects. He cut Take This, his first, in 1984, and released It’s All Good in 2001, and That’s Life—Can’t Get Enough in 2003. None of those replicated the success of the Mott the Hoople or Bad Company releases, but in 2011 Ralphs would return to his early musical love. He formed the Mick Ralphs Blues Band. Though his final performing years weren’t marked with the big hits that characterized his greatest commercial period, Mick Ralphs had a lengthy and impressive career, and he’ll long be remembered for being a prime contributor to some of rock’s finest ensembles. His brawny guitar tones will remain a signature of classic-rock radio as long as the format exists. PG
Guitars represent a rich musical legacy and hold a special place in our hearts. The new Marcus King ES-345 is a beautiful example of that tradition—a recreation inspired by his main guitar, “Big Red,” the 1962 ES-345 handed down from his grandfather to his father and finally to him.
This modern version captures the look and soul of the original, with only the features that Marcus finds essential, including mono wiring, a pair of Custombucker humbucking pickups, a fixed Vibrola tailpiece for improved tuning stability, and a stud anchor cover customized specifically for Marcus. All the hallmark features of the ES-345 are still here, just refined through the lens of a legacy that spans generations and stages around the world.
PRS Guitars Releases “Chleo” Limited Edition Herman Li’s Signature Model
