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Charlie Starr and Gibson Launch Les Paul Junior

Charlie Starr and Gibson Launch Les Paul Junior
Photo by Gibson

The Blackberry Smoke guitarist unveils new Les Paul Junior, a tribute to his much-loved 1956 model made from digital scans of his original guitar.


Charlie Starr often uses a Les Paul Junior for studio recordings and live performances with his group Blackberry Smoke. Throughout his career, his affinity for the Les Paul Junior has contributed to his signature guitar tone and playing style, adding to the band’s unique sound. The Gibson Charlie Starr Les Paul Junior authentically reproduces Charlie’s go-to Junior. It features a mahogany neck with a 50s neck profile that was digitally scanned and replicated from Charlie's favorite Les Paul Junior, a custom-designed overwound P-90 pickup, and an adjustable Wraparound bridge with locking studs. It comes packed in a Historic Les Paul Junior “Gator Skin” hardshell case and includes a Charlie Starr Signature Ceramic Slide and Hey Ya’ll sticker, complete with Charlie's original misspelling. The Gibson Charlie Starr Les Paul Junior is available in Dark Walnut and Ebony, and only 250 guitars will be made in each color.

Photob by Gibson

Hailing from Lanett, AL, Charlie Starr, the lead vocalist, and guitarist for the Southern rock band Blackberry Smoke was born into a musical family. His grandfather was in a well-known gospel band, his grandmother played mandolin and piano and his father, an accomplished guitarist, introduced him to the instrument that would lead to his career in music.

Playing guitar became one of Starr's passions early in life, in addition to writing and singing. In December 2017, Starr was named as one of Music Radar's top 23 guitarists, a list that includes “rock guitar gods” including Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, Slash of Guns N’ Roses, and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, among others.

The critically acclaimed Georgia-based band Blackberry Smoke, which features Starr, Brandon Still, guitarist/vocalist Paul Jackson, bassist/vocalist Richard Turner and the late drummer Brit Turner has amassed a loyal fanbase over the past two decades. The group’s last five full-length albums have achieved great chart success, including 2021’s You Hear Georgia, which reached #1 on Billboard's Americana/Folk Albums chart.

Charlie Starr on Les Paul Juniors, Southern Rock Sound

The Charlie Starr Les Paul Junior from Gibson is now available worldwide at authorized Gibson dealers and on www.gibson.com.

Billy Corgan shining with his Reverend Z One.

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman balances a busy creative life working as a wrestling producer, café/tea company owner, and a collaborator on his forward-thinking, far-reaching line of signature guitars. Decades into his career, Corgan continues to evolve his songcraft and guitar sound for the modern era on the band’s latest, Aghori Mhori Mei.

“Form follows function,” explains Billy Corgan when asked about the evolution of his songwriting. These three words seem to serve as his creative dictum. “Early Pumpkins was more about playing in clubs and effecting a response from the live audience, because that’s where we could get attention."

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The effect of ecommerce on CopperSound's shipping room.

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Let’s open things up with a TV/movie trope. The character on screen has a speech that they’ve been preparing for once they’re called up onstage to address the audience. When they finally get up to the lectern to deliver it, they pause, give the attendees a look over, and rip up their script in a dramatic fashion before pursuing an off-the-cuff, heartfelt message that goes on to invigorate the crowd and inspire a roaring ovation. For right now—I’m at least doing the first part of that. I’m abandoning my planned topic. Consider this me ripping up my finely curated index cards.

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Loud, evil, searing hot, and unexpectedly versatile, the Fuzz War’s demented bass cousin has a bold and more-complex personality all its own that sounds radical with guitar, too.

Evil. Just plain evil. Unexpected and vast variation. Responds interestingly to bass volume and tone attenuation. Wet/dry mix control. Sounds amazing (and extra evil) with guitar.

None.

$195

Death By Audio Bass War
deathbyaudio.com

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If you like your fuzz measured in megatonnage, the Death By AudioFuzz War is one of life’s great joys. And if you’re a bass player with similar predilections and accustomed to watching guitar players have all the fun, the new DBA Bass War will be sweet revenge.

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Originally introduced in 1975 as part of the Schaffer-Vega Diversity System (SVDS) wireless system, this mini boost pedal originated from a 1/4” headphone jack intended for monitoring purposes.

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