guitars that made history

DORE & REES TO OFFER a ONE OF A KIND COLLECTION OF historic GUITARS FROM musician James Llewelyn Morgan of the george Hatcher band and stan webb’s chicken shack

A 1959 Gibson Les Paul ‘Burst’ leads the auction, one of the most iconic guitars ever made, with a flawless timeline of ownership since 1973 and was maintained by guitar tech to the stars Graham Noden.

In the early 1970s, accomplished self-taught guitarist and gigging musician James Morgan, visited Denmark Street in London, in search of a top of the range instrument.  It was here that he found his beloved ’59 Les Paul. Reputedly, it cost a whopping £450 and his credit card bore the burden! This iconic guitar became James’ companion for life and he’d say ‘you can take my guitar when you can prise my cold dead fingers off it’. Many guitars came and went but the ’59 was always a constant in his life, right up until the end when hampered by arthritis, he could barely play it.

It was in the early ‘70s that James also met a man called Graham Noden.  Graham held James in high esteem and they remained great friends for decades. However, it was the ’59 that brought them together and Graham, now renowned as one of the greatest guitar techs and luthiers to the stars, earned his first paying job out of college, refretting the ’59 for James. Graham made several instruments for him and also maintained his guitars, especially the ’59, giving it a seamless and well documented 50 year provenance.

The auction includes multiple guitars from James’ collection – notably a 1952 Gibson Les Paul ‘Gold Top, a 1960 Stratocaster and a 1963 Fender Precision – along with studio equipment from James’ recording studio.  His compact home studio, attracted a growing number of loyal ‘analogue’ artists. Arthur Brown (Fire), Pretty Things, Peter Perrett and The Only Ones, UK Subs, Glen Matlock, Wilko Johnson from Dr Feelgood, to name just a few. Hundreds of artists passed through the studio making demos and masters with musical input from James. The Studio featured in Melody Maker in February 1980 where its noted studio rates were £8 per hour by cheque, £6 for cash, plus tape! Many items of equipment in the sale date from that period and were used by the artists that frequented the space.

1959 Gibson Les Paul ‘Burst’ 

Estimate on Request 

Guitars That Made History - 16 March at 10:30am