The Mighty Oxblood Les Paul

[GiorgioV]

I bought my Oxblood (a 2006) in mint condition in NY in 2008. it was about 3000 buck back then, and for many years it was my only guitar really.

Mine isn't a porker either. I think it's about 8 pounds something.

I changed the pickups, pots and the bridge is a pigtail (you tend to mess around with stuff when you only own one guitar) it has LOTS of battle scars, the neck is partly worn down and, of course, refret. But it still sees a lot of gigs, in fact, it's my main guitar for standard-flat tuning.

These guitars just sound BIG. Not too fat, not dull, still bright and open but BIG. It's a bulldozer. I'll post pictures of mine soon as I get the chance.

 

[Daka3]

I love it when that happens: Guitars that just kill on the gig, and especially so when a guitar has been out of rotation for a while. Things like that just make me happy. Great post and story, and, hey: Great oxblood! Wraptail guitars Will give you that little bit extra of everything!

 

[Firepie Uno]

I bought my Oxblood (a 2006) in mint condition in NY in 2008. it was about 3000 buck back then, and for many years it was my only guitar really.

Mine isn't a porker either. I think it's about 8 pounds something.

I changed the pickups, pots and the bridge is a pigtail (you tend to mess around with stuff when you only own one guitar) it has LOTS of battle scars, the neck is partly worn down and, of course, refret. But it still sees a lot of gigs, in fact, it's my main guitar for standard-flat tuning.

These guitars just sound BIG. Not too fat, not dull, still bright and open but BIG. It's a bulldozer. I'll post pictures of mine soon as I get the chance.

My '06 Oxblood is everything you describe above. I have several dual humbucker guitars, including a very good Greg Martin CC15, but the Oxblood just feels like home. I'll probably be buried with it, it's that good of a guitar.

@GiorgioV, what pickups did you land on for it? I've been through a bunch - my Oxblood seems to be incredibly finnicky about what pickups are in it.

 

[GiorgioV]

Currently has a Stephens Design in the bridge and a Wolfetone Legend in the neck

 

[Urobouros]

I was gassing for an Oxblood and came across an R4 version from Tone Report on Reverb with Bill Lawrence custom HBs. I haven't actually gotten to try one of the official versions but the tone & feel of mine's perfect every time

 

[mudster]

off topic of your brilliant Oxblood (love it), but I wondered about your pedalboard as I am looking for a light/compact board. It looks like you have a power supply on the underside; how did you attach to the board? Do you like that Mono board?
Thanks

 

[MBreinin]

If I remember correctly, he brought it out and played it when I saw him at JazzFest in New Orleans in 2010 or 2011 (I can't remember).

 

[stratohiker]

Here is a recap of our gig Friday night, but first a little background.

We were asked to do a musician reunion of sorts by backing a wonderful female vocalist/bassist that was visiting for the weekend. Incredibly talented---sings the gamut of Rickie Lee Jones, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and more----all while killing on the bass. She was in this band 25 years ago, and replaced by the male singer we have now. I had a lot of woodshedding to do on the tunes first, as I had never played any of them, and we had 4 nights of rehearsals. But only 2 with her, and that included a lot of harmony vocal work. I was using Telecasters in rehearsal, and they worked well.

The gig was from 7 to 11, and the monthly Artwalk was happening at the same time. So they want us up by the front door, to draw people into the restaurant/bar. Lots of neon all around us in the windows. Also some volume concerns, so I bring the Gries 12 and mic it. Gibsons into Fender circuits always work well for me. I decide to bring Les Pauls instead, worried about hum.



My favorite LP is a '96 R4 with P90's, but it won't be used it the hum is bad. The backup would be the '97 R4 Oxblood. That guitar is a beast and I used to play it so much I had it refretted with 6100's when the original frets were too low. I later had a truss rod issue and the guitar fell out of rotation. I fixed the truss rod issue and thought it would be my hum-free backup for the night.

Turned out the P90s were fine and the hum wasn't really an issue. I used the goldtop for the first 2 sets. I used the Oxblood for the next 2. Our regular bass player was running sound for us while she played bass and sang. While I thought both guitars were equally fine, that was not shared by the band. Bassist----"Dude, you just need to play that black looking guitar thru that little amp all the time." Keyboard player/other guitarist----"While the goldtop sounded fine, that Jeff Beck LP was so much more everything. I wish I could find a guitar that sounds like that."

The Ox is back and ready to rock! The gig went so well they are looking at giving us that gig monthly for the Artwalk.



If I keep bringing the Gries 12w, I will probably be playing Les Pauls a lot more.



The band then and now. I'm the Packers fan.

No video from the show?!

 

[shallbe]

off topic of your brilliant Oxblood (love it), but I wondered about your pedalboard as I am looking for a light/compact board. It looks like you have a power supply on the underside; how did you attach to the board? Do you like that Mono board?
Thanks

I really like the Mono board. Sturdy and lightweight. I attached the power supply on the bottom with a product I think is called Dual Lock? Get it where you get Velcro, and it operates the same way, but uses interlocking beads instead of hooks and fuzz. You snap the pieces together and it is going nowhere. A small strip holds 10 lbs and I used 4 strips.

 

[soli528]

Love the Beck Oxblood look. I went with that color top on my Shishkov Ultimate when I got the chance- left it dark transparent on the back/sides and neck though.

 

[tiktok]

Great story! I've been keeping my eyes for an R4 for a while. Fortunately for my pocket book, I haven't been in the same room with one for years.

 

[GiorgioV]

Love the Beck Oxblood look. I went with that color top on my Shishkov Ultimate when I got the chance- left it dark transparent on the back/sides and neck though.

That's a fantastic combination. I wish mine had a cherry back myself.

 

[shallbe]

No video from the show?!

Several people were filming but I don’t know who they are. Not often you see a woman play bass and sing Danny’s All Star Joint, Chuck Es In Love and Youngblood.

 

[stratohiker]

Several people were filming but I don’t know who they are. Not often you see a woman play bass and sing Danny’s All Star Joint, Chuck Es In Love and Youngblood.

Exactly, that's why I ask ;-)

 

[Cliffhydro]

Love the Beck Oxblood look. I went with that color top on my Shishkov Ultimate when I got the chance- left it dark transparent on the back/sides and neck though.

That is killer.

 

[shallbe]

A few more pictures......







And with the wraptail sibling, '96 and '97, both bought new:

 

[Gabriel_GR]

I wish gibson made more guitars with the wraptail.

 

[Chuckracer]

I'm in the Humbucker/Wraptail club! Mines definitely no oxblood, though. It's a modded R0. Godwoods and loud as hell acoustically. it's a ripper!

 

[shallbe]

I'm in the Humbucker/Wraptail club! Mines definitely no oxblood, though. It's a modded R0. Godwoods and loud as hell acoustically. it's a ripper!

That is nice! I saw it when it was in the emporium and thought it was a great deal.

 

[Phil M]

Uggghhh, the only guitar I regret selling because I’ll never get another.

They used to just be a “R4 Oxblood” and the price was in line with other opaque and non-flametop reissues. I bought a mint 2004 in early 2006 for $1900 and sold it 4 years later due to a false crisis. Everyone knew it was a tribute to Jeff Beck’s guitar but Gibson hadn’t yet started calling it “Jeff Beck”

Man did I love that guitar and it was a good value at the time. Sorry, I just got sad thinking about it LOL.

I had a pre “George Harrison/Lucy” Sweet Cherry R8 and a pre “Jeff Beck” Oxblood R4. I was at least smart enough to keep the Cherry R8.