Guitar Kisstory: Ace Frehley

[@maceo9246]

I've actually played his sunburst double neck Gibson SG. It was having some work done on it in Nashville at Gibson's Restoration Center. It along with a few others of Ace's had some water damage because his basement actually flooded. It was definitely a surreal moment and a very unique instrument. I was told it was 1 of only 1 made specifically for the Reunion Tour by Gibson for Ace.

[@SeanBlumenshine]

That's so cool!

[@oskarsalvador7414]

Did Ace say it was ok to play?

[@maceo9246]

I asked the guys at the restoration center if I could. They saw no real problem in it so I did.

[@robertrandolph9756]

ACE WAS THE REASON I PICKED UP A GUITAR. WHEN I WAS 14 YEARS OLD!!

[@robertrandolph9756]

DAMNIT ACE!! YOU ARE JUST SOOOOOO FUCKING COOOOL!

[@paulsharkey6576]

Ace is the reason I started playing 44 years ago.

[@zappasmustache]

Yep ditto. 30 years ago for me.

[@chiefpotpipe]

Same here 1976. Mom bought me a $5 garage sale acoustic.

[@BigDaddy-nt6yc]

You, me, and countless others!!!😎😎😎

[@thapainter11]

Me too!,Big Peavy musician,electra les paul,and kiss on 10!

[@paulsharkey6576]

@@chiefpotpipe My Mom bought me a new Fender Musicmaster. I still remember the serial number...S704507. It was a great guitar.

[@Colstonewall]

"I can't even read music, but I can make a Guitar Smoke," Ace Frehley. Yes you can, Ace. Yes you can.

[@RavnerRavner]

Ace is the only guy who can make an Ovation breadwinner look good.

[@roadiesnrockstars]

I had one!

[@MrKjohnson123]

Posted on Ace's birthday. Well played.

[@hellboundrubber4448]

I will always remember what it was like to see KISS in Hit Parader or Circus Mag. Back in the day when their identity was a complete mystery! Magazines would bait you with so called Kiss pics w no make up and it would turn out to be Paul or Gene hiding behind a coat or magazine. Years later that day finally came and must have spent an hour just looking at them w no make up in disbelief. Old schoolers were the only ones to live it.

[@RikJSmith]

I love all of your KISS Guitar History Videos. But , me being a KISS freak since I was 11 years old , and playing Guitar since I was 12 , THIS IS THE KISS GUITAR HISTORY for Ace is the one that makes me happier than fan catching some of Ace's picks. I hope your Videos never stop , Sean. 🎸🎸🎸

[@jamesdewer]

I had a Hondo "Ace" replica. For sound I built a 30w - 100w rms - peak, respectively RadioShack PA amp. No need for special effects, the feed back alone would cause the middle pickup to smoke.

[@traviesoarcefan3063]

Great video. Thank you so much. Been an Ace fan since 1976. Only got to see him play live once in August, 1977. KISS dedicated the show to Elvis who had died just a few days before. THANK GOD I bought the tourbook which I still have in good condition. 🙏👍

[@leokimvideo]

This is your most popular video, Ace is Kiss's most popular member. Maybe you can do a pull down of what's watched from your Kiss videos are see the dots joining together. Ace influenced more people in music Vs any other Kiss member. It's just so sad Paul & Gene don't understand how they made Kiss a joke by making it impossible for Ace to stay.

[@DMDvideo10]

Ace made it impossible for Ace to stay... Peter too... Drugs n' booze will get you every time...

[@masaharumorimoto4761]

Oh wow, it's been 30+ years since I've seen the video for Into The Night! Thanks for reminding me to watch that!

[@bobowrathsovine.]

On the tour for Frehley's Comet album he used some cherry burst Les Paul with a Washburn wonder bar bridge. It may have been used in the Live+1 EP.

[@burresseffects]

Dude that New Nightmare standee is awesome! Such an underrated movie.

[@connorwilson8696]

my dad bought a af40 brand new, thinking it was coming in black and silver, when he pick it up and opend the case is was black and red.. very very few black and red ones.

[@brunolamarche100]

great montage. Some of these pics are unbelievable. Useful comments. - wouldn't have figured all this by myself back in '75 when I was first listening.

[@rockytheramone5604]

I always assumed the mini explorer was a Hamer. Thanks for the new info !

[@RikJSmith]

Absolutely LOVE this Video , Sean !! Because I'm a Guitarist and I think Ace is a Bad Ass Dude this is my favorite Video from you ever !! What an Amazing Video !! Well done and thanks for all the work you did to put it together !! Hope you're doing well , Dude . 🎸😎🎸 Second one in my Save Forever File .

[@SeanBlumenshine]

Thank you very much!

[@pjaayzutube]

Love aces guitars. He can make any guitar look cool😎 Nice vid man thx

[@craigfazekas3923]

There is a life-size Gibson Ace cardboard cut out in the front window of Earl Teat Music, in Dover, Delaware. It's from back in the day & sun bleached- and cool as hell !! 🚬😎👍

[@3RingRaiders]

Ace with A flying V has got to be the coolest looking thing i have ever seen thanks for the video !!

[@thomasjimenez5479]

I once seen a pic of Ace on stage playing a guitar with a Stratocaster body but a Les Paul neck, STRANGE

[@stepanbandera5206]

I believe that was an Epiphone. I have a photo from ALIVE era of him with that guitar.

[@scottbull8309]

Stellar episode!! Thank you for ALL your hard work and research. Such interesting bits of the technical and musical aspects of the band. Thanks again.

[@richardeller2162]

Happy Birthday, Ace!

[@romainlavoie1526]

I watched all three ! Excellent comments. If you could explore the rhythm section of Kiss on how Peter and Pearl relationship came to be along Eric Carr's fantastic Tama drum quit and Eric Singer Pearl's signature snare ! You're the best ! Great video 👌

[@hankpikuni7024]

Holly Sh*t I own a Cornet and a Crestwood. I didn't know Ace played that.

[@rudybenavides9681]

Playing through a PA and sound board ever it was all adjusted for my lead part in some of these sitting in was my best memory of performance as playing a part as a led guitar player

[@willchew4040]

ACE FOREVER !!!!!!!!!!

[@livejts3301]

I’m always looking for Cherry Burst SG’s! That double neck Cherry burst is awesome! Thanks!

[@oldfriend327]

There was a Gibson Custom Shop Ace Frehley artist model 1959 Les Paul Standard for sale at Guitar Center Hollywood about five years ago. You know that feeling when you instantly and desperately know that you want and would buy something when you first see it and then instantly remember you are broke?

[@SeanBlumenshine]

I work at Guitar Center and that's how I feel every day.

[@OtherMike5000]

Proof its NOT the guitar...its the Player!! 👊😎👊

[@coastalpaladin5024]

Cool video as always. I can’t wait to see the Bruce guitar video. He is my favorite KISS guitar player. Be well my friend.

[@SeanBlumenshine]

Thanks man. I'm really excited about doing the Bruce one.

[@MikeMoose67]

I love the double neck ..Ace should definitely use it more !!!! This was a very cool video… thanks for sharing with us 👍

[@4stringz.]

The thumbnail with Ace in the studio with his guitars is my favorite pic. I have a small poster of that

[@jonstreng7850]

I'm not going to lie. I am a drummer. I know just about nothing of the guitar instrument except it comes in a six string version and a 12 string. Did Ace even play a 12 string on any KISS tracks besides Hard Luck Woman. My favorite guitar of his was the white one he played on New York Groove with the flashing lights. I have never given any solo material by Ace a chance. Once the comet ☄️ disbanded I thought he was done. I'm just now reading his No Regrets book. It is a fantastic read and far more helpful at understanding the band's past. I love how he focuses more on himself and doesn't bombard the other three with negativity. Class act. He was an a## when he drank though from what I have read so far. It is incredible that some of his car wrecks didn't kill him.

[@SeanBlumenshine]

He plays 12 string on the Rock Bottom intro

[@wheezaldogg]

I can confirm Ace's Black Beauty replica. I met Ace 2 years ago and we cooled out for about 45 minutes.. he mentioned that gibson had been in contact with him wanting to do a run of that guitar.. 🤘

[@rongriesbeck294]

Great photos and very informative

[@tyorbs6277]

I heard Ace frehleys first electric guitar was a fender telecaster and his first amp was a Marshall and he got it for Christmas when he was 13

[@sabianfirst]

You know it's THE ONLY THING that keeps us together.

[@gabrielgraves7369]

I would like to thank u for this great video & knowledge of Aces guitars great job

[@d2vmusic]

Good stuff, thanks for posting. Ace inspired me to start playing guitar, I got a wine red Hondo II Les Paul Custom copy for Xmas 1981 and started playing in school bands. I still have the guitar to this day, it'll be a tough one to part with.

[@SeanBlumenshine]

That sounds like an awesome guitar!

[@richmeek6807]

You forgot to mention his signiture guitars with epiphone. I actually own a black burst signiture which is no longer avalible, but they also did the cherry burst and I believe the butakon. Great video though. Very cool info.

[@FredrichLiebrich]

I took guitar lessons in 8 the grade.... Alto sax 4-12. Ace keeps me inspired.

[@MrAdamJoel]

Interesting idea for a video. Thanks!

[@sirhooligan7489]

Superb research of Ace´s gear. Thx 4 this , m8!!

[@quentinpetit5515]

Back when I was a kid Ace was my favorite guitar player. I've maybe stopped listening to kiss on a daily basis, but he's still the one that made me wanna play on a les paul

[@RikJSmith]

LOVE THIS VIDEO , SEAN !! Never enough Guitars. 🎸🎸🎸

[@dangreving1094]

I wonder what those guitars would fetch at an auction??

[@MrZerosRememberWhen]

For the 1981 "Elder" period Ace, was using a Stock Gibson Cherry Sunburst Deluxe, With Mini Humbuckers. MrZerr0: KISSin Time MPLS

[@johnmcminn9455]

cool video . i was under the impression gibson gave ace what was pretty much the frampton guitar 3 pick up custom, because frampton got in a car accident and could not tour . my suspision of this comes from the fact KISS ALIVE was recorded on all of Framptons PA gear

[@richkennedy3134]

Very thorough! Well done!!

[@MrAcEsNeIgHtS1188]

There are existing pics of Ace playing a Fender Classic Telecaster Deluxe in the studio during the first album sessions (Bell Sound). There is also at least one pic (I've found) of Ace holding the black Gibson SG double neck six string that was used on Fractured Mirror.

[@SeanBlumenshine]

I’ll have to be on the lookout for those

[@davidwalden5015]

I haven't read through all of the comments, but nobody seems to remember that Ace was briefly a Peavey endorsee. I distinctly recall seeing a picture of Ace with a Peavey Mystic in front of six Peavey 410 cabs stacked up in a pyramid. I don't think he ever played Peavey live, but he definitely had some interaction with the company.

[@pavanpavan]

The cherry sunburst used for the I Love it Loud video had mini humbuckers. It's a different cherry sunburst les paul altogether.

[@14lamnc1]

Great video, what about Ace’s 1959 burst?

[@GrooveHillStudio]

Thanks for this!!! Wicked content!

[@zubileegluckgluck]

This is a great series. I'm really enjoying them. 👍👍

[@tomfreeman3640]

Well done Sean!!!! Thanks for the education!!!!

[@KuriousKylonOnBass]

You missed some guitars that ace had in the frehleys comet tour. He had the Washburn guitar with a Washburn wonderbar tremolo system for the frehleys comet tour. he also had a black one and the flasher for backup

[@anthonyfrederick2829]

Thank you so much. I really enjoyed this. I had subscribed

[@roosterj2599]

I bought my LP Custom and my honey burst LP Standard because of Ace. I would love to do the third pickup thing. Ace rules!

[@mr.timebombman2230]

I like that dark blue LP with the Anomaly logo.

[@94xjrgodown2]

Can you do a video on Ace & Paul's amps and the Schaffer Wireless guitar systems please. As they were the first band (after ELO) to use a commercial wireless system!Happened after ACE was Electrocuted in Florida in 1976.

[@victorancelmo2549]

Ace was the first guitarist i was in awe of and the first one i saw wield a les paul. 3 years later and now 16 i still love les pauls and still love ace🤘🏼

[@jameshughes6049]

Ace is why I play guitar, & of course I play Les Pauls!!!

[@spooge33]

My first concert, 1976. Paul "Ace" Frehley fit the bill for Kiss. He is the only lead guitarist that I will recognize in that band.

[@philipchurchill6508]

There is a chinese company called DH gate doing copies of kiss guitars , though I have not sampled these , I have had 2 Pete Townshend [ the w ho] les pauls , one a cherry sunburst and the other a goldtop , though the wait was 3 months , the results were fantastic both in sound and looks , my dad who has played the guitar since the late 50 s , said he could not believe my lo luck .

[@rjc7289]

Never knew about that pointy AF signature model he played during his Frehley's Comet days. Would've loved to see a mention of the Les Paul he used during that time that had a whammy bar on it.

[@thebluesrockers]

Great Video, Awesome Job

[@a.romano6532]

Here is some information as to the whereabouts of Aces guitars because he had me sell them for him in 1991 to the hard rock, but you guys are missing on many guitars that were very important. My photos of Ace, with these guitars appear in Bill Baker’s book. A black 1960’s Gibson double neck octave, 6 string which Ace used on fractured mirror that was sold to Perry. A black Danelectro single cut away, which Ace used on most of the rhythm parts of New York groove. You can clearly hear that it’s a Dan electro if you know anything about guitars, that guitar resides in the hard rock Café. Ibanez natural wood destroyer with repaired headstock that is in the hard rock now. Ace used that guitar on the destroyer tour. that guitar resides in the hard rock Café. A triple pick up black 1970’s LesPaul custom, which was on the cover of guitar world magazine that is in the hard rock, a black Gibson Lespaul Custom smoker, which was used on the dynasty tour that is in the collection of Joe Marshall the guitar was stolen from Ace. Joe wasn’t aware of that at the time that he purchased it. I would hope that he would sell it back to Ace.. Joe paid $10,000 for the Smoker guitar. That would be the right thing to do. After it was stolen. I ended up giving Ace payment for the guitar and taking liability for it. It was loaned to a customer to try and the guy never gave it back and sold it. It’s stolen and it should be sold back to Ace. The most important of all of Ace’s guitars was his Gibson lemon drop 1959 Les Paul serial #9-1878 that Ace used on Rocket Ride and his entire 1978 solo album. Ace used the 59 on every song. Ace told me he wanted to be buried with that guitar. He told me the guitar would not go out of tune, and that he loved it so much. It was his favorite of any guitar he ever owned in his lifetime. I am the owner of Ace’s 59. I offered it back to Ace for $75,000 and he couldn’t get the money together to buy it, but I always let him play it every time he came to my house And all those pictures appear in Baker’s book.

[@markthatcher4853]

Excellent video.

[@ericstathis67]

Awesome. Only thing is you missed his Les Paul Junior from 74. He also had a seldom used white Les Paul in 74

[@SeanBlumenshine]

Thanks! Yeah I'm planning on updating the videos in December when Kiss finally stops touring.

[@a.romano6532]

I had the LesPaul Juniour too used at the Coventry. I gave it to Richie from We Buy guitars, and he gave it away for nothing to somebody.

[@Jimmyace2006]

Nice video. I am friends with John Tate, the owner of the Ace Les Paul web site where most of the photos and info came from. I did want to correct some info about the blue guitars. First, there is no evidence that the very first blue burst silver sparkle Les Paul is a refinished 1990s Les Paul. I have a lot of photos of that one; the back of the headstock has "PROTOTYPE" stamped where the serial number would be. The second blue guitar is the Anomaly guitar, and it is not a sparkle guitar. It is a flametop guitar, and also a one-off prototype that Ace did not like too much. The third one is another blue burst silver sparkle Les Paul, but it is not one of Ace's old guitars that was refinished. I am the original owner of that guitar. It has a factory blue burst silver sparkle finish. I had a middle pickup added and swapped out all of the parts so that it would look as much like the first prototype as possible, though it has no lightning inlays or Ace face. I sold to a friend who sold it as well. It disappeared for a few years until it came up for sale on ebay; a different friend of mine who knows Ace bought it. He got Jim Cara to add a smoking device (destroyed the entire beautiful blue burst silver sparkle back). Then he sold it to Ace, who toured with it for his smoker routine from 2016-2018. My friend re-acquired the guitar from Ace and sold it again to someone overseas. Now it is sitting in a museum.

[@ferox965]

Ace also used a Les Paul junior around the time of Alive. For the I Love it Loud video, he's using a Les Paul deluxe with mini humbuckers.

[@SeanBlumenshine]

I’ve never noticed the mini humbuckers! That’s so cool; I really like the minis in my firebird. I bet that Les Paul sounds great.

[@Sarahbuildsstepsequencers]

Well done, sir!

[@Civilian2.0]

Great video, very interested in their use of Ibanez and Greco 'copies' - I have a '96 Burny RLC 75 AF, a copy of the Gibson 3 Pickup Cherry Sunburst Custom. It's a fantastic guitar. Any more info on the Japanese guitars they used?

[@zee3499]

Ace's Reunion cherry customs were just custom shop models made for that tour - He only ever used the iconic 1973 cherry custom "Budokan" for the Weenie Roast show.

[@russellflynn6937]

sic man! 'The ACESTER'!

[@lysaarvideo]

There are early Ace photos with a tobacco sunburst Les Paul featuring mini humbuckers. I'm not sure, if it's the guitar he became famous for using, but ir's very similar.

[@277southtombob]

Ovation made some great electric guitars. I’ve wanted a Viper for years, I’ve played a few and they’re crazy heavy but they sounded and played great.

[@SeanBlumenshine]

Very cool. Maybe I'll get lucky and one will come through the Guitar Center I work at.

[@bennybenitez2461]

Great video

[@mergatroid1212]

Great work but you forgot the Lemon burst 59 les Paul used on the 78' solo album and re-issued in 2016 I believe, now Aces main choice. I think Gibson gave him 15 guitars. The best guitar of them all but I gotta say I'm looking forward to the black beauty!

[@worgothcgd]

Loved the video !

[@gabrielbrouwer]

Maybe you could’ve mentioned that during the Frehley’s Comet years he installed washburn wonderbars on his Les Pauls.

[@paulsommerfeld6026]

Thanks for the video

[@sockneman]

Thank You! 🙋🏼‍♂️

[@misterneponsit2894]

This video was released on Ace's 70th birthday! Now how cool is THAT, right?

[@RavenWolfDrum69]

I play ovations .like Nancy Wilson. I love heart ❤. I❤ ACE

[@roderickhager8154]

Kick ass job young man!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🤘🎸

[@yucatansuckaman5726]

This is cool series

[@CyclopsGuitars8642]

Does anyone know if Gibson ever came out with the black beauty re-issue guitar?I don’t remember them doing it

[@SeanBlumenshine]

I don't think so

[@henrikharbin5521]

I've seen at least INE pic from the Elder era where Ace is holding a very strange looking guitar. Not sure of the color, could be brown or orange. It has what looks like a black and silver mag wheel from a racing car mounted at the bottom. Strange, and I don't know what the wheel was there for.

[@MrAcEsNeIgHtS1188]

The Krundaal Davoli Bikini

[@a.romano6532]

Bill Baker had that bikini guitar and like all of aces other stuff that Ace gave to Bill. Billy gave it all away because his wife pressured him to get rid of all of Ace’s stuff. Sad story.

[@lockheedskunkworks5687]

Sunburst is the one I liked. 1976 was my first kiss record

[@jeffreybabino8161]

Great video thanks

[@georgeprice4212]

Wasn’t the double neck actually introduced for the TV performance of “Hard Luck Woman” first?

[@SeanBlumenshine]

I thought that double neck was Paul’s

[@georgeprice4212]

@@SeanBlumenshine yer right…didn’t know that until after watching your Paul Stanley episode.

[@rudybenavides9681]

What I did was to add different part like changing necks on these guitars then adding a brass nut & adding a primed pick up

[@austinwest4896]

Do one on Peter Criss Eric Carr Eric Singer drums

[@DanielFerrellMusic]

Love it! Thank you!

[@patricklennox9572]

There is a photo of Paul and Ace playing a double neck together in 1976.

[@SeanBlumenshine]

Yeah I think it’s from their appearance on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert

[@patricklennox9572]

@@SeanBlumenshine From watching the other video, I learned it was Paul's guitar, confirmed shortly after watching Gibson's video with Paul. According to Paul, he played on King of the Nighttime World.

[@wimthybaert007]

Hi, way back in september 1991, I bought a Gibson Les Paul Jr from 1956. This was in a secondhand store in New York in 48th str, opposite Sam Ash. The seller said the guitar belonged to Ace, a Polaroid picture of him sitting on a couch and holding the guitar was joined. Unfortunately the picture is lost. I contacted Ace’s management several times to confirm the story, but never got any reply.. Do you think the guitar may have belonged to Ace, and do you know who I could contact ? My kids hardly believe my story.... Thanks in advance and best regards from Belgium, Wim

[@SeanBlumenshine]

I think I missed it in the vid but I checked after reading your comment and it looks like Ace used a LP junior for one show early on in the Dressed to Kill tour; if you google Ace Frehley Gibson Les Paul jr in Google Images, you can see some pics and compare. Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure if that's the one is if we knew the serial number of Ace's guitar. Also, Ace owned a lot of guitars in the 70s so it's possible that you have one that was never used on stage. He did live in New York and sold quite a few guitars when he left Kiss in the 80s. So it's possible. Editing the comment to add that I looked at a few photos of the session that the thumbnail of this vid is from showing Ace's collection in 77/78. And that junior is visible in those photos so it was still in his collection and I don't see another junior.

[@wimthybaert007]

@@SeanBlumenshine Hi Sean, I appreciate your kind mail. The pictures I found show the same guitar like mine, but of course that is no proof we are talking about the same guitar. By the way the serial number is 6 8756. If I get more informatilon I will let you know. Bestregards Wim

[@KANOHQWrOcks]

The best thing of the guitar and a guitariset is a people that it's using the guitar,and the guitars ace used was made for ace