Me And My Guitar: Thin Lizzy

Scott Gorham on his battle-worn 1959 Gibson Les Paul

[@hmk8996]

Scott and Robbo were the best one two punch lead guitar combo in rock history.

[@elflakeador09]

One of the most underrated guitar players of all time, Scott is pure class 😎👍

[@RSTI191]

Live and Dangerous- one of the most underrated live albums of all time... Lest we not forget about his solo in Romeo and the lonely girl...

[@williamashford2057]

Yeah I agree

[@karikarhumaa5011]

Most over used word underrated

[@craigsowerby442]

Must be a very late 1957 as I thought bursts were 1958 and the flame implies 1959

[@robertthomas7239]

@@craigsowerby442 It's a fake burst. It started out as a 1956 goldtop p90.

[@dazauto1400]

"Can't remember when i bought the guitar. i was probably too high!" Scott is still a legend.

[@LordByron444]

Scott, as much as I love Gary Moore, you don’t get enough credit for all your effort in Thin Lizzy. You were the backbone of the guitar section. 😇

[@richmacer2108]

Amen.

[@danieldoyle125]

How Thin Lizzy are not in the rock and roll hall of fame is incredible 👏 🙌.

[@edwardyazinski3858]

Gotta have room for shitty rappers

[@joe.oberheim]

@@edwardyazinski3858 chalk that down!

[@chrisbarlow2131]

One of THE most melodic guitarists ever recorded. He devised solo's milkmen can whistle!

[@Apathesis0]

I love his solos

[@DaveFallows]

One the coolest guys on the planet. So privileged to have met Scott back in 2005 at the One Night in Dublin "Gary Moore Show" event , along with Brian Robertson. Absolute gentlemen, both of them.

[@buzzbug22]

Hi David hope this reaches you , I would just like to say I thought Scott and Robbo were the best Lizzy twin guitar attack they were just so in sync

[@robertjohnson2831]

When you see Scott Gorham on stage with Thin Lizzy back in their prime,he looked like the coolest cat ever!!!...Long hair,bell bottoms,as cool as a breeze

[@harrykadaras9459]

@@robertjohnson2831 Scott and Phil both had incredible stage presence...Robertson too.all of em..they were as exciting a band as you could go see...they weren't just doing it for the money, they really were living it. Phil was the greatest front man I've ever seen. Had the audience in the palm of his hand. If he asked up to sing along we all did..if he asked us to follow him over a cliff we would have, or into the sea like lemmings. Great band with arguably the best front man.

[@stevefromscarborough6055]

I followed Thin Lizzy for years being a guitarist. Although Gary was fast and skilled. Those melodic album solos from Robbo and Scott were so good to listen to when parked up with the girlfriend some place late. Thats how I first heard Robbo's solo on the radio playing Don't believe a word - it blew me away. Everything was so relaxing those days. No mobiles, no computers, social media, everyone laughing all day at work, no health & safety nut cases - just the records, your mates and enjoyable days at work and 😀your girlfriend.

[@varsitycamplife]

That is a piece of rock and roll history, Scott. It belongs to the world. Give it to me for safe keeping and I promise to take care of it for the rest of humanity.

[@TarnTarn-zv6cp]

What's your address?? Just in case Scott..ahem donates the guitar

[@andrewwilliams8537]

Scott is like an old reliable rockstar he’s done it! Wore the T_ shirt a legend.

[@jholl7339]

That man has been such an influence and inspiration to me, since I was just hitting double digits, and that very guitar has audibly assaulted these ear drums for countless hours in my life. Scott, thank you, and don't ever part ways with that cherished piece of wood. It's irreplaceable.

[@7775Kevin]

Cool story. Great player. I wish him well and thank him for the music.

[@JustK009]

THIN LIZZY RULES!!

[@johnchristiananderson5242]

Love Scotts playing,followed Lizzy for years.I built Scotts amps when I worked for Burman Sound Equipment in Newcastle ,he used them at Rockpalast and other gigs.

[@kaiala1271]

Met the guy twice in Finland -98 and 2000something and both times a real gentleman. He just wanted to chat with us and the first time the concert place promoter told us that he have to close the place but Scott keep talking with us. And second time road manager told they have to leave to second concertplace (it was around two in the morning) but Scott was not in a hurry. Truly Great Man!!!!

[@corvidcorpus548]

Man I would love to meet Scott and tell him how much he’s done for me and just have a cool chat. Amazing musician and person.

[@jennygw1883]

Great memories of seeing you with Lizzy in the early 80s. Happens to be the guitar I play now, same top.

[@Mickcotton]

Glendale High School. I lived across the street. Scott is A Massive Excellent Guitar Player And A Great Person. 😇 Cheers

[@davidfox7983]

Scott great character Great stories Super player What a guy

[@chevy4x466]

That story of the negotiating reminds of the feeling when u know u getting something so valuable to yourself, that the price is no where near the pleasure and utility the item u receiver. I am glad dude got paid well for that guitar. 🎸. So cool 😎 that Scott still loves it

[@xavehern]

Great Player,Great Band Scott is just COOL!

[@markjones9037]

"Fighting My Way Back" has one of the coolest guitar solos ever recorded. It was one of the 70s Les Paul Deluxes maybe. Gorham is up there with Tom Scholz and the rest whose guitar solos were made to be memorized by millions.

[@samiam9059]

Probably a lot of blood sweat and tears on that piece of gold. priceless , at that time I had 8-tracks of them no cassettes yet...

[@michaelthornburg2491]

I think some of the absolute best Scott Gorham solos are on the Bad Reputation album. Robertson played on a couple of songs on the album but was not much part of the band by then band by then. Gorham handled most of the guitar parts single handedly. I think in my opinion is their best album. I do miss Thin Lizzy.

[@gregorydickman940]

Actually, Scott is an incredibly intricate player. He is not pentatonic at all post about 1978. Uses chromatics but you don't hear it. Rarely used the blue note. And his phrasing is complicated. Even when playing fast he is swinging. Inate and natural almost jazz sensibility. Absolutely ungodly player.

[@beemail6983]

Scott is so cool, he is the teacher I always wanted

[@caleshtcincredibles]

Scott's tone and attack are just impeccable

[@weejim48]

I never got to see the best line up of thin liz but did see them after Phil had passed away. I think it was only Scott who was left but they were still awesome. Scott for me is one of the coolest guitarists ever & the way he solos on dancing in the moonlight is just brilliant & sub zero. 👍👍👍

[@henrystoll]

SCOTT GORHAM is the man! He is my favorite guitarist, and I would put his catalog of music, up against anybody out there! From Thin Lizzy, to 21 Guns and Black Star Riders... the man knows how to rock! I would love to get a photo of him with my Les Paul Deluxe. A true music legend, in every sense of the word! Rock on Great Scott!

[@stevegibbons7452]

What a guy, he’s so brilliant 👍

[@Carismystic]

Great interview about Scott's naughty Les Paul Gibson 1957 guitar.

[@paulsimmons5726]

"Buy it!" LMFAO!!! Fantastic story, so much for wheelin' & dealin'...

[@tavo1213]

Omg! ‘57 ....its a beautiful piece of heaven!

[@Macovic]

Msn this is awesome!

[@frankschmid5610]

Scott is one of the best,superba👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@gw2031]

Beyond cool,,what a dude, i grew up learning from my then hero,his Lizzy partner Brian Robertson ,but as i grew up and certainly today i switched camps and i am in awe of Scott,s playing, check out the isolated Bad reputation guitar track, the solo is insane !!.About the guitar,i must have starred at the Live and Dangerous cover for days on end and i was always convinced this was red sunburst Les paul, not my favourite finish, must have been the stage lights, the tobacco sunburst is the classic look for me, One of the last legends for me,try playing his lightning pentatonic run at the end of the aforementioned Bad reputation !!Peace !.

[@RobertWeingher]

Scott Gorham is one of the best guitar player in my list, I saw him live at bang your head festival in 2003, it was with thin Lizzy, I followed the history of thin Lizzy and it is obvious that thin Lizzy started their success after the first album the band did with him, it was the album fighting from 1975, since then he became the most important member in the band after the late phil Lynott, he showed his skills on the album bad reputation where he played almost all the solo parts, but to my opinion his best work is on the last album of the band from 1983 thunder and lightning

[@YinWhoo-zx2sz]

That was mostly John Sykes, Gorham was never the lead guy in Lizzy he was more backup rhythm. Robbo, Gary Moore and John Sykes were lead guys.

[@ScottDaddyMac]

One of my many guitar heros, Scott Gorham, in a cool video regarding his Les Paul. I love how beat up it is! Guitars are made to be played! Not babied! My guitars may be ugly, beat up, dirty, and dingy. Hell, my SG has had the head stock snap off and then the neck break at the base and reassembled with wood glue. It still plays! I love my guitars just as they are. I joined a band once and they said I had to either polish my guitar or get a new one "Because we have an image we want to keep" and I laughed at them. What image??? Playing covers for 4 hours and getting 300 bucks is an image? I have had my main guitar for over 30 years and I wasn't going to do a damn thing to it because I love how it feels and plays. I said we have a hell a lot more things to worry about rather than how the guitar looks. Anyway it didn't work out with that band, but my lil 3 piece band of power is still going strong!

[@jimbrady6377]

I met Scott at a gig in Glasgow about 10 years ago and told him I bought my first electric (non Gibson) because it looked like his Deluxe. He told me his brother lost it!!!

[@Renegade8652]

That geet should end up in a museum some day. That's history.

[@rossmiller7778]

I have always associated him with the cherry sunburst standard with the mini humbuckers. But I agree with many of the other posts, very underrated. Always enhanced the other players he was with .

[@guitarrocks7776]

Scott Gorham was Phil Lynott’s right hand man. He was with Thin Lizzy for a long time. Co-wrote songs with the band. Had great solos, harmonized well with every guitar player that came in Thin Lizzy. Personally for me he kept up with the other great guitar players like Brian Robertson, Gary Moore, John Sykes etc. Beautiful Guitar. 👍

[@GuitarlordJohnBurton]

This guitar could lead to world peace and bring the planet's into alignment like the music of The Wild Stallions.

[@jamestlenahan]

Continued from previous comment: The Deluxe was, of course the one on the Jailbreak album cover. It had a really big neck on it. I've seen several others like that. It was completely stock and looked really good, considering how much it had been played. Real USA Gibsons hold up really well, though. In any case, Scott said that he was going to give it to his brother, since he didn't play it anymore. His '57 blew him away so bad that he was playing it the most. Pretty cool!!!

[@edwardyazinski3858]

One thing that I always notice about Scott's playing is his great vibration.

[@bikerpeavey]

I love the way Scott vibrates when he plays too 🤣

[@SPCWargameCreations1]

Legend.

[@xurxo12]

Scott is the man!

[@robertnicolson3697]

Truly great guitarist but more a great musician!

[@tonebonetones]

All the old videos of him in Lizzy he's playing a Les Paul de Luxe, never seen him play this live?

[@tsopuaifa]

I love Scott.

[@williamsimmons4678]

Scott is one of the best players in rock !!!!

[@andybown68]

Legend!

[@brianswift2706]

such a cool guy, seems like the sort of person you'd love to go for a beer with

[@Shaft-Industries]

What a cool guy. I would love to sit and have some drinks with him and just listen.

[@nelz100]

Saw him play this beauty on their jailbreak tour in UK ... Brian was playing his early famous black les paul. ( Brian had a bottle of Johny Walkers whiskey on the floor next to his Marshall cabs. After each track,...he scuttled over and took a swig or two......Remember Scott looking over a few times at Robbo and shaking his head....

[@IamRockDemon]

Scott got a nice guitar collection.

[@erichaheidrich4593]

Legend..

[@elzorro7of9]

Interesting Brian Robertsons Les Paul still, is in fact the Deluxe that he was given when he joined Thin Lizzy. At some stage he got it routed to fit full size pafs. I met him once and asked about his Black Custom, to which he replied, 'that piece of shite' lol. If you look closely at Scott's 57 you can see the unmatched top and bottom maple so yes this was a solid colour GT or Wine colour as mention in comments that he had refinished in a subtle sunburst. The Black Rose, Gary Moore years of Lizzy featured this guitar and Gary's Greeny LP. That is a little bit of guitar heaven right there. As players they seemed quite open to adjusting their guitars and Gary had Greeny's neck pickup switched back to regular for a time. Also Scott was inspired to have a hot rod strat built for him at that time with 2 humbuckers which can be seen later on Chinatown. Gary was into modding and I think influenced Scott. Then Gary bought a Melody Maker from the Sex Pistols and stuck a Dimarzio in it. Savage guitar. Watch the Sydney Lizzy gig and it gets played so hard you'd expect smoke to be coming from the neck lol.

[@jerrypinner1671]

Had a chance to play this guitar briefly when Lizzy were playing The Brighton Centre. The road crew had taken it to Tiger Music to have a pot replaced before that night's show.

[@zapwatt]

Proof that perimeter burst is appropriate, original and delightful.

[@jamescjr]

Awesome

[@jasoncherry3404]

Scott Gorham deserves alot of credit for his contribution to one of the greatest bands of all time “Thin Lizzy”!!!! He deserve to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for Bad Ass musicians, not the Rock in Roll hall of fame because thats a joke, Scott is a world class guitarist and should be remebered that way.

[@liujay1670]

Lady killer, scott gorham. Once phil introduced him like that.

[@wojciechpischinger6564]

he broke my heart with the second solo in "Still in love with You"(live and dangerous") ...and I m a man...

[@walterc.charlescampbelllll8485]

rockin' cool

[@jamestlenahan]

In the early to mid 1980's I worked upstairs in the shop at Valley Arts Guitar. I looked up and Scott Gorham was standing there. He had two guitar cases. One was the Les Paul Deluxe and the other was a Schecter Strat with a mirror-polished brass pickguard and two Super Rock humbuckers that he used on the China Town video. The input jack was loose on the Schecter and I cannot remember what was going on with the Deluxe. It was something minor. Go to the next comment, as I'm running out of room...

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

The great Scott with his beautiful guitar which is steeped in rock history. Well Scott to stop you worrying when you go away out on tour I would be very happy to keep your guitar in complete safekeeping in my underground store away, it would be 100pc save, dry and warm, fully protected with solid steel doors and reinforced walls, floor and roof, just give me a call if you need to use this safe storage, I do not live very far away.

[@PaddyWardeBand]

legend

[@stevegardiner8473]

Scott was most often seen playing a Les Paul with mini humbuckers (as found on Deluxes of the era), not the full size ones on this 57.

[@jlr022159]

True but he recorded with this one

[@jalan6473]

Every picture or video I ever saw of him he was playing a cherry sunburst Les Paul Deluxe with mini humbuckers...

[@bertramlefarge69]

Smooth Scott and edgy Brian, great pairing.

[@robchrystal]

Saw Scott a few times live and lasting memory was here was a Professional guy playing Barre - not- “ Power” Chords...... very odd. Very accomplished but not in Gary’s league , but who are ? That said , what an entertainer , l could listen to Scott’s stories all night, a really “Solid” what you see is what you get kinda Guy :) Glad he’s still around to tell the tales, a real gent.

[@gregorydickman940]

He plays barre chords almost exclusively. I noticed that too. Good habit; but must be taxing.

[@lazzer7]

Cool vid cheers...

[@onusgumboot5565]

In all the video from back in the '70's the guitar Scott played was a red sunburst. Did the color change? I've heard they did that. It would have been a nice thing to mention if that was the case. Or did he use that one in the studio, and a red one live? Or was it just a trick of the lights?

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

It definitely sounds to me that Scott actually continued using his Gibson Les Paul Deluxe on the 'Johnny the Fox' and 'Bad Reputation' albums rather than this Gibson Les Paul Standard model. Also he used the Deluxe on 'Live and Dangerous'. All of these albums came after 'Jailbreak' .I would say that he used this Standard on 'Black Rose', 'Renegade' and 'Thunder and Lightning' .Scott also used a red humbucker -powered ,maple necked , tremolo equipped 'super' Strat extensively on the ' Chinatown' album

[@DetVen]

Huh! I had always thought he used an LP on Chinatown, which my secound fav TL album.

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

Geo B I am pretty confident that Scott also used a Les Paul Standard at times ( possibly / probably the one featured here ) as well as the 'super strat' on the Chinatown album . BTW I think that the Strat styled guitar in question was a Schecter model .Also I am curious to know what your favourite Thin Lizzy album is ?

[@DetVen]

TheHumbuckerboy My fav is the most popular and most played, which is Jailbreak. It's the first time I ever heard TL with the twin guitar attack and well, the songs off that album speak for themselves. Thanks.

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

Geo B'Jailbreak' was also the album that got me into Lizzy .As you know they had many fine albums .Two other standout favourites of mine would include ' Fighting' and 'Vagabonds of the Western World ' . Regards

[@bobolsen8067]

TheHumbuckerboy Correct.The first album he used it on was Black Rose and the last was Thunder&lightning.

[@jlr022159]

What I would like to know is this: Being a 57 then it was a gold top - so what happened to the finish? Did he buy it refinished? Almost appears that he did buy it that way because he talked about wearing it down. Someone obviously refinished it at some point in time.

[@12groney]

Thanks Scot! What guitar did he play before that? It was always a Les Paul with the mini hum buckers. Some 70's model it was rumored. Brian and Scot's guitars always matched perfectly!

[@bathtubgeorge]

And it's a shame that both the Deluxe model Les Paul guitars they used have both been stolen in recent years.

[@philedgar9745]

Brian Robertsons Deluxe is still in his possession, he changed the mini hum buckers to PAF's on the JTF tour, still using it to this day!

[@bathtubgeorge]

That's good news, I read an interview where he said it was nicked in Sweden , and he was well pissed, delighted to hear he's back with it.

[@Jason.King.at.your.service]

So what happened to Scott's mid 70s Sunburst Deluxe?

[@dainhuston]

Keep it sweet guitar

[@kuzurame]

The one he did play in thin lizzy for the longest time was a japanese les paul copy and it was actually stolen from him at some point.

[@user-po3fb9gy8o]

Cool..!

[@niptodstan]

But what happened to his LP Deluxe that he started Lizzy with?

[@carterwidmor1379]

Hope Scott is well :)

[@ThomasMetal75]

You guys wrote 1959 in the description, not 1957.

[@rebelrocker113]

Wow,,,Beautiful Les Paul, Is That Your Guitar Collection? 🎸

[@JustK009]

Legend...He & Phill ..f' it..THIN LOZZY

[@Mompfried]

There is one thing where his memory doesn't seem to serve him right. He states that he used this guitar constantly as of the Jailbreak album, but if you watch live videos, you don't see him play this guitar before 1979 along with the Black Rose album. And Jailbreak was 1976. But anyway, a great guitar and a great guitar player.

[@IamRockDemon]

That comment by Scott, was priceless....lol

[@Retroscoop]

So OK nice nice, but what did you pay for it at the time ? Just to see how much it went up in price....

[@beam52]

Scott says "57 the description say 59 the standard wasn't introduce until 58

[@bjornchristiansson2827]

Oh it's history but sad you did not tell about pickups what I'm remembered that giutar had the mini buckers from beginning to 1979 if I'm correct here. Best regards /Bjorn

[@rainerwinkler1026]

No he had a deluxe with mini humbuckers first which phil bought him right after he joined the band. the deluxe was less expensive than a standard. it was only later when they became bigger that he could finally buy the vintage one... prolly a goldtop conversion, the top is not center seam.

[@phenixreturns]

which pups?

[@tambor76]

Is that the same guitar he's using on the sydney 1978 live video?

[@rainerwinkler1026]

yes

[@MrPerfectfeet]

Title says Scotts battle worn 59 les Paul ?? It's a 57

[@wayno2333]

Curious does anyone know what he paid for that guitar ?

[@mebloke69]

1500£ about he said in interview

[@TheSonsofHorusx]

what a heavenly neck

[@vicesquadpunk]

Wouldn't it be interesting to know how much he paid for it? I was backstage with him last week, prior to seeing this, I would have asked him for sure ... ✊️😊

[@casim8842]

So, this lock-up Scott. Can I ask, like, um, where might that be? Exactly? Asking for a friend :D :D

[@simonvanderheijden432]

First of all... It says '59 Les Paul in the the description but this is a '57.. There's about a 250.000 dollars (or more) difference in price today (2020). Second. There are no sunburst Les Paul's from 1957 , they started the sunbursts somewhere in april of 1958. So it's a refinished Goldtop. Third, the didn't start to call the Les Paul sunburst a standard untill somewhere in 1960. That being said, it's still an awesome guitar. And yes, i know i'm a guitarsnob and a knowitall. But facts are facts. Scott's an awesome guitarplayer, that's a fact too!

[@globalfunseeker6733]

What does a 57' Les Paul fetch these days?

[@MrDadyblues]

I suppose gibson has not made burst until 1958 thats mean if this guitar has not been painted must be most expensive examples like prototype of sunburst

[@hodge1970ify]

Good story