Paul Kossoff - History of his Guitars

[@Webbsongs]

I was with Jess Roden 74 to 76. Once went into the rehearsal room at St George’s Sq and Koss was on a break from rehearsal with Back Street Crawler. He was a dour man but not unfriendly… l was an arrogant kid… but l asked if l could try his guitar.. he said go for it. It was a PIG to play!!! High action and monster strings. I said .. now l know why you cry when you play … the pain!! He laughed. Jess recorded with him and …. I’ve loved his playing since l first heard Free. His long bends and soulful vibrato…. Legendary. Proud to have had a tiny bit of his time. Thanks for this great video. I learned a lot!! Bless you!

[@theshallowsea]

Thanks for sharing that great story Steve . I was always wondering what kind of gauges Koss used . This great Ramon vidéo made me also listen to Back Street Crawler (Time Away with Koss's incredibly emotional playing with the white strat and univibe ). Your story made me also discover the great Jess Roden and your own beautiful music and incredible guitar playing .

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks for this, great memories

[@michaeljones9952]

@webbsongs while he was checking my LP I was checking his 58 out, he was using 12 to 52 or 54, yes it was hard to bend, the action on the dark burst of his I was playing wasn't too high at the time, mine might have been a tad lower, but I had 11-48 I think most players were using 10-46...Koss was one of the nicest blokes I've ever met, I also new Andy Fraser and spent some time at his house in Woking, I played his Gisbson solid violin bass when we had some jams while he played a grand piano also a very nice guy, loved his bass too! What great sound they made together!!

[@johngerson7335]

Kossoff, the father of the two-string & triads with open-string riffs. His style hatched the majority of the great 70's hard blues riff-rock imho. Good one Goose, and thanks.

[@willdenham]

His vibrato is absolutely unique. It's his calling card. Never heard a left hand like Paul's. Albert King maybe, but with a different tone and attack.

[@TheGuitarShow]

I agree as Clapton asked him about itt!

[@naturalrestingface1884]

What a great band, great songs, great playing. Raw, simple but amazing player.

[@michaelheller8841]

When you want to listen to killer tone and vibrato, you listen to Paul Kossoff. Since I can't afford a real 58 or 59 Les Paul, I went with a custom shop R8 and its my #1. Paul did say the right thing though, he didn't care all that much about the year as long as it feels right. Thanks for the history and I learned something about him.

[@TheGuitarShow]

R8s are very good guitars, I borrowed one for a while and I was sad to have to give it back!

[@mattt2581]

Got myself an R8 and R9. Such awesome instruments.

[@michaelheller8841]

@@TheGuitarShow I purchased mine in the US from Wildwood Guitars and it’s my everyday player. I liked it over the R9 the R8 has a thicker neck that works better for me. I don’t have big hands so I don’t know why it works better lol.

[@michaelheller8841]

@@mattt2581 they really are Matt. I choose the R8 because it worked better for me. I don’t have big hands but the R8 talked to me. The Gibson Custom Shop is really amazing for me

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video have a wonderful day 😊❤

[@jonnybeck6723]

And yet another great "History of" video... I love this series. Thanx so very much Master Goose

[@doc_matter]

I have been waiting for this one! Next up is history of his amps hopefully!!

[@jeremyparsons9152]

Throwing a 59 in 12:12 the air, walking away, ....the most rock and roll thing ever

[@TheGuitarShow]

Amen to that Jeremy

[@benallmark9671]

Loved your work on this video. Thank you Sir.

[@vayabroder729]

Interesting that the Slowhand darkburst is shown in some of the photos with a flipped neck pickup a la Peter Green. Such a great informative and entertaining video as always, Ramon! Thank you!

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks for pointing that out, I did also notice it on several photos.

[@mickymalibu]

The last Les Paul that Kossoff broke the headstock on was offered and sold back to Arthur after his death. My uncle roadied for Arthur’s band and it was kept at his home. It was there when I was starting to learn guitar and I got to play it quite often. Arthur sold it a couple of years back…

[@joeyboogenz]

Great stuff .It seems like the bursts just get better after the headstock is broken and repaired . Like Gary Rossington's "Bernice" burst . The guitar was left overnight at Criterion studio in Miami during the recording of Gimmee back my bullets and a cleaning crew knocked it over and broke off the head . Gary returned the next morning ,saw it & flipped out and took off , ready to retire and a aintenence dude went after him & told him he would fix it for him . Gary said there was no way he could fix it properly being a precicion instrument ,& that he could just have it . The dude took it home and next day gave it back to Rossington & it was supposedly better than ever . Thta guitar is rigt up with Kossoffs as far as legendary . Was used at Every Lynyrd Skynyrd show until the plane crash .Many after as well . Nuts to think that the 59's are all now 64+ years old !!!!! Damn time is flying .

[@mohany134]

Bro amazing info details and photos of such amazing talent that touched and change our playing forever 🙌

[@mr.k905]

Koss must have been quite a rich kid to start out with such gems. If I compare his story to many other stories of famous guitarists of this era anyway. ...What a great tone he had in his fingers!!

[@vayabroder729]

His dad was an actor; maybe he was wealthier than the average Joe back then.

[@nicklyde4361]

Yes his farther was connected,and worked for the BBC

[@guitarnationtv]

Koss earned his own money from a young age

[@seanharrington9589]

Duane Allman had just as many guitars

[@ThinkermanQuindo]

Paul’s father was David Kossof, the TV rabbi. Paul was also desperately in love with Sappho Korner, Alexis Korner’s daughter. Alexis was, of course, the father of the British blues movement, and a one-time BBC DJ. Half the blues bands in British blues history met at his home off Queensway, in Bayswater, London. We all used to go down there because he kept an open house. Famously he brought Cream together, but also had something to do with the Stones. All the great US names visited him there when coming to London, including Muddy Waters, a longtime friend, and Jimi Hendrix. I was there w once when Canned Heat called, and Joan Baez. Alexis was a real gentleman, god rest his soul. He gave Britain its blues.

[@willdenham]

The most underrated player ever. I love the focused economy of Paul's playing. There's a purity or wholesomness about it. He was also one of those players who made his guitar 'talk'.

[@TheGuitarShow]

amen

[@derekclacton]

18:50 Essential reading for Koss fans - an excellent book and another great video! 👍

[@ianchisholm9260]

Excellent presentation as usual ..

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@mrandsp]

Great vid as always Goose, thanks. I took the photo at 5:50 at the Marquee Club in Wardour Street in London and still have the original along with some others, taken on a cheapo Kodak Brownie 127 at the same time. The sound volume at that range was ear-splitting; we went there every time Free played. The All Right Now book you mention at the end is a must-have.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Many thanks bro!

[@Weegus]

Definitely gone to soon could you imagine the music that we would have been blessed to hear if he was still alive.

[@TheGuitarShow]

so true!

[@orbitaljellyfish808]

What a treat it would be to hear the dark burst, sanded, and sunburst guitars compared side by side A worthy video, this

[@frantisca]

Great photos and fabulous documentation: kudos Ramon !

[@TheGuitarShow]

@@frantisca many thanks bro

[@b.rodclark334]

Greatly appreciated and informative video!

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks for watching

[@linheitzig9227]

Excellent video Goose, as usual. Thanks for the time you put into theses video's.

[@danielwhite7380]

Wow this video is exceptional in its detail and info. Thank you.... still unbelievably underrated guitarist is Mr Kossoff. Wish we had more footage of him playing and wailing.

[@TheGuitarShow]

@@danielwhite7380 thank you 🙏

[@willdenham]

I can't believe he sanded away the finish on that burst. It seems like all the legends who started with LP's eventually moved to strats.

[@larrywishon8084]

Bless his heart. I heard he was sickly but over the years he "self medicated" hinself quite a bit. He had a band later called Back Street Crawler.

[@michaeljones9952]

Hi Ramon, remembering the vid you made about my LP in 2020, Beano saga lol I met Paul K many times as we were from the same area and he went to the same school as my oldest friend who is a drummer. I bumped into Paul around early 70s and saw me with my LP in its case all battered up, and he said that's fucking old can I have a look? I said sure go ahead and he was all over it like a rash, and went to say it is a pre 60 not being sure 58/59. The LP was a road worn relic, repaired neck break , checkered cracked varnish, shrunken position markers, neck binding cracked and coming loose in fact everything you saw was as it was when I 1st got it! Neck slimmed down serial number missing, it been seen by most guitar shops in Denmark st, Charing cross rd and Shaftesbury avenue, I took that guitar everywhere trying out amps to buy.. Paul would Badger me to sell it to him his offer was £600 cash and the time he said I can understand if don't want sell after playing it and was playing his 58 dark burst, if you do sell give me 1st option and the the guitarist in Leo Sayers band said what ever Paul offers I'll double it..well I still got it as you can see in the profile pic!😂 I did not like GW thought he was a creep, you know who I mean cuz you gave him my number!

[@TheGuitarShow]

Great to touch base with you again bro! I loved our meeting in 2020! Be great to see you again and the guitar! Man that guitar had such a sweet sound - I could play all the fresh Cream stuff on it and it sounded just as Claptons tone was back then! Amazing!!! Lets keep in touch bro - you have my email?

[@michaeljones9952]

@Theguitarshow we should definitely hook up again soon before all the maniacs cancel everything and blow us all up, as they keep failing with all the other attempts 😂😂

[@willdenham]

That thing Paul said about having to 'adjust' his playing because of the twitchy intonation on his strat. I heard Joe Bonamassa say the same thing about how skilled players are able to still sound good when slightly out-of-tune by altering their fingering accordingly.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks bro!

[@GregRichards-vv4bj]

I really enjoy this series 👍👍

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thank you very much

[@therealbarnekkid]

Dude had monster tone.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Agreed!

[@77GSJ]

Top video, I really enjoyed this Koss was the best 😢

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks man

[@thebuzztone]

Pure entertainment at its finest !

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thank you

[@vdbdg]

BRILLIANT video. So detailed. Thanks!!

[@TheGuitarShow]

@@vdbdg thanks so much

[@deanbembridge8640]

Very interesting but in 1982 I spent all my savings on a Les Paul standard and I wouldn't swap it for anything but his guitar collection over the years is awesome and not only him but some Great players have been involved 🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@stevenorris4741]

Loved your playing in The Jess Roden band on your natural finish strat great sound, saw you several times..

[@esanurkka1101]

The L5S that Paul played briefly, ended up in Finland. It was acquired by THE Finnish guitar hero Albert Järvinen, who bought it in London. The guitar had been reserved for Paul, but apparently the staff at that Shaftesbury Avenue guitar store concluded that Paul would never come and get/pay for the guitar. So they sold it to Albert. That L5S has been circling around the Finnish guitar scene ever since.

[@Webbsongs]

Love Alberts playing!! Remu is unique as well… always know when he hits the skins!! Whenever l do a gig l always do a tribute to Albert and the band. Kiitos!!

[@MBRMrblueroads]

I was wondering if you have any info on Steve Marriott guitars? I can never figure out what that is he was playing when he was not on a Les Paul ?

[@TheGuitarShow]

Ill do him soon! Thanks

[@MBRMrblueroads]

@@TheGuitarShow 👍👍

[@jamesmaddock]

Fantastic well done

[@flatsix666]

A video just for me? :) Many thanks.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Of course my friend!

[@Weegus]

Hasn't the Les Paul with the staple pickup have a signature in the cavity where the pits are.

[@TheGuitarShow]

It does indeed!

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

That 'Dark Burst' Les Paul looked beautiful . I notice that the tuners seem to have been changed at some stage ?

[@mikejohnson2638]

he was so talented,

[@TheGuitarShow]

I agree Mike

[@LeftyPem]

Pickup specs and pots would help mail down the date of the repaired Les Paul.

[@TheGuitarShow]

Cool, I dont know that but I know a man who does!

[@vaneipontes3824]

Mr. Paul Francis Kossoff 🎸⚡️🔥👊💪😎🤘

[@MBRMrblueroads]

I would be tickled just to have his pick guards.

[@joeyboogenz]

Wow . Paul got the custom from Manny's ! My Best Friend's family owned Manny's until it was finally sold to Sam Ash people about 20 years ago .

[@TheGuitarShow]

Amazing Joey thanks for the comment

[@joeyboogenz]

@@TheGuitarShow Thank you for the article .The Kossoff burst and Paul's riffs & tone were incredible . Never knew he played a custom !!! I like Standards much more than customs . I actually got a chunky 92' Black LP custom from my brother Marc of Manny's . The guitar had been in window on 48th St. ,& Slash came in one day and was noodling on it for a while and wanted to buy it until the uncle Henry Goldrich pulled out a lighter really special one Marc had hidden in back for us , & Slash bought that one ,so I ended up taking the 10 lb. 2oz Black beast from the window . It will give any guitarist scholiosis after a few gigs !!!!!!

[@ytnsanw]

0:32 Did you mean that the finish was lame (pronounced 'laym') or it was gold lamé (pronounced 'lamay')? I think you meant the latter.....

[@John-ob7dh]

I think my buddy has his les Paul.He got it off of Clapton .I beleive Paul swapped it with Clapton for the white edged Les Paul.

[@rhye999]

Great video Ramon! However I am confused by the stripped Les Paul, you said it first appeared on 1969 and was used on the first album? Wasn't that album recorded in '68?

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks, yes the timeline is a little confusing he had the stripped burst with him when he performed at the club in Paris (also with the other Les Paul burst). It still had the black scratch plate on it at that time.

[@andrewpappas9311]

I always thought Kossoff was a super underrated player, he’s such a great guitarist and his playing on All Right Now and Walk In My Shadow is just killer. I’m also a big Iron Maiden fan but I didn’t know that Dave Murray’s iconic Stratocaster was originally owned by Paul so that’s awesome as well, great video Ramon. This might be a little out of left field in terms of suggestions, but I’d love to see a video on the guitars of Daron Malakian from System of a Down, James Hetfield or Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Matt Bellamy from Muse or Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top

[@TheGuitarShow]

great comment Andrew, many thanks bro

[@georgeprice4212]

How do you split a Gibson headstock down the middle?????

[@TheGuitarShow]

I wandered the same George!

[@williampayne7678]

Brilliant Guitarist. You Can do Dave Murray's Guitar History or Ardain Simth. Please I'm a Huge fan of Iron Maiden.

[@leo-.-258]

Same here

[@davidmacleod9313]

Sorry to hear about the drug addiction. That’s hell. Total hell…

[@piplee1439]

I really love your vids…. As I’ve reiterated a few times

[@TheGuitarShow]

Many thanks indeed that means a lot!

[@MariaMcLaughlin-y9q]

Those were the days my friends

[@guitarnationtv]

You’re trying to match the SPEED of Five Wank World! Did you forget about the two Kossbursts I told about oop Norf?

[@TheGuitarShow]

Hey bro - you know I was first!

[@guitarsofold100]

that picture with the hummingbird it has the wrong rosette and fingerboard its not a Gibson i think you will find

[@Murphy_R9]

Unlike modern times All these virtuoso players Started on a very cheap And I will assume hard to play guitar. These days kids are starting on Ibanez, ESP and Jackson! Really had to pay your dues back in the old days😂

[@martintaper7997]

Thanks!

[@sylviafoster9093]

That Les Paul Standard was Pauls go to guitar.

[@joeyboogenz]

Which burst is the king of all bursts ? I would say it goes like Jimmy Page #1 , Pearly Gates , Greeny , Bernice , Kossoff , & then one of Slash's Amber? (he has a sh!tload !!!!) . I'm sure I'm forgetting some . What do you think .

[@TheGuitarShow]

great comment Joey, thanks

[@lia1063]

If that 2nd guitar Paul owned, the Red SG Junior, that may have been the guitar that he traded to Bobby Whitlock in 1969 during a Delaney and Bonnie tour. Bobby said it was a little red Gibson with 1 pickup. Does anyone know if this sounds correct? would that guitar have had 1 pickup? anyhow Bobby says that the guitar was knocked over by his very young son and snapped the neck. Bobby was not home at the time and his Mother threw the guitar in the trash. Either way it was a Kossoff guitar and it can be pinpointed down to those stated facts Bobby explains in his vid. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3zCnJd8jdmlo9k

[@TheGuitarShow]

Thanks

[@nimitz1739]

I would say do one one the Lylynrd Skynyrd boys. But they used the same guitars.

[@tommydeamon7657]

The first song I ever kearney all the way through is Allright now

[@earmjames6908]

If the burst you spoke about you didn't know if it was a 58 or 59 Well I can tell you this for sure if it was a 58 burst then it was one of only two bursts gibson made in 58. Check video about carter's vintage guitars on KZbin they show one burst on this video and nobody knows where the other one is......could be it

[@zigzag2510]

❤!

[@tommydeamon7657]

I allways herd he and his dad made his first guitar cabinet in there garage and that the speakers were actually 4 15 inch bass speakers and not 4 12 inch guitar speakers like in a normal cabinet

[@joserafaelvalladaresvielma9794]

La traducción muy rápido o será que estoy lento...

[@philfrank9226]

Flames are no grain.

[@amoruzz]

👍👍

[@Nightshade1881]

Dang Murray paid like 7k for that strat!😳

[@TheGuitarShow]

Got a legendary guitar!

[@furyiiiplate]

He loves having that Pinky on 5th fret low E. "All Right, Now"

[@TheRockworld]

Kossoff is Bulgarian??

[@TheGuitarShow]

Good question? Anyone?

[@BigSky1]

Polish Jew.

[@vox1966]

Rich kids always do well

[@digitalbrand2930]

I have 103 guitars…

[@mr.k905]

Ah, so you're a lawyer?

[@pereztube2]

why?

[@JD-te2pv]

I have seen, primarily in California....Boomer Medical Dr's collecting Guitars for "investments": LOL😂😂

[@leo-.-258]

Thats why they are expensive😂

[@bishvegas4834]

He swapped the guitar with Clapton.

[@cliffbungalow9373]

The stripped guitar has a centre seam so it would not be a gold top

[@elmud]

1:23 Sorry, I don't get it: Paul Kossoff bought his first electric guitar when he was 16 but played his second one from 13 til 15? WTF

[@lambornpeter3922]

What the hell is this guy's obsession with pickguard removal and pickup cover removal? English lameness. "Thus exposing the pickup bobbins..." 😂😂😂😂😂 Uber lame.

[@SHENDOH]

This comment is lame