Unveiling the Sound: The Inspiring Journey Behind Oasis' New Signature Guitars
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7 months ago
Beatbounty
The Legacy of Oasis: Exploring the Origins of Their Signature Guitars
Noel GallagherS admiration for the iconic Les paul guitar traces back to the early days of Oasis, long before fame knocked on their door. Like many aspiring musicians,he relied on an Epiphone Les Paul Standard as his primary instrument during those formative years.
Once Oasis secured a record deal, one might assume Gallagher would upgrade his gear instantly. Though, if you watch the music video for their debut single, 1994’s Supersonic, you’ll spot the Cherry sunburst Epiphone still in his hands, a testament to its significance in his journey.
Interestingly, Noel’s connection with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr led to a remarkable gift: two Les Pauls from Marr himself. The first was a Standard, originally a Goldtop that had previously belonged to the legendary Pete townshend before it found its way to Marr. The second was a Les Paul custom, which Noel later modified.
The custom model features an additional toggle switch for coil-splitting, a feature that puzzled Noel at first. He eventually swapped out the humbuckers for P-90s taken from one of his Gibson Firebirds.In a 2023 interview with That Pedal Show, he humorously lamented, “Years later, Marr told me, ‘Oh, that’s The Queen Is Dead guitar,’ and I thought, ‘Coudl you have told me that before I butchered it?!’”
The Noel Gallagher Les Paul Standard: A New Era
Fast forward to the present, and we have the Noel Gallagher Les Paul Standard, inspired by the Made To Measure gibson Custom that Noel has been using during the Oasis Live ’25 tour. For fans unable to shell out £17,500 for one of the limited replicas,this model offers a more accessible way to connect with Noel’s stage presence.
Equipped with a pair of P-90s, this guitar shares a tonal heritage with the ‘Marr’ Les Paul Custom. This similarity sparked discussions among fans online, with many speculating whether this was Noel’s tribute to Neil Young’s famed ‘Old Black’ Les Paul.
(Image credit: Gibson)
Riviera: The Heart of Oasis’ Sound
Gibson and Epiphone semi-acoustic guitars played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of Oasis during their peak years, particularly Paul ‘Bonehead’ arthurs’ Epiphone Riviera, which has become a staple in the band’s guitar lineup.
From their early performances in small venues like Camden’s water Rats to the record-breaking Knebworth concerts, where they played to a staggering quarter of a million fans over two nights, Bonehead was frequently enough seen with his Antique Burst Epiphone Riviera in hand.
In a 2023 interview with That Pedal Show, bonehead recounted a memorable trip to Manchester’s Johnny Roadhouse Music with Noel, where they both purchased Epiphone Rivieras.”We were such Beatles fans, we gravitated towards Epiphones,” Noel recalled. “He got a brown Tobacco one, which he surprisingly left behind when the band split, so now it’s mine.”
(Image credit: Phil Barker / Future)
Both guitars were crafted in the 1980s and are often referred to as ‘Matsumoko’ models by Epiphone enthusiasts, named after the manufacturing company responsible for their production.
These guitars deviate from the traditional Riviera setup of mini-humbuckers and a Frequensator tailpiece, opting instead for a tune-o-matic/stopbar and full-sized humbuckers, aligning them more closely with Gibson’s ES-335. noel’s Riviera retains its original factory specifications, featuring Maxon MMK-61 pickups, while Bonehead’s likely shares the same configuration.
Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger – YouTube
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Noel’s Riviera,prominently featured during the What’s The Story…? recording sessions,was transformed into an Epiphone signature model in 2022.Meanwhile, Bonehead has continued to utilize his riviera during performances, including the recent 30th anniversary of Definately Maybe and the anticipated Oasis reunion tour.
Continuing the Legacy: Gem Archer’s Contribution
Gem Archer has upheld the Oasis tradition of using semi-hollow guitars, stepping in as Bonehead’s replacement from 1999 to 2009, and later as a member of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. He has also returned to the three-guitar lineup for the 2025 Oasis reunion.
One of Gem’s favorite instruments is a late-’60s Epiphone Sheraton, which, according to his technician Dave White, was originally one of Noel Gallagher’s guitars.In 2018, Gem shared, “When I joined NGHFB in 2017, Noel asked me what guitars I wanted to borrow. I immediately requested that one because it’s incredible.”
(Image credit: Epiphone)
After a brief hiatus from the Sheraton, Gem reunited with the guitar upon joining NGHFB. “Noel asked me what guitars I wanted to borrow, and I immediately requested that one. It’s a ’60s model, but I’m unsure of the exact year.I considered buying one, but it was priced around seven grand!”
This guitar inspired the creation of the Epiphone Masterbilt Gem Archer model, which retains the original’s trapeze tailpiece, diverging from the frequensator or vibrato-equipped versions.Fortunately for Gem and fans alike, this model is far more affordable then its vintage counterpart.
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