Selling Eric Clapton his Gibson Les Paul for a Bargain: Andy Summers Reminisces

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Eric Clapton desperately wanted Andy Summers’ Gibson Les Paul ‘Burst: for $200

The Police guitarist Andy Summers has revealed how, after having his beloved Beano ‘Burst Les Paul stolen in ’66, Eric Clapton “relentlessly” begged for him to sell his own. Both guitars were bought from London’s Rose Morris music shop, which is still open after over 90 years of instrument-slinging, but it was Clapton’s that quickly became the standout.

Clapton had been inspired to pick up his own original Gibson Les Paul with a sunburst finish after seeing Summers flaunting his. “Eric was helping American blues surface in the UK – he was very purist about it,” Summers explains in the video. “I walked into The Flamingo one night and Eric was on stage with John Mayall getting ready for a set. He saw this beautiful sunburst Les Paul I had and said, ‘Where’d you get that?!’ Naively, I told him and Eric went and got the other one.”

The guitar became a vital ingredient in the success of John Mayall’s 1966 album Blues Breakers, helping inspire a generation of would-be blues guitarists. It was soon dubbed the ‘Beano’ album, with Clapton’s Les Paul gaining a similar moniker.

The instrument’s residency in the hands of Clapton was short-lived, as it was stolen. Summers, who had moved over to a ’58 White Telecaster, eventually agreed to sell it to Clapton for £200, even though it is now worth about two million!

Recent ’Bursts – including the pristine ‘Miss Swiss’ and Kirk Hammett’s flame-tastic Sunny – have been listed for $450,000-$500,000. Clapton guitars do go for big money – the ‘Fool’ Gibson SG sold for $1.27 million just last month – but this particular Les Paul does not have quite the same lineage.

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