The icons of English and Irish music continue to write their story far beyond concert halls and studios. After previously covering the auction of the last pieces from Gary Moore’s collection, it’s now time to share news that will resonate deeply with enthusiasts: several major guitars from his collection are now in the hands of Matt’s Guitar Shop.
These are not secondary instruments or mere display pieces. We are talking about an exceptional group of five guitars that accompanied Gary Moore on stage, in the studio, and on the roads around the world. These are instruments that have lived. Guitars marked by tours, recording nights, and hotel rooms where unforgettable riffs were sometimes born. They carry the imprint of a musician for whom sound was never an abstract pursuit, but a constant, almost visceral quest.
Among them is an absolutely legendary piece: his 1955 Gibson Les Paul Junior, acquired from Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols. A guitar with a raw, direct character, stripped of artifice, perfectly reflecting certain facets of Moore’s playing. This Junior is more than a beautiful vintage object; it is a testament to the invisible link between generations of British guitarists, a passing of the torch between two major rock figures.
Another centerpiece of this group is his 1958 Gibson Les Paul Reissue, aged by the talented Tom Murphy. This guitar was for a long time his main companion, always by his side for both stage and travel. It was more than a backup or alternative instrument: it was his daily tool, his natural extension. Anyone who has seen Moore play knows how much he demanded immediate response, generous sustain, and the ability to shift from a bluesy whisper to a searing wail in a split second.
Then there is the Artist Proof Greeny Collector’s Choice 1. Its very name evokes an entire chapter of guitar history. A direct heir to the legendary “Greeny” he purchased from his hero Peter Green, this model embodies Moore’s sonic obsession with this extraordinary reverse-wound Les Paul. Owning an Artist Proof from this series, from his own collection, goes far beyond the idea of a signature guitar. It is an entry into the intimacy of a musician who had made this tone his identity!
These five instruments form a coherent, almost narrative set. They tell the different periods of an artist capable of moving between blazing hard rock and fiery blues, between technical virtuosity and raw emotion. Each guitar reflects a stage, a color, a unique intensity of his career.
At Matt’s Guitar Shop, we have always believed that some guitars hold more than wood, finish, and pickups. They carry fragments of history. They still vibrate with the notes they once created. Seeing these instruments together, holding them in your hands, feeling their acoustic resonance even before plugging them in, immediately explains why Gary Moore remains one of the most respected guitar heroes of his generation.
