The Yardburst – Gibson Les Paul 1959 ex-Jeff Beck

Some guitars are not just instruments, but true fragments of history. The 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, known as the «Yardburst», is unquestionably one of them. The first Les Paul owned by Jeff Beck, it accompanied him from his early days with the Yardbirds, a formative period of the British Blues Invasion that would reshape the face of rock.

Acquired in a London shop in 1966, it quickly became inseparable from Beck’s playing, producing inimitable tones thanks to his vibrato genius and unique sense of experimentation. But the story of the Yardburst doesn’t end there: during a U.S. tour with the Yardbirds, Jimmy Page took it for two weeks, before it ended up in the hands of Jimi Hendrix for a New York jam session in 1968. Three absolute legends, one single guitar.

After these touring years, Jeff Beck chose to keep it carefully in his studio in northern England. Marked by the road, modified several times but always true to its original character, the Yardburst remained his favorite instrument, at the heart of his musical intimacy.

Today, thanks to Matt’s Guitar Shop, this centerpiece of rock history is back on stages and in studios. Whether in its remarkable appearance in the hands of Craig Ross alongside Lenny Kravitz in Paris, or its magical resonance at the legendary Red Rocks amphitheater with Marcus King and Kaleo, the Yardburst continues its journey, full of grace and power.

More than just a 1959 «Burst» – already rare and highly coveted – it embodies the living memory of an era where everything was being invented, an instrument that has shaped and continues to inspire generations of musicians.

The Yardburst is not just a guitar: it is a symbol of Jeff Beck’s creative genius and the legacy of British rock, a timeless work that continues to write its story with every chord.

Some articles about the Yardburst:

• The Yardburst: a legendary guitar at Matt’s Guitar Shop

• The Yardburst Returns to the Stage for the Blue Electric Light Tour: A Performance Marked by Grace, Emotion, and Deep Respect at Lenny Kravitz’s Concert

• Red Rocks: its theater, its red rocks, its pharaonic pantheon of artists who have performed there, and… the Yardburst.