Intimate Performance at launch of Sir Brian May’s new Gibson 12 String Limited Edition Acoustic Guitar

Yesterday Sir Brian May, members of his family and friends including his wife Anita, luminaries such as Jason Momoa and Neil Murray of Whitesnake and members of the UK Rock Press attended the launch of Sir Brian’s new Gibson SJ-200 12 string acoustic limited edition guitar at Gibson Garage. Sir Brian showcased the instrument in an intimate private performance with Arielle in the specially designed theatre in the basement.

CEO of Gibson Cesar Gueikian explained this was the beginning of a week long events to celebrate the opening of the new Gibson premises at Eastcastle Street in London and thanked Sir Brian and his family for attending. He thanked Sir Brian for trusting Gibson to work with him on the guitar.

A specially prepared video was then played showing Sir Brian with a telescope in which he explained that he had felt a calling for both astronomy and music and had always wanted to do both. He has a doctorate in astrophysics. He believes that the best art is done with knowledge of the universe and that art is a kind of science and science is a kind of art. The video cut to shots of Sir Brian playing ‘Love of My Life’ to a stadium of people. He explained how his new 12 string acoustic limited edition guitar was born. He had not been happy with the acoustic guitars he had been using on tour to do acapella versions of ‘Love Of My Life’, a tradition started when Freddie Mercury was alive and continued since then, and so when Gibson offered to custom make an instrument to suit Sir Brian jumped at the chance. He asked specially that the octaves be reversed as he liked to pick upwards to play tunes on the high strings. He played tribute to the science, technology and craftsmanship of the new guitar which was being launched at the event. Adding a personal note he explained how the inlay of the solar system on the guitar contained the planet Mercury referencing Freddie who was always with him, raising a laugh when he stated that the relationships in Queen have lasted longer than any of their marriages.

 

Sir Brian wished his dad was at the event  to see the launch of this guitar, as when Sir Brian was younger he would look at the Gibson catalogue, unable to afford anything, so to have a new limited edition model of his own was a dream come true. He explained that the guitar the limited edition was modelled on was first made for Elvis and the Everly Brothers had them. SJ meant ‘special jumbo’ and 200 referred to the fact that decades ago those guitars had retailed for 200 dollars. However, Gibson had never made a twelve string version of this guitar until now. He explained that although playing a 12 string can be like a cheese grater, in the new model Gibson had managed to make a version that was easy on the fingers as it was well set up. He said that people who had played the guitar had liked it, including Tony Iommi and sent best wishes to him as he was not too well.

Sir Brian played tribute to Gibson for providing a friendly environment for people, including young people to come and learn about guitars. He recalled that when he started out, Denmark Street, the road with many guitar shops at that time, was a pretty unfriendly place. He said it was ironic that when people were rich and successful guitars are given for free, but younger people can’t get anything when it should be the other way around. Gibson was supporting grass roots musicians by providing the premises where the event was taking place. He amused the audience by saying he had had to meet his friends with guitars behind the bike sheds at school. Guitars were banned but the rule was flouted when kids got together with guitars and discussed what Elvis, Buddy Holly and Hank Marvin were doing with guitars.

Summing up Sir Brian said that at 77 there was not much that made him truly excited, but the launch of this guitar had done that and so he thanked Gibson for everything they had done.

The event finished with a showcasing of the guitar in a performance, first with Arielle and then in a duet with Sir Brian. Before she played Arielle said that when she was six she had seen Sir Brian with his “crazy hair” on a “VHS” landing in a helicopter and then playing onstage. That had made such an impression that she had begged her parents for a guitar: they had initially refused saying the house was already too loud. It was amazing to her that six or seven years after she met Sir Brian she was now playing at the launch of his guitar. She played a few songs including ‘Devil’s Disguise’, ‘Magick Again’ and ‘Weakness For You’ about the bittersweet experience of being on the road. She truly sings like a mermaid with impossibly high notes perfectly complimenting the reverse octaves of the new guitar.

She was then joined by Sir Brian who explained that they had both put capos on the new guitar which was not usually a good idea, but they had wanted a drop D effect. After playing a cover of the Everly Brothers ‘So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)’ and ‘Love Token’ from his 1992 solo album ‘Back To The Light’ with the Red Special guitar originally designed and built by Sir May and his father, the finale was an acoustic version of ‘Love Of My Life’. While no one can touch Freddie, as Sir Brian said, with Arielle and her beautiful voice it was a truly special experience.

Quoting from the Gibson press release:

“A rare instrument, the Gibson SJ-200 12-String features an AAA rosewood back and sides, an AAA Sitka spruce top with a Vintage Sunburst finish, and a 2-piece AAA mapleneck with a Rounded profile, walnut stringer, and a rosewood fretboard with agoya shell 8-point star inlays. The headstock also features an 8-point agoya shell star inlay, along with the Gibson logo in mother-of-pearl and gold Grover® Mini Rotomatic® tuning machines. The Moustache bridge is solid rosewood with four 60s-style agoya inlays. The planetary-themed pickguard was designed by Sir Brian May and further reinforces the astronomy motif. The strings are mounted in reverse order, with the thicker strings at the top, followed by the octave strings beneath, giving it a distinctive sound that’s unlike other Gibson 12-string acoustic models. Fishman® Matrix® electronics make this guitar stage and studio-ready from the moment it’s taken out the included hardshell case. Only 100 of these exceptional instruments have been handcrafted by the expert luthiers of Gibson Custom in Bozeman, Montana. It’s an instrument that is worthy of a guitarist who not only became a star, but who continues to avidly study them.”

It was a privilege to attend this very special event. You can see how big my smile was next to a signed portrait of Sir Brian which was displayed at the entrance of the event.

Dawn Osborne

Photos: Dawn Osborne and Gibson