Peter Frampton's Prized Guitar Found Over 30 Years After Plane Crash

[Mr Walker]

http://www.spinner.ca/2012/01/03/peter-frampton-guitar/

Posted on Jan 3rd 2012 12:39PM by Dan Reilly

Peter Frampton can make a guitar talk, but he couldn't make his most-prized axe phone home from the Caribbean, where it had been lost for over 30 years. Fortunately for the rock legend, some enterprising fans were able to track down the Gibson Les Paul Custom (pictured at left) that he used on 'Frampton Comes Alive' and two Humble Pie albums.

In 1980, the 1954 guitar was among Frampton's equipment on a cargo plane that crashed while en route to Panama. All of the instruments were thought to be destroyed until it was located on the Dutch island of Curacao by two fans, one living there and one in Holland. With the assistance of the Curacao Tourist Board, by unknown means.

When the Curacao Tourist Board heard about the fans' search, they decided to help, tracking down the instrument to an unnamed individual. Once the guitar -- which was also used on sessions with George Harrison and Harry Nilsson -- was found, it was reunited with Frampton in Nashville last month, and experts from Gibson confirmed it was the original.

"I am still in a state of shock, first off, that the guitar even exists, let alone that it has been returned to me," Frampton said in a statement. "I know I have my guitar back, but I will never forget the lives that were lost in this crash. I am so thankful for the efforts of those who made this possible ... And, now that it is back I am going insure it for 2 million dollars and it's never going out of my sight again! It was always my #1 guitar and it will be reinstated there as soon as possible -- some minor repairs are needed."

[Jagermeister]

That's cool. It's an iconic guitar for sure.

[Headly1984]

Very cool .. I love the Jumping Jack flash cover on the Live solo Album along with Money... Rocking the Filmore is also a favorite of mine on vinyl for a real raw live rock n roll show caught in the act by a period band at/near their peak imho

From what I have heard/seen of him he still has the dexterity and talent to use that soon to be new again found thang - I hope next time he swings through town he has it ready to play !!

He played it on the Humble Pie albums “Rock On” and “Rocking the Fillmore,” and on all his solo records. He used it in sessions with George Harrison, Harry Nilsson and John Entwistle.

Perhaps most important, it was the guitar he played on the 1976 solo album “Frampton Comes Alive!” one of the best-selling live albums ever and the recording that established him as one of the great rock guitarists of the 1970s. “It’s all I ever used for 10 years,” he said. “That was it. That was part of me.”