Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

jmh151

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PETER FRAMPTON’S LOST GIBSON LES PAUL GUITAR FOUND ON CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF CURAÇAO AFTER 32 YEARS

TWO FANS COLLABORATE TO RETURN FAMED GUITAR

GUITAR PLAYED BY FRAMPTON ON HUMBLE PIE AND
FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE! ALBUMS

Peter Frampton’s long-lost guitar was recently discovered after its disappearance in a plane crash 32 years ago. In 1980, a cargo plane carrying Frampton’s equipment for an upcoming show in Panama crashed, supposedly destroying all of the instruments on board including Frampton’s cherished 1954 Gibson Les Paul. Thanks to the unyielding work of two dedicated fans, one in Holland and one on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao, as well as the CEO of the Curaçao Tourist Board, Frampton was reunited with the guitar in an emotional meeting last month in Nashville, TN.
The Curaçao Tourist Board helped acquire the guitar from an individual after hearing news that they may indeed have a lead on the long lost and beloved guitar. Together in Nashville, TN at the Gibson Custom Shop, with experts from Gibson Guitar and Peter Frampton, the team confirmed it was the original guitar long missing from Frampton’s collection.
Frampton’s custom guitar was given to him in 1970 by a man named Mark Mariana when Humble Pie played at the Fillmore West. Frampton borrowed Mariana’s guitar for the show and afterward tried to buy it from him, “But to my surprise he said he couldn't sell it to me—he wanted to give it to me!” he notes.
Frampton played the guitar exclusively on Humble Pie’s Rock On and Rocking the Fillmore albums. The guitar also appeared on a number of sessions for other artists including George Harrison, Harry Nilsson, and John Entwistle. Most notably, Frampton played the guitar on the electrifying Frampton Comes Alive!, one of the top-selling live records of all time.
Frampton is ecstatic to have the guitar back in his hands once again. “I am still in a state of shock, first off, that the guitar even exists let alone, that it has been returned to me. 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. And, I just can’t wait to get Mark Mariana on the phone.”
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

That is most cool. It's one of the most iconic guitars ever. Too bad he didn't get it back a few months earlier, to play for the 30th anniversary FCA shows. After spending last year recovering from the Nashville floods, Frampton must be ecstatic.
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

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Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

Watcha gonna do? Call "iceman" on Peter Frampton? :jester:

Haha! Nope. I'm more just curious to see what the condition of a missing 1954 Les Paul looks like. Since it was found on a Carribean Island, I keep getting an image of it stuck in a giant bottle which finally washed ashore.
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

Haha! Nope. I'm more just curious to see what the condition of a missing 1954 Les Paul looks like. Since it was found on a Carribean Island, I keep getting an image of it stuck in a giant bottle which finally washed ashore.

I'm guessing it was hung up as a prop in a Tiki bar somewhere
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

Oooohh nice relic job!
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

Now that is awesome. From that pic, I'd say a few repairs are necessary. ;)
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

Great story!

I'm curious where the guitar was found, and what happened to it between the crash and the recovery.
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

Frampton I know is a nice guy and I'm glad he was reunited with a cool peice of guitar/music history...Great player,always loved his music! Cool story..
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

The original article said its a '54......if thats the case then its had some SERIOUS mods done to it.
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

The original article said its a '54......if thats the case then its had some SERIOUS mods done to it.

If I remember correctly from an interview in Guitar Player Magazine from about 1981 or '82, he stated that it hadn't been an original 3 pickup.
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

A 54 LP can't have had humbuckers in the first place.
 
Re: Peter Frampton's LPC Found after 32 years

I never even knew the story of the plane crash and that it was missing.
 
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