Epiphone Joe Bonamassa Lazarus 1959 Les Paul Standard - new JB signature guitar

[elephantrider]

took me about 4 biz days to take receipt from jb store.

 

[Lightmanager]

I was curious so I sent an inquiry to Thomann regarding the availability of the Lazarus.
They told me, despite of limitation, they will get some more guitars but earliest in March 2022.

 

[darkvoice]

Did you get the one from the JB store? How long did it take to ship??

They shipped next day after I placed my order with JB store.

 

[darkvoice]

I was curious so I sent an inquiry to Thomann regarding the availability of the Lazarus.
They told me, despite of limitation, they will get some more guitars but earliest in March 2022.

That makes no sense. Why would Epiphone make another batch six months after initial one?

 

[Lightmanager]

That makes no sense. Why would Epiphone make another batch six months after initial one?

No clue - just the info I got from Thomann…
Honestly I do not believe that there are more Lazarus to come.

 

[LuthierVandross]

That makes no sense. Why would Epiphone make another batch six months after initial one?

They got backed up with the Slash sigs

 

[DrBGood]

That makes no sense. Why would Epiphone make another batch six months after initial one?

Why not ? What would be stopping them ?

 

[darkvoice]

Why not ? What would be stopping them ?

Because that's not how they've done Bonamassa's signatures before. They makes the batch of guitars, have them available for some time until sold out and call it quits.

 

[fry]

Good Luck, I hope you actually get one and it has a nice top.

If I get one, I can’t wait to show it to everybody and tell them all it’s my new 1959 Ace Frehley!

 

[darkvoice]

If I get one, I can’t wait to show it to everybody and tell them all it’s my new 1959 Ace Frehley!
View attachment 568103

the guitar Ace is holding looks just like one of these Lazarus guitars!

 

[rjwilson37]

I thought it was an Epiphone Lazarus, until I checked the headstock. I first was just looking at the body of the guitar and Aces face, I did not look at the headstock until darkvoice mentioned it looks just like. haha

Definitely a beautiful guitar Ace has in his hands there.

 

[fry]

the guitar Ace is holding looks just like one of these Lazarus guitars!

Yeah, Gibson made a 1959 Ace Frehley. The tops vary a lot, but it definitely resembles the Lazarus.

 

[Ron Rocco]

They mention October 2022; so October next year

I am curious about how many Lazarus guitars were made - we know it's 300 of custom inlay version, but how many in regular version? If I'd try to guess, let's start with the fact that each Guitar Center retail store got only one and there are around 300 GC stores. Add other US and European retailers to this number and you are probably looking at roughly 600-700 guitars in regular version.

I spoke to the Project Manager at Joe Bonamassa's On-Line Store today, and was told that Epiphone made 1500 of the standard (non custom inlay) models and, at this time, there are no plans to make any more.

 

[darkvoice]

I spoke to the Project Manager at Joe Bonamassa's On-Line Store today, and was told that Epiphone made 1500 of the standard (non custom inlay) models and, at this time, there are no plans to make any more.

That's interesting info. Where did they all go? It doesn't look like retailers received 1500 at this time, more like 700 or so. Did they say how many JB store got and how many are left?

 

[frehley76]

If I get one, I can’t wait to show it to everybody and tell them all it’s my new 1959 Ace Frehley!
View attachment 568103

That is why I bought one lol!!!!

 

[jbash]

FWIW- I inquired about these and the next shipment of 59s @ Sweetwater. My rep told me Lazarus is done. No more coming. 59s may be in sometime in December but they have a big backorder list.

 

[darkvoice]

FWIW- I inquired about these and the next shipment of 59s @ Sweetwater. My rep told me Lazarus is done. No more coming. 59s may be in sometime in December but they have a big backorder list.

That makes sense. What I don't understand is why many retailers still allow to place backorders. If they don't expect another batch of Lazarus - why waste customer and their time with taking backorders?

 

[LuthierVandross]

I gotta call JB’s shop today to make sure they have my order, I’m getting really anxious.

In the meantime, to the current owners, does the Laz have the same thin body binding on the front? The 59’s had some, like the veneer was placed over the binding and scraped back?

 

[jbash]

That makes sense. What I don't understand is why many retailers still allow to place backorders. If they don't expect another batch of Lazarus - why waste customer and their time with taking backorders?

Earns the salesperson a commission and puts money in the company bank account to make interest on until the customer decides to cancel and get a refund?

As for GC/MF, the salespeople there are completely clueless compared to places like Sweetwater. They have no real time inventory/ordering process. They need to put people in a warehouse and check stock, call stores, etc to see who has what. So they say "not sure, but we can probably get it..wanna order one?"

 

[Ron Rocco]

That's interesting info. Where did they all go? It doesn't look like retailers received 1500 at this time, more like 700 or so. Did they say how many JB store got and how many are left?

I'm not sure how many Lazarus models were initially intended to go to the JB Shop, but the Project Manager said they were still waiting for Epiphone/Gibson to send them another 100 guitars that were originally ordered!
I think a bunch of these guitars are currently floating out there in the port somewhere, waiting to be off-loaded and trucked to Nashville. No one seems to know anything for sure, at this point, but I was told that the JB Shop still has about 100 or so guitars for immediate sale!
If you haven't already pulled the trigger on one of these guys...you might want to "strike now, while the iron is hot!"!