Epiphone Announces Tommy Thayer Signature "Spaceman" Les Paul

[GuitarToneFreak]

Thats what I mean there is no doubt he is a great guitarist but what the hell has he done that is not copying Ace's role in Kiss??

Three albums' worth of original material, counting Psycho Circus which he played on save for one (maybe two, can't exactly remember) song.

 

[silvergoat2k6]

Sort of off-topic, but I think Gibson was smart with the Blackwater. In looking at it you can't even hardly tell it's a signature model - which leads me to believe that Gibson knew not a lot of people would buy something Nickelback related.

Still, even then some were unable to separate the Nickelback stigma from it. I wouldn't ever buy one as I'm not super crazy about it - but it was smart from Gibson's standpoint.

Back to your regularly scheduled tribute band talk.

Was never (and am not currently) into Nickelback...but what was the significance of Gibson calling this model "Blackwater"?

 

[GuitarToneFreak]

Not sure if there is any significance - my guess was it was a reference to the trans-black color of the guitar, but I haven't a clue if that's accurate or not.

 

[MikeStevens]

Well dude has to make a living and like it or not he dresses up like the spaceman for every gig he plays.

This signature model is just a hype generator give it a few years and he will most likely have a WAY cooler high end epi signature coming out perhaps a gibby even?

after all they did it with Billie Joe from Green Day or did we all forget about his first sig?

 

[The_Sentry]

I use to have 490/498s in an Epiphone. I think they sound good in some types of guitars. I had an archtop they sounded great in....I have them in a Gibson SG that I like.

They're too harsh for the Epi's IMHO.

 

[allbusinessjoe]

Exactly. I'm a HUGE Ace fan - he's the reason why I started playing guitar in the first place - but people need to get over the fact that sometimes band lineups change. KISS is a little different in that they dropped Thayer into the Spaceman costume but, still, Thayer's a damned good guitar player in his own right and you don't get to play in a band that successful if you're a slouch.

Even though many are afraid to admit it, I am a fan since I was a kid (Mostly older stuff) and a big Ace fan. Ace was the first person I saw playing an LP. I loved the sound, and the imagery speaks for itself. I also liked Tommy's band Black N' Blue, and have three releases from them that I still like and enjoy listening to.

Bottom line, at the end of the day, there isn't one honest person here that wouldn't take the offer KISS made to him. Sure, from a marketing perspective I perceive a bit of immorality from both Tommy and Gibson (Epi) as Tommy didn't create the persona of the Epi signature guitar. But again, Tommy is looking at people approaching him and offering to increase his checking account.

On MLP, I am in the minority that likes signature guitars, but this is one I have no interest in. Nothing about the guitar and the circumstances surrounding the guitar feels right.

 

[Bluesky]

It's not white, it's a silver sparkle top - certainly not something that Epiphone, or anyone, does often.

Tommy Thayer on his Epiphone Spaceman Les Paul - YouTube

As dorky as he is......it looks like a cool guitar.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

does anybody actually respect this guy??

honest question.

Does anybody respect anything connected with Kiss PERIOD?

honest question.

He's making a living playing music, and I'm not. More power to him, I say.

 

[Blues4U]

The only thing that bugs me is that Gene is getting a cut, I am certain of it---

 

[allbusinessjoe]

Meh. I never really got the whole KISS thing anyway.

Not everybody does.

Perhaps you will eventually stop listening to Duran Duran and learn what rock and roll is really all about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwONTGu_Y7A

 

[Blues4U]

Is it me, or does it also appear that Thayer is setting himself up to step into another tribute band by steeling Joe Perry's look?

 

[mr_mer]

But does it shoot sparks from the headstock? Otherwise it is NOT a true Spaceman guitar.

 

[Rich]

I use to have 490/498s in an Epiphone. I think they sound good in some types of guitars. I had an archtop they sounded great in....I have them in a Gibson SG that I like.

They're too harsh for the Epi's IMHO.

I have a set in my '91 Custom that I bought brand new and have owned for over 20 years. They sound GREAT in that guitar.

 

[fleahead]

Not everybody does.

Perhaps you will eventually stop listening to Duran Duran and learn what rock and roll is really all about.

Maybe fans of KISS should realise that a whole bunch of rock sumbitches (that proudly includes me) find KISS a bunch of overrated crap musically, even if the show is pretty funny.

I got no beef, but KISS ain't the savior of RnR no matter what fans think, and in fact they were insignificant only a few years after they came out. The rest is like watching a Lindsey Lohan bio based on PR, PR, PR.

And musically, they had no impact for me, other than compared to every other band I liked at the time, they sucked.

So this really is a non-issue ain't it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwONTGu_Y7A

 

[Lurko]

Fake LP for a fake Ace. Meh.

 

[Pennyman]

Perhaps you will eventually stop listening to Duran Duran and learn what rock and roll is really all about.

Everyone knows that ABBA kicks Duran Duran's ass.

 

[Ginger Beer]

and you don't get to play in a band that successful if you're a slouch.

Gene got kicked out?

 

[Barcham]

In the video for the Epi, he mentions at the beginning that the guitar is "like the Gibson version of this" so maybe there will be a Gibson counterpart to the Epi guitar just like the Ace signature guitars.

 

[DRF]

I bet Gene contacted Epiphone with an offer. The guy is always on the phone in his den of merchandise.

 

[Spot]