This is part one of a new series in which I go through the guitars used by the members of Kiss. This episode focuses on Paul Stanley. Support the channel on Patreon: / seanblumenshine #kiss #paulstanley #guitars
I played in the Kiss tribute band Alive (from Canada) and we did some shows opening for Kiss on the convention tour. We also helped load in and set up the displays in couple of the cities on that tour, when local hired loaders failed to show etc. In doing so, I got to unload and play Paul’s mirrored Iceman and black Flying V…as well as wear his fireman’s helmet (used during Firehouse) from the 70’s. A huge thrill, to be sure.
Probably impossible to remember, but was it you guys I saw at the Village Gate in Halifax, around 1999? It was notable because "Ace" ate four hits of white blotter in the course of the first two songs, and they played like a maniac for the next two hours lol
There's a new 2024 Video on Gibson YT channel that looks into some incredible Paul Stanley guitars, especially his 70's stuff. Your correct Paul used the Steinberger guitars at a time when he was having health issues, he needed a light guitar onstage. This is exposed in Paul's book but semi glossed over so you need to join the dot's yourself. You do notice his mobility onstage starts to decline during the 90's, it's also the time period when his voice begins to break down. His vocal peak was around the 88 tour era. By the time the 2000's came around Paul was at times really struggling vocally. Paul's guitar playing has always been amazing, he's a great guitarist who's often overshadowed by whoever is on lead guitar.
The Fireman is a one-of-a-kind custom-made guitar that he played during 2019 to 2021 for God of Thunder, Psycho Circus and Let me go Rock'n'Roll and it was gifted to Edge's and Bob Ezrins Music-Rising charity and then auctioned.
Wow, Well done. Clean, simple and well researched. Too many RU-vidrs try to add unnecessary sound and visual fx that are so distracting from the content. I would like to know more about the bridge choices. Paul seemed set on fixed bridges for years - then suddenly around the BC Rich period I see floating/locking whammy bars - which would have effected Paul's rhythm playing.
I imagine he was just being part of the times with the whammy bars. Even Ace put a whammy bar on a Les Paul at the time. And some of the 80s Kiss material featured whammy stuff in the rhythm playing like Tears Are Falling.
I touched and strummed one of the mirror Ibanez backstage at KISS in London's Wembley Arena. I had an original Ibanez PS10 I bought around 1979 and live to regret selling it 😳
This is so fucken awesome! I seriously didn't think I'd be this interested and entranced with this kisstory of guitars played by Paul. You've done an amazing research job!
About what Hasselberger said on the creation of the Mirror ball iceman and the sanding smooth of the sharp edges, Paul himself said that Hasselberger missed a few spots and that he ripped his arm open a couple of times during the first times he used that guitar live. He bled for his art for real.
Awesome, man! I remember that cracked mirror guitar was one of the first guitars of his that really made a huge impression on me as a kid. They were showing some kind of live footage, must’ve been around 1980, probably when HBO was just getting started. They played some great old KISS stuff. I should know the years by now, but I got the records out of order when I was so young, I lump them all together. Ha ha. Really enjoying this video, looking forward to finishing it. I got to get into work right now. 🤘🏻🎸🇺🇸
Wow, I have been a fan of the pan since the 70s, although I stopped getting into the band when they took the make up of, but I had no idea about a lot of these guitars that Paul used. Pretty amazing homework you did, young man!
I usually hate vids like these w people trying to own it as if they were there or in the band, but this was very interesting and well done presentation. You were just as curious as we were. 0 ego. Thanks.
I have to say this was absolutely fascinating! Thanks so much for doing this. I think the Ibanez PS cracked mirror will always be the "proverbial" Paul guitar but this video was a very cool history lesson. I guess he never recovered the stolen Guitars?
I had hoped to see the hologram foil-wrapped B.C .Rich, that, as I recall, was about the same shape as the leopard skin one, that melted my face while on LSD at a show on either the Animalize or Asylum tour in Baltimore, MD, I. can't.remember which,
Wow. Your knowledge and presentation exceptional.. i know nothing about guitars and still found this extremely interesting.. this seems your destiny,, to tell us about stars and guitars...
Then this never ending discussion about handwired pickups or machine wired pickups.. there is a certain aura or coolness about pickups being handwired...like that craftmanship thing... But hey ! A computer controlled machine wired pickup is of course a way better option...
Great video man! My first real electric guitar (that I still have to this day) was the Washburn PS80, I have never seen any photos or videos of Paul ever using it save for promo images, it was actually a great playing guitar from the beginning but since I’ve modded the hell out of it it plays even better.
Awesome stuff! I think Bruce mentioned in one of his videos that Paul repainted the BC Rich Eagle leopard black around 1985 prior to Asylum, which would be the black with colour stripes and later the all black. Paul got a new copy of the leopard for the 2016 Kiss Kruise.
Interesting. As a long-time KISS fan, I admit I didn’t notice HALF the guitar changes Paul went through. I do suspect that while Gene doesn’t seem to have changed brands as often, he did change bass designs a few times. Pretty sure he plays his Punisher bass almost exclusively when he’s not rocking his axe bass. Meanwhile, Ace has always stuck with Gibson LPs - but I’ll bet he has dozens of them from striped, lighted NY Groove to smoke-potted and signature LPs. Great video. Thanks for sharing!
0:46 that les paul custom paul had was a very early 1952 or 1953 Custom with p90 bridge and alnico 5 staple top in the neck. 🫠 That's like my dream guitar.
12:23 The guitar Paul is playing here is a Gretsch Electromatic with Gretsch Adjusto-Matic vibrato. I don't know where it came from, but my assumption is that it was chosen by the cinematographer for its color. (The first thing you learn in compositional color of cinematography is that if it's too dark, just add orange to instantly brighten the set.) If you'll notice, the band is all in black leather, playing black instruments, against a night backdrop. In comparison, Stanley is wearing a red/blue Confederate flag shirt and is playing a bright orange Gretsch. It was probably rented or purchased specifically to add a pop of color in an otherwise dark setting. (Same reason you see so many actual oranges in movies like _The Godfather,_ which is to offset the darkness.
Really fun vid! So many Paul guitars I never have seen him use before. One thing I noticed, tho. The white Explorer at 4:29 has no pickguard, while the earlier one did, so I think they're 2 different guitars.
@@SeanBlumenshine I dont think so about the removing pickguard, as there is a big rout on Explorers over to the toggle switch that is hidden by the pickguard (You can see it in Eddie Van halen's "shark" guitar) I've got a white one with a pickguard, and think it would be a little cooler to be one without :)
Legit research and presentation!!! 4:53 Most Rock N Roll picture ever! Paul was always as much about the music as their image. He was a true Rocker! Through and through. The truest to the band and his vision of it. Later Bruce Kulick was a major partner in making the music.
Talk about a walk down memory lane! 😃👍🦬🦅🪶 I own 2 Iceman guitars, one is rhe IC-50 from 1979 and I mowed a lot of lawns as a young teenager to pay for it, the other being one of PS models when I got a better job than mowing lawns. 😄😄 The other is the Washburn that resembles the Iceman I bought in Austin, Texas from a now defunct chain of guitar/PA stores. It has been too many years to remember the name of the place, but I will never forget the music!
Great resume, my friend! Paul also used a rare B.C. Rich Warlock in zebra finish, at some point during the Lick it up tour. Here´s a link to check it out. Regards.
I like the Green B.C. Rich the best. I would look at that thing for hours in Metal Edge. Three different color tuning pegs and other hardware color changes. I always wondered about the lower horn being broke off and back on with added metal strips. Think that was cut on purpose? Like to know the story on that
Actually KISS did tour for Music from the Elder, but ticket sales were so dismal that the tour was cancelled only after a few dates. The tour for Creatures of the Night was a little more successful, but only overseas. Most U.S. concerts were cancelled due to lack of ticket sales.
The gibson firebird was bought from the guitar tech before 1974, also he bought a double cutaway les paul style guitar from him becouse he made custom cuality guitars. The gibson firebird whas painted black in the forniture plant where his dad worked at.
The "White Flying V" was a Philip J. "Doc" Petillo hand-made in his shop in New Jersey. Doc went on to design guitars for Kramer including the "Neck" for Gene's AX Bass. Paul bought the "White V" from Petillo in Fall 1974. Paul Stanley then bought a 1963 Tobacco Sunburst Reversed Firebird from Kenny Rardin then in Utah late 1974 (now has a Shop in St.Paul, MN). Paul's father's shop eventually painted this Firebird black (check San Fran 75 video). Stanley was so impressed with Kenny Rardin, Paul gave the "White V" to Kenny Rardin. In Summer 1983 Rardin gave ME the strap off of the "White V" in Moorehead, MN. I own it to this day. Rardin sold the "White V" in 1977 for a large sum of money. The "White V" had re-hand wound (by Larry DiMarrizo) Guild Pick-ups. Sorry these are The Facts ... you like facts don't cha. MrZerr0 aka (The StarChild of KISSin Time MPLS, who has a "White V" Made by Kenny Rardin, who once owned the Original.
..the Starfire Firebird, ..I bought a factory cut body from someone who worked for Washburn at the time those were being produced. He had taken 2 of the left over bodies from some left over parts after they had after discontinued making that model. It's alot similar to a Gibson firebird. This one never had any finish on it but it does have all the body routes for pickups, control cavity and neck pocket. It's made of some dark wood, looks like mahogany. I wanted a Gibson but felt they were too heavy and couldn't afford one. This is really alot lighter. One of these days I'll put a really nice playin' neck on it, or may just sell it as is.
Dimebag went to Washburn in maybe 1994-95. He also used Randall amps. Then you see Paul join Washburn and Randall. Dime had a cracked mirror version of his D3, too. Obviously, Pantera were massive KISS fans, so I can only assume there was some sort of connection there.
Awesome video. I have hard Paul saying that most of those guitars are the same, he just painted them over and over again. The Asylum Eagle IS the Leopard from Creatures and so forth...
Great video I'm from Ohio in a small village called Bainbridge and play guitar myself I'm not really good at it but it's something I like to do I have a Epiphone sunburst les Paul cost 300$ at the music store. My amp went out on me so right now I can't play. An I aslo have a 70s model Epiphone Les Paul model but its just the body need strings and tuners on it. It was a side project.
Paul played a replica during one of the Kruises. His original is either in a storage facility somewhere or it was stolen. If he still has it, I bet he auctions it off soon but I'm not sure.
@@SeanBlumenshine yea, I remember seeing him playing that leopard guitar on the Kruise on RU-vid. the color was slightly different. after I posted that statement, I remmeber contacting someone from the Kiss camp and asking them abut that Leopard guitar frome the early days & I believe they said he sold it. it was a lady. I can't remember how I found her though.
