NOEL GALLAGHER’S LES PAUL FLORENTINE

Many of us have loved and lost guitars. Those stories often end with yearning and a pang of regret for ‘the one that got away’. Seldom does the pining protagonist reunite with the object of their desires. Rarer still did it play a part in changing the course of music history as an instrument of choice for a guitarist in one of the world’s biggest rock ’n’ roll bands. Such is the tale of Oasis über-fan Richie Moores who, having spent many years longing for his once treasured possession, was eventually reunited with the guitar of his dreams: the one-of-a-kind ex-Noel Gallagher 1997 Silver Sparkle finish Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Florentine.

“I have an emotional attachment to that guitar,” Richie tell us. “I first clapped eyes on it when I was sitting with my father watching the BBC documentary Right Here, Right Now [on 20 August 1997] the night before the album Be Here Now was released. Dad was ill with cancer at the time. In the documentary, you see Noel playing this Silver Sparkle Les Paul and I remember my dad saying to me, ‘Oh my God, check out that guitar. Noel must be on some good stuff!’

“All eyes were on the band and Noel was using the Les Paul Florentine was the first song, and I remember him playing the solo in with it. To eventually get my hands on that guitar after seeing it on TV and watching him play it live was just unbelievable for me.”