Leslie West

Leslie West

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Leslie West Album Cover
We Have Built Leslie West 7 or 8 Different Headless Models

Leslie Richie & Corky Nantucket Sleigh Ride Video

Leslie Using His LSR EB-1

Leslie Has Quite A Few Different LSR Guitars
Different Guitars, Different Pickups & Different woods.


Leslie West

I've been working with Leslie West Since 1986 when he first showed up at East Coast Music Mall my original old Connecticut store.

I have Built Leslie probably 15 guitars over the years and I am proud to say he still uses them on stage quite a bit. He Especially Likes The Headless Ones !!!!

I first met Leslie briefly at Woodstock in 1969 with Felix Pappalardi. Thirty years to the day later we were both there again for the 30th anniversary where he played my guitars the whole show except for one song. Leslie is probably my favorite guitarist from that era, (The Late 60's & 70's) That's the Clapton, Hendrix, Beck, Page era,

Today 41 Years Later Leslie Has Remained True To His Music, He Still Rocks Hard. He Unquestionably Has The Best Vibrato In The Business & His Tone Is Amazing !!

Eric Clapton is a great player, but today he has really mellowed out and has not remained true to his finest hour. sadly his music is bland & thin sounding compared to Cream. He has definitely gone "Middle Of The Road." I can't blame him too much, If he had stayed true to his roots he would not be as big today as he is.

Jeff Beck has gotten incredibly better but his music has actually gone a little over my head. He's so far ahead of me that I find it hard to comprehend and I don't feel as connected to it as the early stuff. His sound has also changed drastically. Technically he is far better than he used to be, but I'll listen to early Beck till I die.

All those incredible early Yardbirds songs were actually all Jeff Beck, Many people, myself included, thought that it was Clapton at the beginning. Truth be told Clapton left the band before the Yardbirds had even one hit. I am pretty sure that was him on Smokestack Lightning but that song was definitely recorded well before their first hit "For Your Love"

Jimi Page has gotten so sloppy that it's almost embarrassing, He still used those antiquated designed guitars from the 60's and is a shadow of what he was on Zeppelin 1 & 2.

Jimi Hendrix of course is not around, I shutter to think what he would have done with a Floyd Rose Tremolo & some of today's hot electronic technology. I can just imagine Jimi Hendrix on a 36 fret guitar or perhaps using a Trans Trem... It Boggles The Mind !!!!!! (The Open Mind, That Is). Hendrix being the gear freak that he was would have definitely progressed with the times and would never have gotten stuck in the mud like so many other 60's musicians.

If Hendrix had one of the newer more improved guitars that are available today. I'll bet he would have still been cranking out new concepts and ideas, Incidentally Jimi Hendrix played Bass Guitar for Leslie West, I have photos to prove it, The photos are not great or I would have posted them here.

Leslie West is Still Alive & Kicking, He Can Be Ornery & Cranky, But I Will Always Love Him For His Great Music, No Matter What He Does. One of my most treasured personal prized possessions is the Steinberger guitar he gave me in 1994 when he switched over to playing my LSR Headless guitars.

You Must See Leslie West Before You Die,
His You-Tube performances are poorly recorded and they don't come close to the live experience. He did several tours with Ginger Baker & Jack Bruce as A "Cream" reunion act and I think that on 85% of the songs he surpassed Clapton. He is an amazing guitarist who's music has endured for 45 years.

 

Eddie Van Halen has said repeatedly that Leslie was one of his biggest influences, I can hear Leslie in a lot of Eddie's music, I can also hear the Leslie signature Squeal in many of Billy Gibbon's licks too. Every major guitar player today has borrowed a little something from Leslie West !!!!Personally he was my greatest influence when I was on the circuit in the 60's & 70's before I started making & selling guitars.

Building custom guitars for Leslie West has always been one of the most rewarding things in my life. Currently he is endorsing another company, But he is still playing my guitars at most of his shows. Ed Roman guitars is too small to be able to pay endorsers to play our guitars and Too small to sell enough volume where the royalties amount to a high money. In today's economy endorsements are a way of life even for the most honorable musicians.

It's a shame that Leslie is not known by many of the younger players, I usually have to mention the song he is known for, "Mississippi Queen" Then they recognize him. Leslie is truly one of the greatest guitar players of all time, He plays with incredible emotion & feel, I would definitely call him one the all time most under-rated guitarists of all time !!!!!!!!

Ed Roman

June 2005

Leslie West
The Man, The Myth, The Legend

 

Leslie West is one of my favorite guitarists ever.
Leslie only uses his Pearlcaster's on one or two songs.
I have seen him use it on "Theme from an Imaginary Western" several times,
Usually he prefers the LSR WB-1 or EB-1 that I built him in 1997.