When Jeff Beck’s wife decided to auction his treasured guitar collection last year, her hope was simple and heartfelt: that the instruments would be shared, played, and loved once again. That vision is now becoming reality. After the late guitar icon’s Yardburst Les Paul was purchased for $490,000 by Matt’s Guitar Shop, the instrument has made a powerful return to the live stage, thanks to Lenny Kravitz’s longtime guitarist Craig Ross.
Matt’s Guitar Shop, a French store and showroom owned by Matthieu Lucas, has gained a reputation for not only acquiring historically significant guitars but also lending them to active touring musicians. Previous examples include Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day and Deryck Whibley of Sum 41, both of whom recently played Steve Jones’ 1974 Les Paul Custom. With the Yardburst Les Paul, Lucas aimed to do more than preserve a relic—he wanted to give it new life in front of audiences around the world.
While another of Beck’s guitars, the prized Oxblood Les Paul, fetched a record-breaking $10.7 million at auction—becoming the most expensive Les Paul ever sold—Lucas believed the Yardburst didn’t receive the recognition it deserved. Speaking to Guitar World, he explained that despite being overshadowed by other pieces in the auction, the Yardburst held deep significance for those who cherished Jeff Beck’s musical journey, especially his time during the British Blues Explosion.
Lucas saw the guitar’s early appearance in the auction lineup as a blessing in disguise, allowing him to secure the instrument and set the stage for what he calls a “beautiful, unexpected story.” The guitar, originally built in 1959, was famously used by Beck during his time with The Yardbirds, a period that saw a brief but potent partnership with Jimmy Page. Honored with a meticulous Gibson Murphy Lab reissue last year, the Yardburst stands as a symbol of Beck’s fiery and formative years as a guitarist.
Craig Ross, who became the first artist to borrow the Yardburst Les Paul from Lucas, took the instrument on the road for the entire European leg of Lenny Kravitz’s Blue Electric Light tour. Ross, best known for co-writing Kravitz’s hit “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” embraced the opportunity with enthusiasm. Lucas recalled reaching out to Ross—who was in Germany at the time—with the idea, and Ross was immediately on board. The guitar made its tour debut just weeks later, with a standout performance at Paris La Défense Arena in front of 45,000 fans, where Ross delivered a blistering solo during “Bring It On.”
Lucas, who normally doesn’t lend guitars for entire tours, was moved by the chance to place the Yardburst in such capable hands. He expressed high regard for Ross’s musicianship, comparing the honor of lending the guitar to him with lending it to legends like Slash or Billy Gibbons. What made the moment even more meaningful was a poignant connection to Jeff Beck himself. According to Ross, Beck had enjoyed seeing him and Kravitz perform live—an endorsement that made playing the Yardburst onstage feel like a full-circle tribute.
Ross’s own journey in music began in Los Angeles, where his band Broken Homes opened for acts like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Guns N’ Roses. A chance encounter with Kravitz would eventually transform his career, leading to a long-running collaboration that included co-writing and touring globally. Ross has also contributed to The Black Crowes’ 2001 album Lions, adding his signature guitar work to the track “Greasy Grass River.”
Now back in Lucas’s possession, the Yardburst Les Paul won’t be sitting idle for long. Lucas is committed to continuing its legacy, ensuring that the guitar remains active and appreciated. “It will be played again. On stages. In front of people. That’s the only future I see for it,” he said, affirming his belief that instruments of such history and power belong in the spotlight.
In a related development, former Manfred Mann’s Earth Band guitarist Mick Rogers revealed he believes he owns the final recording Jeff Beck ever made. However, he acknowledged that the process of releasing it poses its own challenges.
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