"I use Gibson guitars; I prefer the Les Paul custom"
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Gear talk is never just gear talk, especially when it comes from a player like Adam Jones, whose sound is basically a character in Tool's mythology. Dropping "I use Gibson guitars" is a clean act of self-branding: a declaration of lineage that plants him in a rock tradition where Gibson equals heft, authority, and a certain kind of seriousness. Its less about the logo than the shorthand it provides - the promise of thick mids, sustain for days, and a tone that feels physically heavy.
"I prefer the Les Paul custom" narrows that identity into a specific archetype. The Custom isn't the scrappy, workhorse Les Paul of bar-band lore; it's the dressed-up, higher-status version, built to look as imposing as it sounds. In a culture that loves to romanticize authenticity, Jones sidesteps the boutique-pedalboard arms race and the endless novelty cycle by choosing an instrument that reads as permanent. That preference signals control: a commitment to consistency, to an anchor amid all the studio experimentation and shifting tunings.
The subtext is also tribal. Guitar communities are full of micro-allegiances - Fender vs. Gibson, modern vs. vintage, modelers vs. tubes. Jones is picking a side while quietly rejecting the idea that innovation requires new toys. For a musician whose music balances precision with menace, the Les Paul Custom functions like a uniform: classic, intimidating, and built to endure.
"I prefer the Les Paul custom" narrows that identity into a specific archetype. The Custom isn't the scrappy, workhorse Les Paul of bar-band lore; it's the dressed-up, higher-status version, built to look as imposing as it sounds. In a culture that loves to romanticize authenticity, Jones sidesteps the boutique-pedalboard arms race and the endless novelty cycle by choosing an instrument that reads as permanent. That preference signals control: a commitment to consistency, to an anchor amid all the studio experimentation and shifting tunings.
The subtext is also tribal. Guitar communities are full of micro-allegiances - Fender vs. Gibson, modern vs. vintage, modelers vs. tubes. Jones is picking a side while quietly rejecting the idea that innovation requires new toys. For a musician whose music balances precision with menace, the Les Paul Custom functions like a uniform: classic, intimidating, and built to endure.
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| Topic | Music |
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