The Story Behind the Black Gibson Les Paul Standard at the Oasis Reunion Shows

When Oasis finally stepped back on stage together on July 4th at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, the roar from the crowd signaled the end of a 16-year wait. The Live ’25 tour has since stormed through Manchester and London, earning rave reviews from fans and critics alike. With Noel Gallagher, Gem Archer, and Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs unleashing a three-guitar wall of sound, Oasis are hitting harder than ever.

But guitar enthusiasts have been quick to spot something new in Noel’s arsenal: a striking black Gibson Les Paul™ Standard with P-90 pickups—an instrument that’s never been seen in his collection before. Rumors flew online, so we spoke to Lee Bartram, Head of Commercial, Marketing & Cultural Influence at Gibson EMEA, to get the real story.

The Origin Story

“Noel and I started talking about this guitar around 18 months ago,” Bartram explains. “He was using P-90s a lot with High Flying Birds—mostly Epiphone USA Casinos—but we wanted to create a Les Paul that could handle those pickups at stadium volume without sacrificing tone.

“Aesthetically, Noel had a vision. We experimented with hardware, finishes, and colors before landing on the final design. At first, I didn’t even know it was for the reunion shows, but as development went on, we knew it needed to bring another layer to a three-guitar stadium mix. It had to be loud, full of character, and carry the spirit of Oasis’s early days.”

The Specs

• Base Model: 1960 Les Paul Standard
• Pickups: Gibson Custom P-90s with aged nickel covers (traditional wiring, no mods)
• Neck: SlimTaper™ profile—Noel’s preference
• Body: Maple top on mahogany
• Tuners: Grover®
• Finish: Ebony, Light Aged via Gibson’s Murphy Lab in Nashville, with extra wear added at Noel’s request for a more road-worn look

“Noel wanted classic P-90 tone,” says Bartram. “We didn’t want to mess with a winning formula. The aged nickel covers are a rare touch, and they sound incredible cranked up.”

From Workshop to Stadium

For Bartram, seeing the guitar in action has been special:
“At first, I didn’t know where it would end up. Now, it’s front and center at one of the biggest reunion tours in history. The reaction has been phenomenal—every show, people ask what it is and if they can get one.

“It’s amazing to see people still so passionate about guitars. And to know this one was designed specifically for the moment Noel and Liam walked on stage together again? That’s pretty cool.”

If the Live ’25 tour is about reconnecting with the Oasis legacy, then this custom Les Paul is a perfect symbol—rooted in history, built for stadium volume, and unmistakably Noel Gallagher.