An entire pallet of newly released Gibson Adam Jones 1979 Les Paul Custom electric guitars has been stolen – and Gibson is asking guitar enthusiasts to help recover the missing models.
The pallet containing 13 guitars was taken from a Sweetwater music truck at the Flying J Travel Center in Whiteland, Indiana, on October 30. The guitars were being transported to Sweetwater's headquarters in Fort Wayne, Indiana to be delivered to customers.
Gibson and Sweetwater believe the theft was planned in advance.
“Somehow out of a truck full of guitars, this ONE pallet was singled out and stolen at a truck stop,” said Sweetwater Chief Supply Chain And Merchandising Officer Phil Rich in a joint statement with Gibson. “We feel this person/s knew exactly what to look for and when.”
The new signature model – which was unveiled by Gibson just last week when it announced a multi-year partnership with the Tool guitarist – comes in two editions: an aged and signed version limited to only 79 guitars and retailing at $9,999, and a VOS version limited to a run of 179 and going for $5,999.
Of the guitars that were taken, four were the $9,999 models and nine were the VOS editions.
“These guitars were the dream guitars of 13 Gibson and Adam Jones fans, who had been patiently waiting for them to be delivered,” said Gibson CMO Cesar Gueikian. “We have decided to publish the serial numbers of the 13 stolen guitars and are appealing to all of Gibson’s fans to keep an eye out for them and let us know if they surface.”
He went on: “Our fans should ask any third-party sellers for a serial number before purchasing to be sure they are not being sold one of the stolen guitars.”
Echoing Gueikian's statement, David Fuhr, SVP of The Sweetwater Experience, chimed in: “Our loyal customers have been waiting a long time to receive these guitars and will be devastated.
“We hope Gibson and Sweetwater’s tight-knit community of guitarists will be able to help us recover the stolen items and that the people responsible for the theft are caught.”
The serial numbers of the stolen guitars are as follows:
Gibson Adam Jones 1979 Les Paul Custom Aged and Signed
- 73529531 #42
- 73529531 #69
- 73529531 #41
- 73529531 #71
Gibson Adam Jones 1979 Les Paul Custom VOS
- 73529111
- 73529047
- 73529114
- 73529145
- 73529072
- 73529030
- 73529091
- 73529126
- 73529024
Anyone with information on the stolen guitars is being urged to contact Detective Kenny Polley of the Whiteland Police Department at KPolley@whitelandpd.us or (317) 535-8100.
