“We’re offering a reward to anyone who can help us locate the guitar”: Jerry Cantrell’s original G&L Rampage – one of grunge’s most important guitars – has been stolen
Jerry Cantrell’s original G&L – the electric guitar behind practically every iconic Alice in Chains recording – has been stolen.
According to a post published to Cantrell’s official Instagram, the classic Rampage ‘Blue Dress’ instrument is believed to have been stolen from the guitarist’s car in either Los Angeles or San Bernardino/Highland.
The guitar was kept in a black G&L gig bag, and has the serial number G016467. The post is appealing to anyone who may have information regarding the whereabouts of the guitar to contact info@velvethammer.net.
“We’re offering a reward to anyone who can help us locate the guitar,” the post concludes. “We sincerely appreciate your help.”
The Rampage itself is of the highest cultural and musical significance, and is one of the most important guitars in grunge. Having been purchased by Cantrell way back in 1985, the G&L was subsequently used on almost every single song the guitarist has ever recorded.
A single-humbucker 1984 G&L Rampage at its core, the instrument features a distinct circle-and-square pattern that was inspired by both Eddie Van Halen’s Frankenstein stripes and Randy Rhoads’ Polka Dots, and the sticker of a blue-dressed pinup girl below the Kahler tremolo.
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There are also three “Rock” stickers (one of which has heavily worn off) on the body from a local radio station that championed Alice in Chains in their early days, and another one that reads “This Is Your Life” on the headstock.
Other identifiable features include some band stickers on the rear, including those of Soundgarden and Son of Man.
Recently, the guitar was on display at Seattle’s MoPOP Museum. During a visit to the display, Cantrell discussed the importance of his Blue Dress Rampage, explaining how it made its way onto almost everything he’s recorded – making it one of the most important guitars in grunge history.
“I bought that in 1985,” he recalled. “That guitar has been on everything I’ve ever recorded, pretty much – 98.9% of every song, that guitar’s on there somewhere. I tried for decades to wreck it and it still exists.
“I’ve surfed it across the stage, jumped in the audience with it, fans running up and getting their hair caught in the keys, and then trying to jump back in the audience pulling me with them…”
Cantrell’s original G&L had largely been forced into touring retirement owing to some structural problems that threatened to seriously damage the guitar. In its place, Cantrell took to playing some Rampage reissue models that had been produced over the years.
In 2009, G&L reissued the Rampage as a Jerry Cantrell signature model, which arrived without Cantrell’s additional aesthetics. A more faithful replica of the Blue Dress G&L had also been released as part of an ultra-limited run.
“It’s nothing fancy. There’s plenty of fancier, cooler guitars, but it’s just a meat and potatoes guitar,” Cantrell told Total Guitar in 2014, “and that’s always felt comfortable for me to play from the get-go.”
In the wake of the news, G&L has offered to build Cantrell a new guitar that will “help ease the pain” of losing the “irreplaceable” instrument.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
