Grammy-nominated riff-monger Josh Rand, best known for his role in post-grunge/hard rock outfit Stone Sour, has launched an official Reverb store – and it’s an absolute treasure trove of rare, vintage and signature guitar gear.
The guitarist has decided to part with a weighty score of gear that gives a fascinating insight into the players that get his shred motor running.
“My store is going to consist of 26 guitars and five basses,” he says. “90% of these instruments are custom shop signature models from other artists spanning over three decades.”
It reads as a who’s who of elite shredders and guitar virtuosos, with signature offerings from Steve Vai (a relic’d 2008 Ibanez Jem EVO), Joe Bonamassa, Paul Gilbert – an example that was used in the studio by the Mr. Big and Racer X maestro – and Tool’s Adam Jones among those for the taking.
Of his Ibanez 1963 Paul Gilbert PGM, Rand says: “As a guitar collector, when you get the opportunity to buy one of your heroes’ guitars, you just must do it. That’s the case with this guitar.
“When the opportunity arose to buy one of Paul Gilbert’s guitars used to record a Racer X project, I just couldn’t turn it down. After being on display at my house, I’ve decided it’s time for someone else to enjoy it.”
Alongside gear signed by John Petrucci, Korn’s Munky, Sting, and Paul Stanley is also a rare EVH ’78 Eruption electric guitar.
Only 40 were made, with this particular listing coming with a ’78 chain guitar strap, a 3-in-1 oil can, and a whammy bar. It features a sole humbucker and also comes with two packs of ’70s-era Fender Super Bullets strings in recreated packaging, Van Halen ’70s tortoiseshell picks, and a Certificate of Authenticity.
Other notable picks include a Stratocaster signed by Yngwie Malmsteen – no mention of a free Ferrari this time around – a historic John Lennon Gibson Museum, and a curious Custom Shop Ibanez.
The Malmsteen-scribbled Strat is a Fender Custom Shop “Yngwie Malmsteen” Duck, heralding from a signature run that was limited to 100 pieces. Fender Master Builder John Cruz had been tasked with turning the batch around, but with deadlines looming, Rand’s model is one of six to be built by fellow luthier Yuri Shishkov, making the rare axe even rarer.
Rand’s 2010 Gibson John Lennon J-160E “Bed In” Tribute Museum electro-acoustic, meanwhile, is signed by Yoko Ono and features a sketch of her and her late husband. One of 70 ever built, its electrics are said to be in full working order.
There’s also an Ibanez Prestige 12-string, of which Rand notes: “Although this has a Prestige neck on it, it was actually built during the LA custom shop for me to use during the recording of [Stone Sour double album] Hydrograd.”
“At first glance, you might ask yourself, ‘Well that looks the same as all the other ones,’ but if you take a closer look, what makes this one specifically unique is it has a Floyd Rose instead of the Kahler,” Rand says of his 2010 ESP Jeff Hanneman Signature Series axe – another addition to his Reverb shop store.
It’s decked out in an ironically unmissable camo finish and features Slayer’s eagle logo in place of the HH found on most of Hanneman’s signature guitar builds.
For fans of Rand’s low-end activities, a Gene Simmons-signed Punisher bass, produced by B.C. Rich in the early-mid-’90s, is also up for grabs. At $3,500, it represents one of the cheaper instruments available, alongside a seven-string Ibanez Apex 20, signed by Korn’s Munky, which is selling for $3,000.
Head to Reverb to peruse the full listings.
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