A 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard known as George Harrison’s “Ransom” Les Paul. This is a 1958 sunburst Gibson Les Paul Standard that was offered by the Quiet One in a rather twisted tale of theft.
It started with a cherry red 1957 Gibson Les Paul Standard originally nicknamed “Lucy.” It was gifted to Harrison by his friend Eric Clapton. Unfortunately, it was stolen in Beverly Hills and sold to the legendary Whalin’s Sound City music store on Sunset Blvd in 1973.
The cherry red guitar was sold to a musician from Mexico named Miguel Ochoa who was staying in town visiting a friend.
With a small paper trail via information written on the sale’s receipt, Harrison called the house of the friend Ochoa stayed with and was furious. When Ochoa heard about the call from Harrison, he thought this was some joke.
After some negotiating with Ochoa (including an initial plea of paying Ochoa the amount paid for it from the store), Ochoa considered his options but ultimately decided to go back to Mexico with Lucy. Harrison then offered a trade. Ochoa demanded a 1958 Les Paul Standard, which was purchased from Norman Harris (Norman’s Rare Guitars), along with a Fender Precision bass, for Lucy.
Ochoa accepted the guitars in the trade, and he kept this “Ransom” Les Paul until 1983. Needing some money to pay for a house, he sold it to his boss, Nadine’s Music owner, Robert Truman.