Bryan Adams Reunites with Beloved Lost Les Paul Guitar

Nashville, Tennessee — Bryan Adams revisited a chapter of his musical journey during a recent interview with Guitar World, discussing his attachment to two guitars from his Reckless era. These instruments were pivotal in creating hits such as ‘Run to You,’ ‘Somebody,’ ‘Heaven,’ and ‘Summer of ’69.’

Adams shared, “I have a 1960 Fender, which was the guitar – well, pretty much. There were two guitars on Reckless; one was that Stratocaster and then I have a 1980s Gibson that’s stock off the shelf. Those two guitars are really cool.” He recounted a story of regret after he sold the Les Paul, explaining, “I thought, ‘I’m never going to use this… I mostly use Strats.’ But as time passed, he began to miss it.

The singer chuckled as he remembered, “The Internet started coming about, and I began seeing pictures of myself playing that Les Paul live. I thought, ‘Shit, I think I sold that…’ and sure enough, I had sold it. It was gone.”

In 2005, fate gave Adams another chance. While doing a record store signing, a fan presented a unique proposition. “This guy comes up, and I’m thinking, ‘Oh, he wants me to sign his guitar.’ He said, ‘Hey, I bought your Les Paul years ago. I’m really in hard times, would you like to buy the guitar back?’” Adams jumped at the opportunity, recalling, “So, we did the deal right then and there.”

The guitar had seen some wear since their last encounter, but Adams was thrilled to reunite with it. He excitedly stated, “The best thing about getting that guitar back was that I re-recorded ‘Summer of ’69 with it!’” This heartfelt story spotlights the deep connection musicians often share with their instruments and how they can serve as a vital part of their legacies.