Paul Stanley's prop guitars meant for smashing only.

[Blazer]

I mentioned this on other Kiss related threads before but I finally found good pictures to go with what I was stating.

Paul Stanley always ends performances by smashing a guitar, in the seventies those were surplus Gibsons he got from the endorsement deal he had with Gibson back then. Many Marauder and L6S met their demise that way.

A Marauder smashed by Stanley in 1979

But from the eighties onwards Stanley started using specially prepped Smasher guitars that had the neck cut almost clean through, ready to snap on impact. This required much less effort while still maintaining the visual impact.

The neck of an Ibanez Iceman smashed by Stanley in the nineties, the cut, through the base of the neck is clearly visible.

But sometimes the body would break before the neck did as evident in this picture.


It's clear though that Paul Stanley doesn't smash a guitar for the sound it creates, I mean just listen what cacophony the likes of Pete Townshend, Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain got by smashing their guitars while it was still plugged in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yeHIRiYDJw

[LouSiffer]

Also if you watched American Idol a few weeks back when KISS was on there, you seen where Paul's guitar broke a little pre-maturely.-Lou

[Dred]

I think that smashing instruments is fucking lame. Like the Yng, for example. It just ruins the vibe for me.

[Leo Chang]

I think that smashing instruments is fucking lame. Like the Yng, for example. It just ruins the vibe for me.

+ 1


In the early days of Rock and Roll... yeah, they were making a "statement", and that was kinda cool. Still not really into that, but I can accept that more easily.

But doing it purely for the "show" factor... especially NOW...meh...

It's like a lot of the modern art stuff... the first guy(s) that did something new / weird, they really were making a "statement" for the most part, so that's cool. But after a while, the people who copied that... or the originators themselves who were still doing it (whatever it is) after many years... that just gets gimmicky and lame.


- Leo.

[leftybob]

If you smashed you guitar and someone got hurt by pieces flying, say hurt in the eye, would you then be liable ? In this day and age I'd bet you'd get sued and found negligent !

[SEEGERMANY]

In 1976, Paul smashed an Ibanez Flying V and the bridge flew off and hit me square in the forehead. I saved that damn bridge for years and I think I finally sent it to my cousin in Dallas.

[skintaster]

Back in the early to mid nineties, I had an friend that was a touring guitar tech for Nine Inch Nails. At the end of their shows, they would smash their guitars. He told me that they played black les pauls (Standards I believe, but could be wrong), but switched them out with cheap studio models when they came back on for their encore.

My tech buddy was constantly scouring music stores in the cities where NIN were playing to find black les paul studios and parts for cheap. He would basically just put together the "smash" guitars for every show.

When he was home from the tour he showed me a huge road case full of studio necks, bodies, and various pieces... Kinda funny. Never cared for NIN though.

[Rsmacker]

In 1976, Paul smashed an Ibanez Flying V and the bridge flew off and hit me square in the forehead. I saved that damn bridge for years and I think I finally sent it to my cousin in Dallas.

That's Kiss' property and Gene Simmons will be suing your arse unless it is sent back immediately, along with 33 years worth of reparations.. Have a nice day.


Smashing a guitar up is really difficult, basically the neck can break, the headstock will break off, but to get it into pieces means some prep with a jigsaw beforehand.
Yes, leftybob, the musicians would be liable for any injuries, which is why they mostly now nicely hand bits of broken stuff to people in the front row, not just fuck a load of wreckage out into the darkness. No sharp bits, no spikey strings, just neat packages. Same with drumsticks, anyone lobbing one into a crowd risks some smartarse turning up at their lawyer's next morning with a patch over their eye ready to sue.

Anyway, smashing guitars is a cunt's trick. They should blow them up.

[leftybob]

In 1976, Paul smashed an Ibanez Flying V and the bridge flew off and hit me square in the forehead. I saved that damn bridge for years and I think I finally sent it to my cousin in Dallas.

That's the best story ever ! Glad you're ok.

[Jacksonguy666]

That's the best story ever ! Glad you're ok.

That is actually a pretty sick story! Didnt AC/DC (i forget which member did it) get sued because they like dropped a marshall and broke like 4 fans legs or something? I swear i heard something like that awhile ago, and yea i agree with the new factor thing as well, if someone today tried to eat a bat...