Ace Frehley spoke with guitarist about his regrets after leaving KISS. I left the band in 1982 and sold my signature ’59 Gibson Les Paul guitar for $18,000. That was my worst regret. After leaving KISS, I was still f*cked up and wanted to gamble at Atlantic City.
His Signature Increases His Income
Frehley acquired it for $4,000. To sell it, he helicoptered to a New York antique gear shop. The rocker sold his instrument for $18,000. He’s OK with its higher value. His signature may raise the price of every instrument he sells: “Any guitar I buy doubles or triples in price when I sign it.”
Ace also revealed his guitar count: “I have over 120 guitars and want to sell some! On the Alice Cooper tour in 2022, I attacked pawn shops like mad and purchased 35 instruments!
Frehley Discusses Guitar Skills
He’s still not satisfied with his guitar playing. In 2018, he told Hollywood’s Musicians Institute that he regretted not learning music: I never had a guitar lesson, yet almost every day, someone says, ‘If it wasn’t for you, I never would have taken up a guitar.’ Never taking guitar lessons makes me feel bad. I say, ‘You’re idolizing an idiot.’ Half the time I don’t know what I’m playing. I cannot express it; it flows from the speakers.”
Frehley told Total Guitar in January 2024 about his guitar playing: I play guitar sloppily! The first to confess it. I make errors and stuff occurs, particularly live. I play music properly. I do classic KISS and solo songs as you remember.” Ace released his latest solo album, ‘10,000 Volts,’ on February 23, 2024. He hopes to work on ‘Origins Vol. 3,’ the successor to his 2016 and 2020 cover song compilations.
