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Slash shows off one of his new Gibson signature models

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Some people are so famous they need no introduction. Some people are so famous they don't even need a surname.

Hot on the heels of Gibson and Epiphone launching brand new Slash Les Paul Goldtops, MusicRadar caught up with the former Guns N' Roses and current Velvet Revolver guitar hero. In the following interview, Slash gives us the skinny on everything from his forthcoming solo album and new guitars to the ongoing search for a new Velvet Revolver singer. Without further ado, here's Slash...

Slash: The MusicRadar interview

You've played lots of Les Pauls and had several signature models over the years. How do the new models compare to those you've played in the past?

"That's actually a really good question. The quality – and I'm not just blowing smoke up Gibson's ass – in all honesty the quality of the guitars that the Gibson Custom Shop, Gibson USA and Epiphone are making is such that you can pick one up off the rack or out of the box and actually use it.

"And I say that because I started the last Velvet Revolver tour with one of my guitars I'd used for years, and at some point Gibson had made one of my signature Les Pauls. I received it, used it at soundcheck then stuck with it for the rest of the tour. I did very little to it besides changing the strings and it was great."

Do the new models have any features you wish that your Les Pauls had 20 years ago?

"Really when it comes down to it a Les Paul is a really simple instrument – even things like the TonePros bridge are basically an update on an old idea. We shave the neck to make it fit certain individual hand sizes – the particular type of neck that I like to use is a pretty thin neck, so we go for that. The new Goldtops have the custom tone controls too which don't get muddy if you roll them back."

"All I'm doing is playing guitar. I don't go in for any pyrotechnics and I don't need any bells and whistles."

Is the neck shape based on one particular guitar?

"It's not just one. I think what's happened over the years is I've played so many different Les Pauls, I've always had four, if not 10 Les Pauls out with me on the road, and I think the signature models are basically just accruing information that I've picked up over the years having played Les Pauls for so long.

"I've identified the different features that I really like, and so those particular necks are what I've gravitated towards with particulars guitars on the road, so it's basically just an accumulation of knowledge."

Have you ever been tempted to incorporate any crazier features into your signature instruments?

"Well personally all I'm doing is playing guitar. I don't go in for any pyrotechnics and I don't need any bells and whistles and I think the more you cut out of a guitar to make room for any sensationalistic amenities like that the more you take out of the guitar's original sound, and I try to keep it intact."