Jake Kiszka Details $25,000 Gibson SG
Greta Van Fleet guitarist Jake Kiszka has shared the origin story of the 1961 Gibson SG Les Paul he calls “Beloved,” a vintage instrument that became central to his sound and has now inspired a new signature model release. Kiszka traced the moment back to the band’s early days, when they were first travelling outside Michigan and stopped in Chicago while looking for quality gear.
In the interview, MusicRadar reported that Kiszka visited Chicago Music Exchange’s “Vault,” found the ’61 SG, took it back to the owner’s apartment to plug into an early Marshall “Plexi” JTM, and realised it was the sound he had been chasing—despite learning it was a $25,000 guitar he could not afford at the time.
Kiszka said the store’s CEO, Mr. Andrew Yonke, trusted him to take the guitar on the road with an agreement to pay it back later, which Kiszka says he ultimately did. He described the first strum as feeling like a “lightning bolt,” and credited the instrument’s feel—its weight, neck profile and overall response—as part of what drew him in immediately.
The guitarist’s bond with the “Beloved” has since fed into a limited Gibson USA signature model, reflecting how the road-worn instrument has become part of the band’s visual and sonic identity over the past decade.
Kiszka also acknowledged that the experience shaped his taste for high-end guitars, saying that in repeated in-store “shootouts” he often ends up preferring the most expensive instrument without knowing its price. For Greta Van Fleet fans and gear heads alike, the story offers a snapshot of how a chance encounter with a vintage guitar can become a defining career moment.
