Neumann proudly unveils the U 47 fet Bon Scott Edition, a strictly limited special edition of one of the most iconic studio microphones in recording history. In partnership the Bon Scott Estate, this exclusive release honors Bon Scott, the electrifying frontman of AC/DC, and the microphone that captured the raw energy and unmistakable character of his voice on some of rock’s most influential recordings.
Based on the current production U 47 fet reissue, the Bon Scott Edition pairs the unmistakable sound of a true studio classic with bold visual elements and a premium collector’s presentation. Limited to just 300 units worldwide, it stands as both a world-class recording tool and a tribute to a defining era of rock.
Where Rock History Found Its Voice
In the 1970s, producers Harry Vanda and George Young needed a microphone that could keep up with Bon Scott’s explosive vocal style – powerful, gritty, and full of attitude. Their choice was the Neumann U 47 fet.
With its extraordinary headroom and signature midrange presence, the U 47 fet became the driving force behind Scott’s vocals on early AC/DC albums, including Let There Be Rock. It captured not just the power, but the personality – ensuring his voice cut through thunderous guitars without losing its edge.
As Harry Vanda recalls, the microphone allowed Bon’s voice to “sit best with the guitars,” delivering exactly the sound that would help define a genre.
A Studio Legend, Turned Modern Classic
Introduced in 1972 as the solid state successor to the original tube-based U 47, the U 47 fet quickly earned its reputation as a go-to microphone for loud, demanding sources. Its FET design offered remarkable headroom while retaining the unmistakable tonal authority of the U 47 family.
Since its return to production in 2014, the U 47 fet has remained a trusted choice for engineers worldwide – equally at home on vocals, amplifiers, and drums.
The Bon Scott Edition preserves this legacy in full: identical in sound and performance to the current U 47 fet reissue, delivering the same punch, clarity, and character that have made it a studio essential.
A Collector’s Piece with Attitude
The Bon Scott Edition brings a distinctive visual identity to this legendary microphone, celebrating its connection to rock history:
Matte black finish with bold Bon Scott graphics
Bon Scott’s name and signature on the microphone body
Exclusive black wooden presentation box
Collector’s booklet featuring an interview with producer Harry Vanda
Each unit is individually numbered, underscoring its rarity and collectability.
Built for Power and Presence
Engineered for the most demanding recording environments, the U 47 fet Bon Scott Edition handles up to 137 dB SPL (147 dB with pad engaged), making it perfect for:
Powerful, high-energy vocals
Guitar and bass amplifiers
Kick drums and high-impact sources
Its unmistakable midrange authority and massive headroom make it the ideal choice whenever sound needs to hit hard – and cut through.
Giving Back
In the spirit of supporting the music community, Neumann and Bon Scott’s family will donate a portion of proceeds from this edition to Support Act Australia, helping artists and industry professionals in need.
Availability
The U 47 fet Bon Scott Edition was launched on July 9, 2026, marking what would have been Bon Scott’s 80th birthday.
In Europe and Asia, the U 47 fet Bon Scott Edition will be available from select dealers.
In North and South America, it will be sold exclusively through Sweetwaterand Guitar Center.
With only 300 units available worldwide, this special edition is set to become an instant classic.
John Jackson, co-manager of the Bon Scott Estate, music industry veteran, producer, and Director of Archives for Billy Joel.
On Tuesday, July 7th at 7PM Eastern time, in celebration of the 80th anniversary of Bon Scott’s birth, TalkShopLive hosted music historian/estate curator and custodian, John Jackson for an in-depth discussion of Bon’s life and career from his birth in Scotland through his tenure with AC/DC.
In conjunction with official merch vendor Perryscope, fans will have the opportunity to purchase special 80th anniversary merchandise.
TalkShopLive is the leading media D2C in the music business, recognized by Fast Company magazine as one of the world’s Most Innovative Companies. Buyers can access unlimited channels and live product shows. TalkShopLive livestreams can be embedded on any website and can simultaneously provide shoppable simulcasts to an artist’s social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Left: Bon Scott, legendary AC/DC frontman, whose voice, lyrics, and stage presence helped define the band’s early era and lasting legacy. Right: The Bon Scott COPA Jersey, a limited commemorative piece celebrating Bon’s 80th birthday and enduring rock ‘n’ roll legacy.
BON’S BIRTHDAY BASH The third annual Bon’s Birthday Bash will be held on Thursday, July 9 in New York City at The Cutting Room (44 E 32nd St). The only U.S. tribute event authorized by the Bon Scott Estate, the Birthday Bash will feature vocal luminaries Corey Glover of Living Colour, Constantine Maroulis, Steve Brown of Trixter, Jimmy Kunes of Cactus, and many more. The band will once again be Paul McGilloway on lead guitar, John Jackson on rhythm guitar, Ivan Bodley on bass, and Kenny Soule on drums, with the evening hosted by legendary rock radio personality Terrie Carr.
The event will also feature a Morrison Hotel Gallery pop-up showcasing never-before-seen images of Bon Scott by legendary rock photographer Steve Joester. Prints will be available for sale.
Held during Bon’s 80th birthday week, the event brings fans, musicians, and the Estate together for a one-night celebration of the voice, swagger, and spirit that helped define AC/DC’s early era. A true evening of High Voltage Rock And Roll!
BONFEST Bonfest 2026 brought Kirriemuir alive for a milestone weekend celebrating both Bon’s 80th birthday as well as the 20th anniversary of the festival. What began as a tribute, run by local children’s music charity DD8 Music, has grown into an international gathering, but the heart of the festival remains exactly where it should be: Bon’s hometown, the fans who keep his music loud, and a community honoring a legacy that still travels a long way.
From May 1 to 3, fans travelled from across Scotland, across Europe, and around the world to celebrate one of rock and roll’s most beloved frontmen. Across the town, Kirriemuir fully embraced the weekend. Local shops decorated their window displays, stages filled with music, pipe bands brought the streets to life, and generations of fans came together to celebrate not just what Bon did, but what he still means to people.
That hometown spirit was especially present at the Official Bon Scott Pop-Up, presented by the Bon Scott Estate, inside the original Scott family bakery in Kirriemuir. Set within a space rich in history, the pop-up became one of the weekend’s most meaningful stops, bringing fans into a place tied directly to Bon’s early life.
One of the weekend’s defining moments came during the “It’s a Long Way to the Top” procession, a Bonfest tradition that pays homage to AC/DC’s original 1976 video. In that now-iconic clip, Bon and the band performed on the back of a flatbed truck rolling through Melbourne, with bagpipes giving the song its unmistakable character. In Kirriemuir, the tribute took on a hometown life of its own. As the truck passed the Official Bon Scott Pop-Up, an especially meaningful moment unfolded when Bon’s friend Gabby joined the procession. Having been there with Bon in Melbourne for the original “Long Way to theTop” moment, her presence in Kirriemuir all these years later gave the tribute an emotional full-circle quality. It connected Melbourne to Kirriemuir, past to present, and the original spirit of the song to the generations still carrying it forward.
The statue remained one of the weekend’s central gathering points, drawing fans for photos, tributes, and quiet moments throughout the festival. Alongside the memorial plaque first laid in Bon’s honor, it helps tell the larger story of how Bonfest grew from a local act of remembrance into a global celebration.
For everyone who came to Kirriemuir this year, the message was clear. Bon Scott brings people together, and in his hometown, that connection feels stronger than ever.
AC/DC PWR UP TOUR AC/DC’s 2026 North American PWR UP Tour kicks off just two days after Bon Scott’s 80th birthday, beginning on July 11 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The timing creates a natural opportunity to connect Bon’s milestone year with the continued excitement around AC/DC, giving fans another way to celebrate his lasting impact as the tour rolls across North America.
HISTORY Ronald Belford “Bon” Scott was born in Forfar, Scotland on July 9, 1946. He spent his childhood in nearby Kirriemuir, Scotland where the Scott family had a bakery, until 1952 when the family emigrated to Australia. Bon’s earliest music experience was in the Fremantle Pipe Band, playing the drums. In primary school he adopted the nickname “Bon” as a reference to Bonnie Scotland, and also because there was another Ronald in the class. His first band The Spektors, later The Valentines, played mostly popular cover songs of the day with Bon sharing vocal duties with Vince Lovegrove. After The Valentines disbanded, Bon joined Fraternity, a progressive-rock band that won Go-Set magazine’s “Next Big Band” award, appeared on national TV and toured the UK, eventually sharing a1973 bill with Geordie, featuring Brian Johnson.
After leaving Fraternity and suffering some personal setbacks, Bon was hired as the singer in up-and-coming Sydney band AC/DC. He immediately injected the swagger, voice and lyrics that the band was searching for and history was made over the course of six years and six studio albums (1974-1979). On February 19, 1980, Bon was found dead in a car outside of his home in London.
In 2003, he was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of AC/DC and in 2004 Classic Rock magazine named Bon the number one front man of all time, beating out fellow luminaries like Freddie Mercury, Mick Jagger and Robert Plant. Several landmarks have been established in the 21st century to honor Bon’s music and legacy, including statues in Kirriemuir, Scotland and Fremantle, Western Australia, that are natural gathering spots for fans to pay their respects.
Bon Scott (1946-1980), the legendary singer and lyricist for AC/DC, Fraternity and The Valentines, remains one of the great front men in rock and roll history. His indelible shriek and poetic turns of phrase, along with his playful grin and attitude are synonymous with the lifestyle he led until his untimely death in 1980.
Bon Scott Estate and its exclusive licensing/merchandising partner Perryscope Productions announce a robust event and merchandising plan to celebrate what would have been the rock and roll icon’s 80th birthday: JULY 9, 2026
LIMITED-EDITION COLLECTIBLES In tribute to one of the greatest voices of all time, German studio specialist Neumann is partnering with the Bon Scott estate on a limited-edition signature product to be released on Bon’s 80th birthday.
The Perth Mint, following up on the 2024 sold-out 1oz silver proof coin, will issue limited collector’s edition 1oz gold and 10oz silver bars bearing Bon’s name and likeness.
Reg Mombassa, the legendary graphic artist (as well as founding member of fellow Australian rock icons Mental As Anything) has designed an exclusive artwork to commemorate the birthday that will be available on posters, t-shirts, and more.
Knucklebonz, the leaders in collectible rock and roll statues, will issue their third Bon Scott edition in 2026, based on iconic images from the 1978 Powerage tour. This follows the sold-out 1979 “Highway To Hell” edition and the 1976 “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock N Roll)” statue (complete with bagpipes!).
APPAREL COLLABORATIONS Although Bon was often spotted performing sans shirts, various apparel partnerships have been embraced by fans to display their love for the iconic frontman. Dixxon Flannel Co. will launch the second limited-edition Bon Scott shirt in “Heritage” Tartan, following the 2025 “Touring” Tartan shirt. Copa Football Jerseys will launch a collectible “Bon 80” football jersey, also in Heritage Tartan. Both products are based on the officially registered Bon Scott tartans created in partnership with Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers of Edinburgh, Scotland who offer official Bon Scott tartan kilts, vests and accessories.
There will also be a wide range of brand-new Bon 80 t-shirt designs and more limited-edition items in the Perryscope official online store and the Australia-based store from Merch Jungle.
YOUTUBE CHANNEL The Estate has struck a deal with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to provide Bon Scott video content to his official YouTube channel. This follows the ABC’s highly rated 2023 episode of Australian Story, introduced by Brian Johnson, and featuring the only interview ever given by Bon’s brother Derek Scott.
Additionally, the YouTube channel will post exclusive interviews with Bon’s friends, peers and admirers like Rick Springfield, Bruce Howe (Fraternity), Sammy Hagar and Scott Ian (Anthrax) who have all recently sat on camera to discuss their memories and why Bon remains a touchstone 46 years after his passing.
Credit: George Chin (1979)
TRIBUTE EVENTS Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2026, Bonfest The International Bon Scott Rock Festival will take place in Kirriemuir, Scotland on May 1-3, 2026. The sold-out festival presented by Kirriemuir youth charity DD8 Music has an amazing lineup of rock and roll bands and AC/DC tribute acts, ensuring a weekend to properly celebrate Bon’s 80th. 2026 guests include UK rock legends Reef and former AC/DC drummer Chris Slade. There will also be a bespoke pop-up Bon Scott merch store at the site of the original Scott family bakery at 19 Bank Street in Kirriemuir.
Bon’s 80th birthday will be celebrated with the third annual Bon’s Birthday Bash in NYC on Monday, July 6th. Past celebrations have included guest vocal performances by Corey Glover (Living Colour), Jimmy Kunes (Cactus, Humble Pie), Peter Shaw (Trans Siberian Orchestra), Tony Award-winner Lena Hall (Headwig and the Angry Inch) and many more of NYC’s finest singers.
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum will host a one-night-only theatrical screening of the classic concert film Let There Be Rock: The Movie. This will accompany a special limited Bon Scott memorabilia display, celebrating his career.
ENDURING MUSIC 46 years after his passing, the music that Bon helped create with AC/DC remains of the utmost cultural relevance. Recent high-profile sync licensing featuring Bon’s voice include the 2025 Tom Holland-starring Lego short filmNever Stop Playing that features “T.N.T.” and the 2025 Mitsubishi OutlanderAustralian TV spot that playfully recast “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock N Roll” as the long-running Aussie in-joke “It’s A Long Way To The Shop (If You Want A Sausage Roll)”.
AC/DC meanwhile continues their massively successful PWR/UP tour through South and North America in 2026. The band’s current setlist has included eleven songs written by Angus Young/Malcolm Young/Bon Scott (out of twenty-one) performed to stadiums all over the world:
“If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)” “Shot Down In Flames” “Highway To Hell” “Sin City” “Jailbreak” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” “High Voltage” “Riff Raff” “Whole Lotta Rosie” “Let There Be Rock” “T.N.T.”
This follows the band’s Australia tour that featured several Bon-related events like the city of Melbourne’s world-record bagpipe ensemble playing tribute to the original promo video clip of “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock N Roll)”.
HISTORY Ronald Belford “Bon” Scott was born in Forfar, Scotland on July 9, 1946. He spent his childhood in nearby Kirriemuir, Scotland where the Scott family had a bakery, until 1952 when the family emigrated to Australia. Bon’s earliest music experience was in the Fremantle Pipe Band, playing the drums. In primary school he adopted the nickname “Bon” as a reference to Bonnie Scotland, and also because there was another Ronald in the class. His first band The Spektors, later The Valentines, played mostly popular cover songs of the day with Bon sharing vocal duties with Vince Lovegrove. After The Valentines disbanded, Bon joined Fraternity, a progressive-rock band that won Go-Set magazine’s “Next Big Band” award, appeared on national TV and toured the UK, eventually sharing a 1973 bill with Geordie, featuring Brian Johnson.
After leaving Fraternity and suffering some personal setbacks, Bon was hired as the singer in up-and-coming Sydney band AC/DC. He immediately injected the swagger, voice and lyrics that the band was searching for and history was made over the course of six years and six studio albums (1974-1979). On February 19, 1980, Bon was found dead in a car outside of his home in London.
In 2003, he was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of AC/DC and in 2004 Classic Rock magazine named Bon the number one front man of all time, beating out fellow luminaries like Freddie Mercury, Mick Jagger and Robert Plant.
Several landmarks have been established in the 21st century to honor Bon’s music and legacy, including statues in Kirriemuir, Scotland and Fremantle, Western Australia, that are natural gathering spots for fans to pay their respects.
TESTIMONIALS “Bon’s attitude demeanour and front man swagger gave him the Everyman persona that the world loved him for. His voice look and on stage character drew us all in – there’s an unmatched uniqueness that solidifies Bon’s legendary status in rock and roll…..” ROB HALFORD/JUDAS PRIEST
“I feel like Bon’s lyrics were way more punk in that they were just more realistic. You could read the lyrics to ‘It’s a Long Way to the Top’ or ‘Rock and Roll Singer’, there’s no whiff of cheese anywhere. In the hands of other singers probably would have been terrible. He’s telling you a story in a way that’s just so relatable and so real life. And just hardcore, you know, real, there’s no fluff, there’s no bullshit. The way he could turn a phrase, also then keeps you interested as well, because it just doesn’t feel like I’m reading a generic story about some guy that wanted to be in a band.” SCOTT IAN/ANTHRAX
“I was a Bon Scott fan. I mean, when I first heard his voice, I said, as a singer this guy’s cool. I like the way he sings, he’s giving it all. He was always on the edge of his voice cracking. Just one more step and he would lose it. You know? It’s like a car driver on the edge in a race and just, almost lose it at every turn. And that’s how you win a raceSo, I really liked that about him. Finally in 76 or 77, shortly after the Montrose thing, I was on a show with AC/DC, a little 2000 seat theater or something, and I was opening and I was really excited about that. He was really animated. And, I watched the whole show. I just loved him. I loved his demeanor. Bon was the kind of person that every guy in rock and roll loves. He’s just the coolest guy. SAMMY HAGAR
“Bon and I were kind of in competing bands back in the late 60s [Zoot and The Valentines]. The biggest difference was, well, they had Bon, but he didn’t sing much, which is kind of like having Paul McCartney in the band and using keyboard bass. No one knew he had a voice like that. And if you’ve seen ‘Knick Knack Paddywhack’ on YouTube by the Valentines, you’ll understand how frustrated he must have been. But he was great. He’s up there smiling like this is the greatest thing he’s ever done. I wasn’t aware how much of the Fraternity stuff he was writing. It was, kind of me going, oh, that’s interesting. But, there was no doubt that it was full conviction when he started singing with AC/DC and writing on what he was writing. Bon woke up and became truly what Bon was meant to be, which is, you know, that voice guy. You just you can’t get past it.” RICK SPRINGFIELD
“Bon was one of my heroes. His pants didn’t fit, but for me he remains one of the bad-assed-est – if ‘bad-assed-est’ is a word! – frontmen that there has ever been. DAVE MUSTAINE/MEGADETH
“Bon Scott was the coolest singer ever – the vocal delivery, the tongue-in-cheek double entendres and the magnetic personality. Those early AC/DC records – Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, Let There Be Rock, Powerage, Highway To Hell – are just fucking timeless.” LARS ULRICH/METALLICA
“Bon was a pirate. He had the snarl, he had the attitude, he had the tough-guy appearance, but he had a wink in his eye too. I was the first person to ever take Bon out for Mexican food. He’d never tried it before. I remember he had tacos and Scotch. The same day that Bon died, there was a fire at the house I’d bought that Angus and Malcolm came to. The house burnt down, but I cared more about Bon than the building. RICK NIELSEN/CHEAP TRICK
“Watching all those early videos like ‘Jailbreak’ and stuff, it’s the best. I mean, AC/DC have got to be in my top one and a half favourite bands of all-time… Bon Scott could sing about rock ‘n’ roll, which is a hard thing to do too and take seriously.” JOSH HOMME/QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
July 9th will mark the great BON SCOTT‘s 79th birthday, and to celebrate, the Second Annual Official Bon Scott Birthday Bash will take part that day at the Bowery Electric in NYC. The event will feature Living Colour’s Corey Glover, Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Peter Shaw, and Cactus’ Jimmy Kunes, among many others. Special guest openers Ravagers. Tickets can be purchased via this link.
The Bon Scott Estate, along with their exclusive merchandising partner Perryscope Productions, will also celebrate with a series of new collaborations with Knucklebonz, Dixxon Flannels, Collectionzz Posters, and Jungle Merchandise in Australia. All info can be found here: www.bonscottofficial.com
Additionally, this year marks the 50-year mark since AC/DC’s classic debut album, High Voltage – which spawned such all-time classic rock anthems as “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock n’ Roll),” “Live Wire,” and “TNT,” among others. Also, if you caught AC/DC on their current PWRUP tour, you would have been treated to 10 (out of 21) Bon-era songs.
Few rock singers were as unforgettable – and have proved as enduring – as Bon Scott. As the frontman of AC/DC from 1974 until his tragic passing in 1980 (at the age of 33), his “rock n’ roll pirate persona,” street poet lyrics, and striking image (one of the first rockers to proudly sport multiple tattoos) have made him an absolute legend. Additionally, Bon’s vocals were featured in several pre-AC/DC bands, including Fraternity, the Valentines, and the Spektors.
But really, it is the quality of the songs of the “Bon-era” of AC/DC that serve as his greatest legacy – “Highway to Hell,” “Sin City,” “Whole Lotta Rosie,” “Let There Be Rock,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”…the list is seemingly endless.
How does Bon measure up to rock’s all-time great frontmen? Classic Rock Magazine declared him “The Greatest Rock n’ Roll Front Man of All Time” in 2004, beating out the lofty likes of Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, and Axl Rose in the process.
And now the spirit of Bon Scott lives on with the upcoming second annual tribute show.
The Second Annual Official Bon Scott Birthday Bash The Only Authorized U.S. Tribute to BON SCOTT
Wednesday, July 9th, 2025 8pm The Bowery Electric 327 Bowery, NYC
FEATURING: Corey Glover (Living Colour) Jimmy Kunes (Cactus, Kunes/Clark) Erik Toast (Honky Toast) Dave Anthony (Ten Ton Mojo) Peter Shaw (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) Shilpa Ray Scott Bellina Paul Bertolino Chris Antos Devon Marie
THE BAND: Paul McGilloway, John Jackson, Ivan Bodley, Kenny Soule
Iconic AC/DC singer Ronald Belford “Bon” Scott would have turned 75 years old on July 9th 2021. To mark this occasion, Bon’s family is launching the first ever official Bon Scott website which will serve as a destination for fans keen to discover more about the legendary singer, including tributes from renowned rockers. Fans will also be able to leave testimonials about seeing or meeting Bon and purchase newly-available official merchandise.
The Bon Scott Estate said: “On the occasion of what would have been his 75th birthday, the Bon Scott Estate (Ron’s two brothers and his nephew) are proud to launch the new website and take this important step toward elevating Bon’s legend and tending to his legacy. Bon was a unique singer, songwriter and character that the world should never forget.”
Few rock singers were as unforgettable – and have proved as enduring – as Bon Scott. As the frontman of AC/DC from 1974 until his tragic passing in 1980 (at the age of 33), his “rock n’ roll pirate persona,” street poet lyrics, and striking image (one of the first rockers to proudly sport multiple tattoos) have made him an absolute legend. Additionally, Bon’s vocals were featured in several pre-AC/DC bands, including Fraternity, the Valentines, and the Spektors.
But really, it is the quality of the songs of the “Bon-era” of AC/DC that serve as his greatest legacy – “Highway to Hell,” “Sin City,” “Whole Lotta Rosie,” “Let There Be Rock,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” “TNT,” and “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)”…the list is seemingly endless.
How does Bon measure up to rock’s all-time great frontmen? Classic Rock Magazine declared him “The Greatest Rock n’ Roll Front Man of All Time” in 2004, beating out the lofty likes of Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant, and Axl Rose in the process.
And now, The Bon Scott Estate will oversee the new official Bon Scott site, which will both pay tribute to the singer and help keep his memory alive for new and old fans alike.
The Estate added: “This is an invitation for Bon’s fans and friends to gather and share their memories and observations of him and his music. His legacy lives in the hearts and minds of those who love him.”
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