Les Paul Custom Historic '54.

2006 Gibson Les Paul Custom Historic '54.

This Gibson Custom Shop Historic reissue of the "First Version" Les Paul Custom weighs 10.10 lbs. Solid carved mahogany body finished in black nitro-cellulose with seven-ply binding on the top and five-ply binding on the back. One-piece mahogany neck with a nut width of 1 11/16 inches and a really  thick '54 profile. Single-bound ebony fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and inlaid pearl block position markers. Headstock with five-ply binding and inlaid pearl "Gibson" logo and pearl five-piece split-diamond inlay. Two-layer black on white plastic truss-rod cover with "Les Paul Custom" engraved in white. Individual Grover Rotomatic tuners with kidney-bean style metal buttons. Serial number "4 6129" inked in white onto the back of the headstock. One 480 Alnico 5 single-coil pickup in the neck position with an output of 8.65k and one P-90 single-coil 'Soapbar' pickup in the bridge position with an output of 7.84k. Five-layer black over white plastic pickguard. Four controls (two volume, two tone) on lower treble bout plus three-way selector switch on upper bass bout. Black plastic bell-shaped control knobs with metal tops. Two "Bumblebee" capacitors. Gibson Tune-O-Matic retainer bridge with metal saddles and separate stud tailpiece. All hardware gold-plated. Complete with the original Gibson Gold Warranty, truss-rod adjuster, case key and various hang-tags. This eight year old guitar is in as new (9.50) condition. Housed in the original five-latch Gibson Custom black shaped hardshell case with maroon plush lining  (9.50).

This is a truly amazing guitar with amazing tonal variation and its own very special sound. The 480 Alnico 5, originally designed by the legendary Seth Lover, produces a warm 'jazzy' sound that just cannot be believed unless you hear it. Between 1954 and 1958 these pickups were only used on the very 'top-of-the-line' Gibson models and can give a full variation between a warm creamy sound and a stinging 'sweet-bite'.

The Les Paul Custom was first introduced in 1954 and just over one thousand examples were shipped between 1954 and 1957. The first reissue of this iconic guitar appeared in 1972 as a limited edition (Custom 54 Ltd Edition) of coincidentally just over one thousand examples. In 2006 Gibson began to offer (in very limited numbers) a 'second' accurate reissue of the original '54. Our guitar is one of the first of the 'second' reissues.