"A Limited Run of 25 Guitars! Killer!" Mike Slubowski - The Les Paul Forum

2014 Gibson Les Paul Standard - Vic's Old School '59 -heavy aged

This incredible reissue of Vic DaPra's 1959 Les Paul Standard "Vic's Old School" is one of just twenty-five guitars (worldwide) specially made and accurately heavily aged' for 2014. This superb guitar, perfect in every detail, has a perfect 'Burst' weight of 8.70 lbs. Two-piece book-matched solid carved heavily-flamed 'Lemon Burst' maple top with single-ply cream binding on a one-piece solid mahogany body. One-piece mahogany neck with a perfect nut width of just over 1 11/16 inches, a standard Gibson scale length of 24 3/4 inches and a typical '59 thick 'baseball bat' profile (0.91 behind the first fret gently rising to 1.02 inches behind the 12th fret). Bound Indian rosewood fretboard with 22  medium jumbo frets, inlaid pearl trapezoid position markers and dark red side-dot markers. Headstock with inlaid pearl "Gibson" logo and "Les Paul Model" silk-screened in gold (very worn). Individual 'aged' Grover 'Rotomatic' buttons with half-moon metal buttons. Serial number "9 41514" stamped in black on back of headstock. Single-layer cream plastic pickguard. Two Gibson 1957 'Custombucker' PAF re-issue humbuckers, each with a small black rectangular label on the underside with "Patent Applied For" printed in gold, each with cream plastic surrounds and nicely matched outputs of 7.76k and 7.91k. Four controls (two volume, two tone) on lower treble bout, plus three-way selector switch on upper bass bout. Gold-plastic bell-shaped "Bell" knobs. ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic non-retainer bridge with metal saddles and separate stud tailpiece. This guitar is in mint 'heavily aged' (9.50) condition. Housed in the original Gibson Custom, five-latch, shaped brown hardshell case with padded burgundy plush lining (9.50). Complete with all of the original 'case candy' including the original white folder containing the Gibson Custom Certificate of Authenticity: "Vic's Old School '59 / 941514 / The instrument bearing the serial number above is 1 of a 25 / instrument limited run for Guitar Gallery hand-built by / Gibson Custom, where highly skilled artisans are committed / to carrying on the company's century-old tradition of creating / exquisite, investment-quaility instruments. This guitar boldly / reflects the highest standards of imaginative design and / masterful craftsmanship. [Signed in ink by] Rick Gembar / General Manager, Senior Vice President / Gibson Custom Shop." Also included is the "Gibson Gold Warranty" with the Pre-Pack Checklist with details including the serial number in black ink. Also the "Gibson Custom 1894-2014 Made in USA" metal switch plate cover. The regular black plastic one is on the guitar.

Explanation of the oxymoron "This guitar is in mint 'heavily aged' (9.50) condition."

"This 2014 Gibson Les Paul 1959 Reissue is a really incredible guitar which was produced as part of a limited run of 25 that were handpicked and spec-d out by Vic DaPra. These guitars featured holes from a Bigsby tailpiece, "changed" tuners and mods of this nature that had happened to real deal '58-'60 Les Pauls. This particular Les Paul features holes "left behind" from Kluson tuning machines and a Bigsby tailpiece. This instrument has been hand aged and features a heavy relic finish. The aging process was done meticulously and the finish checking and wear look absolutely incredible. The guitar is set up flawlessly and plays impeccably up and down the fingerboard. The '57 Custombucker PAF pickups are second to none and are a pair of the best sounding examples we've heard. The neck on this Les Paul is to die for and feels incredible in hand. The neck profile is very accurate to a few original 1959 Les Paul's that we have handled over the years  and the aged finish on the back of the neck only adds to the mystique. The top is killer, unique and on fire in certain light sources."

"A Limited Run of 25 Guitars! Killer!" Mike Slubowski - The Les Paul Forum