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From Our Research Team:

A Perfect Recreation of Gibson's Original '57 "Fretless Wonder"

While the Les Paul Standard gets the lion's share of attention, the 1957 Les Paul Custom was an important guitar in Gibson's history because it combined several features not seen until that time: Humbucking pickups. Optional Bigsby vibrato or stop tailpiece. An ebony fingerboard with low flat frets and real pearl inlays. A solid black finish with gold plated hardware. The Les Paul Custom first appeared in 1954, but by 1957, this guitar was as good as it got for players who wanted a solid body electric with the fat humbucker sound and high end appointments. A very small number of Customs were built with the "standard" two-pickup configuration, and that's what you see here. The solid black finish, which Gibson called Ebony, was suggested by Les Paul himself, who felt the color was elegant - like a black tuxedo. It also made a nice contrast with the Les Paul Standard, which at the time was painted a solid gold color (the sunburst Standards didn't appear until 1958). The guitar was quickly dubbed the "Fretless Wonder" because of those low frets, which made playing nearly effortless, particularly when you consider that back then, there was no such thing as light gauge strings. Today, an early Custom is a prized collector's item with a price tag to match its desirability and a two-pickup would likely be impossible to find. So for most of us, the closest we'll ever get to owning such an important guitar is to get Gibson's Vintage Original Spec Series '57 Reissue. Just holding one will give you chills! Playing one is a revelation!

Gibson '57 Reissue Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty" Features at a Glance:

• Historically accurate single cutaway mahogany body in Ebony
  
• Two BurstBucker pickups with three-way selector switch
  
• Mahogany neck with early 1950s profile and ebony fingerboard
  
• Authentic tune-o-matic bridge with stop tailpiece tailpiece
  
• Includes Custom Shop case and certificate of authenticity

Historically accurate single cutaway mahogany body in Ebony
There have been a lot of recreations of the original Les Paul guitars over the decades. However, not all of them were dead-on accurate - indeed, few were. The reason is simple: Gibson had stopped building these guitars for quite a while and the original specs were lost. It has taken the Custom, Art & Historic Division a long time to locate really great examples of those early instruments. Now armed with the most accurate measurements, right down to the smallest detail, Gibson has released what it's calling the Vintage Original Spec Series, which includes this gorgeous replica of the '57 Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty." You'll notice that the body is all mahogany, which is what Les himself asked for, rather than the mahogany and maple combination as used on the gold Standard. Also, as specified by Les, the finish was a jewel-like black finish that was dubbed Ebony. The reasoning was simple: Black tuxedos were the height of elegance, so the Custom got a black finish. Multi-ply white/black "aged" binding on the front and back create a gorgeous contrast with the Ebony finish.

Two BurstBucker pickups with three-way selector switch
In the beginning there were just two pickup options for guitar players: Single coils or humbuckers. But early on, most players didn't fully realize the significance of the two designs. It wasn't until Eric Clapton plugged a Les Paul into a Marshall amp that the light went on in many players heads: Aha! Humbuckers equal big, fat tone! But by that time, the Les Paul guitar had been discontinued, leading players to search out second-hand music stores for Les Pauls (and indeed, any sort of humbucker-equipped solidbody guitar). The '57 Custom was the first Gibson solid body guitar to come with three humbuckers, though a few were built with the "standard" two pickups (as in this reissue). A three-way selector switch is used to choose front, rear or both pickups. This '57 Reissue Les Paul Custom is equipped with two of the best humbucking pickups Gibson has ever produced, the BurstBuckers! With a tight low-end, complex midrange and sweet treble, the sound is everything you'd ever want from a Les Paul. Even the CTS pots and "bumble-bee" capacitors have been faithfully recreated here.

Mahogany neck with early 1950s profile and ebony fingerboard
When early Les Pauls are discussed - and they are at great length - a big issue is always the neck profile. The earliest Les Pauls had big, fat necks made of mahogany. The neck was slimmed down a bit in 1959 and it finally evolved into what's known today as the "slim taper" neck in 1960. Some players love those huge old necks while others prefer the slim taper design. This '57 Reissue Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty" has the original '50s rounded neck profile, which is historically accurate. It also lets you really lean into the neck and dig in for the best tone. Les Paul Customs also came with high end appointments that included an ebony fingerboard with single-ply binding, real pearl inlays and a split diamond, pearl headstock inlay. Naturally, this reissue duplicates those key features, as well as the gold-plated hardware and vintage "tulip" tuners of the original. Hey, the serial number is even inked-on behind the headstock, just like it was in '57!

Authentic tune-o-matic bridge with standard stop tailpiece
One of Gibson's many accomplishments in the 1950s was the development of the tune-o-matic bridge, which allowed for precise intonation of each and every string. Since then, millions of guitars have been built with variations on that theme. Though for a while, it seemed that the design for those original bridges might be gone, Gibson has brilliantly recreated it for the '57 Reissue Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty." While this reissue '57 Custom is also available with a genuine, period-accurate Bigsby vibrato tailpiece (still sometime called a tremolo), it's not for everyone. The majority of players will prefer this version which has the standard stud-mounted stop tailpiece, which helps produce the sustain Les Pauls have always been famous for.

Includes Custom Shop case and certificate of authenticity
Naturally, a guitar as special as the '57 Reissue Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty" will come with a plush-lined hardshell case that befits its lofty status as one of Gibson's most amazing achievements (even if it wasn't apparent back then). So this one comes with a really sweet Custom Shop case that will offer the ultimate protection of your investment for decades to come. The Reissue Custom also comes with a certificate of authenticity, which proves your good taste, as well as a custom care kit and other assorted "case candy."


Gibson '57 Reissue Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty" Features:

• Color: Ebony
  
• Body Type: Solidbody
  
• Finish: Gloss
  
• Neck Wood: Mahogany
  
• Neck Shape: '50s rounded profile
  
• Top Wood: Mahogany
  
• Back Wood: Mahogany
  
• Side Wood: N/A
  
• Machine Heads: Vintage "tulip" tuners
  
• Scale Length: 24.75-inch
  
• Fingerboard: Ebony
  
• No. of Frets: 22
  
• Position Markers: Real pearl
  
• Pickups: Two BurstBucker
  
• Controls: Two volume, two tone
  
• Pickup Switching: Three-way toggle
  
• Bridge/Tailpiece: Tune-o-matic with stop tailpiece
  
• Hardware: Gold-plated
  
• Case: Custom Shop hardshell

One of Gibson's Most Important 20th Century Guitars Has Been Recreated for the 21st Century!

Specification Detail Manufacturer Part Number LPB7VOEBGH1

What Does "Special Order" Mean? A special-order product is one that we don't normally keep in stock. We order it from the manufacturer as soon as you order from us. We have great relationships with all the manufacturers we carry, so we can get your special order to you as fast as or faster than anyone else. Remember that special orders are non-returnable and non-cancelable, so make sure the item is right for you. A Sweetwater Sales Engineer can help you decide - call (800) 222-4700 for assistance!

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