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Stunning 1957 Reissue with a Fresh Look!

Gibson Custom has gone back to basics and reintroduced a stunningly realized, historically accurate reissue with the 1957 Les Paul Reissue solidbody electric guitar, complete with two BurstBucker pickups which combine all the best aspects of the early PAFs and the slightly better frequency response of modern humbucking pickups. Early Les Pauls got gobbled up during the vintage guitar boom of the late 1980s and 1990s, so there's no way most of us could possibly afford one (that's assuming you could even locate one for sale). This is as close as Gibson has ever come to producing a guitar that might just have popped out of a time machine set to go back to 1957. Owning the Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Reissue solidbody electric guitar is truly like owning a piece of music history.

Gibson 1957 Les Paul Reissue Solidbody Electric Guitar Features at a Glance:

• Historically accurate single cutaway maple and mahogany body
  
• Two BurstBucker pickups, two volume, two tone controls with three-way toggle switch
  
• Mahogany neck with early 1950s profile and rosewood fingerboard
  
• Authentic ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge
  
• Includes Custom Shop case and certificate of authenticity

Historically accurate single cutaway maple and mahogany body
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 (VOS) Series, which includes this gorgeous replica of the '57 Les Paul. You get the classic combination of a mahogany body (which tends to produce a slightly darker, warmer sound) and a maple top (which adds a bit of extra "zing" to the top end). While the 1954 Les Paul Custom (known as the "Black Beauty") had an all mahogany body, eventually all Les Pauls ended up with mahogany and maple, a time-tested formula that's popular with musicians around the world.

Two BurstBucker pickups, two volume, two tone controls with three-way toggle switch
In 1957 the Les Paul got an "upgrade" to two humbucking pickups, which were designed by Gibson's Seth Lover and are widely called "PAFs" because early examples had "Patent Applied For" stickers on the underside. 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 second-hand music stores for "used" Les Pauls. The 1957 Les Paul Reissue 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. A three-way selector switch is used to choose front, rear or both pickups. Just picking this beauty up is enough to give you chills - but wait until you plug it in! Most players today will opt for one of the later Les Pauls, like the '58 "Plain Top" or the 1959 version with its figured maple top. The '57 Les Paul Reissue is crafted for those guitarists who know truly appreciate both the look and the sound of those early Les Pauls!

Mahogany neck with early 1950s profile and rosewood 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 Les Paul Reissue has a bound mahogany neck with long neck tenon and the original chunky '50s rounded neck profile, which is historically accurate. It lets you really lean into the neck and dig in for the best tone. The rosewood fingerboard has acrylic trapezoid inlays that are both accurate in shape and color. Nickel-plated hardware and vintage "tulip" tuners complete the package.

Authentic ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge
One of Gibson's many accomplishments during the 1950s was the development of the tune-o-matic bridge, which allowed for precise intonation of each and every string. The patent for the design, which Gibson designated as the ABR-1, was granted to Gibson president Ted McCarty, a fact that's never been in dispute, though it wasn't until more recently that McCarty's many innovations have truly been recognized. 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 Les Paul Reissue.

Includes Custom Shop case and certificate of authenticity
Naturally, a guitar as special as the 1957 Les Paul Reissue will come with a plush-lined hardshell case as befits its lofty status as one of Gibson's most amazing achievements (even if it wasn't apparent back in the 1950s). So this one comes with a really sweet Custom Shop case that will offer the ultimate protection for your investment for many decades to come. The reissue Gold Top also comes with a certificate of authenticity, which proves your good taste.

Gibson 1957 Les Paul Reissue Solidbody Electric Guitar Features:

• Historically-correct reissue of the iconic 1957 Les Paul
  
• Color: Silver Mist
  
• Solid mahogany body, not weight relieved, for ultimate tone and sustain
  
• Period-correct early '50s rounded neck profile
  
• Mahogany neck, with extended neck tenon for exceptional sustain and response
  
• Carved maple top
  
• Custom Shop hardshell case included

Gibson's timeless classic, the 1957 Les Paul Reissue - now available again in the 21st century!

Specification Detail Manufacturer Part Number HB481C