zZounds' Take on Gibson Les Paul Custom Guitar
The Legendary Les Paul
When electric guitars went mainstream in 1950, musicians realized that the possibilities they brought to music went far beyond simply making acoustic guitars louder. By then, Gibson had been selling hollow-body electric guitars for more than a decade, and decided the time had come to make their mark with a state of the art solid-body guitar. The model they designed, which featured the endorsement of electric guitar pioneer Les Paul, instantly set the gold standard for luxury in electric guitars. Over the years, the Les Paul sound has been indispensable for countless guitarists who demand the very best, from classic guitar greats like Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Duane Allman, and Ace Frehley all the way to latter-day rockers like Slash, Green Day, Buckethead and The Gaslight Anthem. Many rock and blues guitarists will play nothing else. Bob Marley was buried with his Les Paul. You don't see that kind of loyalty with just any guitar.
Les Paul Custom: The Best Of The Best
In 1954, Les Paul himself is said to have asked Gibson to make an even more luxurious model of the guitars that bore his name. The ultra-high-end guitar Gibson designed for him featured various upgrades to the hardware and electronics, such frets so low and flat that the Les Paul Custom was nicknamed "The Fretless Wonder." The standard version was already known as one of the greatest guitars available--the custom version simply took things a step further for guitarists who wanted the absolute best of everything, from sound to design to hardware. In the 1950s, Gibson described their Les Paul Custom as "the ultimate in a solid body electric guitar." More than half a century later, they still stand by that statement.
A Work Of Art
The original Les Paul guitars featured a shiny gold finish as a symbol of their high-end quality. But Les Paul himself wanted something that looked even classier, so the first Les Paul Customs featured an elegant, glossy tuxedo-black finish that, combined with the ebony fretboard, earned the model the nickname "The Black Beauty". Today's models are available in different finishes that are every bit as elegant as the original: Classic Ebony or Antique White Gloss, luxurious Wine Red, distinctive Cherry Sunburst, and the Silverburst model that looks like it was beamed out of a black and white film-noire masterpiece.
Still State Of The Art
Of course, the gorgeous look of the Les Paul Custom wouldn't mean much if the sound and feel wasn't just as beautiful as the finish. The new edition of the incomparable Les Paul Custom is still based on the models produced the mid 1950s, but Gibson hasn't turned a blind eye to modern innovations. Each of them is expertly crafted with a hand-carved maple top fitted to a solid piece of mahogany with strategically-routed chambers. These chambers not only enhance the resonance and overall acoustic qualities of the guitar, they also make the guitar much lighter, making it easier to play for hours on end without getting a sore shoulder.
Set Up For Rock And Roll
The newest models of the Les Paul Custom feature two distinct pickups:
The 490R Humbucker (neck)
This "modern classic" pickup gives you a tone similar to that of the classic '57, with a slight increase in the upper mids for a more contemporary sound. Made with a special Alnico II magnet to give it that "singing" quality.
The 498T Humbucker (bridge)
Made with a slightly hotter Alnico V magnet and a specially wound coil combo, the 498T "Hot Alnico" pickup has higher output with an emphasis on highs and mids, delivering full-on rock and roll tone.
Luxury To Last A Lifetime
Custom-cut solid woods. Pearl Inlay. Gold hardware. Metal tulip tuners. Single-ply ebony fretboard. Gibson's famous Tune-O-Matic Bridge. Everything about the Les Paul Custom says "luxury." The Les Paul is already known as a high-end guitar--there aren't many guitars that need to come with a certificate of authenticity--and the Les Paul Custom is the top of the line. Naturally, that kind of luxury comes with a price tag, but it's an investment that will keep paying off as long as you keep playing. A brand new model may not appreciate in value quite as much as the 1950s models have (they routinely sell for half a million dollars or more), but Les Paul Custom electric guitars are designed and built to endure. Other guitars will come and go, but with a Les Paul Custom, you'll always be among the elite.
Manufacturer's Description for Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar (with Case)
The Les Paul Custom, introduced in 1954, has been affectionately nicknamed the Black Beauty and the Fretless Wonder. By any name, it has always represented the highest level of elegance and beauty in the Les Paul family.
490R Humbucker
This "Modern Classic" pickup features tonal characteristics similar to the '57 Classic, but deliver a slight increase in the upper mids, for a more contemporary humbucking sound. The special Alnico II magnet gives these beauties a singing quality that delivers on demand.
498T Humbucker
Put a slightly hotter Alnico V magnet into a specially wound coil combination, and you get the 498T "Hot Alnico." With its higher output and emphasis on mid-ranges and highs, the 498T is the perfect rock pickup.
zZounds is an authorized dealer of
Gibson products.
Body: Carved Maple top, Mahogany back
Neck/Profile: Mahogany/'59 Rounded Les Paul
Fingerboard: Ebony 22 frets
Inlay: Pearl block
Scale: 24-3/4 in.
Nut Width: 1-11/16 in.
Binding: Multi-ply top, back, and headstock, single-ply fingerboard
Bridge/Tailpiece: Tune-o-matic/Stop bar
Hardware: Gold
Pickups:
490R Alnico magnet humbucker
498T Alnico magnet humbucker
Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way switch
Strings: Les Paul Signature .009-.046
- Dimensions and Weight in Packaging
- Heritage Cherry Sunburst
- Shipping Weight: 22 lbs
-
Shipping Dimensions:
44 x
18 x
7 in
- Alpine White
- Shipping Weight: 21 lbs
-
Shipping Dimensions:
44 x
18 x
7 in
- Ebony
- Shipping Weight: 21 lbs
-
Shipping Dimensions:
44 x
18 x
7 in
- Silverburst
- Shipping Weight: 22 lbs
-
Shipping Dimensions:
44 x
17 x
7 in
- Wine Red
- Shipping Weight: 28 lbs
-
Shipping Dimensions:
45 x
18 x
7 in
Gibson Warranty
If you have additional warranty questions,
please call the manufacturer at 800-4GIBSON
zZounds is an
authorized Gibson dealer
