“Here is the ultimate in a
Solid
body guitar … The Incomparable Les Paul Custom Guitar,” — Gibson catalog, circa mid-1950s
Today’s Les Paul Custom is based on the model from the mid-1950s, but with several modern appointments. The body is crafted with a hand-carved
Maple
Top
, which is fitted to a body made from a
Solid
piece of
Mahogany
with strategically routed holes to lessen the weight of the guitar, resulting in a Les Paul with enhanced acoustic qualities and improved resonance. The 24 ¾-inch
Scale
length
Neck
is also made from one
Solid
piece of
Mahogany
then
Top
ped by a 22-fret
Ebony
Fingerboard
outfitted with figured acrylic block inlays and given Gibson’s traditional rounded profile. The pickups are Gibson’s 490R in the
Neck
position, which offers the tonal characteristics of the original PAFs, and the 498T in the
Bridge
position, which swaps the 490R’s
Alnico
II
Magnet
for an
Alnico
V, thus making it slightly hotter with emphasis on mid-ranges and highs. Other appointments include Gibson’s legendary Nashville Tune-o-matic
Bridge
and stopbar
Tailpiece
, metal tulip tuners, multi-ply white and black
Binding
on both the
Top
and
Back
, gold hardware and a 1 11/16”
Nut
width. Each guitar comes with the standard Gibson Custom case and certificate of authenticity.