❌SOLD❌ Gibson Les Paul Special Cherry, 2010

The Gibson Les Paul Special first appeared in 1955, as the fourth version of the now-classic model. The first was the 1952 Gold-Top Les Paul, which was revised in 1953 and 1954 to allow for a steeper neck angle and the introduction of first a stop-bar bridge and then the Tune-O-Matic and stop tailpiece combination. In 1954, two new models were introduced, the dressed-up, high end Les Paul Custom and the entry level slab-bodied, single pickup Les Paul Junior. Finally, in 1955 the slab-bodied two pickup Les Paul Special appeared.

Both the Gibson Les Paul Special and Junior models used ‘slab’ Mahogany bodies, Mahogany necks and Rosewood fingerboards – at the time, Brazilian Rosewood. The Les Paul Special added binding to the fingerboard along with the second pickup.

For the 1958 model year, these models had a major re-design, gaining a second, upper cutaway; in late 1959 this re-design was re-visited and the neck pickup was moved half an inch towards the bridge, restoring much of the neck joint’s strength that had been lost with the upper cutaway. By 1961, the bodies of the complete Les Paul line were radically re-worked into what was soon re-named the SG, and there were SG Juniors, Specials, Standards, and Customs. By the 1980’s, the popularity of the original designs led to re-issues, which are still in production.

Here we’re looking at a Gibson Les Paul Special with a pair of P-90 pickups and Tune-o-Matic bridge and stop tailpiece, dated by its serial number to November 19 2010 and built at Nashville, TN. It is in overall good clean condition with only light wear to the finish and very little to the frets. It plays well and cleanly, with plenty of room to move the bridge to any desired action height.

Current Gibson Les Paul Special models on the Gibson site are mostly a ‘vintage’ style with a stop bar bridge. At the moment, the Tune-O-Matic / Stop Tailpiece combination used on thus example is only used on the modern versions – the Rick Beato DC and the DC Figured Top. Some models have humbuckers in place of the P90’s.

Sold with a very good condition black, flat top TKL ‘Made in Canada’ case, which has no Gibson markings.