Built from 1971 to 1979, the Gibson Les Paul Recording model sported the features most desired by Les Paul himself, but unfortunately this did not translate into sales success. Still, even this low selling model was copied by Japanese builders during the ‘Lawsuit Era’. Constructed during the Norlin years with strong references to the original Les Paul Custom models, the Gibson Les Paul Recording model featured a Mahogany body with carved Mahogany top – unlike the Gold Top and Standard models, which had Maple caps on a Mahogany slab. At this point, Gibson was using what’s come to be called ‘Pancake’ bodies, with at least two narrower layers of Mahogany.
Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul Tribute is a guitar that both respects its lineage and uses some modern design elements to produce a cool vibe and playing experience. This particular guitar features a Cherry Sunburst with satin nitrocellulose finish. The satin finish looks great and will help to not show finger print smudges from playing. Another great feature on the Gibson Les Paul Tribute is the Ultra modern weight relief. This process retains a solid core of mahogany under the maple cap while chambering around the perimeter. The provided weight relief is substantial and really lightens the load on your shoulder when playing for longer periods of time. Unlike a full chambered design the solid core limits the effect on the overall tone.
The Gibson 57 Reissue Les Paul Junior is a re-creation of one of the popular entry level Les Paul, introduced in 1954. Here we’re looking at a Gibson 57 Reissue Les Paul Junior in a Faded Cherry nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Like its source, this guitar is simply built with Mahogany slab body, a Mahogany neck with full ‘baseball bat’ neck profile and an Indian Rosewood fingerboard – the 1950s originals would have used Brazilian Rosewood. This guitar has been played, and there’s an amount of ‘buckle rash’ on the back.
Here is another rarity, a Gibson Les Paul Florentine Korina, Custom Shop built and with two features making it most unusual – the Korina top and the lack of F holes. This limited edition model, which later became the Les Paul ES, featured a heavily rooted Mahogany body and separate top, in this case Korina or Black Limba though many had heavily figured Maple tops. Most of the production had F holes, making sense given the nearly hollow body, but a few like this one have closed tops.
Here’s a Gibson 1958 Les Paul Junior Double Cut Historic Reissue in TV White, built during 2004 at the Nashville Custom Shop. Introduced in 1954 as a simplified, entry level Les Paul model, the Les Paul Junior featured two woods – Honduran Mahogany for the slab body and neck, and Rosewood for the fingerboard – which until the end of the Junior’s production in 1963 meant Brazilian Rosewood.
This instrument has sold
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