The 1957 Les Paul™ model is cherished by musicians as one of the most sought-after guitars from Gibson’s original "Golden Era." It is celebrated for its playability and the unmistakable tone that helped define an entire era of electric guitar sound. This 1957 Les Paul Reissue—featuring an Ultra Heavy Aged finish in Mustard Gold—is part of the Gibson Custom Limited Edition collection; a carefully curated assortment of unique instruments inspired by decades of "Made to Measure" custom orders and the creativity of the luthiers at the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, Tennessee. It captures everything musicians love about an early Les Paul while offering the nuances, character, and individuality that only a limited run from Gibson Custom can deliver.
Built with a lightweight, one-piece solid mahogany body and a two-piece maple top (without flame figuring), this Les Paul possesses the style and tone that made the original models so desirable. Its "Ultra Heavy Aged" nitrocellulose lacquer finish—applied and patinated with great artistry by the Murphy Lab team—recreates the look and feel of a cherished vintage instrument, complete with softened edges, extensive lacquer checking, and heavy signs of wear that only time—or a Murphy Lab artisan—can create. Combined with period-correct single-ply binding and classic design, the result is a guitar that feels instantly familiar and endlessly inspiring. The mahogany neck features the substantial "1950s Chunky D" profile and a long neck tenon, providing the player with the solid feel and resonance characteristic of late-50s playability. A rosewood fingerboard with cellulose trapezoid inlays, "Historic" frets (narrow and tall), and a 24.75-inch scale length all contribute to the authentic feel. The nylon nut and 12-inch fingerboard radius complete a setup that is both historically accurate and comfortable to play—whether you are playing simple chords in the first position or blazing guitar solos further up the neck.
This 1957 Les Paul is powered by a set of "unpotted" Custombucker Alnico 3 pickups featuring a lower coil-winding count (underwound). Much like vintage "Patent Applied For" humbuckers™ with slightly fewer coil turns, they deliver the unmistakable clarity and warmth characteristic of late-50s "Patent Applied For" pickups—adding a touch of extra sweetness while retaining plenty of drive and crunch when pushed. With two volume controls, two tone controls, and a three-way switch, this configuration offers a broad tonal palette suitable for everything from crisp, clean tones to full-bodied overdrive rich in harmonics. The aged nickel "True Historic" pickup covers further enhance the model's vintage-inspired character.
