Gibson Les Paul Special TV Solid Body Electric Guitar (1959)
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Item # 11880
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Gibson Les Paul Special TV Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1959), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 929307, TV yellow finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a really nice player's example of a 1959 double-cutaway Les Paul Special, with a well-done repair to the heel (very common on this model) but still an excellent playing and sounding instrument. This one is from the first year of full production when the "Les Paul" markings were still on the headstock. In late 1959 Gibson dropped the endorsement from this model only and catalogued the guitar as the "SG Special," although this body shape is usually not associated with that designation.
A 6-digit inked-on serial number starting with "9" pegs this guitar as shipped later in 1959, one of 1821 that left Kalamazoo that year in both TV yellow and cherry finish. This is the second variant of this slab-bodied double-cut Special, with the pickup selector switch located closer to the bridge than the earliest version. It is also one of the last ones built with the neck pickup mounted up close to the fingerboard. This was changed soon after, with the coil rout moved backwards about 1/2" allowing for a stronger neck joint; as noted, many of these earlier models have head a heel repair as a result of this original design. This transitional guitar mixes the two features both of which changed at different points in the second half of 1959.
The Special features two powerful black-covered P-90 pickups, a 3-way toggle and tone and volume controls with black-painted plastic bonnet knobs. It sports a multi-ply beveled-edge black celluloid pickguard and the nickel-plated solid bar bridge/tailpiece assembly. The headstock carries the pearl Gibson logo and the "Les Paul" silkscreen with strip Kluson Deluxe tuners. The neck has a bound rosewood fingerboard and is shaped to the rounder profile typical of 1959, though not as chunky as some.
Even with the heel mishap long ago this is a great all-around guitar; an effortless player famous for rampaging rock and roll sounds but actually a versatile guitar suitable to many other genres as well. Frank Reckard used this model to great effect to play straight country with Emmylou Harris for some years. As original Gibson solid-bodies from the 1950s and early '60s become ever scarcer, the two-pickup Special represents the best value in a "Golden Era" Gibson solid-body; this well-repaired example even more so.
Overall length is 39 1/8 in. (99.4 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) deep. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.)., 8.7 lbs.
This is a decently clean and original guitar overall with the heel repaired cleanly but visibly, showing very light finish fill and touch up in that area alone. The majority of these first-generation double-cutaway Gibson Specials have some sort of repair in this area; this one had a split at the bottom of the heel only now solidly repaired with an excellent neck angle, so playability is excellent.
The all-original TV yell finish has some general light wear overall, with fine checking and mostly minor dinks, scuffs and scratches, more on the sides than the back or face. The only large area rubbed away is a spot along the back/side edge adjacent to the control cavity. The back of the neck has a few small dings and dents, wear along the edges in the lower positions and a couple of deeper scrape marks to the bass side just below the headstock. The edges of the headstock show some wear as usual. The lacquer still shows a strong deep "banana-yellow" color without much fade.
All hardware is original except for some reason the bridge mounting studs. The stoptail bridge itself is original, with some plating wear. The rig is original and correct including the P-90 pickups, pots and wiring. Even the almost-always broken plastic jackplate is still intact with a couple of chipped off corners. The original; Kluson Deluxe tuners have been re-buttoned.
The frets have been crowned and show little subsequent wear; the fingerboard has some old divoting but not enough to affect playability. This guitar has seen a traumatic incident long ago but remains a killer-sounding, superb playing Gibson Special just celebrating its 64th birthday! It includes a late '60s/early 70s Gibson HSC that is worn but solid with a cool vibe. Very Good + Condition.
This is a really nice player's example of a 1959 double-cutaway Les Paul Special, with a well-done repair to the heel (very common on this model) but still an excellent playing and sounding instrument. This one is from the first year of full production when the "Les Paul" markings were still on the headstock. In late 1959 Gibson dropped the endorsement from this model only and catalogued the guitar as the "SG Special," although this body shape is usually not associated with that designation.
A 6-digit inked-on serial number starting with "9" pegs this guitar as shipped later in 1959, one of 1821 that left Kalamazoo that year in both TV yellow and cherry finish. This is the second variant of this slab-bodied double-cut Special, with the pickup selector switch located closer to the bridge than the earliest version. It is also one of the last ones built with the neck pickup mounted up close to the fingerboard. This was changed soon after, with the coil rout moved backwards about 1/2" allowing for a stronger neck joint; as noted, many of these earlier models have head a heel repair as a result of this original design. This transitional guitar mixes the two features both of which changed at different points in the second half of 1959.
The Special features two powerful black-covered P-90 pickups, a 3-way toggle and tone and volume controls with black-painted plastic bonnet knobs. It sports a multi-ply beveled-edge black celluloid pickguard and the nickel-plated solid bar bridge/tailpiece assembly. The headstock carries the pearl Gibson logo and the "Les Paul" silkscreen with strip Kluson Deluxe tuners. The neck has a bound rosewood fingerboard and is shaped to the rounder profile typical of 1959, though not as chunky as some.
Even with the heel mishap long ago this is a great all-around guitar; an effortless player famous for rampaging rock and roll sounds but actually a versatile guitar suitable to many other genres as well. Frank Reckard used this model to great effect to play straight country with Emmylou Harris for some years. As original Gibson solid-bodies from the 1950s and early '60s become ever scarcer, the two-pickup Special represents the best value in a "Golden Era" Gibson solid-body; this well-repaired example even more so.
Overall length is 39 1/8 in. (99.4 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) deep. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.)., 8.7 lbs.
This is a decently clean and original guitar overall with the heel repaired cleanly but visibly, showing very light finish fill and touch up in that area alone. The majority of these first-generation double-cutaway Gibson Specials have some sort of repair in this area; this one had a split at the bottom of the heel only now solidly repaired with an excellent neck angle, so playability is excellent.
The all-original TV yell finish has some general light wear overall, with fine checking and mostly minor dinks, scuffs and scratches, more on the sides than the back or face. The only large area rubbed away is a spot along the back/side edge adjacent to the control cavity. The back of the neck has a few small dings and dents, wear along the edges in the lower positions and a couple of deeper scrape marks to the bass side just below the headstock. The edges of the headstock show some wear as usual. The lacquer still shows a strong deep "banana-yellow" color without much fade.
All hardware is original except for some reason the bridge mounting studs. The stoptail bridge itself is original, with some plating wear. The rig is original and correct including the P-90 pickups, pots and wiring. Even the almost-always broken plastic jackplate is still intact with a couple of chipped off corners. The original; Kluson Deluxe tuners have been re-buttoned.
The frets have been crowned and show little subsequent wear; the fingerboard has some old divoting but not enough to affect playability. This guitar has seen a traumatic incident long ago but remains a killer-sounding, superb playing Gibson Special just celebrating its 64th birthday! It includes a late '60s/early 70s Gibson HSC that is worn but solid with a cool vibe. Very Good + Condition.