Gibson Les Paul Classic Custom Lite Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (2014), made in Nashville, TN, serial # 140104391, alpine white lacquer finish, mahogany body with maple cap; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, brown tolex hard shell case.
This 2014 Gibson Les Paul Custom Lite "Classic" is a re-issue of a 1987 model that still seems like one of those great ideas that happen at Gibson from time to time but never really catch on. After years of customers and dealers petitioning for a lighter Les Paul, Gibson responded in 1987 with a very clever solution. The Les Paul Custom Lite offered a dramatically slimmed body depth and an additional Fender-like belly cut on the back for added comfort. The mahogany body retains the carved maple top and most of the sound and familiar layout of the traditional Custom, but with a lot less bulk and weight. Another oddity of the original model was a coil tap switch instead of one of the tone knobs, a useful if generally unfamiliar feature for a Les Paul.
In 2013 Gibson re-released this originally short lived model. Some had the traditional 4-knob wiring scheme but this 2014 "Classic" version has the original 1987 3-knob wiring scheme but a "Crown" headstock inlay rather than the typical Custom split-diamond. It still features a mahogany body and neck, maple top, rosewood fretboard, 490R/498T humbuckers, and that unusual 3-knob/coil switch control setup. As is typical for a Custom there is all-gold hardware and multi ply binding everywhere except for the single bound, pearl block inlaid rosewood fingerboard, and elaborate pearl inlayed headstock.
In both cases this model was sadly short lived; the specs of the original changing starting in 1988 and it was discontinued in 1990. This lovely Alpine White 2014 version was only available for a couple of years and thus is a fairly rare guitar, a cool example of Gibson's sometimes underappreciated creativity and a very fine playing if quirky Les Paul variation, especially appreciated by anyone with an ageing shoulder!
Overall length is 39 1/4 in. (99.7 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a clean and all original guitar, looking not too much played over the last decade. There are some light scuffs and handling marks to the finish overall, some light checking and a couple of tiny dings but no really serious wear. The white lacquer has yellowed noticeably in some spots; there is a small dot on the top on the cutaway horn and larger areas on the back: a decent sized spot in the center, a larger area around the control cavity and also the back of the neck. The gold plating has typical wear on the bridge ends and pickup covers. There are no repairs. This is a cool sounding and playing guitar, a nifty "slim twist" on the Custom formula in a non-original brown Tolex Les Paul HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.
