Gibson Les Paul Special Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1956), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 612708, limed mahogany finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, original brown hard shell case.
This is a lightly played in, super vibey example of a late 1956 single-cutaway Les Paul Special, showing signs of use but still in fine playing condition 68 years on. It remains nearly all original (except for the switch tip) and still resides in the original pink-lined four-latch brown hard shell case, worn but still a collector piece in itself since it is also correct for the now-iconic gold-topped Les Paul Standard models. Many of these less expensive Specials were originally sold with chipboard cases, so this original hardshell is not that common a find with one as it added considerably to the cost in 1956!
This guitar's features are typical of the first variant of this model with a beautiful "limed mahogany" finish on the body and neck, two powerful P-90 pickups with black plastic "soapbar" covers, black bonnet knobs, a multi-ply beveled-edge black celluloid pickguard and the nickel-plated bar bridge/tailpiece assembly. The headstock carries the pearl Gibson logo and silkscreen "Les Paul Special" designation. The original wiring is complete and intact including the much-loved "bumblebee" capacitors.
Although 1956 was a fairly high production year for this model, it still saw only 1345 of these limed mahogany beauties shipped out of Kalamazoo. The two-pickup LP Special is not nearly as common as many folks seem to think; by comparison the single pickup LP Junior sold over 3,000 units that year alone. These single cutaway Specials are much more solid in construction than the double-cutaway version that replaced it a couple of years later; many find the handling and sound more pleasing as well.
This is simply a great all-around guitar; it excels at rampaging Rock'n'Roll to hard blues but has a softer purr as well when dialed back and can even handle twangy country. As the iconic Gibson solid bodies from the ever-receding 1950s become more venerable, the original single-cutaway Special represents the greatest value in a genuine "Golden Era" Les Paul. In its beat up but original brown Gibson "Cali Girl" narrow-waisted hard shell case, this is simply a cool package of Kalamazoo goodness from the original golden era of Gibson electrics!
Overall length is 39 1/4 in. (99.7 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 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.)., 7.78 lbs.
This guitar shows typical signs of use but remains really pretty clean overall, and beautifully original with no repairs or modifications except for a replaced amber plastic switch tip. The "limed mahogany" finish is beautiful with a darker but still yellower hue than some. It shows typical moderate checking and small dings, dents and chips scattered around, mostly on the edges. The back of the neck has a few tiny feelable dinks, mostly behind the 8-12th fret zone. There is also a dink on the rear upper center of the headstock and noticeable dings and chips all along the front and back edges.
All hardware and electronics are original with untouched solder joints. The stop tailpiece has minor plating wear on the top, the tuners show some light corrosion. The plastic jackplate is original and amazingly uncracked. The original small frets are still intact, crowned down a bit with little subsequent wear. This is a lovely example with the expected killer sound; at well under 8 LBs it is handier than some. The original case has some external wear but is solid and adds greatly to this Special's excellent vibe factor. Overall Excellent - Condition.
