Gibson Les Paul Special Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1958), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 8-1832, limed mahogany finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, original brown alligator chipboard case.
This is a stunningly clean example of an early 1958 single-cutaway Les Paul Special, showing only minor signs of play and in amazingly fine shape for more than 60 years on. The features are typical of this first variant of the model with a light "limed mahogany" finish on the body and neck, two powerful P-90 pickups with black plastic covers, black bonnet knobs, a multi-ply beveled-edge black celluloid pickguard, and nickel-plated bar bridge/tailpiece assembly. The headstock carries a pearl Gibson logo and silkscreen "Les Paul Special" designation on the face and mounts Kluson Deluxe strip tuners. The original wiring is complete and intact including the much-loved "bumblebee" capacitors.
1958 was the last production year for the original single-cutaway version of this model, with only a total of 958 shipped out. These single cutaway Specials are much more solid in construction than the double-cutaway version introduced by the end of '58; many find the handling and sound more pleasing as well. The Les Paul Special in any form is not nearly as common as the single pickup LP Junior which sold well over 3,100 units in several variations that year alone.
This is a great all-around guitar, suitable for everything from rampaging Rock'n'Roll to hard blues and even twangy country. As the iconic Gibson solid bodies from the ever-longer-ago 1950s become more venerable, the original single-cutaway Special represents perhaps the greatest value in a "Golden Era" Les Paul. This superb example is as nice as we have had and comes with both a well-preserved original alligator grain chipboard case and a very fine repro Gibson brown HSC.
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.).
This is a 100% original, unaltered guitar with only some very light wear, showing a few signs of use but far better preserved than most such instruments over 60 years old. The finish has some very fine checking overall, most notably on the face. There is some very minimal fret and fingerboard wear and some tiny dings and chips to the headstock and body edges. The back of the body has a couple of wear spots, one down to the wood near the pickup selector cover; this is the only really noticeable wear to the lacquer, which maintains a lovely dusky yellow hue overall.
There is one small ding to the back of the neck behind the second fret; otherwise this surface is clean and unblemished. The tuners are very clean with still shiny plating; the plastic buttons have shrunken slightly but not are not cracked or chipped, and there are a couple of small dinks to the finish on the back of the headstock. The "Les Paul Special" logo is crisp and bright. The hardware shows some light plating wear on the tailpiece, a spot of pick scuffs on the treble side of the lead pickup cover, and minimal scuffing to the pickguard. The screened "Treble" lettering is more worn on the pickup selector ring than "Rhythm", though both show some loss.
All wiring and solder joints are undisturbed. Even the very fragile plastic jackplate is completely intact. Any guitar this venerable that has been played will show flaws, but there simply are few on this Special, which really lives up to that designation...this is a special one indeed! The original chipboard case is still intact and functional although we wouldn't recommend trusting this beauty to the 60+ year old paperboard for carrying anymore. For that there is a very nicely done repro Gibson brown case with the pink lining. Excellent + Condition.
