Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom Ebony 2005
Gibson Custom Shop LPC, made in USA 2005, Ebony finish. There's a reason they're called the Black Beauty... wow. This sleek soul turned twenty one this year. It dates to a previous era when Custom Shop was called Gibson Custom, Art & Historic and was a smaller operation than it is today. This was Gibson's highest-end offering of their modern LP Custom: that means you get the maple carved top and the hefty 490 pickups. It sounds enormous: the neck pickup is thick and juicy with a pleasing bell-like clarity up top, while the bridge pickup delivers a huge, weighty spread with plenty of midrange kick and low end oomph. I'm not usually a big one for 490s, but this guitar really does sound exemplary: clear, full, balanced, wildly fat. The neck is a comfy 60s style slim shape; not crazy skinny but on the quick side as these things go. At a hair over 5kg, this is reasonably heavy, but that's true to the genre and absolutely helps to deliver that upper midrange presence and chime. The finish has a few marks from honest play, but it's in excellent shape for a guitar with a couple of decades of songs sung already. Maybe it should be called the Black Beast?
Model: Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom
Made: USA, 2005
Serial: CS53288
Finish: Ebony, gloss nitro
Body: mahogany, maple carved top, unchambered
Neck: mahogany, ebony fretboard, 12" radius, 24.75" scale, 43mm nut, 60s slim taper shape
Weight: 5.145kg
Mods: none
Pickups: Gibson stamped 490R/T humbucker x2, original
Accessories: Gibson CS case and docs
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has some dimples and finish chips on the end, scuffs on the treble edge and front around the posts and a surface scratch near the CS decal. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor rub wear and dimples on the back only. The back has surface scratches around the switch cavity and neck join, dimples around the control cavity and scuffs along the back edge, elbow area, middle section and bottom horn. The sides have minor dimples all over as well as a chip and some scuffs near the jack. The front has scuffs along the back edge and elbow area, dimples on the horns, a sticker fade mark on the guard and some play wear on the guard and horns.
Overall: very good condition (8/10)
Playing condition notes: action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 10/52 Moonshiners strings.
Fret Life: 8/10, minor wear only