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Originally introduced in 1955, the Les Paul Special was Gibson’s step up from the Junior—adding a second P-90 pickup and a full set of tone and volume controls while retaining the slab mahogany body and wraparound bridge. Positioned as a “student model” in its day, the Special quickly became a favourite of blues and rock players for its punchy tone, stripped-down simplicity and dynamics. The TV Yellow finish was originally developed to look better on black and white TV (at least that's the official Gibson line, though there are other theories), but became an iconic look all its own. Today, original ‘50s examples are highly sought after, and Custom Shop reissues like this one offer the closest thing without the vintage price tag.
This 2022 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul TV Special is based on the 1957 spec and features a solid one-piece mahogany body, chunky 1957 neck profile, and a nitrocellulose TV Yellow finish. It’s got the right vibe straight out of the case—vintage looks, vintage specs, and unmistakable P-90 tone.
The pickups are a perfectly balanced pair of Custom Shop soapbar P-90s with that familiar midrange bite, rich lows and cutting top end. Clean tones have plenty of chime and clarity, while overdriven tones have that classic snarl and compression that makes these guitars so rewarding to play. The wraparound tailpiece adds to the resonance and simplicity, just like the original '50s models.
Condition is near mint with just a few signs of very light use - a few light surface scratches on the pick guard and a couple of micro indentations on the top which are impossible to capture in pictures and only visible upon extremely close inspection. The frets for all intents and purposes have zero wear.
This one is nice and lightweight too coming in at just 7lbs 8oz. You could gig for hours on end with this one without any discomfort.
Comes with the original Gibson Custom Shop brown crocodile skin hard shell case, certificate of authenticity, and all case candy.
Weight: 7lb 8oz
Pick up readings: Neck 7.9k, Bridge 7.85k
