Manufacturer Gibson Neck joint Set Body Mahogany | Body type Solid Scale 24.75" | |
 | ||
Period 1955–1959
1959–1961 (as SG Special)
1972/1974/1976
1977/1978–2013
2015–present
(for details, see #Timeline) | ||
The Gibson Les Paul Special is a variation of the Gibson Les Paul guitar. It was introduced in 1955 as a model to be an intermediate between the Gibson Les Paul Junior and the more expensive Gibson Les Paul Standard.
Contents
Over view
Like most of Gibsons other budget models, the Les Paul Special was produced in a TV Yellow finish, which was made by Gibson as a finish that would look good on black and white television. In 1958, the model received a major change when it was introduced as a doublecut model instead of the traditional singlecut.
In 1961, the Les Paul received a drastic change when it was formed into what we know today as the Gibson SG. Once Les Paul's contract had expired later that year, the Les Paul submodels changed with it. In 1968, when the contract was renewed, the original models were rebooted, and Gibson and Gibson Custom Shop now offer a total of four Les Paul special models: two single cut and two double cut.
Models
The list of Special models manufactured since 1955.
Single Cutaway
Les Paul '55 (Special Single Cutaway Reissue)