FACTOIDS & TRIVIA
The Les Paul Special was introduced in 1955 as a budget version of the standard Les Paul model. The body lacked the maple cap of the full-blown version. In mid-1958 the single cutaway body style gave way to a double cutaway version. In late 1959, the neck pickup was relocated away from the end of the fingerboard in order to create a stronger and more stable neck-to-body dovetail joint. In 1961, the Les Paul Special was given a new symmetrical, pointed cutaway body and was dubbed the SG Special. The guitar shown here is a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Special 1960 reissue. The Custom Shop produced this reissue from 1996 through early 1998 at which time it joined the Historic Collection lineup as a regular production model.
GIBSON LES PAUL SPECIAL '60 reissue (1996)
Body: Solid; 1-piece mahogany
Finish: Faded Cherry, nitrocellulose lacquer
Neck: 1-piece mahogany, set-in
Fingerboard: Indian rosewood, single bound; pearloid dot markers
Number of Frets: 22
Pickguard: 3-ply black-white-black plastic
Bridge: Wrap-around bar tailpiece, nickel
Nut: Plastic
Tuners: Reproduction Kluson Deluxe, enclosed, nickel
Pickups: Two, Gibson P-90 single coil with adjustable pole pieces
Controls: Tone and volume for each pickup, 3-way pickup selector
Scale Length: 24 3/4 inches
Neck Width at Nut: 1 11/16 inches
Body Width at Lower Bout: 13 inches
Body Depth: 2 inches
Weight: n/a