Gibson 1957 Les Paul Custom 3 Pickup VOS Electric Guitar with CaseGibson 1957 Les Paul Custom 3 Pickup Vintage Original Spec has the worn appearance of a guitar that's been around since the late 50s.
Vintage Original Spec (VOS) guitars go through a special process that gently ages the guitar’s finish, hardware and binding to give a more vintage look and feel. This guitar looks like it's been around for years and plays like a dream. Using period correct materials and the original specifications of these guitars, finally you can have an aged Les Paul much like the models still coveted by guitarists everywhere.
Gibson 1957 Les Paul VOS Features
- 1-piece, solid mahogany backs
- Historically accurate neck tenon for superior sustain
- Bumblebee capacitors (where applicable), and period-correct routing
- Historically accurate reproductions of original PAF humbuckers
- Tortoise dot markers on the side of the neck
- Bigsby tremolo
- Holly headstock veneer
- Period-correct stain and filler
- 100% nitro-cellulose lacquer finishes with no added plasticizers
PAF Humbucker Pickups
In 1957,
Patent Applied For humbuckers became standard issue on both the Les Paul Model and the Les Paul Custom. To go along with its already upscale appointments, this Les Paul Custom was made available with three of these quiet, powerful new pickups.
Custom Shop VOS Guitars
The production of these instruments is the culmination of 20 years of experience producing handmade Gibson Custom guitars. We primarily took on the challenge of re-creating the 3 most vital aspects of these legendary instruments:
Look, Playability, and most of all Tone. In order to accurately reproduce the appearance of vintage Gibsons, the Custom Shop uses a combination of faithful adherence to our history and proprietary new processes and inventions. The hardware is left to soak in a special solution that transforms a brand new pick-up cover into a gently used historic jewel. The plastic and binding are painstakingly hand aged to provide that warm yellowed look that takes decades to occur in nature. Vintage accurate wood fillers, anodized dies and a 100% nitro-cellulose lacquer finishes are all expertly applied to create exacting reproductions of Gibson’s Gold Tops, Cherry’s, TV’s and, of course, famous Sunbursts. However, at a special point during the final buffing process, VOS guitars are treated to an application of Gibson’s secret and proprietary
Magic Tone Oil. This oil is left to cure for a few days, and the result is that unmistakable lightly worn but still gorgeous appearance of a well cared for 50 year old guitar.
It is in the
remarkable playability of these instruments that Gibson has really outdone themselves. Each neck is literally hand rolled to replicate with amazing authenticity the 3 most notable neck profiles in Gibson history the 50’s style, the ’59, and the 1960 neck shape. The binding is also hand addressed to provide maximum comfort and playing surface. Finally, using another piece of technology for which Gibson has exclusivity for production instruments, the nut and frets are meticulously crowned and leveled while the neck is at a tension that simulates the tension a set of strings would put on it. This amazing process produces the hardest aspect of a vintage Gibson to recreate that soft, played in feel. Nearly impossible to describe with words, you will know exactly what I am talking about when you pick up a VOS guitar.
Finally, it all comes down to
Tone, that elusive, essential piece of the puzzle that all guitar players and guitar builders chase, but few ever realize. The tone of any instruments is a result of the sum of all of its parts. By utilizing historically accurate materials such as one piece mahogany backs (never bookmatched or weight relieved – they are lighter because we start with lighter wood), an accurate long neck tenon (part of the neck that connects with the body providing support and sustain) painstakingly handwound single coil and humbucking (a Gibson invention by the way) pickups, and that pure, breathable nitro-cellulose finish we can assemble the pieces of superior tone. But it takes the loving hands, the years of experience, and the undeniable mojo of the Gibson Custom Shop to pull off something like this. The VOS series are the finest vintage instruments being produced today. Bar none. Ask anybody who has played one.
ONLY A GIBSON IS GOOD ENOUGH
A Gibson guitar creates an emotional connection to music, to culture, to life - future as well as past – that no other gift can offer. It will undoubtedly be one of the most important gifts you will ever give.
For any guitar buyer – from the first-time beginner to the experienced professional – there are many issues to consider and questions to be answered.
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
American Musical Supply - an Authorized Gibson Internet Retailer
AmericanMusical.com has been selected as one of Gibson's very few Authorized Internet Retail Sites in the United States. As one of these select few Internet sites, AMS offers an unparalleled selection of all of Gibson’s premium brands, all covered by Gibson’s Limited Lifetime Warranty – only available from Authorized Gibson retailers.
Gibson is recognized as one of the most respected guitar builders in the world. AMS is proud to have a decades-long history with them and honored that Gibson has chosen us to bring their world-class instruments to you. Look for more new product announcements, special events and promotions in the coming months.
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