While most Customs carry these features a small number were custom ordered:
- Different paint finishes e.g. cherry;
- Bigsby tremolo (a common variation both from the factory or as an aftermarket upgrade);
- Different switch and control layouts and;
- A small number (15-22) of post 57 Customs were ordered with two rather three pickups as owned by Johnny Winter and Joe Bonamassa.
The Les Paul Custom single-cut body was replaced by the SG body shape in 1961.The SG body guitars were more modern looking, popular and importantly, cheaper to produce with its similar construction methods used on all models across the range from the Junior to the top of range Custom. The difference between the original and the SG bodied Custom was black and white.
Ironically, the original single-cut Les Paul range would likely have been consigned to the dust bin of history had it not been for Eric Clapton. Artists like Freddie King, Keith Richards, Mike Bloomfield and Jimmy Page were known to play Les Pauls but Eric took with his sunburst Les Paul Standard with cranked Marshall amplifier to another level, as heard on the seminal John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers featuring Eric Clapton album. Other guitarists were soon looking for their own bursts: Peter Green, Mike Taylor, Joe Walsh, Paul Kossoff, Jeff Beck, Robert Fripp and Jimmy Page (already a Custom player but would soon to be more famously associated with the sunburst Standard)
Gibson noticed the renewed interest in original single-cut Les Paul models and re-introduced model a 1956 style gold top with P-90 pickups and 1957 style Les Paul Custom. Unfortunately, Gibson misread the market. Guitarists wanted original spec sunburst Les Paul Standards rather than the gold top. The Les Paul Custom was was closer to the mark but there were some major construction differences:
- maple cap on mahogany body (as per Les Paul Standard) rather than all mahogany body;
- 14° rather than 17° headstock angle;
- thinner neck profile;
- 2 x 1968 style pickups;
- Metal knob "waffle back" tuners;
- "witch hat" knobs.
From 1968 onwards the Custom (like the Standard) deviated further from the original build spec with: volutes, pancake bodies, multi piece necks, more prominent use of maple and previously unused timbers like koa and walnut, different bridges (Nashville bridge and Kahlers) and a variety of different pickups. The Custom continued to be a regular Made In USA guitar until the early 2000s when build was transferred to the Custom Shop. These guitars with maple tops (although not visible under the ebony finish), hotter pickups, Grover tuning keys, body weight relief (although usually heavier than Custom Shop models), maple cap (a la Les Paul Standard), speed control knobs and Nashville (rather than ABR-1) bridge.
The Years
Two years after the Les Paul Standard was introduced Gibson's top-of-the-line all black Les Paul Custom was debuted at the NAMM show in July 1954 completing a comprehensive range:
- $995 Les Paul Junior (debuting the same year as the Custom);
- $169.50 Les Paul Junior Special;
- $210 Les Paul Standard (Les Paul model);
- And the most expensive Les Paul model at $325, the Les Paul Custom.
To match its price the Les Paul Custom had luxurious specifications befitting a top-of-the-line model such as:
- yellow ink six-digit serial number on the back of the headstock;
- a split diamond inlay in the headstock;
- 17˚ headstock angle;
- gold plated parts
- laminated binding around the body;
- Body and neck are one-piece mahogany. Because the body is one-piece, the hole for the pickup wiring is drilled in a straight line from the output jack under the pickups to the pickup selector;
- Ebony fretboard with mother-of-pearl position markers;
combination of P-480 (using Alnico V magnets) and P-90 pickups. The P-480 has six individual Alnico V magnets and coils. Making the pickup takes time and money to manufacture. The lead wire extending from the pickup is thin and easily breaks. Another feature of the pickup cover is that there are numbers on the back that indicate the mould number, such as "1" and "2."
The Custom was released primarily focussed on jazz guitarists as a Les Paul thought the all ebony Custom would look good with musicians wearing tuxedos. The lineup also included excellent full acoustic guitars such as the L-5 and Super 400. However, the all-black finish was not that popular with many musicians.
According to "American Guitars" by Tom Wheeler there were the following numbers of Customs built:
- 1954: 94
- 1955: 355
- 1956: 489
- 1957: 283
- 1958: 256
- 1959: 246
- 1960: 189
1954
The 1954 model in particular has:
- truss rod cover overlapping the headstock diamond inlay;
- rounded centre bore for the truss rod;
- the screws that hold the front side of the L-shaped support of the pick guard in place are flathead screws.
- smaller routing for the toggle switch.
1955
Minor changes in the 1955 model include:
- replacing the control "speed knobs" with saucer knobs, made by Cornell Dubrier;
- capacitor was changed to a different color of "Gray Tiger" capacitor;
- P-480 pickup cover has two round indentations;
- The slightly truss rod cover doesn't overlap the diamond inlay.
1956
For 1956 there were no major changes to the external specifications but the capacitors were changed to Spragg Bumblebees (400V /.022 uF) and the centre bore on the truss rod cover became a little more acute.
1957
The patent for the Humbucking pickup (P-490) was filed by Seth Lover, June 22, 1955. This pickup, commonly known as "P.A.F" due to the decal applied to the back of the pickup, (although the earliest examples did not have decals applied). The tone of this pickup continues to fascinate guitarists to this day.
While the Les Paul Custom was the first Gibson to be fitted with Humbuckers other up-scale models would be soon fitted with the new pickup including the venerable Les Paul Standard.
1957 was the first major upgrade to the Les Paul Custom with the original pair of P-480/P-90 pickups being replaced with trio of P-490 Humbuckers. While the 3 pickup humbucker Les Paul Custom is the usual configuration there are number of different configurations including:
- A rare Les Paul Custom owned by American jazz guitarist John Willard ("Johnny Gray") with three P-90s;
- Different switch and control layouts and;
- Rare 2 humbucker models.
- One of the characteristics of this Gibson logo from around 1957 to 1958 is that many of them had the "i" dot placed high, as shown in the photo. However, after 1957, the Les Paul Custom with three humbuckers appeared and when it was used by famous rock guitarists such as Keith Richards and Jimmy Page, it was reevaluated. The Les Paul Custom became the image of rock establishment.
1958
Starting in 1958, the Les Paul Standard changed from a gold finish to a sunburst finish that emphasised the beauty of the maple top.
However, the Les Paul Custom does not have as many changes as the Standard. The body and neck are one-piece mahogany, and the pickup continues to be equipped with three humbuckers with "PATENT APPLIED FOR" decals. This 3-pickup custom has a centre position.
It is characterized by an out-of-phase sound between center and rear, producing a tone similar to that of a single coil. Gibson may have had an idea to compete with the Stratocaster, but unfortunately this phase sound was never widely utilized. Although the guitar in the photo was made in 1958, the gold plating on the metal parts has not peeled off and is in good condition. Also, the genuine Bigsby B7 is mounted on the
It's a heavy individual. Incidentally, in the early days of Jimmy Page, he used a Les Paul Custom with a Bigsby mounted on it, and when his guitar was stolen, he apparently liked it so much that he put out an ad to find it. When the big speaker is mounted, you can get a metallic resonance and a sound with more overtones.
A 1958 Les Paul Custom with a wire-free tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece. As you can see in the partial photo, the Gibson logo on the head is still in a high position. The three-mounted PAF has a gold-plated cover attached, but This plating itself is weak, and there are few that remain bright. The screws that hold the pickup bobbin to the base are Phillips head screws. The holes for wiring the three PAFs are the pickup Below the cavity, a hole is drilled in a straight line from the jack plate side. From this era, Spragg's wax paper capacitors were used as capacitors. Probably they were no longer used as standard. The toggle switch cavity has a wide inner diameter to ease construction.
1959
The most desirable vintage Standard model is the 1959 model, but when it comes to Les Paul Customs, the 1959 model is not the only one that stands out. However, custom models from 1957 to 1961 with three PAFs mounted have high vintage market value. Also, with a standard model, the neck shape becomes thinner as it approaches 1960, but with a custom model, there are no major changes compared to the standard model. At this age, the position of Gibson's dots became obvious. Return to a familiar place. From 1958, it was also changed to Grover's Rotomatic peg 102G with "PAT. PEND.U.S.A." written on it. Some toggle switches have embossed text and others do not, and the thickness varies, but the division based on model year is ambiguous. The L-shaped support screws that attach the pickguard are also a mixture of negative and positive screws, but many of them are replaced along the way.
1960-61
The title is 1960-61, but the guitar in the photo is a 1961 Les Paul Custom. The standard changed to the SG shape in 1961, but the custom remained in its original shape and was shipped until mid-1961. The first digit of the serial "1" to indicate this. The basic specifications are almost the same as the 1960 version, and the metal top knob that was introduced in 1960 is used for volume/tone. This page
The barrel top knob is an early version with a shallow edge. The pegs are Grover's 102G, which have been used since 1958. The pickup continued to be a PAF in 1961, but it was changed to a type commonly known as a "short magnet," in which the magnet was approximately
number is 3.2 mm shorter than the previous model. However, strictly speaking, not all of the 1961 magnets were short magnets, but were probably mixed together as a transitional period. Jack Plate is 3 ply.
The Artists
Les Paul
The one Les Paul, the creator of the Les Paul, is holding in the photo with Mary Ford is a Stam, which appears to be a prototype. As if to show this, just like the 1953-54 models introduced in the Custom Gallery, the split diamond lay is inserted into the truss rod cover, making the head look a little smaller. Since the toggle switch has not been covered yet, I wonder if the photo was taken just after it was completed. Speaking of Mr. Les Paul, the photo of him holding a gold top from the 1960s is famous, but in the 1950s he often wore a custom model that looked good with a tuxedo, as shown in the photo. At that time, he was probably the jazz guitarist who loved customisation the most.
Jimmy Page
Speaking of Jimmy Page, number 1, number The 1959 (some say 1958) Les Paul Standard, known as the Les Paul 2, is synonymous with it, but he also used a Les Paul Custom in the early days, and a signature model was later released.
This custom was made in 1960 with 3 pickups and a Bigsby, and is said to have been acquired around 1962, and he used this guitar extensively during his time as a session man before joining the Yardbirds. There is also a theory that this custom was the first Les Paul to come to Britain. At first, it seems that the original was used with the exception of removing the front pickup cover, but later a bold modification was made by adding two switches to the side of the pickup selector. It seems that each pickup was turned on/off, and the controls were 3 volumes(front/center/rear) and a master tone. It was stolen on January 7, 1970, while Led Zeppelin were on their way to tour Canada after a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Page seemed to like the guitar, and even after it was stolen, he didn't give up and put out an ad with a photo of himself and the guitar, soliciting information.
An advertisement by Jimmy Page at the time asking for information on a stolen Les Paul Custom.
Gibson Custom's Jimmy Page Signature Les Paul Custom was released for a limited time in 2008. Equipped with 3 pickups and a Bigsby unit. It had original wiring, the pickup selector had 6 positions, and the selector knob also served as the volume.
Keith Richard
Keith Richards started using Les Paul Customs from around 1966, including the earliest models of Alnico V + P-90 from around 1954-56, the 3-pickup from 1957-58, and the 3-pickup from 1958. was using. The 3 pickups were stop tailpiece specs, and at the time I mostly played the black custom as my main guitar on recordings and on stage. It is said that he had to buy it again several times after it was stolen.
The most famous video is of him playing the recording of "Sympathy for the Devil" by Jean-Luc Godard "One Brass One" released in 1968. The custom model used in the movie had an illustration drawn on the body that was said to have been designed with his girlfriend at the time, Anita Pallenberg. The photo is taken on stage in 1970, and you can clearly see the original illustrations printed on the body. After Mick Taylor joined, his main guitar position shifted to a Telecaster, but it is interesting that his current main regular tuning is the ES-355, which can be said to be a custom version of the ES series.
Stage shot in Denmark in 1970. During this period, he mainly used a Les Paul Custom.
A 1957 Les Paul Custom made around the same time as the one used by Keith Richards. 3 pickups with stop tailpiece specification. The pegs are made by Kluson, but Keith also had a 3-pickup custom with pegs made by Grover.
The Reviews
1956 Custom compared to 1955 Standard
This 1956 custom has a one-piece mahogany body and an Alnico V pickup on the front, and the sound is clearly tight. On the other hand, the maple top 1955 Standard has a wild and fat sound. This is a common feature of the gold tops of that time. Compared to the standard, the custom did not bulge out too much in the low row, giving it a cleaner, jazzier impression. The fingerboard is made of ebony, which gives it a tighter sound. Also, the sound response is fast. You can clearly feel the difference in sound production from the standard. The gold top has a wild, bluesy rock sound. I think it's a good sound to play. Custom produces beautiful chord tones that show that it was designed with jazz in mind. The custom I played this time is no longer a fretless wonder, so it doesn't exactly have the original sound, but it still has a jazzy feel to it. The actual sound is solid, so even if you distort it, the sound of the chord will remain. You can play jazz, and it's also suitable for cutting rock. It would also go well with music like Style Council. I feel that single coil customisation is a guitar that has a wider range of applications than the Gold-top.
1958 Custom compared to 1959 Standard
The 1958 custom centre position is aiming for a single-coil like sound with Fender in mind. It may be the individuality of this individual, but the low is more pronounced than in 1955. On the other hand, the 1959 Standard was truly the king of electric guitars (lol). Higher harmonics are produced compared to custom. That's why a single note produces a beautiful sound like a wind instrument. That is its unique charm. Since the custom guitar is also PAF, I get the impression that the guitar's original sound comes out even more honestly. However, what differs from the standard is the material and coating. sunburst is a tree
The background is transparent, but the custom one is filled in just like the gold top. When I played them again and compared them, I felt that this had a big effect on the sound. I think this is connected to the standard's richness of overtones and sustain. Compared to the standard, the custom sound is tighter, doesn't scatter, and has a faster rise, making it suitable for playing solos such as single-note riffs. Some people often find that custom 3-pup models don't have a good playing feel, but I don't mind this at all. Both are Les Pauls, but their looks are different. A It has a coolness that is hard to put down.
The Detail
P-480
The early Les Ball Custom had a slightly different pickup built into the neck position than the P-90. The name of this pickup, which was also used in a small number of models such as Birdland and L-5, is P-480 (PU-480), giving it the nickname "alnico pickup" because of its appearance.
The P-480 was developed by Seth Lover, who is also the creator of humbucking pickups, and he says that he was directed to develop it directly by Ted McCarty. When the Les Paul model was created, some of the guitars he used had been modified by himself. All guitar bridge pickups were P-90s, while some models had a D'Armond Model 2000 pickup, better known as the Gretsch Dynasonic, in the neck position. It is.
The P-480 developed by Seth Lover can be called the Gibson version of the Model 2000 (the reason the P-480 was used only in the neck position was probably to reflect Les's preferences). The reason lies in the fact that magnets are used in Les Paul pieces.
While the magnetic field of the P-90, which has a steel pole piece, spreads horizontally, the magnetic field of the magnetic pole piece is generated in a more three-dimensional direction, and the guitar tone has a large strength and weakness, and the contour is It becomes something special.
The P-480 is based on the P-90 and incorporates an adjustable magnetic pole piece. Specifically, approximately 10,000 turns of an enamel AWG #42 gauge coil, similar to that of the P-90, is wound around a thin, spread-out bobbin. Set in the center are six adjustable pole pieces using Alnico V magnets. It has a bar shape with a square cross section, and is approximately 1 inch long, several times the height of the bobbin, and guides the magnetic field in a three-dimensional direction.
With the advent of humbuckers, the labor-intensive P-480 disappeared, but was reinstalled in the neck position of the 1954 Les Paul Custom reissued in 1972. This pickup is very well made and has almost the same construction as the original. It also uses the SPN coil used in the P-90 from a major feature of the Model 2000 is the six adjuster tabs the same period.
Origin of Black Beauty and capacitors
Spragues's Black Beauty, which Gibson started using in the 1960s.
Same resistance/capacity but version labeled 4TM-S22.
Only 5% error. 183P
Sprague Bumblebee used in the 1950s
"Black Beauty is synonymous with Les Ball Custom. It's because of the beautiful black paint that goes well with tuxedos. It's generally said that this is why was called that. It's no surprise that it was described that way because of its looks. I will continue with this as it is a very elegant design. This is a sales campaign that clearly shows the beauty of Les Ball Custom.
However, there is another theory that it originates from the Spragg condenser "Black Beauty" used in the remanufactured Les Paul Custom from 1968.
Indeed, the word "black beauty" was not used at all in Gibson's catalog when the Les Ball Custom was first released. The color is written as solid ebony. In contrast, Spragg's catalogs from the 1960s clearly listed the model name as Black Beauty. Could this model name be used to describe the Les Paul Custom? It certainly seems like there's a point to it.
Now, this Spragg capacitor, Black Beauty, was used in Gibson guitars, and is a 400V/022 F (160P) product with a tolerance of +10%. I've never seen any other Black Beauty mounted on a Gibson guitar, but there are other versions with different opening pressure/capacity. These are the one labeled "4TM-S22" in the photo and 183P, which has an error of only 5%.In terms of capacitor performance, 183P is better, but perhaps this is to reduce the error? It is considerably larger than 160P.The smaller the error, the higher the unit price of parts would be.It was probably not adopted for guitars. Furthermore, Black View
There is also a version of the tee with yellow text. However, it has not received much attention because it has never been used in Gibson guitars. It is not clear whether the synonym "Black Beauty" originates from this capacitor, but the 400V / 022 MF (160P) Black Beauty, which is officially used in Gibson guitars, is currently unavailable. It's difficult.
By the way, Spragg's "Bumble Bee", which was used in Gibson guitars from around 1956, has a slight change in appearance even though it has the same pressure resistance and capacity. If you look at the base of the capacitor, you can see that the oldest one is the version with a round bulge at the base. Next Is the one with a cylindrical base. Then there are bumblebees with nothing attached to the base.
Basically, Bumblebee is an oil condenser (*it seems that there are some differences), but Black Beauty uses personal car paper, so Announce it is a successor model. Is sound quality is alerent
The change in sound quality caused by capacitors is often debated, bu it can be assumed that Gibson has been aware of the change it adds to the sound for a long time. One of the reasons is that it was made around 1958.
Since then, Les Paul Customs have started using capacitors made by Sprag other than Bumblebee (withstand voltage/ capacity 150V/02 F). This may be due to the use of three microphones, but the condenser is not used in the standard, and changing the condenser can change the sound quality and harmonize.
Maybe he was trying to get it out. One of the great joys of vintage guitars is that you can imagine so many different things with just one small part, including the origin of Black Beauty.
ABR-2
Most people probably know that the Tune-O-Matic, an octave-adjustable bridge developed by Gibson, had the model number "ABR-1." With the introduction of this bridge, it became possible to make more severe settings, greatly improving the playability of the Les Paul. However, in the 1950s, the ABR-1 only had a saddle on the bridge, and it seems that users who were not used to using it often ended up dropping and losing the saddle.
In order to accommodate such users, Gibson has continued to sell replacement parts for many years. This is a 1977 replacement parts catalog, but if you look closely you will see the familiar name ABR-1N printed on the nickel tune-o-matic assembly, but it is used for the Les Paul Custom. A gold-plated assembly like this is labeled ABR-2G. In other words, does this mean that the bridge attached to the custom is officially ABR-2 However, the designation ABR-2 is no longer used today, and many people probably didnot know that the gold-plated bridge was ABR-2.
Fretless Wonder
The catalog in the photo is of a Gibson made in 1955, the year after the Les Paul Custom was released. It seems that the selling point of the Les Paul Custom featured here was not the tune-o-matic bridge, which dramatically improved playability, but the appearance of the fretless wonder. The words "THE FRETLESS WONDER" jump in large letters as a catchphrase to introduce the customisation.
Its description touts its high playability and wide tonal range, but unfortunately not many guitarists have benefited from the fretless wonder. When I played the Fretless Wonder custom, which is still an original, I found that it was certainly easy to play the lateral movement, but it was difficult to play the bending etc. unless I was used to it. However, at the time of its release, it was hard to imagine that the Les Paul Custom would later be used by rock musicians, and the main target audience was jazz guitarists who played with clean tones, so the Fretless Wonder was It must have been groundbreaking, just as the catalog says.
However, one thing that bothers me is that the Fretless Wonder was used in reproduced Les Paul Customs made after 1968 when rock music was popular all over the world. It is a mystery whether this was due to a request, a desire to faithfully reproduce the vintage spec, or whether Fretless Wonder had a custom identity.
Changes in body material and sound quality
Although this is not limited to Les Paul Customs, the wood used for the neck and body changes with the times. Custom models in particular have undergone many changes, as in the 1950s they had a 1P mahogany neck and 1P mahogany body. Let's take a look at the history of neck and body materials, and summarise the characteristics of sound quality. Les Paul Customs have generally used ebony fingerboards, with the exception of the maple fingerboard option. This remained unchanged until 1989.
In the 1950s, 1 piece mahogany from Honduras was used for the neck and body. This creates character in the sound, especially the highs. is. The rise in sound also tends to be faster than in other generations.
This may also be related to aging. In the middle of 1957, the pickups changed from single coils to humbuckers, but the characteristics of the mid to high mids remained the same; both had good sound clarity, no overtones, and chord tones. You can feel the characteristic that it sounds beautifully.
When it was re-produced in 1968, the top was changed to a two-piece maple. This changes the sound quality to feel closer to standard. By having maple on top, the overtones increase and the sustain feels even longer. Changes in the pickup have a big effect on the sound quality, but it feels like you can get a fatter sound than in the 1950s. Also, from 1969, 3-piece mahogany neck/1-piece mahogany body, or 3-piece mahogany.
It changes to a pancake body (a 3-piece mahogany body with thin maple sandwiched in between), but some users feel that this change in ply count is not that big, while others feel it is large.
However, you won't feel as much of a difference as you did in the 1950s and 1960s. Makoto Ayukawa, who owned both the 1968 and 1969 models, said during his lifetime that the 1969 model had a little more jerkiness.
From around 1975, three-piece maple necks became available, and the number of heavy customizations began to increase. This maple neck tends to make the sound tighter, but due to the weight of the body, there are many that can produce a heavy low range. To put it simply, the sound quality was a bit harsh, but it was the sound quality that was preferred by HR/HM guitarists at the time. It can be said that customs from the maple neck era go well with heavy distortion sounds.
Around 1977, the body changed to a one-piece mahogany body, but the neck remained 3-piece maple. You will feel that the basic tone has not changed much from the model from around 1975. However, there are still many heavy instruments in this age group, and they tend to be preferred by rock guitarists.
As mentioned above, the Les Paul Custom also has great changes in sound quality due to the neck and body materials. It may be difficult to play all eras, but try playing and comparing various customisations within your budget and find the one that suits you best.
Although this is not limited to Les Paul Customs, the wood used for the neck and body changes with the times. Custom models in particular have undergone many changes, as in the 1950s they had a 1P mahogany neck and 1P mahogany body. Once again, let's summarise the changes in neck and body materials and the characteristics of sound quality.
Les Paul Customs have generally used ebony fingerboards, with the exception of the maple fingerboard option. This remained unchanged until 1989.
In the 1950s, 1 piece mahogany from Honduras was used for the neck and body. This creates a distinctive sound, especially in the high mids or mids. The rise in sound also tends to be faster than in other generations. This may also be related to aging. In the middle of 1957, the pickups changed from single coils to humbuckers, but the characteristics of the mid to high mids remained the same, with both having good sound clarity, no overtones scattering, and chord tones. You can feel the characteristic that it sounds beautifully.
When it was re-produced in 1968, the top was changed to a two-piece maple. This changes the sound quality to feel closer to standard. By having maple on top, the overtones increase and the sustain feels even longer. Changes in the pickup have a big effect on the sound quality, but it feels like you can get a fatter sound than in the 1950s. Also, from 1969, 3-piece mahogany neck/1-piece mahogany body, or 3-piece
- 1954~61: 1P mahogany neck & 1P mahogany body
- 1968-69: 1P Mahogany Neck & 2P Maple Top / 1P Mahogany Body
- 1969: 3P Mahogany Neck & 3P Maple Top / 1P or 3P Mahogany Body
- Around 1975: 3P maple neck & 3P maple top/3P mahogany body
- Around 1977: 3P maple neck & 3P Maple Top, 1P mahogany body
3 pickup options
The Les Paul Custom, which was finally announced at the NAMM show in July 1954, was equipped with two pickups, the P-480 and P-90, as you may know. Later, with the development of humbuckers, the look changed significantly from the middle of 1957. As befits a flagship, three humbuckers are now mounted. The reason for this specification seems to be that it was inspired by Fender's Stratocaster, but it was also influenced by the ES-5, also known as the "Switchmaster." Although extremely rare, there is also a Les Paul Custom from the 1950s that, like the ES-5, had a lever-type slide switch, independent volume and tone for each pickup (in other words, six knobs!?).
It seems that even custom-made models were made with different wiring from the normal circuits.
The three humbuckers lined up on the body have an overwhelming presence, and when you think of a Les Paul Custom, this look is probably the first thing that comes to mind for some fans.
However, the centrally placed pickup can interfere with picking if you are not used to it, and many players find it difficult to play. Still, some players were attracted to this look and used it in various ways, such as setting the centre pickup low or leaving only a dummy cover.
For this reason, you can also find Les Paul Customs from the late 1950s in which only the unused centre PAF has been replaced. This probably involved not only performance but also sound. As some of you may know, it is actually a 3PU Les Paul.
An innovative attempt was made on the custom circuit. The 3PU still uses the conventional toggle switch, but in the center position (rhythm side only front, treble side only rear), a mixed tone of center + rear is output. It was wired. What's more, by reversing the magnetic poles of the center pickup, it was possible to create a phase-out sound. As a result, it was possible to produce tones suitable for cutting that cannot be obtained with the standard. Gibson also touted its ability to produce such a wide variety of tones. However, some players apparently thought the unfamiliar trebly tone was a malfunction, and the initial reviews were not positive.
However, later rock musicians noticed the cool looks, sound, and possibilities of this 3PU and started using it.
Legendary rock guitarists such as Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton. Many other legends such as Albert Lea, Pat Martino, Danny Gatton, Peter Frampton (a modified 1954 model), Robert Fripp, and Ace Frehley (customized 2PU to 3PU) have also taken part. did. Some guitarists even modified their instruments and used their own circuits to create unique sounds. Nowadays, it is common to add coil tabs and mini switches, making it possible to build even more complex circuits, and even some enthusiasts are devising original circuits to create a wide range of tones. If you are aiming for a more unique Les Paul custom player, a 3 humbucker is also interesting. Please try it at least once.
- body and neck are one piece mahogany;
- 3 "Patent Applied For" (PAF) pickups were installed as standard;
- The centre position on the pickup selector is characterised by an "out-of-phase" sound produced by the middle and bridge pickups producing a sound similar to that of a single coil. Gibson may have got an idea to compete with the Fender Stratocaster. Unfortunately, this out-of-phase sound was never widely utilised;
