1954+ Gibson Les Paul Custom

1st Generation 1954-1956:  P90 and Alnico V Single Coil Pickups

• The first version of the Custom had a black finish, which Les Paul himself requested because he wanted an elegant guitar that “looked like a tuxedo.” 
• The Custom also included super low frets (.070”)
• The new Les Paul Custom earned the nicknames ”Black Beauty”, and “Fretless Wonder” due to their elegant black finish and super low frets
• The early versions had a P-90 pickup in the bridge position and the new Alnico V pickup with rectangular pole pieces in the neck position. 
• Unlike the Les Paul Model, the Custom didn’t have a maple top with a mahogany back but instead the top was made from solid mahogany.
• Other features included an ebony fretboard with square pearl inlays; fancy binding on the top, back, neck and headstock; gold plated hardware, Kluson Deluxe tuners, four black tophat control knobs, 3 way pickup selector, black pickguard, stopbar tailpiece and Tune-o-matic bridge, and an optional Bigsby B7 vibrato
• Only 1221 original single coil Les Paul Customs were ever made, with 94 shipped in '54, 355 in '55, 489 in '56, and 283 in ‘57

 

2nd Generation 1957-1960: 2 or 3 PAF Humbucker Pickups

• In 1957 Gibson dropped the two single coil pickups in favor of the newly introduced "PAF"  humbucking pickups offered in either a 2 pickup or the new 3 pickup configuration.
• Almost all Gen 2 Les Paul Customs were made with three pickups, although a very small number were made with two pickups
• Other changes included Grover tuners replacing the original Klusons, and a 17-degree headstock angle.
• Similar to Les Paul Standards, 1957-60 are the most valuable and collectible Les Paul Custom years

 

1961-67 "SG Era"

• Like the Les Paul Standard, the traditional single cut Les Paul body was discontinued on the Custom after 1960 and changed to the double cut "SG" body.  As such, no "traditional" Les Paul Customs were made from 1961 through 1968 when the traditional single cut Les Paul Custom was re-introduced.  

 

1968-69 Traditional single cut Les Paul body Reintroduction 

• The 1968 Les Paul Custom stood apart from its 1950s predecessors in a few significant ways. Instead of a solid mahogany body, it now had a solid maple top on a mahogany back - adding the clarity and bite that many rock guitarists sought. It also came standard with two humbuckers as opposed to three, providing additional picking clearance. And lastly it had a 14-degree peghead angle for reduced string tension. 
• Les Paul Custom's have been produced continuously by Gibson ever since their reintroduction in 1968.

 

1970-85 The "Norlin Era"

• In 1969 Gibson/CMI was acquired by the Panama-based Ecuadorian Company Limited (ECL), who later changed their name to Norlin Corporation
• In 1974 Gibson became a subsidiary of Norlin Musical Instruments and solid body production moved from Kalamazoo (Michigan) to Nashville (Tennessee).
• Guitars produced in this era are widely considered to be the worst guitars Gibson ever made...
• Changes were made to maximize the number of instruments that could be made from a given amount of wood, and to reduce warranty repairs
• The body was also changed from one-piece mahogany with a maple top to multiple slabs of mahogany with multiple pieced maple tops. This is referred to as "multipiece" construction, and sometimes incorrectly referred to as a "pancake" body. The expression "pancake body" actually refers to a body made of a thin layer of maple sandwiched between two slabs of mahogany, with a maple cap. The grain of the maple was placed at 90 degrees to that of the mahogany. The "pancake"-like layers are clearly visible when looking at the edge of the guitar. This process is also known as "crossbanding", and was done to make use of less expensive and more readily available thinner mahogany. Crossbanding was phased out by 1977.
• Neck woods were changed from one-piece mahogany to a three-piece maple design.
• On the solid body Les Paul a reinforced upper neck volute was added to decrease headstock breaks
• In 1976 they begin again to produce the Les Paul Standard with some changes: pickup cavity shielding, the crossover of the ABR1 Tune-o-matic bridge into the wide "Nashville" bridge, optional maple fingerboards.
• The Norlin period ended in 1986, when the company was acquired by a group led by Henry Juszkiewicz and David H. Berryman
• Although this was one of the company's most controversial eras when many players saw a sacrifice of quality for profit margins, the Gibson Les Paul Customs of the Norlin Era can be diamond-in-the-rough finds for players with a keen eye.

 

Les Paul's personal 1954 Gibson Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty”  was the 1st ever Gibson Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” made, and is the Most Expensive Black Beauty ever sold, selling for $335,000 in 2015 to Jim Irsay   (Images #8, 9)

 

1954 Gibson Les Paul Custom 3 Pickup Peter Frampton “Phenix”  (Images #2, 3, 4)

• Nicknamed "Phenix" for its ability to rise from the ashes... Peter Frampton’s factory modified 3 humbucker 1954 "Phenix" Les Paul Custom that graced the cover of 1976's "Frampton Comes Alive!“  
• Framton was given this guitar in 1970 by a fan named Mark Mariana at the Fillmore West in San Francisco after Frampton was having having trouble with howling feedback from his semi-hollowbody guitar as Humble Pie was opening for the Grateful Dead.
• Tragically, Peter's cherished 54 Les Paul Custom was lost to a cargo plane crash in Venezuela in 1980. 
• Miraculously, in 2011, through the co-operation of a few generous fans and Gibson Custom Shop's oversight, Peter and his guitar were brought back together after 31 years!

 

Jimmy Page's 1960 3 pickup Black Beauty with a Bigsby SN 06130 was his main studio guitar from 1962-67, as well as his main guitar during Led Zeppelin’s very early days. Like Peter Frampton's Phenix, this guitar was stolen in 1970 but miraculously returned to him in 2015 after 45 years!  (Images #5, 6, 7)

 

Steve Gaines 1958 2 Single Coil Pickup Black Beauty  - used on Lynyrd Skynyrd classics such as “I Know a Little, “T for Texas”, and live performances of “Freebird”  (Image #12)

 

Al Di Meola  (Image #13) - 1959 Les Paul Custom, which he has described as the best-sounding guitar in his collection, used on later projects like Elysium and a 1971 Les Paul Custom which he used extensively during his early career, including on albums like Elegant Gypsy and Land of the Midnight Sun, as well as with Return to Forever. 

 

Although not technically a "Black Beauty",  Neil Schon's (Journey) 1977 Gibson Les Paul Pro-Deluxe was a "Norlin Era" Custom which sold for $250,000 in 2021, also to Jim Irsay   (Images #10, 11)

 

Other famous Les Paul Customs that are not "Black Beauty"s include:

 

• Randy Rhoads Alpine White "Norlin Era" 1974 Les Paul Custom  - This was the 1st guitar he was identified with, gifted to him by members of Quiet Riot.  This Les Paul was Randy's main guitar throughout his career and was used for a majority of his recordings and performances with Ozzy.  It had a four-piece body: two layers of mahogany with a thin layer of maple in the middle and a carved maple top.  It was Alpine White when new, but the nitrocellulose lacquer yellowed over time. It was also heavier than fifties era Les Paul Customs.  It was equipped with T-Bucker pickups, the new version of Gibson's PAFs.  Most T-Buckers were equipped with Alnico 5, with only a few models including Randy's equipped with Alnico 3.  The neck pickup measured 7.4 kohms, producing a sound that was mellow and open, while supporting saturation well.  The bridge pickup measured 7.6 kohms, was responsive enough to play all styles, and became pleasant with singing highs, unlike the Alnico 5 version.  The pickups benefit from a hand wound slightly asymmetrical winding, which broadens the frequency range.  Randy made only a few cosmetic alterations to the guitar, replacing the brass toggle switchplate and substituting the Grover tuning machines with Schallers. The most noticeable marking on this guitar was Randy's name engraved on the pickguard (Images #14, 15)

 

 

 

 

• Ace Frehley's triple pickup Sunburst 1974 "Budokan" Les Paul Custom
  • 2012 Gibson Custom Ace Frehley Budokan Les Paul Custom AGED & SIGNED - Limited Edition 50 pieces  MSRP $12,235  

 

2015 Gibson Custom Shop Peter Frampton "Phenix" '54 Les Paul Custom  (Signed, Murphy Aged) - $20,799

• Gibson Custom is excited to celebrate one of music history's most unlikely reunions with the introduction of a very limited run of 35 Peter Frampton "Phenix" 1954 3 Pickup Les Paul Customs, each a very detailed and extensive replica of one of the most storied guitars in rock-and-roll lore. Like Peter's own, each one bears the battle scars earned through its unbelievable lifetime, brought back to life for exceptional playability and tone.  Each "Phenix" has been hand-aged by Tom Murphy and then played and signed by Peter Frampton as he gave his final approval.

 

2015 Gibson Peter Frampton "Phenix" Les Paul Custom VOS  $6999

• The Gibson Custom Shop is proud to offer a VOS rendition of this guitar as an Artist model. It has all of the classic Les Paul Custom cosmetic appointments, along with a weight-relieved mahogany body with a solid mahogany top, gold hardware, Grover® tuners, Schaller Strap Locks, and three open-coil Custombucker humbuckers™. The VOS finish gives it the look of a vintage original, minus the dings and scars that the original Phenix now bears. It also features custom wiring. The 3-way toggle switch controls the neck and bridge pickups, just as on a two-pickup Les Paul Custom, and they share a volume and tone control. The second set of volume and tone controls are connected to the middle pickup; it can be used with either (or both) of the other two pickups. It can even be used by itself when the other pickups are turned down, making this Phenix-inspired model not only an iconic looking and great sounding guitar, but a highly flexible one as well

 

2018 Epiphone Limited Edition ‘54 Les Paul Custom PRO Peter Frampton "Phenix" Replica

• Guitar only - limited to 900 guitars
• “Premium Outfit” - comes with a hand-signed certificate of authenticity and a hard case - limited to 200

 

2008 Gibson Custom Shop Jimmy Page ‘60 Les Paul Custom w/Bigsby “Black Beauty” - (Signed, Murphy Aged) - $36,163 

• Limited Edition with only 500 built, and from that only 25 were autographed and numbered
• In 2008, Gibson released a painstaking recreation of Page's '60 Les Paul Custom with some of the most innovative electronics to ever grace a Les Paul including Page BurstBucker pickups with an innovative six-position toggle that lets you isolate the neck and bridge pickups, or add the middle in any combination.

 

Randy Rhoads 1974 Les Paul Custom

 

NON SIGNATURE MODELS

• Year-by-Year History of the Historic Les Paul Collection
• 1954 Les Paul Custom Staple Pickup Reissue VOS
• True Historic 1957 Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty"
• 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue, Ebony 2-Pickup
• 2015 Collector's Choice #22 Tommy Colletti 1959 Les Paul Custom
• 1968 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty
• 1968 Les Paul Custom Reissue of the 1st Reissue
• 1996-2019 Epiphone Les Paul Black Beauty 3

 

The M5 Guitar is a 2018 Epiphone Limited Edition ‘54 Les Paul Custom PRO Peter Frampton “Phenix” SN 13061508697 (Image #1)

• Body Material: Mahogany
• Color: Black
• Finish: Gloss
• Scale Length: 24.75“
• Binding: Cream body, fingerboard, headstock
• Pickguard: None
• Neck Material: Mahogany 
• Neck Construction: Mortise and Tenon
• Neck Shape: Slim taper D, . 
• Fingerboard: 12” Radius Rosewood
• Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo
• Inlays: Pearloid Block
• Bridge: Locktone Tune-O-Matic
• Tailpiece:  Stopbar
• Nut: 1 11/16“
• Tuning Machines: Grover Rotomatic 
• Pickups: Alnico Classic Humbuckers x3
• 2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way pickup switch
• Control Knobs: 4 Gold Top Hats
• Switch Washer, Tip & Trim Rings: Cream
• Hardware Finish: Gold
• Backplate & Switchplate Covers: Black
   

 

1 - The Mach Five Guitar - 2018 Epiphone Limited Edition ‘54 Les Paul Custom PRO Peter Frampton “Phenix” SN 13061508697

2, 3, 4 - 1954 Peter Frampton "Phenix" Les Paul Custom

5, 6, 7 - 1960 Jimmy Page 3 pickup Black Beauty with a Bigsby SN 06130

8 - 1954 "Staple Pickup" 2 pickup Les Paul Custom

9 - 1st ever Gibson Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” - Les Paul's 1954 Gibson Les Paul Custom

10, 11 - Neil Schon

12 - Steve Gaines 1958 Les Paul Custom

13 - Al Dimeola 1971 Les Paul Custom, 

14, 15 - Randy Rhoads 1974 Les Paul Custom Alpine White

 

Peter Frampton Do You Feel Like We Do Midnight Special 1975 FULL

Lynyrd Skynyrd / Steve Gaines - T For Texas - 1977

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird - 7/2/1977 - Oakland Coliseum Stadium (Official)

KEY MILESTONES

• 1954: Les Paul Custom released; single-cutaway; 1-piece mahogany body; Alnico V (n) and P-90 (b) pickups; black finish
• 1957: 3x PAF humbuckers
• 1961: Double-cutaway SG-style mahogany body; 3x humbuckers; white finish
• 1968: 1st REISSUE Single-cutaway; 1-piece mahogany body with maple top; 1-piece mahogany neck; 2x humbuckers; black finish
• 1969: 3-piece mahogany neck; shorter neck tenon
• Late 1969/Early 1970 (Norlin era): Laminated ‘pancake’ body with maple top; neck volute
• 1972: 2nd REISSUE Les Paul Custom ’54; Alnico V (neck) & P-90 (bridge) pickups; black finish
• 1974: ‘Twentieth anniversary’ 15th fret inlay
• 1975: Change to maple neck
• 1982-84: Tim Shaw pickups, maple neck, tuners with winders
• 1984: Back to mahogany neck
• 1988: Bill Lawrence circuit board pickups
• 1990: 498T/490R pickups
• 2004: All Customs now made in Custom Shop 
• 2013: Fretboard from ebony to Richlight

 

The Gibson Les Paul Custom: A Short History

Famous Guitars Youtube - Phenix

Gibson Vintage - Guitars Collector