blog
Guitar Spotlight: Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom Plain Top
In 1978 I received a Les Paul Custom Plus with a natural finish as a high school graduation gift. This was a limited edition at the time. It is still unusual to see a Les Paul with a natural finish. I have seen some over the years with a maple fingerboard, which is just not appealing to me, but I haven't seen one with an Ebony fretboard like mine. Yesterday, on a whim, I did a search on the Musician's Friend website for "Les Paul Natural" and found four! Who knew? Well, the maple neck model was there. Not a real surprise. There was also a custom shop flame top version with the Ebony fretboard, but no pickguard. Getting closer. An Epiphone version with a flame top and Rosewood fingerboard. A nice budget alternative.
Then there it was: The Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom Plain Top Electric Guitar. A mouthful, but it looks almost exactly like mine did new 30 years ago. The only exceptions are mine had a three-piece maple cap instead of two, and mine has the gold top volume and tone knobs instead of the flat clear ones. I also have the "fretless wonder" frets that are no longer used (a shame — I love those frets.) Plus I swapped the stock tuners for Grovers since the originals wouldn't hold a tuning.
Here is picture of me in the early 1980's with my 1977 Les Paul Custom Plus.
There is no information on the Gibson website about a natural finish Les Paul, but here is the description from Musician's Friend:
In addition to the time-honored qualities you expect from a genuine Les Paul guitar from the Gibson Custom Shop: one piece mahogany neck and warm-toned mahogany body, this guitar's plain top has the feel and look of a comfortable work-horse guitar, and it's ebony fretboard complements it perfectly. 490R and 498T Gibson humbuckers deliver warm rhythm and hot, solid lead sounds. Gibson also includes a tune-o-matic bridge, stopbar tailpiece, and bound body, neck, and head with gold hardware.
I would love to get my hands on one to see how the 2007 model compares to the 1977 model, but since the new one goes for $3400 (about ten times what mine cost new in '78) I'll just have to admire its picture. Maybe some kid with rich parents will get one for his graduation gift and enjoy his as much as I have mine. Mine has darkened with age, the gold plating has worn off in many places, and it is covered with battle scars, but I still think the natural finish is the best looking Les Paul ever.
If you have $3400 laying around and can't figure out what do with it. I have a suggestion...
Reader Reply: Hey guys, I walked into Parker Music store in Pasadena Texas in 1978 and immediately fell in love with a guitar hanging on the wall. It was a 1977 Gibson Les Paul Custom in a natural finish. Awesome! I paid $949 dollars then... the list was $1049, but there was a scratch on the back where someone keyed it. I still have the guitar and it is still all original and sounds sweet. I wish I knew the actual production numbers on this guitar with natural finish, but have had no luck getting documented info. I did email someone working for Gibson several years ago and he "told" me I had 1 of 11 made that year. I haven't been able to confirm this anywhere though. Anyway, it's nice to belong to an elite group of musicians who own something so rare. Good luck to y'all and happy recordings! - Jim Hernandez
Reader Reply: Hi Mark, I too own a 1977 Les Paul custom, natural wood finish, and gold hardware. I did have my buddy and tone guru Jim williams (Audio Upgrades) install a 9 volt battery operated preamp circuit inside for even more ooomph!, and a roland GK-2 driver to run the GR-1 guitar synthesizer units. I love this guitar, even though it weighs about 14 lbs. and I have a really bad back.
I have about 15 other guitars, a couple of other Gibsons, but this is the one I grab first. I bought it in 1984 from Mike Manejas and Brooks Otis, then owners of Woldwood guitar shop in Arcata, Ca, up in Humboldt County where I was a student at HSU. A fellow named Mark Thomas, a classical guitarist, special ordered it through the store, I believe, but traded it in for a classical guitar. The Les Paul hung for so long on the hanger that the neoprene burned its way into the finish at the headstock on both sides where it hung, it is often mistaken for double cigarette burns, I do not smoke. I have not been able to find any info on my guitar either, all I know is it rocks!
My buddy Marc Mann (grammy for his work behind Clapton, McCartney in "Concert For George") loves using this Les Paul as well when he comes into record here at 7 South Recording, where I have been an engineer and studio player for the last 6 years. If you find any other info on this axe, please let me know, nice to see I don't have the only one out there. Rock on! - Paullie.
Mark: My mother bought mine new at Grinnells — a music store — at the local mall (Ann Arbor, Michigan) at the time (spring 1978). I know this because I used to stop at the store display window every time we went to the mall just to drool over it. One time I went in and asked the salesman about it. He said it was a limited edition of 100, and that Les Paul, himself, had autographed several of them on the backplate. Mine does have Les Paul's autograph etched into the plate on the back. It came with a molded hard case which, unfortunately, had plastic locks that wore out and broke off after a few years. I had to buy a used case for it with metal locks. That is really all I know about it. Other than it is the best playing/sounding Les Paul I have ever tried.