1973 Gibson Les Paul Custom '54 Reissue.

Condition:

All Original Parts Including Rare Alnico V and P-90 Pickups

Professionally refretted in 2019 by one of the best luthiers in Poland, Mr. Piotr Witwicki (Facebook profile: /Piotr-Witwicki-Pracownia-Lutnicza-100057434290472)

No Cracks or Issues, except some markings in the tuners area. The tuners seem to be factory original, however their position have been slightly adjusted. Not sure why, perhaps some improvement to the factory installation.

Some Play Wear and Some Finish Wear, but the overall condition is amazing considering 50+ years old instrument.

'50's Gibson Neck Profile- Nice "C" Shape Like the Originals from the 50-ties

Comes with the Original Gibson Hard Shell Case

This one is fairly lightweight! 

Weight- 9.2 lbs

Neck pickup output- 6.88 k

Bridge pickup output- 8.30 k 

The guitar was bought from L.A. Vintage Gear (lavintagegear_com) in 2018

History of this model:

Gibson Les Paul Custom '54 Reissue (1973) – The Legendary "Black Beauty" in Its Purest FormExecutive Summary: A Rare Oasis in Norlin History

Introduced in late 1953 and fully realized in 1954, the original Les Paul Custom was envisioned by Les Paul himself as a high-end, tuxedo-inspired masterpiece—the "Black Beauty." While the production line permanently shifted to humbuckers in 1957, Gibson did something extraordinary between 1972 and 1973. For a very limited two-year run, the Kalamazoo factory looked backward to create a strict, small-batch tribute to the initial 1954 specifications.

Amidst an era often generalized by "sandwich" pancake bodies and heavy modifications, this 1973 '54 Reissue stands as a magnificent exception. Built with premium vintage-accurate tonewood structures and an elite, forgotten pickup configuration, it offers players and investors a rare bridge between Golden-Era design and early-70s vintage mojo.

Key Architectural & Vintage-Correct Highlights

• Solid Mahogany Integrity (No Pancake Body): Unlike the standard multi-layered "pancake" bodies (mahogany/maple/mahogany) utilized on standard Les Pauls of the mid-70s, this limited run honors the true 1954 formula. It features a solid, carved mahogany top on a solid mahogany back. This construction provides a uniquely warm, deeply resonant, and acoustic-like vibration that you can feel straight through the wood.
• Period-Correct One-Piece Neck: Built with a beefy, comfortable one-piece mahogany set-neck profile rather than the 3-piece maple necks that became standard shortly after.
• The "LE" Serial Prefix & Volute Anomalies:A hallmark identifier of this incredibly scarce run is the "LE" (Limited Edition) prefix stamped into the back of the headstock. True to the original spirit, examples from this run are known to omit the typical heavy 1970s volute (or feature a highly minimized, smooth transition), leaving the classic, elegant lines of the peghead entirely intact.
• The Missing "i" Dot:Authentic to Gibson's late-60s and early-70s production transition, the mother-of-pearl Gibson logo on the headstock features the distinct "missing dot" over the "i"—a highly prized nuance among vintage scholars.

Sonic Identity: The Ultimate Hybrid Electronics

The 1973 '54 Reissue bypasses the standard humbucker bite for a highly expressive, nuanced voice provided by a legendary, short-lived pickup combination:

1. Neck Position: The "Staple" Alnico V (P-480):Originally designed by Seth Lover to deliver high-fidelity clarity, this pickup utilizes rectangular, adjustable Alnico magnet slugs. It produces a clear, articulate, and bell-like tone. It is significantly less aggressive and more glassy than a standard P-90, making it exceptionally warm for jazz, blues, and pristine clean lines without ever muddying up.
2. Bridge Position: The Soapbar P-90: The perfect counterpart to the Alnico V. The classic single-coil P-90 provides a raw, mid-forward bark with outstanding touch sensitivity. When pushed, it breaks up into a glorious, vintage snarl that cuts through any mix.

Combined with authentic early-1973 CTS potentiometers and vintage wiring, the intermediate pickup selector settings yield a complex, hollowed-out "quack" and acoustic clarity that modern humbucker guitars simply cannot replicate.

Technical Specifications

• Model: Les Paul Custom Limited Edition '54 Reissue
• Year of Manufacture: 1973 (serial number: LE896893)
• Origin:Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA
• Finish:Gloss Ebony (Black Beauty nitrocellulose lacquer)
• Body Material:Solid Mahogany Back with Carved Solid Mahogany Top
• Binding:Multi-ply black-and-white (B-W-B-W-B-W) top and back purfling; bound headstock and fingerboard
• Neck Material:One-piece Mahogany (set-neck construction)
• Scale Length:24-3/4"
• Nut Width:Vintage-accurate 1-11/16"
• Fingerboard Material:Solid, tightly-grained premium Ebony
• Fretboard Inlays:Mother-of-Pearl block inlays
• Frets:22 frets
• Hardware Finish:Gold-plated
• Bridge/Tailpiece:Original wired ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic bridge with a classic stop-bar tailpiece
• Tuning Machines:High-end gold "Waffleback" tuners with keystone plastic buttons
• Pickguard:Raised multi-ply black plastic
• Controls:2 Volume, 2 Tone, 3-way toggle pickup switch
• Average Weight:Highly balanced for the era, typically floating between 8.8 lbs to 9.8 lbs (approx. 4.0 kg to 4.4 kg), giving it excellent natural acoustic resonance.

Collector & Investment Notes

Because this model was only manufactured for roughly two years, production numbers are incredibly low compared to the mass-produced standards of the era. The 1973 '54 Reissue has skyrocketed in desirability because it offers the majestic tone of a mid-50s Custom at a fraction of the cost of an original 1954 piece, while maintaining an investment curve that easily outpaces standard Norlin-era instruments.

Often aging beautifully with fine, webbed nitrocellulose weather-checking and a deep ambering of the multi-ply binding, it is a masterclass in vintage aesthetics. It stands as a pinnacle addition to any high-end guitar collection and an extraordinary tool for the stage or studio.