Here for sale we have a Gibson Custom, Art & Historic 'Cloud 9' Chambered Reissue 1954 Les Paul Standard. Made in the USA in 2004, this guitar comes from one of the early iterations of what is today called the Gibson Custom Shop. Whilst Gibson have long been producing 'custom' special orders for customers & artists, it wasn't until late 1993 that a dedicated division was set up. Originally, the Custom, Art & Historic division produced historic reissues alongside special versions of USA line guitars that included unique features not available elsewhere. By 1996 the first Artist models were produced, beginning with the Joe Perry Les Paul & Ace Frehley in '97 which both went on to enjoy Gibson USA production runs. In 2007, Gibson renamed the division to simply 'Gibson Custom', simplifying its name but continuing to develop the finest & most exclusive instruments that Gibson offers.  

This guitar comes from the Chambered Reissue or 'Cloud 9' series that was introduced in 2004. The 'CR44022' serial number of this instrument indicates that it is an early example of this series. The aim of the 'Cloud 9' series was to reduce the quite considerable weight of the instrument whilst retaining the tone & sustain of the original. Gibson USA weight relief is much simpler, and can be thought of as 'Swiss Cheese' routing where holes are routed out to keep the weight down. Whilst this method does reduce the weight, it can negatively impact the resonance of the guitar. This series uses a fully chambered design routed into the body & underside of the top. This produces an acoustic chamber inside the instrument which provides the best of both worlds -  reduced weight but retained tone & sustain.

The Mahogany neck plays very well, with the '50s Rounded ‘C' profile feeling nicely substantial in the hand. Whilst certainly on the thicker side, there is still plenty of scope for fast articulate playing - the neck is no ‘baseball bat’ as some ‘50s reissue instruments can be. The guitar feels sprightly on the shoulders thanks to the chambered body, weighing in at just 7.35lbs. This means it's perfect for long gigs & rehearsals without a hint of back or shoulder fatigue. It’s easy to see why this era of Les Paul has endured & been celebrated so long - the smooth lines of the body are comfortable in both seated & standing positions, the controls are well placed & the cutaway offers unrestricted access to the top frets. 

The pair of Gibson P-90 pickups installed in this guitar deliver a thick and raw sound, with a solid output that pushes the front end of an amp very nicely. The lows are full-bodied yet tight, the midrange is punchy and powerful- easily cutting through a mix. Along with the biting high frequencies, there is a well rounded tone on offer here which is well suited to a wide range of genres & playing styles. The pickups are very dynamic, more so than the slightly compressed nature of humbuckers, while offering more power than is usually associated with single coils. This is a wonderful early example from a highly desirable series of vintage reissues. 

Brand- Gibson

Model- Custom, Art & Historic 'Cloud 9' Chambered Reissue 1954 Les Paul Standard

Finish- Gold Top Dark Back

Year- 2004

Made In- USA

Body- Chambered Mahogany

Top- Carved Maple

Neck- Mahogany

Neck Profile- '50s Rounded 'C'

Fingerboard- Rosewood

Fingerboard Radius- 12"

Frets- 22

Scale Length- 24.75"

Nut Width- 1.701"

Pickups- 2x Gibson Custom Art & Historic P90s

Controls- 3-Way Toggle Switch, Neck Volume, Neck Tone, Bridge Volume, Bridge Tone

Luthier Report

Our ID: 1290926245901

Weight: 7.35lbs  

Serial: CR44022

Aesthetic Condition:

Headstock: Overall very good condition. Very light indentations are present to the top edges, seen only under close scrutiny. Light nitro checking to the front face is most notable near the Gibson logo. Very light Gold over-spray is present to the rear face edge near the high E tuning machine. Very light scratching to all aspects of the headstock is visible under direct light, as is common with high gloss finishes. 

Neck: Overall very good condition. The rear of the neck shows light to mild blooming of the nitro finish in the upper register. Very light indentations to the rear of the neck are scattered inconsistently throughout the register.These markings are not felt under the thumb & do not impact the playability of the instrument. Very light nitro checking is present at the binding seam at either side of the neck, as is common with nitro finishes. 

Body: Overall very good condition. The treble side of the instrument shows light to mild indentation & scratching between the waist & output jack. The front face shows light to mild nitro checking, most notably at the cutaway & under the pickguard. The rear face shows very light indentation & scratching when viewed under direct light & close scrutiny. 

Condition of Frets:

The frets demonstrate light signs of use, not affecting playability. Light flattening of the frets is apparent throughout the register. There is considerable material remaining for any fret work the new owner may wish to perform.

Current Set Up:

Truss Rod: Fully functional. Truss rod tool (5/16" socket) included.

Hardware: Overall very good condition with mild tarnishing of the bridge consistent with past use in a high contact area. Mild scratching and discoloration is present to the pick guard.

Structural: No concerns or issues to note.

Height of the string from the 12th Fret-1.5mm - Bass 2mm

Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height.

Strings on Guitar - 10-46

Electrics: 

Fully functional.

Case & Accessories:

Original Gibson Custom hard case.

Very good condition with some marking to the exterior & mild oxidation of the latches. 

COA, original paperwork, hang tags, truss rod tool, Gibson cleaning cloth & instrument cable included. 

Please be aware that for international buyers import fees are not included in our postage and packaging cost, this only covers the cost of the guitar being sent to you. Import fees will be charged by Customs upon the guitar's arrival in the recipient country. Due to Brexit, this also applies to EU buyers. We advise checking the total import cost with Customs as this is not information we are able to accurately provide.