The Special model from Gibson Custom Shop is such an iconic rock n roll machine that really allows for the p90 pickup to be the star of the show. Two volumes, two tones, two pickups, and a big slab of mahogany make this guitar a simple to use tone monster. The immediacy of sound incredible and that is in part to the wrap around tail piece to get the strings direct into the body for great vibration resonance.

The soapbar p90's on this 57 single cut are loud, clear, and extremely articulate. The neck pickup has a warm woody tone that is perfectly in between my 335 tone and a telecaster, with that thick single coil thing working, and the bridge is crisp and really loves to be pushed into classic rock heaven. Power chords, quick rifts, or crazy up the neck runs really come alive and these pickups really have a deep low mids thing going on compared to the double cut special I have. The neck is a full C shape, from .91 at the 1st up to 1.02 at the 12th fret.

The guitar is in near mint condition with one tiny blemish prior to my ownership. Under the neck tone knob, there is one little chip in the lacquer that is not visible unless you remove the tone knob. This particular example has such a tight grain pattern, it really has the look of one of the old models from the 60's, and the yellow is a perfect shape that really looks incredible in the light. The rosewood on this is super dark too, almost Brazilian if you didn't know it was Indian rosewood. Throw in a brown alligator case with all the candy and you have yourself a perfect 1957 replica ready to rock. This has never left the house and is set up perfectly.