ORIGINAL (EARLY - RARE) 1958 GIBSON LES PAUL SPECIAL - Single Cut Away Body Style

100% ORIGINAL & AUTHENTIC: Everything on my guitar is original and without modification

This original ’58 Les Paul is a living piece of history. You’re aware that the same design and tone shaped recordings by Clapton, Page, Kossoff, Duane Allman, and countless others.

Many players describe a sense of reverence. There’s a psychological effect too: knowing you’re holding a guitar worth more than the price tag. The feeling I get when playing it is one of constant appreciation and the knowledge that what I am hearing are the same notes Les himself designed, played and shared with everyone. It makes the connection to the instrument deeper. As a player for decades, I can honestly say I enjoyed playing the Special more than the 59 Burst I have owned. For that reason, this guitar is the best bang for anyone's buck if you play classic rock, rockabilly, or even prog - as it was meant to be heard.

Gibson Historical Notes

The Les Paul Special was originally introduced in 1955 as a mid-tier model in Gibson’s lineup, sitting above the Les Paul Junior but below the Les Paul Standard and Custom. It was designed for students and working musicians, offering solid tone and playability at a more affordable price.

By 1958, the Les Paul Special had undergone key changes:

• It transitioned from the single-cutaway design to a double-cutaway body (in mid-1958) to provide better upper fret access.
• It featured two P-90 pickups, delivering raw, punchy tones that became iconic for blues, rock, and punk guitarists.
• The TV Yellow finish—a lightly translucent yellow color—was originally designed to appear better on black-and-white television broadcasts, making the guitar stand out on screen.

2. What Makes the 1958 Model Special?

• 58 was a transition year — Gibson moved mid-year from single-cut to double-cut body style. The single-cut 1958s are therefore rarer than typical ’55–’57 Specials, because fewer were made before the design change.
• P-90 Pickups: Known for their hot, gritty tone, P-90s in this model provided a balanced mix of clarity and raw power, making it a favorite for rock and blues players.
• Old Growth Dense Mahogany Body & Neck: This contributed to its warm sustain and resonance, a hallmark of vintage Gibson.
• TV Yellow Finish: The slightly faded, almost "limed mahogany" look became iconic and remains one of Gibson’s most recognizable colors.
• Only 500~ (approx) made

Note: Gibson never published exact production numbers, but there are well-accepted vintage-market estimates based on serials, shipping ledgers, and surviving examples.

3. Who Played the 1958 Les Paul Special?

The 1958 Les Paul Special TV Yellow has been associated with several famous musicians who embraced its no-frills design and raw tone:

• Leslie West (Mountain) – Used it for his thick, aggressive tone on hits like Mississippi Queen.
• Johnny Thunders (New York Dolls) – Made it a punk rock icon, playing with a raw, overdriven sound.
• Bob Marley – His TV Yellow Les Paul Special (modified with humbuckers) is one of the most famous guitars in reggae history.
• Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones) – Occasionally used a similar model for rhythm guitar work.

4. Why is it So Valuable Today?

Rarity & Vintage Appeal – The single-cut 1958 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow is one of the most collectible Gibson guitars.

Tone & Playability – It remains a favorite among tone purists, offering a powerful, raw sound with great dynamics.

The neck on a ’58 Special is still chunky and rounded, but slightly less massive than the Standard’s “baseball bat.” It has that substantial, old-school feel that encourages strong, confident fretting.

Because it’s a flat-topped slab mahogany body with no maple cap, it’s lighter and more direct than a Standard. You feel more wood vibration against your body, with less weight on your shoulder.

This guitar is an extremely acoustically lively instrument, with the smooth, muscly growl and fundamental warmth of old-growth Honduran mahogany. The Les Paul Special has a dynamic, touch-sensitive quality, with equal parts glassy treble clarity and wooly P-90 bark. Each position on the three-way pickup selector has a distinct, vital quality, with a lively chime attributable to the lightweight wraparound tailpiece.

Weight: 7 pounds 0 (zero) ounces, a veritable featherweight amongst its peers. Les Paul Special is light and plays exceedingly well with low action.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Old Growth Honduran Mahogany
-Shape: Baseball bat C, measuring .925” 1st fret, .985” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood, dot inlay
-Frets: Original Slender, minimal wear. They are original and never replaced but recently serviced by a well known luthier. (see above)
-Scale Length: 24 3/4” Standard Gibson
-Nut: 1 11/16”, Nylon
-Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single line strip, original buttons: High E tuner requires more pressure to tune than the other five.
-Serialization: Inked, 8-prefix

Note: fret level and crown service performed 9/9/25 for smoother action and feel. The originals frets remain on board to preserve Les Paul‘s vision and design.

- Width: ~0.080" – 0.085" (2.0–2.2 mm)

- Height (new, unworn): ~0.035" – 0.040" (0.9–1.0 mm)

- Crown shape: Oval, low profile compared to modern jumbo wire

- Material: Nickel-silver (German silver alloy, ~18% nickel)

- Tang: Standard Gibson tang with barbs, cut for a 12" radius fingerboard

Body Wood: Old Growth Honduran Mahogany (denser wood than today's trees)
-Pickups: P-90 x2, 7.85k Bridge, 8k Neck
-Harness: Untouched solder,
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, Three-way pickup selector
-Hardware: Wraparound tailpiece
-Plastics: Four-ply pick-guard, black bonnet knobs, amber switch tip and black switch gasket, original jack plate replaced, P-90 covers, black control cavity covers

Structural Integrity: Since this is a "single cutaway" (late 1958 switched to double cutaway), it has a sturdier neck joint, making it a more stable long-term investment than the fragile double-cuts.

Pickups: The dual P-90s are the soul of the Special. They sit between single-coil brightness and humbucker fatness:

- Bridge pickup: raw, aggressive, and biting—perfect for rock ‘n’ roll, punk, and bluesy riffs. There’s a snarl that cuts through a mix like few other pickups.

- Neck pickup: warm, fat, and vocal, but with more air than a humbucker. Roll the tone knob back and it gets syrupy and jazz-like.

- Both pickups together produce a woody, hollow tone with chime and grit—a versatile sweet spot many players live on.

• • P-90s are famously dynamic: play lightly and they shimmer with detail, dig in and they bark with attitude. They’re more honest and raw than PAFs—every touch of your pick and every nuance of your fingers comes through.

- Electronics: Original Bumblebee Capacitors

photo available upon request.

The Finish

Nitro lacquer TV Yellow gloss is 100% original with no touch-up, and the guitar exhibits of a minor heel repair performed by the Gibson factory in 1974. Lacquer checking extends both horizontally and vertically, with various minor dings and finish scuffs consistent with light consistent use. Refinished models listed here are worth much less and hence Reverb's own market value estimator is lower than the value of a completely original finish.

The Case : Gibson's Les Paul Special guitars have been accompanied by various case designs over the decades. In the late 1960s, specifically around 1969, Gibson utilized black cases with marigold (yellow) lining. By 1970, they transitioned to cases with a purple lining. This case is from the early 1970's and was the original case provided to me in 74' This case is a genuine Gibson case made between 1970-73.

Owner's Historical Notes: I have owned and cared for this guitar since 1974. The guitar has not been gigged by me. It does show typical wear for a guitar that is 67 years young. When I purchased the guitar there was some separation of the neck from the body. However there were no breaks in the wood other than what you can still see as the finish is untouched This was repaired at Gibson's Nashville Tennessee factory by Gibson employees. The guitar hold tune just fine, and the neck is without any damage beyond normal wear and tear. You can see the area repaired in the photos as this is the original finish. This preserves the value of this guitar and does not diminish value.

Recent History: Master luthier Neal Sergeant assessed the neck fretboard and frets as "excellent condition' November 2025. He also lightly leveled the frets 1-12, oiled the Honduran old growth fretboard as you can see in one of my pictures.

This is an original 1958 Gibson Les Paul Special — a piece of guitar history.
Its craftsmanship, tone, and rarity speak for themselves. Collectors and serious players know the true value of these instruments, so my price is firm. Thank you for reading this post and please feel free to reach out directly with any questions.

Investor Notes: Ten (10) Year Appreciation Forecast: +40% to +60%

Vintage Gibson growth is generally more aggressive than reissues because the supply is fixed—Gibson cannot make more 1958 wood.

The 2036 Projection: By 2036, a "100% original" 1958 Special could realistically reach the $30,000–$40,000 range.

No trades. All sales are final