Up for sale, a 1988 Gibson Les Paul Custom in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. This Les Paul Custom boasts a gloss Alpine White nitro lacquer finish, original Tim Shaw PAF humbuckers, and an aftermarket Bigsby B7 vibrato complete with Vibramate V7 mounting plate.

Weighing 10lbs 3oz, this Les Paul Custom features traditional tonewoods including a carved two-piece maple top, mahogany body, mahogany neck, and a bound ebony fingerboard. The guitar offers plenty of natural muscle, treble cut and sweet sustain, and at the heart of this Les Paul Custom are a pair of Tim Shaw PAF humbuckers. These pickups represent Gibson's first, and arguably one of their best, attempts at recreating the magic of their late '50s humbucker design. Offered for only a few short years in the '80s, the Shaws are designed with unoriented, rough cast Alnico V magnets, plastic spacers, and poly-coated wire, achieving the harmonic complexity, sensitivity to picking dynamics, and tonal clarity of the original PAF. This Les Paul Custom has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar, dialed in with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

• Wood: Mahogany
• Shape: Medium C, measuring .830” 1st fret, .950” 12th fret
• Fretboard: Ebony, pearl block inlays
• Frets: Slender, no wear
• Scale Length: 24 3/4”
• Nut: 1 11/16”
• Tuners: Grover Rotomatics
• Serialization: Eight-digit stamp dates to ‘87

Body Specs:

• Wood: Maple, Mahogany
• Pickups: Tim Shaw PAF humbucker x2
• Harness: CTS pots date to the 48th week of ‘87 and the 2nd week of ‘88
• Hardware: Nashville bridge, Bigsby B7 vibrato with Vibramate V7 mounting plate (added)
• Plastics: Five-ply pickguard, black speed knobs, pickup rings

This Les Paul has a V-shaped professional headstock repair favoring the treble side, with a splint added for additional reenforcement. There is overspray across the back of the headstock and extending up the neck profile to fret 7.

The gloss Alpine White nitro lacquer finish on the body is original with yellowing of the clear coat and tight lacquer checking. There is one large rectangular “tanline” across the back where a sticker was previously affixed, and an area of buckle wear central to the lower bout. Cosmetic wear on the body is otherwise limited to a couple minor dings on the back and lower bout perimeter. The nitro gloss on the neck profile is smooth and clean save for a cluster of shallow nicks behind fret 10 that are not distracting to the palm while fretting.

The original Protector molded “chainsaw” hardshell case is included.