Gibson Les Paul Custom Ebony 1969

Like the Les Paul Standard, the Les Paul Custom was replaced with the SG body style at the end of 1960. The original Les Paul and Les Paul Custom were not brought back until 1968. Upon its reintroduction, the Les Paul Custom differed from those of the '50s in number of ways: the headstock was a slightly steeper angle, the control cavity in the body was cut in a different manner, and the neck tennon was longer. Starting in 1969, the Custom also adopted a multi-ply body construction with a Maple top like the Les Standard, where the original Les Paul Custom used an all Mahogany body. Other changes include the introduction of a neck valute and a 'Made in USA' stamp on the back of the headstock.

Years of Production: 1953 - 1960 (switched to SG body), 1968 - present

Body Style: Single cutaway solidbody

Unique to this Year: 1969 is a very transitional year for the Custom which accounts for a great deal variation of values within the year. In 1969, there are examples with single-piece bodies instead of the multi-ply body, no neck valute, and no 'made in USA' stamp that fetch substantially higher resale prices than those with these elements. 

Wood Composition: Mahogany body, Maple top, Mahogany or Maple neck, Ebony fingerboard

Design Elements:  Two humbucker pickups, block inlays, Kluson deluxe tuners, four control knobs, three-way pickup selector, black pickguard, bound fingerboard, stopbar tailpiece and Tune-o-matic bridge, gold hardware, headstock inlay

Finish Specifications: All standard Les Paul Customs from 1969 feature an Ebony finish. 

Notable Les Paul Players: Jimmy Page, Slash, Neil Young, Alex Lifeson, Pete Townshend