Albuquerque, NM, United States
About this listing
One of the most unique and collectible modern-era Gibson USA Les Pauls of the 2000s.
Backroads Guitars is proud to offer this exceptionally rare 2008 Gibson Les Paul Push-Tone, Gibson's May 2008 Guitar of the Month. Produced as part of Gibson USA's highly limited 2008 Guitar of the Month program, only 1,000 Push-Tone Les Pauls were produced worldwide.
What makes this Les Paul truly special isn't just the spectacular AAA figured maple top or the beautiful Antique Natural finish — it is the revolutionary Push-Tone interchangeable pickup system.
Instead of soldering, removing the strings, or taking the guitar apart to change pickups, Gibson designed the Push-Tone so the pickups can actually be removed through the back of the instrument. A simple plug-and-play wire connection allows the pickup modules to be disconnected and replaced in minutes.
And this particular example comes complete with all four of its original pickup modules.
The original Push-Tone package included two Gibson BurstBucker Pro humbuckers and two Gibson P-94 humbucker-sized single-coil pickups. With all four original pickups included, this guitar can be configured in multiple combinations:
BurstBucker Pro / BurstBucker Pro — classic Gibson humbucker tones
P-94 / P-94 — aggressive, open P-90-style character
P-94 neck / BurstBucker Pro bridge
BurstBucker Pro neck / P-94 bridge
That means this one Les Paul can cover everything from traditional PAF-style Gibson tones to raw P-90 punch — and virtually anything in between.
A Very Special Les Paul
The Push-Tone was far more than a gimmick. Gibson built this model with a particularly upscale specification.
It features a AAA figured maple top over a mahogany body, finished in the gorgeous Antique Natural finish that allows the dramatic figure of the maple to remain the star of the show. The body is chambered, which Gibson designed to reduce weight while also contributing to the instrument's acoustic resonance and tonal character.
The one-piece mahogany neck has Gibson's traditional 50s Rounded profile, paired with an ebony fingerboard. The distinctive maple trapezoid inlays were designed specifically for the Push-Tone and complement the Antique Natural figured maple top beautifully.
Other premium appointments include:
AAA figured maple top
Mahogany body/back
One-piece mahogany neck
Ebony fingerboard
Maple trapezoid inlays
24-3/4" scale
22 frets
1.695" nut width
50s Rounded neck profile
TonePros bridge and stop tailpiece
Locking Grover Keystone tuners
Nickel hardware
Amber Top Hat control knobs
Bourns 24K gold-plated potentiometers
Neutrik locking output jack
2 volume / 2 tone controls
3-way pickup selector
The Bourns electronics and Neutrik locking jack were particularly high-end touches for a Gibson USA production instrument of the period.
Complete Original Package
This is an especially desirable example because it retains its complete original pickup complement and original documentation.
Included with the guitar are:
All 4 original Gibson Push-Tone pickup modules
2 BurstBucker Pro humbuckers
2 P-94 pickups
Original Gibson case
Original Gibson QC paperwork
Original guitar with its factory Push-Tone pickup system
Finding these guitars is unusual enough. Finding one with all four original pickups, the original case, and original QC documentation is considerably more difficult.
For a collector, the complete original pickup set is particularly important because the interchangeable pickup system is the defining feature of this model. Having all four factory modules allows the next owner to experience the guitar exactly as Gibson intended rather than trying to source the additional pickups individually.
This Particular Guitar
The serial number 009281315 dates this particular instrument to April 1, 2008, making it an early-production example of the May 2008 Guitar of the Month.
From the photographs, this guitar presents the characteristic Antique Natural figured maple top, ebony fingerboard with maple trapezoid inlays, four-control Les Paul layout, TonePros hardware and distinctive Push-Tone pickup mounting system.
The guitar is currently configured with a covered humbucker in the neck position and a black P-94-style pickup in the bridge position, but the included original pickup modules give the new owner the ability to configure the guitar to their preference.
This isn't simply another Les Paul from 2008. It's a genuine piece of Gibson innovation from a short-lived period when Gibson was experimenting with some seriously unconventional designs. With only 1,000 produced, the Push-Tone is one of the rarest and most interesting production Les Pauls of the era.
For the collector, it's a limited-edition Guitar of the Month. For the player, it's essentially four different Les Paul pickup combinations in one instrument. And for the Gibson enthusiast, it's a fascinating example of Gibson trying something genuinely different.
2008 Gibson Les Paul Push-Tone — May 2008 Guitar of the Month. Antique Natural. AAA figured maple top. Ebony fingerboard. 50s Rounded neck. Chambered mahogany body. Interchangeable BurstBucker Pro and P-94 pickup system. All four original pickup modules included. Original Gibson case. Original QC paperwork. Limited to 1,000 examples worldwide. Serial #009281315.
A Rare Opportunity
Complete, original, and exceptionally unusual — this is the kind of Gibson that stands apart from the countless standard-production Les Pauls from the same era.
The combination of the limited 1,000-piece Guitar of the Month production, AAA figured maple top, Antique Natural finish, ebony fingerboard, chambered body, innovative rear-mounted interchangeable pickup system, all four original pickups, original case, and original QC documentation makes this a particularly compelling example for both the serious Gibson collector and the player looking for something truly different.
A very rare Gibson, and an even rarer opportunity to find one this complete.
Weighs in at 8.8 pounds
Price$3,999.99
+ $84.99 Shipping
