The Gibson Les Paul Special is a variation of the Gibson Les Paul guitar. It was introduced in 1955.[1] It is designed to be an intermediate level instrument, at a price point and trim level between the low-cost Les Paul Junior and the standard Les Paul.
Gibson Les Paul Special
Gibson Les Paul Special Singlecut in Spearmint (1998)
Like most of Gibson's other budget models,[clarification needed] the Les Paul Special was produced in a TV Yellow finish,[7] which was made by Gibson as a finish that would look good on black and white television.[citation needed] It featured a In 1958, the model received a major change when it was introduced as a doublecut model instead of the traditional singlecut.
In 1961, the Les Paul received a drastic change when it was redesigned into what would become known as the Gibson SG. Les Paul's contract had expired by 1963, bringing a change to the submodels. When the contract was renewed in 1968, the original models were rebooted.[7]
1974[6]/1977[3]/(1978[5])–1981: Les Paul '55 (Special Single Cutaway Reissue)
1989–1998: Les Paul Junior II (Les Paul Special Single Cutaway Reissue)[8]
2019–present: Les Paul Special (reissue with wrap tailpiece; vintage cherry and TV yellow finishes)
variations
1996–1999: Les Paul Special SL
1999–2003: Les Paul Junior Special
2001–2005: Les Paul Junior Special Plus
2001–2002: Les Paul Junior Special With Humbucker
2003–(2005): Les Paul Special Faded With Humbucker[9][10]
2003–2006: Les Paul Junior Special Faded With Humbucker
2006–2008: Les Paul Special New Century
2009–2011: Les Paul Junior Special Robot
2011: Les Paul Special Humbucker
2012–2013: Les Paul Junior Special Humbucker
2012–2013: Les Paul Junior Special P-90
2014: Les Paul Special AAA Flame Top Semi-Hollowbody
Double Cutaway
1960 SG Special (renamed from "Les Paul Special Doublecut" in 1959[1]) The guitar on the photo features later aftermarket Badass tailpiece bridge, similar to so called "Pigtail" bridge.
^"The Gibson Les Paul Special". Vintage Guitar (June 2007). When the Les Pae back in the 1970s, the Special ed more popular than the Junior. In fact, the Junior was nowhere to be seen until 1987, while the Special reappeared as early as 1972 in a single-cutaway version, one of which became the main axe of reggae legend Bob Marley. The double-cutaway version became a separate model when it was reintroduced in '76 as the Les Paul Special Double Cutaway.
Achard, Ken (August 1996). "The Seventies". The History and Development of the American Guitar. Bold Strummer (published 1996). ISBN978-0-933224-18-6. The success of the reintroduced Les Paul series ... One of the first of these limited editions appeared in 1970, and was the original Black Beauty Les Paul Custom. ... Other limited edition Les Paul models have been the single cutaway Les Paul Special design of 1955 offered in 1974 as a limited series, and again in 1977 to the range as the "Les Paul '55", plus the Sunburst Les Paul Standard in 1974.
Bishop, Ian C. (1990). The Gibson Guitar from 1950. Bold Strummer guitar series. Bold Strummer. ISBN978-0-933224-46-9. The only other limited edition Les Paul not so far described, is the 1974 edition of the 1955 sunburst flat top Les Paul Special, with the two black covered single coil pickups.
Carter, Walter (1994). Gibson guitars: 100 years of an American icon (1st ed.). General Pub. Group. ISBN1881649393.
Carter, Walter (2007). The Gibson Electric Guitar Book: Seventy Years of Classic Guitars. Music Series. Backbeat Books. ISBN978-0-87930-895-7. Les Paul Special Double Cutaway (1976, 1978-85, 1993-94): Double cutaway, tune-o-matic bridge (wraparound 1993-94), selector switch on treble side near bridge, chrome-plated hardware (nickel-plated 1993-94) metal tuner buttons, ...
Duchossoir, A. R. (1998). "Les Paul Special & SG Special". Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years: An Illustrated History of the Electric Guitars Produced by Gibson Up to the Mid-1960s. Musical Instruments Series (revised ed.). Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 211. ISBN978-0-79359210-4. The Les Paul Special was introduced in 1955 as an intermediate model between the regular Les Paul guitar and the lower-priced Junior and TV instruments. Like the latter, the Special underwent two successive body redesigns in 1958 and 1961 while the Les Paul affiliation was discontinued in late 1959. The model was then renamed SG Special without any apparent changes in the specification other than the removal of Les Paul marking. Overall four variants of the Special can be distinguished between 1955 and 1965.", "Les Paul Special (1955-1958) ...", "Les Paul Special (1959) ...", "SG Special (1959-1961) ...", "SG Special (1961-...
Hunter, Dave (2006). The Electric Guitar Sourcebook: How to Find the Sounds You Like. Backbeat Books. ISBN978-0-87930-886-5.
External links
Media related to Gibson Les Paul Special at Wikimedia Commons
January 04, 2023
gibson, paul, special, variation, gibson, paul, guitar, introduced, 1955, designed, intermediate, level, instrument, price, point, trim, level, between, cost, paul, junior, standard, paul, singlecut, spearmint, 1998, manufacturergibsonperiod1955, 1959, 1959, 1. The Gibson Les Paul Special is a variation of the Gibson Les Paul guitar It was introduced in 1955 1 It is designed to be an intermediate level instrument at a price point and trim level between the low cost Les Paul Junior and the standard Les Paul Gibson Les Paul SpecialGibson Les Paul Special Singlecut in Spearmint 1998 ManufacturerGibsonPeriod1955 1959 1 1959 1961 as SG Special 1 1972 2 1974 3 4 1976 5 1977 3 1978 5 2013 6 2015 6 presentConstructionBody typeSolidNeck jointSetScale24 75 WoodsBodyMahoganyNeckMahoganyFretboardRosewoodHardwareBridgeWraparound Tune o matic reissue Pickup s 2 Single coil P 90Colors availableTV yellow white cherry red Contents 1 Overview 2 Models 2 1 Single Cutaway 2 2 Double Cutaway 2 3 Timeline 3 References 3 1 Bibliography 4 External linksOverview EditLike most of Gibson s other budget models clarification needed the Les Paul Special was produced in a TV Yellow finish 7 which was made by Gibson as a finish that would look good on black and white television citation needed It featured a In 1958 the model received a major change when it was introduced as a doublecut model instead of the traditional singlecut In 1961 the Les Paul received a drastic change when it was redesigned into what would become known as the Gibson SG Les Paul s contract had expired by 1963 bringing a change to the submodels When the contract was renewed in 1968 the original models were rebooted 7 Models EditSee also Gibson Les Paul Junior The list of Special models manufactured since 1955 6 verification needed Single Cutaway Edit Gibson Les Paul Faded Special TV Yellow speed knobs were swapped for SG Top Hat knobs See also Single cutaway 1955 1958 Les Paul Special Single Cutaway 1974 3 4 Les Paul 55 Special limited edition 1974 6 1977 3 1978 5 1981 Les Paul 55 Special Single Cutaway Reissue 1989 1998 Les Paul Junior II Les Paul Special Single Cutaway Reissue 8 2019 present Les Paul Special reissue with wrap tailpiece vintage cherry and TV yellow finishes variations1996 1999 Les Paul Special SL 1999 2003 Les Paul Junior Special 2001 2005 Les Paul Junior Special Plus 2001 2002 Les Paul Junior Special With Humbucker 2003 2005 Les Paul Special Faded With Humbucker 9 10 2003 2006 Les Paul Junior Special Faded With Humbucker 2006 2008 Les Paul Special New Century 2009 2011 Les Paul Junior Special Robot 2011 Les Paul Special Humbucker 2012 2013 Les Paul Junior Special Humbucker 2012 2013 Les Paul Junior Special P 90 2014 Les Paul Special AAA Flame Top Semi HollowbodyDouble Cutaway Edit 1960 SG Special renamed from Les Paul Special Doublecut in 1959 1 The guitar on the photo features later aftermarket Badass tailpiece bridge similar to so called Pigtail bridge See also Gibson Les Paul Doublecut and Double cutaway 1958 1 1959 6 Les Paul Special Double Cutaway 1959 Les Paul Special 3 4 Double Cutaway 1959 1961 SG Special Les Paul Special Double Cutaway 1976 5 1989 Les Paul Special Double Cutaway 1st Reissue 1993 1995 Les Paul Special Double Cutaway 2nd Reissue 2015 Les Paul Special Double Cutaway 2015variations1994 Centennial Les Paul Special Double Cutaway 1999 2002 Les Paul Junior Lite 2003 2008 Les Paul Faded Double Cutaway 9 11 Timeline EditReferences Edit a b c d e Duchossoir 1998 pp 211 The Gibson Les Paul Special Vintage Guitar June 2007 When the Les Pae back in the 1970s the Special ed more popular than the Junior In fact the Junior was nowhere to be seen until 1987 while the Special reappeared as early as 1972 in a single cutaway version one of which became the main axe of reggae legend Bob Marley The double cutaway version became a separate model when it was reintroduced in 76 as the Les Paul Special Double Cutaway a b c d Archland 1999 p 121harvnb error no target CITEREFArchland1999 help a b Bishop 1990 p 8 a b c d Carter 2007 page needed a b c d e GIBSON Les Paul Special Series Blue Book of Electric Guitar Values Blue Book Publications Inc archived from the original on April 8 2016 retrieved March 28 2016 a b Carter 1994 p 196 197 Les Paul Junior II Les Paul Special Single Cutaway Reissue LPJ2 Blue Book of Electric Guitar Values Blue Book Publications Inc archived from the original on April 10 2016 retrieved March 28 2016 a b 2003 Faded Series from Gibson USA Gibson USA Gibson com Archived from the original on June 5 2003 Fadeds Les Paul Special Faded Les Paul Faded Double Cut SG Special Faded V Factor Faded Les Paul Special FADED Humbuckers Gibson USA Gibson com Archived from the original on June 5 2003 non primary source needed Les Paul Faded DC Gibson USA Gibson com Archived from the original on June 5 2003 non primary source needed Bibliography Edit Achard Ken August 1996 The Seventies The History and Development of the American Guitar Bold Strummer published 1996 ISBN 978 0 933224 18 6 The success of the reintroduced Les Paul series One of the first of these limited editions appeared in 1970 and was the original Black Beauty Les Paul Custom Other limited edition Les Paul models have been the single cutaway Les Paul Special design of 1955 offered in 1974 as a limited series and again in 1977 to the range as the Les Paul 55 plus the Sunburst Les Paul Standard in 1974 Bishop Ian C 1990 The Gibson Guitar from 1950 Bold Strummer guitar series Bold Strummer ISBN 978 0 933224 46 9 The only other limited edition Les Paul not so far described is the 1974 edition of the 1955 sunburst flat top Les Paul Special with the two black covered single coil pickups Carter Walter 1994 Gibson guitars 100 years of an American icon 1st ed General Pub Group ISBN 1881649393 Carter Walter 2007 The Gibson Electric Guitar Book Seventy Years of Classic Guitars Music Series Backbeat Books ISBN 978 0 87930 895 7 Les Paul Special Double Cutaway 1976 1978 85 1993 94 Double cutaway tune o matic bridge wraparound 1993 94 selector switch on treble side near bridge chrome plated hardware nickel plated 1993 94 metal tuner buttons Duchossoir A R 1998 Les Paul Special amp SG Special Gibson Electrics The Classic Years An Illustrated History of the Electric Guitars Produced by Gibson Up to the Mid 1960s Musical Instruments Series revised ed Hal Leonard Corporation p 211 ISBN 978 0 79359210 4 The Les Paul Special was introduced in 1955 as an intermediate model between the regular Les Paul guitar and the lower priced Junior and TV instruments Like the latter the Special underwent two successive body redesigns in 1958 and 1961 while the Les Paul affiliation was discontinued in late 1959 The model was then renamed SG Special without any apparent changes in the specification other than the removal of Les Paul marking Overall four variants of the Special can be distinguished between 1955 and 1965 Les Paul Special 1955 1958 Les Paul Special 1959 SG Special 1959 1961 SG Special 1961 Hunter Dave 2006 The Electric Guitar Sourcebook How to Find the Sounds You Like Backbeat Books ISBN 978 0 87930 886 5 External links Edit Media related to Gibson Les Paul Special at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gibson Les Paul Special amp oldid 1122789912, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
