Gibson Les Paul Custom Ebony Refin 1955

The 1955 Gibson Les Paul Custom belongs to the first generation of what has since become the legendary Black Beauty. Gibson introduced the model in 1954 as the most luxurious offering in the Les Paul range. Its mahogany body with carved mahogany top, deep black finish, ebony fingerboard, multi-ply binding and gold-plated hardware gave the guitar a distinctly elegant appearance.

The pickup configuration was equally distinctive: a P90 in the bridge position and an Alnico V Staple pickup in the neck position. The latter features adjustable metal bar-shaped pole pieces and delivers a clear, dynamic tone with exceptional definition. This guitar is one of the 355 examples shipped in 1955, from a period in which the Black Beauty further established its recognisable design and construction.

An interesting historical detail is the bridge configuration. From its introduction in 1954, the Les Paul Custom was already equipped with a Tune-o-matic ABR-1 bridge and a separate stopbar tailpiece. This was an important development compared to the earlier wraparound designs, allowing for more precise intonation of each individual string. In 1955, the adjustable Tune-o-matic bridge was also introduced on the regular Les Paul Goldtop, making this design an increasingly important part of Gibson's solidbody range. The Custom was therefore ahead of its time in this respect.

This example has retained much of its original character, including the original hardware and Kluson Waffleback tuning machines. The guitar has been refinished at some point in its history, during which the bridge position also appears to have been altered. It has also been refretted. The combination of its early production year, distinctive Alnico V Staple pickup and largely original hardware makes this Les Paul Custom a remarkable piece of Gibson history.

This guitar has been carefully inspected for condition and playability, then set up to our Gold Standard by a luthier. We make sure it arrives in your hands exactly as it should: sounding its best, playing effortlessly and ready to be enjoyed from the very first note.