Gibson '68 Les Paul Custom Figured Top

Made In USA Gibson Custom Shop, 33 way selector 2 volume and 2 tone. 57 pickups in neck and bridge. Quilted top, grover locking tuners, Usa custom shop guitar case, Mahogany neck and body. Weighs 10.1 pounds. Very heavy

I play alot of Zeppelin, The who and many other bands. Again 57 pikcups great sound great wood so ya good sound. I use a fender 65r with a wah pedal. Sounds good 57 sometimes has a nasy high end at 10 but otherwise good

Action was amazing, pickups were a little lose but GC fault. It had been sitting in there for a year.

Ya the buttons are soldi but with this weight get strap locks. I would gig without a backup, it seems like a thick finish. the hardware is std. gibson it will last.

Gibson amzing customer support i have a logn story but ill save it for another day

I would go right to the store if i lost it and buy a new one. I wish it had a coil tap but most likly to install.

Heritage Cherry Sunburst flamed top that, IMHO is the prettiest LP I've ever seen! This guitar is a little over 10 lbs (not bad for a Custom) with a nice fat neck. The Grover tuners work nicely and keep the guitar in tune great! I'm not a big fan of the black bell knobs, so am replacing them with gold speed knobs to match the very beautiful and classy gold hardware! Comes with the '57 Classic pick-ups, and they have been a pleasant surprise. Didn't think I'd like 'em but they give me that Led Zep, ZZ Top, Thin Lizzy tone I've been looking for.

I play blues-based rock, straight blues, and some classic rock. This has that Billy Gibbons 70's tone crossed with Gary Moore's LP tone. I'm (at some point) going to drop a set of ZW EMG's in it, just to see what I get, but am enjoying what the stock model is giving me. I play thru a Soldano HR50+ on a Soldano 4x12 with Vintage 30's, split with a Fender Vibrolux, that I sit on an old Ampeg 2x12 with celestions. Either amp sounds great with this axe, but playing thru both amps at once is thick and meaty, yet rings harmonics as if Billy F. were playing himself! Running it thru my OCD gives me that raunchy Texas tone and my Keeley Metal Zone takes me to modern metal quickly. Also have a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe, ChoralFlange and a TC Electronics Vintage Delay to give me every tone I need. In front I have a Peterson Strobo-Stomp, and bringing up the rear is a Boss Noise Suppressor (which I really don't need. All of these sit neatly on a Pedal Pad MPS-XL.

I bought this one used and I'm going to have the action lowered a bit, other than that, no complaints.

Gibson LP Customs are the shit! I had a LP Classic with the slim tapered neck and it was hot, but a Custom is truely the way to go. If you want the best, spend the extra and get it! Didn't like the small strap buttons so I did replace with a set of StrapLoks, as I have on all my guitars. This is a Custom Shop guitar and the hardware, fit and finish are just superb.

Gibson has always answered all my questions and have been quite helpful!

I've played since the mid-60's off and on, due to family, careers, etc. Have really gotten back to playing over the past 2 or 3 years and loving it! At present, I own a Steinberger GL4T all graphite with the Trans Trem and a '94 PRS Custom 24 10-Top with the bird inlays. Life is good!

This LP is taking away playing time from the other 2 but slowly working them back into rotation. What a cool f*cking problem, huh?

2005 `68 Custom reissue in Triburst. Typical Gibson Les Paul Custom - solid mahogany with maple top, long neck tenon joint, ebony/MOP inlay fretboard, gold hardware and `57 classic pickups. Excellent fit and finish with especially nice wide flamed maple top. Weighs a ton - 14lbs 10ozs, but is so solid you`d expect it to look and feel exactly the same in 100 years time. Frets are tall jumbo, similar to 6150 fretwire and very nice. All pretty much what you`d expect from Gibson`s Custom Shop.

Sound from the `57 classics is very in your face and suits rock perfectly, lots of output. You can back off the volume a little and get decent blues tones too. Through a high gain amp the sound would also suit most metal. Played through a Marshall JCM900/1960A cab it sounds fantastic. Of course it has the standard sound limitations of any Les Paul, but if you want a strat sound, buy a damn strat!

Guitar came set up airly well, but not stellar. A little fret buzz on the lower E and a strings, but nothing a good tech can`t fix quite quickly. Action was fine for me, but not super low. again, a good tech can get it wherever you want it. The one problem I had was falling off the fretboard on the high e string, but I experience this with every Gibson guitar I play. I have a couple of other custom shop Les Paul customs and finally just had them re-fretted out through the fretboard binding to slightly widen the playing surface. This works great for me, but could cause problems if you ever wnated to sell the guitar. People want "collector" guitars, not ones that play perfectly!!!

Unless you break off the headstock on stage, this thing just flat out withstands anything. It stays in tune and is just rock solid. I always have a backup - always, but one hasn`t ever been needed with this beast. As with all gold hardware, it wears off. It`s no big deal and worn gold on the bridge/pickups just shows a guitar that`s been played. Add some straplocks, as gigging with almost 15lbs of guitar is hardwork and you do not want it to fall to the ground - it might break the stage!!!

Standard enquiries via email are relatively good, but no other contact.

I`ve been paying 25 years and have had lots of guitars. Les Paul Customs are my favourites and the Custom Shop versions are just flat out superb. If stolen I would rush out and rob a bank so I could afford another! Seriously, I would replace this guitar asap.

Got this guitar(special order) 4 weeks ago from Guitar Center(Oklahoma City) on the day they recieved it from the Custom Shop.It has a beautiful tri-burst maple top w/mahogany back. The controls are standard Les Paul controls. Fretboard is ebony with the usual Les Paul Custom binding and inlays. The pickups are gold 57's.The guitar came with a polish cloth, Gibson braided cable,gibson picks, and the usual Custom Shop paperwork.Gibsons don't have many features but i'll give it a 10 for the ones that it does have.lol

I use a Mesa Road King w/ Road King cabinet, Marshall JCM 900 W/Marshall 1960A cabinet, Mesa Stiletto Deuce w/Stiletto 2x12, and a Mesa Lonestar Special.The 68 has a wonderful tone. It is rich and full with just the right amount of dirt, snarl, and harmonics when needed. This guitar is well suited for any style of music. All it will see out of me, however, is hard rock and blues. With the right amp(s), and s%%t in between, this axe will shred with the best of them. The guitar is pleasing to listen to and does not become fatiguing to the ears.This is a very guiet guitar.

As stated above this is a beautiful guitar. The book matched maple top finish and binding are flawless with everything lining up well. Pickup adjustment was dead on. I noticed no flaws in this guitar. That being said, the set-up SUCKED. The guitar had string buzz all over the neck and was not playable. A quick trip to my authorized Gibson guy(luthier), Honest Ron,for some minor tweaking, and everything was good to go. An insert came with the case candy that said this guitar was set-up for a professional. Professional WHAT?, magician? I recently picked up a Custom Shop CS-336 that had a terrible set-up. Beautiful guitar in all respects, but bad set-up. In all fairness to Gibson, I wouldn't expect a standard factory set- up to cover all styles of play. So I'm not upset about it, especially since all my new guitars get a professional set up anyway. I am so impressed with this work of art that she gets a 10, set-up notwithstanding. I wish all players could experience this level of quality and beauty.

This guitar is typical LP stout.It's definitely a road guitar and could handle just about anything short of a shock to the headstock. The finish is the expected deep/beautiful Gibson finish, but it's not as tough as a Fender finish. If 100% white cotton cloth is not used, the surface will scratch(swirl) easily. The N.C. finish is, however, easily touched up or repaired. The 68 needs no backup. If you gig it, get some strap locks.You wouldnt want to drop this baby.

I pitched a bitch about the CS-336, above referenced, with no response from Gibson.

Been playing on and off for 15 years. Own several Gibsons(U.S.A.) and Fenders(U.S.A.).This guitar was more than I expected and I own 5 LP's, one of which is a Black Beauty Custom.It's what one would expect from the Custom Shop. If lost I would replace it.I have no dislikes with the guitar. Appearance and pure tone is what this Paul is all about.

2004 Gibson Les Paul Custom "68" figured top. Mine is natural or amber, nice flame maple top. Big beefy neck, heavy body, nice tall frets. '57 Classic Pickups. Plays in tune, stays in tune....good feature. One thing that does not impress me at all about this guitar is that Gibson has cut back and changed the inlays on LP Customs to "Pearl Block"......its an acrylic laminate now like the plastic laminate you'd find on a drum kit. I don't know when they changed this over, but I have a 2001 '54 LP Custom reissue that has mother of pearl inlays. I always thought that was a cool feature that seperated LP Custom from LP Standard back in the day.....not anymore. Every year Gibson charges more green for guitars made of cheaper materials. I'd give the guitar a 10 in this category if it were not for the cut back on the inlays.

'57 Classics have too much high end for me. I changed the pickups to Fralins within a week. The amp I use is a 25 watt 4 input marshall plexi style amp, a Germino Masonette with a Weber Silver Bell Alnico speaker. Guitar sounded pretty good with the stock pickups, but the replacements are much better.

The frets on the edges were rounded off a bit too much, or the nut cut too far out on the high and low side. I'd slip both E's off the fretbourd here and there. I had to fill and re cut the nut in a bit. Other than that it was set up ok.

I could beat a man to death with this guitar and it would still stay in tune. Its rock solid, and this model has the long neck tenon.

If you bother them enough they will give you free guitars. I had a flat top from them fail in a big way and it was nothing I did. For about a month straight I argued back and fourth with them to repair the guitar, and eventually it was replaced. I ended up happy in the end but it was quite a struggle to get there. The replacement was all around much better than the original. I had to deal with them directly, I had no support from the dealer.

The model under review is a Custom Shop 1968 Figured Top Custom. Mine is in Triburst finish, made this year (2004). The specs are as per the Gibson website - 57 Classic humbuckers, mahogany body, figured maple top, gold Grover tuning keys, ebony fretboard, block inlays, etc. It comes with a crushed velvet-lined Custom Shop case, has a Custom Shop deal imprinted on the back of the headstock and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, cleaning kit, etc. The neck however, if fat and may not suit everyone. If you're used to a Strat-type neck or you prefer a thinner neck for fast playing, this may not suit you.

The 8 rating for the previous category was because of the neck's thicker-than-usual profile. The sound however, deserves a 10. A guitar magazine recently described Gibson's 1957 Classic pickups as "awesome" and it's probably no accident that the top-of-the-line Ultima is fitted with these pickups. On the '68 Figured Top the sound is smooth and refined, ideal for blues-rock playing. Played clean the tone is sparkly and might suit some jazz tastes.

I'm giving it a 9 for this category because the pickguard had numerous, almost-invisible playing-related scratches on it. It's supposed to come with a protective plastic wrap but this was missing. The scratches could have been made during the final inspection or by the dealer before shipping. Otherwise, I have no complaints - the Triburst is beautiful (and rare from what I've been told), the flame was gorgeous, the setup was perfect (no fret buzz whatsoever) and the electronics worked perfectly.

I've been playing 8 years and own several Gibsons - a 1999 LP Standard, a 2000 LP Custom, a 2000 ES335, a 2003 LP Supreme and a Custom Shop 1954 Black Beauty historic reissue. I also own a 1997 Fender Collectors Edition Strat, a Japanese Ritchie Blackmore Strat and a 1954 Custom Shop Strat. There are two reasons to buy this guitar - the wonderful finish and the great sound. However, playability is a matter of taste and adaptation - the thick neck might not find favour with everyone. I'd say the finish is slightly better than the LP Supreme and the sound is up there with the best.

This guitar was made in 2003, at the gibson custom workshop in the good ol USA. It has 22 frets, figured maple top, with mahogany back and neck, 2 tone, 2 volume, 3 way selector, 2 '57 classic pickups, passive electronics, the finish is butterscotch, tune o matic bridge, gold grover tuners, with custom shop case, custom shop cleaning kit, all hardware gold. What other features could you need?!

This guitar sounds like a dream, I have an SG standard and its just so much warmer and more acessable to everyone. Its just wonderful, everyone out there should own at least one les paul.

Everyone out there knows about les pauls and how awesome they are, but this is where you should look if you want a custom. I own 3 gibsons other than this one, an SG standard, an SG supreme, and a song writer deluxe cutaway. I have my little quips with all of them, well not the acoustic, but the supreme had more than a few phsyical blemishes to it. Binding not even on the edge, dent in the back, this is brand new mind you, but this custom is just ABSOLULY perfect in every single way, there is not one flaw in this gem of a guitar. The binding around the edges is BEAUTIFUL 7 ply top, 5 ply back, the finish shines like a miror, the burst is just beautiful, a brown color at the edges melts into an orange yellow in the center. You couldnt ask for anything more beautiful. The figured top looks like a beaufiul tiger, while the back is a absoluly fantastic cherry color. The headstock is beautifuly adorned with the lavish split diamond inlay, with the les paul custom truss rod cover, it also has five ply binding on the headstock. The neck is mohogony and has block pearl inlays, with neck binding. This guitar is not what you get from gibson usa, gibson custom is the ONLY way to go, it feels like this beauty was babied the whole way through this process, and it was worth every extra penny over the standard. The standard is 2000 dollars, and I paid 2699 for this new I had to wait the 2 months for it from the factory, I found an awesome price match from guitartrader.com, that accounts for the great price. So find a good store and price match the internet. Almost forgot, the action was set up to PERFECTION straight from the factory I couldnt beleive how low it was. Anyway if you want pure beauty buy a gibson custom, here is a link to pictures of my guitar if you wanna have a look see yourself.

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/wonderfulstrange2000/lst?.dir=/68+Les+Paul+Custom+Figured+Top+BS&.view=t

This guitar is a solid brick of wood, I would gig without a backup, if I ever giged. This guitar will stand the test of time, no worries there, though I have to get there first. The finish is laquer so there are no garantees at how it will look in the future, but since you have to pay people to make your guitar look old these days, it would seem the older the better. You might wanna consider strap locks with this behemoth.

Thier customer support is awesome. I didnt get my custom care kit with my guitar so I emailed them and they sent one out to me right away, plus they repsonded to my email within the day. Wonderful people over there...

I have been playing a while and have played quite a few diffrent guitars, and as of right now this guitar is the best. Like I said before I own only gibsons, looking to get a strat next, I play all those gibsons through a peavey XXX 212 comobo that will rip your face off. You dont even need to ask yourself "should I get this?" because this guitar will make your guitar life alot easier, and will bring a level of beauty to your life that you didnt even know existed, its fantastic. If it were stolen I would seriously weep, I dont make much money and this was a huge chunk of my yearly salary, I would save up again and buy another...but I want this one:) I really have no quips with this guitar, its perfect in every way. I love everything about it. The best feature is the quality and playability, not to mention the beauty, well the best thing is the thing its self, this guitar is fabulous. If you pit this guitar with my sg supreme, they are very similar guitars, same types of wood, same pickups, but the tone of the larger les paul kicks the sg's ass...if I wished it had any other feature I would wish that it was more affordable so that everyone could know its beauty. If you care at all about guitar this is somthing you should have just to pass on to your kids...