Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty

Mine is a USA made 1989 3 (humbucker) pickup Black Beauty (though it's not labelled as a 35th Anniversary Edition) which i purchased in 2001.
Usual configuration of 2 volume & 2 tone and a 3 position toggle switch.
All hardware is gold plated and body has rather nice binding.
Battered original case included.
No special features, but that's not what i bought it for...

I play mainly rock through a Marshall AVT150 (with extra cab).
Rhythm can be a bit muddy but this thing shines on solos.
I have several other Gibsons and nothing (not even other LP's) sustains like this thing.
I love to play this on a high gain amp setting and roll all the treble off the tone on the rhythm pickup. Fantastic solo sound.
Not the most versatile of guitars but what it does, it does VERY well.
A very full bodied sound. To use a wine comparison... If Fenders are Frascati then this is a quality Rioja.
Middle pickup can get in the way of playing, but you get used to it and adjust your playing style accordingly.
This is one heavy guitar. I've never used it live but i imagine i'd require a massage if i was to play it for several hours :-)

When i got the guitar (used) i was initially a little disappointed.
The body was covered in lots of small scratches, the frets buzzed, intonation was out and the pickup surrounds had all buckled through time due to them originally being fitted incorrectly.
However i took the guitar to my local luthier who sorted everything out for a mere #30. When i asked him how he got rid of the scratches he told me he used coloured car wax and gave it a good polish.
Top tip!
I then contacted Gibson to complain about the pickup surrounds who sent me new ones free of charge! No complaints there.
Other than that guitar is constructed real well and qulaity of fit & finish is very good.

This thing is solid and as can be seen by everyone else who uses them it would stand up to live use without any problems.
The finish is deep and lustrous and i imagine i would have to take a screwdriver to it to get through the paint.
Gold plating is better than what i'm used to with Gibson, i've got younger Gibsons with gold plated hardware that have worn away quite badly but this one still looks really good with no noticebale wear.
Maybe the previous owners wore gloves?
I would never gig without a backup guitar, but if you had to this is one that wouldn't let you down.

As mentioned previously, complained about pickup surrounds and was sent new ones FOC very quickly and this was for a guitar that was about 12 years out of warranty. Top service.

Have been playing since about 1978 and own other Gibson LP's, V2, Firebird VII, Explorer III, SG, Fender Strat & Teles, Rickenbacker 360/12, Vox Phantom, Kawai Moonsault, to name but a few....
If stolen i would attempt to replace it but i think i would have a long search, there's something very special about the build of this one, the sustain is very unusual.
Hey and it looks fantastic!

Es una gibson, dos humbuckers, 22 trastes, color negro, clavijas grover, muy buen acabado.. lo unico que nunca me ha gustado de el sistema gibson es la manera en que estan puestos los controles de tono y el switch de cambio, ay que dejar de tocar para poder cambiar los microfonos, pero desde que pongo mi marshall en 3 me olvido de estos problemas porque el sonido arregla todo....

al principio encontre los microfonos un poco debiles, un poco sucios, pero cambie los microfonos por un PAF dimarzio y un SUPER DISTORTION Dimarzio y no deja de tener un sustain infinito el sonido es el mejor que he podido probar en mi vida, a todo esto agregue un potenciometro switch para convertir el microfono PAF en single coil, ya que los humbuckers no son muy buenos para tocar baladas o estilos como regae, ya con esto puedo tocar lo que sea y con la calidad gibson. Uso mi guitarra con una Marshall JMP 1978 Mark II, debo decir que es la mejor combinacion del mundo....

otra cosa acuerdense "ONLY A GIBSON IS GOOD ENOUGH"

La Gibson como cualquier guitarra tienen algo en comun no estan hechas para desafiar la ley de la gravedad usen strap locks, ya que no le gustaria que una guitarra de mas de mil dolares se caiga.....

la guitarra es excelente y pueden irse con ella al final del mundo si quieren, no les dara problemas...

tengo alrededor de 13 a?os tocando y esta es mi mejor guitarra... me gusta todo en ella excepto la manera en como estan los controles, pero es algo a lo que tiene que acostumbrarse ya que la mayoria de las gibson son asi pero como dije horita el sonido es tan bueno que uno se olvida de cualquier cosa....
ahhhh otra cosa pesa lo suficiente para sentar a cualquier guitarrista en un concierto pero no importa yo me acostumbre....

A USA-made '79, bought new and then routed out for a third pick-up. Re-wired with a push-pull pot controlling the centre p/u, the rhythm and treble p/us out of phase when the toggle's in centre. Original treble p/u moved to the middle, and a DiMarzio X-something put in the treble spot. Otherwise, after a lot of mucking about, I left the hardware as standard.

This guitar would seem to be made of iron.

Very bass-heavy, even after stringing with monofilament. Had some difficulties in orchestral situations (I used to play a lot of shows) in not making the whole band sound a bit muddy. That said, a note struck in 1980 would still be sustaining now if you didn't let go, even with wispy strings.
Thanks to the re-wiring and the use of a vintage Marshall 50w run in tandem with a Frunt 200w - and a lot of pedals - I could make just about any noise any musical director asked for.
It was and is easily the best guitar I've ever owned.

Beautifuly made and set up, and all my efforts only just about improved it. If there's a complaint, it's that it's too easy to play and your left hand will get lazy: all other guitars feel like an effort after playing one of these.

It's been 23 years, it's been round the world twice, in and out of more vans than you could count - and it refused to eat strings, drift from tune, warp, wave or do anything to upset me. It's a damn sight more reliable than I am.
Now we're both off the road, swapping stories out on the back porch, and it hasn't changed a bit.

Never needed them, so I couldn't say. But I still have the pink credit card thing, just in case!

I've been playing about 25 years, and have owned just about eberything at one time or another. I don't play professionaly any more, so if it was nicked I'd have no excuse for buying another - but if I was working I'd go straight to it.
It's heavy, but since I was usualy in orchestras or studios and sitting down, this wasn't a problem. The only other thing I should have bought was a twin-neck, for occasional use. Otherwise all the noises were here already, waiting for me to find them.

I would rate it as a ten but it was expensive; I know I got what I paid for but I still haven't forgiven them for the things I had to play to get the money! Sorry Gibson, but I suffered for your art you know.

La guitarra en cuestion es toda una preciosidad.Cuerpo y mastil de caoba,con una tapa de arce,diapason de ebano con incrustaciones de nacar.esta retrasteada, y tiene unas pastillas que mas quisiera yo de saber cuales son, pero suenan de Puta Madre,con sus correspondientes chapas doradas.tiene un ribeteado blanco por todo el cuerpo y el mastil rodeandola por completo.los acabados son en dorado,clavijeros,puente,ect..todo lo metalico en cuestion.La guitarra tiene alrededor de 21 a?os.su precio de segunda mano 1350?

?Que voy a decir?!!!es LA GUITARRA!!! su mastil encolado y su puente fijo,junto al peso de la guitarra le dan un sustain...acojonante.Toco Hard Blues y Heavy Metal, fanatico perdido de Zakk Wylde y Metallica.Por ello le colocare las EMG signature de Mr.Zakky, o sea cambiar los ca?ones por misiles nucleares.!!!TIEMBLA MUNDO!!!

Por la calidad de la madera,y su peso dandole ese sustain por su puente fijo y mastil encolado,el tacto y comodidad del mastil,INcurvable,es la mejor del mundo...

!!!LAS GIBSON SON DE POR VIDA!!!me morire y se la pasare en testamento a mi hijo y mi hijo a mi nieto y mi nieto...

!!!ES GIPSON!!!sobran las palabras

Es la mejor del mundo...es la HARLEY de las guitarras

Manufactured in 1976, probably one of the first Nashville made instruments. Ebony fingerboard, 22 frets (fretless wonder, plays like a miracle), mother-of-pearl block inlay, 3 piece laminated neck. Gold hardware, completely original, two humbuckers. Black finish.
Body made of mahogany. The Gibson archive states that this series (1969 LPC reissue) has a maple top but I wonder, regarding the sound of the guitar. I think it's too dark and 'muddy'. I own an Ibanez Artist 300 (1981) with mahogany body & neck and maple top but that guitar has a very bright tone which the Gibson lacks.

As I mentioned this guitar does not sound very bright, although if you take some time you can get a very nice tone. Output is not too high, seems to be very suitable for blues and jazz. Sounds full and quite rich, very well balanced. Good sustain, no complaints here.

Very fast action, no buzz, no flaws, hardware however oxidized but since it's made in 1976 that's not too strange. How many '76 cars are still driving today without rust?

Very well built guitar, no problems to be expected, very dependable. Well, it's a Gibson. No backup needed if you can get all the sounds you want from this guitar.

Never needed it. Warranty expired long time ago I guess....

I've been playing for 22 years now, own about 15 other guitars & basses. If it were stolen I wouldn't buy an old Custom again or it had to come much cheaper than this one, it's too heavy and too limited in it's sounds to become my main guitar. I only bought it because it was still cheaper than expected and it was at an auction and I really wanted it.
I wish it sounded more like my Artist, which seems to be a better Gibson than the real one (not even my own opinion!).
This guitar is for sale, only serious inquirers.....

It's a '97, basic 3-hum paul. I had it custom wired though, took the middle pickup off the toggle and put it on a push/pull pot. So now the toggle works like a 2-pickup gibson.

When I first bought this guitar, I loved it. It's truly a beast. I play through a peavey classic 50/410, and this thing can chunk like no other. You wouldn't believe the growl on power chords.
As time passed, however, I began to relize the limitations of the tone. It's very thick, very muddy. The pickups are crap for clarity, though removing the covers helps considerably. I may replace them with diMarzio or something.
Basically, it's great for low-end rhythm, but sucks for any sort of definition.

Set-up was nice; it's a beautiful guitar. Neck's kinda big(it's a Paul), and it's not very fast, but it was obviously built for tone, not ease. You can tell immediately that the instrument has a huge capacity for tone, it's just the electronics holding it back.

Had it 2 years, no problems.

I wouldn't buy it again, but if you like a thick sound, this guitar is for you.

Well here it is. My alternate to the Super 400 entry many months ago. This is a 1980 American Made (of course) typical LP Custom. Laminated Maple top on a mahogany body. Black with gold hardware and finetuners on the tailpiece.

To be fair, I have had to modify the sound by replacing the rear pickup with a Duncan Custom. This is attributed to a pickup that i had to have repaired and was never the same. I finally gave up and replaced the unit itself. It sounds better than ever but it sounded good before. I just lost higher end gain in the bridge pickup after it was repaired. The rating I give it reflects the changes I have made to the guitar ( a lot of them- it was a nightmare when i first got it) and not how it came from the factory.

It was ok when I got it in 1993 but I have replaced the frets, wiring, pods, jacks, had it wetsanded and buffed to clean up the original finish, replaced the bridge pickup and the bridge assembly. Hell, not much original but it NEVER goes out of tune. I can play it for 5 hours straight and barely have to use the fine tunders. The rating I give it post factory restoration and repair.

Only one complaint! When is gibson going to start shipping their guitars with strap locks? I refuse to play mine wearing a strap until they have them. Period. This earns them a 7 for being shortsighted.

Actually, the one time I called to get an ID of my other Les Paul, they were awesome. My hats off to them.

I have been playing around 13 years and I own another Les Paul Custom Super 400, a completely modified Fender strat and I use a Mesa Boogie Trem-o-verb. My overall rating again reflects the time, effort and aggravation I put into it. it would have been a 6 as I originally bought it.

1980 USA made 21 frets I got it trading in a Fender Strat.(the pink Junk from the late 80's) and an Ovation made in Korea. I would say that this guitar is in great condition, but the neck is like new. When I bought it had on jazz strings!!! Two volumes and two tone controls a three way pick up selector, I don 't really know of what material is made, but judging from other Gibson from this period I would say Maple-Mahogany. When I replaced the cracked pick-up's frames I noticed that behind the Pick-ups there is stamped MAY 1976. Oh well an 18 yrs old babe with a 22 yrs old pick ups!

I play Blues/Hard-Rock and this guiatr seems not to have any problems to fit in any music style. I use a Peavey Classic 50 Watts and now I can say to have a Mr.Amp; in fact, I trade it for a Marshall that was not that great to me! I also own two Danelectro Fab-Tone and Daddy-o, plus a Boss Compressor and a Dealy. Believe me I can nail down Anhtrax,Metallica,Gary Moore,Jimmy Page's sound etc...Even if you own something else get yourself a Danelectro distortion (See Danelectro review). This guitar despite its 18 yrs of age sounds like a brand new baby, the sound is thick,warm, and with a Cry Baby you can almost nail down SRV sound! No complaints USA made!

I never did anything on it because it is simply perfect, professionally made, the pick ups were way to low, now the one at the bridge is closer to the strings, it gives me more impact on solos. The only problem is that most of the gold on the pick ups is gone, and now some green copper is appearing, but it can be removed easly with a small drop of anty copper liquid.

This Guitar is a myth....never dies. It is very weel finished indeed and I do not even think that it will ever die. I used it more than once in a gig and it never let me down except that every other song it needs to be retuned (the only complain)

I never dealt with the company, never repaired, no warranty, why doe it need it?

I've been playing for 16 yrs now and after owning Yamhaha, Ibanez, and other Not USA made guitars I got tired and now I am Mr.Happy! To me this Guitar is not comparable to anything else because it is a Gibson I perhaps sound arrogant, but first of all try to own a Gibson and then let me know! If I would lose it I would certainly buy another one in a New York minute! I know that Gibsons are not cheap guitar but there is a reson why, and if you'll own one you'll be able to find out yourself.