Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Standard Candy Apple Blue (USED)
LP-Style · Used
Hats off to our friends at CME - this is a phenomenal Les Paul by any measure.
To be sure, there are a lot of Les Pauls in the world - Standards, Classics, Historic, etc…Even the most devoted guitar player can get lost in the sea of options. When shopping for a new LP (or any guitar), the question ultimately circles back to - what makes this one special / worth my money? Let’s see if we can help…To start, this gorgeous LP Standard was originally offered as an exclusive with our friends at Chicago Music Exchange. It features a gorgeous Candy Apple Blue top, a beautiful 1-piece Mahogany body, a “Carmelita” neck carve, and a set of CME "S Bucker" pickups. Other specs are what you’d expect - short scale, 1 11/16th nut width, set-neck construction, etc…
With the basics out of the way, let’s circle back to “what’s special about this one” from a player’s perspective. For our money, it comes down to two specs - and to be sure, they’re both exceptional. First? The neck. This is the first LP we’ve encountered that has a “Carmelita” neck carve, and to our hands, it’s absolutely perfect. Long story short, it’s a carve that’s based off of a scan of an actual ’59 Les Paul. Having experienced a few ’59 Les Pauls, we can say it’s very accurate - meaning, real ’59 carves aren’t as big or bulky as some of the reissues would lead you to believe. The Carmelita measures .88” @ the 1st fret and 1” at the 12th. It’s essential a C shape with the perfect amount of “shoulder” so it feels full, but not cumbersome or fatiguing.
2nd? The CME “S Bucker” pickups. We’re told these are meant to get you as close to a vintage PAF Humbucker as possible. Through a cranked (and we mean cranked, our ears are still ringing as we type) Victoria Silver Sonic (think Bassman), that elusive, sought-after “Tele on steroids” tone came roaring out of the Silver Sonic’s 12” speaker. Wow. Clarity, top-end bite, lower output feel….phenomenal clean, edge-of-breakup, or will raging amounts of gain…this LP is simply a joy to play.
SN CME 0082
| Top | Plain Maple 2-piece |
| Top Binding | .09 Cream |
| Body | Mahogany 1-Piece Light |
| Routing | 59 Les Paul Carmelita tilted |
| Pickups | S Bucker |
| Tuners | Nickel Aged Kluson Reissue |
| Bridge | ABR-1 Non Wire |
| Tailpiece | Light Weight with Long Stud/Anchor |
| Jackplate | True Historic Reissue |
| Pickguard | True Historic R9 |
| Knobs | True Historic Gold Top Hats |
| Switch Tip | True Historic Amber |
| Backplates | Reissue Brown / Custom Shop Medallion |
| Neck | Mahogany |
| Neck Dimensions | Carmelita |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood |
| Scale | 24 3/4" |
| Fingerboard Binding | .04 Cream |
| Nut | Nylon |
| Condition | Excellent. Very few signs of prior ownership present / no fret wear / excellent setup. |
Every instrument is thoroughly checked and set up before shipping fully insured via UPS with tracking to your door. We reuse boxes and materials to cut waste when they meet our protection standard.
Inspect it, play it, and if it isn't right, contact us within 48 hours of delivery to arrange a return or one-time exchange. Returns are subject to a 5% restocking fee, and the buyer covers shipping both ways.
High Standards
We accept only preowned guitars that meet our rigorous standards for authenticity, condition, and performance, each one carefully vetted to ensure it upholds the level of quality our customers expect.
Accurate Representation
Every instrument is meticulously photographed and accurately described, so you can buy with confidence knowing exactly what to expect.
Inspection & Setup
Each instrument is thoroughly inspected by our staff for authenticity and condition, with any necessary work and a full setup completed before it’s listed for sale.
Have Questions?
If you have any questions about this instrument’s condition, feel free to give us a call or drop us an email - we are always happy to provide an in-hand description and make sure you’re confident in your purchase.