Gibson Les Paul Special 6 3199 (1956)

1956 Gibson Les Paul Special in original TV finish just into the shop!

Who doesn't like a 50s Special?! These guitars ALWAYS impress us. There's something about the slab mahogany body, twin P90s, and wraparound tailpiece that deliver a sound and playing experience so unique to the model. We like to think of it like the Telecaster of the Gibson world. It's somewhat utilitarian in function, yet wildly versatile and deeply inspiring to play.

Rich, strong, yet balanced single coil tone is the calling card of these mid/late 50s Specials and their P90s. These pickups do not disappoint! We're loving the sound of this guitar into a clean amp just as much as we do when it's hitting some overdrive. They're wound a little on the lower side, yet not lacking at all in output! What we do hear is a bit more sweetness through a clean amp, perhaps with a touch more chime. Don't be fooled by its polite nature into, say, a Princeton Reverb. Plug this bad body into an old Tweed or Marshall and watch out!

The fat, round neck with a hint of Soft V is prototypical mid 50s in profile, and typically quite consistent during production of these guitars in the middle of the decade. With some fullness in the first position and a lean taper, the neck stays comfortable all the way up. The original frets were absolutely cooked on this guitar, so we elected to refret it with Jescar 45100 wire and pair with a MojoAxe 50s style wraparound for increased performance and intonation. Rest assured, the original lightweight aluminum wraparound tailpice is included! The truss rod was almost fully relaxed, but with a nice straight neck and no backbow. Our refret worked in a touch of extra relief in the leveling, and it honestly plays about as good as any of these Specials we've had here. A testament to the increasingly great work being done by our repair staff!

The original Kluson tuners work great, especially with the crumbling buttons having been replaced here in-house. All other plastics are original to the guitar, including the often-broken input jack. The wiring harness is completely untouched with no disturbed solder to be found.

With some honest play wear to prove it had been put to work early and often (buckle rash on the back of the body, neck finish wear, to be specific), there's no doubt that this guitar was getting the job done time and time again. Still, it's survived break-free and healthy. With a fresh 100,000 mile service, it's ready for its next chapter.

Paired with a vintage Gibson "chainsaw" protector hardshell case.

Expedited Shipping Required.