Pricing and availability
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Average Price: $5,496
High-end/Boutique
$400
$1001+
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Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 5 merchants for "Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Introducing the Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar, the epitome of elegance and brute strength. This guitar is a top-notch choice for musicians due to its unmatched sonic punch, fluid playability, and classic "tuxedo" appointments. With a matched 490/498 humbucker set, this musical beast takes you from mellow jazz tones to full shred with just a twist of your pinky. Its responsive nature is ideal for genres like prog, fusion, and hard rock.
The Gibson Les Paul Custom is recognized for its effortless playability, often referred to as the "Fretless Wonder" in the music world. This guitar is well-equipped with medium jumbo frets that cater to contemporary playing styles. The fast-action neck, smooth-as-silk ebony fingerboard, and medium jumbo frets facilitate nimble, dexterous fretwork.
The guitar features a mahogany body with a carved 2-piece maple top. This classic tonewood combination delivers the density needed for massive sustain and precise note articulation. The gold hardware adds an exquisite finishing touch to this iconic instrument.
The Les Paul Custom comes with a matched pair of 490/498 humbuckers that shine when delivering the classic fat, snarling tone that the Les Paul is famous for. These pickups are incredibly responsive, cleaning up beautifully when you roll back the volume.
Key Features:
- Iconic solidbody electric from one of the world’s renowned guitar makers
- Mahogany body, carved 2-piece maple top; nitrocellulose lacquer finish
- Ebony fingerboard, 12" radius, 22 medium jumbo frets, mother-of-pearl block inlays
- Bridge pickup: 498T humbucker
- Neck pickup: 490R humbucker
- 3-way pickup selector
- Bridge and neck volume controls
- Bridge and neck tone controls
- Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece
- 1.69" Corian nut; Grover kidney tuners
Product specs
| Number of Strings | 6 |
| Left-/Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Body Type | Solidbody |
| Body Shape | Les Paul Custom |
| Body Material | Mahogany |
| Top Material | 2-piece Plain Maple |
| Body Finish | Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer |
| Neck Material | Mahogany |
| Neck Joint | Set Neck |
| Radius | 12" |
| Fingerboard Inlay | Mother-of-Pearl Blocks |
| Number of Frets | 22, Medium Jumbo |
| Scale Length | 24.75" |
| Nut Width | 1.6875" |
| Nut Material | Corian |
| Bridge/Tailpiece | Tune-O-Matic with Stopbar |
| Tuners | Grover Kidney |
| Neck Pickup | Gibson 490R Humbucker |
| Bridge Pickup | Gibson 498T Humbucker |
| Controls | 2 x volume, 2 x tone |
| Switching | 3-way toggle pickup switch |
| Strings | Gibson, .010-.046 |
| Case/Gig Bag | Hardshell Case |
FAQs
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What type of wood is used for the Gibson Les Paul Custom's body?
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The Gibson Les Paul Custom features a solid mahogany body with a 2-piece plain maple top, providing a rich, resonant tone with enhanced sustain.
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What pickups are installed in the Gibson Les Paul Custom, and what tones do they produce?
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The Gibson Les Paul Custom is equipped with a Gibson 490R humbucker in the neck and a 498T humbucker in the bridge, offering a versatile range of tones from warm, smooth neck sounds to bright, cutting bridge tones ideal for rock and blues.
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Is the Gibson Les Paul Custom suitable for professional use?
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Yes, the Gibson Les Paul Custom is a professional-grade instrument known for its premium build quality, rich tone, and iconic design, making it suitable for both studio recording and live performances.
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What is the neck profile of the Gibson Les Paul Custom?
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The Gibson Les Paul Custom features a mahogany neck with a set neck joint, providing a comfortable and stable playing experience with a 12" radius and medium jumbo frets for smooth playability.
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Does the Gibson Les Paul Custom come with a case?
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Yes, the Gibson Les Paul Custom comes with a hardshell case, ensuring protection and safe transport for your guitar.
Videos
Kennis Russell
Fake Chibson vs Real Gibson (Can You Tell The Difference Between These Two Les Paul Guitars?)
Reviews
PROS
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1. Exceptional craftsmanship with a pristine finish and attention to detail
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2. Versatile sound with both warm clean tones and heavy, aggressive riffs
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3. Superior sustain and clarity, even at high gain levels
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4. Ebony fretboard offers a smooth, buttery playability
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5. Rich history and iconic status in the guitar world
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6. High-quality pickups with a hot, snappy sound
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7. Durable construction, built to last a lifetime
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8. Renowned for outstanding tone across various musical styles
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9. Ergonomic neck design enhances ease of play
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10. Custom Shop production ensures top-tier quality
CONS
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1. Significantly heavy, which may cause discomfort during extended play
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2. Expensive, possibly out of reach for budget-conscious buyers
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3. Some models may require initial setup adjustments
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4. Pickup selector switch can occasionally be loose
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5. Guitar's weight may affect live performance usability
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar.
Features and functionality
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It's been noted that the 1968 Les Paul Custom Reissue features an improved headstock angle for better tuning stability, addressing previous design flaws.
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Witch hat knobs are a distinct feature on '70s models, which some owners find visually appealing.
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Late '70s Les Paul Customs typically feature thinner neck profiles, appealing to those who prefer a slimmer style.
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Authentic Gibsons use black screws on black pickup covers, while many fakes incorrectly use silver or gold screws.
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Use cases and applications
Comparisons
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Heritage Guitars, made in the former Gibson Kalamazoo factory, are recommended for quality comparable to Gibsons but at a lower price.
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One owner compared the neck of the 1968 Les Paul Custom to be among their favorites, noting its comfort and exceptional playability.
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Japanese clones like Burny or Orville may have genuine features like fret nibs but often suffer from inauthentic logo placement and forced aging.
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Build quality
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Pre-2011 models are noted for having real ebony fretboards, which many owners find superior to the later use of Richlite.
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Genuine Les Paul Customs have mother-of-pearl inlays with a rainbow-iridescent quality; fakes often use flat plastic inlays lacking depth.
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The binding yellowing can vary, with fretboard sides often remaining white due to lacquer absence, unlike the body.
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Real Les Pauls feature thumbwheels under the bridge instead of visible screw heads, which are common in counterfeits.
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User experience
Value and pricing
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The 1968 Les Paul Custom Reissue is described as overpriced by some, highlighting its minimal spec changes over the years despite a high price tag.
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Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 50 Reviews and 344 Ratings
64
Tonally weighted toward lower notes as standard, but an incredibly versatile foundation for custom modifications
The beautifully designed and sized mahogany body both balances the instrument impeccably and radiates sustain throughout the entire tonal range, with harmonics developing in a linear, predictable fashion as the ambient volume increases. . The intuitively proportioned, narrow neck and fingerboard, combined with its medium scale make extended chords and widely spaced fingering surprisingly easy, taking advantage of an ergonomically radius that comfortably encourages movement along its length, while the full bodied comfortable frets in conjunction with the natural balance reduce tiredness during and after extended playing and exude confidence from all but the least experienced musician. . Gibson's pickups are without doubt clear, articulate and sensitive, with the kind of quiet, cleanliness one would expect from a premium guitar, the ability to register even the slightest nuances at low level and a rich, powerful projection when cranked up that enable the musical purity to cut through the well controlled and subtle microphony that even in the cleanly manufactured wax potted coils, makes its presence felt, but at a level that adds character in spades, rather than the coarse, uncontrolled, discordant fashion of lesser offerings. . Potentiometers, wiring, earthing and shielding of cavities are silent for the most part with little, or no R.F. Interfearance, maintaining the musicality of the outgoing signal. . The machine heads are precise, with little backlash in the gearing and a soft, smooth operation which when set, stays put throughout all but the most vigorous strumming and string bending, making for a. Rewarding rich sounding experience, with minimal need for adjustment due to string creep. . With the attention to quality control in the hardware section, the plating is very even and lustrous, giving yet more reason, if any were needed, to trust in Gibson's ability to produce what is and has been for some considerable time, the industry standard where electric guitars are concerned. . If I HAD to make one criticism, it would be to highlight the guitar's tendency to resonate in a very slightly bass heavy fashion, but that is nothing that can't be allowed for in the choice of strings and amplifier settings........ . By far the biggest accomplishment in my opinion, is the way the guitar lends itself to customisation. Especially in the wiring department. Replacing the bridge pickup with a very slightly "Brighter" one transforms the guitar, in my opinion. Opening its range and vocabulary. Making it by far the most versatile and playable guitar on the market today... . All this being said. These are purely my own, personal opinions, no doubt endowed with just a little positive bias having owned many Gibson Les Paul models over the years. Each one being the leader in its price range.
191
Love this thing!
This is on my top ten guitars of all time! Really clean tone and rustic at the same time. The color is real sweet too. I do recommend!
161
In a class of its own.
For the last few years Les Paul Custom's are being made exclusively at the Custom Shop, those guys know what they're doing and it shows. I'm not afraid to change/upgrade where & when it's needed, but apart form replacing the tuners with Sperzel locking ones I haven't done anything else, this guitar's perfect as it is, pickups and all, don't change anything: just plug in and enjoy this wonderful instrument. Highly recommended.
434
It's a Gibson, enough said
I don't like using it for live stuff since it is bottom heavy, but if I'm just recording or playing then it's my go-to guitar. There's a reason they're on the heavy side. The tones are great, and it's got nice action. Les Pauls are rightly at the top of their field. Only thing I don't like, aside for the weight, is the price. But that's coming from a college student whose last five meals have consisted of peanut butter sandwiches and granola bars so, whatever. In the grand scheme of things, maybe $5000 is a reasonable price.
41029
sometimes its worth eating nothing but peanutbutter sandwiches and rammen noodles for a while...
57
579
I love the Ebony fretboard and the feel of a Gibson Les Paul Custom
My Custom was a little different. It was all mahogany without a maple top. Binding on the top and bottom and it was a Norlin period that rocked. The neck was mahogany and the ebony fretboard gave the guitar brightness. This was a guitar with sustain and clarity and worked for any genre of music.
247
Best guitar
This was my first real guitar. It was my only guitar for over a decade. It's still my number one.
40
I'm hoping for this to be my first real guitar as well (well a cheaper alternative for not far off a grand) would you still recommend it?
62
Incredible sustain.
2007 Gibson Les Paul Custom in Ebony. 2007 appears to be the last year that Gibson produced these guitars with ebony fingerboards, before they switched to using Richlite. The guitar has previously been upgraded with a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge position, and has now been fitted with the Seymour Duncan Blackouts Active Modular Pre-Amp.
193
Fantastic sounding and well built classic guitar
I've had my Gibson Les Paul Custom for nearly four years now and it's probably my favorite guitar. It plays beautifully and nails the classic Les Paul sound. It's also very versatile, and fits in with both heavy and lighter fare. Definitely a keeper.
41029
Is yours a black beuty or a 'cream' white one? Man am I sucker for a well-aged white LP custom, dead sexy!
193
It's sort of a black beauty, but all chrome hardware. It's exactly the Les Paul Custom I'd always wanted but hadn't seen available except for a custom order. I snatched it up as soon as I saw it. I love the cream/white customs like Randy Rhoads had as well. I never wanted one but they're beautiful guitars.
261
Most Rockin' Guitar
The tone on this guitar is equally insanely crunchy and undeniably classic. Whenever we write a song that needs that extra "rock n roll" vibe, we bust this thing out and it always delivers the goods. There is a reason that it resides in our studio's most visible spot.
Artist usage
Add artist"I have a really incredible ’54 Les Paul Bigsby and a ’72 Les Paul Custom that’s like a Jimmy Page guitar. We also have a ’78 Les Paul that sounds a little bit more like Randy Rhoads to me."
In this photo, one can see Richards with a Gibson Les Paul Custom.
Gibson writes : "By 1966, Richards was using three-pickup Les Paul Customs (the so-called “Black Beauty”). He had four, at least. He first used one in ’66, but that was stolen on tour in 1967. He purchased a new one in London, and this one was later painted by himself and then-partner Anita Pallenberg. It is now apparently owned by a U.K. guitar collector.
So why did that one go? Various stories say Keef gave it away or forgetfully left it in a Canadian guitar shop. He bought two new Les Paul Customs for the Stones’ 1969 tour, and used one for open-G tuning on “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Street Fighting Man” (live), the other in standard tuning. Both these Black Beauties were reportedly stolen from Nellcote in July 1971. Bad luck or simple carelessness? By ’73, Keef was still using a ’54 Custom for “Midnight Rambler” on The Stones’ ’72-73 tours. The Rolling Stones’ Rock and Roll Circus film shows Keith rocking one of his early LP Customs."
In this photo taken at the June 15th concert in Florence, Italy, Adam Jones can be seen playing a Gibson Les Paul Custom in Reverse Silverburst finish, also equipped with a Bigsby tremolo system. This is corroborated by a video uploaded by djibril84 on YouTube, titled "Tool - Rosetta Stoned - part - live @ Firenze Rocks 15 June 2024."
Chris Cornell can be seen using a Cherry Burst Les Paul Custom to a Silverburst Custom from about 3:00 to the rest of the Pinkpop '92 show.
In this video of the recording of "Feeling this", at 0:58, one can see DeLonge playing Gibson Les Paul Custom.
Synyster Gates can be seen using a Les Paul Custom in the video for "Unholy Confessions."
Jamie Cook plays a Gibson Les Paul during recording and live sessions when playing in Arctic Monkeys. Jamie seems to be a fan of Gibson guitars, playing a ES-335 in every tour and also a SG for AM. This Les Paul was first seen during the “Teddy Picker” music video. The music video features mainly footage of Arctic Monkeys recording the song in a live take. The guitar was seen played by Cook during the tour as well.
Alex Turner, the lead singer and lead guitarist of the band, played Jamie’s Guitar during the recording of the bands fourth album, “Suck It and See.” In an interview with producer of the mentioned album James Ford, he stated “Alex Turner's rig typically featured him playing his faithful Fender Bronco... or occasionally a Gibson Les Paul... through his crocodile‑skin Selmer Zodiac and '60s Magnatone amps. "’Al does more rhythmy stuff, and for that it was just pretty straight, quite bright and punchy into the Selmer. We sometimes ran that and his old Magnatone at the same time. It has a really nice vibrato on it and reverb. So sometimes we'd mix those two signals together, but just onto the one track.’”
Another section of the same interview with Ford, he mentions “A new sonic development for Arctic Monkeys on Suck It And See are the saturated Electro‑Harmonix Big Muff‑styled lead breaks that feature throughout — played mostly by Turner, but also by Jamie Cook. ‘It isn't a Big Muff actually,’ Ford points out. ‘But we were trying to get that Les Paul neck-pickup sound. They've got quite a few of those weird, boutiquey fuzz pedals that give you that warm, creamy fuzz, so we used that for the solos mainly. There was one called the Coopersonic Valve Slapper that we used quite a lot.’”
This interview mentions the use of Jamie’s Les Paul, as Turner was seen using the Gibson throughout that tour. Their next Album, AM, also features Alex playing this guitar. Seen throughout their live shows and pictures of the recording of the album.
The image shown shows Jamie playing the Les Paul during the Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino tour, as Alex stopped playing it in favor of sticking with his Fender Jazzmaster. Jamie started playing the Gibson again for only a handful of songs, sticking with his ES-335 as his primary guitar for a majority of the setlist.
"This guitar was reportedly borrowed for use on SY's July 18th 2000 appearance on 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien', performing 'Nevermind'. Supposedly Thurston's maroon Les Paul was unavailable so they rented a "real" Les Paul -- which Thurston liked so much, he purchased a new Les Paul for himself for the west coast July 2000 tour. However, the matching 'Terrence & Philip' stickers on Lee and Thurston's guitars for this performance are curious..." - Chris Lawrence.
Album Usage
The Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar has been featured on the following albums:
Make Me Wonder
Official髭男dism (2025)
Apex
W.E.T. (2025)
From The Beginning
Mötley Crüe (2025)
1984 Live Desk Tapes
Icehouse (2024)
AM.PM
Andy Mackay & Phil Manzanera (2023)
Once in a BLUE MOON
N.Flying (2023)
Pour Some Sugar On Me
Def Leppard & Imanbek (2023)
ABANDONSYSTEM__ (Your Voice Edition)
a crowd of rebellion (2022)
My Sharona (Live)
The Knack (2022)
Ritual Death
Ritual Death (2022)
No Time for Later (Bonus Live Cut Edition)
The Trews (2020)
ICEHOUSE Plays Flowers Live
Icehouse (2020)
Just Like Heaven (Live)
The Cure (2019)
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
The Rolling Stones (2019)
Live at the BBC
The Hollies (2018)
Ao Vivo Pra Caramba - A Revolta Dos Dândis 30 Anos
Humberto Gessinger (2018)
Street Fighting Man (Live)
The Rolling Stones (2018)
Voodoo Lounge Uncut (Live)
The Rolling Stones (2018)
Outsider
Comeback Kid (2017)
And an Artist
Steven Seagal (2017)
what U need?
LAY (2016)
Guidance
Russian Circles (2016)
Afrika
Russian Circles (2016)
Kings of the Wild Frontier (Deluxe Edition)
Adam and The Ants (2016)
Teens Of Denial
Car Seat Headrest (2016)
Adrenalina
Benji & Fede (2016)
Amore Wi-Fi
Benji & Fede (2016)
Freedom
Refused (2015)
I Forget Where We Were
Ben Howard (2014)
Wovenwar
Wovenwar (2014)
Mala
Devendra Banhart (2013)
AM
Arctic Monkeys (2013)
Rat Farm
Meat Puppets (2013)
Handwritten
The Gaslight Anthem (2012)
All Or Nothing (Deluxe Edition)
Pennywise (2012)
Suck It and See
Arctic Monkeys (2011)
The Daily Mail / Staircase
Radiohead (2011)
BAD D.N.A.
Marty Friedman & Marty Fried (2010)
Buzzcocks Live!
Buzzcocks (2010)
Live in Stockholm 2004
Dissection (2009)
Life Starts Now
Three Days Grace (2009)
Witness
Blessthefall (2009)
Well, Anything Can Happen
Nicky Skopelitis (2009)
When The World Comes Down
The All-American Rejects & The All‐American Rejects (2008)
Faith Moves
Nicky Skopelitis & Sonny Sharrock (2008)
Act II: The Blood and the Life Eternal
Neverending White Lights (2007)
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Foo Fighters (2007)
Famous
Puddle of Mudd (2007)
Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
Devendra Banhart (2007)
Fobia - XX
Fobia (2007)
Rather Ripped
Sonic Youth (2006)
Winternoise (Live)
Dissection (2006)
Rebirth Of Dissection (Live)
Dissection (2006)
II
Espers (2006)
Don't Believe The Truth
Oasis (2005)
Getting Away With Murder
Papa Roach (2004)
Songs from the Crystal Cave
Steven Seagal (2004)
Boomslang (2024 Deluxe Edition)
Johnny Marr + the Healers & Johnny Marr (2003)
Waking The Fallen
Avenged Sevenfold (2003)
Ar de rock
Rui Veloso (2001)
Revelator
Nicky Skopelitis (2001)
The Better Life
3 Doors Down (2000)
Akuro No Oka
Dir En Grey (1999)
Neon Ballroom
Silverchair (1999)
Freak Show
Silverchair (1997)
Carnival Of Souls: The Final Sessions
Kiss (1997)
Be Here Now (Deluxe Remastered Edition)
Oasis (1997)
(What's The Story) Morning Glory? (Deluxe Remastered Edition)
Oasis (1995)
Too High To Die
Meat Puppets (1994)
Cruisin' Deuces
Danny Gatton (1993)
Zooropa
U2 (1993)
Ten
Pearl Jam (1991)
Social Distortion
Social Distortion (1990)
After You've Gone
John Jorgenson (1988)
Ouça O Que Eu Digo: Não Ouça Ninguém
Engenheiros do Hawaii (1988)
Hysteria
Def Leppard (1987)
A Revolta Dos Dandis
Engenheiros do Hawaii (1987)
Night Songs
Cinderella (1986)
The Red Hot Chili Peppers (Expanded Edition / 2002 Remaster)
Red Hot Chili Peppers (1984)
All Those Wasted Years (Live)
Hanoi Rocks (1984)
Pyromania
Def Leppard (1983)
Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks (1981)
Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar
Frank Zappa (1981)
Fun And Games
Chuck Mangione & Chuck Mangione (1979)
Street Survivors
Lynyrd Skynyrd (1977)
One More From The Road (Live / Deluxe Edition)
Lynyrd Skynyrd (1976)
Hair Of The Dog
Nazareth (1975)
Kimono My House
Sparks (1974)
Raw Power (50th Anniversary Legacy Edition)
The Stooges (1973)
Birds Of Fire
The Mahavishnu Orchestra (1973)
Radar Love
Golden Earring (1973)
The Inner Mounting Flame (with John McLaughlin)
The Mahavishnu Orchestra (1971)
Dear Eloise / King Midas In Reverse
The Hollies (1967)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
Show yoursSimilar
Add recommendation7 alternative and related items for Gibson Les Paul Custom Electric Guitar, curated by the Equipboard community.
$689.00 - $799.00
$7,890.00
The True Historic series '57 Les Paul Custom Reissue features a mahogany body, Ebony fretboard, and Custombucker pickups. True Historic models feature reformulated plastics, different finishing and sanding techniques, a double carved neck and top, and more accurate profiles and part sizes.
$257.22 - $1,099.00
It was previously listed as a high-end alternative, so I changed it.
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