Say Ciao! to our Gibson Custom Shop Collectors Choice #12 1957 Les Paul Goldtop. Part of the incredibly successful Collectors Choice Series that ran from 2010 to 2017 with 40 guitars replicated in exacting detail.
Collectors Choice #12 was released in 2014 and is one of only two Goldtops produced in the series replicating the original 1957 Goldtop owned by Henry Juszkiewicz, then CEO of Gibson. As with the rest of the series, Collectors Choice #12 was released as a strictly limited package of 300 instruments each with their own Gibson Custom Shop Certificate of Authenticity. This is the number 113.
The Gibson Custom Shop team has recreated 7 3939 in exacting detail with every minor ding, scuff, and wear patch hand aged to resemble the original. No surprise given the Custom Shop team were granted unrestricted access with hands-on analysis of the original guitar. The accurate Goldtop finish has that characteristic slight greening within its bronze and subtle darkening in the lacquer checks and wear patterns that original examples exhibit. The ageing is on a par with anything we have seen out of the Custom Shop.
Collectors Choice #12 has features atributed to Les Pauls from this period that help to set is aside from other Goldtop Reissues, the Gibson logo is lower on the headstock as can be often seen on original early PAF ’57 Goldtops, the neck is described by Gibson as being on the ‘Cheekier side’ with a definitive 50’s profile and the fret wire is the period correct smaller wire used by Gibson until 1959.
The pickups are perhaps the biggest deviation from the rest of the Collectors Choice range with #12 coming equipped with a set of CustomBucker S early PAF type humbuckers. The pickups have been recreated to the exact specs and materials of the original PAFs in Mr Juszkiewicz’s guitar, and exhibit a slightly lighter wind than average, resulting in outstanding definition and clarity, yet plenty of thickness and body resulting in some of the best sounding pickups to have come from Gibson.
This guitar comes with two pickup sets and installed ones are Brandonwound Limited Run PAFs.
This intrument has gone through light relic aging by italian luthier Santucci. The guitar is very comfortable stopping the scale at 3.57 kg.
Despite being described as being on the ‘cheekier side’, the neck has a very comfortable profile more akin to a ’59 and no where near as sizeable as some of the reissue necks can be. Measuring measuring 22.72mm at the 1st and 25.33mm at the 12th fret. the nut width is 43.02mm.
In the Collectors Choice series Gibson has recreated specific vintage instruments from across the Golden-era of of Gibson electric guitar production allowing Players and Collectors around the world the opportunity to experience the precise look, feel, and tone of some of the rarest original examples out there. The range is still popular today with many players and collectors specifically seeking these limited run guitars out. The guitar is in excellent condition with little wear to the factory ageing and plays excellently. The guitar comes with its original case and Collectors Choice certificate.
