Back to navigation


A Stunning 3-pickup Black Beauty with a Bigsby





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





This Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue is oozing with classic tone and vintage-original-spec authenticity ? everything, that is, except for its Bigsby-equipped ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge, which adds haunting vibrato effects to the '57's legendary bite and sustain. Murphy Lab Light Aging re-creates the dings, checking, and patina of decades of casual wear, faithfully capturing the depth, and richness of a genuine '57 Custom ? one of the most iconic solidbody electric guitars ever made. Handcrafted by Gibson's elite Custom Shop luthiers, the 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue features top-shelf tonewoods, including a 1-piece mahogany body and a fast, comfortable Chunky "C" profile mahogany neck topped by a silky-smooth ebony fingerboard. Plug this instrument into your favorite tube amp, and experience searing PAF tones, courtesy of three unpotted CustomBucker Alnico III pickups. Premium appointments, including gold hardware, mother-of-pearl '50s Pattern inlays, and Kluson Waffleback tuners complete the amazing 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue.





Related Videos: 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue 3-pickup Bigsby Electric Guitar - Murphy Lab Light Aged Ebony





NOW PLAYING:


Gibson Custom Shop | Introducing the Murphy Lab





Gibson Murphy Lab ? Next-Level Custom Shop Guitars





Tom Murphy on the Four Levels of Guitar Aging





Interview with Tom Murphy of Gibson's Murphy Lab


Every inch of this Les Paul has vintage vibe





To capture the essence of the original 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue, Gibson painstakingly re-created each part piece by piece. The mahogany body, nitro finish, and solid ebony fingerboard are only the beginning. Not only do you get the Chunky "C"-shaped neck you've been craving, but the accuracy of the details translates all the way down to the positioning of the instrument's pearloid-tipped Kluson Waffleback tuners and its vintage-inspired, 1950s-style mother-of-pearl fingerboard inlays.





CustomBucker pickups for pure vintage PAF tone





Gibson paid just as much attention to this guitar's electronics as they did to its aesthetics. Every part of its internal signal path was designed to deliver dead-on late-1950s Les Paul tone. Of course, it's next to impossible to find genuine '50s PAFs ? even for Gibson. Instead, the 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue sports a trio of Gibson's CustomBucker Alnico III humbuckers. The CustomBucker is the most historically accurate PAF copy ever, ensuring this 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue nails the sound of an original 1957 Les Paul Custom.





Serial 731130


Serial 731130


Chunky "C" neck and Plek'd frets for optimized playability





Comfort and playability were two of Gibson's primary concerns when they designed the 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue. You'll be amazed at how this guitar's Chunky "C"-shaped neck comfortably fills your hand in just the right way. For your playing pleasure, the bound ebony fingerboard is buffed to silky smoothness and the frets are dressed to perfection using a Plek Pro machine. Typically reserved for top-dollar custom guitars, this process levels the frets with pinpoint precision, providing you with the most playable fretboard you're likely to own.





Bigsby vibrato adds a cool vibe





Bigsby vibratos deliver smooth dips and dives that other trems just can't reproduce. Perfect for adding a slight warble to chords and scooping into notes, the Bigsby is a creative tool you'll love using. There's a reason why Bigsby vibratos are so popular here at Sweetwater! So, what are you waiting for? Find out what you have been missing from your standard Les Paul with the Bigsby-loaded 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue.





Artfully aged in Gibson Custom Shop's Murphy Lab





Under the leadership of Master Artisan Tom Murphy, Gibson Custom Shop's Murphy Lab performs one specific function: to craft artfully aged instruments using the most cutting-edge tools available. This 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue features Light Aging, boasting intense, unique lacquer checking patterns, along with dings, pick trails, finish flaking, and softened edges. It's akin to a guitar that was subjected to 50-plus years of average playing use. VOS patina hardware puts the final touch on this exquisite instrument. Beyond that, this guitar's extra-rolled fingerboard binding mimics the broken-in look and feel of a Golden-era Gibson.





Serial 731130


Serial 731130


Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Custom Reissue Features:


1-piece mahogany body yields a resonant sound with truckloads of warmth and sustain


Murphy Lab Light Aging re-creates the dings, checking, and patina of decades of casual wear


Chunky "C"-shaped neck offers comfortable vintage playability


Bright-sounding ebony fingerboard with head-turning '50s Pattern inlays


Extra-rolled fingerboard binding mimics the broken-in look and feel of a vintage Gibson


Bigsby-equipped ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge for dips, dives, and warbles


3 unpotted CustomBucker Alnico III humbucking pickups churn out early-'50s PAF tones


High-quality CTS 500K audio taper potentiometers and paper-in-oil capacitors


Pearloid-tipped Kluson Waffleback tuners, multi-ply body binding, and elegant gold hardware