SOLD - Gibson Les Paul Supreme - USA 2003

SOLD

From Gibson -

“Since the arrival of a sunburst finish on its carved maple top in 1958, the Gibson Les Paul Standard has been considered the most elegant solid body electric guitar on the planet. Occasional examples of these rare guitars from 1958-60 showed off gorgeously figured wood beneath their translucent 'burst finishes, setting a standard for the marriage of art and luthiery. Taking this look to its extreme, the Gibson USA Les Paul Supreme marries a carved Grade-AAAA figured top and back to the classic Les Paul design, for a guitar of unprecedented beauty. 

This model bears all the hallmarks of an ornate custom-made instrument, with seven-ply top binding, three-ply back binding, a bound fingerboard with mother-of-pearl split-block inlays, a showpiece headstock trimmed in five-ply binding with deluxe mother of pearl globe inlay and "Supreme" banner, MOP Gibson logo, an engraved brass truss-rod cover, gold hardware, and even gold-tinted frets. With gorgeous flamed maple on both sides of a chambered mahogany body core, the Les Paul Supreme is nothing short of stunning, and your choice of translucent high-gloss Heritage Cherry Burst or Desert Burst finish shows off this exalted wood with real class. 

More than just an incredible looker, however, the Les Paul Supreme is also a powerful tone machine. A pair of Gibson's most popular humbucking pickups with genuine Alnico magnets yield a wide array of voices, from sultry to scorching, while traditional Gibson constructional details such as a 17-degree back-angled headstock, a PLEK-cut Corian nut, and rock-solid Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece pairing team up to provide unparalleled sustain and resonance.”

Features -

Body -
Top                              AAAA Figured Maple
Back                            AAAA Figured Maple
Binding                        3-Ply White
Body Type                   Chambered
Adhesive                      Franklin Titebond 50

Neck -
Species                        Mahogany
Profile                          Rounded Neck Profile
Truss Rod                    Traditional Adjustable
Joint Angle                   5° (+/- 15 seconds)
Adhesive                      Franklin Titebond 50

Neck Fit -
Joint                             Mortise & Tenon
Adhesive                      Franklin Titebond 50
Joint Angle                  Tolerance        +/- .005”

Fingerboard -
Species                       Richlite®
Frets                            22, Gold Coated
Radius                         12"
Binding                        1-Ply White
Inlays                           Extended Super 400 (Split Blocks)
Nut/E.O.B                    1.695"/2.260”

Nut -
Material                        Corian
Width                           1.695
Slots                            Gibson PLEK System

Headstock -
Logo                             Mother of Pearl "Gibson" Logo and Globe Inlay
Binding                         7-Ply White
Truss Rod Cover          Gold Antique Bell, Engraved

Tuners -
Model                          Keystone Grovers
Plating                         Gold
Tuning Ratio                14:1

Bridge -
Type                            Tune-O-Matic
Material                        Zamak
Plating                         Gold

Tailpiece -
Type                            Stop Bar
Material                       Zamak
Plating                         Gold

Hardware -
Knobs                          Gold Speed Knobs Hats
Strap Buttons              Aluminum

Pickups -
Neck                            490R
Bridge                          498T
Magnets                       Alnico #2 (smooth), Alnico #5

Electronics -
Potentiometers            2 Volume, 2 Tone Controls
Type                             300k Linear Volume, 500k Non-linear Tone
Coil Wiring                   Machine Wound
Toggle Switch              Three-way Switchcraft with White Plastic Tip
Output Jack                 1/4”

Finish -
Sealer                           Nitrocellulose
Process                        1-1.5 mils
Colour                          Translucent Amber

This Les Paul Supreme is a thing of spectacular beauty. You don’t see many tops and backs with this amount of depth and clarity. The top and back book-matched tiger striped maple is profound, rich and gorgeous.

But the sound of this thing matches its striking looks. The 490 and 498 pickups are Gibson’s most popular modern pickups, and for good reason. Thick, complex harmonics at every volume setting. Plus plenty of cut and thrust when driven into crunch mode, and sustain to burn.

It is in very good condition with some evidence of use, including some small dings and dents and a little buckle rash on the back which can hardly be seen. There is some natural tarnishing of the gold hardware which is part of the story of a 20 year old instrument. But overall presentation is impressive. Plenty of fret life left, and everything works as it should.

This is a fabulous piece of craftsmanship from Gibson, in our opinion easily matching many Custom Shop Les Pauls we have seen.

Comes in its original Gibson hard case in excellent condition.