Gibson VINTAGE Gibson Les Paul Artisan '77 Walnut

Les Paul is a legendary jazz guitarist who has had a profound influence on the history of popular music, particularly on the electric guitar and its playing techniques. Gibson released his signature model, the Les Paul Model, in 1952. Despite many twists and turns since then, the Les Paul model remains a standard in the electric guitar world, beloved by guitarists worldwide, with a diverse lineup including vintage reissues and models inspired by the guitar produced by other companies.

Our latest arrival is the "Les Paul Artisan," which appeared in the 1977 catalog. This rare model was produced in approximately 2,200 units over a four-year period starting in 1976, and at the time, it was priced at just over $1,000, second only to high-end models like the "The Les Paul" and "Les Paul Artist." With its luxurious inlay work and three-pickup configuration (a two-pickup model was later introduced), this model exudes luxury.

【body】
The overall weight is approximately 4.8 kg. The body is made of a three-piece maple top and solid mahogany back. Like the Les Paul Custom, this beautiful model features multi-ply binding on the top and back, along with gold hardware. The body features a subtle, slightly grained maple top and a pancake (two-ply) mahogany back, finished in a sophisticated light walnut color. While there is weather checking around the binding, scratches and dents throughout, a crack in the front pickup ring, and some peeling and tarnish on the metal plating, the finish remains in excellent condition despite its well-used condition.

【neck】
The neck is made of three-piece maple. The fingerboard is made of ebony. This beautiful model features a "hearts and flowers" design inlay on the headstock and fingerboard. The headtop, like the body, is multi-ply bound. There is a chip repaired on the right side of the headstock, a missing 7th fret position mark, some dents on the back of the neck, and some tarnish on the metal parts, but the guitar is in relatively good condition. The tuners are Schaller M6 style with a "GIBSON" logo, and they function well with little variation in winding. There is some wear near the low frets, but playability is excellent. The nut width is 4.0mm. The neck shape is relatively thin for a Les Paul model.

[Electrical system]
The controls are the familiar Gibson 3-pickup model: a 3-way pickup selector (neck/middle and bridge in-phase mix/bridge), neck (front) volume control, bridge (rear) volume control, neck (front) tone control, and bridge (rear) tone control. The pickups are Series VII Humbuckers in the neck and rear positions, with a Super Humbucker in the center position. The pickups and controls are in perfect condition, including the original. The wood material is similar to that of Les Paul Customs from the same period, offering a rich range of tones, including a clear, warm neck position, a clean middle and bridge mix, and a crisp, comfortable bridge position typical of Gibson humbuckers.

Case included: Gibson black flight hard case

Weight: 4.8kg
Body Material (Top/Back): Maple 3 piece/Laminate Mahogany w/multiply binding
Neck Material/Scale Length: Maple 3 piece w/volute/624mm (24-1/2inch)
Bridge/Tail: Schaller BR-045 Modern Tune-O-Matic Nashville Style, gold/Gibson Stop Tailpiece, gold
Fingerboard/Fret Marker/Radius: Ebony/Pearloid hearts and flowers/254.0mm (10inch)
Nut Width/Fret Width: 43.0mm/2.7mm, 22F
Neck Thickness (1F/7F/12F): 20.1mm/22.3mm/24.4mm
Pickup: (Neck/Bridge) Gibson Series VII Humbucker tar back, gold cover (Neck:15.5kΩ/Bridge:11.7kΩ)/(Middle): Gibson Super Humbucker tar back, gold cover
*The DC resistance of the pickup is measured through the control section.

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