Gibson VINTAGE Les Paul Custom '78 Tobacco Sunburst

The Les Paul Custom, which debuted in 1954 as a Les Paul model for jazz musicians, boasted a luxurious look inherited from the high-end archtop guitars of the time. After many twists and turns, it has become a beloved instrument among rock musicians and remains an immensely popular guitar to this day.

This particular guitar is a 1978 model from the maple neck era. The tobacco sunburst color from the 1970s is known as a relatively rare color, as only about one-tenth the number of guitars produced were made in the ebony black color.

【body】
The overall weight is approximately 4.7kg. The body is made of a 3-piece maple top and a solid 1-piece mahogany back. While the Les Paul Custom is strongly associated with the ebony black color, this tobacco sunburst color is a cool and stylish choice. Although there is some weather checking commensurate with its age, some minor dents and scratches, belt buckle marks on the back, and some tarnishing on the metal parts, it remains in relatively good condition.

【neck】
The neck is made of 3-piece maple. The fingerboard is made of rare ebony. The "MADE IN USA" stamp below the serial number is not visible. There is some weather checking at the material joints, some minor dents, and some tarnishing on the gold hardware, but it can be said to be in good condition, similar to the body. The tuners are Schaller M6 style with the "GIBSON" logo and operate relatively smoothly. The frets and nut show only slight wear, and playability is good. The nut width is 43.0mm. The neck shape is relatively thin for a Les Paul model.

[Electrical System]
The controls are the standard 3-way pickup selector, front position volume, front position tone, rear position volume, and rear position tone. The pickups are the original T-top humbuckers. The pickups and control parts are also original and in good condition.

With its thick mahogany body providing rich mid-low frequencies, combined with the unique combination of a maple top, maple neck, and ebony fingerboard characteristic of this era, this guitar boasts a thick, sustained midrange and the clear attack characteristic of ebony. Clean tones offer rich harmonics and a glossy finish, while overdrive delivers a dense midrange and extended sustain for a captivating rock sound. This guitar evokes the hard rock and blues rock of the late 1970s, offering a robust and impactful sound.

Accessories: Replacement Gibson hard case

Weight: 4.7kg
Body Material (Top/Back): Maple 3 piece/Mahogany 1 piece
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/Stop Tailpiece Gold
Fingerboard/Fret Marker/Radius: Ebony/Pearloid Block/304.8mm (12inch)
Nut Width/Fret Width: 43.0mm/2.8mm, 22F
Neck Thickness (1F/7F/12F): 20.0mm/22.6mm/25.2mm
Capacitor: Dielectron CircleD 50V
Pickup (Neck/Bridge): Gibson PU-490 Humbucker stamped with numbers, 7.6kΩ/8.0kΩ
*The DC resistance value of the pickup is measured after passing through the control section.

Heartman Vintage Guitars is a specialty store for vintage guitars and basses operated by Ikebe Musical Instruments.