Your shopping bag is empty
Go to the shop
Up for sale, a 1969 Gibson Les Paul Custom in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with a vintage hardshell case and 100% original save for a professional refret. Produced early in '69 (with pot codes from the second week of the year), this Custom has two of the most desirable features associated with a 1968-69 Custom including a substantial '50s-style neck profile carve and non-sandwich body construction.
Extremely responsive to player inputs, this Custom offers bold muscle, dynamic cut and excellent sustain, weighing 10lbs 1oz. The guitar retains the original pair of patent sticker T Top humbuckers which meter in the mid 7k ohms range, delivering plenty of detail, treble cut, and roaring, punchy low end. All three pickup positions are distinct, with more growl and taut low end from the bridge pickup, while the neck pickup has the expected oomph and fullness. Professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, we've dialed in this Les Paul Custom with fresh 10-46 strings, spot-on intonation and low action.
The three-piece mahogany neck has a profile carve very consistent with the “50s” shapes seen on a select few Customs from 1968-69, offering good substance at the nut, round shoulders in every register and baseball bat-worthy heft from the 5th fret and beyond, measuring .860" deep at the 1st fret, .920" at the 5th, 1.030" at the 12th. The bound ebony fretboard has been cleanly refretted with slender vintage-style fretwire, and these frets have good meat given their size, with only light wear beneath the plain strings on frets 1-7. The guitar plays cleanly in every register, the neck is straight, and the truss rod is responsive and optimally adjusted. The original nut is intact, measuring 1 11/16" in width. The headstock has a stamped serial number, with no "Made in USA" stamp and a very small volute, representative of the transitional nature of this model. The guitar retains the original Kluson "waffle back" tuning machines which turn smoothly and hold pitch well.
The electronics include the matched pair of original T Top humbuckers with gold covers, both of which retain their original patent stickers on their baseplates. The pickups meter 7.55k ohms in the bridge position, and 7.4k at the neck. The wiring harness is untouched, with Sprague Black Beauty tone caps and CTS pots which date to the 2nd week of '69. The neck pickup route also reveals the "transitional" neck tenon; a short tenon with the cavity cut for a long tenon.
Hardware includes the original '60s ABR-1 patent number bridge with nylon saddles and lightweight stopbar, both of which show wear through the thin gold plating used in this era. The pair of strap buttons are properly shaped modern components. Plastic parts include the original multi-ply pickguard, quartet of witch hat knobs, pickup rings, switch surround and switch tip.
The original Ebony nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray, framed by deeply amberd multi-ply binding and exhibiting very tight “shattered glass” lacquer checking, and also some broader checking across the body. There is buckle rash at the treble-side waist on the back, and some additional modest dings and finish scuffs consistent with honest use on the body as a whole. The gloss finish on the neck profile is notably smooth and clean, with a bit of palm wear through the gloss on the treble-side shoulder of the neck carve.
A vintage black tolex hardshell case with purple plush interior and silkscreened Gibson logo on the lid is included. The case retains its original latches and handle.
Extremely responsive to player inputs, this Custom offers bold muscle, dynamic cut and excellent sustain, weighing 10lbs 1oz. The guitar retains the original pair of patent sticker T Top humbuckers which meter in the mid 7k ohms range, delivering plenty of detail, treble cut, and roaring, punchy low end. All three pickup positions are distinct, with more growl and taut low end from the bridge pickup, while the neck pickup has the expected oomph and fullness. Professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar, we've dialed in this Les Paul Custom with fresh 10-46 strings, spot-on intonation and low action.
The three-piece mahogany neck has a profile carve very consistent with the “50s” shapes seen on a select few Customs from 1968-69, offering good substance at the nut, round shoulders in every register and baseball bat-worthy heft from the 5th fret and beyond, measuring .860" deep at the 1st fret, .920" at the 5th, 1.030" at the 12th. The bound ebony fretboard has been cleanly refretted with slender vintage-style fretwire, and these frets have good meat given their size, with only light wear beneath the plain strings on frets 1-7. The guitar plays cleanly in every register, the neck is straight, and the truss rod is responsive and optimally adjusted. The original nut is intact, measuring 1 11/16" in width. The headstock has a stamped serial number, with no "Made in USA" stamp and a very small volute, representative of the transitional nature of this model. The guitar retains the original Kluson "waffle back" tuning machines which turn smoothly and hold pitch well.
The electronics include the matched pair of original T Top humbuckers with gold covers, both of which retain their original patent stickers on their baseplates. The pickups meter 7.55k ohms in the bridge position, and 7.4k at the neck. The wiring harness is untouched, with Sprague Black Beauty tone caps and CTS pots which date to the 2nd week of '69. The neck pickup route also reveals the "transitional" neck tenon; a short tenon with the cavity cut for a long tenon.
Hardware includes the original '60s ABR-1 patent number bridge with nylon saddles and lightweight stopbar, both of which show wear through the thin gold plating used in this era. The pair of strap buttons are properly shaped modern components. Plastic parts include the original multi-ply pickguard, quartet of witch hat knobs, pickup rings, switch surround and switch tip.
The original Ebony nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray, framed by deeply amberd multi-ply binding and exhibiting very tight “shattered glass” lacquer checking, and also some broader checking across the body. There is buckle rash at the treble-side waist on the back, and some additional modest dings and finish scuffs consistent with honest use on the body as a whole. The gloss finish on the neck profile is notably smooth and clean, with a bit of palm wear through the gloss on the treble-side shoulder of the neck carve.
A vintage black tolex hardshell case with purple plush interior and silkscreened Gibson logo on the lid is included. The case retains its original latches and handle.
