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1957 Gibson Les Paul Special, Serial Number 74307

This 1957 Gibson Les Paul™ Special is an exceptionally clean and highly original example of one of the great no-nonsense solidbody guitars of the 1950s. Finished in TV Yellow over a solid mahogany body and neck, this example has been carefully played and exceptionally well preserved. It also retains its original purchase receipt, providing a rare glimpse into the guitar’s earliest history.

Introduced in 1955, the Les Paul Special built on the slab-bodied platform established by the Les Paul Junior the previous year, adding several more premium appointments without losing the simplicity of the original design. These included a bound rosewood fretboard, pearl Gibson logo, a second P-90 pickup with individual volume and tone controls, and a new “Limed Mahogany” finish that would become better known as TV Yellow. The result was still a simple guitar by design, but one with considerably more range.

The TV Yellow finish has aged beautifully, with deep yellowing and light, even lacquer checking throughout. Scattered small nicks and dings are present around the body edges, including one small ding through the finish below the controls near the strap button. A narrow line of finish wear approximately an inch long is present along the back edge of the lower bout, accompanied by a few small nicks on the face of the peghead. The mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and gold Les Paul Special silkscreen remain clean and well defined, with the Gibson logo displaying the high dot over the “i” frequently seen during this period. Taken as a whole, this is an exceptionally well-preserved guitar with just enough wear to show that it has been played.

The mahogany neck has a comfortable Medium C profile measuring .89” at the first fret and .97” at the 12th, with a 1 11/16” nut width, dark Brazilian rosewood fretboard, original nylon nut, and original small frets. The frets show light wear, primarily in the first two positions on the treble strings, but the guitar continues to play cleanly up and down the neck. A shallow indentation approximately 3/4” long is present on the bass side of the neck around the ninth fret. It can be seen and felt but does not interfere with playability.

The hardware and plastics remain largely original, including the lightweight aluminum wraparound tailpiece, five-ply black and white pickguard, black Top Hat knobs, amber Catalin switch tip, and black P-90 covers. The wraparound tailpiece exhibits only light tarnishing. At some point, the original tuners were removed and a set of reproduction Kluson® tuners was installed without modification to the guitar. We have since fitted a vintage, period-correct set of Kluson Deluxe single-line, three-on-a-plate tuners with replacement white buttons, returning the peghead to its proper configuration. The only other replacement component currently installed is the thin selector switch nut; the original was lost, and a period-correct example is now in its place.

Under the hood, this one is exceptionally clean. Both original P-90 pickups remain in place with clean, original solder, measuring 9.04k ohms in the neck position and 8.52k ohms at the bridge. The original wiring harness remains intact and includes Centralab® potentiometers bearing code 134701, Sprague Bumblebee capacitors, and original Switchcraft® components.

This is a particularly good-sounding Special. The neck pickup is big and full with plenty of low-end weight, while the bridge is smooth and round without losing the bite we want from a good P-90. The volume and tone controls are wonderfully responsive and provide considerable range between those two voices. At 7.92 pounds, the guitar feels substantial without being heavy, and the combination of the comfortable neck, original small frets, and lively mahogany body makes it an easy guitar to settle into. It looks killer, sounds great, and does exactly what a good Les Paul Special should.

The original purchase receipt adds a wonderful piece of history to the guitar. It was sold by Mahara Music Center in Lafayette, Indiana, together with an amplifier on an 18-month payment plan. The receipt remains with the guitar today, offering a small glimpse into its earliest history and how it first made its way into a player’s hands in the late 1950s.

The guitar is housed in a Lifton™ Historic Gator Skin Les Paul Junior hardshell case, with the original purchase receipt included inside.

This instrument has received a professional setup and thorough inspection from Gibson Certified Vintage and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, Letter of Appraisal, new Limited Lifetime Warranty, and exclusive Gibson Certified Vintage accessories including a leather guitar strap, matching leather luggage tag, and vintage-style Gibson pick container.

Weight: 7.92 lb.
Neck Depth: 1st Fret: .89", 12th Fret: .97"