A ’57 Les Paul Reissue with a rare birdseye maple top
This Gibson Custom Select 1957 Les Paul Reissue features a birdseye maple top and a Natural finish that showcases the rare figured tonewood. Gibson Custom Select offers guitars with unique specifications not found on core Gibson offerings. These guitars are designed in-house by Gibson experts and are made in small batches by the skilled artisans at the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, Tennessee. Customizations can include handpicked exotic and figured tonewoods, unique electronics, and small details that make the entire guitar a cohesive design. Key features on this guitar include a handpicked birdseye maple top, a gloss Natural finish, one coat of antique lacquer, and medium jumbo frets.
In 1957, the Gibson catalog was revamped with the introduction of the humbucker™ pickup. This pickup replaced the P-90 pickups found in guitars such as the Les Paul, Les Paul Custom, ES-175, and more. With the goal of eliminating 60-cycle hum achieved, the sound of popular music forever changed. While the output of P-90 pickups and humbucker pickups can be similar, the sound is not. While the humbucker pickup evolved and changed over the years, the famed Patent Applied For humbuckers are still the most coveted in history. In the years leading up to 1957, the Les Paul model lineup evolved from a Wraparound bridge to an ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic™ with a Stop Bar tailpiece. 1957 is the only full year of production during the 1950s where the famed Goldtop finish was paired with humbucker pickups on the Les Paul.
Customizations on this guitar include both aesthetic and player-forward upgrades. The first and most eye-catching is the birdseye maple top. While it’s unclear how birdseye figuring on maple is created in the wild, it’s quite rare to find billets large enough to be used for a Les Paul top. These tops were handpicked to ensure they met the standard this guitar deserves. The guitar wears a Natural gloss finish which showcases the exotic figuring. A single coat of antique lacquer was added to the finishing process, which mellows the maple’s natural appearance to a slightly yellowed hue. Medium jumbo frets replace the small vintage-style frets that are typically fitted to a 1957 Les Paul Reissue. This is a modern upgrade that is commonly found on vintage examples due to the easier playability with this larger fret wire. All other specifications are the same as the core offering, including a 1950s Chunky D neck profile and Custombucker Alnico 3 pickups.
The inspiration behind this design began with a thought: “What if a Goldtop finish was hiding a birdseye maple top?” While this is extremely unlikely, it’s certainly possible that a vintage example with at least some birdseye maple figuring on the top is hidden by a Goldtop finish. This guitar isn’t all for show either; with larger medium jumbo frets fitted to the rosewood fretboard, this guitar has more modern playing characteristics than an untouched vintage example. Included with the guitar is a Gibson Custom Certificate of Authenticity and a reissue hardshell case.
Highlights
- Birdseye maple top
- Medium Jumbo frets
- Natural finish with one coat of antique lacquer
- 1950s chunky D-shape neck profile
Guitar Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Binding Single-ply top
Body Finish Gloss nitrocellulose lacquer
Body Material 1-piece lightweight mahogany
Body Shape Les Paul
Top Handpicked Birdseye maple
Weight Relief None
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius 12 in. | 304.8 mm
Fret Count 22
Frets Medium Jumbo
Inlays Aged Cellulose Nitrate Trapezoid
Joint Long neck tenon, hide-glue fit
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material Nylon
Nut Width 42.85mm / 1.69in
Profile 1950s Chunky D
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Custombucker Alnico 3
Controls CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper-in-Oil Capacitors
Neck Pickup Custombucker Alnico 3
Output Jack Switchcraft
Pickup Selector 3-Way Switchcraft
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge No-Wire ABR-1
Control Covers Brown Royalite
Control Knobs Butyrate Gold Top Hats
finish Nickel
Jack Plate Cover Laminated Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Mounting Rings M69 Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Pickguard Laminated Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Pickup Covers Authentic Profile Nickel Silver
Saddle Material Nickel-plated Brass
Strap Buttons Aluminum
Switch Tip Amber Catalin
Switchwasher Silkscreened Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Tailpiece Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar
Truss Rod Authentic 1950s No-Tube
Truss Rod Cover Authentic Stepped 2-Ply
Tuner Plating Nickel
Tuning Machines Kluson Single Line, Single Ring
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Accessories Certificate of Authenticity Booklet, Historic Reissue Hang Tags
Model: LPR57PSL22539
Case Custom Shop Hardshell
Strings Gauge .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Reissue with Birdseye Maple Top, Gloss, Natural
Gibson Custom 1957 Les Paul Reissue with Birdseye Maple Top, Gloss, Natural
Lifetime Warranty
Lifetime Warranty
Shop and play with confidence knowing that your instrument is protected by our limited lifetime warranty. Learn more about warranties and exclusions here .
Setup Included
Setup Included
Our craftory-trained technicians perform a final thorough inspection and detailed setup moments before your instrument is packed and shipped to you.
Case Included
Case Included
Your instrument ships with a factory-supplied hard- or soft-shell case for safe storage and transportation. Please refer to the product specifications for details.
Free & Fast Shipping
Free & Fast Shipping
Orders placed before 1:00 PM Monday - Friday will be processed the same day. Orders placed after this cutoff will ship the next business day. All orders over €50 receive free ground shipping. During sale and promotion periods delivery might take a little longer than expected.
Three Free Months of the Gibson App
Three Free Months of the Gibson App
For a limited time only, receive a three-month subscription to the Gibson App for free with the purchase of this product. Click here to learn more about the Gibson App.
A ’57 Les Paul Reissue with a rare birdseye maple top
This Gibson Custom Select 1957 Les Paul Reissue features a birdseye maple top and a Natural finish that showcases the rare figured tonewood. Gibson Custom Select offers guitars with unique specifications not found on core Gibson offerings. These guitars are designed in-house by Gibson experts and are made in small batches by the skilled artisans at the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, Tennessee. Customizations can include handpicked exotic and figured tonewoods, unique electronics, and small details that make the entire guitar a cohesive design. Key features on this guitar include a handpicked birdseye maple top, a gloss Natural finish, one coat of antique lacquer, and medium jumbo frets.
In 1957, the Gibson catalog was revamped with the introduction of the humbucker™ pickup. This pickup replaced the P-90 pickups found in guitars such as the Les Paul, Les Paul Custom, ES-175, and more. With the goal of eliminating 60-cycle hum achieved, the sound of popular music forever changed. While the output of P-90 pickups and humbucker pickups can be similar, the sound is not. While the humbucker pickup evolved and changed over the years, the famed Patent Applied For humbuckers are still the most coveted in history. In the years leading up to 1957, the Les Paul model lineup evolved from a Wraparound bridge to an ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic™ with a Stop Bar tailpiece. 1957 is the only full year of production during the 1950s where the famed Goldtop finish was paired with humbucker pickups on the Les Paul.
Customizations on this guitar include both aesthetic and player-forward upgrades. The first and most eye-catching is the birdseye maple top. While it’s unclear how birdseye figuring on maple is created in the wild, it’s quite rare to find billets large enough to be used for a Les Paul top. These tops were handpicked to ensure they met the standard this guitar deserves. The guitar wears a Natural gloss finish which showcases the exotic figuring. A single coat of antique lacquer was added to the finishing process, which mellows the maple’s natural appearance to a slightly yellowed hue. Medium jumbo frets replace the small vintage-style frets that are typically fitted to a 1957 Les Paul Reissue. This is a modern upgrade that is commonly found on vintage examples due to the easier playability with this larger fret wire. All other specifications are the same as the core offering, including a 1950s Chunky D neck profile and Custombucker Alnico 3 pickups.
The inspiration behind this design began with a thought: “What if a Goldtop finish was hiding a birdseye maple top?” While this is extremely unlikely, it’s certainly possible that a vintage example with at least some birdseye maple figuring on the top is hidden by a Goldtop finish. This guitar isn’t all for show either; with larger medium jumbo frets fitted to the rosewood fretboard, this guitar has more modern playing characteristics than an untouched vintage example. Included with the guitar is a Gibson Custom Certificate of Authenticity and a reissue hardshell case.
Highlights
- Birdseye maple top
- Medium Jumbo frets
- Natural finish with one coat of antique lacquer
- 1950s chunky D-shape neck profile
Guitar Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Binding Single-ply top
Body Finish Gloss nitrocellulose lacquer
Body Material 1-piece lightweight mahogany
Body Shape Les Paul
Top Handpicked Birdseye maple
Weight Relief None
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius 12 in. | 304.8 mm
Fret Count 22
Frets Medium Jumbo
Inlays Aged Cellulose Nitrate Trapezoid
Joint Long neck tenon, hide-glue fit
Neck Material Mahogany
Nut Material Nylon
Nut Width 42.85mm / 1.69in
Profile 1950s Chunky D
Scale Length 628.65mm / 24.75in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Custombucker Alnico 3
Controls CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper-in-Oil Capacitors
Neck Pickup Custombucker Alnico 3
Output Jack Switchcraft
Pickup Selector 3-Way Switchcraft
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge No-Wire ABR-1
Control Covers Brown Royalite
Control Knobs Butyrate Gold Top Hats
finish Nickel
Jack Plate Cover Laminated Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Mounting Rings M69 Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Pickguard Laminated Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Pickup Covers Authentic Profile Nickel Silver
Saddle Material Nickel-plated Brass
Strap Buttons Aluminum
Switch Tip Amber Catalin
Switchwasher Silkscreened Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Tailpiece Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar
Truss Rod Authentic 1950s No-Tube
Truss Rod Cover Authentic Stepped 2-Ply
Tuner Plating Nickel
Tuning Machines Kluson Single Line, Single Ring
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Accessories Certificate of Authenticity Booklet, Historic Reissue Hang Tags
Model: LPR57PSL22539
Case Custom Shop Hardshell
Strings Gauge .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
