1969 Gibson Les Paul Custom, Black

Beautiful looking and excellent playing 1969 Gibson Les Paul Custom with sought-after early features. This one has the desirable single-piece body with a three-piece mahogany neck and transitional tenon, notably without a volute or “Made in USA” stamp that were introduced later in the year.

Hardware-wise, the correct waffle-back tuners are in place, along with the correct Pat No. bridge and tailpiece. It houses a pair of original Pat No. humbuckers that deliver an open, airy and articulate sound, with a really pleasing bite to the attack and plenty of warmth and sustain behind it. Under the hood, the wiring appears largely untouched, with three CTS pots dating to the 29th week of 1969 (the remaining volume pot obscured by solder), along with the correct Sprague “Black Beauty” capacitors.

In terms of condition, this is a guitar with just the right amount of wear. The neck has been refinished, and there is a small area of localised refinishing to the side of the body, but aside from this it presents very well, with consistent lacquer checking and honest play wear throughout. Importantly, the rest of the finish blacklights cleanly with no signs of structural repair.

A previous refret and replacement nut make for an easy, very comfortable playing experience, and the neck carve is a real highlight—starting as a slim to medium C at the nut and gradually filling out into a fuller profile with soft shoulders as you move up the neck, making it ideal for lead playing and string bending. At 9.4 lbs (4.27kg), it has a reassuring weight without feeling overly cumbersome. Acoustically it’s lively and resonant, with a nice snap to the attack, which translates beautifully when plugged in.

A great-looking, great-sounding example of an increasingly hard-to-find early Les Paul Custom, offering a compelling mix of originality, feel and tone. Complete with the correct orange-lined hard case.