Gibson 1996 Les Paul Custom 57 Black Beauty 3PU Duncan Antiquity Seth Lover

No sales tax for US customers outside California.

This '57 Les Paul Custom is the Black Beauty in its definitive configuration — three humbuckers, all-mahogany body without a maple cap, ebony fingerboard, gold hardware, and the tuxedo aesthetic that Les Paul personally specified when he asked Gibson to make a guitar that looked like formal wear.

The all-mahogany construction is the single most important tonal distinction between the '57 Custom reissue and every Les Paul Custom produced after 1968, when Gibson reintroduced the model with a maple top. The mahogany-on-mahogany combination produces a darker, richer, more mid-focused character than the maple-capped Standard — warmer in the low end, with a sustain and resonance that players who have spent time with original '57-era Customs consistently describe as unique as compared to a maple-topped instrument produces. Gibson describes the one-piece mahogany body as "unique among Les Paul models" and paired with the bright-sounding ebony fingerboard it creates the precise tonal balance that defines the Black Beauty.

This 1996 example carries three Seymour Duncan Seth Lover humbuckers. Seth Lover was the Gibson engineer who designed the original Patent Applied For humbucker in 1955, the pickup that defined the sound of the late-1950s Les Paul and that the entire vintage pickup market has spent decades attempting to replicate. Seymour Duncan produced the Seth Lover model as Lover's own authorized recreation of his original design — the designer's own specification of what his PAF should sound like, produced under his name and supervision.

The bridge pickup reads 7.84k, the neck reads 7.01k — correct and balanced PAF-character readings for a three-pickup configuration. The pots are non-original. The guitar is wired with one tone control and one volume knob for each pickup, allowing you to bring the middle pickup with any other combination. Other specs: ebony fingerboard with mother-of-pearl block inlays, original pickguard, original gold hardware throughout, original tuners.

The guitar plays perfectly and sounds amazing.  The altered controls give you tremendous flexibility.  The frets are full.  They've been leveled once for but have tons of life left.  The neck is straight and there is room in the truss rod for future neck relief adjustments.  he action is set at 2/32" on both strings at the twelfth fret. At 9 lbs 13 oz this is a substantial, well-resonating instrument. Recent Gibson hardshell case included.

There is light wear throughout, but the guitar clearly has been well cared for.  There is buckle worming on the back that doesn't go through the finish.  The case is a non original Gbson case from the 2010s or early 20x.

Excerpts from Real Online User Reviews:

• "The '57 reissue offers a darker, richer sound due to all-mahogany construction — unlike the brighter, maple-capped '68 reissue, it's a genuinely different guitar." — Equipboard community
• "The body is carved out of a single large piece of solid mahogany, unique among Les Paul models — the dark mid-range tone pairs perfectly with the bright ebony fingerboard." — Gibson Custom Shop
• "Seth Lover designed the original PAF — the Seymour Duncan Seth Lover model is his own authorized recreation of his own design, which makes it the most historically correct PAF homage available." — The Gear Page
• "The three-pickup Black Beauty is appreciated for its versatility — tonal options that simply aren't available with a two-pickup configuration." — Equipboard community

SPECS:

• Color: Black
• Weight: 9lbs 13oz
  
• Body: 1-Piece Solid Mahogany (no maple top)
  
• Neck: Mahogany
  
• Fretboard: Ebony
  
• Inlays: Mother of Pearl Block
  
• Frets: Original
  
• Fret Count: 22
  
• Nut: Original
  
• Nut width: 1-11/16"
  
• Radius: 12"
  
• Scale: 24.75"
  
• Neck thickness at 1st Fret: .834"
• Neck thickness at 12th Fret: .996"
• Action 1st String at 12th Fret: 2/32'
  
• Action 6th String at 12th Fret: 2/32"
  
• Overall Length: 38-3/4"
  
• Lower bout: 13"
  
• Waist: 7-1/4"
  
• Upper bout: 9-1/4"
  
• Body depth/thickness outside edge: 2"
  
• String gauge: 10-46
  
• Hardware Color: Gold
  
• Pickguard: Original
• Bridge Pickup/Brand: Seymour Duncan Antiquity Seth Lover
• Pickup Reading: 7.84k
• Original?: No
• Middle Pickup/Brand: Seymour Duncan Antiquity Seth Lover
• Original?: No
• Neck Pickup/Brand: Seymour Duncan Antiquity Seth Lover
• Pickup Reading: 7.01k
• Original?: No
  
• Bridge: Tune-o-Matic w/ stop bar
• Tuners: Original
• Knobs: Original
  
• Switch: 3 Way
• Pots/Codes: Non Original Pots, rewired
• Case: Recent Gibson HSC
• Notes: 

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