Gibson Collectors Choice 1 1959

The Gibson Custom “Collectors Choice” series "cracks open the greatest vaults of vintage instruments in the world, allowing players the opportunity to own replicas of one-of-a-kind historic guitars," Gibson says.

The company say they’ve contacted some of the world’s most prominent collectors of rare instruments and convinced them to share their prizes in this program. Gibson Custom is starting with the Les Paul once owned by Gary Moore, and now a part of the Melvyn Franks collection.

Given its history, the 1959 Les Paul Standard formerly owned by Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore is, for many players and collectors, the Holy Grail of Les Pauls, the company assures.

It features a figured top and a faded “unburst” finish, with the wiring and orientation of the neck pickup reversed to create a unique “out of phase” middle position tone, according to Gibson. The company explains that Moore purchased the guitar in the mid-’70s and played it on recordings with Thin Lizzy, including “Still in Love with You” and “Waiting for an Alibi, ” and afterward, as a solo artist, before retiring the ’59 Les Paul and eventually selling it to British-born guitar collector Melvyn Franks in 2006.

You can visit www.gibson.com for more details on this product.