Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1968 Les Paul Custom Reissue

The flame top models aren't seen too often thanks to the market being cannibalized by the (in)famous white and black models. However, these models can look really stunning in their own right. The guitar features a mahogany body with a maple top, mahogany neck with an ebony fretboard, 22 frets, trapezoid inlays, pickguard, binding, hard tail bridge, two humbuckers, two volumes, two tones and a three way switch.

UTILIZATION

The flame top on this really stands out, and I enjoy seeing a flame top on these Custom models instead of the regular black all the time. The inlay work on this was done nicely. There were no fillers or anything like that in there like I've found in some lower end Gibsons. The nut itself was cut properly, although the string gauge that was put on this guitar was wrong. Someone put 11s on it, and they were a touch too big for the nut on the bass side. The fretwork itself seemed to be great with no annoying edges slicing your hand or uncrowned frets.

SOUNDS

Normally, Gibson Les Pauls are very thick sounding. This works great for most styles of music, but sometimes it lacks a tad bit of clarity for genres such as metal, especially once you start tuning lower. The ebony fretboard on this guitar helps add some sizzle and bite that allows the guitar to cut through the mix without sounding thin. I'm not a fan of the pickups, so I always replace both those and the pots. This really opens up the guitar and makes it not only more aggressive but more versatile as well.

OVERALL OPINION

The flame on this was really nice, but it was a pretty expensive guitar. I'm a big fan of the ebony fretboard on these, and I wish more models would have the ebony fretboard for those who can't afford the Custom version. If you can find a good deal on these, I recommend buying it, but if you're tight on money, there are better deals to be had.