Gibson Les Paul Special

The Gibson Les Paul Special is a variation of the Gibson Les Paul guitar. It was introduced in 1955. It is designed to be an intermediate level instrument, at a price point and trim level between the low-cost Les Paul Junior and the standard Les Paul.

Overview

Like most of Gibson's other budget models, the Les Paul Special was produced in a TV Yellow finish, which was made by Gibson as a finish that would look good on black and white television. It featured a In 1958, the model received a major change when it was introduced as a doublecut model instead of the traditional singlecut.

In 1961, the Les Paul received a drastic change when it was redesigned into what would become known as the Gibson SG. Les Paul's contract had expired by 1963, bringing a change to the submodels. When the contract was renewed in 1968, the original models were rebooted.

Models

The list of Special models manufactured since 1955.

Single Cutaway

* 1955–1958: Les Paul Special (Single Cutaway)
* 1974: Les Paul '55 Special limited edition
* 1974/1977/(1978)–1981: Les Paul '55 (Special Single Cutaway Reissue)
* 1989–1998: Les Paul Junior II (Les Paul Special Single Cutaway Reissue)
* 2019–present: Les Paul Special (reissue with wrap tailpiece; vintage cherry and TV yellow finishes)
;variations
* 1996–1999: Les Paul Special SL
* 1999–2003: Les Paul Junior Special
* 2001–2005: Les Paul Junior Special Plus
* 2001–2002: Les Paul Junior Special With Humbucker
* 2003–(2005): Les Paul Special Faded With Humbucker "Fadeds:
Les Paul Special Faded






'"
* 2003–2006: Les Paul Junior Special Faded With Humbucker
* 2006–2008: Les Paul Special New Century
* 2009–2011: Les Paul Junior Special Robot
* 2011: Les Paul Special Humbucker
* 2012–2013: Les Paul Junior Special Humbucker
* 2012–2013: Les Paul Junior Special P-90
* 2014: Les Paul Special AAA Flame Top Semi-Hollowbody

Double Cutaway

* 1958–/1959 Les Paul Special (Double Cutaway)
* 1959: Les Paul Special 3/4 (Double Cutaway)
* 1959–1961: SG Special (Les Paul Special Double Cutaway)
* 1976–1989: Les Paul Special Double Cutaway (1st Reissue)
* 1993–1995: Les Paul Special Double Cutaway (2nd Reissue)
* 2015: Les Paul Special Double Cutaway 2015
;variations
* 1994: Centennial Les Paul Special Double Cutaway
* 1999–2002: Les Paul Junior Lite
* 2003–2008: Les Paul Faded Double Cutaway

Timeline

ImageSize = width:700 height:auto barincrement:15
PlotArea = left:200 bottom:140 top:0 right:5
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1955 till:31/12/2015
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1955
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1955
Legend = position:bottom columns:1

Colors =
id:sc value:rgb(0.8,0,0) legend:SingleCut_(SC)
id:scr value:red legend:SC_reissue
id:scj value:rgb(1,0.5,1) legend:SC_LP Jr.
id:scjh value:pink legend:SC_LP Jr. hum
id:scv value:orange legend:SC_variation
id:scvh value:lightorange legend:SC_hum
id:dc value:darkblue legend:DoubleCut_(DC)
id:dcr value:blue legend:DC_reissue
id:dcj value:lightpurple legend:DC_LP Jr.
id:_3 value:white legend: 
id:dcv value:rgb(0.5,0.9,1) legend:DC_variation
id:_5 value:white legend: 
id:uncertain value:gray(0.8) legend:uncertain_period
id:lightgray value:gray(0.95)

BarData =
bar:LPS text:"Les Paul Special (Single Cutaway)"
bar:LP55LE text:"LP '55 Special Limited Edition (1974)"
bar:LP55 text:"LP '55"
bar:LPJII text:"LP Jr. II"

bar:LPSL text:"LP Special SL"
bar:LPJS text:"LP Jr. Special"
bar:LPJ+ text:"LP Jr. Special Plus"
bar:LPJSH text:"LP Special with Hum"
bar:LPSFH text:"LP Special Faded with Hum"
bar:LPJSFH text:"LP Jr. Special Faded with Hum"
bar:LPJSHM text:"LP Special New Century"
bar:RBLPJ text:"LP Jr. Special Robot"
bar:LPJSHO text:"LP Special Hum"
bar:LSH text:"LP Jr. Special Hum"
bar:LS90 text:"LP Jr. Special P-90"

bar:_ text:" "
bar:LPSDC text:"Les Paul Special (Double Cutaway)"
bar:LPSDC34 text:"LP Special DC 3/4"
bar:LPSGS text:"SG Special (1959–1961)
bar:LPSDCR1 text:"LP Special DC (1st reissue)
bar:LPSDCR2 text:"LP Special DC (2nd reissue)
bar:LPSDC2015 text:"LP Special DC 2015
bar:CLPSDC text:"Centennial LP Special DC
bar:LPJL text:"LP Jr. Lite
bar:LPFD text:"LP Faded DC

PlotData=
width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)

bar:LPS from:01/01/1955 till:31/12/1958 color:sc
bar:LP55LE from:01/01/1974 till:31/12/1974 color:scr
bar:LP55 from:01/01/1974 till:31/12/1976 color:uncertain
bar:LP55 from:01/01/1977 till:31/12/1981 color:scr
bar:LPJII from:01/01/1989 till:31/12/1998 color:scj
bar:LPSL from:01/01/1996 till:31/12/1999 color:scv
bar:LPJS from:01/01/1999 till:31/12/2003 color:scj
bar:LPJ+ from:01/01/2001 till:31/12/2005 color:scj
bar:LPJSH from:01/01/2001 till:31/12/2002 color:scvh
bar:LPSFH from:01/01/2003 till:31/12/2005 color:scvh
bar:LPJSFH from:01/01/2003 till:31/12/2006 color:scjh
bar:LPJSHM from:01/01/2006 till:31/12/2008 color:scvh
bar:RBLPJ from:01/01/2009 till:31/12/2011 color:scj
bar:LPJSHO from:01/01/2011 till:31/12/2011 color:scvh
bar:LSH from:01/01/2012 till:31/12/2013 color:scjh
bar:LS90 from:01/01/2012 till:31/12/2013 color:scj

bar:LPSDC from:01/10/1958 till:01/01/1959 color:uncertain
bar:LPSDC from:01/01/1959 till:31/12/1959 color:dc
bar:LPSDC34 from:01/01/1959 till:31/12/1959 color:dc
bar:LPSGS from:01/12/1959 till:31/12/1961 color:dc
bar:LPSDCR1 from:01/01/1976 till:31/12/1989 color:dcr
bar:LPSDCR2 from:01/01/1993 till:31/12/1995 color:dcr
bar:LPSDC2015 from:01/01/2015 till:31/12/2015 color:dcv
bar:CLPSDC from:01/01/1994 till:31/12/1994 color:dcv
bar:LPJL from:01/01/1999 till:31/12/2002 color:dcj
bar:LPFD from:01/01/2003 till:31/12/2008 color:dcv

LineData =
at:01/01/1955 color:black layer:back
at:31/12/1961 color:black layer:back
at:01/01/1972 color:lightgray layer:back
at:01/01/1974 color:black layer:back
at:01/01/1975 color:lightgray layer:back
at:01/01/1976 color:lightgray layer:back
at:01/01/2014 color:lightgray layer:back
at:31/12/2014 color:lightgray layer:back

References

Bibliography

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External links

{{Gibson Guitar Corporation

Special
Les Paul Special