It’s been a minute since we’ve gotten to share something truly special with you all, and today’s subject is one of the finest: a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Custom.
Gibson introduced the first Les Paul Customs in late 1953, following a couple of prototypes built for Les Paul a year earlier. Les wanted what he called a “more elegant” version of the Les Paul Standard, something that looked sharp on the booming new medium of television. His request was specific: a black guitar with refined appointments and design tweaks to match his playing style.
The original Customs carried two pickups: an alnico “staple” single-coil in the neck and a P-90 in the bridge. They featured black finishes, white binding, gold hardware, and the split-diamond headstock inlay we now associate with the model. The headstock was slightly larger than the Standard’s, and the carve at the scarf joint was lengthened for easier play near the nut.
Perhaps the most distinctive feature was the fretwork. Les requested low, wide frets, which led to the nickname the “Fretless Wonder.” While iconic, these frets can feel unusual to modern players. Still, Les’ highly developed technique probably made frets almost unnecessary for him. Another major innovation appeared on the Custom: the debut of the ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge, finally giving players accurate intonation adjustment.
Here’s an interesting twist in the Custom’s story. Les’ original vision called for the Standard to be built from solid mahogany with a gold-painted top, and the Custom to use a maple cap on mahogany, finished in black or white. Gibson flipped those specs. The production Standard ended up with a maple cap, while the Custom was built entirely of mahogany.
The all-mahogany build gave the Custom a darker sound, so Gibson used an ebony fretboard to restore some brightness. Meanwhile, the maple-topped Standard was paired with a warmer Brazilian rosewood ’board. Ironically, it wasn’t until 1968 that the Custom attained the maple top Les had wanted all along.
“Instruments like this inspire players across generations.”
The next major leap came in 1957, when Gibson introduced Seth Lover’s groundbreaking humbucking pickups. By mid-year, the Les Paul Custom carried not two but three humbuckers. This gave players a wide tonal palette spanning jazz, pop, country, blues, and eventually rock. In time, artists like Keith Richards and Jimmy Page made unforgettable recordings on Customs, further cementing the model’s place in music history.
That brings us to the stunning 1959 Les Paul Custom currently here at Carter Vintage. I had the chance to spend a morning with it, and it’s easily one of the best-playing guitars in the shop.
Remember my earlier complaint about the “Fretless Wonder” frets? This one has been given a perfect refret by our repair shop. The result is transformative. Suddenly the Custom plays effortlessly, like a hot knife through butter. The setup is dialed in to perfection, and honestly, I walked away a little jealous. It convinced me that a couple of my own guitars need some attention from our techs.
Plugged into a Deluxe Reverb, the guitar absolutely sang. The original PAF pickups deliver remarkable clarity and punch. There’s excellent balance between the bridge and neck, and the middle position, often prone to phase issues, sounds smooth and full-on. Perfect for bluesy bends or country runs.
The neck deserves its own praise. It’s the quintessential ’59 carve: not too big, not too thin, with shoulders that make it feel more manageable than its actual measurements (.89" at the nut, 1.01" at the 12th fret) suggest. Simply put, it’s a neck that disappears in your hands, feeling comfortable, fast, and inspiring.
This particular Custom has been thoughtfully maintained. Aside from the refret and a new nut, the electronics and pickups remain untouched, and the finish is all original and in excellent condition. At about 9.5 pounds, it’s substantial, but its balance makes it feel lighter than the number on the scale suggests.
The Les Paul Custom has always been a guitar steeped in history. Born from Les Paul’s vision, refined by Gibson’s innovations, it was carried into legend by the players who made it sing. This 1959 example embodies all of that and more. With its perfect refret, killer PAFs, and ideal ’59 neck, it’s a joy to play and living proof of why this model continues to hold such a revered place in guitar history.
For me, it wasn’t just another morning with a guitar—it was a reminder of why instruments like this inspire players across generations.
Written with help from Andrew White.
