1959 Gibson Les Paul Special!

Electric Guitar History

There were several features that made the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special…well, special.

That particular guitar originated several years earlier, and evolved into a treasure favored by Eric Clapton, Michael Bloomfield, and other guitarists everybody knows.

The LP Special for sale was a Standard Sunburst at one time, and a few new features were added here and there until 1959, when instrument perfection was achieved.

The ’59 Special featured the solid, heavy mahogany body so loved by Gibson enthusiasts and the carved maple top that is so recognizable.

The neck was chunky, as were the most popular guitars in that time, but not so big it was like trying to strum a baseball bat.

Some of the other bells and whistles that everyone loved on the '59 Gibson Les Paul Special were:

• Sunburst paint job (as opposed to the previously made Goldtop), which became the “image” of the ultimate Gibson.
• Jumbo frets replaced the thinner ones on the Rosewood fingerboard, giving the guitar a fuller, richer tone.
• Earlier LP’s featured P-90’s…they were replaced by humbucking pickups a few years before the 1959 Special hit the market, and they kept that popular addition.

There is a “new” 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special Out Now… a perfect replica of the original popular instrument.

The replica features all the same things as the ‘59 built decades ago, and offers the same rich tone and easy playability.

Another great guitar made in reverence to the ’59 masterpiece is also a tribute to a great blues man, Michael Bloomfield.

The blues legend preferred the 1959 LP over any other guitar, and was awarded his own signature guitar that duplicated the one he lovingly adjusted to suit his own style.

He was known for creating the “Bloomfield Sound,” a blues style that is recognized even now.

He played with the Butterfield Band, and with Bob Dylan.

There aren’t many blues fans that aren’t aware and respectful of the Bloomfield Sound, and those that want to try and recreate it can do so with the Michael Bloomfield Les Paul Special.

Whether you choose the replica of the popular Special that Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Paul Kossof favored, or you choose the one that Michael Bloomfield made famous, the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special is a great guitar.

There is a reason it became the most popular and sought after guitar of its time, and the replicas create the same sound that made them so unforgettable.

Good luck finding an original for sale, you’ll almost have to buy a replica, as the originals are so rare.

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