Gibson LP Special, faded cherry, made in USA 2005. The LP Special debuted in the mid fifties as a trimmed down version of the Les Paul Standard, but with a few extra conveniences not found on the Junior model. You get a slab of mahogany with a flat top and a set mahogany neck, a pair of juicy P-90 single coil pickups and the ever-practical stoptail and tune-o-matic bridge combo. The neck on this one is on the slightly chunky side: not quite the '58 style 'baseball bat', but fairly thick and reassuring in the hands. As soon as I plugged this in, it seems to want to play skate punk songs. The P90s deliver heaps of attack and top-end zing, balanced out by a thick and full low end and an expressive midrange, so it's perfect for punchy rhythm parts or abrasive riffs. The cherry finish has a few marks around the place to show it's age, as was the goal for these 'faded' style thin satin nitro models... it looks awesome. This one copped a decent knock and gained the infamous 'Gibson smile'... so it's had a headstock repair by our local pro. He does exceptional work, so it looks and feels extremely tidy and will now be stronger than ever. It's been priced a few avocados lower than usual accordingly. Punk's not dead, right?

Model: Gibson Les Paul Special
Made: USA, 2005 (serial 021150336)
Finish: faded cherry, satin nitro
Body: mahogany
Weight: 3.585kg
Neck: mahogany, rosewood board, 24.75" scale, 12" radius, '59 style moderate profile
Mods: knobs replaced, headstock repaired as noted below
Pickups: Gibson P-90 single coil x2
Case: basic gig bag

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has been professionally repaired following a break, so you can see three little sections of mahogany that have been added to reinforce the neck, which has then been glued and refinished to match the rest of the neck. The headstock also has some dimples on the end. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples and some rub wear on the back only. The back has some dimples in the elbow area, near the cavity and on the bottom horn, as well as widespread surface scratches around the whole body. The sides have minor dimples and rub wear around the whole body, nothing nasty though. The front has some dimples near the knobs and glossing from rub wear in the elbow area, as well as some standard play wear on the guard and horns. Overall: good very condition (7.5/10)

Playing condition notes: Neck is straight, action is low, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electrics tested and working properly. The frets are in good shape, 8/10 for fret life left. Headstock repaired as noted above. Setup with fresh 10/46 strings.