New Limited R5: 1955 NAMM Show Commemorative Edition

[jb_abides]

Limited to only 70 guitars in each of the five custom colors, special medallion.

$6500 MAP, pre-oder.

Anyone going to pick one up?

...

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the five custom color Gibson Les Pauls that were displayed at the 1955 NAMM Show​

1955 NAMM Show Commemorative Edition Les Paul - Available for purchase through the Gibson Garage beginning January 22nd, 2025, with product shipping on or before March 31st, 2025​

One piece lightweight mahogany body, two piece plain maple cap, one piece mahogany neck with a 1950s Chunky D profile, Indian rosewood fretboard with celluloid trapezoid inlays, Gibson Custom P-90 pickups, rare nitrocellulose lacquer custom colors, Lifton hardshell case.

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the five custom color Gibson Les Pauls that were displayed at the 1955 NAMM Show​

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is a not-for-profit global trade association dedicated to the music products industry. Their annual trade shows are major events in the musical products industry and go all the way back to 1902, when the first one occurred in Baltimore, MD. Companies like Gibson regularly display new models at the NAMM Show to introduce them to dealers, the press, and other show visitors. They also occasionally display unique models specifically made for the NAMM Show. Gibson displayed five distinctive Les Paul™ models at the 1955 NAMM Show, which was held in Chicago, IL, that year, with each guitar finished in one of five custom metallic nitrocellulose lacquer car finishes–Samoa Beige, Copper Iridescent, Nugget Gold, Platinum, and Viceroy Brown. In addition to their custom metallic finishes, they were outfitted with no-wire ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic™ bridges and Stop Bar tailpieces. These bridges were first introduced on the Gibson Super 400 in 1953 and were used on the 1954 Les Paul Custom, but they made their first appearance on a standard Les Paul model with the five guitars that were displayed at the 1955 NAMM Show. These distinctive-looking and historically notable Les Pauls were made in extremely limited numbers, and the whereabouts of only a few are known today.

Now, Gibson Custom, in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the five custom color Gibson Les Pauls that were displayed at the 1955 NAMM Show, is proud to introduce the 1955 NAMM Show Commemorative Edition Les Paul. This special run is limited to only 70 guitars in each of the five custom colors, with the five custom metallic nitrocellulose lacquer car finishes expertly recreated by Gibson for the first time ever. Each of these guitars features historically accurate 1955 specifications, including a lightweight one-piece mahogany body and a hide glue-fitted two-piece plain maple cap. Even the color-matched Speed knobs replicate the knobs on the guitars that were shown at the 1955 NAMM Show. The one-piece mahogany neck has a long neck tenon, a 1950s Chunky D-Shape neck profile, and an Indian rosewood fretboard that has 22 historic narrow/tall frets, a 12” fretboard radius, and is adorned with aged cellulose nitrate trapezoid inlays. The headstock features a period-correct “low logo” holly headstock veneer and is equipped with a nylon nut and single line, single ring Kluson® tuners, and has a historical 1955 limited run serial number on the back. The pickups are a pair of cream-covered Custom Shop P-90 Soapbars that are hand-wired to 500k CTS® potentiometers and paper-in-oil capacitors. Only 70 guitars will be made in each of the five colors, for a total of 350 guitars in this limited run. Each guitar in this very special limited edition also features Light Aging by the skilled artisans of the Murphy Lab. The Murphy Lab Light Aged finish treatment, paired with lightly aged hardware, simulates decades of light play wear, giving these guitars the unique character, vibe, and feel of an original example from the Gibson Golden Era. A brown/pink Lifton™ five-latch case is also included to complete the authentic vintage ownership experience.

Key Features​

• Lightweight one-piece mahogany body and a hide glue-fitted two-piece plain maple cap
  • Natural light-back stain
• Mahogany neck with a 1950s Chunky D-Shape neck profile and a long neck tenon
  • Historic Gibson Narrow/Tall frets
  • Nylon Nut
  • Kluson Single Line, Single Ring
• Period-correct "low logo" holly headstock veneer
• Custom Shop P-90 Soapbar pickups
• Available in five rare custom colors - Samoa Beige, Copper Iridescent, Nugget Gold, Platinum, and Viceroy Brown
• Murphy Lab Light Aging
• Limited edition, with only 70 guitars made in each of the five custom colors
  • Samoa Beige
  • Copper Iridescent
  • Nugget Gold
  • Platinum
  • Viceroy Brown
• 1955 NAMM Show-inspired Certificate of Authenticity Booklet which Includes a Photo from the Ledger in the Gibson Archives
• Historic Reissue Hang Tags
• Gibson Custom Switchplate Medallion (with Historic Brown Plastic Cover in Case)

Be sure to check out the knobs -

 

[jb_abides]

Collage showing the 'platinum' medallion -

 

[goldtop0]

They'll go, got a fat neck and look different(other than the goldtop), here in NZ they'd be $13.5k or so

Now if they did a 330L again...............................

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

So they're recreations of some of the blandest looking Les Pauls ever in extremely limited numbers, and Gibson is pricing them at $6.5k. Yeap, definitely sounds like contemporary Gibson bs to me.

 

[Tollywood]

When I first saw the colors I was not a fan, but I looked at them today and I am warming up to them.

Ca-stanz-a.

 

[jb_abides]

Different golds, people like. Not too sure about this Nugget one, would have to see more, better...

Well, there are Viceroy Brown fans out there, most likely a small contingent of them.

Copper Iridescent would be my choice, and probably has the biggest fanbase overall.

The Platinum was must, for the 70 years.

 

[thin sissy]

I feel like I have to write it in this dedicated thread as well: I think they are really awesome! Each one is really cool in their own way

Different strokes and all that!

 

[TM1]

I think I’ll stick with my 2003 Firebird VII! I have a set of early Sixties mini-humbuckings that have off-set poles! It’s in “Copper Mist”!

 

[J T]

I think I’ll stick with my 2003 Firebird VII! I have a set of early Sixties mini-humbuckings that have off-set poles! It’s in “Copper Mist”!

Cool! you should put up a photo of that in the other Gibsons.

 

[J T]

The Platinum one is the one I'd get.

Kinda looks like seafoam

 

[mikeslub]

Gibson Custom did some custom color P-90 Les Pauls back in 2011 and 2012. Mine aren't aged, though. Here are those in my collection:

Frost Blue



Inverness Green



Heather Poly

 

[Tollywood]

Gibson Custom did some custom color P-90 Les Pauls back in 2011 and 2012. Mine aren't aged, though. Here are those in my collection:

Frost Blue

View attachment 29143

Inverness Green

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Heather Poly

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Thanks for sharing. I love these colors.

 

[jb_abides]

Thanks for sharing. I love these colors.

Yes, for Gibson Custom Colors, 60s > 50s IMO!

Gibson [ @matkoehler ] made sure to remind folks that the 55 NAMM are limited to the automobile finishes in vogue at the time, which were more earthy and muted.

 

[Wizard1183]

I’m curious as to changes to custom reissue models and when is JP#1 coming out?

 

[jb_abides]

I’m curious as to changes to custom reissue models and when is JP#1 coming out?

This is all I've heard mentioned thus far; however, Mat doesn't delineate exact changes made and when.

 

[Edward]

I think the colors are great ...hot stuff, and a superb move away from the ubiquitous bursts, flames, and such!

But the price ...for what ya get ...definite hard pass for me. I am doubtful that these will draw many at this price point, from my amateur's chair, of course. But yeah, I very much dig the new colors.

Edward

 

[Wizard1183]

I think the colors are great ...hot stuff, and a superb move away from the ubiquitous bursts, flames, and such!

But the price ...for what ya get ...definite hard pass for me. I am doubtful that these will draw many at this price point, from my amateur's chair, of course. But yeah, I very much dig the new colors.

Edward

Agree 1000%. Not worth it.

 

[mikeslub]

A cool guitar. This one is "Copper Iridescent." Well built. Color is not as intense as the Gibson photos. Nice chunky neck. Action was too high for my liking, but a quick truss rod adjustment did the trick. Plays great and sounds awesome. I have found Gibson's P-90s to be good pickups, well balanced. Yes, expensive, but someone has to cover the cost of those cool colored knobs!

 

[thin sissy]

Hot damn that's sweet!

 

[GreenBurst]

A cool guitar. This one is "Copper Iridescent." Well built. Color is not as intense as the Gibson photos. Nice chunky neck. Action was too high for my liking, but a quick truss rod adjustment did the trick. Plays great and sounds awesome. I have found Gibson's P-90s to be good pickups, well balanced. Yes, expensive, but someone has to cover the cost of those cool colored knobs!

View attachment 29248

View attachment 29249

View attachment 29250

Nice! It's hard to tell in the pics but aren't these supposed to have a metallic finish? Similar to goldtops?

I read an article in VG a good while back that featured a 50s copper iridescent LP. Tbe photos did have the metallic finish.