May 07, 2012 I love to know everything about the guitars I own and recently purchased a 1992 3 pick up Black Beauty Les Paul Custom. I have even gone to the trouble of purchasing an original 1992 Catalog with the description of my guitar in it. I believe all my information is complete except for one thing.
THE NOTION OF A REISSUE GUITAR IS SECOND nature to us today, as nearly every company that made guitars back in the day offers reissues of their original, hard-to-find vintage treasures. Back in the halcyon days of the early 1970s, however, this was a brand new idea. Companies like Gibson and Fender were originally baffled to discover that people were actively searching out their older model guitars— and paying collector’s premiums for them to boot. This was the first time that terms like “vintage” and “collectible” were used to describe a guitar, instead of just “used” or “old.” Gibson was the first to realize that people wanted several of their models that had been discontinued, especially the original Les Paul guitars of the 1950’s. The first reissue model guitars were made by Gibson in 1968—the early Les Paul goldtop with cream P-90s and the Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” with humbucking pickups. The company even admitted in its advertising they were reissuing these guitars due t
THE NOTION OF A REISSUE GUITAR IS SECOND nature to us today, as nearly every company that made guitars back in the day offers reissues of their original, hard-to-find vintage treasures. Back in the halcyon days of the early 1970s, however, this was a brand new idea. Companies like Gibson and Fender were originally baffled to discover that people were actively searching out their older model guitars— and paying collector’s premiums for them to boot. This was the first time that terms like “vintage” and “collectible” were used to describe a guitar, instead of just “used” or “old.” Gibson was the first to realize that people wanted several of their models that had been discontinued, especially the original Les Paul guitars of the 1950’s. The first reissue model guitars were made by Gibson in 1968—the early Les Paul goldtop with cream P-90s and the Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” with humbucking pickups. The company even admitted in its advertising they were reissuing these guitars due to popular demand with the catchphrase, “Okay, you win!”
The next phase of historically accurate reissues came in 1972, with this Les Paul Custom Black Beauty model, based on the 1954 original. The guitar shown here is one of the models made between 1972 and 1973, and it sports several of the original Black Beauty’s features, including the Alnico V “staple” magnet P-90 in the neck position, and a round polepiece P-90 in the bridge position. Other appointments that rang true to the original Les Paul Custom were the fretboard inlays and the deluxe headstock overlay, no volute on the back of the headstock, and the “long-tenon” neck that extends into the cavity of the guitar all the way under the rhythm pickup—a feature that Gibson neglected to replicate on their Les Paul sunburst reissues until recently.
Because these were the early days of the vintage reissue, there were a few minor details they got wrong (such as jumbo frets instead of the original low “fretless wonder” frets), but this repro is doggone close. The instrument is beautifully made and really captures the true vibe of a ’54 Custom. This and other vintage reissues that Gibson made in the early ’70s set the benchmark for companies such as Fender, Rickenbacker, Martin, and others to follow.
This particular guitar has had the Bigsby vibrato added (with a “Custom Made” plaque to cover the holes for the stop tailpiece), as well as gold-plated Grover Imperial tuners. Les Paul himself signed the pickguard.
![Gibson les paul custom black beauty price Gibson les paul custom black beauty price](/uploads/1/2/4/8/124801792/196214172.jpg)
If I had to name one sleeper guitar out there—a vintage guitar that hadn’t appreciated in value the way that everything else has—I would say these early ’70s Les Paul Custom reissues are guitars that you should go out and buy now, while you still can. The ’68 reissue Les Pauls are beginning to command big bucks, but the early ’70s models are roughly the same price as a new Les Paul Custom reissue. They represent excellent bang for the buck, and bring 99 percent of those ’50s Les Paul thrills for less than 10 percent of the cost of an original.
The Les Paul-signed pickguard, of course, is optional—you’ll have to go chase Les down and get that yourself.
Items in search results
- SPONSORED
Gibson Es Les Paul Custom Shop Black Beauty VOS Electric Guitar with Bigsby NEW!
- £5,478.19
- + £10.95 postage
- From Australia
Gibson Es Les Paul Custom Shop Black Beauty VOS Electric Guitar with Bigsby NEW!
Brand new- £5,478.19
- + £10.95 postage
- From Australia
2014 Gibson Robby Krieger 1954 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty Aged + Signed *512
New (other)- £6,233.79
- + £520.01 postage
- From United States
New listing 1976 VINTAGE GIBSON BLACK LES PAUL 'BLACK BEAUTY' CUSTOM HARD SHELL CASE
Pre-owned- £4,299.00
- + £130.00 postage
1992 GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM R7- BLACK BEAUTY - ANDY BAXTER BASS & GUITARS
Pre-owned- £3,595.00
- + £65.00 postage
Jimmy Page's 1960 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty Greeting Card, DL size
Brand new- £3.95
- + £1.60 postage
Keith Richards' Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty Greeting Card, DL size
Brand new- £3.95
- + £1.60 postage
Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty 3 Pickup Wiring Harness Bourns CTS Switchcraft Gold
Brand new- £66.02Was: Previous price£78.60
- + £12.07 postage
- From United States
- Customs services and international tracking provided
- £66.02
Keith Richards' Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty guitar POSTER PRINT A1 size
Brand new- £34.90
- + £10.70 postage
Keith Richards' Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty ART POSTER A3 size
- £8.99
- + £3.15 postage
KISS DYNASTY ACE GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM BLACK BEAUTY MODEL 1:6 FIGURE GUITAR
- £15.72
- + £4.72 postage
- From United States
Keith Richards' Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty Ltd Edition Fine Art Print A3 size
- £14.50
- + £3.15 postage
Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty 3 Pickup Wiring Harness Bourns CTS Switchcraft New
Brand new- £70.74
- + £12.15 postage
- From United States
- Customs services and international tracking provided
Keith Richards' Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty guitar ART POSTER A2 size
Brand new- £27.50
- + £9.80 postage
Gibson Custom 1956 Goldtop 1957 Black Beauty Les Paul Guitar Wild West 8 x 11 ad
Brand new- £3.11
- + £11.75 postage
- From United States
The Doors Robby Krieger 1955 Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty guitar centerfold
Pre-owned- £3.11
- + £11.75 postage
- From United States
Jimmy Page's 1960 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty ART POSTER A3 size
- £8.99
- + £3.15 postage
Guitar Mug. Jimmy Page's 1960 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty illustration.
Brand new- £9.99
- + £3.95 postage
Jimmy Page's 1960 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty POSTER PRINT A1 size
- £34.90
- + £10.70 postage
Jimmy Page's 1960 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty guitar ART POSTER A2 size
- £27.50
- + £9.80 postage
LED ZEPPELIN POSTER PAGE 1970 JIMMY PAGE GIBSON BLACK BEAUTY LES PAUL GUITAR .G9
Pre-owned- £5.99
- + £5.91 postage
- Customs services and international tracking provided
1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty All Original Electric Guitar w/OHSC
Pre-owned- £2,983.26
- Postage not specified
- From United States
Gibson ES Les Paul Custom 2015 Black Beauty 3 Pickup Bigsby VOS Mint
New (other)- £3,000.00
- Postage not specified
1994 GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM R7- BLACK BEAUTY
Pre-owned- £3,500.00
- Postage not specified
1988 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty All Original Electric Guitar w/OHSC
Pre-owned- £2,826.04
- Postage not specified
- From United States
1976 Vintage Gibson Les Paul Deluxe RARE Custom Order Ebony Fret Black Beauty
Pre-owned- £3,999.00
- Postage not specified
Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty 57 RI
Pre-owned- £2,800.00
- 0 bids
- Postage not specified
1974 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty 20th Anniversary Black Beauty 1 Owner
Pre-owned- £5,599.00
- Postage not specified
1972 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty, with hard case, 100% original.
Pre-owned- £3,495.00
- 0 bids
- Collection only: Free