The Guitar Player's Resource
Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom in Gold Sparkle - A True Unicorn.
You don't see many of these. When Gibson's Custom Shop decides to do a Gold Sparkle finish on a Les Paul Custom, they're not making thousands - they're creating something genuinely rare that'll stop traffic in any guitar store.
This isn't just about looks, though that Gold Sparkle finish over the carved 2-piece maple top is absolutely stunning under stage lights. You're getting all the classic Custom Shop craftsmanship: mahogany body with that substantial 10.3-pound heft that gives you serious sustain, a comfortable '60s slim taper neck that feels fast without being thin, and an ebony fingerboard with mother-of-pearl block inlays that scream "professional instrument."
The pickup combination here is Gibson's tried-and-true pairing: a 490R in the neck position for smooth leads and rich rhythm tones, paired with a 498T bridge pickup that delivers the bite you need for everything from blues to hard rock. With individual volume and tone controls for each pickup, you've got serious tonal versatility at your fingertips.
The hardware is exactly what you'd expect from a Custom Shop instrument: Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece for rock-solid intonation, Grover kidney tuners for stable tuning, and a 1.69" Corian nut that contributes to the overall tone and sustain.
What it comes down to is: if you're looking for a Les Paul Custom that combines classic tone with show-stopping visual appeal, this Gold Sparkle finish makes it a legitimate stage and studio weapon that'll turn heads wherever you play it.
60's style neck slim taper neck
Mahogany body, carved 2-piece maple top; nitrocellulose lacquer finish
Mahogany neck; nitrocellulose lacquer finish
Ebony fingerboard, 12" radius, 22 medium jumbo frets, mother-of-pearl block inlays
Bridge pickup: 498T humbucker
Neck pickup: 490R humbucker
3-way pickup selector
Bridge and neck volume controls
Bridge and neck tone controls
Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece
1.69" Corian nut; Grover kidney tuners
This one weighs in at 10.3 lbs
