Gibson Custom Shop Inspired By Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Goldtop 2012 Signature

This is an incredibly special Gibson Custom ‘Inspired By’ Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Goldtop. Available exclusively in 2013 and limited to just 400 units worldwide, this guitar is based on a heavily modified 1955 Goldtop that came through Joe’s father’s shop when he was just 11 years old. Naturally featuring a set-neck construction, the guitar comprises a ‘light’ Mahogany body with Maple top, Mahogany neck and 22 fret Rosewood fingerboard. Nickel hardware is fitted including a StopBar tailpiece and ABR-1 ToM bridge, with three Nylon saddles & 3 Steel saddles. The headstock echoes the early ‘50s design with it’s slightly narrowed top edge & lower headstock logo, and is fitted with Grover Rotomatic tuners as well as a ‘Bonamassa’ truss rod cover. A pair of Gibson Burstbucker pickups are installed, with a BB2 in the neck and a BB3 in the bridge. These are wired to the standard Les Paul controls, with reproduction Bumblebee capacitors. The neck controls use Amber control knobs, and the bridge Gold Top Hat knobs.

The Mahogany neck plays very well, with a profile which is certainly vintage-inspired and rather on the chunky side. Not at all cumbersome, but definitely carrying plenty of character that produces a unique playing experience amongst modern guitars. The Rosewood of the fingerboard is incredibly dark in appearance - Gibson Custom clearly know how to select their tonewoods carefully. It feels nicely luxurious under the fingers, and provides a robust playing surface. The Medium frets feel great for vibrato & string bending techniques, and ensure that the playing experience is smooth in all fingerboard positions. It really is a great playing Les Paul. The use of the two different saddle materials is interesting, as Bonamassa says that the Nylon saddles are better for the plain strings.

Amplified, the pair of Gibson Burstbucker 2 & 3 humbucking pickups deliver unmistakeable Les Paul tones, perfect for the classic blues rock that Bonamassa is known for. Gibson’s Burstbuckers are designed to be a replica of the famous PAF pickups that were shipped in early Les Paul models. The BB2 in the neck is round and powerful, pushing lead lines and solos to the front of the mix with ease and producing a rich, meaty growl. The BB3 in the bridge is of course hotter & brighter, and saturates into a thick distortion when driving the amp hard. It’s Perfect for bluesy riffing and rhythm sounds. The controls are as comprehensive as ever, with the vintage-spec wiring & Bumblebee capacitors ensuring that the tone is authentic as possible. A serious guitar that doubles as an investment collector’s piece.