Excellent condition featuring single cutaway, one piece mahogany back with faded red stain finish, two piece maple top with faded sunburst finish and single ply cream binding (thin through the cutaway), two Gibson Burstbucker 1 and 2 humbucking pickups with cream pickup surrounds and aged covers, two volume controls and two tone controls with gold bonnet knobs, three way toggle switch with aged tip and cream Rhythm and Treble ring, single ply cream plastic elevated pickguard with metal bracket, wired ABR-1 fully adjustable bridge, stop tailpiece, one piece mahogany neck with faded red stain finish, bound dark East Indian rosewood fingerboard with pearloid trapezoid inlays starting at the third fret, bone nut, 1950s carve Gibson open book peghead, black peghead face with pearl inlaid Gibson logo and gold silk screened Les Paul Model logo, multi-ply bell shaped truss rod cover, three per side Grover Rotomatic tuning machines with metal kidney bean buttons, ink stamped serial number on the back of the peghead, single ply black plastic electronics control cover plate and switch cover plate, two metal strap buttons, and original hard shell case with COA and case candy. An additional commemorative single ply cream pickguard with gold 50th Anniversary logo is included. 9lbs 4oz.
This 2008 50th Anniversary Custom Shop R8 Les Paul is in excellent cosmetic and playing condition. This guitar plays fantastic with a big fat chunky neck carve that feels amazing in hand. The frets show very little signs of use and have loads of life left in them. The set up on this guitar is low and buttery. The Burstbucker 1 and 2 pickups work extremely well in combination with this guitar and sound like a truck coming through an amp. In the neck position, this guitar has a very round, fat and woody tone that is unbeatable. The bridge position sound is very dry and biting and can really achieve numerous classic Les Paul tones. The fretboard is that of the extremely dark rosewood variety and looks killer with the entire aesthetic of the guitar and trapezoid inlays. The tuning machines are Grover Rotomatics which have been added at a later date. These tuners do their job well and keep this guitar in tune.
The very plain maple top has been meticulously hand checked and aged by the finish master Tom Murphy. It is not a heavy relic but more like a guitar that's been sitting under a bed for 50 years. The peghead face has been aged the same way and looks incredibly cool. The faded sunburst top finish has a tangerine burst look and is quite unique. This Murphy aged R8 has the original hangtags, paperwork and COA stating its authenticity including Historical Finish Expert Tom Murphy's hand-aging process. The certificate is signed by Murphy as well. This is one of the most incredible sounding Les Pauls to come through our shop in some time (and we've had quite a few great ones recently!). I believe this guitar to be not only a fantastic rock, rhythm and blues machine, but also a very collectable instrument in years to come.
