Gibson Les Paul Guitars

Discover our wide array of Gibson Les Paul guitars at Chicago Music Exchange. Shop the best selection of new and used models, including exclusive Custom Shop editions. Whether you're a seasoned guitarist or a collector, find the perfect Les Paul to match your style and elevate your sound. Discover top-quality craftsmanship and iconic designs in our diverse range. Shop now and experience the legendary tone and performance of a Gibson Les Paul!

Gibson Les Paul Guitars

The iconic Gibson Les Paul, a legendary solid-body electric guitar, debuted in 1952 as a collaboration with Les Paul, featuring a mahogany body, maple top, and initially P-90 single-coil pickups. Key historical models include the 1954 Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty" and the groundbreaking 1957 Les Paul Goldtop and Les Paul Standard with revolutionary humbucking pickups. The highly coveted 1958-1960 Les Paul Standard models, especially the 1959 Les Paul Standard with its stunning sunburst finish, represent a pinnacle of guitar design. This single-cutaway instrument with its set-neck construction defined the sound of generations.

Beloved for its exceptional sustain and powerful tone, the Gibson Les Paul boasts features like a solid mahogany body, often paired with a maple top, and a glued-in mahogany neck with various profiles (e.g., slim taper, '50s rounded). Available with both vintage-voiced P-90 pickups and thick-sounding humbucking pickups, often in configurations like "Patent Applied For" (PAF) style, the Les Paul utilizes a Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece for stability. Offered in classic finishes like Goldtop, Cherry Sunburst, Ebony, and more, across series like the Les Paul Standard, Les Paul Custom, and Les Paul Junior, this guitar remains a cornerstone for musicians seeking legendary tone and playability.

Vintage and Used Gibson Les Pauls

Chicago Music Exchange is your premier destination for rare vintage Gibson Les Paul guitars and used Gibson Les Pauls. With a long history of dealing in these iconic instruments, we've been fortunate to have numerous legendary Gibson Les Paul "Burst" models pass through our Chicago store, each carrying a piece of rock and roll history. Beyond these highly sought-after vintage electric guitars, our inventory regularly features used Les Pauls from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, as well as a wide selection of modern Gibson Les Paul guitars.

Our dedicated vintage guitar team at Chicago Music Exchange conducts thorough research on every pre-owned Gibson Les Paul that enters our collection. We possess in-depth knowledge of the Gibson Les Paul serial number system and are always happy to share our expertise with you. Contact us via chat, phone, or email if you have any questions about the vintage and used Les Paul guitars you see on our website. Understanding the importance of weight for guitarists, we provide the specific weight for every used Gibson Les Paul directly in its listing. Whether you're searching for a Gibson Les Paul Standard, a Les Paul Custom, a Les Paul Junior, or a Les Paul Studio, we offer a diverse range of these exceptional guitars. Take advantage of the "Offer" button on our used and vintage Gibson Les Paul listings to submit your best price and potentially acquire your dream guitar.

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"CME Spec" Gibson Les Pauls

Chicago Music Exchange has cultivated an exclusive collaboration with the Gibson Custom Shop, built upon a shared dedication to hand-crafted, exceptional instruments. This partnership culminates in the creation of "CME Spec" Gibson guitars, where our team of guitar experts works directly with Gibson to meticulously select every component. From the unique top woods and custom finishes to specific fingerboard materials, neck profiles, pickups, and hardware, each element of a "CME Spec" guitar is thoughtfully chosen before production begins. This ensures that customers at CME will consistently find extraordinary, often historically inspired guitars gracing our showroom.

While "CME Spec" models share the renowned craftsmanship of the Gibson Custom Shop, they possess distinct characteristics that set them apart. Our "CME Spec" philosophy often involves incorporating sonic and tactile upgrades, sometimes even blending features from different historical eras to create instruments that wouldn't have traditionally existed. This approach allows us to capture the "soul" of vintage instruments while also exploring new sonic and playability possibilities.

A key differentiator for "CME Spec" Les Pauls lies in their custom electronics and neck profiles. All "CME Spec" Les Paul Standard and Custom models are equipped with CME's signature Custom "S" Bucker pickups. These pickups are wax-potted and underwound, offering increased headroom, warmth, and clarity compared to standard Gibson Custom Buckers. Additionally, many "CME Spec" Les Pauls feature the "Carmelita" neck profile, a slightly thinner take on the classic '59 Les Paul neck with worn shoulders, providing a comfortable and played-in feel reminiscent of a cherished vintage instrument.

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Gibson Custom Shop Guitars

The Gibson Custom Shop represents the pinnacle of guitar craftsmanship, dedicated to producing exceptional instruments that honor Gibson's rich heritage while pushing the boundaries of innovation. This specialized division meticulously crafts vintage Gibson reissues, faithfully recreating iconic models like the Les Paul Standard, SG, and ES-335 with incredible attention to detail. Their Vintage Original Spec (VOS) series is particularly renowned for its historically accurate construction, hardware, and aging processes, offering players the look, feel, and sound of coveted vintage guitars. Beyond meticulous recreations, the Gibson Custom Shop also fosters creativity through unique designs and collaborations, ensuring a diverse range of high-quality Gibson electric guitars and Gibson acoustic guitars that cater to discerning musicians and collectors worldwide.

Furthermore, the Gibson Custom Shop is celebrated for its close relationships with renowned artists, resulting in highly sought-after Gibson Artist Signature models and the limited-edition Inspired By series. These collaborations produce instruments that reflect the specific preferences and iconic guitars of legendary musicians, offering fans a chance to own a piece of rock and roll history. Whether crafting faithful historic reissues, innovative custom guitars, or signature instruments, the Gibson Custom Shop remains a cornerstone of the guitar industry, embodying the legacy and innovation that define the Gibson guitar name.

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