The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is a not-for-profit global trade association dedicated to the music products industry. Their annual trade shows are major events in the musical products industry and go all the way back to 1902, when the first one occurred in Baltimore, MD. Companies like Gibson regularly display new models at the NAMM Show to introduce them to dealers, the press, and other show visitors. They also occasionally display unique models specifically made for the NAMM Show. Gibson displayed five distinctive Les Paul models at the 1955 NAMM Show, which was held in Chicago, IL, that year, with each guitar finished in one of five custom metallic nitrocellulose lacquer car finishes-Samoa Beige, Copper Iridescent, Nugget Gold, Platinum, and Viceroy Brown. In addition to their custom metallic finishes, they were outfitted with no-wire ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridges and Stop Bar tailpieces. These bridges were first introduced on the Gibson Super 400 in 1953 and were used on the 1954 Les Paul Custom, but they made their first appearance on a standard Les Paul model with the five guitars that were displayed at the 1955 NAMM Show. These distinctive-looking and historically notable Les Pauls were made in extremely limited numbers, and the whereabouts of only a few are known today.
Now, Gibson Custom, in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the five custom color Gibson Les Pauls that were displayed at the 1955 NAMM Show, is proud to introduce the 1955 NAMM Show Commemorative Edition Les Paul. This special run is limited to only 70 guitars in each of the five custom colors, with the five custom metallic nitrocellulose lacquer car finishes expertly recreated by Gibson for the first time ever. Each of these guitars features historically accurate 1955 specifications, including a lightweight one-piece mahogany body and a hide glue-fitted two-piece plain maple cap. Even the color-matched Speed knobs replicate the knobs on the guitars that were shown at the 1955 NAMM Show. The one-piece mahogany neck has a long neck tenon, a 1950s Chunky D-Shape neck profile, and an Indian rosewood fretboard that has 22 historic narrow/tall frets, a 12” fretboard radius, and is adorned with aged cellulose nitrate trapezoid inlays. The headstock features a period-correct “low logo” holly headstock veneer and is equipped with a nylon nut and single line, single ring Kluson tuners, and has a historical 1955 limited run serial number on the back. The pickups are a pair of cream-covered Custom Shop P-90 Soapbars that are hand-wired to 500k CTS potentiometers and paper-in-oil capacitors. Only 70 guitars were made in each of the five colors, for a total of 350 guitars in this limited run. Each guitar in this very special limited edition also features Light Aging by the skilled artisans of the Murphy Lab. The Murphy Lab Light Aged finish treatment, paired with lightly aged hardware, simulates decades of light play wear, giving these guitars the unique character, vibe, and feel of an original example from the Gibson Golden Era. A brown/pink Lifton five-latch case is also included to complete the authentic vintage ownership experience.
