Introducing | CME Exclusive Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Custom Les Paul Special DOUBLE CUTS

The Newest CME Exclusive Guitars Reimagine a Transitional Moment In Gibson’s History, With Some of Our Favorite Finishes!


Since its introduction in 1955, the Les Paul Special has always carried a workhorse attitude, pushing out immediately identifiable warmth and fatness from two P-90 pickups. Designed to serve an intermediate market between the student-priced Les Paul Junior and the Les Paul Model (aka: the Goldtop), the Special has carved out its own mythos and fandom over its 70-year existence.

We’re proud to partner with Epiphone to bring you two new CME Exclusive Les Paul Specials: the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom series 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue in Oxblood and Olive Drab! With underwound P-90 Soapbar pickups made by Gibson USA, these are the perfect way to merge a particular moment in electric guitar history, with tonal and visual touches that complement that era! To be among the first players to capture these new CME Exclusives, call us today at (773)525-7773, chat with us on our website, or simply come into our Lincoln Avenue Showroom!

04.24.26 - CME Exclusive Epiphone IGC 1960 LP Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w-Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars & Hardshell Case - ECLSR0OXNH-4.jpg__PID:3696201d-733d-4db0-a416-ddc9981c5b95
04.24.26 - CME Exclusive Epiphone IGC 1960 LP Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w-Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars & Hardshell Case - ECLSR0OXNH-2.jpg__PID:1e369620-1d73-4ded-b024-16ddc9981c5b
04.24.26 - CME Exclusive Epiphone IGC 1960 LP Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w-Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars & Hardshell Case - ECLSR0ODNH-5.jpg__PID:9c1e3696-201d-433d-adb0-2416ddc9981c

A Special Moment in History

In the late ‘50s, Gibson had a problem: the Les Paul was not selling well compared to Fender’s Stratocaster. The thinner, more heavily contoured design seemed to resonate better with the players of the burgeoning rock ‘n’ roll movement. In an effort to get with the times, the Les Paul would be reinvented in the body style that we now know as the SG, but to test the waters of a double-cutaway design, the Les Paul Special and Les Paul Junior were made with double-cutaway body styles from 1958 to 1960.

In 1960, the Les Paul Special hit its stride in this form: by moving the neck pickup slightly closer to the bridge and by slimming the neck profile, the Les Paul Special took on a unique tonal profile that was easier to play than ever. While the Les Paul Special was changed in 1961 (along with the other guitars in the Les Paul lineup) to the body style we now more commonly know as the SG, this particular model year still occupies a particular place in the hearts of players.

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Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars

Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Oxblood w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars

$ 17,563.00
There’s a particular kind of electricity that lives in the 1960 Les Paul Special—a guitar that arrived at the edge of a new decade and somehow sounded like it already knew what was coming. Born from Gibson’s late-’50s evolution of the Junior and Special, the double-cutaway design unlocked a new kind of access and attitude, but it was the 1960 refinement—the slimmer neck profile, the more balanced pickup placement, the stripped-down honesty—that turned it into something players never stopped chasing. The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut channels the spirit of a working musician’s instrument, built for stages, basements, and everything in between. At its core are a pair of raw, vocal, and slightly underwound P-90 pickups. The volume controls give you direct command over how hard you’re pushing the amp, allowing you to dial things back for a cleaner, more controlled tone or open everything up for the full, unrestrained character of a classic P-90. From clean, articulate tones to a gritty, driven breakup, the 1960 Les Paul Special is defined by its midrange focus and natural harmonic complexity. It responds quickly to touch and gain, offering a straightforward, expressive voice that sits right at the edge of saturation when pushed. The slim taper neck profile keeps things fast and unencumbered, echoing the same design philosophy that made the original 1960 models feel like a quiet revolution in the hands of players who needed speed without sacrificing soul. Combined with the double-cutaway design, upper fret access feels effortless—like the guitar is getting out of its own way so you can stay in the moment longer. What you get is the essence of the 1960 Les Paul Special distilled: two pickups, one slab of mahogany attitude, and a direct line to one of the most influential electric guitar designs ever made. Plug it in, turn it up, and it doesn’t just recall history—it feels like it never left.

Epiphone IGC 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut (CME Exclusive) Series

The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson series is exactly what it sounds like: a direct line back to some of the most important electric guitars ever made, but built for the way people actually play today. These instruments take their cues from Gibson’s most iconic designs—Les Pauls, SGs, ES models—and focus on the details that matter in your hands: the feel of the neck, the weight of the body, the way the pickups respond when you dig in or pull back. Epiphone has really tightened the gap here, so you’re getting a level of build quality and authenticity that wasn’t really on the table at this price point a decade ago. What stands out most is how familiar they feel right away. No learning curve, no “adjusting to the instrument” period—just a guitar that already knows the vocabulary. They’re built to be played, not parked in a case, and they hold up whether you’re tracking in a studio, playing gigs every weekend, or just chasing ideas at home. At Chicago Music Exchange, we think of the Inspired by Gibson series as the modern working player’s way into a classic story—without losing the character that made those originals matter in the first place.

Highlights
  • CME Exclusive Finish
  • Gibson Custom Soap Bar P90 Made in USA
  • 60s Slim Taper Neck Shape
  • Gibson Open Book Headstock
  • Inspired by Gibson Custom Lifton-Style Brown/Pink Hardshell Case
View Details
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars
Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars Electric Guitars

Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut Reissue Olive Drab w/Gibson Custom Underwound P-90 Soapbars

$ 17,563.00
There’s a particular kind of electricity that lives in the 1960 Les Paul Special—a guitar that arrived at the edge of a new decade and somehow sounded like it already knew what was coming. Born from Gibson’s late-’50s evolution of the Junior and Special, the double-cutaway design unlocked a new kind of access and attitude, but it was the 1960 refinement—the slimmer neck profile, the more balanced pickup placement, the stripped-down honesty—that turned it into something players never stopped chasing. The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut channels the spirit of a working musician’s instrument, built for stages, basements, and everything in between. At its core are a pair of raw, vocal, and slightly underwound P-90 pickups. The volume controls give you direct command over how hard you’re pushing the amp, allowing you to dial things back for a cleaner, more controlled tone or open everything up for the full, unrestrained character of a classic P-90. From clean, articulate tones to a gritty, driven breakup, the 1960 Les Paul Special is defined by its midrange focus and natural harmonic complexity. It responds quickly to touch and gain, offering a straightforward, expressive voice that sits right at the edge of saturation when pushed. The slim taper neck profile keeps things fast and unencumbered, echoing the same design philosophy that made the original 1960 models feel like a quiet revolution in the hands of players who needed speed without sacrificing soul. Combined with the double-cutaway design, upper fret access feels effortless—like the guitar is getting out of its own way so you can stay in the moment longer. What you get is the essence of the 1960 Les Paul Special distilled: two pickups, one slab of mahogany attitude, and a direct line to one of the most influential electric guitar designs ever made. Plug it in, turn it up, and it doesn’t just recall history—it feels like it never left.

Epiphone IGC 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut (CME Exclusive) Series

The Epiphone Inspired by Gibson series is exactly what it sounds like: a direct line back to some of the most important electric guitars ever made, but built for the way people actually play today. These instruments take their cues from Gibson’s most iconic designs—Les Pauls, SGs, ES models—and focus on the details that matter in your hands: the feel of the neck, the weight of the body, the way the pickups respond when you dig in or pull back. Epiphone has really tightened the gap here, so you’re getting a level of build quality and authenticity that wasn’t really on the table at this price point a decade ago. What stands out most is how familiar they feel right away. No learning curve, no “adjusting to the instrument” period—just a guitar that already knows the vocabulary. They’re built to be played, not parked in a case, and they hold up whether you’re tracking in a studio, playing gigs every weekend, or just chasing ideas at home. At Chicago Music Exchange, we think of the Inspired by Gibson series as the modern working player’s way into a classic story—without losing the character that made those originals matter in the first place.

Highlights
  • CME Exclusive Finish
  • Gibson Custom Soap Bar P90 Made in USA
  • 60s Slim Taper Neck Shape
  • Gibson Open Book Headstock
  • Inspired by Gibson Custom Lifton-Style Brown/Pink Hardshell Case
View Details
04.24.26 - CME Exclusive Epiphone IGC 1960 LP Special Double Cut Reissue - ECLSR0OXNH - ECLSR0ODNH-11.jpg__PID:9705fe9c-1e36-4620-9d73-3dedb02416dd
04.24.26 - CME Exclusive Epiphone IGC 1960 LP Special Double Cut Reissue - ECLSR0OXNH - ECLSR0ODNH-1.jpg__PID:f4648a6f-9705-4e9c-9e36-96201d733ded
04.24.26 - CME Exclusive Epiphone IGC 1960 LP Special Double Cut Reissue - ECLSR0OXNH - ECLSR0ODNH-8.jpg__PID:6f9705fe-9c1e-4696-a01d-733dedb02416

A Vintage-Voiced Tone Machine!

To put our own spin on the 1960 Les Paul Special Double Cut formula, we’ve worked with Gibson USA to put special, slightly underwound pickups into each one of these CME Exclusive Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom guitars. By slightly underwinding each P-90 Soapbar pickup, these pickups supply a modified EQ response, with a slightly brighter top-end, and extreme clarity across every note!

04.20.26 - CME Exclusive Epiphone Double Cut Olive Drab-Oxblood Video Shoot - ECLSR0ODNH - ECLSR0OXNH-2.jpg__PID:3dedb024-16dd-4998-9c5b-957a00325c92
04.20.26 - CME Exclusive Epiphone Double Cut Olive Drab-Oxblood - ECLSR0ODNH - ECLSR0OXNH-4.jpg__PID:733dedb0-2416-4dc9-981c-5b957a00325c

These 1960 Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Les Paul Specials represent more than a particular chapter in Gibson’s history: it represents a unique design that carries a mythos all its own! To be among the first people to capture our CME spin on this mythos, call us today at (773)525-7773, chat with us on our website, or come into our Lincoln Avenue Showroom to pre-order this very Special guitar!

SHOP EPIPHONE INSPIRED BY GIBSON CUSTOM SERIES!

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