Gibson Custom 1955 NAMM Show Commemorative Edition Les Paul - PLA

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is a global non-profit trade association dedicated to the musical instrument industry. Their annual events are among the most significant in the field, dating back to 1902, when the first one took place in Baltimore, MD. Companies like Gibson regularly showcase new models at the NAMM Show to present them to retailers, the press, and other visitors. Occasionally, unique models made specifically for the event are also displayed.

At the NAMM Show in 1955, held in Chicago, IL, Gibson presented five distinctive models of Les Paul, each finished in one of five special metallic finishes inspired by the automotive finishes of the era: Samoa Beige, Copper Iridescent, Nugget Gold, Platinum, and Viceroy Brown. In addition to the special finishes, these guitars were equipped with wireless ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic™ bridges and Stop Bar tailpieces. These bridges were first introduced on the Gibson Super 400 in 1953 and used on the Les Paul Custom of 1954, but they made their first appearance on a standard Les Paul model with the five guitars showcased at the NAMM Show in 1955. These instruments, with their unique design and significant historical relevance, were produced in extremely limited quantities, and today, the whereabouts of only a few examples are known.

Today, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the five Gibson Les Pauls with custom colors displayed at the NAMM Show in 1955, Gibson Custom is proud to introduce the 1955 NAMM Show Commemorative Edition Les Paul. This special series is limited to just 70 pieces for each of the five colors, reissued for the first time in 70 years. Each guitar features specifications faithful to the 1955 model, including a selected lightweight single-piece mahogany body, a two-piece maple top, and animal glues. The Speed Knobs, matched to the color of the instrument, also closely replicate those of the guitars shown at the NAMM Show in 1955. The one-piece mahogany neck has a long neck tenon joint, a chunky D-Shape profile typical of the '50s, and an Indian rosewood fingerboard equipped with 22 Historic Narrow/Tall frets. The headstock features a period-correct low logo, a nylon nut, and Kluson® Single Line, Single Ring tuning machines. The pickups are a pair of Custom Shop P-90 Soapbar, hand-wired with CTS® 500k potentiometers and paper-in-oil capacitors.

Only 70 pieces will be made for each of the five colors, totaling 350 guitars in this limited series. Each guitar in this special edition also features Light Aging treatment performed by the artisans at Murphy Lab. The Murphy Lab Light Aged finish, combined with lightly aged hardware, simulates decades of light wear, giving these instruments the character, charm, and feel of an original from Gibson's golden era.