Blues-rock virtuoso Joe Bonamassa's prized 1959 Gibson Les Paul Custom is getting the Epiphone treatment. The guitar icon's rare "Black Beauty" is now accessible to players worldwide through this limited-edition recreation.
What makes the Joe Bonamassa original Les Paul so special is that, unlike the standard three-pickup configuration, his ’59 Custom is a rare factory order sporting just two pickups. The guitar also features Grover Imperial tuners and a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece—details that set it apart from typical Black Beauty specimens.
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Epiphone has gotten the aesthetic right with an Antique Ebony finish over solid mahogany, complete with aged multi-ply binding front and back. The mahogany neck features that coveted 1959 Rounded Medium C profile, topped with a bound ebony fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and pearloid block inlays. Up top, the 60s Kalamazoo-style headstock showcases multi-ply binding, the Epiphone logo, and the iconic Custom Split Diamond inlay in mother-of-pearl. A Graph Tech nut handles tuning stability duties.
Under the bonnet, a pair of Epiphone ProBucker Custom pickups deliver the goods, wired to individual volume and tone controls via CTS potentiometers for reliable, nuanced sound shaping. The gold hardware throughout includes a LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge, Grover tuners, and that signature Bigsby B70 vibrato tailpiece. This is the result of creating an instrument that’s both visually striking and sonically versatile.
Each guitar ships with a certificate of authenticity and a hardshell case featuring “Nerdville” graphics, which is a nice touch for collectors. Production is limited to 1,000 units through Epiphone, Gibson Garage, and authorised dealers. Big fans of Joe can snag one of 300 guitars with exclusive custom fretboard inlays directly from his site.
The timing’s spot on. Original late-’50s Les Paul Customs have been going for huge amounts of dosh on the vintage market, so this Epiphone gives players a genuine shot at that legendary tone without selling a kidney.
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