Les Paul's Personal 50th Anniversary White Custom
Featured on his Autobiography ~ Collector's Package
Exhibit presentation as per The Metropolitan Museum of Art - The Smithsonian Institute - Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
A SACRED SYMBOLIC ARTIFACT OF LES PAUL’S LIFE & LEGACY...
Vindication: The Sovereign Legacy of Les Paul’s 50th Anniversary White Custom
In the vast, shadowed archives of human achievement, history is often written by the victors, but it is preserved by the keepers of the flame.
Sometimes, greatness does not arrive with a fanfare of trumpets; it sits quietly in the corner of a room, disguised by the mundane, waiting for a soul wise enough to recognize its light. Such is the saga of Les Paul’s 50th Anniversary White Custom, the guitar that was nearly lost to the static of time.
Imagine a man who changed the very heartbeat of the world. Les Paul did not merely invent a tool; he captured lightning and gave it a voice. Yet, for years, the gatekeepers of industry scoffed. They called his vision a "broomstick," a "log," a folly. They could not hear the future screaming to be born. But time is the ultimate arbiter of truth.
Half a century later, the scoffers were gone, and in their place stood a global empire built upon his name. To mark this golden horizon, a final gift was forged - A pristine, alabaster monument in wood and wire. This was not just a guitar. It was a scepter. It was the Vindication. It was the trophy of a man who had stood alone against the world and won.
Les Paul did not tuck this prize away in a vault. He kept it by his side. He cradled it in his final days. He chose it to be the face of his life’s story, the silent witness on the cover of his only autobiography. Through the lens of photographers Wolf Hoffmann & Gene Martin, it became the iconography of a legend- the stark white contrast against the twilight of a titan’s life.
And yet, when the gavel prepared to fall at the Great Estate, the world’s eyes were dimmed. They saw only an anonymous instrument, a mere footnote in a vast catalog. They saw only white paint and gold hardware, missing the millions of heartbeats and the century of struggle woven into its grain. It was a moment where history held its breath, teetering on the edge of a permanent, hollow silence.
Had that silence won, a hole would have been torn in the fabric of our culture. The bookend to the greatest story in music would have been erased, leaving a legacy unfinished, a victory uncelebrated.
But the light was found. Les Paul’s 50th Anniversary White Custom was reclaimed from the shadows of the ordinary and restored to its throne. Today, it stands as more than an instrument; it is a sacred relic of the American dream. It is the physical proof that though the world may doubt you, though they may laugh at your "Log," if you hold true to the frequency of your own soul, you will eventually play the song that changes everything.
This is the story of the guitar that became a ghost, only to return as a King...
~ Gene Paul... Les Paul's son
“There are two historical ‘bookends’ in my father’s life… the first ‘Number One’ 1952 Gold Top, and his 50th Anniversary White Custom. This White Custom Les Paul guitar signifies 50 years of Dad working with Gibson, and 50 years of Gibson making the Les Paul guitar… which changed the musical world as we know it!"
The Crowning Achievement in Les Paul's Career...
Why was this Les Paul's Favorite Guitar & what does it mean?
These letters explain why this guitar is not just simply a famous object, but actually a sacred, symbolic artifact of Les Paul's life and career. This is not just a musical instrument that Les owned… It's the physical embodiment, and proof of Les Paul’s dream realized after a lifetime of work. The tangible evidence of his vision, and his impact on the world of music.
Imagine all of this amazing historical memorabilia all in one place, in its lovely glass case befitting a museum. There is nothing out there like this collection, we can assure you. This is a very special and unique opportunity to own a piece of Les Paul’s Legacy, as well as American Musical History as we know it.
LES PAUL’S 50th ANNIVERSARY GIBSON CUSTOM SHOP LES PAUL WHITE CUSTOM - THE COLLECTORS PACKAGE...In 2002 The Gibson Guitar Company presented Mr. Les Paul with a very special 50th Anniversary present at the Iridium Club in New York City. In 1952 Gibson and Les Paul started their relationship and offered the world the very first Gibson Les Paul Electric Guitar. As a very special “Thank You” gift that commemorated 50 years of working together, The Gibson Custom Shop made a very special and beautiful 2002 White Les Paul Custom just for Les to celebrate and mark the occasion. There was a big ceremony, a presentation on stage, a party, and a whole lot of “well-knowns” and guitar luminaries filled The Iridium Club to commemorate the auspicious event. Suffice it to say that Les was very moved, and absolutely loved the new Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul White Custom that was made just for him.
A little later on, Les did the now famous photo shoot with Gene Martin… and those photos have become incredibly notorious, acclaimed, renowned, and certainly very iconic. He used this 2002 White Custom 50th Anniversary gift for all of those photos (See the famous photos above). Probably the most famous and notable being the one where Les is sticking out his tongue… who hasn’t seen that picture, right?
Then, as a further demonstration of how much Les Paul loved and revered his new 50th Anniversary White Custom, he posed with it for the cover of his one and only Autobiography “Les Paul in His Own Words”. This guitar graced both the cover and the last page as well. Just think of it, from all the literally hundreds of guitars that Les Paul owned, he chose this one… his Personal 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul White Custom 50th Anniversary Guitar to use and show the world what he and Gibson had done together. He was very, very proud of this guitar and what he had done over the span of his career… and this guitar represented that pride and that accomplishment.
Unlike so many of the other guitars that Les had lying around all over his very large Mahwah, New Jersey Estate, Les actually used and played this guitar quite often. Les had a “thing” for having his frets slightly hang over the binding on the neck… with no binding over the frets. So he had the Gibson Custom Shop make a custom alteration after the fact for him, special. Les would only bother doing this for guitars he would actually use and play… all of the other guitars that he didn’t play would remain “stock”. Check out all the picks scratches on the pickguard, by the way.
This Amazing Collectors Package that includes:
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Les Paul’s 50th Anniversary White Custom
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The Original Case Marked Up By Les with His Notes
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Original Autobiography Photo – Signed By Les Paul
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Black Pickguard Signed/Autographed By Les Paul
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Photo of Les Paul Signing The Pickguard
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Historic Promo Photo – Signed By Les Paul
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Photo of Les Paul & Paul McCartney – Signed By Les Paul
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Les Paul’s “Author’s Proof” Of His Autobiography
Suffice it to say that there’s no other collection quite like this, or as complete and comprehensive as this anywhere around today. This Les Paul Collection represents the very best of Mr. Les Paul, The Gibson Company, and what they did together for all of those years. Mr. Les Paul and his Gibson Les Paul electric guitar have certainly made an indelible contribution to music, and to history all around the world, into perpetuity. This very special collection commemorates Mr. Les Paul’s life, and the impact of that contribution like no other… and is probably the most unique, extraordinary, and complete collection of its kind available anywhere.