News
Gibson Custom Shop Eric Clapton 1960 Les Paul Available Now
30 Dec 10
In early November, Gibson USA announced that they would reproduce Eric Clapton’s iconic guitar, the 1960 "Beano" Les Paul. It’s now available from authorized Gibson dealers in three different pricing and finish options in a total limited edition number of just 500 guitars. The Gibson Custom Shop Eric Clapton 1960 Les Paul has been created with the close personal cooperation of the artist, and with painstaking reference to available photographs to recreate the guitar that was stolen in 1966. According to Gibson, the strictly Limited Edition instrument accurately represents what Eric Clapton personally feels his 1960 Les Paul should be. Every component in the build—including grain pattern and finish color, neck profile and feel, pickups, and more—has been personally approved by Clapton through several iterations from Gibson Custom so that, ultimately, this guitar comes as close as possible to recreating the hallowed ’60 Burst as it exists today in the mind of this legendary artist.
The Eric Clapton 1960 Les Paul will be produced in extremely restricted numbers: 55 guitars will be hand-aged by renowned finishing expert Tom Murphy, and hand-signed by Clapton himself (with Clapton keeping the first 5 guitars). A further 95 guitars will be Murphy-aged, and 350 guitars will be finished with Gibson’s Vintage Original Spec (VOS) treatment. All 500 guitars will display striking characteristics of the artist’s original 1960 Les Paul Standard, including the subtly figured maple top with luscious Antiquity Burst finish, period-correct hardware (including Clapton’s own upgrade to Grover tuners), and two of Gibson’s finest reproduction PAF-style humbucking pickups.
Each Eric Clapton 1960 Les Paul includes a Custom Shop hardshell case with Clapton’s signature silk-screened on the exterior, an engraved leather Certificate of Authenticity, and a vintage replica guitar strap. The aged and signed instruments also include an engraved wood plaque with the May 7, 1966 Beano comic cover, while aged guitars will include a poster of the Beano cover. All 150 aged guitars come with a limited 180mg vinyl LP of John Mayall Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton, while VOS guitars include John Mayall Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton on CD.
Pricing & Finish Options Eric Clapton 1960 Les Paul
Antiquity Burst – Aged / Signed: US $29,412 msrp
Antiquity Burst – Aged: US $14,706 msrp
Antiquity Burst – Vintage Original Spec: US $8,468 msrp
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