2009 Gibson Custom Billy Gibbons "Pearly Gates" VOS Les Paul Standard

A spectacular Gibson Custom Billy Gibbons “Pearly Gates” 1959 Les Paul Standard, produced in 2009 as Gibson’s tribute to one of the most famous Burst Les Pauls of all time. Based on Billy Gibbons’ legendary 1959 Les Paul Standard, acquired in Houston in 1968 and forever associated with the ZZ Top sound, the Pearly Gates run has become one of the most desirable artist-related Custom Shop Les Pauls of the modern era. The model was built in very limited numbers, with 350 guitars produced in total: 250 finished in Gibson Custom’s VOS treatment, 50 aged to closely replicate the original guitar, and a further 50 aged, played and personally signed by Billy Gibbons. This example is number 128 from the run and is one of the VOS guitars, capturing the look and feel of the original without going into full heavy ageing. Specification is exactly what you would hope for from a high-end Custom Shop ’59-style Les Paul. The guitar features a solid one-piece mahogany body with a two-piece maple top, hand-selected to echo the distinctive figure of the original Pearly Gates. The one-piece mahogany neck is carved to a classic ’59 profile and topped with a dark Indian rosewood fingerboard, complete with cellulose trapezoid inlays for the correct vintage look. Hardware is lightly aged nickel throughout, with an ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge, lightweight aluminium stop tailpiece and Gibson Deluxe Kluson-style tuners. The cream reissue binding, gold top-hat knobs, cream pickup rings and switch ring, and period-correct two-ply bell truss rod cover all complete the familiar late-’50s aesthetic. Tonally, the matched Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Billy Gibbons PAF replicas are a real highlight. Voiced to replicate the pickups in the original Pearly Gates, they sit beautifully in that vintage-output PAF territory, with plenty of clarity, bite and harmonic detail. The sunburst finish looks superb, and the figured maple top is one of the best we have seen on a Pearly Gates model. It is also a lively, resonant guitar in the hands, weighing 4.1 kg and feeling every bit like a good Custom Shop Les Paul should. Condition is excellent throughout, with the guitar remaining in fantastic original order. It comes with its original Gibson Custom Les Paul hardshell case, dust cover and Certificate of Authenticity. A superb example of a highly collectable Gibson Custom Shop model, with a striking look, excellent tone and artist association that make the Pearly Gates run so sought after.