2022 Gibson Les Paul ’59 Custom Shop 1959 Reissue VOS ~ Washed Cherry

If autumn could learn how to play “Whole Lotta Love,” it would probably look exactly like this Les Paul. Gibson called it Washed Cherry. This one apparently interpreted that as “smoked bourbon, vintage leather, and sixty years of rock ‘n’ roll.”

Now this is how you make a finish stand out.

Most Washed Cherry R9s lean a little brighter and redder. This one took a detour somewhere between an old bottle of Kentucky bourbon and a well-aged leather jacket. The center glows with a rich golden amber while the edges fade into an unusually dark brownish-rust hue that gives it an unmistakably vintage personality. It’s one of those guitars that refuses to blend into a lineup of other Les Pauls.

And that’s before you even plug it in.

Under the hood is everything you’d expect from a proper Gibson Custom Shop ’59 Reissue: lightweight mahogany, a beautifully figured maple top, a comfortable medium rounded ’59 neck, and a set of Gibson Custombuckers that absolutely nail that open, woody, harmonically rich PAF tone. Clean, it’s articulate and three-dimensional. Push an amp, and it transforms into the reason thousands of guitar players have spent the last seventy years chasing “that” Les Paul sound.

It’s the kind of guitar that makes you say, “I’ll just play one more song…”

…and then suddenly realize you’ve accidentally performed an entire greatest-hits set to absolutely nobody.

Specs

• Model: Custom Shop 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue VOS
• Finish: Washed Cherry, VOS
• Top: Figured Maple, Carved
• Body: Solid Mahogany
• Neck: Mahogany, Set Neck
• Neck Profile: Rounded Medium C, .890″ 1st Fret / .973″ 12th Fret
• Fingerboard: Bound Rosewood
• Inlays: Cellulose Nitrate Trapezoids
• Pickups: Gibson Custombucker Humbuckers (Neck & Bridge)
• Bridge: ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic, Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar
• Tuners: Vintage Tulip Tuners
• Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, 3-Way Toggle Switch
• Knobs: Gold Top-Hats
• Pickguard: Cream Single-Ply
• Binding: Top & Fretboard
• Hardware: Nickel
• Back Toggle Plate: 70th Anniversary 1952-2022 Gibson Custom Engraved
• Weight: 8.3 LBS
• Serial #: 9 21197

Condition

She was born on June 27th, 2022 and is in Very Good condition. We just took her in on trade from the original owner who  played this  enough to enjoy life, but not enough to require therapy.

The only things worth mentioning are a few minor nicks on the back near the output jack, a couple of tiny pinhead-sized surface impressions on the top that only reveal themselves under direct reflective lighting, and a few light scratches on the face of the headstock. Nothing distracting whatsoever, and certainly nothing that keeps this beauty from turning heads.

She includes her original brown Gibson Lifton Custom Shop case, the Gibson Custom Shop Certificate, and all of the original case candy.

Finding a great R9 isn’t terribly difficult.

Finding one that has this finish… that’s another story.

The darker, smoky Washed Cherry burst gives this guitar a personality all its own. It’s classy without being flashy, vintage without trying too hard, and has the kind of visual character that keeps making you open the case “just to take another look.”

And yes… you’ll probably end up taking another look.

About twenty-seven times a day.

Whoever brings this baby home is going to be completely STOKED!!

LET’S GOOOO!! 🎸🔥