Gibson 1958 LP Custom "Disraeli Gears": Replica of Eric Clapton's Model
The Gibson Custom Shop has launched a tribute to the 1958 Les Paul Custom three-switch model that Eric Clapton acquired in 1967 and used on Cream's Disraeli Gears album and then on numerous solo tours and recordings, including those with Delaney & Bonnie. The replica of the iconic instrument, which was later gifted to guitarist Albert Lee, was aged at Murphy Lab, where Eric Clapton's 1958 Les Paul Custom received detailed wear patterns that closely replicate the guitar's current condition. The deluxe collector's edition is limited to just 150 pieces.
The body's base consists of a single piece of select, very lightweight mahogany covered with a final layer of nitrocellulose lacquer, allowing the material to mature and improve its resonant properties over time. The glued neck (long tenon style) made from the same wood is fitted with a Medium-C profile and the 12-inch radius ebony fingerboard carries 22 Historic medium jumbo frets, nylon nut and 1950s Pattern block position markers in genuine mother-of-pearl.
The aged gold chrome hardware consists of an aluminium stop bar, a solid tune-o-matic ABR-1 bridge and Grover tuning machines with Milk Bottle tuning keys, a laminated acrylic pickguard and matching Historic Black Top Hat potentiometer caps. Other components are also period, including the jack output plate, plastic headstock brace screw cover with a typical diamond logo, etc.
Sound transmission is handled by a trio of specially wound Gibson Custombuckers in metal covers (just like the original, but unpotted), connected to traditionally designed electronics in the form of a three-position Switchcraft toggle switch and volume and tone controls that use high-quality CTS logarithmic potentiometers (500 kOhm) fitted with paper-in-oil capacitors.
The official price of the limited edition Gibson Eric Clapton 1958 Les Paul Custom in aged black Ebony lacquer has been set at just under 20,000 dollars. It includes a stylish Custom Duck Brothers hard case, a certificate of authenticity, a second pickguard signed by Eric Clapton and Albert Lee, a Custom Shop Switchplate medallion, an Archive Series leather strap and other accessories.
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