Gibson Les Paul Special – TV Yellow Gibson

A classic design, the Les Paul Special TV Yellow returns. For generations, the Les Paul Special TV Yellow has produced a unique sound that has been relevant, played and loved by guitarists. It pays tribute to Gibson’s Golden Era of innovation and brings authenticity back to life. Originally introduced in 1955, the Les Paul Special has been embraced by musicians for over 60 years. It is based on the Les Paul Junior with a slab mahogany body, fat 50s-style mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, wraparound bridge, an additional rhythm P-90 pickup, binding on the neck and additional controls for the rhythm pickup and the 3-way toggle switch.

Like the original, this Les Paul Special comes finished in a lightweight nitrocellulose lacquer. Nitro finishes are significantly thinner than modern polyurethane finishes. Not only is this approach period-correct, but some also suggest that this allows the guitar to “breathe” for improved sonics and, over time, to take on the look of a lovingly cared-for classic.

If you love P-90s, you already know the unique tonal palette this pickup pairing brings to the iconic Les Paul Special. It’s an amazingly versatile sound with its own brand of grit — a bit brighter, leaner, and less refined than a humbucker, though almost as hot. Hit your amp hard, and the Les Paul Special’s P-90s really wail. Plugged into a proper tube amp, you can elicit grind, sizzle, and bark that would be impossible to achieve with other more common pickup types. Handwired controls complete with classic-era Orange Drop capacitors round out the GIbson Les Paul Special’s choice electronics.

The Gibson Les Paul Special plays fast and precise right out of the box, thanks in large part to its Plek fret treatment. Typically reserved for top-dollar custom guitars, this computer-guided process levels frets with pinpoint precision, providing one of the most consistent fingerboards you’ll ever own. With today’s Les Paul Special playing and sounding as great as it does, it’ll be hard to justify spending money on a vintage model.

Tech Specs

• Body Type: Solidbody
• Body Shape: Les Paul Special
• Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
• Number of Strings: 6
• Body Material: Mahogany
• Body Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Color: TV Yellow
• Neck Material: Mahogany
• Neck Shape: Vintage 50s
• Radius: 12″
• Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
• Fingerboard Inlay: Acrylic Dots
• Number of Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
• Scale Length: 75″
• Nut Width: 695″
• Nut Material: GraphTech
• Bridge/Tailpiece: Wraparound
• Tuners: Vintage Deluxe
• Neck Pickup: P-90 Single-coil
• Bridge Pickup: P-90 Single-coil
• Controls: 2 x volume, 2 x tone, 3-way toggle pickup switch
• Strings: Gibson, .010-.046
• Case Included: Hardshell Case