The old-style, single-cutaway Gibson Les Paul Custom had retained a firm following among many musicians. By the mid-1960s, second-hand examples, such as the one purchased by Eric Clapton in New York in 1967, were fetching high prices.

The company responded by re-introducing the pre-SG “Black Beauty” and the Les Paul Standard in 1968. Keen to capitalize on the instrument’s enduring popularity, Gibson subsequently produced it in a range of different colors, and has gone on to mark the milestones in it’s long life with various “Special” models.

This “Natural” two-pickup Custom dates from 1978. The neck (front) and bridge (back) pickups are termed “rhythm” and “treble”, as shown on the Les Paul selector switch.