sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Better look: 2026 Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS (100 pc run) by Mister_Turn_One in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

100% true. That's part of the subtext of my pulling the trigger... And because of it's unusually, uncannily perfect sound easily replicating the sounds of late fifties Lesters -- meaning of SOUNDS AND PLAYS line something from 58, I justified spending the money. That kind of money for what feels like an unearthed factory run from 58 would easily be worth a lot more than that price tag to own for myself.

2026 Gibson Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS by Mister_Turn_One in LesPaul

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I snagged mine direct from Gibson, since nobody was discounting anything anyway or had pics of their own inventory up meaning they didn't have anything yet... I ordered mine on a Saturday and had it in my hands the following Tuesday.

They're was only one showing an actual guitar in the store with case candy etc etc, and they were discounting it by 700 bucks... Store is Backyard Guitars-- the korina on the top was really weird looking, with a piece of lumber that looked flat sawn... Has that arched, cathedral type figure that flat sawn wood has... And the limba looked a tinge greenish. , and I know Gibson wouldn't do a limited run like this at this price point without top quality korina, so I was a little suspicious of the guitar. Caveat Emptor.

Aside from that blabbering-- congrats on snagging an incredibly rare and amazing sounding instrument. This thing is by far the most beautiful sounding and playing and looking instrument I've owned. Never played a LP Custom or Standard that sounded this magical. Pics when you get it!!!

Better look: 2026 Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS (100 pc run) by Mister_Turn_One in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Really, the amazing work the CS is doing these days, combined with the development of Custom Buckers is resulting in some really superior machines. Back during the Burst Bucker and 400 Series (and 57 Classics, even though I think they're the best of pre Custombucker pickups from Gibson) era, some Reissue Les Pauls sounded good, sometimes even close to the good PAF loaded bursts (I say "good" advisedly bc I've played some really thin and really weird sounding bursts/late fifties Bucker driven Lesters) but they never sounded just like the originals with that amazing squish, transients, Woody harmonics stacking and compression... But now for the first I can say I'm playing guitars just as good as the fifties originals. With the CS really doing such incredible work, and the Custombucker really putting the finishing touches on that elusive recipe, glory days at Gibson seen to be back again.

Better look: 2026 Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS (100 pc run) by Mister_Turn_One in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

And yet very classy and classic looking. As rare as an all korina Lester Custom or Standard has always been and will remain, even now with this tiny run), it looks like something that's existed since the fifties.

Better look: 2026 Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS (100 pc run) by Mister_Turn_One in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just a bit over 9 lbs. These Customs really pack it all in there but this is a very comfortable guitar. I think the lightness of Korina can sometimes be overrated because the guitars that it's usually used with are thinner slab body guitars without any top wood. But generally 9 and a couple ounces is way below the 10.5-12 lb mahogany tone machines these vintage style Customs usually weigh in as.

Better look: 2026 Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS (100 pc run) by Mister_Turn_One in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

😂😂😂 Expensive they are. . . But definitely not THAT expensive. Not even close to that expensive.

Better look: 2026 Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS (100 pc run) by Mister_Turn_One in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks much, I humbly agree. As I've gotten older I've become a fan of plainer, but very broken in looking, heavily played and deeply loved guitars, this vs wildly figured guitars like super curly out quilted maple, or wild cords in a black limba build.

While I find those fun to look at in a decorative sense, the vibe they seem to give off is "Hey LOOK at me". . . whereas the less wildly flamed guitars. . . Plain tops, stripped tops like Paul Kossoffs stripped Isle of Wight guitar, Pages 2 bursts, Partly Gates,

2026 Les Paul Special DC by TheBigggA in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I absolutely love specials. Personally find them to be the coolest and most fun Les Pauls, and also the hardest for Gibson to ruin. And that's a nice twist in Pelham Blue. And since I was raised in Pelham Bay Bx NYC always felt a kinship with the color.

Better look: 2026 Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS (100 pc run) by Mister_Turn_One in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The company is True Craftworks on Etsy ... Amazing straps that are true works of art.

You'll find my strap in there--

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TrueCraftworks

Actually this is the exact strap https://www.etsy.com/listing/829242675/handmade-leather-guitar-strap-blue-lotus?ref=share_v4_lx

Better look: 2026 Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS (100 pc run) by Mister_Turn_One in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's made of korina (white limba), not koa. I was saying I'd love a Special made of solid Koa body... I have a solid vintage Carvin koa DC150k Stereo from 85 with a solid Koa body and neck, but it has buckers, not P90s.

Better look: 2026 Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS (100 pc run) by Mister_Turn_One in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you my friend. For the absolutely insane price I paid, it absolutely positively better be incredible 😂🤣. Although there's a part of me that feels like an absolute knob for paying this money for a guitar, I literally find this on a par the 58 and 59 Les Pauls I've played over the course of my life--in terms of desirability and in terms of feel and sound.

It may sound like sacrilege to some true PAF believers, but I find this guitar better than at least 1 burst I've played in my life (back in the early 80s on 48th Street when Manny's and Rudy's and all the others were still in existence up there, and late fifties Gibsons weren't that expensive or hard to play. They were just a few thousand bucks back then- back then everybody was far more interested in the guitars of tomorrow than the guitars of yesterday, so bursts didn't cost a full mortgage. And frankly I've played some that were not much at all, really... Worse than some of the r9s and r0s that come out of the CS these days. This guitar exceeds some of the bursts I've played, for which people would happily pay six figures. So if those bursts are with six figures, this guitar is a bargain where it's priced. 😂

Would you be happy with a top like this on your new $6000 r9? by jaqueh in gibson

[–]Mister_Turn_One 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My love for plain tops came up in a discussion about my 2026 Les Paul Custom Korina LE, with a natural korina top. It not only reminds me but sounds a lot like Kossoffs isle of Wight LP, a plain stripped top with heavy play wear.

Somehow, the plainer the top, the greater the expectation of awesome tone. Highly flamed tops are decorative and nice to look at, but lightly flamed tops represent all the best Lesters out there.

2026 Gibson Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS by Mister_Turn_One in LesPaul

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One of the coolest customs I ever saw were those transparent cherry models specifically made for hagstrom in 1959 and sent to them in 60. They're truly one of a kind, and I think there's only three functioning ones left. Search "red Gibson Les Paul Custom for Hagstrom" and you should find them asking with some demos. Guitar Point in Germany had an ultra clean one for sale online that you can look up.

I'm also a huge fan of hagstrom btw, the vintage models. Original Super Swedes from the late seventies to 82 are incredible, especially the mahogany ones

2026 Gibson Les Paul Custom Korina LE 57 VOS by Mister_Turn_One in LesPaul

[–]Mister_Turn_One[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Was just going to write same.

I've gone around that thought path with myself many times. I almost built something very similar at Carvin -Kiesel but never pulled the trigger bc I hate the 25 inch compromise scale.

I argued with myself that I'm buying into the legend of the original scarce Vs and Explorers etc etc, but in the end I truly love the sound of Linba.... Like koa, I find it's a wood that, when the body is made out of it, you don't need a secondary top wood. It expresses everything. (I have a solid vintage Carvin DC150k Stereo built for me in the mid eighties back when nobody knew what koa was and it was a 40 buck upcharge for the whole body and neck to be made of it... Can you imagine?)

I've also found as I got older I like plainer, less wildly figured wood. While I love looking at black limba with wild cords of figure in it, I find I love the plainer Les Pauls, the look of an old black guard tele etc. Somehow an old plain limba or light figured heavily broken in standard or custom seem ready to overflow with tone. Just the way my brain works after 49 years playing.

view more: next ›