Gibson Les Paul Artisan (1977) | Walnut
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The Les Paul Artisan took the familiar Custom formula and turned the decoration up considerably. This early example pairs a Walnut finish with an ebony fingerboard covered in elaborate mother-of-pearl Hearts & Flowers inlays, a motif that continues onto the bound headstock alongside Gibson’s old-school script logo. Gold hardware, multi-ply binding and the three-pickup layout finish off a look that could only really have come from this era.
Underneath all of that ornamentation is a carved maple top, mahogany body and three-piece maple neck. It’s a fascinating piece of late-’70s Gibson history and one of the more distinctive variations of the Les Paul to come out of the decade.
The Artisan was produced in relatively small numbers Nearly 50 years later, finding one is uncommon enough; finding one that has been preserved in this kind of condition is another thing entirely.
| Weight | 10lbs 5oz |
|---|---|
| Year | 1977 |
| Body | Mahogany |
| Top | 3-Piece Carved Maple |
| Finish | Walnut |
| Neck | 3-Piece Maple |
| Neck Construction | Set Neck |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Fingerboard Inlays | Mother-of-Pearl Hearts & Flowers |
| Headstock | Bound with Mother-of-Pearl Hearts & Flowers Inlays and Pre-War Style Gibson Script Logo |
| Frets | 22 |
| Scale Length | 24.75" |
| Nut Width | 1 11/16" |
| Pickups | 3x Humbuckers, Currently Unidentified |
|---|---|
| Pickup Configuration | HHH |
| Controls | 2 Volume, 2 Tone |
| Switching | Free-Way 6-Position Switch |
| Bridge | Gold Tune-O-Matic |
| Tailpiece | Gold Stopbar |
| Tuners | Gold Tuners |
| Binding | Multi-Ply Body and Headstock, Bound Fingerboard |
| Pickguard | Multi-Ply Black |
| Neck Volute | Yes |
| Made In | Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA |
| Case | Hardcase |
| Notes | Excellent for its age. Please refer to all photos for condition. The pickups, tuners, bridge and tailpiece have been replaced. The original selector switch has been replaced with a Free-Way 6-position switch, providing multiple pickup combinations. |
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