Wow!!! This one, right here, before our astonished eyes, is truly an incredible guitar!!! The 1959 Gibson Les Paul of the guitarist from the legendary band Free, Paul Kossoff, was meticulously replicated in 2012 by Tom Murphy in the Gibson Custom Shop in a limited edition of only 100 pieces, in tribute to this amazing musician who passed away in 1976. Although he died at only 25 years old, Paul Kossoff’s guitar work remains at the top of any discussion of iconic Les Paul performances. As a member of the legendary British blues-rock band Free, he delivered tone, technique, energy, and pure musicality that placed him among the greatest British guitarists. Kossoff had a unique approach to blues-rock, particularly with his masterful vibrato, which gave his Les Paul an immense, dynamic voice — and the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard on which he reached such heights is known as one of the finest “Bursts” ever made. And since our Kossoff Aged features one of the most beautiful maple tops seen on instruments from this series, we are thrilled!!!

In 2012, Gibson paid tribute to this Burst with 100 hand-aged replicas and 250 VOS versions, by scanning the original, whose owner, Arthur Ramm of the band Beckett, had opened for Free in Newcastle in the early 1970s. On the eve of Free’s breakup, Kossoff threw his Les Paul into the air, breaking the neck, and left the stage. That night, in the dressing room, Arthur and Kossoff engaged in a curious exchange of their guitars, with the promise that once the ’59 was repaired, Kossoff would give it to Arthur. But the instrument was so fantastic that the exchange never fully happened, and although the two men remained in contact, it was only after Paul Kossoff’s death in 1976 that Arthur was able to buy the repaired Les Paul for £700 — and he still owns it today.

Every little quirk, play mark, and wear of the original has been faithfully reproduced by Tom Murphy, whose initials appear on the top. In terms of sound, the original was followed 100%: extremely open and dynamic, with fantastic resonance and striking impact. From clean to overdrive to high gain, this guitar offers an exceptional tonal spectrum and remarkable sound quality. The original “Patent Applied For” (PAF) humbuckers of Paul Kossoff’s Les Paul contributed greatly to his powerful, cutting tone. Gibson Custom faithfully reproduced these exceptional PAFs for the 1959 Paul Kossoff Les Paul. Each guitar is equipped with custom-wound humbuckers with asymmetrical coils, 42 AWG enamelled wire, and authentic Alnico III magnets for rich response and remarkable articulation. This delivers thick, creamy blues-rock tones in the neck position, sharp bite in the bridge position, and warm, snappy, slightly funky tones in between. The guitar features the classic Gibson combination: Tune-o-matic ABR-1 bridge and wraparound tailpiece, as well as gold-plated Grover™ tuners, added by Paul on his own guitar. These tuners are included in the original case because the previous owner, a knowledgeable and passionate collector, installed original late-1950s gold Grover Pat. Pend. tuners. This makes the appearance of this replica even more authentic. The Medium-59 neck, with its distinctive profile, feels perfect in the hand and offers incredible playability, even though it is covered in minor dings and wear. Don’t worry about comfort, this neck is a marvel. Here, we have a combination of unique and extraordinary elements that make this Les Paul a phenomenal guitar.

This superb and rare guitar comes with its original case, COA, original hangtags, and factory-repro Grover tuners, since a set of original late-1950s Grover Pat. Pend. tuners is installed on the guitar.