1961 Gibson Les Paul Custom
The 1961 Les Paul Custom 'Black Beauty' — Gibson's luxury solid-body. Reissue-era production. On the SG double-cutaway body.
Current Market Value
Excellent
$12,600–$18,000
Very Good
$7,200–$12,600
Good
$3,600–$7,200
Fair
$1,800–$3,600
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
Specifications
| Body Wood | Mahogany (SG double cutaway) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany (5-piece on some years) |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Scale Length | 24.750" |
| Frets | 22 |
| Pickup Config | HH |
| Bridge | ABR-1 Tune-o-matic with stop tailpiece |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe |
| Finish Options | Black ('Black Beauty') |
| Est. Production | 800 |
Pickups & Electronics
Two full-size humbucking pickups.
What Changed in 1961
Custom on SG body with three pickups. White finish option. Vibrola tailpiece available.
Collector's Notes
Check for original pickups and gold hardware. Ebony fingerboard, multi-ply binding. Weight varies in Norlin era.