1956 Gibson Les Paul Special
The 1956 Les Paul Special — two P-90s in a slab mahogany body. Single cutaway, TV Yellow or Cherry Red. The working musician's Gibson.
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 (flat top, no maple cap) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Brazilian Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 24.750" |
| Frets | 22 |
| Pickup Config | HH |
| Bridge | Wrap-over combination bridge/tailpiece |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe |
| Finish Options | Limed Mahogany (TV Yellow) |
| Est. Production | 1,200 |
Pickups & Electronics
Two P-90 soap-bar pickups. The two-pickup Junior — more versatile than the single-P-90 Junior but still raw and direct.
What Changed in 1956
Special gaining popularity. TV Yellow finish designed to look good on black-and-white television.
Collector's Notes
TV Yellow (Limed Mahogany) finish is the most collected. Verify original P-90 pickups and wrap-over bridge. Single-cutaway models (1955-1957) command premium over double-cutaway.