1957 Gibson Les Paul Special
The 1957 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow is a distinctive and beloved vintage instrument. Two P-90s in the classic slab mahogany body with the striking yellow finish have made these increasingly desirable.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
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Recent Sales
Showing 7 verified sales for 1957 Gibson Les Paul Special. Reissues, replicas, and parts listings are filtered out.
Specifications
| Body Wood | Mahogany (slab body) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 24.750" |
| Frets | 22 |
| Pickup Config | HH |
| Bridge | Wraparound combination bridge/tailpiece |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe single-ring |
| Finish Options | TV Yellow (Limed Mahogany), Cherry |
Pickups & Electronics
Two P-90 soap-bar pickups — the key upgrade over the Junior. Single-cutaway body.
What Changed in 1957
The TV Yellow (officially 'Limed Mahogany') finish is the most distinctive and collectible color for the Special. Single-cutaway body, two P-90s.
Collector's Notes
TV Yellow (Limed Mahogany) is the most valuable finish. The color has often faded or been refinished — original TV Yellow finish is critical. Two original P-90s are expected.
How to Authenticate a 1957 Gibson Les Paul Special
Gibson serial numbers from this era are ink-stamped on the back of the headstock. Cross-reference with known Gibson serial tables — numbering was not strictly sequential. Potentiometer date codes are critical: look for CTS pots (code 137) with two-digit year codes matching 1957 or up to 18 months earlier. This is the most reliable dating method for Gibson guitars of this era. The finish should be nitrocellulose lacquer showing age-appropriate checking (fine crazing). Under blacklight, original nitro fluoresces a distinctive green-yellow — refinished instruments lack this characteristic. Verify both P-90 pickups are original with correct bobbin construction and Alnico magnets. Flat mahogany body with two P-90s. Single-cutaway. TV Yellow finish should show age-appropriate ambering. Original Kluson Deluxe single-ring should be present with no evidence of replacement (no oversized bushing holes). Original hardshell case adds provenance value.