1997 Gibson Catalina1997 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Catalina is a bit rare model that Gibson only made for a few years. Most where bright strange colors for the usual Gibson Les Paul. This Custom Shop model weighs about 9-lbs and has standard Les Paul single cutaway, 22 frets. 2-tone, 2 vol, and 3-way toggle for the pickups which are 1957 classics, tune-o-matic bridge with stop tailpiece. Grover tuners. All hardware is nickel. Very nice brown Custom Shop hard case with burgandy lining.

These were originally produced in the Gibson Custom Shop. Limited production from 1997-1999 only, available in three colors, Riverside Red, Canary Yellow and Cascade Green, all in Nitro Cellulose Lacquer. So this one is rare as it is a Dark Grey (almost black) with a bit of a metallic in the finish. Most likely was ordered as a custom color. I have only seen a few in this color over the years.

One of the coolest Les Pauls that Gibson ever produced

Features a beautiful white pearloid pickguard and truss rod cover, white pickup rings, white binding, ebony fingerboard and MOP trapezoid inlays and MOP Custom Shop identification inlay on the headstock like no other Gibson. The fingerboard is a compound radius. Neck shape is not super thin like a ’60 Les Paul and not super fat like a ’58. It is a bit like a ’59 Les Paul.

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  • Top: Carved Maple
  • Body: Mahogany
  • Neck: Mahogany
  • Neck Profile: ’59 profile
  • 22 Fret Ebony Fretboard
  • Inlays: Pearl Trapezoid
  • Scale: 24 3/4″
  • Nut Width: 1 11/16″
  • Weight: 9-lbs
  • Tuners: Grover
  • Binding: White
  • Hardware: Nickel
  • Bridge: Tune-O-Matic & Stopbar Tailpiece
  • Pickups: Gibson Custom Shop (like Classic ’57)
  • Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, 3-Way Toggle
  • Finish: Dark Metallic Grey

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