Gibson Custom Shop True Historic 58 Knopfler Guitar Aged & Signed

Please Note: There's only one of these coming to Andertons, so if you want one get your order in ASAP!

Gibson have just announced the Mark Knopfler 1958 Les Paul Aged & Signed and we have got ONE of them coming to Andertons. Only 50 of these guitars have been made and as many as 250 dealers around the world tried to get one, and we managed to do it!

Now, Knopfler may not be instantly thought of to be a Les Paul player, but one of his most famous riffs, Money For Nothing was actually played on a Les Paul. He needed a slightly more mid-focused tone to bring out the sound in his head and the rest is history!

Gibson Custom

The Gibson Custom shop make incredible replica's of the guitars that were around in 1958 and this time they have had a go at recreating Mark Knopflers very own 1958 Les Paul in as much detail as possible.

Their historic range has gone to the enth degree, even going as far as replicating the same plastics that were originally used in the 50s. Not only that, but Knopflers own guitar would have gone through a type of X Ray machine to pick up all of it's own unique traits and characteristics.

With a stunning burst and a plainer top than you would find on the 59's this guitar just oozes class and wouldn't be complete without the PAF Custom Bucker pickups. These are lovely, low output pickups that will easily give you that sweet Les Paul tone that everyone loves.

This is the Aged version which has been reliced to look exactly like Mark Knopflers guitar. Every scratch and mark on his own guitar, will have been carefully recreated and with his signature on the instrument, you'll have a truly one of a kind guitar.

True Historic Spec

These guitars are True Historic Spec which means it will feel like an original 58' with the same chunky neck shape and rolled fret edges to feel like its been played in. These hand-crafted instruments are all finished with nitrocellulose and have the aniline dye finish. Just like the originals!

The other important factor as many purists will tell you is the long neck tenon which joins the body and neck and the hide glue that holds the guitar together.

Each guitar comes with a Hard Case and a Certificate of Authenticity and they are hand signed by Mark Knopfler himself.

Here's what Gibson say about the Aged & Signed Knopfler 

Gibson Custom is pleased to announce the release of the Mark Knopfler 1958 Les Paul Aged & Signed, a precise replica of Mark’s original ‘58, a favored live and recording companion of one of the most revered players and writers of our time. As multi-platnum hit makers Dire Straits entered the second and most successful phase of their career, singer, songwriter and lead guitarist Mark Knopfler was looking for a new sound to change things up, and he found it in the powerful tone and sultry playing feel of a stunning original ’58 Les Paul ’Burst. This guitar's thick, meaty tone has logged signature riffs on many hits since, and become a cornerstone of this influential British guitarist's sound as a result. The Mark Knopfler 1958 Les Paul is handcrafted to full True Historic Specs by Gibson Custom after intense hands-on analysis of the original, in a strictly limited run of 50 Aged & Signed guitars. The results accurately match the neck profile, top carve, look, feel, and tone of an exalted original ’58 ’Burst. Its lusciously faded sunburst finish, select tonewoods, period-correct nickel hardware and plastics, tubeless Historic truss-rod, hide glue construction, rolled fingerboard binding, broken peghead edges, carefully wound Custom Bucker PAF pickups, and more all add up to a guitar that—with Mark Knopfler's full final approval—comes closer to the original than you could ever hope to come.

• Top and Neck: Double-carved to match the original profile and "dish"
• Finish: Thin, wet-sanded nitrocellulose lacquer
• Plastics: True Historic replica plastics
• Pickup Covers: True Historic replica covers
• Fingerboard Binding: "Rolled" binding for an instantly broken-in feel
• Playing Wear: Hand aged to match the condition of the original
• Peghead: "Broken" peghead and smooth edges, just like a '58
• Body and Neck Construction: All hot-hide glue construction
• Pickups: Custom Buckers wound to match the original PAFs
• Signature: Hand signed by Mark Knopfler

Specifications

Top

• Wood Species: Maple
• Pieces: 2
• Binding: Single Bound, True Historic Reissue Cream

Back

• Wood Species: Mahogany
• Pieces: 1
• Binding: Top Only

Weight

• Weight Relief: None
• Average Weight (body only): 3.175 kg / 7.0 lbs average

Materials Used

• Glue: Hand Applied Hide Glue
• Tonal, Resonant, and/or Technical Effect: Hand selected backs for lightweight

Body Contour

• Carve: Original 1958 Les Paul
• Neck
• Wood Species: Mahogany
• Pieces: 1

Details

• Truss Rod: Historic Reissue-No Tubing
• Profile: 1958 Les Paul
• Thickness at Fret 1: 2.26 cm /.900"
• Thickness at Fret 12: 2.54 cm / 1.0"
• Average Weight: .453592 kg / 1.25 lbs

Peg Head

• Type: 1959 True Historic Thin Head Veneer
• Inlay: Pearl
• Peg Head Binding: None
• Logo: Gibson
• Silkscreen: Les Paul
• Headstock Angle: 17 Degrees
• Tonal, Resonant, and/or Technical Effect: Holly head veneer has been re-tooled, reproducing the original thinner specification of the late 1950's

Neck Fit

• Joint Angle: 4 Degrees
• Type: Reissue
• Adhesive: Hot Hide Glue
• Gauges Used:
• Pitch and Alignment Gauge

Nut

• Style: 6/6
• Material: Nylon
• Width: 4.28 cm / 1.687"

Slots:

• E: .13716 cm / 0.054"
• A: .10414 cm / 0.041"
• D: .04826 cm / 0.019"
• G: .0381 cm / 0.015"
• B: .03556 cm / 0.014"
• e: .03048 cm / 0.012"

Fingerboard

• Wood Species: Solid Indian Rosewood
• Pieces: 1

Fingerboard Details

• Radius: 30.38 cm / 12"
• Frets: 22
• Nut/End of Board: 4.28498 cm / 1.687" @ nut, 5.6896 cm / 2.24" @ end of board
• Scale: 62.865 cm / 24.75"
• Binding: .040 True Historic Reissue Cream
• Side Dots (Color): Tortoise Shell

Fingerboard Inlays

• Style: Trapezoid
• Material: Aged Nitrocellulose
• Dimensions: 2.921 cm x 1.7018 cm / 1.150" x .670"
• Average Weight: .75 lbs / .340194 kg

Tuning Keys

• Style: Gotoh Deluxe Single Band
• Material: Aged Nickel Plated Steel
• Weight: 3.6 oz

Tuning Keys Details

• Tuning Ratio: 12:01
• Gear Type: Closed
• What is allowable turn: 4-Jan
• Plating specs: Aged Nickel Plated Stamped Steel
• Part numbers: 130-430-14889/90

String Dimensions

• E: .11684 cm / .046W
• A: .09144 cm / .036W
• D: .06604 cm / .026W
• G: .04318 cm / .017P
• B: .03302 cm / .013P
• e: .0254 cm / .010P

Bridge

• Style: ABR With Thumbwheels
• Material: Aged Nickel Plated
• Plating Specs: Zinc Surrounded by a die casting alloy for casting flow-Nickel Plated
• Part number: 130-430-10161
• Weight: .0637 kg / 2.25 oz.

Dimensions of String Slots

• E: 0.1778 cm / 0.070"
• A: 0.13716 cm / 0.054"
• D: 0.1016 cm / 0.040"
• G: 0.0635 cm / 0.025"
• B: 0.0508 cm / 0.02"
• e: 0.0381 cm / 0.015"

Tailpiece

• Style: Aged Reissue Lightweight Aluminum
• Compensated: No
• Material: Aluminum
• Plating Specs: Aged Nickel
• Part number: 130-430-11738
• Weight: .0311845 kg / 1.1 oz

Output Jack

• Style: 1/4"

Jack Plate

• Style: 58 True Historic
• Material: Single Laminate Acrylic
• Part Number: 130-430-19299C
• Weight: .0056699 kg / .2 oz

Strap Buttons

• Material: Aluminum
• Plating Specs: None
• Part numbers: 130-430-19150
• Weight: .0141748 kg / .5 oz

Pick Guard

• Style: True Historic-Mulit-Laminate Acrylic
• Part Number: 130-430-12768

Truss Rod Cover

• Style: True Historic
• Part Number: 130-430-19784

Knobs

• Style: True Historic Butyrate Gold Top Hats
• Part Number: 130-430-19778V

Dial Pointers

• Yes/No: Yes

Switch Washer

• Style: True Historic Cream Single Layer Acrylic
• Part Number: 130-430-19292C

Trim Rings

• Style: True Historic Cream Replica w/Tool Marks
• Part Number: 130-430-13891V/130-430-13892V

Case

• Style: Aged Reissue Les Paul
• Color: Aged and Lacquered Reissue Brown with Pink Fur Lining
• Strap Locks: None
• Tools: None
• Manual: None
• COA/Other: Mark Knopfler Signature True Historic Certificate of Authenticity in Leather Binder, Extra Black Plastic Treble/Rhythm Switch Cover Plate