Gibson has a long and glorious historyof crafting top-notch electric 12-string guitars, from the elegantES-335-12 of 1965, to the EDS-1275 that enabled Led Zeppelin'sJimmy Page to segue seamlessly from the 12-string intro to"Stairway to Heaven" to the ripping 6-string solo in liveperformance. Now Gibson USA merges its 12-string expertise with alegendary electric for what might be the most powerful-sounding andbest-playing rendition of the breed ever created: the Les PaulTraditional 12-String. The guitar is equipped with all thehallmarks of the popular Les Paul Traditional, including itslegendary tonewoods, groundbreaking hardware complement andsensational humbucking pickups, with minor alterations to make it asolid and smooth-playing 12-string electric. To top it all off, theLes Paul Traditional 12-String is available in your choice of thethree most popular Les Paul finishes-Heritage Cherry Sunburst,Goldtop and Ebony Black-all in high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer,and complemented with traditional vintage-cream binding andpickguard and gold speed knobs.
Like all of the finest Les Pauls, the Les Paul Traditional12-String starts with a body made from choice mahogany, weightrelieved for your comfort, and capped with a carved maple top(Grade-A maple used beneath the Heritage Cherry Sunburst finish).This combination offers a time-tested marriage of tonewoods thatcombines the best elements of mahogany's depth and richness andmaple's clarity and definition. To this foundation, Gibson USA addsa glued-in Grade-A maple neck for the extra stability demanded bythe string tension of this 12-string model. The neck is carved to afast, comfortable '60s profile that measures .800" deep at the 1stfret and .875" at the 12th, and is topped with a Grade-A rosewoodfingerboard with 22 medium-jumbo frets and traditional acrylictrapezoid inlays. In order to accommodate six extra strings withoutcramping your playing style, Gibson USA ekes out a little extrareal estate on the 'board by extending the width of the PLEK-cutCorian™ nut to 1.750". The extended headstock remains true to LesPaul style, with a mother-of-pearl Gibson inlay and gold "Les PaulModel" silkscreen, a truss-rod cover engraved with "Traditional,"and 12 high-quality Mini Grover tuners.
The pickups are the final key factor in blasting the Les PaulTraditional 12-String through sonic territory into which 12-stringelectric guitars rarely venture. A '57 Classic in the neck positionand a '57 Classic Plus in the bridge provide singing chime, sweetin-between tones, or brilliant leads at the flick of a three-wayswitch, providing more guts and glory than you've ever heard in a12-string before. Both pickups are made in the style of Gibson'slegendary PAF humbuckers, with Alnico 2 magnets and 42 AWG wire,with extra turns in the bridge pickup's coils for added grind andgusto. An iconic Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece, bothmodified for the 12-string, provide firm anchors for excellentresonance and sustain, and easy intonation adjustment. All in all,it's a classic "Traditional" electric 12-string, and one of themost powerful and versatile 12s ever produced.
Each guitar comes protected in a plush-lined hardshell case withblack exterior, and includes owner's manual and adjustmentliterature, along with Gibson's Limited Lifetime Warranty and24/7/365 customer service.For more information visit www.gibson.com
