Gibson Les Paul Special Left-Handed Electric Guitar TV Yellow
Gibson's Les Paul Special is a slab-bodied, P-90 loaded rock machine in that iconic TV Yellow finish. MusicRadar awarded it a perfect 5/5 score, and Sweetwater users call it "a killer non-custom-shop version of the original '50s Gibsons at a killer price."
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Perfect 5/5 rating from MusicRadar shows exceptional critical approval for the price point
- +Sweetwater users praise the P-90 pickups for "fantastic" tone with good range between bridge and neck positions
- +Acoustically resonant—multiple reviews mention how the entire instrument vibrates unplugged
- +Wrap-around tailpiece was perfectly intonated out of the box according to user reviews
- +Vintage '50s mahogany neck profile is comfortable and fast with medium jumbo frets on rosewood
Cons
- −Multiple Sweetwater reviews mention needing to try several units before finding one that "really ripped," suggesting inconsistent QC
- −One user explicitly complained about the chunky '50s neck profile being uncomfortable for smaller hands
- −P-90 pickups hum like crazy in high-gain situations without proper shielding or noise gates
- −Slab body means less sustain and resonance than a carved-top Les Paul Standard
The Verdict
Here’s the straight truth: when you get a good one, it’s a 100-point guitar. MusicRadar’s perfect score and enthusiastic user reviews confirm the P-90 tone is raw, punchy, and perfect for garage rock, punk, and blues. But Gibson’s QC inconsistency means you need to play several to find a great one—multiple users said exactly that. At $1,799 it’s the cheapest USA-made Gibson Les Paul with real P-90s, and that TV Yellow finish is iconic. If you’re a lefty, your options are even more limited, making this worth the hunt. Just don’t buy blind—play before you pay or use a retailer with easy returns.
