Gibson has announced the arrival of a new limited edition Custom Shop recreation of Jason Isbell’s 1959 Les Paul Standard, known as a ‘Red Eye’. The instrument, a particularly fine example of the fabled ’Burst era Les Pauls, was formerly the “long-term sidekick” of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ed King ( ) before it passed to six-time Grammy-winner Isbell for further gainful employment. The ‘Red Eye’ moniker is an allusion to a brighter, red area of finish near the toggleswitch.
The story goes that the instrument was on display in a store window and the original finish faded in the process. However, the tag that was hung on the toggleswitch covered a nearby area, meaning it kept more of its original pigment, leaving the a ‘red eye’ zone near the switch. This new Isbell and Gibson partnership looks to celebrate the guitar’s history – ‘Red Eye’ and all – as part of Gibson's top tier Custom Shop Collector’s Edition series and, as such, is no standard production.
There will only be 59 of this ‘59 Burst recreation made, which – alongside the detailed reproduction, and a Brazilian rosewood fretboard – helps account for its exclusive price tag of nearly $22,000. As we’ve come to expect by now, Gibson has spared no expense in translating every last detail of the original ‘Red Eye’ into this exclusive build, not least – courtesy of the Murphy Lab – the wear and red eye finish quirk [it even comes complete with its own toggle switch hang tag - Ed]. .
