The Gibson Les Paul Special is an electric guitar, currently around $1560.49. Close alternatives include the Gibson "Old Black" 1953 Les Paul and the Charvel Jake E. Lee San Dimas. It pairs well with the PRS Archon and the Bad Cat Cub.
Gibson Les Paul Special
Unknown brand · electric guitar
The Gibson Les Paul Special is the flat-slab member of the family: solid mahogany with no maple cap, no binding, and two P-90 single-coils instead of humbuckers. Without the maple the voice is more open and midrange-forward, and the P-90s give a grittier, more articulate break-up than a humbucker-loaded Les Paul at the same gain.
- articulate
- playability
- clean
- gain
- aggressive
- chunky
- hum
- funk
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Gibson Les Paul Special is commonly used in
- Electronic
- Alternative Rock
- Rock
- Blues
- Funk
- Reggae
Amps that pair well with the Gibson Les Paul Special
PRS Archon
PRS
11% matchPRS Archon leans toward transparent, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Bad Cat Cub
Bad Cat
11% matchBad Cat Cub's own harmonically rich character is the real reason this is worth trying
Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/55 100W Amp Head
amplifier
11% matchMarshall Silver Jubilee 25/55 100W Amp Head's own dynamic character is the real reason this is worth trying
Pedals that stack with the Gibson Les Paul Special
Walrus Audio EB-10
Walrus Audio
8% matchWhat Gibson Les Paul Special brings here leans toward tight — that's worth building a pairing around
Xotic RC Booster
Xotic
8% matchWhat Xotic RC Booster brings here leans toward transparent — that's worth building a pairing around
Abasi Pathos Distortion
Abasi
tonal matchGibson Les Paul Special leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Abasi Pathos Distortion wants
AnalogMan Beano Boost
Analog Man
tonal matchAnalogMan Beano Boost's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Gibson Les Paul Special delivers it
Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature
Ashdown
tonal matchInto Gibson Les Paul Special, Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end
Beetronics Buzzter Boost Preamp
Beetronics
tonal matchBeetronics Buzzter Boost Preamp's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Gibson Les Paul Special delivers it
Beetronics Larva
Beetronics
tonal matchBeetronics Larva's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Gibson Les Paul Special delivers it
Beetronics Nectar Tone Sweetener
Beetronics
tonal matchGibson Les Paul Special leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Beetronics Nectar Tone Sweetener wants
Cheaper alternatives
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Gibson "Old Black" 1953 Les Paul
Gibson
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Charvel Jake E. Lee San Dimas
Charvel
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Gibson SG Standard
Gibson
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Fender American Telecaster Black "Sendero Luminoso"
Fender
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Washburn P4 Electric Guitar
electric guitar
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Gibson ES-350T
Gibson
93% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Gibson Les Paul Special (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Gibson Les Paul Special?+
The closest matches in character are the Gibson "Old Black" 1953 Les Paul, the Charvel Jake E. Lee San Dimas, the Gibson SG Standard. Budget picks: Epiphone Riviera Electric Guitar, Dean Michael Schenker Signature V, Fender Stratocaster American Standard. Boutique upgrades: Gibson Les Paul, 1955 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, Gibson Flying V.
What pairs well with the Gibson Les Paul Special?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: PRS Archon, Bad Cat Cub, Marshall Silver Jubilee 25/55 100W Amp Head — PRS Archon leans toward transparent, and that's a real, usable character to pair with.
How much does the Gibson Les Paul Special cost?+
Around $1560.49 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).