Marc Bolan is famous for his work as the founder, writer, and guitarist of T. Rex, and the inspiration for the Glam Rock movement of the 70's. Gibson Custom has worked with his son, widow, and archive photos of the guitar to recreate Marc's mainstay instrument, a '50s Les Paul Model. Originally an unknown finish, Marc removed the original paint and had it stained resulting in the "Bolan Chablis" finish of this limited edition guitar. The replacement Les Paul Custom neck is also recreated, reflecting the breaking of its original neck as well as Gibson's policy at the time of only providing replacement necks with a black finish. This is a limited edition of 100 Marc Bolan Aged Les Paul guitars with the Finish and hardware are gently aged to make it look exactly like the real Marc's distinctive Les Paul. Each instrument comes with a hard shell Custom case, vintage replica woven strap and a certificate of authenticity inset with a photo of Marc Bolan with reproduction signature.

Although the Les Paul Custom neck with which it was most often seen has lead to some confusion over the origins of Marc Bolan's guitar, the instrument was actually a late-'50s Les Paul that was stripped and refinished by Bolan himself in a faded translucent orange dubbed "Bolan Chablis", then "re-necked" after an accident in the early '70s. As such, the body of the Gibson Custom Marc Bolan Les Paul is produced with period-correct woods and techniques, and includes a solid (non-chambered) one-piece mahogany body and carved plain maple top, as revealed through Gibson Custom's recreation of Bolan's own "DIY" refinishing work, while its sides and back retain the original back finish.

Its mahogany neck is set with a long-tenon neck joint like all the great original Les Pauls, for added resonance and sustain, although its look and the rest of its construction mark a major departure for the instrument. Like the early-'70s Les Paul Custom neck that Bolan had added to his guitar in the course of its repair, this neck carries the ebony fingerboard that distinguishes that "upgraded" model, along with the large mother-of-pearl block inlays, period-correct 14o headstock pitch, and mother-of-pearl split-diamond headstock inlay in a holly headstock veneer.

To translate all of this thick, juicy vintage Les Paul tone to your amp of choice, the guitar carries a pair of Custom Buckers, an accurate PAF-reproduction humbucker designed specifically for the Marc Bolan Les Paul. Along with its mismatched nickel-plated ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge and gold-plated aluminum stopbar tailpiece, the Custom-spec gold-plated Grover tuners and a PLEK-cut Corian nut further enhance the resonance and singing sustain of this unique instrument.

With only 450 produced in total?00 hand aged (this model), a further 350 given the VOS (Vintage Original Spec) process—they are bound to go fast, so get your hands on your own Marc Bolan Les Paul today. All are covered by Gibson's Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service, and include a black Gibson Custom case with plush red lining, Artist Model Certificate of Authenticity with Marc Bolan photo, warranty and adjustment literature, and a vintage style guitar strap.