Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul in rare Copper Iridescent
This Joe Bonamassa Epiphone 1955 Les Paul Standard in Copper Iridescent is the latest signature Epiphone model for the blues guitarist.
Copper Iridescent
The Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard Copper Iridescent is loaded with twin Epiphone P-90 PRO pickups and has a unique finish. It is based on a scarce Gibson factory custom finish, of which Bonamassa says he owns two of the originals out of three known models.
“From a distance, it looks brown, but in direct light, the golden glitter in the finish shows.” – Joe Bonamassa
1955 NAMM Show
Gibson initially created the copper iridescent finish for display at the 1955 NAMM Show, making it unusual and not something you see every day. The rear of the guitar and the neck are a Light Cherry Gloss finish.
Specifications
This Les Paul Standard has a mahogany body with a maple cap, a mahogany neck with a Custom ’59 Rounded C profile, and a laurel fretboard. It also features a glued-in, set neck (as standard) with a long tenon, so it has a reasonably traditional construction.
The fretboard has 22 medium jumbo frets and a Graph Tech nut, which are modern specification updates for a model based on this era.
Those P-90 PRO pickups are wired with a three-way toggle switch and traditional two-volume, two-tone controls, using CTS Potentiometers, Mallory Capacitors, and 50s wiring.
Hardware
The hardware is the usual Epiphone LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge and stop bar, Epiphone Deluxe tuners, and cream plastics, with a set of Copper Iridescent Speed with Dial Pointer knobs for the controls.
Nerdville
They ship with a Nerdville graphic hardshell case. Price-wise, GBP 799/ EUR 899 is about right for an Epiphone Joe Bonamassa model. It is a pity they went with the older-style Epiphone headstock shape; that would be my only honest criticism.
More Information
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