Before Gibson officially introduced the Les Paul Reissue program in the early 1980s, several limited distributor-commissioned runs were produced for dealers such as Strings & Things, Leo's Music, Jimmy Wallace, and others. Les Paul Reissues bearing the "N" serial number belong to this exclusive category.
These guitars were part of a special series built for the Japanese market and were designed as faithful recreations of the original 1950s Les Paul models, predating the establishment of Gibson's Custom Shop in 1993.
The "Nihon" models in particular were produced specifically for Japan and are highly regarded for their quality, historical significance, and rarity. The "N" designation stands for "Nihon," the Japanese word for Japan. Approximately 100 examples were produced between late 1982 and mid-1983.
The term "Pre-Historic" refers to Les Paul Reissue models built before the formal creation of Gibson's Historic Collection and the Art & Historic division, which officially began production in 1993. As a result, these instruments represent an important transitional chapter in Gibson's pursuit of recreating its most iconic vintage models.
This example is equipped with a matched set of highly desirable Tim Shaw humbuckers, widely regarded as some of the finest pickups produced by Gibson during the modern era.
Neck Measurements:
• 1st fret: 0.87"
• 5th fret: 0.92"
• 12th fret: 0.98"
Nut Width:
• 1.69"
Tim Shaw Pickup Readings:
• Neck: 7.35 kΩ
• Bridge: 7.35 kΩ
Weight:
• 10.4 lbs (4.7 kg)
Fingerboard Radius:
• 12"
Scale Length:
• 24 3/4"
