1978 Gibson Les Paul 25/50 Anniversary

While Les Paul remains deeply influential as a guitar player, perhaps his greatest legacy will be his contribution to the evolution of electric guitars. By 1951, Les Paul was a respected guitar player, and he was known as a bit of an innovator, too. He had experimented with the solid body electric guitar concept for years, so Gibson president Ted McCarty approached him that year to discuss a collaboration. The result was the Gibson Les Paul Model, which remains one of the most influential and forward-thinking electric designs ever conceived. Since the 1950s, it has been the flagship of Gibson's electric lineup.  In 1978, Gibson brainstormed a special way to commemorate 25 years of success with the Les Paul model, and the milestone also coincided with 50 years of Les Paul's career in show business. The result was the 25/50 Anniversary—a limited edition model that is essentially a tricked out Les Paul Custom. It features a carved Flame Maple top, 2 humbucker pickups, a coil-tap switch (c