3 Pickup LP Variants

[jrkhav]

Hi all. Recently picked up a Gibson USA Ace Frehley Budokan which is an amazing guitar, also curious because it's a different triple pickup model. I was curious, is there a full list of years/variants of LPs that have three pickups?

I know of this, the Black Beauties obviously, the rare few Customs from the 70s, the Artisan, and then the three pickup Les Paul Classics from the early 2000s. Any others you know of?

 

[bum]

 

[Christosterone]

My favorite of all time is the pete townshend model(s)...

i was picking up a 2015 goldtop and because of the switch position I couldnt install a b7 bigsby...so I passed
Never even tried a B5 which may have fit…

i loved all the quirk...it had a trapezoid in the first fret...
some plastics were creme...some were white....so awesomely goofy
dangit im kicking myself still for not buying one

 

[kakerlak]

'70s 3-pu Customs aren't really all that rare, particularly around '76-77. There's the Frampton signature LPC somebody was talking about yesterday. Also, reissue Customs have been made in 3pu versions off-and-on. I'm sure there are some M2M 3pu Pauls of various flavors that have been ordered here-and-there, since they started that program.

 

[TXOldRedRocker]

The aforementioned Frampton.

 

[Lester]

Quote from Pete "I don't know why I had the center pickup added; I never use it". (Might be paraphrased).

Here it is in the Musical instrument Museum in Phoenix, up close and personal!

 

[rjwilson37]

Wow, very nice 3 Pickup LP's. And of course... The BB.

 

[afjungemann]

My favorite of all time is the pete townshend model(s)...

i was picking up a 2015 goldtop and because of the switch position I couldnt install a b7 bigsby...so I passed
Never even tried a B5 which may have fit…

i loved all the quirk...it had a trapezoid in the first fret...
some plastics were creme...some were white....so awesomely goofy
dangit im kicking myself still for not buying one

View attachment 514937

these would be so killer if the middle was routed as a mini. I realize this is a sig guitar but Gibson should make a run like this with 3 minis or p90s.

 

[musicmaniac]

Did you ever find out what pickups were in it?

 

[Lester]

these would be so killer if the middle was routed as a mini. I realize this is a sig guitar but Gibson should make a run like this with 3 minis or p90s.

I think the only guitars they ever made like that were Firebirds and Explorers... and it was Firebird style mini's, which are a slightly different beast (or P90's).

 

[jrkhav]

Ah yes! My bad, here she is:

 

[jcsk8]

Edit: P.s. Forgot to mention that I´ve never seen a full list of the models. Maybe even Gibson can´t say.



2013 59 reissues:

Gibson Les Paul '59 Reissue Gloss LPR9 3-Pickup 2013 Bourbon Burst | Olivia's Vintage | Reverb

2013 Gibson Custom Shop 1959 Les Paul GLOSS reissue in Bourbon Burst which shows off an AMAZING flame maple top. This is from a Limited Run with 3 under-wound Custom Burcker pickups, individual volume controls, master tone control, and a push/pull Coil-Tap middle pickup. It's in NEAR MIN...

reverb.com

2014 Supremes:

Gibson Les Paul Supreme 3 pickup special edition 2014

A collectors guitar...this 3 pickup Gibson Les Paul Supreme has not been played or giged.. it has spent it's life in it's case in a controlled environment. It h

www.blackcatmusicshop.com

And other custom shop and special editions:

2002 Gibson Les Paul Standard Mahogany 3 Pickup Seymour Duncan Limited Edition Guitar

2002 Gibson Les Paul Standard Mahogany 3 Pickup Seymour Duncan Limited Edition Guitar with original Gibson Custom Shop case.

www.roadhousevintage.com

Gibson Les paul Classic 3 Pickup | Music 49 | Reverb

2002 Les Paul ClassicBlack/Gold 3 PickupThis guitar is a local trade-in, from a long time customer who is "thinning out the stable". The guitar sounds and plays fantastic, has original pickups and a 6-way rotary switch that is also factory. The guitar was "gently used" not a lot of di...

reverb.com

Preowned 2015 Gibson CS Les Paul Custom 3-Pickup VOS in Trans Black | Rebel Guitars

rebel-guitars.com

 

[MCLP51X]

I own a Gibson Les Paul Standard 3 pickup Limited Run. Purchased it from a local guitar dealer in Essex UK in 2012. It was second hand, but looked brand new. It came with it's factory fit case. When I first saw it hanging from the wall of the shop, I thought it had been modified. I asked the assistant to try it out, while he served another customer I made a note of the serial number and when I got home, contacted Gibson UK to get some clarification of this particular model. Gibson UK at the time were very helpful in supplying me with a lot of informaion about the guitar. Quite unique. When the pickup selector is in the middle position, the guitar sounds like a Strat.. The pickups are Seymour Duncan Distortion
Production year: 21 January 2002 (serial: 567)
(Manufactured in Nashville).

 

[01GT Eibach]

Ah yes! My bad, here she is ...

Love your Budokan, just awesome. Big demand for those, so must have cost a pretty penny (?). Worth it, though!!!

 

[endial]

I own a Gibson Les Paul Standard 3 pickup Limited Run. Purchased it from a local guitar dealer in Essex UK in 2012. It was second hand, but looked brand new. It came with it's factory fit case. When I first saw it hanging from the wall of the shop, I thought it had been modified. I asked the assistant to try it out, while he served another customer I made a note of the serial number and when I got home, contacted Gibson UK to get some clarification of this particular model. Gibson UK at the time were very helpful in supplying me with a lot of informaion about the guitar. Quite unique. When the pickup selector is in the middle position, the guitar sounds like a Strat.. The pickups are Seymour Duncan Distortion
Production year: 21 January 2002 (serial: 567)
(Manufactured in Nashville).
View attachment 572935

Hog top?

Friggin' beauty.

 

[jrkhav]

Love your Budokan, just awesome. Big demand for those, so must have cost a pretty penny (?). Worth it, though!!!

Thank you! I'd gotten it (relatively) cheap on Craigslist a year back and ended up flipping it some time ago. I gig/do fill in and occasional session work in my spare time and didn't want to see the Budokan get beat to hell. It's now in the hands of a KISS megafan and collector, which realistically was a great place for the guitar to have gone.

 

[dro]

I like the way the center pickup is accessed on the Frampton model, with the #2 tone knob.
There is also the Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom 3 pickup with the 6 way toggle switch.
One of the best playing Gibson necks I've ever felt.

 

[bryvincent]

2008 Gibson Les Paul Korina Tribute

 

[bryvincent]

Peter Frampton LP Special

 

[bryvincent]

LP Studio Lite M III