Guitar Highlights: Gibson’s Les Paul Custom and Mickey Baker

The Gibson Les Paul Custom, which debuted in late 1953, is a legendary instrument known for its rich tone and timeless design. While most are familiar with the specs and features of this classic model, fewer are aware of a rare design variant that appeared in 1957. Featuring a unique wiring system that sets it apart from the typical Les Paul configuration, what is now referred to as the “Mickey Baker” Custom is quite rare, with an estimated 3 to 12 Les Pauls receiving these features. 

The shared story behind this wiring style is linked to session guitarist Mickey Baker, who was known for his music book series “The Complete Course in Jazz Guitar” and his work in the duo Mickey & Sylvia. Their hit song “Love is Strange” was featured in the film Dirty Dancing. Over the years, it has been rumored that Mickey Baker strongly influenced the development of this unique wiring configuration, as it was inspired by the controls of Gibson’s ES-5. Baker, who was a known Gibson endorsee at the time, was known for playing both Les Paul Customs and ES-5s, so we believe this is how the lore evolved.

Immediately, you can see that this 1957 Les Paul Custom appears unusual from the typical model. Most Les Paul Customs are equipped with two volume knobs, two tone knobs, and a pickup selector switch. However, this particular example lacks the traditional selector switch and instead features another knob in its place on the upper bass bout. You’ll also notice that the usual diamond-shaped, four-knob layout on the lower body is replaced with a straight diagonal line of three knobs. 

With this new outward design comes new inward functionality. The knob in place of the selector switch serves as a master tone control, enabling all three pickups to be used simultaneously—a feature that was not available on any other Les Paul model at the time, though it was strikingly similar to the ES-5 design. The remaining three knobs control the volume for each individual pickup, allowing for smooth blending and endless possibilities. This instrument features three first-year PAF (Patent Applied For) humbucking pickups.

While we have seen photos of Les Paul Customs that featured a similar wiring style with P-90 pickups, these are believed to be separate custom orders and not part of this “Mickey Baker” run. The one shown below was owned by studio guitarist Johnny Gray and, as you can see, also features a different, triangular lower knob configuration. From this guitar’s appearance, we believe these earlier examples inspired the later iteration.

Today, a 1957 Les Paul Custom with “Mickey Baker” wiring remains uber rare and highly sought after. While there are many different reports out there as to how many were made (as low as 3 and as high as 12) it has been speculated that all were made in a single batch at Gibson’s Kalamazoo factory, though sadly we cannot confirm this due to the lack of records from this period. These examples’ rarity and distinct features have made them a prized possession for collectors and players alike, with notable owners of “Mickey Baker” examples including Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett.

We would like to extend our immense gratitude to Gibson’s own Mat Koehler. With his help, we were able to sort out a bit more of what of this background was rooted in reality and what was lore! Click here for more information on our 1957 Gibson Les Paul Custom with Mickey Baker wiring. Then, call us at 516.221.0563 to make it yours!