"This serial number was taken from the regular '59 serial number scheme.  The letters CR (Chambered Reissue) was added to the front of the next Historic Reissue serial number in line.  Steve Mesple and Dave Rogers suggested that I be able to purchase this instrument and for that I am thankful."

The serial number shows CR94058 but this is the first and only Chambered-Reissue (CR) Prototype so it was made before CR94001. The Gibson Custom Shop put this through production with a normal 59 serial number in the normal production sequence. Later it was decided that the special run (see the history page) would all carry a serial number with a "CR" in front of the normal historic pattern.

Some specs for the Prototype Gibson ‘59 Chambered Reissue with a long neck tenon and maple cap serial number CR 9-4058. This was the first Chambered Reissue (Originally built. The seemingly later serial number occurred because Gibson Custom did not have a serial number system in place when this prototype was built. For this Chambered Reissue prototype Gibson Custom used the next Historic 1959 Les Paul Reissue serial number available and just added a CR in front of it to signify that this ’59 Reissue was a Chambered variant of Gibson’s Historic Reissue Les Paul Specifications. Gibson then began a separate serial numbering system for the Chambered Reissues that started with CR 9-4001 for the first ’59 Chambered Reissue. Gibson then carefully made sure not to reuse the serial number applied to this prototype. CR 8-4001 began the serial numbers for the ’58 Chambered Reissues and CR 7-4001 for the ’57 Chambered Reissues and so on through the remaining models. It was an honor to work with Gibson Custom Shop craftsman and designers to develop the Chambered Reissue line of guitars. Here are the specs for the prototype;

• Neck Dimensions 1st fret .908”, 5th fret .964”, 8th fret .994”, 12th fret 1.025”

• Pickup Bridge: Burstbucker 2 DC resistance 8.2K Ohm (in circuit)

• Pickup Neck: Burstbucker 1 DC resistance 7.8K Ohm (in circuit)

• Middle switch setting: Connects the bridge pickup and the neck pickup and yields a DC resistance of 3.9K Ohms (in circuit)

• Peghead pitch: 17 degrees

• Body Wood: Chambered one piece Mahogany

• Top wood: Book Matched Flamed Maple

• Scale Length: 24-3/4 inches

• Neck Joint: Set-in Long Tenon

• Neck Wood: one piece Mahogany

• Fretboard: Rosewood with vintage style Trapeziod Inlay

• Neck Shape: Large C-Shape

• Frets: 22, at .100” wide and approximately .040” high pre-fret finish

• Nut Width and Material: 1-11/16 inches, Micarta

• Fretboard Radius: 12

• Bridge: ABR-1 style Tune-O-Matic

• Stoptail: Nickel Plated Aluminum

• Controls: Volume / Volume / Tone / Tone utilizing four 500K linear taper potentiometers (the reading on the two tone pots were 454K Ohms and 503K Ohms) with Bumble Bee capacitors

• Knobs: Top Hat Style, Vintage Amber

• Tuners: Tulip Vintage Style

• Hardware color: Nickel

• Pickup selector: 3-way

• Switch Tip: Vintage Amber

• Screws: Phillips

• Serial Number Application: inked on back of the peghead with “prototype” under it

• Control Cavity Cover Plate; Black Molded

• Finish: Nitro Cellulous Lacquer

• Weight: 7.03 pounds

Thanks for sharing Dave!!!

All photos copyright of Dave Carpenter and not to be used without his permssion.

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