1990 Gibson Les Paul Special TV Yellow! Collectors Item

Faithful build by Gibson in 1990 plays and sounds killer! Nice fat neck and warm tone- clean or crunchy! Just checked out and set up- ready for your next gig! Located in Saluda, NC. From the Web: The 1990 Gibson Les Paul Special "C" series in TV Yellow is a standout era for this model. This specific run is highly regarded because it marked a return to more vintage-accurate appointments compared to the 1970s and 80s versions. Here is a breakdown of what makes a 1990 TV Yellow Special unique: The "C" Series Designation The "C" stands for Classic. During the early 1990s, Gibson released these with ink-stamped serial numbers to mimic the look of the late 1950s and 1960 originals. While they weren't part of the official "Custom Shop Historic" line (which launched a few years later), they were built with a similar mindset of honoring the golden era. Key Specifications * Finish: The "TV Yellow" on these is often a "limed" finish, where you can see the grain of the mahogany through the yellow-tan stain. * Pickups: It typically comes with two P-90 single-coil pickups. In 1990, these were "high-output" versions that provided a gritty, mid-range growl perfect for rock and blues. * Hardware: Unlike the original 1960 wraparound tailpiece, the 1990 version almost always features a Tune-o-matic bridge and a separate stopbar tailpiece. This makes intonation much easier for modern players. * Binding: One of the most defining traits of this specific run is the bound fretboard. Lower-end Specials often skip the binding, but the 1990 "C" series feels more premium because of it. Build Quality & Reputation 1990 was part of the "Good Wood" era at Gibson (roughly 1989–1994). Players often seek out these early 90s models because: * Mahogany Quality: The wood used was often denser and higher quality than what was used in later mass-production runs. * Craftsmanship: The Nashville factory was producing lower volumes at this time, leading to generally tighter quality control. Market Value & Collectibility Because your serial number 0 0472 places it right at the start of this run (1990), it is a desirable piece. In the current market, a TV Yellow Special from this era in good condition generally commands a premium over the 2000s versions because of that "Classic" series prestige and the bound neck. It’s a "workhorse" guitar that has become a collector’s item—essentially a Custom Shop-adjacent build before the Custom Shop was its own massive entity.