Here's what Gibson say about the Alex Lifeson Les PaulIn his work with Rush from the '70s to today, Alex Lifeson has redefined the boundaries of progressive rock guitar. Embodying far more than that genre label often implies, Lifeson's playing soars beyond the drama and the bluster to reveal truly stunning virtuosity that has been praised and admired by fans-and players-of all stripes, and has landed him in the upper echelon of performance artists as a result. Created through extensive work with Alex Lifeson himself, the Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess similarly redefines the boundaries of the classic Les Paul: packed in a single remarkable instrument, this guitar carries all of the traditional tones that have made the Les Paul legendary, along with unprecedented levels of sonic and performance versatility.In addition to its traditional Les Paul tonewoods, the Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess carries two high-output humbucking pickups with series/parallel wiring options via its push-pull volume controls, and a Floyd Rose licensed unit that not only provides the world's most efficient vibrato system, but is also loaded with GraphTech Ghost piezo bridge saddles. Access traditional Gibson magnetic humbucker tones, mix it up with fat and funky series/parallel options, tap the Ghost's realistic acoustic tones, or blend acoustic and magnetic voices-the sky's the limit from this sonic chameleon, whose sound-shifting depths are virtually limitless. What's more, you can route it all through a traditional mono jack (labeled "Regular") using a single guitar cable, or use two cables to split your sonic trickery off into separate output paths using the "Regular" and the "Life-O-Sound" output jacks together. All this, and the Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess still presents that timeless Les Paul look that has remained a classic for more than 50 years, in your choice of two stunning colors-Viceroy Brown and Royal Crimson-both approved by the artist himself, and both resplendent atop a stunningly figured maple top.An in-depth look at the featuresWhatever features you pack into an instrument, any truly great guitar still begins with the wood. To give the Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess the best possible foundation, Gibson Custom works with premium woods that are selected for their sublime look as well as their superior resonant qualities. The two-piece top is carved from beautifully figured maple, and joined to a solid, one-piece mahogany back. This classic combination presents all the depth and richness married to lively snap and bite that Les Pauls have been known for six decades.A quarter-sawn mahogany neck is joined to the body with a glued-in long-tenon joint, and topped with a traditional rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium-jumbo frets and pearloid trapezoid inlays, just the way it's been done since 1952. Kluson-style tuners with pearloid keystone buttons add to the vintage vibe at the headstock end, but down south the electronics and hardware take this guitar into another millennium.Recognized as the most efficient and effective vibrato system available, the Floyd Rose licensed vibrato on this tone machine doesn't stop at smooth wobbles and soaring divebombs with unparalleled in-tune performance, but adds the boundless potential of GraphTech Ghost bridge saddles, too. Comprised of six independent piezo pickups loaded into the bridge saddles, the Ghost equips the Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess for astoundingly realistic plugged-in acoustic guitar tones.Controlled by its own push/pull volume control (which acts as a kill switch when pulled up), the GraphTech Ghost can be played independently, or blended with the guitar's potent traditional magnetic humbucking pickups-and what a set of pickups they are! Mixing a ceramic-magnet 496R in the neck position with a hot-Alnico 498T in the bridge, this set conjures up an astounding array of vintage and contemporary tones, and ups the ante considerably with series/parallel switching accessed via the guitar's push-pull volume pots. From smooth and creamy to snarling and aggressive, with plenty of sweet and mellow in between, it's all right here in the Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess.Blend it all through the guitar's traditional mono output jack labeled "Regular", or route the magnetic and acoustic tones independently using the "Regular" and "Life-O-Sound" output jacks together, and the possibilities for your soundscapes are endless. Wrap it in Gibson's legendary thin hand-sprayed nitrocellulose lacquer finish for added resonance and top-class looks, and the Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess is a guitar with more potential than practically any instrument on the planet-a fitting tribute to an artist of truly unbounded talent.SpecificationBodyTop: Maple Back: 1-Piece Solid Mahogany Binding: Cream Adhesive: Franklin TitebondNeckSpecies: Mahogany Profile: Rounded Axcess Profile Truss Rod: Traditional Joint Angle: 4 degrees (+/- 15 seconds) Adhesive: Franklin TitebondNeckNeck FitNeck FitJoint: Mortise & Tenon Adhesive: Franklin Titebond Joint Angle Tolerance: +/- .005"Neck FitFingerboardSpecies: Rosewood Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Radius: 12" Binding: .060 Cream Inlays: Pearloid Trapezoids Nut/E.O.B: 1.687/2.125NutMaterial: Floyd Rose R4 locking nut Width: 1.687HeadstockType: Les Paul Standard Logo: Mother-of-Pearl Gibson Logo Truss Rod Cover: Gibson Bell Shaped Molded with Alex Lifeson Signature Angle: 17 DegreesTunersModel: Vntage Kluson-style tuners with pearloid keystone buttons Tuning Ratio: 14: 01 Plating: NickelBridgeType: Floyd Rose licensed GraphTech Ghost equipped vibrato unit Plating: NickelHardwareKnobs: Gold Top-Hat Knobs Toggle Switch Washer: Cream with Gold Screenprint Strings: .010 - .046, Vintage Strings Strap Buttons: Nickel Schaller Strap LocksPickupsNeck Position: 496R (Ceramic magnet) Bridge Position: 498T (Alnico V magnet)ElectronicsPotentiometers: 2 push/pull Volume controls (Rhythm and Treble pickups), 1 push/pull Volume control (GraphTech Ghost piezo pickups), 1 Master Tone control (piezo not affected) Type: 500k audio-taper Coil Wiring: Parallel-Machine Wound Toggle Switch: Three-Way Switchcraft with Cream Toggle Cap Output Jack: Two 1/4" Switchcraft output jacks: "Regular" and "Life-O-Sound."FinishSealer: Nitrocellulose Lacquer Viceroy Brown CaseType: Custom Shop Hardshell Case Exterior: Black Pleather with Alex Lifeson Signature Case Interior: Red FurCaseAccessoriesCertificate of Authenticity: Lifeson Certificate of Authenticity