Citation:
Les Paul KM (“Kalamazoo Model”)
The Les Paul KM model was made in the Kalamazoo plant in 1979, supposedly at the request of a southern sales district, according to one account (this history is refuted by another account). The guitar was intended be a sunburst Les Paul that more closely approximated ’59 Standard specs. The result, the KM model, is a nice guitar but does not come close to a ’59 reissue. The guitar has two exposed coil, double cream colored T-top humbuckers, speed knobs, large black side dot markers, a Nashville bridge, stop tailpiece, Grover tuners, wide binding in the cutaway, brown backplates, and “Les Paul K.M.” engraved on the truss rod cover. The guitar has an unusually wide headstock and a volute and three piece mahogany neck. The Gibson logo on the headstock has a closed “b” and “o” and no dot above the “i”. The first run had a “Custom Made” plaque that was either left loose in the case or mounted below the tailpiece. The guitar came in antique sunburst, natural, or cherry sunburst finish. Many examples of this model in bright cherry sunburst or dark sunburst have been available, many with plain tops. It is reported that some flametops were made, such as the example in the photo below, many of which were shipped to Japan. A total of approximately 1,500 Les Paul KMs were made. The example below has a nice flametop and a very dark cherryburst finish, and almost looks like a darkburst in photos. It weighs 9 lbs. 10 oz., and is a very nice playing guitar.
