In January 1986, Gibson again changed ownership and began manufacturing a range of varied Les Paul models. The 1980s also saw the end to several design characteristics, including the volute and maple neck. However, because of consumer demand, the Gibson Les Paul guitar is available today in a wide array of choices, ranging from guitars equipped with modern digital electronics to classic re-issue models built to match the look and specifications of the guitar’s earliest production runs from 1952 to 1960.

In 1986, to respond to the high demand for vintage models, Gibson formed a “Custom Shop” division. Originally, the Shop began producing accurate reproductions of early Les Pauls as well as one-off orders.  Today, the Custom Shop produces numerous limited-run “historic-spec” models, as well as signature artist models. The first Custom Shop artist guitar was the 1996 Joe Perry Les Paul.