As the most legendary solidbody electric guitar of all time, the Les Paul just had to play a part in our celebration of an infamous moment in Gibson’s history: when the Feds confiscated stocks of precious tonewoods from the Nashville factory. The Government Series II Les Paul makes a bold statement for any revolutionary rocker, using the wood that the Feds ultimately returned to Gibson after the resolution and the investigation was concluded. The original foundation of carved maple top and mahogany back with modern weight relief for improved playing comfort and enhanced resonance is dressed up in a vintage-gloss Government Tan finish, with the Government Series II graphic on its black pickguard (in the case pocket)—a bald eagle hoisting a confiscated Gibson guitar neck—and black chrome hardware. A genuine piece of Gibson history comes in the form of a solid, one-piece rosewood fingerboard made from stocks returned after the resolution, and each guitar includes a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. Scorched-earth tone is assured by a pair of Dirty Fingers+ humbuckers, among Gibson’s hottest pickups ever.