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Full-length view of a goldtop electric guitar with a large white "3" on its body, resting in a red velvet-lined case.
01 / 28Full-length view of a goldtop electric guitar with a large white "3" on its body, resting in a red velvet-lined case.
Goldtop electric guitar with a large white "3" on the lower bout, cream humbucker pickups, and a visible aged finish.
02 / 28Goldtop electric guitar with a large white "3" on the lower bout, cream humbucker pickups, and a visible aged finish.
The guitar's back, neck, and headstock are visible, showing a warm brown finish, chrome tuners, and black control cavity covers.
03 / 28The guitar's back, neck, and headstock are visible, showing a warm brown finish, chrome tuners, and black control cavity covers.
Full back view of the guitar, showing a glossy dark amber finish with light wear, two black control cavity covers, and a strap button.
04 / 28Full back view of the guitar, showing a glossy dark amber finish with light wear, two black control cavity covers, and a strap button.
Close-up of the black headstock, showing six chrome tuners, a white nut, and the top of the dark fretboard.
05 / 28Close-up of the black headstock, showing six chrome tuners, a white nut, and the top of the dark fretboard.
The back of the headstock and top of the neck, showing six chrome Grover tuners on a dark wood finish with visible wear.
06 / 28The back of the headstock and top of the neck, showing six chrome Grover tuners on a dark wood finish with visible wear.
Close-up of the guitar's mahogany headstock rear, showing visible wood grain, a faint serial number, and two chrome tuning pegs.
07 / 28Close-up of the guitar's mahogany headstock rear, showing visible wood grain, a faint serial number, and two chrome tuning pegs.
Close-up of the goldtop body with a large white "3", four gold "Volume" and "Tone" knobs, and heavy finish checking.
08 / 28Close-up of the goldtop body with a large white "3", four gold "Volume" and "Tone" knobs, and heavy finish checking.
Close-up of a goldtop guitar body with a cream pickguard, two mini-humbuckers, and visible finish checking and wear.
09 / 28Close-up of a goldtop guitar body with a cream pickguard, two mini-humbuckers, and visible finish checking and wear.
Close-up of the goldtop body, showing aged cream mini-humbuckers, pickup rings, and toggle switch, with heavy finish checking.
10 / 28Close-up of the goldtop body, showing aged cream mini-humbuckers, pickup rings, and toggle switch, with heavy finish checking.
Close-up of the goldtop body, showing three cream mini-humbuckers, chrome hardware, four gold knobs, two cream toggle switches, and a large white "3" decal.
11 / 28Close-up of the goldtop body, showing three cream mini-humbuckers, chrome hardware, four gold knobs, two cream toggle switches, and a large white "3" decal.
Close-up of the goldtop body with a white "3", showing binding, output jack, and light finish checking and wear.
12 / 28Close-up of the goldtop body with a white "3", showing binding, output jack, and light finish checking and wear.
Angled view of the guitar's brown back, showing a black control cavity cover, output jack, and wear on the lower bout's binding.
13 / 28Angled view of the guitar's brown back, showing a black control cavity cover, output jack, and wear on the lower bout's binding.
The guitar's dark brown back shows heavy finish checking and wear around the neck joint, with a black control cavity cover.
14 / 28The guitar's dark brown back shows heavy finish checking and wear around the neck joint, with a black control cavity cover.
The guitar's dark brown back and neck heel, with cream binding, show light finish checking and a black control cavity cover.
15 / 28The guitar's dark brown back and neck heel, with cream binding, show light finish checking and a black control cavity cover.
The guitar's dark brown back and side are visible, with a black control cavity cover and a chrome strap button, showing some finish wear.
16 / 28The guitar's dark brown back and side are visible, with a black control cavity cover and a chrome strap button, showing some finish wear.
Close-up of the guitar neck's side, showing the dark wood, cream binding, and a single black dot inlay at the 7th fret.
17 / 28Close-up of the guitar neck's side, showing the dark wood, cream binding, and a single black dot inlay at the 7th fret.
Close-up of the guitar's fretboard and neck, showing dark wood, yellowed binding with black side dots, and light fret wear.
18 / 28Close-up of the guitar's fretboard and neck, showing dark wood, yellowed binding with black side dots, and light fret wear.
Close-up of the goldtop body and lower fretboard, showing heavy checking on the neck heel and a cream pickup selector switch.
19 / 28Close-up of the goldtop body and lower fretboard, showing heavy checking on the neck heel and a cream pickup selector switch.
Close-up of the guitar's dark fretboard with trapezoid inlays, showing a digital caliper measuring the nut width at 1.65 inches.
20 / 28Close-up of the guitar's dark fretboard with trapezoid inlays, showing a digital caliper measuring the nut width at 1.65 inches.
A digital caliper measures the neck thickness at the first fret, displaying "0.78" on its screen.
21 / 28A digital caliper measures the neck thickness at the first fret, displaying "0.78" on its screen.
A digital caliper measures the guitar's fretboard, showing "1.01" on its display, with block inlays visible.
22 / 28A digital caliper measures the guitar's fretboard, showing "1.01" on its display, with block inlays visible.
The guitar's goldtop finish with heavy checking is visible on the left, next to a digital scale displaying "9.6.62".
23 / 28The guitar's goldtop finish with heavy checking is visible on the left, next to a digital scale displaying "9.6.62".
Close-up of the guitar's dark brown neck heel and body joint, showing extensive finish checking and a chrome strap button.
24 / 28Close-up of the guitar's dark brown neck heel and body joint, showing extensive finish checking and a chrome strap button.
Close-up of the guitar's side, showing the goldtop finish with heavy checking and a dark brown back with vertical grain.
25 / 28Close-up of the guitar's side, showing the goldtop finish with heavy checking and a dark brown back with vertical grain.
Close-up of the goldtop body, showing the cream pickguard, two mini-humbuckers, chrome bridge, and heavy finish checking.
26 / 28Close-up of the goldtop body, showing the cream pickguard, two mini-humbuckers, chrome bridge, and heavy finish checking.
Close-up of the goldtop body, showing the bridge, tailpiece, four gold speed knobs, two cream toggle switches, and a large white "3" decal.
27 / 28Close-up of the goldtop body, showing the bridge, tailpiece, four gold speed knobs, two cream toggle switches, and a large white "3" decal.
Close-up of the guitar's control cavity, revealing four silver pots, wiring, and two gold-colored switches against the dark wood.
28 / 28Close-up of the guitar's control cavity, revealing four silver pots, wiring, and two gold-colored switches against the dark wood.

Gibson

1972 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Pete Townshend 'No.3' Goldtop Aged w/OHSC

$11,995.00

Available

  • Year1972
  • ConditionVery Good
  • StoreSherman Oaks
  • CaseOHSC
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Specifications

Instrument

Year
1972
Model
Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Pete Townshend 'No.3' Goldtop Aged
Condition
Very Good
Made in
United States
Store
Sherman Oaks

Measurements

Scale length (in)
24.75
Nut width (in)
1.65
Neck depth, 1st fret (in)
0.78
Neck depth, 12th fret (in)
1.01
Weight
9lbs

Construction

Body
Mahogany
Top
Maple
Neck
Mahogany
Fingerboard
Rosewood
Frets
Professional Refret With 22 Medium Jumbo Frets

Hardware & electronics

Pickups
Correct DiMarzio Super Distortion Dual Sound Humbucker In Middle Position, Two Original 70's Patent Number Mini Humbuckers In Neck And Bridge Positions
Tuners
Upgraded Grover Rotomatic Tuners

Case

Case
OHSC

Description

This Is An Original 1970's Les Paul Deluxe, Fully Customized To Exact Pete Townshend

'No.3" Specifications Including:

Complete Nitrocellulose Lacquer Refinish With Heavy Aging

Pete Townshend Wiring With Gibson USA Harness Featuring Traditional Pickup Selector Toggle Switch, Individual Coil-Splitting And Middle Pickup On/Off Toggle Switches

Chrome Nashville Tune-O-Matic Bridge And Stop Tailpiece

Gold Reflector Knobs

Made In Kalamazoo, MI

2-Piece Mahogany Body With Maple Top

3-Piece Mahogany Neck With Bound Rosewood Fingerboard And Trapezoid Inlays

'D' Shape Neck Profile

Comes As Shown With Original Hard Shell Case With "GB" Sticker

Pete Townshend’s No. 3 Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop is one of the most iconic guitars associated with Pete Townshend during the early–mid 1970s, a period when The Who were at their explosive live peak.

The instrument is a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop, finished in the classic metallic gold top with a darker back, and fitted with mini-humbucking pickups—a defining feature of the Deluxe line. These pickups gave Townshend a tone that was tighter and more focused than a standard Les Paul, yet still thick enough to drive his towering stage rigs, often paired with Hiwatt amplifiers.

“No. 3” refers to Townshend’s own numbering system, as he kept multiple nearly identical Les Paul Deluxes on hand during tours—partly due to the physical intensity of his performances, which often resulted in damaged instruments. Despite this, No. 3 became one of his most recognizable guitars, used extensively in live shows and helping shape the aggressive, percussive rhythm sound he’s known for.

Sonically, the guitar delivered punchy mids, controlled low end, and crisp attack, complementing Townshend’s windmill strumming style and chord-heavy playing. Visually understated but sonically formidable, No. 3 stands as a symbol of his shift away from smashed SGs toward a more refined—but still powerful—stage setup.

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