Experience a "divine connection" that's all your own

The 1959 Gibson Les Paul™ Standard is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the electric guitar universe. Yet among aficionados, there's one particular '59 which is known to breathe even more rarefied air and sing with a sweetness that surpasses all others. Owned, loved, and rocked hard by the Reverend Billy F Gibbons from the incomparable ZZ Top, that guitar goes by the name of "Pearly Gates," and Gibbons describes his relationship with it as "a divine connection."

Now, Gibson Custom is giving collectors and fans the chance to take a step closer to tone heaven with a strictly limited Gibson Custom Billy Gibbons "Pearly Gates" 1959 Les Paul Standard Collector's Edition hand-signed guitar and event package, which includes an invitation to attend an exclusive evening with Billy Gibbons at the Gibson Garage Nashville.

The evening will be the ultimate fan experience and include a private Q&A with Billy Gibbons, an intimate live performance, a personal meet-and-greet and individual photo opportunity, and more. Access to the Billy Gibbons Pearly Gates Experience is reserved exclusively for the 30 purchasers of the Collector's Edition guitar plus one guest per person. Call the Gibson Garage Nashville on (615) 933-6000 now to reserve your place.

The remarkable new Gibson Custom Billy Gibbons "Pearly Gates" 1959 Les Paul Standard Collector's Edition guitar is based on in-depth examination, cutting-edge 3D scans, and precise measurements of the priceless vintage original, artfully aged to match the current condition of Pearly Gates by the Murphy Lab. Complete with painstaking replicas of the original P.A.F. humbuckers™-so named by guitarists for the Patent Applied For stickers on their undersides-it isn't just a recreation of Pearly Gates; it's a virtual clone.

How Pearly Gates got its name

In 1968, a young Billy Gibbons and a few friends owned a 1939 Packard and loaned it to an aspiring actress friend who needed a car to drive from Texas to Hollywood for a movie audition. They didn't think the car would make it out of Texas, but she made it all the way to Hollywood and got the part. Figuring the car must have divine connections, they named it Pearly Gates.

When asked what they wanted her to do with the car, they told the aspiring actress to sell it. She wired the money back to Texas, and with Billy's $250 share of the proceeds, he purchased a near-mint 1959 Les Paul Standard from a Houston-area rancher. Again, divine providence seemed to be at work, and the car's nickname was transferred to the guitar. Hit the play button on the video above to hear the Pearly Gates origin story from Billy Gibbons himself.

Read more about the Gibson Custom Billy Gibbons "Pearly Gates" 1959 Les Paul Standard Collector's Edition guitar and event package, and call the Gibson Garage Nashville on (615) 933-6000 to reserve yours now.