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Gibson Les Paul
Standard ®
The
real deal...
Guitar legend Les Paul and Gibson teamed up in 1952
to produce the guitar that set the standard for
solidbody electrics. In the 2000's Gibson and Les
Paul still enjoy the most successful endorsement
agreement in the history of the guitar, and the
Les Paul Standard is still the Industry Standard.
Body |
Carved
maple top, Mahogany back |
Neck/Profile |
Mahogany/Rounded |
Fingerboard/Inlay |
Rosewood
22 frets/Pearl trapezoid |
Scale/Nut
Width |
24-3/4"
/ 1-11/16 |
Binding |
Single-ply
top and fingerboard |
Bridge/Tailpiece |
Tune-o-matic/Stop
bar |
Hardware |
Chrome
or Gold |
Pickups |
490R
Alnico magnet humbucker 498T Alnico magnet humbucker |
Controls |
Two
volume, two tone, three-way switch |
1958 was the sixth year of the Gibson
Les Paul model. Whether through cosmic forces, rational
thought or just dumb luck, Gibson hit the proverbial
nail on the head. Within a few months, the 1959
Les Paul Standard, the same as the 1958 model guitar
but with jumbo frets, quietly became a legend.
At first, the Les Paul Standard
was just another solidbody guitar in a sea of emerging
instruments. In the late 1960s and '70s, popular
guitar heroes Jimmy Page, Mike Bloomfield and Duane
Allman sought the original late '50s Les Pauls for
their tone and feel. Soon those models became an
overnight success in a little less than 20 years.
Today, the original 1959 Les Paul
Standard has become the most sought after model
of solidbody guitar in the world, with vintage prices
soaring well into six-figures.
Les
Paul Standard - Vintage Specs
Available: 1952 to present
Collectibility Rating: 1952-1953: C, 1954-1955:
B, 1955-1957: B+, 1957-1960: A+, 1961-1963: D+,
1968: C+, 1971: C-.
The
Les Paul model by which all others are measured.
Considered THE best model of the Les Paul. The 1952
and early 1953 goldtop models are fairly useless
(as a player) because of a shallow neckset, and
a badly designed tailpiece (they have some collector
appeal though, but not much). By early 1953, the
"wrap around" tailpiece/bridge combo rectified the
playability problem, and these models are quite
nice. In mid-1955, when the tuneatic bridge and
stop tailpiece was added, the model was really becoming
a big winner. In mid-1957, the addition of Gibson's
new humbucking pickups made the Les Paul Standard
what it is today (one of the most popular electric
guitars of all time). The mid-1958 to 1960 "sunburst"
Les Paul Standards are consider one of the best
(and most attractive) electric guitars ever produced
(even though they are identical to the mid-1957
model, except for the finish).
- 1952
Les Paul Model introduction specs:
- Carved
maple top, single cutaway, mahogany back and neck,
2 soapbar P-90 pickups with cream covers, trapeze
tailpiece/bridge combo with the string looping under
the bridge, single bound top and fingerboard, trapezoid
fingerboard inlays, pearl logo, "Les Paul Model"
silkscreened on peghead in gold, no serial number,
nickel plated parts, Goldtop finish, brown back
and neck finish (some all gold examples). Very early
models had no neck binding, and the two pickup mounting
screws were positioned diagonially on the pickup's
corners.
1953
Les Paul Model specs:
- serial
number on back of peghead, stud tailpiece/bridge
with strings looping over bridge.
mid
1955 Les Paul Model specs:
- Tune-o-matic
bridge added, stud tailpiece moved back to anchor
strings (stop tailpiece).
- mid
1957 Les Paul Model specs:
- Humbucking
pickups replace P-90 pickups.
- 1958
Les Paul Model specs:
- Sunburst
finish replaces Goldtop finish.
- 1960
Les Paul Standard specs:
- Peghead
model name changes to "Les Paul Standard" in gold
instead of "Les Paul Model".
- 1961
Les Paul SG Standard specs:
- Complete
body style change to symmetrical pointed double
cutaways, thin mahogany body with beveled edges,
cherry red finish (refered to as the "SG" body style).
Still says "Les Paul" on the peghead and/or truss
rod cover, but is often called a "SG Standard" because
of the SG body shape.
- Les
Paul Standard discontinued 1963 in name only (now
called SG Standard).
1968
Les Paul Standard Re-introduction specs:
- 1st
reissue of the 1956 style Les Paul Standard with
single cutaway mahogany body with a maple top, goldtop
finish, tuneamatic bridge, small (1950's style)
peghead, P-90 pickups. Note the binding in the cutaway
is thicker than it's 1950's counterpart. Also the
serial number is stamped into the wood at the back
of the peghead, all metal parts are chrome (not
nickel), and the gold knobs have metal inserts in
the tops with "volume" and "tone" printed on them.
Other than that, 1968 goldtops look and are constructed
just like 1956 LP goldtops.
- early
1969 Les Paul Standard specs:
- peghead
get wider and uglier.
- mid
1969 Les Paul Standard specs:
- Renamed
Les Paul Deluxe.
1971
Les Paul Standard specs:
- reissue
of the 1954 Les Paul Standard with 2 P-90 pickups
with "gibson" on the covers, stud wrap around tailpiece,
1-piece neck with no volute, gold top finish. Discontinued
in 1973.
1976
Les Paul Standard specs:
- Four
piece pancake body (maple top, thicker mahogany
layer, thin maple layer, thicker mahogany layer),
2 standard humbuckers pickups, 3 piece maple top,
tuneomatic bridge, "Standard" on truss rod cover,
cherry sunburst, wine red, natural or tobacco sunburst
top finish.
1978
Les Paul Standard specs:
- 2
piece body with maple top, also available with goldtop
finish.
Les
Paul Standard still in production today in several
different variations.
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