Gibson guitar making wood pool wood. Les Paul electric guitars

Legendary guitars Les Paul originate from the 1950s. The original model had a one-piece body and was developed by Gibson with the participation of the famous guitarist and innovator - Les Paul. In his honor, the model got its name. guitars Gibson Les Paul had a huge impact on music, especially rock music - many even consider them one of the symbols of this style of music. To this day, this model is one of the most popular electric guitar models.

Les Paul

During all this time Les Paul produced in various configurations by companies Gibson And Epiphone, as well as other brands that either make their replicas or simply use the "Les-Polovskaya" form when creating their instruments.

The sound of these guitars has become signature for Slash, Zakk Wylde and many other great guitarists.

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Zakk Wylde

In our showrooms and online store, which delivers to all regions of Russia, you can buy new tools in a variety of configurations: from economical models Studio, to expensive custom shop tools. We also have guitars from many other brands that make instruments of this shape, or simply replicas of Les Pauls. In addition, we have a thrift store where you can buy used guitars. Les Paul. Well, if you did not find among the variety of models presented by us the very tool that would hook you exactly - do not despair, because in our workshop you can order Les Paul, which will be made especially for you, taking into account your wishes.

1. History of the Gibson Les Paul

The Gibson Les Paul was released in 1952 in the United States of America, becoming the second solid body electric guitar in the world. Distinctive features of the new model were the body and neck made of mahogany, giving the instrument a deep bottom and a dense middle, a thick, convex maple top that adds bright highs to the sound, as well as a glued connection of the neck to the body, providing a long sustain. Since the end of 1956, PAF humbuckers, designed by engineer Seth Laver and considered today as classic Les Paul sound, were installed on the instrument.

However, at the dawn of the era guitar music The Gibson Les Paul was not very popular, so in 1961 it was replaced by the ergonomic Gibson SG as a counterpart to the inexpensive Fender Stratocaster. A similar fate befell the futuristic Explorer and Flying V models, which were an innovation of the company's president Ted McCarthy and were far ahead of their time. The resumption of Les Paul production began only in 1968, and in 1974 the Gibson factory moved from Kalamazoo (Michigan) to Nashville (Tennessee), where the production of instruments continues to this day. The semi-acoustic guitar factory is located in Memphis, Tennessee and the acoustic guitar factory in Bozeman, Montana.

The entire chronology of Gibson Les Paul production can be conditionally divided into four eras:

1) 1952-1960 (golden time for the production of authentic guitars - the creation of solid-body instruments, the invention of PAF humbuckers, the appearance of sunburst colors, the use of a tune-o-matic bridge coupled with a stop bar tailpiece, reducing the neck thickness "58-"59-"60 s deep gluing into the body, the use of light Honduran mahogany and Brazilian rosewood);

2) 1968-1982 (resumption of production of guitars - experiments with gluing the neck and body from several pieces, using maple as the material of the neck and fretboard, reducing the depth of pasting the neck into the body, using a volute on the neck of the neck, opening a second factory in Nashville, which laid the beginning of competition with the Kalamazoo factory and the release of custom and innovative instruments The Les Paul, Artisan, 25/50 Anniversary, Artist, Custom Super 400, Spotlight);

3) 1983 - present (return to the production of guitars from solid pieces of mahogany, the gradual introduction of various perforations inside the body, diversification of the model range, the appearance of non-authentic Pre-Historic reissues, the closure of the plant in Kalamazoo);

4) 1993 - present (creation of the Gibson Custom, Art & Historic Division, regular release of limited editions of historical reissues, rare and anniversary versions, as well as signature models of famous guitarists).

Gibson Les Paul guitars have been played by many legendary musicians and bands over the past half century: Les Paul, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, Billy Gibbons, Ace Frehley, Randy Rhoads, Zakk Wylde, Slash, Gary Moore, Vivian Campbell, Joe Perry, Richie Sambora, Guns n' Roses and others

2. Design features of the Gibson Les Paul

Consider the design features of the iconic musical instrument. Various varieties of mahogany (Honduran, Pacific) and corina are used as the body material. Pacific mahogany is distinguished by its light weight and lower overdrive sound, which adds depth to the guitar. In general, the difference in weight may be due to the use of rare types of wood, cutting the workpiece higher up the trunk, or other drying technology. Korina, in turn, has a pronounced middle and excellent resonance, providing the instrument with a density of accompaniment. The design of the body can be solid, perforated (with holes or samples of various geometries) or hollow.

The bulge top has a variable thickness of 6 - 18 mm and is made from maple with an artistic grain pattern. It is extremely rare that Hawaiian koa is used as the material, which gives the guitar the richest overtones and the best readability when playing solo, walnut or sequoia, which have the sharpest and sharpest sound, as well as mahogany, which provides the instrument with a very fat overdrive.

Due to the convex top and the use of the tune-o-matic bridge, the Les Paul neck is glued into the body at an angle of 4-5º, and the head is additionally tilted at an angle of 17º. As a result, the guitar's resonance improves and the attack becomes brighter, and the bridge pickup rises much higher than the neck. In addition, due to the inclination of the neck, it is more convenient for the guitarist to play while standing.

Gibson traditionally uses a thin nitrocellulose lacquer to finish guitars, allowing the wood to breathe and resonate to the maximum by eliminating the effect of shrinking wood. At the same time, the disadvantages of this coating is its low wear resistance, therefore, in order to avoid scratches, tools must be handled very carefully.

Rice. 1. "Angle of pasting the neck and tilt of the head"

In the period from 1969 to 1976, the body was a 4-layer "sandwich": the lower soundboard of mahogany - a thin layer of maple - the upper soundboard of mahogany - maple top (glued from 3 components).

Rice. 2. "The case in the form of a" sandwich "mahogany - maple - mahogany"

Around the same time, from 1969 to 1982, guitar necks were made from 3 longitudinal pieces of wood (not counting the “ears” of the headstock), and from 1970 to 1982, a volute was present on the neck of the neck. Between 1975 and 1982 maple was used for necks instead of mahogany, which is now found on signature models by Zakk Wylde and DJ Ashba. There is no fundamental difference in sound between maple and mahogany necks, except for a slightly sharper attack and readability and slightly less juicy overtones. The only exception is the 5-piece construction of maple-walnut or maple-ebony gluing, which was used for a limited time from 1978 to 1982 and provides the instrument with a voluminous bottom and a dense middle. Maple was an optional fingerboard material from 1975 to 1981.

Between 1952 and 1960, Les Paul necks featured a deep set-in body. After the resumption of production of the model in the interval from 1969 to 1975, the neck insert had an average depth, then became short. Currently, the Standard version, and then the Studio, again received a deep neck inset. In addition, Historic Reissue and Collector’s Choise reissues, which are made from lightweight mahogany, as well as a number of expensive and personalized versions (Elegant, Ultima, Carved Flame, Black Widow, Alex Lifeson, Zakk Wylde, etc.) have a deep inset.

Rice. 3. "Neck Bonding Depth"

Rice. 4. "Long and short neck"

Rice. 5. "Short and deep neck insertion"

Les Paul necks can be divided into medium '60, thick '59, and very thick '58 necks. Also, in the circle of collectors, the profile "57" is distinguished, to which all instruments of 1952-1957 are conditionally referred. If we compare the thickness of the neck at the 1st fret with other manufacturers, we can draw the following gradation: Gibson - 23/22/20 mm (" 58 / '59 / "60), Jackson - 20/18 mm (RR1 / RR3), Ibanez - 18/17 mm (USRG / SuperWizard). Based on statistics, approximately 60% of guitars have a "59 profile, 30% -" 58 (most versions of Custom) and only 10% - "60 (versions of Classic, 1960 Reissue, the latest Standard, etc.).

Rice. 6. "60, 59, 58 neck profiles"

Starting with the 2008 model year, the Standard version introduced an asymmetric profile geometry, where the rounding in the area of ​​thin strings has a smaller radius, providing comfort when placing the thumb. All Gibson necks are equipped with a compression (one-sided) truss rod for a ring wrench.

Rice. 7. "Symmetrical and asymmetrical neck profile"

Fretboards include classic African rosewood, Indian and Brazilian rosewood, granadillo, ebony, richlight and maple. African Rosewood is characterized by a fat sound with damped high frequencies. Indian rosewood has a sharp attack and high readability, while Brazilian rosewood has an additional pronounced upper middle and richer overtones. Granadillo is generally identical to the Indian rosewood. Ebony has a fat compressed sound and at the same time provides the instrument with a bright attack and excellent readability. Richlight is a pressed paper impregnated with phenolic resins, which has the sharpest and sharpest sound and surpasses ebony in this respect. Maple gives the guitar the fastest and most collected attack, coupled with excellent readability of whole chords and individual notes, but slightly less overtone richness.

The radius of fingerboards on most guitars produced is 12", which adds to the convenience of playing chords in the starting positions. The ends of the frets roll under the fretboard binding, being calling card Gibson.

An important design feature of the guitar is that it has a shortened scale of 24.75” (629mm). As a result, the strings are less taut in the same tuning than on standard 25.5” (648mm) scale instruments, resulting in a less harsh attack but more sustain. Therefore, Les Pauls require thicker string sets.

In addition, when the scale is shortened, the distance between the frets decreases, making it easier to play. complex figures with a big stretch of the fingers (in the spirit of Randy Rhoads). In particular, the distance between the nut and the 22nd fret on a 25.5" scale guitar is 463mm, and on a 24.75" scale guitar it is 447mm. Those. Les Paul necks are shorter by about 1.5 cm.

The stop bar holder fixes the strings and transmits their vibration to the body, and the tune-o-matic bridge allows you to set the height of the strings above the neck and adjust the scale. On vintage guitars, the tune-o-matic studs are screwed directly into the wood, while on modern instruments they are screwed into bushings. All Les Pauls are shipped from the factory with a slightly screwed tailpiece. After the stop bar is fully pushed into the body, the strings are pressed against the nut and the resonance of the guitar is improved. When doing braces, a 9-42 set feels identical to a 10-46.

Rice. 8. "Correct stop bar position"

PAF pickups were originally equipped with cupronickel caps to reduce hum. On modern Les Paul models, they are more of a tribute to history. In this case, the covers can be unsoldered and replaced with others, however, it is important to correctly determine the center distance of the adjustable magnetic conductors on the southern coil. For example, in 57" Classic and 490R probes it is 9.5 mm (49.2 mm covers are suitable: PRPC-010 - chrome, PRPC-020 - gold, PRPC-030 - nickel), and in 498T probes - 10, 3 mm (requires 52.4 mm caps: PRPC-015 - chrome, PRPC-025 - gold, PRPC-035 - nickel) It is not recommended to buy non-original pickup accessories, as they can reduce the useful signal.

Rice. 9. "Gibson 57" Classic pickup with cover removed"

Potentiometers on Gibson Les Pauls are often set to different values. Volume controls can have a resistance of 300 kOhm, and tone - 500 kOhm. After changing the Volume pots to 500K, the guitar sound becomes brighter due to less high cut. An additional advantage is the installation of push-pull regulators to cut off the coils in single mode. Keep in mind that as a result of the variable thickness of the maple top, the new potentiometers will only fit into the bottom holes of the deck.

Rice. 10. "Wiring diagram for Gibson sensors (4Conductor) with push-pull potentiometers for cutting coils to a single"

Having made a small digression, it should be said that push-pull are universal switches. They can be used both instead of volume potentiometers (the most popular), and instead of tone potentiometers, and also set separately (you will need to drill the guitar). They are suitable for switching the series / parallel coil connection in each pickup, switching in phase / out phase between two pickups, humbucker / single cutoff (at the same time, both 1 and 2 pickups can be connected to one potentiometer), as well as for choosing the cutoff coil south / north (if you put 2 switches on 1 sensor). Also, they can be used instead of a toggle switch. In general, any whim for your money!

The toggle switch in the standard switches 2 pickups according to the scheme B, B + N, N. In versions of the Les Paul with 3 pickups (Black Beauty, Artisan, Peter Frampton, Ace Frehley), the toggle switch has an additional contact, due to which switching is carried out according to the scheme B, B +M, N. However, this wiring was considered unsuccessful by most guitarists, so many acted as follows: the toggle was left for the classic switching between bridge and neck, and for the middle pickup they output their own volume and optional tone controls, as a result of which it became possible to connect it to any time regardless of the main pickups.

Rice. 11. "Toggle switch with additional contact"

For decades, Les Paul guitars have had solid bodies. However, since 1983, Gibson began to actively experiment with perforation inside the soundboard, as a result of which the instruments received a body with 9 asymmetrical holes for proper balancing and reducing the weight of the instrument.

The Elegant version, released in 1997, contained a completely empty body (the tree was preserved only in the central part for attaching the pickups and the bridge). Compared to solid-body counterparts, when playing acoustics, such an instrument sounds much brighter and louder, because thanks to the internal cavities, the wood resonates better. When overdriven, the guitars are virtually identical. But when playing solo, the difference becomes very noticeable - a solid-body guitar sounds fatter and more compressed, and a hollow one - more voluminous and airy. At the same time, it should be noted that a body with voids does not give any increase in sustain. Another distinctive feature of the Elegant version was the neck with a multi-radius fingerboard and deep gluing into the body, which was widely used until 1969, when the company changed ownership and the policy of reducing the cost of production began (Norlin period).

The Supreme version, which replaced the Elegant in 2003, contains fewer cavities. In fact, the guitar is glued together from 3 components: the upper and lower soundboards are made of maple, and the side and a specially left central section (backbone) are made of mahogany. Due to the maple body, the sound of the instrument differs significantly from the classic Les Paul sound - the guitar has completely removed the bottom, but the pick harmonics from any note (even into acoustics) sound very bright. Another distinguishing feature of the Supreme version is the absence of covers on the rear deck for access to electronics, which greatly complicates the possibility of changing the wiring diagram and replacing potentiometers. As a kind of compensation, the manufacturer left an enlarged hole on the shell under the jack plate.

Currently, the Standard version has separate samples within the corpus that are not interconnected. However, this reduces the weight of the guitar and makes it resonate better. The Standard version also followed suit. In addition, 9 holes are made in the Classic case, similar to the Custom version. The only guitar that retained a one-piece body is the Gibson Les Paul Traditional (of course, like all Historic Reissue and Collector's Choise reissues), although for some time it also had holes. In addition to the listed 5 types of internal cavities on serial instruments (incl. two versions of Standard - 2008 and 2012 model years) in the Custom Shop workshop, 2 more types of perforation are used to a limited extent - 17 holes and 17 cutouts, the description of which is contained in the corresponding section (versions Standard Custom Shop And carved flame).

Rice. 12. "Internal cavities of Les Paul versions"

Rice. 13. Gibson Les Paul Standard (2008-2011) and Custom/Classic Enclosures

Rice. 14. "X-Rays of Custom/Classic, Florentine/Elegant/Ultima/Black Widow and Supreme Cases"

3. Gibson Les Paul Lineup

To date, the Les Paul lineup is represented by the following guitars: Custom, Supreme, Standard, Traditional, Classic and Studio. In addition, signature models of famous guitarists (Gary Moore, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Ace Frehley, Alex Lifeson, DJ Ashba, etc.) and Collector's Choise with deep neck insets, lightweight mahogany, etc.), as well as narrow series (Government, Peace, LPJ, LPM, etc.).

It is important to note that the Les Paul Custom version and Gibson Custom Shop guitars are not identical. The former are mass-produced instruments with an ebony fingerboard instead of rosewood, while the latter are custom-made guitars made in a special workshop in small runs. Limited run. These include all reissues of Historic Reissue and Collector's Choise, limited editions of Florentine, Carved Flame, Black Widow and others, as well as signature models of famous guitarists, which will be discussed in the next section.

Gibson Les Paul Custom– holed mahogany/maple body, mahogany/ebony or richlight neck, mother-of-pearl diamond headstock with 5-ply binding, mother-of-pearl rectangle markers, top guard with 7-ply binding.

Gibson Les Paul Supreme– hollow body maple/mahogany/maple, neck mahogany/ebony or richlight, headstock planet with 5-ply binding, cut pearl rectangle markers (similar to 25/50 Anniversary and Custom Super 400 versions), 7-ply top binding, enlarged body and jack plate, lack of covers on the back deck.

Gibson Les Paul standard– body with voids (up to model year 2008 - with 9 asymmetrical holes, up to model year 2012 - hollow) - mahogany / maple, neck - mahogany / rosewood, thin neck profile, cut-off humbuckers. The Standard Premium and Standard Premium Plus specifications have a nicer maple top.

Gibson Les Paul Traditional- one-piece body (a little earlier - with holes) - mahogany / maple, neck - mahogany / rosewood, cut-off humbuckers, protective panel on the top deck.

Gibson Les Paul Classic– holed mahogany/maple body, mahogany/rosewood neck, lightweight wood, slim neck profile, exposed pickups, aged markers, top deck guard.

Gibson Les Paul Studio- body with voids - mahogany / maple, neck - mahogany / rosewood (less often granadillo or ebony), body and neck without edging. Older versions have a body with 9 asymmetrical holes, a guard on the top, the thickest neck in the line with dotted markers. The Studio Standard specification has body and neck bindings, Studio Custom has gold hardware, and Studio Pro Plus has a wavy maple pattern.

Rice. 15. "Gibson Les Paul lineup: Custom, Supreme, Standard, Traditional, Classic and Studio"

There are dozens of color combinations and shades that Gibson Les Pauls are painted in. The most popular of them are Cherry Sunburst, Honey Burst, Desert Burst, Tobacco Burst, Lemon Burst, Ice Tea, Ebony, Wine Red, Alpine White, Gold Top, etc.

Today, every guitarist has the opportunity to touch the instrument, which has become a symbol of rock music. However, inexperienced musicians should beware of Asian copies, many of which are sold under the guise of real guitars.

The distinguishing features of the original Gibson Les Paul from counterfeit copies are mainly in the neck technology. Real Les Pauls come with a 2-screw bell anchor cover, while many fake Les Pauls have a 3-screw bell. Original Les Pauls have the fret ends rolled up under the neck binding (binding), while most fakes have the nut on top of the fretboard (except when they have been changed). The Les Paul neck is glued at an angle to the body, and the head is tilted relative to the neck and is one with it. At the same time, the neck of the neck either does not have a stepped transition, or there is a volute on it (1970-1974 - mahogany, 1975-1982 - maple).

Rice. 16. "Trust cap and neck binding"

Rice. 17. "The neck of the neck is classic and with a volute"

Of course, the sound of seasoned species of expensive mahogany and ebony cannot be compared with Chinese, Korean and other imitations. Some "experts" arrange on the Internet comparative tests of American and Asian guitars, plugging them through cheap cords into digital processors connected to a home stereo system. Naturally, any instrument in such conditions will sound approximately the same. However, it is worth connecting a real guitar through the price of several thousand rubles per meter (Analysis Plus, Evidence Audio, Lava Cable, Monster, Van Den Hul, Vovox, Zaolla Silverline) to (Diezel VH4 / Herbert / Hagen, Custom Audio Amplifiers OD-100, Marshall JVM410H Mod, Earforce Two, Fortress Odin, etc.) at a concert volume (120-130 dB), how the difference in sound will become obvious even to a person uninitiated in musical matters. In other words, hobbyist equipment simply cannot unlock the potential of Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop level instruments.

4. Review Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop

1 Gibson Les Paul Custom

Gibson Les Paul Custom (1969)

The first version of the Les Paul Custom was released in 1954. Distinctive features of the instrument were an ebony fretboard, the absence of a maple top, instead of which a convex mahogany was made, and gold fittings. Due to the black coloring, the guitar received the advertising name Black Beauty. Starting in 1957, PAF humbuckers were installed on the instrument.

Gibson Les Paul Custom (1971)

Since the model was relaunched in 1968, it had a maple top, but the neck insertion became medium (1969) and then short (1976). In the period from 1969 to 1982, guitar necks were glued from 3 longitudinal pieces of wood, while from 1975 to 1982 maple was used instead of mahogany, which was also offered as an option for fretboards in 1975-1981.

Gibson Les Paul Custom (1972)

At the same time, in the interval from 1969 to 1976, the body was a "sandwich" of 4 transverse pieces of mahogany-maple-mahogany-maple top (glued together from 3 components). Since 1983, the deck has been perforated in the form of 9 asymmetrical holes to ease the load and properly balance when playing while standing. The weight of Custom is 4 to 5 kg.

Gibson Les Paul Custom 20th Anniversary (1974)

In 1974, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the release of the Custom version, a series of Les Paul Custom 20th Anniversary guitars was announced, with a name marker on the 15th fret. In terms of design and sound, the instrument does not differ from its contemporaries, having a body in the form of a “sandwich” and a mahogany neck glued together from 3 pieces. However, starting next year, the neck material of all Les Pauls was changed to maple, so the 20th Anniversary represents a kind of boundary between two eras. Due to the collector's value, the cost of the guitar in the secondary market today reaches $5,000-10,000.

Gibson Les Paul Custom (1979)

Black, white and cherry red remained the traditional paint colors for Custom versions until the early 1990s, when the Plus and Premium Plus specifications appeared in various sunburst colors. Today in the secondary market you can find vintage Custom with a transparent top, which indicates that they were repainted by the previous owner. The maple pattern on such instruments, as a rule, is very inexpressive or completely absent.

Gibson Les Paul Custom (1980)

The sound of the Gibson Les Paul Custom is considered the standard among solo guitars - a fat compressed tone, rich overtones and a long sustain, coupled with a high readability of notes, make this instrument inaccessible to most existing models. At the same time, as a rhythm guitar, the Custom does not have any outstanding performance regardless of the material of the neck and body (except for the Black Beauty reissue). All produced instruments are equipped with a classic pair of pickups - 498T in the bridge and 490R in the neck.

Gibson Les Paul Custom (1997)

During the heyday of hard rock in the 70s and 80s of the last century, Gibson Les Paul Custom guitars were used as the main concert instrument by such famous guitarists as Ace Frehley, Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde.

Gibson Les Paul Custom (2006)

It is interesting to note that the production of the production version of the Custom was transferred to the Custom Shop workshop only in 2004, more than 10 years after its creation. Gibson currently produces four Custom reissues, the 1954 Reissue, 1957 Reissue, 1968 Reissue, and 1974 Reissue, with the design differences described above.

2 Gibson Les Paul Recording

Gibson Les Paul Recordings (1971-72)

The experimental Gibson Les Paul Recording was produced in small series between 1971 and 1979. Within 9 years, a little over 5,000 instruments were made. The starting price was $625. The predecessors of the guitar were the Personal and Professional versions that appeared in the late 60s. As conceived by Les Paul himself, unusual Recording was supposed to sound like Fender, Rickenbacker, Gretsch, and of course Gibson popular in the 50s with Soap Bar pickups.

Distinctive features of the Recording were a “sandwich” body with a mahogany top, a belly cut and no electronics covers on the lower deck, a three-piece mahogany neck with deep insertion, a volute and rhombuses on the head, a rosewood fingerboard with rectangular markers and a cut off 22nd fret, a non-standard bridge , as well as installed diagonally low-resistance pickups with a multifunctional tone block, including Volume, Decade, Treble and Bass pots, along with Hi / Lo Output, In / Out Phase and Tone 1/2/3 toggle switches for quickly changing the internal switching scheme. In 1976, instead of the Hi / Lo toggle switch, two separate sockets began to be made on the shell, the tone block knobs changed their location, and the toggle switch moved to its usual place.

When played on a clean channel, the Recording boasts a transparent and crisp sound, similar to modern cut-off humbuckers, with advanced signal EQ making it possible to get very interesting combinations and realizing Les Paul's own idea of ​​\u200b\u200ba universal instrument. In overdrive, thanks to the mahogany top, the guitar has a dense and sharp sound at the same time, however, due to weak pickups by today's standards, it is not able to fully reveal the potential inherent in wood. However, the readability of the stock pickups is excellent, and the background is absent even on high-gain.

All in all, the Les Paul Recording can be seen today as a clean-sounding, crunchy instrument ideal for vintage guitar lovers. In fact, it is a classic Gibson, but with different pickups and tone block. The body is made without cavities and holes. The neck has a deep inlay. The weight is 4.5 kg.

3Gibson Les Paul Artisan

Gibson Les Paul Artisan (1977)

The Gibson Les Paul Artisan was produced by the Kalamazoo factory between 1977 and 1982. With the advent of this guitar, the era of Gibson custom instruments began long before the opening of the Custom Shop division. A year later, the limited edition 25/50 Anniversary was announced, and two years later the world saw an innovative Artist with active electronics. To date, the possession of the big three rarities Artisan - Anniversary - Artist is a significant collector's value. At the time of production, the cost of the guitar was $1040.

The instrument's distinctive features are the fretboard and headstock inlays with flower petals and hearts, along with the vintage-inspired Gibson logo. It is important to note that during the release period, the design of the guitar underwent noticeable changes. Thus, the originally installed stop bar was replaced by a tailpiece with micro-tuning screws, the vintage bridge was replaced by a modern tune-o-matic, versions with two pickups appeared, the “sandwich” body became solid, and the volute disappeared from the neck of the neck. The neck is traditionally made of three pieces of maple with an ebony fingerboard and has a short inlay. The body does not contain cavities and holes. The mass of the tool is 4.7-5 kg.

In terms of overdrive sound, the Artisan surpasses the serial Custom and, similarly to the Anniversary and Artist versions, has a voluminous low end, dense mids and juicy overtones with a long sustain. Connecting the center pickup in the middle position of the toggle switch adds fatness to riffs, but reduces readability.

Taken together in the late 1970s against the backdrop of internal competition from Kalamazoo and Nashville, the groundbreaking Artisan, Anniversary and Artist represent the finest instruments from the golden era of the Les Paul until the historic Historic Reissues in 1993.

4 Gibson Les Paul 25/50 Anniversary

The 25/50 Anniversary series was produced in 1978-1979 at the Kalamazoo factory with a circulation of over 3500 copies. The guitars had their own numbering and were supplied by pre-order made no later than December 31, 1978. Includes belt buckle with corporate logo series. The price of the instrument was $1200.

Gibson Les Paul 25/50 Anniversary (1979)

At the time of its release, the 25/50 version was an innovative step in guitar building and included innovations that became widespread in subsequent years - a neck glued from 5 pieces of maple-ebony or maple-walnut (not counting the “ears” of the headstock) with a fretboard made of ebony, adjustable tailpiece with micro-tuning screws, as well as an enlarged tone block with an additional toggle switch for cutting off coils for singles. Zero threshold and anchor bell were made of bronze. The body does not contain cavities and otvetstviya. The neck of the guitar has a short inlay. Weight 25/50 Anniversary is 4.5-5.1 kg.

The maple ebony neck Les Paul is one of the most powerful guitars of all produced versions of the legendary instrument. The classic Custom with mahogany and maple necks are noticeably inferior to the Anniversary in terms of accompaniment density. Thanks to the use of non-standard woods, the 25/50 version has a voluminous low end and fat mids, while retaining rich overtones and long sustain on solos. When playing with muted notes, the guitar is highly readable.

Unfortunately, Gibson did not use ebony or walnut inlays in the necks of other custom instruments (with the exception of the Les Paul Artist with active electronics that replaced the 1979-1982 Les Paul Artist in 1979-1982, the limited Custom Super 400, and Vivian Campbell's signature version in 2018 ), which makes 25/50 Anniversary very valuable not only for musicians, but also for collectors.

5 Gibson Les Paul artist

Gibson Les Paul Artist (1979)

The Gibson Les Paul Artist succeeded the 25/50 Anniversary and was produced at the Nashville factory between 1979 and 1982. Both guitars had a re-glued 5-piece maple neck with ebony stripes. Artist's design differences included a different inlay for the headstock and ebony fretboard, a belly cut on the bottom, a combination of 3 potentiometers and 3 switches, and the installation of two printed circuit boards of Moog active electronics into milled recesses in the body.

The release of the Artist version can be regarded as the answer of the Nashville factory to the innovative 25/50 Anniversary from Kalamazoo, released a year earlier, due to intra-corporate competition between the factories during their coexistence in 1974-1984. The price of the guitar was $1300.

In terms of overdrive sound, the described instruments are identical and have a voluminous bottom, dense mids and juicy overtones with a long sustain. The fully adjustable active electronics expand on traditional Les Paul performance and are innovative for their time. The body does not contain cavities and holes. The neck has a short insert. The weight of the Artist is 4.6-4.7 kg with printed circuit boards and 4.2-4.3 kg in case of dismantling the electronics.

6 Gibson Les Paul Florentine

Gibson Les Paul Custom Florentine Limited Run (1996)

The Gibson Les Paul Florentine has been produced in small batches since the founding of the Custom Shop in 1993 and is the forerunner of the Elegant, Ultima, Black Widow versions. All guitars are hollow-bodied with only the backbone remaining under the pickups and bridge. The structural differences of the Florentine are only the short neck set-in and the presence of f-cuts on the maple top in most specimens.

The Florentine and Elegant instruments are identical in sound and have good acoustic properties, as well as a more airy, but less compressed sound when playing solo. The hollow body has practically no effect on the density of the accompaniment and the magnitude of the sustain. The mass of Florentine is 3.7 kg.

7Gibson Les Paul Elegant

Gibson Les Paul Elegant (2004)

After expanding the Custom Shop in 1997, Gibson released an innovative version of the Elegant, which lasted until 2004. The instrument has a hollow body, a deep set neck, a multi-radius ebony fingerboard with natural mother-of-pearl markers and a thicker top binding, which is a rarity for Gibson. Between 1997 and 1999, a circular Custom Shop logo was emblazoned on the headstock above the truss bell. Weight Elegant is 3.7 kg.

8 Gibson Les Paul Ultima

Gibson Les Paul Ultima (2003)

In 1997, along with the Elegant version, the Custom Shop division introduced the world's most expensive mass-produced instrument in history, the Les Paul Ultima. The price of the guitar in stores was about $ 10,000. Structurally, these versions were identical and had a completely hollow body, but compared to the Elegant, the top-end Ultima contained a premium exterior finish. The fretboard inlay was offered in 4 versions - flame, tree of life, woman with harps and butterflies. The tailpiece was made in the form of a classic stop bar or a vintage bigsby. The edging of the body and the handles of the unusually shaped tuning pegs are made of natural mother-of-pearl. There is a circular Custom Shop logo on the head. The neck of the guitar has a deep inlay. The mass of Ultima is 3.7 kg.

On overdrive, Ultima outperforms similar Elegant and Florentine, having a lower and sharper readable sound at the same time. At the same time, when playing solo, the instruments are generally similar and have a voluminous, but not as compressed sound in comparison with solid-body counterparts.

Due to low demand in the mid-2000s, the release of the guitar was transferred to pre-order mode, and a few years later it was finally discontinued. In the mid-2010s, Gibson re-released a limited edition version of the Ultima with a one-piece body, deep-set neck and classic natural colored mother-of-pearl diamond head inlays for $9,000. Currently, the previously produced Ultima are a significant collector's value, their cost in the secondary market reaches 6000-8000$.

9 Gibson Les Paul Supreme

Gibson Les Paul Supreme (2013)

The Supreme version, which appeared in 2003, does not formally belong to the Custom Shop, but is structurally very similar to the products it produces. The guitar has a hollow body divided into sections, which are glued similarly to an acoustic one - the top and bottom are made of maple, and the sides are made of mahogany. At the same time, there are no holes for replacing electronics on the back deck, which greatly complicates the possibility of upgrading through an enlarged hole under the jack plate. The neck has a short insert. The Supreme weighs 3.9 kg.

When playing riffs, the guitar is fundamentally different in sound from all Les Pauls - it has completely removed the bottom and lacks the density of the accompaniment, but there is a very bright upper middle and high frequencies that cut the ear. When playing solo, the difference is insignificant and consists in less juicy overtones and easily extractable picking harmonics. The instrument's sustain is comparable to other custom Les Paul versions.

Gibson Les Paul Supreme Limited Run (2007)

In 2007, the Les Paul Supreme was released in a limited edition of 400 pieces, featuring a larger volume of mahogany inside the body and a fretboard without mother-of-pearl markers. In terms of sound, the guitar is similar to the classical model, differing in slightly less accompaniment density, but with a pronounced upper middle, as well as a sharper and sharper attack. The Supreme Limited Run weighed 4.4 kg.

10 Gibson Les Paul Carved Flame

Gibson Les Paul Carved Flame Chameleon Limited Run (2003)

In 2003-2005, the Custom Shop branch released an innovative version of the Carved Flame in a limited edition. The maple top of the guitar has a milling in the form of flames, painted in chameleon colors. The case contains a unique perforation, including 17 rectangular cutouts of various sizes. The neck has a deep inlay. The weight of the Carved Flame is 3.8 kg.

Gibson Les Paul Carved Flame Natural Limited Run (2003)

Sound-wise, the Carved Flame is one of the best custom Les Pauls out there. Due to the presence of cavities, the guitar sounds bright and loud in acoustics. When played on overdrive, the instrument features a deep low end, fat and juicy overtones, a very fast and collected attack, coupled with a high readability of chords and individual notes. During the performance of the compositions, it seems that the guitar has pickups with ceramic magnets, and the fretboard is most likely made of granadillo.

In terms of the combination of characteristics, the Carved Flame surpasses most of the Custom Shop versions produced. Unfortunately, Gibson did not use this perforation on other custom guitars (apart from some Class 5s), which makes this instrument very valuable not only for musicians, but also for collectors.

11 Gibson Les Paul Black Widow

Gibson Les Paul Black Widow 1957 Chambered Reissue Limited Run (2009)

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Custom Shop released the Widow Limited Run, which included the Black Widow, Blue Widow, Green Widow, Red Widow, Purple Widow, and Orange Widow collectible guitars. Structurally, Black Widow is similar to the Elegant version, but in terms of sound it is radically different from its prototype due to the use of lightweight mahogany. The neck has a deep inlay. The Black Widow weighs 3.4 kg.

Black Widow instruments were released in 2009 in a limited edition of 25 pieces and have their own serial numbers with a linear series abbreviation, as well as the brand name of the series in the form of a spider. In November 2015, during a visit to Moscow, the legendary Slash became the owner of one of the 25 exclusive guitars with serial number BW 009.

As a result of the use of lightweight wood, coupled with internal cavities, the Black Widow 1957 Reissue version turned out to be one of the lightest in the entire Les Paul line. When playing riffs, the instrument has a very low and tight overdrive, comparable to other reissues. At the same time, the guitar sound is dry on the solo, as if there are no internal cavities at all, and the reverb was completely removed on the amplifier. In general, Black Widow can be described as the exact opposite of the Supreme version.

12 Gibson Les Paul Korina

Gibson Les Paul Standard Korina Limited Run (2001)

In 1958, Gibson introduced three innovative corina models to the world - the Les Paul, the Explorer, and the Flying V. Compared to mahogany guitars, Gibson's main wood, the corina (white limb) body and neck give the instrument more midrange. In turn, the use of Indian or Brazilian rosewood provides the guitar with a sharp attack and high readability. This makes the Korina sound more aggressive than standard Les Pauls, but it doesn't always have the deep bottom end of the R9 and R0 reissues. On a solo, a little volume and airiness are added to the notes. At the same time, authentic pickups do not allow the instrument to reach its full potential when playing overdriven. On the collectible 1958 Reissue Korina, the neck has a deep inset. The body is made without cavities and holes. The mass of Korina is 3.8-4.2 kg.

Gibson Les Paul Standard Korina 1958 Reissue 40th Anniversary (1998)

The 1958 Reissue shown was produced in 1998 by the Custom Shop to original 1950s specifications. A decade later, Gibson again announced a series of reissues of Korina in honor of the semi-centennial anniversary of the legendary guitars. The price of the instrument in the secondary market reaches $10,000-15,000.

Unfortunately, despite the improved frequency characteristics and excellent resonance of wood, coupled with a small mass, korina is not widely used in guitar building due to its high cost caused by the exceptional growth of the rock in the tropics of West Africa, a small number of workpieces suitable for production and complex drying technology. As a result, the corina, positioned as a "super mahogany", remains for the most part the lot of premium guitars in the Custom Shop class.

13 Gibson Les Paul Koa

Gibson Les Paul Custom Koa Limited Run (2009)

As a result of replacing the maple top with a Hawaiian koa when playing solo, the guitar gained fantastic readability on the bridge pickup, coupled with very rich overtones and almost endless sustain on the neck. At the same time, when playing riffs, the instrument does not differ from traditional specimens. The neck has a short insert. The case contains perforation in the form of 9 asymmetrical holes. The mass of Koa is 4.1-4.4 kg.

The presented guitar was released in 2009 in a limited edition in the Custom Shop. Many subsequent reissues of Koa were made with internal cavities and do not have such a fat compressed sound. The price of the tool in the secondary market reaches $5,000-10,000.

Unfortunately, similar to the situation with white korina, the use of koa in guitar building is limited by its high cost associated with the growth of wood in the Hawaiian archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. Closest in sound to koa are Brazilian rosewood, cocobolo, granadillo and wenge, used on expensive Custom Shop class instruments.

14 Gibson Les Paul Classic Custom Shop

Gibson Les Paul Classic Custom Shop (1995)

From 1995-1997, the Custom Shop produced a limited edition Classic version with a mahogany top and Indian rosewood fretboard. In terms of sound, the guitar is as close as possible to the R9 and R0 reissues, having wall-beat lows, dense mids, very sharp highs, coupled with high readability, juicy overtones and almost endless sustain. The neck inlay is made of mother-of-pearl with a greenish tinge. There are no protective covers on the pickups. The hardware is represented by vintage tuning pegs and an inverted bridge with studs without bushings. The body contains 9 asymmetrical holes. The neck has a short insert. The weight of the Classic Custom Shop is 3.7-3.9 kg.

15 Gibson Les Paul Standard Custom Shop

Gibson Les Paul Standard Custom Shop (2011)

In 2011, the Custom Shop branch released the classic Standard version, painted in an unusual gray color with blue flames. Distinctive features of the instrument were the absence of protective covers on the pickups, coupled with chrome frames, cutoff of the neck pickup in series / parallel connection of coils, as well as the use of a lighter solid piece of mahogany as the body material (similar to the R8 reissue). The sound of the guitar is practically no different from the classic Standard. The body does not contain cavities and holes. The neck has a deep inlay. The Standard Custom Shop weighs 4.2 kg.

Gibson Les Paul Standard Limited Run (2002)

In 2002, the Custom Shop department released an unusual emerald-colored Standard with colored mother-of-pearl inlays with black trim. The neck has a deep set and "60" profile, the tuners, bridge and pots are made in vintage style, and the body contains a unique perforation in the form of 17 holes. The Standard Limited Run weighs 4 kg.

The sound of the guitar on overdrive is close to the R7-R8 reissues and is characterized by a fat middle, coupled with rich overtones, however, it does not have such a wall-beat low as in the R9-R0 versions.

16 Gibson Les Paul Standard 1960 Reissue

Gibson Les Paul Standard 1960 Reissue VOS 50th Anniversary (2010)

The 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard reissue differs from the 1959 reissue described below in neck thickness and body weight. Otherwise, the instruments are identical and, in comparison with modern versions, are characterized by a narrower headstock with vintage tuners and a logo, an inverted tune-o-matic bridge on support studs, the use of lightweight mahogany coupled with Indian rosewood, R0 inscription in the tone block, etc. The Historic differs from the Standard Historic in the use of the lightest woods, the installation of transparent potentiometer knobs, a slightly raised truss bell and a golden Gibson logo. When overdriven, the 1960 Reissue has a very low and tight sound comparable to the 1959 Reissue. The body does not contain cavities and holes. The neck has a deep inlay. The mass R0 is 3.6-3.7 kg.

Beginning in 2004, Gibson released a series of chambered reissues with chambered reissues, which have a larger but less compressed sound and are the lightest guitars in Les Paul history. The mass of CR0 is only 3.2-3.3 kg.

In 2010, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Les Paul Standard, the Custom Shop division announced the 1960 Reissue 50th Anniversary limited edition, which includes Version 1, Version 2 and Version 3 in a total edition of 500 pieces, each of which received a gold certificate of authenticity. Subsequently, Gibson issued an additional edition of the commemorative guitars with a standard certificate without separating the versions. The main difference between the instruments was the thickness of the neck: Version 1 had a "59 neck (early 1960), Version 2- "60 neck (mid-1960), and Version 3- thinner "60" neck with 20 mm at the 1st fret and 22 mm at the 12th fret (late 1960). For visual differentiation Version 1 painted in Heritage Cherry Sunburst and Heritage Dark Burst colors, Version 2- Light Iced Tea Burst and Sunset Tea Burst, and Version 3 - Cherry Burst with chrome potentiometer knobs.

It is interesting to note that the production version of the Classic 1960, unlike the limited 1960 Reissue, has a neck with a short insert at an angle of 5º, a body with 9 asymmetrical holes and a weight of 3.8-3.9 kg.

17 Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 Reissue

Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 Reissue Yamano (2005)

The Reissue Series is a reissue of the classic 1958-1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard to authentic factory specifications. During three years During the "golden era" of the Les Paul, only 1,700 guitars were produced, of which 635 were in 1959. Currently, these instruments are the most expensive guitars in history and can often cost more than $1 million with a selling price of $300. This is the Les Paul used by Gary Moore on the Still Got The Blues and Blues Alive albums, which is owned by Kirk Hammet today.

Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 Reissue VOS (2016)

Les Paul Reissues have been released regularly since 1983 to this day (small-scale production began back in the 1970s). However, for the first 10 years, the guitars were made of standard mahogany and had a short neck set (Pre-Historic period). The authentic R9s, which began production after the Custom Shop opened in 1993, differ from the regular Standards in the use of lightweight mahogany, which makes them sound far below the newer instruments. The difference in mass may be due to the use of rare varieties of mahogany, a cut of the workpiece higher up the trunk, or another technology for drying wood. At the same time, Indian rosewood is used as a fingerboard, which gives the instrument a sharper sound and better readability.

Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 Reissue CS VOS (2015)

Over the years, Reissue has been equipped with "57 Classic, Burst Bucker or Custom Bucker pickups, which are a tribute to history and do not allow the guitar to fully reveal its potential when playing on overdrive. Authentic necks are slightly inferior in width and thickness to modern specimens and have vintage tuners with short stems and plastic handles, the Les Paul inscription and anchor bell are shifted upwards, the tune-o-matic bridge with a narrow bed is mounted in wood on studs without bushings and turned with adjusting screws towards the pickups (model ABR-1), potentiometers equipped with metal brackets, bumblebee-type capacitors are installed inside the tone block and the inscription R9 is applied.

Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 Reissue VOS M2M (2016)

Gibson currently produces the Standard Historic and True Historic specifications (the latter uses the lightest wood available). Along with regular reissues since 2006, buyers have been offered VOS (Vintage Original Specification) modifications - artificially aged guitars that give the impression of playing a vintage instrument of the 50s, as well as Aged - heavily aged specimens. In turn, M2M (Made to Measure) is a line of exclusive instruments made to the specifications of a 5-star Gibson dealer.

Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 Reissue Brazilian Rosewood #9 3434 (2003)

In 2001-2003, a limited edition R9 was released with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard, giving the guitar a sharper attack, a pronounced high-midrange and very rich overtones when played solo. The price of the instrument in the secondary market reaches $10,000-15,000.

Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 Reissue 50th Anniversary Proto #8 (2009)

23. GibsonLesPaulZakkWylde (Bullseye + Camo)

Mr. Zakk Wylde's signature Gibson Les Paul differs significantly in design and tone from classical guitars thanks to its maple neck and active EMG pickups. Examples of the instrument's sound can be heard on Ozzy Osbourne and Black Label Society albums. The body does not contain cavities and holes. The neck has a deep inlay. The mass of Zakk Wylde is 4.4-4.7 kg.

Gibson Les Paul Custom Zakk Wylde Bullseye

The guitar was produced in 2 versions: Bullseye (zebra) and Camo (khaki). Aside from the paintwork, the main difference was that the Bullseye version had an ebony fingerboard, while the Camo came off the production line with a maple fingerboard (which was offered as an option on the Custom version from 1975-1981).

Gibson Les Paul Custom Zakk Wylde Camo

The serial numbers also had a slight difference: the Bullseye had ZW serial numbers, while the Camo had ZPW serial numbers. The first 25 Bullseye guitars are especially valuable for collectors and are called ZW Aged. The letter A was added to the serial number of the instruments - Aged (aged), so the Bullseye serials looked like ZWA. The Camo series also has its own peculiarity - the first 25 instruments were called Pilot run and were the prototype of the original Camo. The guitars have been artificially aged - this is what Mr. Wilde's original instrument looks like.

Since the guitar is very popular and costs more than $3,000 even on the secondary market, various Chinese imitations have appeared over time. Here are a few essential factors that will help you distinguish the original from the fake:

1. Serial numbers of fakes are significantly different from the originals.

2. Authentic 3-piece neck design, deep bonded body, frets rolled to the binding.

The fake is made from a single piece of maple with a glued headstock, a short inset into the body, a binding without banding.

3. On original instruments, EMG pickups have a logo with a sticker on the back and black metal wiring. On Chinese imitations, the sensors are unmarked and with multi-colored wires.

4. The original tool has an anchor rod for the "mother" spanner. Chinese replicas have a plug-in anchor key "dad".

5. On original instruments, the triangular inlays below the Gibson logo on the headstock are even and symmetrical. In Chinese replicas, they are absolutely clumsy, of unequal sizes with different angles of inclination.

24. Gibson Les Paul Slash (Rosso Corsa + Vermillion)

The signature Gibson Les Pauls of the famous guitarist Slash were produced in more than ten modifications (Custom Shop, Snakepit, several Standard, Goldtop, several Appetite for Destruction, Rosso Corsa, Vermillion, several Anaconda) from 1990 to 2017 with an edition of 4 to 1600 pieces . All instruments were based on the classic Gibson Les Paul Standard.

Gibson Les Paul Slash Rosso Corsa (2013)

In 2013, Rosso Corsa and Vermillion signature versions were released almost simultaneously, with a circulation of 1200 pieces each. Both guitars feature a thin ‘60 neck with a short tenon, rosewood fretboard, 9-hole perforated body and Seymour Duncan APH-2 Slash Alnico II Pro pickups, which are similar to the Duncan Custom ceramic model with Alnico magnets. The main difference between the instruments, apart from the shade of the maple top, is their weight - the Rosso Corsa weighs 4.8 kg, while the Vermillion weighs 4.1 kg. The difference in weight may be due to the use of different varieties of mahogany (African and Honduran), changing the density of mahogany (cutting the workpiece above or below the trunk relative to the root, growing in different climatic conditions) or drying technology (natural and industrial).

Gibson Les Paul Slash Vermillion (2013)

In terms of sound, both guitars are improved versions of the Standard. The signature Slash pickups have a balanced frequency response, including bright highs, sharp mids and acceptable lows, coupled with excellent overdrive readability. However, Rosso Corsa sounds significantly lower than the lighter Vermillion, being an exception to the general Custom Shop trend. The rest of the instruments are identical.

25 Gibson Les Paul Alex Lifeson

Gibson Les Paul Alex Lifeson (2014)

Named Gibson Les Paul by Canadian guitarist Alex Lifeson largely repeats the innovative version of Axcess and differs from the classical guitar in the use of a thinned body with ergonomic milling of the back, the absence of a neck heel and the presence of a Floyd Rose GraphTech Ghost tremolo with piezoceramic pickups integrated into the saddles. Volume potentiometers are equipped with cut-offs for parallel connection of humbucker coils. The tremolo pickup is small, but due to the convex top and the high position of the bed, it is quite enough to increase the tuning. The pickups are more recessed into the body than on classic Les Pauls with a tune-o-matic bridge. The body is made without cavities and holes. The neck has a deep insertion at an angle of 4º. The mass of Alex Lifeson is 3.9 kg.

With a lightweight mahogany body and an Indian rosewood fretboard, the instrument has a very powerful sound in overdrive, comparable to the reissues. Compared to classical guitars, riffs sound much thicker and lower, while having a fast and sharp attack. At the same time, on a solo, the instrument does not differ at all from authentic Les Paul with a fixed tailpiece, retaining juicy overtones and long sustain. When playing on a clean sound, the cutoffs of the pickups allow you to perform beautiful picks, and the piezo pickup gives the effect of 12 string guitar with bright highs and elastic mids.

In general, Alex Lifeson signature model can be described as the most comfortable and functional Les Paul with great sound on all channels of the tube amplifier. In terms of the combination of characteristics, this guitar is one of the best versions of the legendary instrument.

26 Gibson Les Paul Joe Perry

Gibson Les Paul Joe Perry (1997)

Aerosmith's personalized Gibson Les Paul was released in 1996 by the Custom Shop division in an edition of 200 copies. The guitar had a black transparent body color, a three-piece fire maple neck, an ebony fingerboard with black binding and a logo. bat at the 12th fret, Joe Perry signature on the head with an individual serial number, and black-capped pickups with custom-wound bridge pickups.

In the period from 1997 to 1999, the release of the guitar was transferred to mass production with changes in specifications. In particular, the instrument received a rosewood fretboard with classic inlay and no edging, open pickups and a battery-powered “wow” effect built into the tone block, activated by one of the potentiometers. The Joe Perry inscription moved from the head to the tailpiece, the Gibson logo was written with a diacritical point shifted to a capital letter, and the serial number became standard. The body of the guitar contains a perforation of 9 holes. The neck has a short insert. Joe Perry weighs 4 kg.

In 2004, the Custom Shop division released the next signature version of the Boneyard, featuring a tiger top, aged neck markers, custom logo and serial number on the head, and an optional Bigsby tremolo.

27 Gibson Les Paul Ace Frehley

Gibson Les Paul Ace Frehley "59 Reissue (2015)

The signature Gibson Les Paul of the legendary guitarist Kiss is represented by three limited editions of Ace Frehley (1997, 1997-2001), Budokan (2011-2012) and ’59 Reissue (2015) in various versions of Signed, Aged and VOS with different serial numbers (Ace RRR; Ace Frehley# R Ace Frehley RRR, AFB RRR; AF RRR) with a total circulation of 300 copies.

The first version was released in 1997 and was in fact the only Ace Frehley signature model that is based on the modern Les Paul Custom. The guitar features a two-piece sunburst AAA figured top, mahogany body and neck, ebony fretboard with lightning inlays and signature at the 12th fret, three DiMarzio Super Distortion pickups, mother-of-pearl tuner knobs, metal tone block caps and truss caps with an ace of card image, and a painted on head portrait of a musician in the image of an alien. The instrument was used in the concert tour and filming of the Psycho Circus video from the band's self-titled album. It is interesting to note that following a limited edition of 300 pieces, production of similar serial guitars with an AA top, metal knobs, plastic truss and tone block covers, as well as standard serial numbers on the head began in the same year, which continued until 2001 and is appreciated today. much lower than Custom Shop products.

In turn, the second version of the Budokan released in 2011-2012 is actually a reissue of the musician's vintage Les Paul Custom produced in 1974 with the traditional "sandwich" body for its time, a three-piece top without a pattern and a three-piece mahogany neck with a volute. The guitar is painted in a non-standard sunburst color and has holes for a different type of tuning pegs. However, unlike the original, DiMarzio PAF sensors are installed in the middle and in the neck. It is worth mentioning that on the instrument of the musician himself, the neck sensor was replaced with a light-smoke machine to create the effect of a burning guitar.

The third edition for 2015 is a re-release of the personal 1959 Les Paul Standard with lightened mahogany and a deep set neck, characteristic of the golden era. At the same time, on the presented guitar, the frets are not rolled up for edging, and there are also holes on the head for a different type of tuning pegs, which brings it closer to the Collector's Choice series, made according to the individual specifications of the owner of the rarity. In terms of sound, the instrument does not differ from the "nominal" reissues, having a deep bottom and a dense middle. The body is made without cavities and holes. The weight of Ace Frehley "59 Reissue is 3.9 kg.

28 Gibson Les Paul Gary Moore

Gibson Les Paul Gary Moore (2013)

The personalized Gibson Les Paul of the famous bluesman Gary Moore was produced in 2000-2001 and was made on the basis of the legendary 1959 model that participated in the recordings of the immortal albums Still Got The Blues and Blues Alive, an exact copy of which today is Collector's Choice # 1. Later two years after the tragic death of the musician in 2011, Gibson decided to reissue the signature series of his instruments.

Formally, the Les Paul Gary Moore does not belong to the Custom Shop division, but in reality it differs little from the products it produces, except for the absence of bindings on the body and neck. According to Gary Moore himself, the advantage of his signature model is the unique combination of the authentic sound of old instruments with the ease of playing on new ones - the quintessence of the best qualities from both worlds.

This guitar features a granadillo fretboard and is made from lightweight mahogany wood, which makes it similar to modern Les Paul R9 and R0 reissues when playing riffs and solos. The redesigned Burst Bucker pickups with covers give the instrument great readability on the bridge, coupled with very rich overtones on the neck. In this case, the upper sensor is turned by the south pole in the opposite direction. The case contains perforation in the form of 9 asymmetrical holes. The neck has a short insert. Gary Moore weighs 3.9 kg.

In terms of value for money, Gary Moore's signature model is the best version in the Les Paul line, since the sound of the guitar is practically the same as the 1959-1960 Reissues at a much lower cost.

5. Chronology of Gibson Les Paul Production

1) 1952-1958 - produced Les Paul Model, Gold Top colorway, Soap Bar (P-90) singles, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, trapezoidal tailpiece on early versions, then stop bar without tune-o-matic.

2) 1954-1960 - produced Les Paul Custom, Black Beauty colorway, Soap Bar singles (P-480), ebony fretboard, no maple top, replaced with domed mahogany.

3) 1954-1960 - produced Les Paul Junior , Dark Burst colorway, Soap Bar bridge single-coil (P-90), missing maple top, body and neck bindings, stop bar tailpiece without tune-o-matic bridge, dot markers; parallel production of Les Paul with stop bar and bigbsy holders begins.

4) 1955-1960 - produced Les Paul Special , unlike Junior having two Soap Bar singles (P-90).

5) 1956 - the humbucker appears PAF(now '57 Classic), which is starting to replace Soap Bar singles on Gold Top, and next year on Custom.

6) 1958-1960 - produced Les Paul standard (officially named only in 1975), sunburst colorway, PAF humbuckers, neck thinner annually (profiles '58, '59 and '60); at the same time Gibson announces futuristic models explorer And Flying V, made from korina, an example of which is the Les Paul Korina.

7) 1961-1967 - Gibson discontinues the Les Paul, launching an ergonomic model instead SG, called at the beginning Les Paul by analogy with its predecessor.

8) 1968 - Gibson resumes production of the Les Paul due to increased demand for older guitars.

9) 1968-1985 - produced Les Paul deluxe , Gold Top colorway, mini humbuckers in single-coil format.

10) 1969-1982 - Gibson changes the production technology of Les Paul in order to reduce the cost of production costs ( Norlin period): body is a “sandwich” mahogany-maple-mahogany-maple top (1969-1976), the neck is glued from 3 pieces (1969-1982), issued from maple (1975-1982) or glued maple-walnut or maple - ebony (1978-1982), has a medium (1969-1975) and short inlay (1976-present), on the neck there is a volute (1970-1982) and a stamp Made in U.S.A. (1970-present), maple pickguard available as an option (1975-1981), serial number represents a combination of YDDDYRRR (1977-2013), Gibson logo has slightly changed spelling (no dot on "i", closed outline of "b" letters " and "o"), the marking Second denotes discounted guitars.

11) 1974 - Gibson factory moves from Kalamazoo, Michigan to Nashville(Tennessee), at the same time, at the old factory, until 1984, limited production of expensive versions of the Les Paul (The Les Paul, Artisan, 25/50 Anniversary, Custom Super 400, KM, Leo "s, etc.) continues, with which limited editions of the new factory (Artist, Heritage, Spotlight, etc.).

12) 1982 - present - Gibson resumes production of the Les Paul model according to the original technology, the diversification of the lineup begins.

13) 1983-present - in production Les Paul Studio without body and neck bindings, with markers in the form of dots; Les Paul bodies receive perforation of various geometries (holes, cutouts, cavities, voids - 7 varieties in total).

14) 1983-present - a series of reissues is being released Pre-Historical Reissue(small-scale production started in the 1970s), since 1993 the instruments have been manufactured in the Custom Shop to authentic factory specifications of the 50s from lightweight mahogany with a deep set neck and are called Historical Reissue(including Standard Historic and True Historic), Brazilian rosewood was used as a limited fretboard in 2001-2003, starting in 2006, aged VOS modifications were offered.

15) 1990-present - being released Les Paul Classic , lightweight mahogany, '60 neck profile, aged markers, exposed humbuckers, different serial numbering.

16) 1993 - workshop opens Gibson Custom, Art & Historic Division , which produces limited editions of historical reissues (Historic Reissue, Collector's Choise), rare and anniversary versions (Florentine, Elegant, Ultima, Carved Flame, Black Widow, Korina, Koa, etc.), as well as signature models of famous guitarists ( Slash, Zakk Wylde, Ace Frehley, Alex Lifeson, etc.), later also Custom and Standard/Classic Custom Shop, which leads to a significant diversification of the line of custom instruments.

17) 1997-2004 - an innovative Les Paul Elegant , featuring a hollow body, deep set neck, multi-radius ebony fretboard, natural mother-of-pearl markers and thicker top binding.

18) 2003-present - in production Les Paul Supreme with a hollow body, maple top and bottom, mahogany sides, and ebony fretboard.

19) 2008-present - in production Les Paul Traditional , in parallel with which the updated Les Paul Standard is released, necks with deep gluing, an asymmetric back side profile and a 10 "-14" multi-radius fingerboard are used as innovations, bodies made of 2 - 5 longitudinal pieces of mahogany with perforations of various geometries, locking pegs, potentiometers with cut-offs, printed circuit boards in the tone block, a jack locking jack, an automatic tuner, a new varnish composition, a titanium nut and bridge saddles, a beveled neck heel, a belly cut, a removable protective panel on the top deck, frameless pickups, etc.

20) 2011-present - material replaces ebony overlays on Custom and Supreme versions at the end of the year Richlite made from pressed paper impregnated with phenolic resins.

6. Pickups for Gibson Les Paul

In the original, all Les Paul guitars are equipped with signature Gibson pickups, which have a classic sound when overdriven. However, in modern heavy styles of music, their potential is clearly not enough, so many guitarists install powerful high-gain humbuckers as an upgrade.

We tested the most popular ceramic bridge pickups - DiMarzio Super Distortion, Seymour Duncan Invader, Bare Knuckle Warpig, Bill Lawrence L-500XL and Gibson 500T. The selection criteria were the power of the output signal (coil resistance) and the frequency response indicated by most manufacturers, which allows the Les Paul to fully reveal its potential.

Testing was carried out on a Gibson Les Paul Custom Koa guitar and a Marshall JCM 2000 TSL 60 TubeTone Platinum+ Mod tube amplifier (6N2P-EV + EL34 tubes, Vovox internal wiring and cables, 7/10 gain on the rhythm channel and 5/10 on the solo channel , Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, concert volume 120 dB). The pickups were wired according to the instructions on the manufacturer's website, since each brand has its own color scheme. The distance from the bridge pickup to the open strings was 2 mm.

It should be noted that the described advantages and disadvantages of the tested models are fully valid only when they are installed on a Gibson Les Paul. In the case of using pickups on guitars of a different design and type of wood, the results may differ, since the pickups primarily reproduce the sound of the wood, adding different colors (signal equalization) to it, so extrapolation of the information received may be incorrect.

Gibson 498 T - Fitted as standard to the Gibson Les Paul Custom and features a classic humbucking tone with increased output. On the riffs, the guitar lacks the density of overdrive and low frequencies; on the solo, the sound is very sharp and readable.

Smooth mids, bright highs, high readability

No bottom, 2-wire design as stock

DiMarzio Super distortion - the world's first humbucker, released to replace stock pickups in 1972. It is a pioneer of heavy metal and acts as a kind of benchmark for comparing all high-gain pickups.

Initially, a modern version of the Super Distortion was bought in the store, but due to unsatisfactory performance, an authentic two-wire copy of the 70s was purchased after it in the secondary market. Distinctive features of the original are the rectangular legs of the supports instead of the triangular ones and additional holes in the upper plates through which the turns of the coils are visible.

When comparing the “same name” sensors in turn, the difference in sound turned out to be colossal. The new Super Distortion boasted only a 4-wire design, no mic effect, high-mids and a very fast ceramic attack for better mid-string readability. However, the original pickup sounded much lower, tighter and brighter than the modern one, while all frequencies were balanced. If the new pickup can only be considered as a modern version of the stock Gibson while maintaining the existing overdrive character, then the authentic DiMarzio example gives a completely different sound - wall-beating, tight and cutting gain. The original sensor outperforms the remake in almost all characteristics. As a result, we used an authentic two-wire version as a comparison, which is easily soldered into a 4-wire design within half an hour.

It is interesting to note that the modern DiMarzio Tone Zone and Air Zone, which are an analogue of Super Distortion on Alnico magnets (classic and with an air gap between the magnetic conductors and the magnet), have a similar "inauthentic" frequency response with a predominance of the upper middle to the detriment of sound density. At the same time, having played vintage X2N, Tone Zone and Evolution pickups on other mahogany guitars, compared to Super Distortion, they can be ranked as follows: X2N very strongly boosts low and mid frequencies on overload, as a result of which the guitar loses attack and readability; Tone Zone is on the verge of boosting, delivering the deepest lows and fat mids, but smoother highs and attack, and having coils with different windings (two-resonance design), giving a "two-voice" pickup sound and richer overtones; evolution has a comparable power output signal and midrange, but differs less deep bass and brighter highs, as well as dual-resonance coils, perceived as a whole sharper and sharper without loss of density.

Volumetric bottom, dense middle, bright top, high readability

Mic effect at high volume on high gain

Seymour Duncan Invader - the most evil pickup from Seymour Duncan with three ceramic magnets. The frequency response is similar to the authentic DiMarzio Super Distortion, except for the shift in emphasis to the upper mids, which subjectively makes the sound more aggressive, and slightly better readability. It has a ramming, sharp and cutting gain. Thanks to the large magnets, it is suitable for both guitars with a fixed bridge and instruments with tremolo systems. In general, in terms of its timbre, this pickup is designed mainly for playing heavy metal, rather than classic hard rock.

In turn, fans of the original Gibson sound will be more suitable for ceramic model. Duncan Custom, which has a slightly undercut middle and raised tops while maintaining a wall-beaten bottom, unlike the Invader, it is also produced in a closed version with a gold lid.

Volumetric bottom, sharp middle, bright tops, very high readability, universal center distance of magnetic conductors

Missing

Bare knuckle Warpig - the most powerful pickup from Bare Knuckle, completed with an optional gold cap. Also available with alnico magnets for a thicker but less harsh sound. Compared to the authentic DiMarzio Super Distortion, it has slightly lower bass and treble, but has the fattest mids of any model tested. Due to the presence of an underlined upper middle, it is similar in sound to the Seymour Duncan Invader. At the same time, Warpig has the highest readability and concentration of gain, as well as a fast ceramic attack. Overall, the overdrive nature of this pickup is ideal for playing modern hard rock and metal, adding an aggressive modern sound to the Gibson Les Paul.

Acceptable lows, bold mids, smooth highs, best readability

Missing

Bill Lawrence L-500XL - The most powerful pickup from Bill Lawrence. Equipped with two rail magnets, making it versatile for fixed bridges and tremolo systems. In terms of sound, it is the most non-standard in the entire tested line - ear-piercing tops and a pretty good bottom are combined with a completely cut out middle. At the same time, the sensor starts up already at the middle gain, and when switching to high-gain, a whistle is heard from the amplifier even during the game. Another unpleasant feature is the plastic legs of the supports with easily torn inch threads. In general, this pickup is designed exclusively for playing heavy metal.

High readability, universal distance of rail magnets

Unbalanced frequency response, mic effect at high volume even at medium gain, plastic feet

Gibson 500 T Gibson's most powerful pickup ever. Sounds similar to the stock 498T, with even more output, making it dirtier when playing passages. In general, having compared various Gibson pickups, including the authentic 57 Classic and 57 Classic +, it can be argued that all models lack the necessary amount of low frequencies, which does not allow the Les Paul to reach its full potential when overdriven.

Smooth mids, bright highs

Lack of bottom, appearance of dirt on high-gain

You can get more information on Gibson pickups here:

7. Helpful tips

After buying a Gibson Les Paul, the guitarist needs to do the following things:

1) It is advisable to change the strings to a set of 10-50 gauge or more;

2) Screw the stop bar into the body to the full depth;

3) Set the height of the strings (2-2.5 mm above the 22nd fret), adjust the anchor deflection (1.5-2 mm above the 12th fret), adjust the scale, adjust the height of the pickups (2-3 mm from open strings), set the level adjustable magnet guides along the fingerboard radius;

4) Replace the volume potentiometers with a nominal value of 300K to 500K, possibly with a cut-off for a single.

In general, when buying an expensive version of the Custom Shop version of the Les Paul, the best option is to ask for help.

8. Serial numbers

Gibson Les Paul serial numbers from 1977 to 2013 were a combination of Y DDD Y RRR(R) (for example, 8 1230 456 is the 456th copy released on the 123rd day of 1980). During the coexistence of factories in Kalamazoo and Nashville, the former used RRR numbering 001-499 until it closed in 1984, while the latter used 500-999 until 1989. Starting in 2000, on some guitars, instead of the first digit 0, they began to write the number 2 (for example, 2 1784 012 is the 12th copy released on the 178th day of 2004).

Gibson Les Paul serial numbers since 2014 are a combination YY RRRRRRR (for example, 15 0000234 is the 0000234th copy released in 2015).

The Custom Shop branch has its own CS numbering Y RRRR(R) (for example, CS 3 4567 is the 4567th copy, released in 2003 or 2013). It is important to note that prior to 1999, there was no CS abbreviation on custom guitars. Beginning in 2007, the round neck of the Custom Shop was replaced with a simple Gibson Custom lettering on the neck. Custom tools come with COA (Certificate of Authenticity) certificates.

The numbers in brackets (R) conditionally mean that the serial number of the instrument can have an additional digit (starting from 2005).

Most Reissue serial numbers are in M ​​format. Y RRR , where the first digit is the year of the original release, similar to the guitar numbering of the 50s, and the second is the year of the reissue (for example, 0 4 123 is a 1960 reissue released in 1994/2004/2014 as number 123). On early Reissues before 1993 (Pre-Historic period) the first digit in the format Y RRRR denoted the year of release not of the original, but of the reissue itself (for example, 8 1234 is the 1234th copy, released in 1988). By the way, serial Classic has a similar numbering. On the newest authentic 2016 True Historic, the serial number is in RM format Y RRRR (for example, R9 6 2345 is a 1959 reissue released in 2016 as 2345). At the same time, since 2015, on the Standard Historic specifications, the 1959 and 1960 reprints have the markings as CSM Y RRR (for example, CS9 5 789 is a 1959 reissue released in 2015 as #789). Reissues with voids since 2004 are marked with the prefix CR (Chambered Reissue). In turn, the Collector's Choice series is designated CC. Some 1960s reissues are numbered in the format YY RRRM (for example, 00 2348 is a Custom 1968 released in 2000 as #234).

It should be noted that there are exceptions to these rules that took place in different years on different versions of Les Paul (for example, early Custom Shop, anniversary Centennial, etc.). In turn, before the unification of marking in 1977, serial numbers were applied according to regularly changing algorithms. In particular, at the beginning of 1977 the first two digits were 06, in 1976 - 00, at the end of 1975 - 99, from 1968 to the beginning of 1975 - cross stochastic numbering. Made in U.S.A. began to be extruded on the headstock only in 1970 (excl. limited Reissue and serial Classic).

In addition, individual limited editions and signature models (25/50 Anniversary, Heritage, Spotlight, Leo's, Music Machine, some Yamano, Black Widow, Collector's Choice, Alex Lifeson, Ace Frehley, Joe Perry, Slash, Zakk Wylde etc.) have their own serial numbering.

Get more information and check the serial number of your Gibson Les Paul here:

Vlad X & Jin worked on this article from 2014 to 2019

According to materials: wikipedia.org

The Gibson Les Paul is Gibson's first solid-body electric guitar, one of the icons of rock music and one of the longest-lived and most popular musical instrument models in the world. The model was developed in early 1950 by Ted McCarthy in conjunction with guitarist Les Paul (full name - Lester William Polfus). The first Gibson Les Paul was sold in 1952. The Les Paul is one of the most famous and often copied electric guitar manufacturers in the world, along with the Stratocaster and Telecaster.

Vintage 1953 Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop/Photo: Les Paul

From the history

The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a collaboration between the Gibson Corporation and a jazz guitarist and inventor. With the introduction of the Fender Telecaster guitar into the music market in 1950, craze audience with an electric guitar. In response, Gibson president Ted McCarthy invited Les Paul to the company as a consultant. Les Paul was a recognized innovator who experimented with guitar construction over the years to improve his own music. In fact, he hand-built a prototype solid-body guitar, which he called "The Log" and which is considered the first solid-body version of the Spanish guitar (as opposed to the Hawaiian, or lap steel guitar). The "log" got its name from the fact that the solid insert was a block of pine, the width and depth of which were slightly larger than the width of the neck. Although other prototypes and limited series of solid-body guitars soon appeared, it is known that in 1945-1946, Les Paul offered his "Log" to Gibson, but this guitar design was rejected.

In 1951, the initial rejection turned into a collaboration between Gibson and Les Paul. It was decided that the new Les Paul should be an expensive quality instrument in the Gibson tradition. Although accounts are conflicting as to who contributed what to the development of the Les Paul, this guitar was far from a market copy of the Fender models. Since the 1930s, Gibson has been offering hollow body electric guitars such as the ES-150. These models, at the very least, inspired many of the basic design elements of the new solid-body Les Paul, including a more traditional curved body shape than rival Fender guitars, and a glued-on neck-to-body design as opposed to Fender's bolt-on.

Les Paul's contribution to the development of his signature guitar remains controversial. The book 50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul reduces his contribution to two points: the suggestion of a trapezoidal tailpiece and the choice of color (Les Paul suggested gold because "the guitar would look expensive" and black because "a black background makes it look like the fingers are moving). faster", and "looks stylish - like a tuxedo").

In addition, Gibson president Ted McCarthy claims that the company simply turned to Les Paul for the right to put his name on the headstock, thereby increasing sales of the model, and in 1951 Gibson employees showed him a nearly finished instrument. McCarthy also claims that design discussions with Les Paul were about tailpiece design and fitting a maple top over a mahogany body to increase note density and sustain, although Les Paul suggested doing the opposite. However, this would have made the guitar too heavy, so Les Paul's proposal was rejected. On the other hand, the original Les Paul Custom had to be made entirely of mahogany, while the Les Paul Goldtop was made of mahogany with a maple top. In addition, Les Paul's contribution to the guitar line that bears his name has been declared cosmetic.

For example, Les Paul pointed out that the guitar was offered in gold finish, not only to catch the eye, but also to emphasize the high quality of the instrument. Later releases of the Les Paul models included flamed (tiger striped) and quilted maple finishes, Gibson once again pitted itself against rival Fender with their automotive guitar colors. Gibson has been quite inconsistent with wood selection, so some owners of Les Paul Goldtop and Les Paul Custom guitars have stripped the paint off to reveal the beautiful wood grain underneath.

Classic models and variations

The Les Paul line of guitars originally included two models: a regular (nicknamed Goldtop) and custom (Custom) with better fittings and a more strict black body color. However, advances in pickup technology, hardware, and guitar bodies have made it possible for the Les Paul to become a long-term series of solid electric guitars that has filled all price segments of the market, except for instruments for very beginners. This niche was occupied by the Melody Maker, and although the inexpensive Melody Maker was not called the Les Paul, its body consistently followed the design of the true Les Paul during each period.

Gibson Les Paul differs from other electric guitars not only in shape and body design. For example, strings are always mounted on the top of the body, as is done on Gibson semi-acoustic guitars, as opposed to through-body stringing found on Fender models. The Gibson also has a variety of colors, such as wine red, ebony, classic white, blazing fire, and alpine white. In addition, Les Paul models offered a variety of finishes and decorative patterns, a variety of hardware options, and innovative humbucker options, some of which had a significant impact on the guitar's sound. In particular, in 1957, Gibson released the PAF humbucker, which revolutionized the sound of the electric guitar, and eliminated the noise in the amp that hitherto plagued single-coil pickups.

Goldtop (1952-1958)

Goldtop with trapezoid tailpiece	Goldtop with stop bar tailpiece	Goldtop with Tune-o-matic bridge and scale	Goldtop with PAF sensor

The 1952 Les Paul had two P-90 pickups and a trapezoidal tailpiece. The weight and sound of the Les Paul owes much to its mahogany and maple construction. Maple wood is hard and very massive, but was limited to a lighter mahogany top to keep the guitar from being too heavy. In addition, the first models released in 1952 did not have serial numbers and body trim, so some of them are considered prototype Les Pauls. However, later 1952 Les Pauls came with serial numbers and bindings. Interestingly, some early Les Pauls differed in finish. For example, some of them were equipped with black P90 pickups instead of the cream-coloured plastic caps that are associated with this guitar even today. It should be noted that the models of the first releases, nicknamed Goldtop, are in great demand among collectors.

Custom (1954-1961, 1968-present)

1954 Les Paul Custom	1974 Les Paul Custom	Tune-o-matic bridge

The second Les Paul was introduced in 1954. It was called the Gibson Les Paul Custom. Being completely black, the guitar was nicknamed "Black Beauty" (Black Beauty). Unlike its maple top predecessor, the Les Paul Custom had a mahogany top. It also featured a new Tune-O-Matic tailpiece and a P-480 pickup with an Alnico-5 magnet near the neck. In addition, since 1957 the Custom has been equipped with the new PAF humbuckers, resulting in a modification with three pickups instead of the usual two. The three-pickup model retained the standard three-position switch, so not all pickup combinations were available. The extreme positions of the switch were saved (with the inscriptions neck and bridge, respectively); the mids included a combination of a mid and bridge humbucker. The most common modification to this scheme was the return to the middle position of the standard simultaneous activation of the neck and bridge humbuckers and the addition of a switch that independently turned on the middle pickup.

The single-horn Les Paul Custom was discontinued in 1961 and replaced by a series of guitars known as the SG, which stands for Solid Guitar. This model had a thin 1-5/16 inch body and two horns. In the beginning, when the company discontinued single-horn guitars, the new line was also called the Les Paul Custom, which still causes some confusion to this day.

Junior (1954-1960) and TV (1955-1960)

In 1954, to further expand the market for solid-body electric guitars, Gibson released the Les Paul Junior. The Les Paul Junior was designed primarily for beginner guitarists, but over time it has become well suited to professional musicians as well.

There were significant differences between the various Les Paul and Les Paul Junior models. Although the body of the Les Paul Junior clearly resembles all other Les Paul models, it featured a flat mahogany top in a Sunburst colorway. The new model was advertised as an inexpensive alternative to Gibson electric guitars. It featured a single P-90 single-coil, simple volume and tone controls, and a rosewood fretboard with dotted inlays, as well as a hairpin tailpiece that would soon become a staple of the second incarnation of the Les Paul Goldtop.

In 1955, Gibson released the Les Paul TV, which was essentially a continuation of the Les Paul Junior. This model had a light yellow color, although in fact it had a "mustard" color. Thanks to the translucent surface, the texture of the wood could be seen. The new paintwork differed from the Fender competitor's finish, which called it "toffee yellow". The idea behind the yellow TV models was that they should shine against the black and white TVs, but the idea failed as the Les Paul TV didn't shine at all.

In 1958 Gibson radically redesigned the Les Paul Junior and Les Paul TV. These cosmetic changes were made to give this model a huge impact. For convenience, a wide double body cutout was made to the upper frets, and to add freshness, the old yellow finish of the Les Paul Junior was changed to a new cherry.

Special (1955-1960)

The Les Paul Special was released in 1955 and featured 2 P-90 singles and a yellow finish option on the Les Paul TV.

Les Paul Special

In 1959, the Special added the same double body cutout found on the 1958 Les Paul Junior and Les Paul TV. However, when the new design was applied to the twin-single-coil model, the neck pickup cavity was covered by the neck-to-body connection. As a result, the connection was loosened to such an extent that the neck could easily break after the first treatment. The problem was soon solved when the Gibson engineers moved the pickup to the middle of the body, creating a strong connection and eliminating the breakage.

The stable version of the Special is currently only available in the Custom Shop, part of the "VOS" series of yellow Les Paul TVs.

Standard (1958-1960, 1968-present)

In 1958, Gibson updated the Les Paul series once again. The new model retained much of the specification of the 1957 Goldtop guitars, including the PAF humbucker, maple top, Tune-O-Matic detent tailpiece and Bigsby vibrato. The most significant change in the new model was the color scheme. The colorway of the 1952 Goldtop was replaced with the sunburst that had already been used on top acoustic and hollow electric guitars such as the J-45. To distinguish the new Les Paul from the early Goldtops, the model was called the Les Paul Standard. Production of the original Les Paul Standard continued from 1958 to 1960. Only 1700 models were produced, which subsequently became the most attractive for collectors. Production of the original Les Paul Standard ended in 1961 when Gibson redesigned the body of the model. The new "double-cutaway" case became the basis for the Gibson SG models. Due to the high demand for this model Gibson relaunched the Les Paul Standard in 1968. Today, the Gibson Les Paul Standard has Burstbucker humbuckers, as well as a Burstbucker Pro program on the underside of the cabinet that bears the "Standard" name.

In the 1980s, Gibson sold a limited edition Les Paul with a Kahler tremolo system.

2008 Les Paul Standard

A new version of the Les Paul Standard was released on August 1, 2008, featuring a long, tinted neck with an asymmetrical profile for comfortable playing, aligned frets, and Grover locking tuners with an improved 18 to 1 ratio. includes cell routing in specific areas of the mahogany body plates as specified in the specification. Until 2008, Les Paul Standards were "Swiss cheese". In other words, the model had holes that were in the body, but they were not cells, as on many guitars in the Les Paul series. In 2008, Gibson also introduced the Les Paul Traditional. The Les Paul Traditional was built using the traditional specifications of this model, which included Kluson-style tuners, classic 1957 pickups, and a tubeless body.

Interest in Les Paul guitars

PAF sensors

In 1964, the Rolling Stones received a new 1959 Les Paul Sunburst. The guitar, fitted with a Bigsby tremolo system, became the first "star-owned" Les Paul in the UK and remained a prominent instrument through 1966. This was due to the fairly frequent inclusion of the guitar during this period (using models ranging from the semi-hollow Epiphone to various guitars made by the Guild and Gibson companies). Keith Richards is sometimes forgotten to be credited as the early post-guitarist of the 1960 Les Paul. In 1966, and even earlier, the rock potential of late 1950s Les Paul guitars (particularly the 1958-1960 Les Paul Sunburst models) was also recognized and given them wide exposure. He began using Les Paul models influenced by Hubert Sumlin, and played - on his groundbreaking Blues Breakers album - With Eric Clapton. At the same time, he started using a 1954 Les Paul Goldtop. He acquired this model in Boston while touring with the Paul Butterfield Blues, and recorded most of his work on the East-West album with it. A year later, he traded it for luthier Dan Erlewine's Gibson Les Paul Standard, with whom he became the most recognizable musician. At the same time, artists such as , and began to use the Les Paul Standard of the late 1950s. These 1950s models included the larger, most tone-supporting, original humbuckers known as PAF pickups. These PAF sensors were developed by Seth Laver, who worked for Gibson in 1955 (U.S. Patent 2896491). Once made, they immediately appeared on Les Paul guitars in 1957. This innovation became the standard matched design for the Les Paul, with the result that many other companies followed suit. The copied electronic version of the stuffing has been modified to avoid infringing the Gibson patent. Gretsch had their own Filtertron pickups, and when Fender brought their humbuckers to market in 1972, they were radically different from the similar Fender Wide Range. "Standard" humbuckers were only offered by other guitar makers after Gibson's patent expired. Most of the sensors were offered by manufacturers such as DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan.

Over the years, authentic 1950s Les Paul models have become some of the most coveted and expensive electric guitars in the world. Only 1,700 copies were made between 1958 and 1960, and a 1959 Les Paul Standard in good condition could easily sell for $200,000 or $750,000, making it the most valuable electric guitar model ever made. . However, the Gibson Custom Shop reissued 1950s and 1960s versions of the Les Paul, which could be purchased for $3,000 or $6,000 (certain signature versions of artist models cost considerably more). Jimmy Page offered £1 million (US$1.6 million) for his "first" 1959 Les Paul if he ever wanted to sell it.

Through the work and influence of Richards, Harrison, Clapton, Bloomfield, Green, Taylor, Beck, and Page, demand for Les Paul guitars began to rise in the mid-1960s. Under influence and increased pressure from the public, Gibson re-introduced the single-cut Les Paul in July 1968.

Les Paul models in the Norlin era (1969-1985)

The following years brought a new owner to the Gibson company. During the Norlin Era, the body design of the Gibson Les Paul changed a lot. The first change was the neck, which gave the Les Paul a reputation for easily breaking joints. The neck was reinforced with a truss rod, connecting it to the head section to prevent breakage. To further increase durability, the mahogany neck wood has been replaced with a three-ply maple. The single-ply mahogany hulls have been replaced with solid ones with a few maple pieces added. The last top layer was made from mahogany. This production was called "multilayer" (sometimes it is incorrectly called "pancake case"). The expression "pancake body" actually refers to a body made from a thin layer of maple between two mahogany platforms with a maple top. The maple seeds were placed at a 90 degree angle, as was the mahogany. "Pancake", as well as layers, are clearly visible when looking at the edges of the guitar. This process is also known as "layer crossing" and was created for strength and resistance to plugging and warping. "Layer crossing" ceased in 1977.

During this era, Gibson also began experimenting with new models like the Les Paul Recording. This pattern has often been shunned by guitar conservatives. They thought it was "too strong a novelty". Les Paul Recording included low latency pickups, many switches and buttons, and a high level cable to match the signal to the amplifier. Less noticeable changes included, but were not limited to, 1976 maple necks shielding the pickup cavities, as well as crossing the ABR1 Tune-O-Matic tailpiece into a modern Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge. In the 1970s, the body shape of the Les Paul was incorporated into other Gibson models, including the S-1, Sonex, L6-S, and others that did not follow the classic Les Paul.

Modern models and variations

The Deluxe was one of the "new" 1968 Les Paul models. This model had "mini humbuckers", also known as "New York" pickups, which were not popular at first. The mini humbucker is inserted into the pre-cut P-90 pickup cavity with a Gibson-designed adapter ring (actually just a cutout for the P-90 pickup cap). This was done in order to use the supply of mini humbuckers left over from Epiphone when Gibson moved Epiphone production to Japan. The Deluxe was released in late 1968 and helped standardize production between American and Les Paul's own made models.

The first Deluxe model featured a solid body and thin three-ply neck in late 1968. The body "pancake" (a thin top layer of maple between two layers of Honduran mahogany) later appeared in 1969. At the end of 1969 a small truss rod was added. The 1969 "Deluxes" featured the Gibson word logo without the dot in the "i". Around the turn of 1969/1970, a dot was reinserted into the "i", plus a "Made in USA" stamp on the back of the neck. In 1975, the neck manufacturing technology changed. The neck was no longer made of mahogany, but of maple until the 1980s. However, the manufacture soon returned to its original roots. Hulls changed again to solid mahogany with a "pancake" design in late 1976/early 1977. Interest in the Les Paul was so low that in 1985 Gibson discontinued the line. However, in 2005 the production of Deluxe resumed again, thanks in large part to Pete Townshend and Thin Lizzy.

In 1978, the Les Paul Pro Deluxe was released. This guitar featured P-90 pickups rather than the "mini-humbuckers" of the Deluxe model, black maple neck, mahogany body, and chrome hardware. She had black, cherry, tobacco and gold colors. Interestingly, the Deluxe models were first released in Europe and not in the US. Production of this model ceased in 1982.

Studio

	Gibson Les Paul Studio

The Studio model was released in 1983 and is still in production today. The intended buyers of these models were to be studio musicians, so the design features of the Les Paul Studio were geared towards optimal sound. This model retained only the Gibson Les Paul elements that contributed to the tone and volume, including the carved maple top and standard mechanical and electronic hardware. However, the Studio's design lacked a number of features that did not affect sound quality, including the mandatory body and neck mounts. The two exceptions to this rule are Studio Standard and Studio Custom. Both models were released in the mid-1980s and necessarily included a body and neck, although the fingerboard featured dots instead of the more pronounced trapezoid. Currently, the only Les Paul Studio with a classic neck and trapezoid binding inlays is a limited edition 1960s Les Paul Studio Classic made for the Sam Ash chain of stores. The first Studios from 1983-1986, other than Studio Standard and Studio Custom, were made from alder rather than mahogany or maple.

The current Studio model has a mahogany body with a maple or mahogany top. The entry-level "disappeared" Les Paul Studio had a chambered mahogany body and satin top. This model has the lowest price among American Gibson Les Pauls.

Latest Les Paul Models

Gibson Robot Guitar

In 2007, Gibson announced the creation of a computerized Les Paul model dubbed the "Robot Guitar". It was released on December 7, 2007. The guitar had a built-in computer in the body with a "master control" knob next to the volume controls, which could be pulled out, rotated, or pressed against the guitar depending on various commands. One of the most notable features is the ability to easily use the default setting. To do this, pull the "master control" knob and strum the guitar while the tuning pegs of this model adjust to the standard tuning. Another use of the master control is that it is possible to use the guitar in an alternate tuning, such as drop D. In this case, you need to press the control knob to get the corresponding tuning. The new Les Paul has a custom silver/blue color scheme. At the same time, the product was heavily advertised in the American popular press as the "world's first" model with such a system ever released in decades.

Gibson Robot Guitar

Gibson Dark Fire

Gibson has announced a new interactive computerized Les Paul that produces a lot more sounds. It was released on December 15, 2007 under the title Dark Fire. The guitar had a computer inserted into the body and was controlled using the "Master Control" (MC) button. The "Master Control" button allowed guitarists to change pickups and magnetic coils, adjust simultaneously and automatically every tone and scale even during the song being played. Like the "Robot" model, the Dark Fire had a tuning function, but compared to the "Robot" the player could do this up to 500 times on a single battery charge, thereby allowing the tuners to adapt to different tonalities. The use of "chameleon tone" technology has allowed the guitar to produce unimaginable sounds. In addition to improved and extended tuning options, the guitar features three different types of pickups, including Burstbucker (humbucker), P-90 single coils and a piezo acoustic tailpiece, helping to blend the original sounds seamlessly.

Replica Gibson Les Pauls

Models of the Custom Shop line

With the rise in popularity of Les Paul guitars, hundreds of versions of unauthorized imitations and imitations have appeared on the market. However, due to the lack of US legislation to deal with patent infringement and restricting import sales, foreign imitations caused legal and financial problems for the Gibson Corporation. Also, this concern was due to the fact that there were high-quality imitations of old Les Paul models (and old Stratocaster models) produced by foreign guitar manufacturers.

For example, during the 1970s and early 1980s, Japanese manufacturer Tokai Gakki produced superb replicas of old 1957-1959 Les Pauls, and reviews were highly acclaimed. In 1980, in response to high demand for older models, Gibson himself began offering the "Custom Shop" line, which was an exact reproduction of the early Les Pauls built by Gibson Guitar Custom.

			Epiphone Les Paul Custom

Imitation Les Pauls

Gibson Les Paul specifications during 1958-1960 changed from year to year and from guitar to guitar. Typical 1958 Les Paul Standards had a thicker "C" neck, thin frets, and low pitch that changed throughout 1959. In the late 1960s they featured the typical thin section neck and wider, higher frets.

Decided she needed a solid body guitar to compete with the Fender Telecaster. In collaboration with Les Paul, the legendary guitarist and inventor of multi-track recording, Gibson created the first Les Paul with a unique mahogany body and a beautiful maple top inspired by Gibson models.

In 1957, the Les Paul (and subsequently all electric guitars) were significantly improved by the addition of a newly developed two-coil humbucking pickup, which successfully suppressed the induced noise that single-coil pickups were prone to. Since then, Gibson has continued its line of Les Pauls, experimenting with adding and combining new features and innovative designs. Today, the Gibson Custom Shop is reissuing classic vintage Les Paul models while carefully preserving all historical features.

Which Les Paul do you need?

Since 1952, 127 Les Paul models have been produced. In our guide you will find information to help you make the best choice. We will cover the following:

• Why Les Paul Guitars Are So Popular and Who Plays Them
• Let's tell "family stories" so that you can distinguish Custom from Standard
• Let's get acquainted with the functions and characteristics of Les Pauls so that you can decide which instrument with which set of options you need.

Why are Les Paul guitars so popular?

Almost every famous rock guitarist has used a les Paul, from Beck, Page and Clapton to Slash and Zakk Wylde. But proof of the versatility of these instruments is their use in other genres such as blues (Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker), jazz (Les Paul of course, John McLaughlin), and country (Charlie Daniels, Brooks & Dunn). Here are the 4 main reasons for their popularity. les paul:

1. Appearance
2. sound
3. Ease of play
4. Rich story

Reasons to choose a Les Paul guitar

You may be an aspiring guitarist who wants to play a famous instrument. You may be a player who wants to have a great sounding guitar. Or you can be a collector who appreciates the historicity and beauty of classic Les Pauls. Or you can fit all 3 categories. Or not fit at all, just, for some unknown reason, Les Pauls attract you - it's love at first sight.

The main features of Les Paul

Despite the fact that there are many modifications and exceptions, we will describe the main characteristics of Les Paul's

• Solid - mahogany body with domed maple top
• Glued neck
• Rosewood fretboard
• polished lacquer
• 2 humbucker pickups
• Fixed bridge
• 2 tone controls, 2 volumes
• 3-position pickup switch
• 22nd fret
• Scale 24-3/4"

You've probably already noticed that there are exceptions: Les Paul bass, 1970 jumbo acoustic with flat top, LP Junior with single pickup, SG-style Les Paul with double cutaway. But we will "build" our guitar based on a classic set of characteristics.

Characteristics that will allow you to distinguish Les Paul's from each other

Where and how the Les Paul was made, what materials were used, what functional and decorative features are present, all of which will help you to distinguish les Paul guitars from each other.

Below are the characteristics and variations of various guitars.

1. Top- most Les Pauls have a domed maple top in the following styles:
   1. Flame Top (material rating from A to -AAAA)
   2. Plain Top
   3. Quilt top
   4. solid finish
2. Finish color - many options, depends on the model
3. Vulture- usually mahogany
   1. Profile - depends on neck type
      1. Rounded '50s
      2. Slim taper '60s
4. overlay
   1. rosewood or ebony
   2. Inlay - 3 main types:
      1. points
      2. Trapeze
      3. squares
5. Two pickup(usually humbuckers)
   1. Modern Gibson pickups: 490R, 490T, 496R, 498T, 500T
   2. Historic humbuckers:
      1. Burstbucker Type 1, 2, 3
      2. BurstBuckerPro
      3. '57 Classic
      4. '57 Classic Plus
      5. Mini Humbucker
6. edging(if any) - the color and number of edging depends on the model
   1. Frame
   2. Vulture
   3. headstock
7. accessories
   1. Finishing materials
      1. Nickel
      2. Chromium
      3. Gilding
   2. Bridge/tailpiece
      1. Wraparound (bridge and tailpiece are one piece)
      2. Tune-o-matic tailpiece/stopbar
   3. Pens
      1. top hat
      2. Speed
   4. kolki
      1. Schaller
      2. Kluson
      3. Grover

Keep in mind that if you have a lot of money, you can order a guitar with any specification from the Gibson Custom Shop.

History of the Gibson Les Paul family

There are 3 models that are part of the history of the Les Paul family: the original Les Paul Model, the Les Paul Custom, and the Les Paul Special.

Gibson Les Paul family timeline

• 1952 - Les Paul Model (named "Goldtop" for its gold finish)
• 1954 - Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Junior
• 1955 - Les Paul Special
• 1958-1960 - Les Paul Standard (often referred to as "Sunburst") - replaced Goldtop

Some Outstanding Additions to the Gibson Les Paul Line

• 1961-1962 - Les Paul SG Custom
• 1969 - Les Paul Deluxe
• 1976- The Les Paul Standard Reissue
• 1990 - Les Paul Classic

Gibson USA

As the name implies, Gibson Les Paul guitars are made in the USA.

To date, 3 main lines are in operation: Les Paul Studio , Les Paul Standard , and Les Paul Custom (roughly speaking, they can be described as Good, Better and Best of the Best). Let's start with the Les Paul Standard.

Additional models

In addition to the three main LP models, there are several others.

Variations

By adding options not found in existing models, Gibson is releasing new models of its instruments. For example, by changing the material of the top, you can create a new model. By replacing "AA" maple with "AAA" maple, Gibson has created a new model - Les Paul Standard Plus. Or, after upgrading maple "AAA" to "AAAA" L.P. Supreme got a model Les Paul Supreme Figured.

Thus, the key to understanding the variety of "branching" models is knowing which options have been added or changed.

Gibson Custom Shop

Gibson was the first major guitar manufacturer to establish a "custom shop" in addition to its main production line. The guitars produced by the Custom Shop are more meticulously crafted and are mostly made by hand. The materials used in production are carefully selected. For example, Gibson USA recently received a shipment of 200,000 board feet of mahogany, of which only 14,000 (or 7%) were selected for production.

VOS reissues (Vintage Origin Spec.)

To meet the needs of Gibson collectors and enthusiasts, the Gibson Custom Shop launched a series of VOS reissues in 2005. The instruments of this series have a special coating of nitrocellulose, during the processing of which a patina is applied and the instrument acquires an antique look. With the help of manual processing, greater ease of play and comfort is achieved. Each VOS model features a mahogany body, a neck set deep into the body for greater sustain and strength, a year-specific neck profile, period-appropriate hardware and electronics.

Nominal models

Usually guitars created according to the wishes of famous artists are called "named" (signature model). The Gibson Custom Shop has produced a large number of Les Pauls built to the exact tastes of famous guitarists, starting with Jimmy Page Les Paul in 1995. Subsequently, Les Pauls were created for Zakk Wylde ( Zakk Wylde Signature Les Paul- Bull's Eye) and Billie Joe Armstrong ( Billie Joe Armstrong Signature Les Paul Junior).

Epiphone Les Pauls

Almost every Gibson Les Paul model has a "cousin" bearing the Epiphone name on the headstock. The name Epiphone comes from the name of the company's founder Epaminodas Stathopoulo, known as "Epi.". In the 1930s, Gibson and Epiphone were competitors in the production of semi-acoustic guitars and went side by side. In 1957, Gibson acquired the Epiphone. In addition to high-quality Epiphone double basses, there are also Epiphone guitar lines, including the Casino model, which was played by The Beatles.

Les Paul differences from Gibson and Epiphone

1. Country of Origin: Gibson's are made in the USA, Epiphone are made in other countries.
2. Finish: Gibson uses nitrocellulose varnish - ultra thin, ultra light (the varnishing process takes weeks). It allows the wood to "breathe", becomes thinner over time, and has a good effect on the sound. Epiphone uses a polyurethane finish, which is more practical: the process takes a couple of days, does not require much labor, and the finish is more durable.
3. Materials: Gibson uses higher quality materials such as South American mahogany. Epiphone uses cheaper materials or combines some of them, such as using alder and mahogany for the body.
4. Sound: Epiphone's sound is darker, bass and mids predominate. Gibson has a lighter sound.

Price ranges

• Inexpensive instruments: Epiphone Les Paul Junior or Epiphone LP Special
• Average Price: Variations from Epiphone Les Paul Custom to Gibson Classic or Studio
• Expensive models: Gibson LP Standard
• Collection models: VOS models, i.e. Les Paul Custom VOS, Les Paul Standard VOS

The Gibson Les Paul is one of the most copied and best known guitars in the world, not just the guitar world. Designed in 1950, it was Gibson's first solid body guitar.
Gibson Les Paul was developed by Ted McCarthy in collaboration with inventor Les Paul, an innovator for a long time experimenting with guitar construction. Paul was brought in to build this guitar in the wake of the post-release popularity of electric guitars. Les Paul's main contribution to the development is still a matter of controversy, including his suggestion of a trapezoidal tailpiece and his influence on the color of the new guitar.

The Les Paul lineup differs from other electric guitars, of course, in its recognizable shape, body design and string fastening: they are attached, like on Gibson semi-acoustic guitars, on the top of the body. There are a lot of models and variations of this line, the series has been updated more than once. Thanks to the development of technology in the guitar industry, these one-piece electric guitars have densely filled the market.

The first models were Gibson Les Paul Goldtop and Gibson Les Paul Custom. The Goldtop was fitted with a trapezoidal bridge and . The Custom, which came out with an ebony fingerboard, was nicknamed "the black beauty" by Les Paul himself, and it was on this model that the ABR-1 tailpiece was first installed, which was later installed on all subsequent models of the series. Before the famous Les Paul Standard, which is still in production today, saw the light of day, this line also included models with the nicknames Junior, TV and Special.

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The guitar, called the Gibson Les Paul Standard, is still in great demand in the musical environment, its production was resumed in 1968, and the last variation was released in 2008. This model retains most of the specifications of the Goldtop model, but with a different color scheme, and for 2008 the frets were aligned, the body holes were lightened, the locking tuners with improved ratio were installed, and a long neck with an asymmetrical profile was introduced.

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The popularity of this electric guitar began from the moment Keith Richards () got his own, which became the first owned by a famous guitarist in the UK, the Gibson Les Paul Sunburst model (which later became known as the Standard, and was originally called the Sunburst due to the most recognizable colors of guitars of this series). Interest in her increased when her rock potential was recognized by George Harrison and. In addition to them, such guitarists as Peter Green and Mick Taylor played on the Les Paul. She was used by Mike Bloomfield, it was with her that he became best known.