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Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Neck, Ice Tea Nickel Hardwareby Gibson
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Features
- Mahogany body and fat '50s neck
- Maple top
- Rosewood fretboard
- Alnico V Standard humbucker pickups
- Green keystone tuners
Product Description
The feel and sound of the original '50s LP comes from a classic hefty neck design with a smaller peghead, push-in-bushing green tuning keys, and nickel hardware. Staggering looks with brilliant transparent finishes on figured maple tops. Burstbucker V pickups feature Alnico V magnets like those used in the P90s from the '50s. One coil has more wraps than the other, as did most '50s and early '60s "Patent Applied For" coils. These waxed, double-potted pickups deliver a tighter, balanced, biting tone with more midrange. Mahogany body and neck with rosewood fretboard. Includes hardshell case.Reviews
A First-Rate 1959 ReissueThis is a reissue of the classic Les Paul that is in such demand on the vintage market. Like all Gibson instruments, it comes with a hefty and optimistic price tag.
I want to stress that this is a fine guitar, and unlike other reissues of the guitar with this name, is far more faithful to the original. And while it is not a 1:1 recreation of the 1959 Les Paul Standard (there is not a 1:1 correspondence between guitars made in 1959, the originals weren't made that scientifically), it may be close enough and might be enough for most of us.
Original 1959s (or other early Les Pauls) have appreciated in value to a level that places them out of most musicians' grasp, this model is pricey, but is probably priced fairly when we consider the craftsmanship that went into it. And if the price tag seems too large, Gibson also provides the Epiphone line of instruments which are very respectable for guitars produced to the standard that they are made to.
I own this guitar and love playing it. The action is fabulous and it has "that sound:" a nice fat howl that raises chicken skin when you need it to and blows people away when you need a sonic jackhammer.
One of the greatest tributes to this instrument is all the various sounds it can make in various hands: no other guitar except possibly the Fender Telecaster or Stratocaster are so versatile. Everyone who picks this guitar up seems to make it their own.
NOTE: Though the neck is based on the 1959 neck, the guitar won't play that way when you pick one of these up: the guitar needs to be "worn in." As a friend of mine once said, "the important point of a real 1950s/1960s guitar is that they are worn in at the right spots." If you get one of these guitars and love it and play it until it fits your hand, you will have that perfect "59 feel," but that will take a while.
