Gibson Les Paul Standard ’50s Electric Guitar

gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar

 

Alright, let’s dive into the gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar. This instrument is a recreation of the classic Les Paul models from the 1950s, a time when rock and roll was just starting to take off. It’s designed to give players that vintage feel and sound, but with modern manufacturing techniques.

Body and Construction

The gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar features a solid mahogany body. Mahogany is a dense wood known for its warm, rich tones and excellent sustain, which means notes can ring out for a long time. On top of the mahogany body, you’ll find a maple top.

Maple is a harder wood that adds brightness and clarity to the sound, balancing out the warmth of the mahogany. This combination of woods is a key part of the Les Paul’s signature sound.

The body is typically finished in a gloss nitrocellulose lacquer. This type of finish is thin, which allows the wood to resonate more freely, contributing to the guitar’s overall tone. Over time, nitrocellulose lacquer can age and wear, giving the guitar a unique, vintage look.

The gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar has a single cutaway design, meaning there’s a notch cut into the body near the neck joint. This allows easier access to the higher frets, making it simpler to play notes in the upper register.

 

The gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar Neck and Fingerboard

The neck is also made of mahogany, and it’s set into the body using a traditional mortise and tenon joint. This type of joint provides a strong and stable connection, improving sustain and resonance. The neck profile is typically a ’50s vintage style, which is thicker and rounder than modern neck profiles. This can be more comfortable for players who prefer a substantial neck feel.

The fingerboard is made of rosewood or, in some cases, Indian rosewood. Rosewood is a dense wood with a smooth surface, ideal for playing.

It also adds warmth and richness to the tone. The fingerboard has a 12-inch radius, which means it’s slightly curved. This radius is a good compromise between comfort for chord playing and ease of bending notes.

The fingerboard has 22 medium jumbo frets. These frets are larger than vintage frets, making bending notes and playing vibrato easier. The frets are made of nickel, a durable material that provides a smooth playing surface. The fingerboard also features trapezoid inlays, which are classic Les Paul markers that help you navigate the fretboard.

 

Electronics

The gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar is equipped with two humbucker pickups. Humbuckers are designed to reduce unwanted noise and hum, making them ideal for high-gain playing. The pickups are typically Gibson Burstbucker 1 and Burstbucker 2 models, which are designed to replicate the sound of vintage PAF (Patent Applied For) pickups from the 1950s. These pickups offer a warm, rich tone with plenty of sustain and clarity.

The gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar has a traditional Les Paul control layout, which includes two volume knobs, two tone knobs, and a three-way toggle switch. The volume knobs control the output level of each pickup, while the tone knobs control the amount of treble in the signal. The three-way toggle switch allows you to select between the neck pickup, the bridge pickup, or a combination of both.

The electronics are wired with hand-wired harnesses, which use high-quality components and vintage-style wiring. This helps to preserve the guitar’s tone and reduce signal loss.

 

Hardware

The gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar features a Tune-O-Matic bridge and a stop bar tailpiece. The Tune-O-Matic bridge allows you to adjust the intonation of each string, ensuring that the guitar plays in tune across the entire fretboard. The stop bar tailpiece is a solid piece of metal that anchors the strings to the body, contributing to the guitar’s sustain and resonance.

The guitar has vintage-style tuners, which are designed to look and function like the tuners used on vintage Les Pauls. These tuners provide stable tuning and smooth operation.

The nut is made of Graph Tech, a synthetic material that offers low friction and improved tuning stability. The nut is the point where the strings pass over the headstock, and it plays a crucial role in the guitar’s tone and tuning.

 

Sound and Playability

The gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar is known for its warm, rich tone with plenty of sustain and clarity. The mahogany body and maple top provide a balanced sound that can handle a wide range of musical styles. The humbucker pickups deliver a powerful and versatile tone that can be used for everything from clean jazz tones to high-gain rock and metal tones.

The ’50s vintage neck profile can be comfortable for players who prefer a substantial neck feel. The 12-inch fingerboard radius and medium jumbo frets make it easy to play chords and bend notes. The overall playability of the guitar is smooth and responsive, allowing for expressive playing.

 

Key Features and Considerations

• Vintage Tone: The gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar is designed to replicate the classic tone of vintage Les Pauls from the 1950s.
• Solid Construction: The mahogany body and maple top provide a solid foundation for the guitar’s tone and sustain.
• Humbucker Pickups: The humbucker pickups deliver a powerful and versatile tone that can handle a wide range of musical styles.
• ’50s Neck Profile: The ’50s vintage neck profile can be comfortable for players who prefer a substantial neck feel.
• Traditional Hardware: The Tune-O-Matic bridge and stop bar tailpiece provide stable tuning and improved sustain.
• Nitrocellulose Finish: The nitrocellulose lacquer finish allows the wood to resonate more freely, contributing to the guitar’s tone.
• Weight: Les Pauls are known to be heavy guitars. This could be a factor to consider for players who prefer lighter instruments.
• Neck Size: The thick neck profile might not be comfortable for all players, especially those with smaller hands.
• Price: Gibson Les Pauls are generally high-end instruments, and the Les Paul Standard ’50s is no exception.

 

Who is it for?

The gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar is a great choice for players who are looking for a classic Les Paul tone and feel. It’s suitable for a wide range of musical styles, including rock, blues, jazz, and metal. It’s also a good choice for players who appreciate vintage-style instruments and high-quality craftsmanship.

 

In Summary

The gibson les paul standard ’50s electric guitar is a well-crafted electric guitar that offers a classic tone and feel. It’s a versatile instrument that can handle a wide range of musical styles, and it’s a good choice for players who are looking for a high-quality, vintage-inspired guitar. While it is a heavier instrument with a larger neck, these are classic features that many guitarists enjoy. The price point is high, but the instrument is a high quality recreation of a legendary guitar.