Gibson Les Paul Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1954)
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Gibson Les Paul Model Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1954), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 4-1929, gold lacquer top, natural back and sides finish, mahogany body with maple cap, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown hard shell case.
This is a VERY clean, all original example of one of Gibson's most important guitars: the original gold-topped Les Paul Model. It dates to fairly early 1954 and is the second major variation of this all-time classic solid-body, with the much more player-friendly stop tailpiece replacing the earlier "Les Paul" trapeze the model was introduced with. Les Paul himself was very unhappy with the initial models, constructed so the strings wrapped UNDER the bar of the trapeze unit instead of over it as intended. Gibson president Ted McCarty personally designed the stud-mounted bridge/tailpiece unit used here that corrected that problem and eliminated the trapeze altogether.
The top is finished in gold lacquer, the back and sides are natural mahogany. The round-backed neck profile is not as deep or rounded as some later models, with more material dressed away along the sides. The bound rosewood fingerboard has pearloid trapezoid inlays. The twin P-90 pickups reside under cream plastic covers with center-mount screws. The headstock reads "Les Paul Model" and carries Kluson Deluxe tuners with keystone-shaped buttons. In an idiosyncratic touch, the pearl Gibson logo is set lower down on the headstock than later '50s models.
From the first full year of Gibson's improved "stoptail" Les Paul, this is a MUCH more player-friendly guitar than the 1952 or '53 models with the strings mounted under the trapeze bar. This one has a particularly good neck angle with plenty of room for bridge adjustment, which is not always the case with these. This is a fine example of these revolutionary guitars which arguably established the Les Paul as the "other" prime contender in the new solidbody market and Fender's greatest competition. There were just over 1,500 of these instruments sold in 1954, and most of them have seen a lot more wear than this one.
The first solid-bodies with the class of a Gibson, these guitars convinced many players to lay down their electrified arch-tops and enter the new world of higher volume. Later developments of the Les Paul line included the upscale Custom, down-market Special and Junior, and reworked Standard in gold and sunburst, but this is the guitar that started it all. To this day many players feel these stud-bridge, P-90 Les Pauls are as flat-out bad-ass a solidbody guitar as has ever been made.
Overall length is 39 in. (99.1 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 15/16 in. (4.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.)., 9.87 lbs.
This nearly 70 year old Les Paul remains in all original condition, showing some typical minor wear but no visible repairs or alterations. The original finish is untouched with no overspray anywhere and shows light checking, small dings, dents and scrapes overall but no heavily worn areas through the lacquer except one fairly small spot of buckle wear to the back. There are a few very small dings into the gold top finish, but virtually none of the common flaking or greening across the top edge of the gold lacquer. The back of the neck has some minor dings and dents, with a longer scrape into the finish on the treble side in the 8-12th fret area but hardly any finish worn off the back.
The neck pickup cover has a noticeable scratch in the plastic just off the poles. The original cream plastic jackplate is still mounted but has two slightly cracked corners; a reproduction can be easily substituted if desired to preserve it from future damage. Internally all wiring is original and unaltered, including the large wax capacitors and all solder joints.
The original narrow frets show some moderate wear mostly under the unwound strings but there is only minimal wear to the rosewood fingerboard. The guitar is quite playable with a really superb sound. When the all-time classic solidbodies are discussed, these gold top 1953-6 Les Pauls are always in the mix. This one is housed in the original period Lifton brown case that shows some fairly minor wear, considering its age. This guitar is not absolutely pristine, but is one of the nicest '54 goldtops we have seen in a LONG time! Overall Excellent Condition.
This is a VERY clean, all original example of one of Gibson's most important guitars: the original gold-topped Les Paul Model. It dates to fairly early 1954 and is the second major variation of this all-time classic solid-body, with the much more player-friendly stop tailpiece replacing the earlier "Les Paul" trapeze the model was introduced with. Les Paul himself was very unhappy with the initial models, constructed so the strings wrapped UNDER the bar of the trapeze unit instead of over it as intended. Gibson president Ted McCarty personally designed the stud-mounted bridge/tailpiece unit used here that corrected that problem and eliminated the trapeze altogether.
The top is finished in gold lacquer, the back and sides are natural mahogany. The round-backed neck profile is not as deep or rounded as some later models, with more material dressed away along the sides. The bound rosewood fingerboard has pearloid trapezoid inlays. The twin P-90 pickups reside under cream plastic covers with center-mount screws. The headstock reads "Les Paul Model" and carries Kluson Deluxe tuners with keystone-shaped buttons. In an idiosyncratic touch, the pearl Gibson logo is set lower down on the headstock than later '50s models.
From the first full year of Gibson's improved "stoptail" Les Paul, this is a MUCH more player-friendly guitar than the 1952 or '53 models with the strings mounted under the trapeze bar. This one has a particularly good neck angle with plenty of room for bridge adjustment, which is not always the case with these. This is a fine example of these revolutionary guitars which arguably established the Les Paul as the "other" prime contender in the new solidbody market and Fender's greatest competition. There were just over 1,500 of these instruments sold in 1954, and most of them have seen a lot more wear than this one.
The first solid-bodies with the class of a Gibson, these guitars convinced many players to lay down their electrified arch-tops and enter the new world of higher volume. Later developments of the Les Paul line included the upscale Custom, down-market Special and Junior, and reworked Standard in gold and sunburst, but this is the guitar that started it all. To this day many players feel these stud-bridge, P-90 Les Pauls are as flat-out bad-ass a solidbody guitar as has ever been made.
Overall length is 39 in. (99.1 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 15/16 in. (4.9 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.)., 9.87 lbs.
This nearly 70 year old Les Paul remains in all original condition, showing some typical minor wear but no visible repairs or alterations. The original finish is untouched with no overspray anywhere and shows light checking, small dings, dents and scrapes overall but no heavily worn areas through the lacquer except one fairly small spot of buckle wear to the back. There are a few very small dings into the gold top finish, but virtually none of the common flaking or greening across the top edge of the gold lacquer. The back of the neck has some minor dings and dents, with a longer scrape into the finish on the treble side in the 8-12th fret area but hardly any finish worn off the back.
The neck pickup cover has a noticeable scratch in the plastic just off the poles. The original cream plastic jackplate is still mounted but has two slightly cracked corners; a reproduction can be easily substituted if desired to preserve it from future damage. Internally all wiring is original and unaltered, including the large wax capacitors and all solder joints.
The original narrow frets show some moderate wear mostly under the unwound strings but there is only minimal wear to the rosewood fingerboard. The guitar is quite playable with a really superb sound. When the all-time classic solidbodies are discussed, these gold top 1953-6 Les Pauls are always in the mix. This one is housed in the original period Lifton brown case that shows some fairly minor wear, considering its age. This guitar is not absolutely pristine, but is one of the nicest '54 goldtops we have seen in a LONG time! Overall Excellent Condition.