Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

les paul deluxe


GuitarGod319

Recommended Posts

Posted

The Les Paul Deluxe was more or less a transition model between the P-90 Les Paul (standard) of the fifties, and the Les Paul Standard reissue as we know it today. The deluxe was the exact same body as a '50's P-90 Les Paul, in as far as the materials and construction (mahogany body with a carved maple cap), pickup routing (the mini humbuckers developed for the Deluxe fit in the same hole as a P-90), headstock inlay and fretboard markers (Les Paul signature and trapaziod markers), and was probably an effort of Gibson to use up existing materials, machinery and tooling at hand. Humbuckers had taken over the market, and nobody wanted P-90's at the time. Gibson probably had machinery and tooling, if not even surplus completed bodies to make this model, and all they had to do was make a mini humbucker to fit the routing hole. Meanwhile they reintroduced the full size humbucker "Standard" and phased out the Deluxe. My favorite Deluxes were the Cherry Sunburst and the Goldtop, and in fact the Deluxe was the only Les Paul model available in sunburst or goldtop for a few years. They pop up on the auction sites now and then, and many of them have been re-routed for standard size humbuckers.

 

That's my take on it.

Posted

I've never played one but have heard that the mini humbuckers sound thiner than normal humbuckers O:) ...

Posted

Ive got a `71 gold top and its awsome!!

http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd311/terrychapman/?action=view&current=katrinaguitar157.jpg

http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd311/terrychapman/?action=view&current=guitar1.jpg

http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd311/terrychapman/?action=view&current=Guitar3.jpg

This one was found in a flooded basement of a house that was wiped out by hurricane Katrina.

The neck was off and the top had lifted in places but after a lot of hard work I got it back playing.

I use it as a relic. It plays fantastic and sounds just awsome.The mini pups are fine I just had to wax pot `em to stop a bit of squealing at high volume but thats it.

Hope you like the pics??

Terry

Posted
Terry...

Man' date=' was that guitar beat up!....You do plan on mending her dont you?[/quote']

Believe it or not,I`m gigging her!!

I was gonna refinish it but I decided to use as a "relic" and as a tribute to the late owner.

I refretted it and it set up spot-on so I take it out to gigs with my SG that I bought new in `72 and my `03 R9.

its being featured in next months Guitarist mag as well!!

Thanks for the interest.

Posted

I have a newer 05 Deluxe Goldtop. Can't beat the feel. Soundwise, it has a lot of bite. Little brighter sounding. What I had read soemwhere was when Gibson started manufacturing LP's in the alte 60's again, that they were all initially made as deluxes to use up inventory of the mini humbuckers that were leftover from an epiphone model. At that time, if I read correctly, you could custom order one from the factory with full size humbuckers.

 

Anyway, here's my 05

DSC00082.jpg

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...