Geni Swing Guitars

Les Pauls

Gibson Custom 1960 Les Paul Standard Vos Electric Guitar

Is this it? Is this the most important guitar in the history of rock and roll?


As the '50s rolled into the '60s, Gibson worked tirelessly to improve the design of their guitars, and one facet of the Les Paul they felt could be improved was the neck. Whereas 50s Les Pauls were known for their heavy rounded necks, in 1960 Gibson began to experiment with thinner, flatter necks to allow for faster playing.

Gibson was so obsessed with making the guitar lighter and faster that after 1960 they actually discontinued the Les Paul as we know it, replacing it with the guitar we now call the SG. (They actually continued to call it the Les Paul, until Mr. Les Paul, the legendary musician, complained). And the Les Paul might have vanished, consigned to the dustbin of history, if not for a young English bluesman by the name of Eric Clapton.

Clapton played 1960 Les Pauls extensively during his time with the John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Cream. He popularized the instrument so much (only starting to play an SG when his favorite Paul was stolen) that Gibson realized it had made a mistake and began to make them again.

Only about 2,000 Les Pauls were made during the 1958-1960 period. When you count the ones that have vanished or been destroyed, it's no wonder that you'll see quoted prices of $50,000 and up on the rare occasions when they do change hands.

But you don't need that much money to get a little taste of rock history. This guitar is an authentic replica of the 1960's Les Paul, the instrument that saved Rock-n'-Roll.

The neck will be a revelation to those players put off by classic '50s Gibson necks, it's much thinner and supports faster playing easily. The pickups have that great, mismatched, bitey edge. They're not quite as high-output as today's modern Alnico-V based pickups, but they're full of warm, thick tone and they overdrive beautifully.

It sounds crazy to talk about modding a replica guitar (although, if Page modded his actual '59 ...) but you might consider adding a pair of strap-locks. If you're worried about resale value, just hang on to the original buttons, but a minor design flaw in the neck-side strap button means that Pauls have a bad habit of slipping off their straps. If you're worried about resale value, just hold on to the original buttons - besides which, a pair of strap locks will hurt the resale value a lot less than a headstock repair.

And when you have a guitar this great, you're going to want to protect it almost as much as you're going to want to play it, because make no mistake, this is a great guitar, but it's a great players guitar, with fantastic classic tone, just perfect for driving a classic tube amp.

If I sound like I'm raving about this guitar, it's because I am. A 1960 reissue Les Paul isn't just a guitar you play, it's a guitar you love. I don't know what else to say. If you dream about guitars, this is the kind of guitar you dream about.

About the Author

For information and reviews on
Gibson Les Paul
electric guitars visit http://www.lpelectricguitar.com and read our
Gibson Les Paul Buying Guide

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