Gibson Les Paul Models Guide - Guitars Collector

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Gibson Les Pauls Models Guide
Since gibson's official site really sucks and you can't understand anything, I decided to create this page to simplify those who approach the Gibson Les Paul's world for the first time. The list is made starting from the cheapest.

  • Epiphone Les Paul...

  • Gibson Les Paul LPJ (~€699→): introduced in 2012; discontinued in 2014
    • BODY: mahogany with maple top, Modern Weight Relief, no binding;
    • NECK: maple, 22 medium jumbo frets, rosewood fretboard, rounded '50s profile;
    • FINISH: matte finish;
    • ELECTRONICS: covered 490R (neck) 490T (bridge);
    • HARDWARE: Aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic Bridge, aluminium tailpiece, all hardware is nickel finished, Gold Top Hats Knobs, Vintage-style tuners;
    • ACCESSORIES: soft shell case, Gibson’s accessory kit.

  • Gibson Les Paul Tribute ($1,299→, ~€1129→): introduced in 2019;
      • BODY: mahogany with maple top, Ultra-Modern Weight Relief, no binding;
      • NECK: maple, 22 medium jumbo frets, rosewood fretboard, rounded profile;
      • FINISH: satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish;
      • ELECTRONICS: covered 490R (neck) 490T (bridge);
      • HARDWARE: Aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic Bridge, aluminium tailpiece, all hardware is nickel finished, Gold Top Hats Knobs;
      • ACCESSORIES: soft shell case, Gibson’s accessory kit.

  • Gibson Les Paul Studio ($1,599→, ~€1399→): introduced in 1983;
      • BODY: mahogany with maple top, Modern Weight Relief or Ultra-Modern Weight Relief, no binding;
      • NECK: mahogany, 22 medium jumbo frets, ebony or rosewood fretboard, Slim Taper Profile;
      • FINISH: gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish;
      • ELECTRONICS: covered 490R (neck) 498T (bridge) that can be turned into softer sounding P-90s using coil-tap push/pull volume knobs;
      • HARDWARE: Aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic Bridge, aluminium tailpiece, all hardware is chrome finished, Black Speed Knobs;
      • ACCESSORIES: soft shell case, Gibson’s accessory kit.

  • Gibson Les Paul Classic ($2,499→; ~€1999→):  introduced in 1990;
      • BODY: mahogany with plain maple top, Traditional Weight Relief (9 holes), white binding;
      • NECK: mahogany, 22 medium jumbo frets, rosewood fretboard, Slim Taper Profile, Tektoid nut;
      • FINISH: gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish;
      • ELECTRONICS: Burstbucker zebra 61R & 61T pickups with coil tap function;
      • HARDWARE: Aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic Bridge, aluminium tailpiece, all hardware is chrome finished, Black Speed Knobs, Grover tuners;
      • ACCESSORIES: hard case, Gibson’s accessory kit.

  • Gibson Les Paul Standard ($2,499→, ~€2359→): introduced in 1952;
      • BODY: mahogany with grade AA figured maple top, NO Weight Relief from 1952 to 1983, Traditional Weight Relief (9 holes) from 1983 to 2006, Chambered Weight Relief from 2006 to 2012, Modern Weight Relief from 2012 to today, white binding;
      • NECK: mahogany, 22 medium jumbo frets, ebony or rosewood fretboard, Compound radius, Slim Taper Profile, Graph Tech nut;
      • FINISH: gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish;
      • ELECTRONICS: covered Burstbucker 61R & 61T pickups;
      • HARDWARE: Aluminum ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic Bridge, aluminium tailpiece, all hardware is chrome finished, Gold Top Hats Knobs, Vintage keystone style tuners;
      • ACCESSORIES: hard case, Gibson’s accessory kit.

  • Gibson Les Paul Traditional: introduced in 2008, discontinued in 2019 ($2,799→, ~€2499);
        • BODY: mahogany with grade AA figured maple top, Traditional Weight Relief (9 holes) from 2008 to 2012, NO Weight Relief from 2013 to 2015, Traditional Weight Relief (9 holes) from 2016 to 2018, white binding;
        • NECK: mahogany, 22 medium jumbo frets, rosewood fretboard, Rounded Profile, Tektoid nut;
        • FINISH: gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish;
        • ELECTRONICS: covered Burstbuckers 1 & 2 (Alnico #2) pickups, Volume & tone knobs handwired with orange drop capacitors;
        • HARDWARE: Aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic Bridge, aluminium tailpiece, all hardware is chrome finished, Gold Top Hats Knobs, Vintage keystone style tuners;
        • ACCESSORIES: hard case, Gibson’s accessory kit.
        • VARIANTS of Gibson Les Paul Traditional, thanks to gibsontraditional.com: Standard, PRO Exclusive, 1959, Special, PRO 50’s, Faded, Bigsby, 1960, PRO Split Coil P-90s, 1960 Zebra, PLUS, Mahogany Satin, 12-String, PRO II ’50s, PRO II ’60s, 2013 New Traditional, 2014, PRO II Floyd Rose, P-90 Bigsby, 120 Flame Top, 2015, Mahogany Top, PRO III, 2015 Japan Limited, Sprint Run, 2016 T, 2016 HP, 2015 Commemorative, 2016 Plain Top, 2016 Plain Top Zebra, PRO III EX, PRO 3T, PRO 3T Figured Maple, PRO IV, 2017 T, 2017 HP, PRO IV Flame Maple, 2017 PRO, 2017 PRO Plus, 2017 T Plus, 2017 Plain top, 2017 Plus Quilt, 2018, Rose Gold, 2019, PRO V Satin, PRO V Flame Top, PRO V Mahogany Top.

    • Gibson Les Paul Modern ($2999→, ~€2599→): introduced in 2019;
        • BODY: mahogany with maple top, Ultra-Modern Weight Relief, white binding;
        • NECK: mahogany, 22 medium jumbo frets, ebony or rosewood fretboard, asymmetrical slim taper neck with a modern contoured heel Profile, Graph Tech nut;
        • FINISH: gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish;
        • ELECTRONICS: Burstbucker covered 61R & 61T pickups with coil tap function;
        • HARDWARE: Aluminum ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic Bridge, aluminium tailpiece, all hardware is chrome finished, Black Speed Knobs, Locking Rotomatic Grover tuners;
        • ACCESSORIES: hard case, Gibson’s accessory kit.

    • Gibson Les Paul Slash/artist... Standard (~€2890→) special artist editions made from 2008 to today.

    • Gibson Les Paul Custom (~€4499→): The Les Paul Custom – top of the line. Easily distinguished by the block inlays, binding on the front and back of the guitar, and the split diamond inlay on the headstock. Since 2004, Les Paul Customs, Reissues, and Artist models are all made in Gibson’s Custom Shop in Nashville, TN. The Custom Shop sources its wood independently from other Gibson factories and will look to use the finest grades of mahogany, maple, and ebony. The Custom fretboards are ebony, as opposed to rosewood. Customs used to feature all-mahogany bodies up until the 70s when they started putting maple tops on them. These days, Customs come with 2-ply maple tops with a nitrocellulose finish. The weight relief methods vary on Customs. The 2020 Customs feature 490/498 humbuckers. The big difference, other than the bulky price tag is the Custom Shop attention these guitars get. These guitars get a lot more hands-on time than any other model.  

    • Gibson Les Paul Custom VOS / Aged / Aged&Signed / Limited Editinons / Collector's Choice / Artist Signature: Top models.

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