The Les Paul That Started It All — With a Twist
If you've ever wondered what those legendary late-'50s Les Pauls felt like before they became unobtainable relics, this is your answer. The Les Paul Standard 50s returns to the classic design that made it relevant, played, and loved — shaping sound across generations and genres of music. It pays tribute to Gibson's Golden Era of Innovation and brings authenticity back to life. But here's the thing: instead of a figured maple top, this one goes for a sleek, understated plain maple cap finished in gloss Ebony. It's got all the vintage mojo where it counts — solid mahogany body with a plain maple top and a mahogany neck with a rounded, 50s Vintage profile with a rosewood fingerboard and trapezoid inlays — but with a modern, monochromatic look that lets the wood and the tone do the talking. This is a guitar for players who know that substance beats flash every time.
You're looking at a no-weight-relief mahogany body that delivers all the sustain and resonance the Les Paul is famous for, topped with a carved plain maple cap that adds clarity and bite. This guitar's mahogany body and maple top deliver a one-two sonic punch of warmth and clarity, marked by the mammoth sustain that's defined the Les Paul since 1952. The 50s Vintage neck profile fills your hand with a rounded, comfortable feel — chunky enough to feel substantial, but not a baseball bat. Bound rosewood fretboard with trapezoid inlays and 22 medium jumbo frets give you all the real estate you need for everything from first-position cowboy chords to screaming leads up high. And with a thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish, this guitar will age and breathe just like the originals did.
Burstbucker Pickups That Actually Sound Like the Golden Age
The calibrated Burstbucker 1 (neck) and Burstbucker 2 (bridge) pickups are loaded with Alnico 2 magnets and wired to audio taper potentiometers and Orange Drop capacitors. These aren't just any humbuckers — they're Gibson's meticulous recreation of the original PAF pickups that defined rock and roll tone in the late 1950s. The Les Paul Standard '50s Plain Top's Burstbucker 1 and Burstbucker 2 pickups offer an ultra-authentic sonic re-creation of the PAF, including an unpotted construction, Alnico II magnets, and a lower-output asymmetrical wind. What does that mean for you? Open, airy, dynamic tone with warmth, clarity, and incredible note definition. The neck pickup gives you creamy, vocal-like lead tones and thick rhythm sounds, while the bridge pickup is wound slightly hotter to balance the output and give you that classic bite for solos and crunch.
The hand-wired electronics include two volume controls, two tone controls, and a three-way toggle switch — the classic Les Paul layout that's been inspiring players for over 70 years. Orange Drop capacitors preserve the highs when you roll back the tone controls, giving you a huge range of usable sounds from glassy clean to thick, saturated overdrive. Whether you're chasing classic rock tones, blues, jazz, or anything in between, this guitar responds to your touch and your amp settings like few others can.
Hardware and Build Quality Straight From Nashville
It's equipped with an ABR-1, the classic-style Tune-O-Matic bridge, an aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece, Vintage Deluxe tuners with Keystone buttons, and gold Top Hat knobs. Every piece of hardware on this guitar is chosen for authenticity and performance. The ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic bridge is the same design that appeared on the original 1950s Les Pauls, offering rock-solid intonation and sustain. The lightweight aluminum stop bar tailpiece couples perfectly with the bridge for maximum string-to-body energy transfer. Vintage Deluxe tuners with those iconic Keystone buttons keep you in tune and look period-correct, while the gold Top Hat knobs with dial pointers are a classy finishing touch.
The build quality is what you'd expect from a USA-made Gibson. Crafted in Nashville, Tennessee, these guitars feature USA-made electronics, solid hardwoods, and classic design details that have stood the test of time. Single-ply binding frames the top and fretboard, Graph Tech nut ensures smooth tuning and sustain, and the gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish will develop character and patina as you play it over the years. The 24.75-inch scale length and 12-inch fretboard radius are pure Les Paul — familiar, fast, and comfortable for bends, chords, and everything in between.
Who This Guitar Is For
This Les Paul Standard 50s Plain Top is for players who want authentic vintage specs without the figured top upcharge. It's for anyone who values tone, playability, and craftsmanship over flash. If you're a blues player, rock guitarist, or studio musician looking for a Les Paul that delivers classic Gibson sound with a clean, modern aesthetic, this is it. The Ebony finish is sophisticated, timeless, and pairs beautifully with the cream plastics and gold hardware. And whether you're gigging, recording, or just playing at home, you're holding a piece of Gibson history that sounds as good as it looks.
Product Features:
- Solid mahogany body with no weight relief for maximum sustain and resonance
- Carved plain maple top for added clarity and bite
- Mahogany neck with rounded 50s Vintage profile — chunky, comfortable, and authentic
- Bound Indian rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets and acrylic trapezoid inlays
- Burstbucker 1 (neck) and Burstbucker 2 (bridge) humbucking pickups with Alnico 2 magnets
- Hand-wired electronics with audio taper pots and Orange Drop capacitors
- ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic bridge and aluminum stop bar tailpiece
- Vintage Deluxe tuners with Keystone buttons
- 24.75-inch scale length and 12-inch fretboard radius
- Gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish in Ebony
- Made in Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Brand: Gibson
Model: Les Paul Standard 50s Plain Top
SKU: LPS5P00ENNH1
Condition: New
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