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Gibson Les Paul Standard (50s neck)
List: $6,000
The Les Paul Standard has been the benchmark guitar of its ilk since its introduction in 1958; a set neck & single cutaway design that has resisted time’s ordeal, the ultimate outline which is sweet at every turn; certainly the most desirable guitar, period. Time and again, we have read how Gibson’s QC fell asleep owing to the mere success of this guitar; beneath the stunning exterior, the fester slumbers. This review isn’t about to renew a deserved bashing of this sedition, it aims to address the Standard’s contemporary adaptations. Surely, the very name which conjures grandeur has a gem to conceal… or does it?
Construction/ fit/ finish
There isn’t much to convey on matters pertaining to the Les Paul’s craftsmanship other than a reiteration of its magnificence. With effect from 2002, the Standard receives an AA grade flame maple top, the presence of unmarked blotches beneath the transparent overcoat must be judged in light of such a provision. In other aspects of finishing, the Les Paul is hard to fault. This example is endowed with an alternative South American mahogany body instead of its politically correct Honduran pedigree. The fretboard here is of Indian origin & displayed uncharacteristic dryness. There is also an exhibition of careless glue application at the nut area, spilling onto the first fret vicinity. Other undeserving presence are a crooked volume knob, which makes one wonder if this guitar was subject to a harsh collision during its journey to the dealer’s, and a chipped bridge pickup mounting ring. I would have believed that the dreadful QC tales mentioned above were disgruntled accounts from Gibson dissidents but it seems that the very product had presented its warts. Shame.
Playability/ tone
The Les Paul Standard is now offered in two neck profiles; a rounded 50s edition or a slim tapered 60s (flatter) option. Purists & enthusiasts alike would agree that the former neck profile helps underscore the guitar’s colossal presence. In any case, the depth of both would present a new playing experience to players who are accustomed to thin necks. Regardless of the preference & abhorrence of the Les Paul neck-body joint, upper fret access is a real issue with a guitar of this design. The manufacturer isn’t about to revise this concept so we either accept its peculiarity or embrace other brand names which offer a more forthcoming option. Despite an arched top body, the Les Paul continues to be devoid of an elbow relief & ribcage chamfer, the crucial elements needed to make its handling more opulent.
The ultimate redemption of this guitar is its revised pair of humbuckers- the BurstBucker Pro. If you’ve been repelled by the ill-defined tone of the Les Paul, it was probably due to the nasal pair of 490R/ 498T pickups. But that was a pre-2002 predicament, the current darlings possess an Alnico V midrange injection to ensure your driven solo outings are well heard. However, if you roll the tone off in the neck position, the revered woman tone is still preserved. With this pair decorating the Standard’s voicings, it is to the behest of the players to ensure the presence of appropriate amps & FX units because all manner of tone are not impossible. The Les Paul Standard remains true to its tonal reputation, a very majestic one indeed.
Last say
The current pricing of this guitar is bordering on the ridiculous & with the inherent flaws (a unique account for each guitar, as I've discovered), it compounds the resistance of the discerning player to own one, especially when the spectre of a PRS Singlecut looms over his head. However, the Les Paul Standard isn’t about to be dethroned anytime soon because the deep voicing of this guitar remains unchallenged & preferred by players of various music genres. If you are attracted the Les Paul today, it might be due to the impressionable images it conjures in the presence of popular icons. However, for those of us who know what the Les Paul represent in its essence, it is simply indispensable. Pity the cosmetic unbecoming of this example as Gibson continues to undermine its own goodwill. Do not blame the copies for doing better.
