Gold Top Gibson Les Pauls

[Shawn Lutz]

Conversely, I'm not a big fan of black guitars, either (they just sort of disappear on stage

Guess you never saw a Gibson Black Beauty Les Paul Custom under the stage lights?

The Custom was black with binding and block inlays were partly designed by Les to make the guitarist stand out on stage and see his hands on the neck

Without binding black guitars can disappear if the player is also wearing black so I get that point but customs look very good under stage lighting as do Goldtops. When Les was working on the LP he specifically requested the gold color as it represented quality and class.

I never had cared for goldtops or LP's for about 30 years of playing, got into LP's in 2012 but once I started getting into LP's the Goldtop bug caught me which is why I snagged a R7 which is odd as I don't really like orange/yellow hues but but a GT under stage lights is a thing of beauty to my eyes.

Everyone is different and that is why we have color options to please personal preferences I'm the same way on the aged white LPC's. Randy Rhoads is one of my favorite players but I actually hate the color of those LPC

 

[icantbuyafender]

I used to have an epi '56LPGT. It was a great guitar but the gold was like a metal flake sparkle gold that reminded me of a daisy rock guitar or something. Too much glittery pixie dust. I prefer the Gibson gold finish. It's more classy, and less ziggy stardust. I played gibson '57 RI gold top shortly after I had been gigging the epi. From that experience, I vowed I would own a real Gibby GT.

If I can have just one, it'd be a light back with P90 routes, so I could swap P90s and minihums in and out.

 

[dlbx2]

I used to have an epi '56LPGT. It was a great guitar but the gold was like a metal flake sparkle gold that reminded me of a daisy rock guitar or something. Too much glittery pixie dust. I prefer the Gibson gold finish. It's more classy, and less ziggy stardust. I played gibson '57 RI gold top shortly after I had been gigging the epi. From that experience, I vowed I would own a real Gibby GT.

If I can have just one, it'd be a light back with P90 routes, so I could swap P90s and minihums in and out.

? Are the P90's you mention the ones that look like plastic. And if so, are they humbucker, single coils, or something else that I don't know?
Thanks, DLB

 

[mrfett]

gold tops are where it's at, definitely!

 

[GitFiddle]

? Are the P90's you mention the ones that look like plastic. And if so, are they humbucker, single coils, or something else that I don't know?
Thanks, DLB

First introduced in the early 1950s, Gibson’s legendary P90 singlecoil pickup produced a raw powerful tone that helped define the blues and rock and roll in their formative years. Today, the P90’s traditional combination of high output and brilliant tone is still considered a favorite among many top musicians. Known by such familiar nicknames as the "Soapbar" and the "Cobalt," the P90 still cuts through any type of music, all while displaying amazing tonal sensitivity for everything from blues and rock to mellow jazz riffs. It’s perfect as a vintage replacement, and features vintage, braided two-conductor wiring. It’s also fully wax potted to eliminate any chance of unwanted microphonic feedback.

In 1957 Les Pauls were equipped with humbucker pickups. Essentially two side-by-side single coils, that cancel the traditional hum of single coil pickups.

 

[Alan]

Love my GT beauty. (Modified Joe Bonamassa)

 

[cez_black]

my sexy Goldie

 

[bosnialove]

I have been gassing for another Goldtop, but I can control myself.

Anyways, what the heck, since everybpdy is posting theirs.. Here is my 1993 '57 Historic:

 

[djw171]

Love my GT beauty. (Modified Joe Bonamassa)

Very nice trio you have there. Is that the Studio JB? did you have the back stripped and re-finished? anything else done?

 

[Lindseyp]

...You, ladies and gentleman, are the most knowledgeable, informed group that I know of, and, is the comment made by this young man's statement fairly accurate? ...

This part's not true for me but ironically, I have a gold Strat Deluxe and I'm selling a DGT Goldtop. Weird?

 

[Alan]

Very nice trio you have there. Is that the Studio JB? did you have the back stripped and re-finished? anything else done?

It is indeed a Studio JB. I did the work myself. Just applied several VERY LIGHT coats of Tru-Oil after the endless sanding then used a green Scotch-Brite pad with an easy touch on the neck to make it smooth as glass.

Close-up of the "Stinger". It's not perfect, but it'll do!

 

[gnappi]

I hate gold tops. All that lovely maple covered up by a thick coat of mustard-yellow-brown goop that doest look remotely like gold.

In the 60's I had a chat with a Gibson repairman, and he told me after I asked "what's the deal with the wood under black and gold LP's?"

He told me most if not all of the best tops were bursts, the worst pick of the wood got paint. So in reality there's probably precious few lovely maple tops covered up, doesn't that sound reasonable from a manufacturing standpoint?

 

[dlbx2]

In the 60's I had a chat with a Gibson repairman, and he told me after I asked "what's the deal with the wood under black and gold LP's?"

He told me most if not all of the best tops were bursts, the worst pick of the wood got paint. So in reality there's probably precious few lovely maple tops covered up, doesn't that sound reasonable from a manufacturing standpoint?

If you go to You Tube, and search for the Gibson Factory Tour, they pretty much say the same thing. The grain in the wood is what determines where it goes, as all the Les Paul tops, according to the Gibson factory rep, are maple. I have a friend who makes custom gun stocks, and according to conversations that we have had, the fancy stuff is usually close to a limb or near the ground, particularly the stump. He uses bird's eye maple, but mostly different types of walnut. Anyway, I just sold a Les Paul with a beautiful flamed maple top, and I would hate to think that they painted over something that nice to finish my GT. DLB

 

[gnappi]

Here's mine:

 

[Airhead]

My second and third guitar were GoldTop copies.
A nice GoldTop is on my list.
Kinda like Airhead's.

Where did you get this picture ? That is my guitar.

 

[Bobby Mahogany]

Where did you get this picture ? That is my guitar.

I went to visit your wife while you were at work and I couldn't help but take a pic of your marvelous Goldtop!

(Hum... if you're not joking, you posted that pic on page two of this thread...
Post number 34...)

 

[HRS]

I've come around to thinking they're less blingy than bursts. All that gaudy flame....

agree, and I have a (subtle) flame top traditional

 

[dylumph]

Through out the years I've aquired bunches of guitars (mostly Gibson). I've used all of them gigging but I use my R6 & R7 most of the time. They play and sound the best consistantly. A humbucker and a P-90 guitar is all I really need!

 

[bosnialove]

Meh.. Took two pics today.

What you don't see is that the frets are worn out and so are the saddles. This will be fixed in two few weeks. 23- year old guitar that looks almost as new. That means that even if you use it A LOT, if you look after it it will still look almost as new.

 

[pavs]

I have a lovely GT, I'm probably in the minority but I don't particularly like flame tops (or quilts... whatever) I do love plain tops though, so solid colours are cool in my book (also have a black LP)
\m/