by Gibson Custom Shop
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4 used & new from $2,949.50
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Review & Description
The BurstBucker pickups on this Gibson 1957 Les Paul Goldtop VOS (Vintage Original Spec) are precise copies of the original "Patent Applied For" versions that were the first dual-coil humbucking pickups ever produced in quantity. Their full, round, and versatile sound is as unique now as it was then. Classic carved maple top, solid (non-weight relieved) mahogany back, and one-piece mahogany neck generate the singing resonance that made the original one of the world's most sought-after guitars. Finish and hardware are gently aged to make it look exactly like the real McCoy. Early '50s rounded neck profile gives you something serious to hang onto. Check the drop-down menu to the right to select colors and/or other options.By 1957, Gibson's evolving Les Paul model guitar had already undergone several key modifications that would remain as the foundation of the iconic version known around the world today as the Les Paul Standard. But while the addition of the new Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece one year earlier had greatly improved the overall functionality of the Les Paul, nothing would compare with the addition of Gibson's pioneering humbucking pickup in 1957.
A truly magnificent instrument, gleaming in gold.
History
 Gibson's legendary Burstbucker pickups and Tune-o-matic bridge. |
 22-fret rosewood fingerboard outfitted with acrylic trapezoid inlays matching the size of color of the originals. |
By 1957, Gibson's evolving Les Paul model guitar had already undergone several key modifications that would remain as the foundation of the iconic version known around the world today as the Les Paul Standard. But while the addition of the new Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece one year earlier had greatly improved the overall functionality of the Les Paul, nothing would compare with the addition of Gibson's pioneering humbucking pickup in 1957.
At the direction of legendary Gibson President Ted McCarty, Gibson engineer Seth Lover began working on a tone circuit with hum-cancelling capabilities sometime in 1954, applying for a U.S. design patent--hence the name "Patent Applied For," or "PAF"--on June 22, 1955. By early 1957, the standard double-coil version of the humbucker pickup had begun to appear on Gibson ES-175s and ES-350Ts, and eventually on the Les Paul Model Goldtops of the same year.
Body
Aside from the pickups, the basic specifications of those 1957 Les Paul Model Goldtops remained the same. There were, however, several minor cosmetic variations that made the 1957 version significant in the development of the Les Paul, the most noteworthy of which was the placement of the inlaid, pearl-cut Gibson logo, which was moved closer to the top edge of the headstock. Additionally, 1957 was to be the last full year of production for a Gibson model with a Goldtop finish. The popular color would not adorn another Gibson guitar until 1968.
Famous Players
The 1957 Les Paul Goldtop was also the model used famously by Duane Allman during the formative years of the Allman Brothers Band and his early session work, including his work with Eric Clapton (Layla sessions), the Allman Brothers Band's legendary Fillmore recordings, as well as their first two albums--a body of work considered by many to be one of the most important in the history of rock and roll.
Near-perfect Recreation
Today's 1957 Les Paul Goldtop from the Gibson Custom Shop is a near-perfect recreation of the original instrument, in all of its original brilliance and historical magnificence. The body features Gibson's traditional hand-carved maple top and solid, non-weight relieved mahogany body. The headstock is made from Holly head veneer, as opposed to fiber, just like it was in 1957, and the vintage-style tulip tuners are mounted in a straight line, also as they were on the original. The 24 3/4-inch scale length neck is made from one solid piece of mahogany, and attached to the body using a long neck tenon--one of the Les Paul's more distinguishing characteristics of the 1950s. The neck is topped by a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard outfitted with acrylic trapezoid inlays matching the size of color of the originals. Of course, two of Gibson's legendary Burstbucker pickups deliver all the subtle variations of true, classic humbucker tone by using historically "unmatched" bobbin windings and Alnico II magnets. The guitar's Antique Gold finish also matches the hue of the original model, giving this Custom Shop model the accurate and distinct appearance of this traditional Les Paul. Other historical appointments include CTS potentiometers, bumble bee capacitors, rolled creme-colored fingerboard binding, single-ply thin binding around the body, and period-correct switchwasher and jackplate. The 1957 Les Paul Goldtop comes either a V.O.S. or Gloss finish, and comes with the standard Gibson Custom case, custom care kit and certificate of authenticity. Read more
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