Gibson VINTAGE Les Paul Standard w/Crown Inlay '68 Goldtop Conversion

Les Paul is a legendary jazz guitarist who has had a profound influence on the history of popular music, particularly on the electric guitar and its playing techniques. Gibson released his signature model, the Les Paul Model, in 1952. Despite many twists and turns since then, the Les Paul model remains a standard in the electric guitar world, beloved by guitarists worldwide, with a diverse lineup including vintage reissues and models inspired by the guitar produced by other companies.

Our latest arrival is a familiar 1955-57 goldtop/P-90 pickup/Tune-O-Matic model, reissued in 1968. This eccentric guitar features a crown inlay on the headstock, likely produced in small batches before being officially released as a catalog model in 1968. Perhaps due to its rare gold hardware on the tuners and bridge unit, this guitar was previously featured in a magazine. It has now been converted to a humbucking pickup setup, and is in player-reviewed condition with all worn parts replaced.

【body】
The overall weight is approximately 4.0 kg. The traditional wood materials, a maple top and one-piece mahogany back, are complemented by the striking deep gold top color characteristic of old Gibsons. The strap pin has been relocated, but its original position is slightly outboard, a feature commonly seen on crown inlay guitars. There is overall weather checking, patina and paint chipping on the gold top, paint chipping and dents from the belt buckle on the sides and back of the body, and rust and tarnish on the metal parts, but the guitar remains in excellent condition, typical of a vintage guitar. There are signs of the bridge stud having been slightly relocated. During the conversion, parts susceptible to wear, such as the pickup rings, pickguard, switch knob, and jack plate, were replaced.

【neck】
The neck is made of one piece of mahogany, and the fingerboard is made of rosewood. Like the body, it exhibits weathering throughout, with minor dents around the headstock and paint chipping due to weathering on the back of the neck, giving it a wonderful vintage guitar feel. Other distinctive features include the "Gibson" logo with an i-dot, a crown inlay, and a truss rod cover with "Les Paul" lettering. The tuners are gold-colored Kluson Deluxe. The 1st string knob is slightly bent and some of the strings are loose, but they still function properly. The frets and nut have been replaced once, and playability is excellent. The bridge saddles are nylon for the 6th string and gold-plated for the 5th through 1st strings. The bridge exhibits some warping. The nut width is 43.2mm. The neck profile is relatively sturdy, with a slight V-shape.

[Electrical system]
The controls are the familiar Les Paul model: 3-way pickup selector, 2 volume controls, and 2 tone controls. The control parts, including the pot, capacitor, and output jack, have been replaced. Both pickups have been converted to humbuckers, and the guitar is currently equipped with two stickered T-top numbered humbuckers from the same period as the guitar. The pickup covers appear to have been removed at one point. The combination of the powerful Gibson humbuckers of the time, coupled with the excellent resonance of the body, produces an astonishing range of tone, with a powerful, satisfying drive sound that's also one of its charms.

Case included: Gibson yellow inner black hard case


What is a Conversion Les Paul?
Gibson Les Paul models with intentionally altered specifications, like the one we're introducing here, are called "conversion Les Pauls" and are popular among vintage guitar enthusiasts. The original Les Paul model, released in 1952, underwent numerous modifications and was produced until 1961, when it was transformed into the SG shape. Since the original shape was re-released in 1968, various variations and reproductions have been produced, and as you may know, it continues to be loved by musicians around the world today.

1950s models are highly sought after due to their rarity and excellent wood. Those with humbucking pickups, manufactured between 1957 and 1960, are especially difficult to obtain due to their high price and extremely limited production numbers. So, vintage guitar enthusiasts have come up with a method for acquiring relatively inexpensive (though still quite expensive) 1952-1956 Les Paul models and modifying and refinishing them. Because the wood is genuine 1950s, matching each part, including the pickups, offers the potential for a fantastic sound. This can be seen as a product of the pursuit of authentic sound that began in the 1980s and later, along with the popularity of replacement pickups, replica models produced by independent workshops, and reissued Les Paul models.

Weight: 4.0kg
Body Material (Top/Back): Maple 2 piece/Mahogany 1 piece
Neck Material/Scale Length: Maple 1 piece/624mm (24-1/2inch)
Bridge/Tail: Gibson ABR-1 Gold/Stop Tailpiece Gold
Fingerboard/Fret Marker/Radius: Rosewood/Pearloid Trapezoid (Dish)/304.8mm (12inch)
Nut Width/Fret Width: 43.2mm/2.7mm, 22F
Neck Thickness (1F/7F/12F): 22.9mm/24.7mm/27.0mm, soft V
Pickup (Neck/Bridge): Gibson PU-490 Humbucker T-Top Stickered Numbered, (7.7kΩ/7.5kΩ)
*The DC resistance of the pickup is measured through the control section.

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