"It's been a while!!"—but it was so long ago that you probably don't even remember me, do you...
This is the second installment of my “self-indulgent project”—I’m Matsui from TCGAKKI, also known as “Matsuchan”… or maybe not, depending on who you ask.
This time, we’re doing a thorough comparison of Les Paul Goldtops: on one hand, a vintage 1956 Les Paul Goldtop—which can be considered the definitive version of the P-90-equipped Les Paul that first featured the Tune-O-Matic bridge!! And on the other hand, the 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue from Gibson’s Custom Shop Historic Collection—Gibson’s absolute pinnacle!!
This comparison—which could even be called an audacious move against the manufacturer—is something only a music store like TCGAKKI, free from ties to any manufacturer, can pull off!! “If you’ve got a problem with it, bring it on…”—just kidding. Sorry about that…
Please keep in mind that this is strictly a comparison between two individual instruments—one instance doesn’t apply to all—so please view this with that in mind… Brace yourselves… hehehehe.
Logo
The Historic model is beautiful—well, that goes without saying.
At first glance, they don’t seem very different. But…The logo on the original appears to be positioned significantly lower. Even though the headstock size is virtually the same, if you measure from the top of the “b” in “Gibson” to the top of the headstock, the original measures 18.5 mm, while the Historic model is only 11 mm—the positions are completely different. This lower logo position was standard from 1952, when the Les Paul was introduced, through 1957; in 1958, the logo position was changed to the one we see today.Furthermore, on the original, each logo was carefully inlaid into the veneer and attached individually to the headstock top, whereas the Historic model features the logo design from the period in the early 1960s when the logo’s outline changed—a distinct square line is clearly visible around the Gibson logo. Significant differences were observed in the logos.
Headstock Top
Both the Original and the Historic models use holly for the headstock top; on the Original, you can see this through the areas where the finish has peeled off. The “Les Paul MODEL” logo on both is a decal and will come off if rubbed, so please avoid rubbing it unnecessarily. The shape of the headstock, as seen from the top, is almost identical—truly befitting the Historic model!!
Adjustment Cover
The adjustment cover is positioned slightly higher on the original model. The screw hole on the nut side of the adjustment cover is 6 mm from the nut on the original, while it’s 5 mm on the Historic model. Originally, because flat plastic couldn’t be manufactured at the time, the adjustment cover was made by flattening a rolled sheet and then machining it—a process that left roll marks visible. However, since the cover has been replaced, these marks are no longer visible. Similarly, no roll marks were visible on the Historic model either.
Peg
The original is a so-called “no-line peg” that does not feature the Kluson logo. The knob is a single-ring, translucent design typical of pegs from around 1955, where the marbled pattern is clearly visible. The Historic version is a Kluson peg engraved with “GIBSON DELUXE” in two rows.The off-white single-ring knobs were adopted on the original 1956 models; while they are faithfully reproduced in both shape and appearance, they do not develop the yellowing that accentuates the marbled pattern over time, so they may lack some of the original’s visual impact.As an aside, have you ever seen Gibson vintage tuners that have shrunk slightly? Those are made from a material used from the late ’50s to the early ’60s and are called “shrink buttons.” Just like shrink wrap, they shrink and fall apart over time… Since they’re practically impossible to turn, most people end up replacing them.
Headstock Angle
The headstock angle is 17 degrees on both sides. Since the necks were hand-carved back in the day, there is slight variation in thickness and shape. Until around the 1960s, Gibson was particular about grain selection in neck production and would select wood specifically to ensure strength at the headstock angle. To ensure the section where the headstock angle is steepest had straight grain, they had to use very large pieces of wood—a method that was extremely costly.For a time in the 1970s, they switched to a cutting method that allowed necks to be made from smaller pieces of wood, but this led to a spate of neck breakages. As a result, they took the counterproductive step of switching to maple necks—a move that only made matters worse—and Gibson found itself in even deeper trouble… Given this history, there’s no way Gibson would hesitate to do things right!! The Hiscole is also designed to provide strength precisely where the headstock angle is formed.
Neck Thickness and Width
Actual Width
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Actual thickness
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Compared to the original, the width is slightly wider and the thickness is slightly thinner, but... when you actually hold it, the Hisukore feels thicker than the numbers suggest. This is due to the way the neck side is shaped; to put it bluntly, the original is shaped closer to a C-shape, while the Hisukore is shaped closer to a U-shape. Since this is the part that comes into contact with the guitar the longest, even this slight difference significantly alters the overall impression.
Frets
The original frets are 1.85 mm wide, while the Hiscole’s are about 2.2 mm—so the Hiscole’s are wider, and the frets are also set higher. I wonder if this is to account for wear over time, or as a safeguard in case the neck warps… but that’s just speculation. Still, even with current refretting trends, slim and tall frets are all the rage, aren’t they?It’s true that you get a sharp attack—something you don’t get with jumbo or medium-jumbo frets—so perhaps more people are paying attention to attack these days. My heyday was back when jumbo and medium-jumbo frets were all the rage… I guess that gives away my age… The original frets were used until 1959; because they’re small and low, they’re often called “small frets.”
Fingerboard
The original model uses Brazilian rosewood, a rare wood whose import and export are currently restricted under the Washington Convention. While the color varies between the sapwood and heartwood (the wood at the center and the surrounding wood), it has a substantial feel and features a striking, deep grain pattern.The Historic model uses Madagascar rosewood. In fact, Madagascar rosewood is the hardest and heaviest variety within the rosewood family. Since Brazilian rosewood is also very hard, it’s likely that this wood was selected to bring the sound as close as possible to the original—a testament to the high level of craftsmanship in the Historic series.
Fret Markers
Both models feature celluloid mother-of-pearl-style position marks (crown inlays). The Vintage model’s color has developed a more yellowish hue over time, giving it a deeper, richer appearance.On the vintage model, the position marks were carved slightly smaller than the fingerboard itself, so the gaps were filled with wood filler. This is why you can see a gap between the position marks and the fingerboard that has a different color—it’s a classic vintage characteristic. The Hiscole, on the other hand, is crafted so that the gaps are barely noticeable, which really highlights the meticulous attention to detail that Hiscole is known for!!
Neck Joint
It’s a well-known fact that Gibson’s set-neck construction results in a sturdy joint, but the original manufacturing method differs slightly from the one used today.Current production methods prioritize convenience in terms of both workflow and tools, so the fingerboard is typically glued to the neck before the neck is set into the body. However, on 1950s Les Pauls, the fingerboard was glued on after the neck had already been set into the body. This labor-intensive method creates a greater sense of unity between the body and the neck, resulting in superior sustain.The tenons at the joint are both neatly carved and glued in place, but wait a minute… the Historic model shows a slight gap at the glue line.
There’s no doubt that both feature long tenons, but just because it’s out of sight doesn’t mean they cut corners, right~~~? Furthermore, the shape of the cavity under the front pickup on the original model has its bottom surface carved to match the angle of the neck. This is done to ensure the string angle and pickup height are uniform, and it serves as one way to identify an original… but the Historic model is flat…. It’s probably reasonable to think that this doesn’t matter if you consider the pole pieces as the fulcrum……
Neck Joint Angle
The neck joint angle is 3 degrees on the original and 5 degrees on the Historic model.There’s a very close relationship between the neck joint angle and sustain; the shallower the angle, the lower the string tension, and the more sustain you get. For this reason, the Les Paul released in 1952 had a neck joint angle of 1 degree. In 1953, as the bridge was changed from a trapeze bridge/tailpiece to a stud bridge/tailpiece, the neck angle was changed to 3 degrees.In 1960, the neck angle was changed to 5 degrees. When production of the Les Paul resumed in 1968, the 5-degree neck angle was also adopted. A steeper neck angle results in higher string tension and a more pronounced attack, while a shallower angle provides more sustain; both have their advantages, and this is an aspect that reflects the player’s personal preference. Consequently, the Historic models have higher string tension, while the originals feel slightly looser. This is definitely an area where the difference becomes apparent.
Pickguard
The original is carved from a solid piece of plastic. The Historic model is spot-on here as well. Incidentally, since the regular model is produced using a mold, the edges are smooth. Which one is better, I wonder...
Pickups
The P-90 pickup is said to have been developed by Walter Fuller. Walter Fuller was an engineer who worked at Gibson starting in the 1930s and was also involved in the development of the Les Paul. It first appeared in 1949 and was the standard pickup on most electric guitars until the humbucking pickup developed by Seth Lover came along.It’s a pickup featuring two Alnico 5 magnets flanking a central pole piece, with the coil wound between upper and lower plastic bobbins. The coil has 900 turns—yes, it’s wound 900 times—which is why it’s called the P-90. While the original and the Hiscole versions are identical in construction—But the parts you can’t see are different, after all. The Hiscole version even has a gold backplate, while older P-90s have flathead mounting screws—there are various differences like that. Nevertheless, the sound produced by this traditional pickup is lustrous and powerful, yet it doesn’t lose the gritty high-end, resulting in a harmonically rich tone. It’s no wonder this pickup has so many fans.
The Cutaway
Gibson is a manufacturer renowned for its woodworking expertise, and the Les Paul is truly the culmination of that craftsmanship.Realizing that Leo Fender had seen the custom-made solid-body electric guitars Paul Bigsby was crafting and had begun full-scale production of his own, Gibson also set out to build solid-body electric guitars. The fact that they utilized their existing carving machines to create an archtop structure—precisely because Fender did not have such machines—is an anecdote that hints at the fierce rivalry between the two companies.
The Les Paul minimizes unnecessary wood removal as much as possible; the routing is meticulous, and the pickup cavities—machined right up to the edge of the pickups—even feature carefully crafted gaps for wiring. The control cavity is also machined before the body top is glued to the back, with the position and angle of the knobs as seen from the front factored into the design. Now, the original, of course, is perfect in the aforementioned areas, but……Oh, look—on the Hiscole, the bottom of the control cavity is flat… which is proof that they joined the top and back together and then milled them out as a single piece~~~~~. This explains why the knob angles differ slightly between the Hiscole and the original. Wow—this really highlights a major difference in the manufacturing process.
Body Thickness
Both are about 50 mm, so they’re almost identical. Gibson initially developed solid-body guitars using only maple.Well... naturally, they were heavy and didn’t resonate well... but they wanted to retain that excellent sustain, so they adopted a maple top/mahogany back configuration. Gibson was also a pioneer in the concept of laminated bodies—now considered standard—and it was that creative sensibility that gave birth to the Les Paul, which was hailed as the “perfect form” even back then.
Maple Top Thickness and Material
There are various opinions regarding maple tops, and to be honest, I’m not sure how deeply I should delve into this topic…From a wood science perspective, maple is a broadleaf tree belonging to the Aceraceae family. It grows abundantly in Canada and the United States and is highly valued as a material for furniture, musical instruments, bats, and more. Generally, there are two types: hard maple and soft maple—hard maple is hard, and soft maple is soft… exactly as the names imply. Examples of hard maple include sugar maple and black maple, while red maple and silver maple are types of soft maple.In addition, curly grain—a grain pattern that appears shrunken and wavy—is commonly found in white sycamore (European maple) and has long been used as a high-quality wood for violins. Naturally, harder wood offers superior sustain and a strong attack, while softer wood won’t provide the sustain you initially expected… but they’re all maple, after all…
Well~~~~ you really can’t know until you try playing them, and since it comes down to personal preference, it’s hard to judge which is better or worse.Both of the guitars I compared this time have bodies that resonate beautifully and produce solid sustain. Furthermore, on the original… if you look veeeeeery closely… lo and behold, there’s figured grain!! When I imagine that beautiful grain pattern—often seen on burst finishes—hidden beneath this 1956 Goldtop… uuuuuuugh… I want to peel it off…
Mahogany Back Material
For a while, Les Pauls with mahogany backs featured “pancake bodies” (where maple was sandwiched between layers of mahogany), but the standard for Les Pauls is a one-piece mahogany back. Speaking of wood again, did you know there are actually only three types of mahogany?Commonly known as Small-Leaf Mahogany, Big-Leaf Mahogany, and Honduran Mahogany—those are the three types. Trade in these woods is restricted under the Washington Convention, making them very expensive. As a result, it’s now standard practice to use substitute woods with similar appearances and grain patterns, referring to them by names like “such-and-such mahogany”… That “African mahogany” you hear so often actually belongs to the Kaya genus of the Meliaceae family…Well—putting that aside for now—the original, of course, uses Honduran mahogany, which is native to southern Mexico; its moderate lightness brings out a beautiful tone.Now, regarding the Historic model: the original has a dark back, so the grain is slightly harder to see, but I don’t feel there’s a major difference. While the grain is fine, when viewed as a whole, you can clearly make out the vessels characteristic of mahogany. Since Gibson states that they use Honduran mahogany, let’s trust that they have access to sources only a large company like theirs can secure.
Bridge
The 1956 Les Paul is often cited as the first Les Paul to feature the Tune-O-Matic bridge. This bridge, which is still used as standard today, is a testament to its high level of refinement. This bridge is the result of a patent held by Ted McCarty, who joined Gibson as vice president in 1948 after leaving Wurlitzer.It is patented by Ted McCarty, who later served as president of Gibson from 1950 until his departure in 1966.Ted McCarty is a legendary figure known for bringing many iconic instruments to the world, including the Les Paul, Flying V, Explorer, ES-335, and SG. In the 1990s, he served as an advisor to Paul Reed Smith and passed away at the age of 91, much to everyone’s sorrow.
The original ABR-1 features a die-cast Bass and brass saddles, which you can tell by the areas where the plating has worn off. Furthermore, it lacks the retainer that is standard on current ABR-1 models. That’s right!! The absence of a retainer to secure the saddles is a defining characteristic of the early ABR-1. If a string breaks during a live performance, there’s a risk that the entire string could fly off all the way to the saddles…The saddles on these vintage bridges are expensive enough as it is—losing the original would be a major problem, so you can’t let your guard down even while playing. Oh, look—there’s a mark next to the Gibson ABR-1… It’s stamped “DJ,” which is the mark of the foundry that cast it back then.
The ABR-1 from Hiscole is made of the same material—a die-cast brass bridge saddle. However, it does include a retainer to prevent the saddle from falling out easily. For peace of mind, this version might be the better choice...
As a side note, the Tune-O-Matic was patented on July 5, 1952. At the time of the patent application, it was intended for use on a guitar believed to be a full-acoustic model with open F-holes and no pickups.Originally, the Les Paul released in 1952 featured the trapeze bridge/tailpiece patented by Les Paul himself. However, starting around 1953, it was replaced with the stud bridge/tailpiece—commonly known as the “bar tailpiece”—which was patented on January 21, 1953, after the Tune-O-Matic.This bridge was manufactured specifically for installation on the Les Paul from the time the patent application was filed, and its inventor was Ted McCarty. Consequently, the bridge on the 1956 Les Paul—often referred to as the “final form”—featured both the tailpiece and the bridge designed by Ted McCarty. Furthermore, the tailpiece adopted was based on the stud bridge/tailpiece, which served the dual functions of both the bridge and the tailpiece.Two components developed separately merged into one, evolving into the “Final Form.” Whether by chance or necessity, there is something fateful about the path that led the Les Paul to become such a legendary instrument.
Tailpiece
The tailpiece is based on the “stud bridge/tailpiece” for which a patent application was filed on January 21, 1953, as mentioned earlier. Since it is used solely as a tailpiece, the set screw intended to adjust the angle of the bridge for octave pitch correction has been omitted.While the original stud mount has a side thickness of about 6 mm, the Hiscole version is slightly thicker at about 7 mm. Furthermore, while the original is made of aluminum, the Hiscole version appears to be cast metal. Since this model is being compared to a 2000 version, the tailpiece material differs; however, by 2001, Hiscole began using an aluminum tailpiece.
Goldtop Finish
When comparing the original and the Hiscole… they’re completely different——————. Both feature a lacquer finish, but the Hiscole does not contain any plasticizers to prevent cracking due to aging, and the entire process is done by hand without the use of machinery. The finish is naturally ultra-thin and flawless… yet the colors are different…… That’s because the original uses iron powder—known as “brown powder”—mixed into the lacquer!. As a result, in areas where sweat and other substances have accumulated over time, verdigris has formed, creating a greenish tint.
Overall, the dark, deep gold color is striking. You might think, “Well, then, why not just mix brown powder into the Hiscole’s paint too?!” But paint mixed with iron powder… if you inhale it, you’ll die…Guitars are crafted with the maker’s well-being in mind. Gold is a symbolic color representing affluence, and this particular color scheme was proposed and adopted by Les Paul himself. While the 2000 Hiscolle model is an exception, current Les Paul models featuring lacquer mixed with “Brown Powder” are also available—a move that really shows the makers’ determination.
Knobs
The knob shape has changed from the barrel knobs used from 1952—the year the Les Paul was born—through the first half of 1955, to the hat knobs used until around 1960.On vintage Les Paul models, the appearance of the knobs is a key focus and significantly impacts the overall look. While the shape is reproduced almost perfectly, the color—like the body top—is different. This is because, similar to the Goldtop finish mentioned earlier, brown powder is used in the lacquer, whereas vintage models feature a slightly greenish tint. The lettering also differs slightly; vintage models are characterized by slightly rounder lettering.
Capacitors
The original was equipped with a Sprague Bumblebee capacitor, a type used from the mid- to late 1950s. Now, as for the Historic model… it’s so tiny… While current Historic Collection models use Bumblebee replicas that look perfectly natural, this 2000 Historic Collection model is a bit of a letdown.
Postscript
As the second installment of this “self-indulgent” project, I took a head-on look at these two guitars. While there were many noticeable differences, the results clearly demonstrate why Gibson continues to lead the guitar-making industry today. However, I’m left wondering whether a Reissue model—no matter how faithful the reproduction—can truly match the original in terms of sound and presence.
That’s because a guitar exists only through the musician who plays it. The sound that evolves through playing, the natural scratches that accumulate over time—and for some, the memorable moments tied to the instrument—are all part of the relationship between the musician and their instrument, something you can never experience with two identically crafted guitars. That’s why I feel that by loving, cherishing, and playing an instrument with care, it becomes a truly one-of-a-kind creation. I know that sounds a bit pretentious, but the guitar I still use today is a Fender Japan Stratocaster I bought back in high school.Honestly, it suits me better than any vintage or Custom Shop model!! I look forward to seeing you again. Thank you very much.