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Breathtaking '56 Goldtop with Murphy Lab Aging





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Do you yearn for the chunky neck of an early Les Paul? The historic accuracy of a '50s no-wire bridge? The authentic look of a case-lived Golden Era classic? The Gibson Custom 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Ultra-Light Aged is your chance to get your fretting hand around these features and more.





The 1956 Les Paul lays claim to what many guitarists consider to be the Holy Grail of neck profiles: the Chunky "C". The '56 is also known for its no-wire ABR-1 bridge and smooth-to-snarling P-90 single-coil pickups. The Gibson Custom '56 Reissue brings these characteristics to a period-correct collectible that's accurate down to the gold paint, replica parts, and hot hide glue construction. Factor in an authentic Ultra-Light Aged finish brought to you by the Gibson Custom Shop's Murphy Lab ? named for Master Artisan Tom Murphy ? and the 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue is one of the most accurate re-creations this side of vintage. Take it from Les Paul lovers at Sweetwater: if you're chasing that true '56 vibe, you're going to revel in all the Gibson Custom 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Ultra-Light Aged has to offer.





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Artfully aged in Gibson's Murphy Lab





Under the leadership of Master Artisan Tom Murphy, Gibson Custom Shop's Murphy Lab performs one specific function: to craft artfully aged instruments using the most cutting-edge tools available. This Gibson Custom 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Ultra-Light Aged features the Murphy Lab's Ultra-Light Aging treatment, boasting unique lacquer checking with minimal playing wear. It's as if the guitar spent most of its life in its case. VOS patina hardware puts the final touch on this exquisite instrument. Beyond that, this guitar's extra-rolled fingerboard binding mimics the broken-in look and feel of a Golden-era Gibson. If you clamor for the authenticity and distinct character of a well-worn vintage-style instrument, there's a Murphy Lab-aged guitar that will feel like it was tailor-made just for you.





Fat, satisfying '50s profile neck





The 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Ultra-Light Aged features a Chunky “C” profile neck, which is considered the Holy Grail among Les Paul players who prefer thick necks. If you're in this camp, wrapping your fretting hand around a juicy tree trunk of a neck is the real deal, which makes the 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Ultra-Light Aged your kind of axe.





Serial 63179


Serial 63179


P-90 pickups supply the original Les Paul sound





When the Les Paul first came out, the P-90 was the only pickup option in town. And when PAF humbuckers came into the fold, P-90s were all but reduced to "budget pickups." Well, it only took about a decade or three for many guitar players to come back around to the P-90. Why? Because they sound amazing! Warm and creamy, snarling and full of life, the Custom Soapbar P-90s in this 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue capture the very essence of the classic pre-PAF Dog Ear P-90. Roll back the tone and keep the volume in check, and you've got access to the liquid jazz lines Les Paul himself liked to play, or open them up and tap into slightly rude and gritty tonal territory. Simple as they are, these classic pickups give the 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue the wide range of classic tones you crave.





Historic no-wire ABR-1 bridge





Just like a real-deal '50s Les Paul, the 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Ultra-Light Aged sports an ABR-1 bridge without the common saddle retention wire ? a feature rolled out by Gibson in 1962 for fear of players' bridge saddles and screws falling out during string changes. Some players believe this bridge was a key ingredient to the '50s Les Paul sound. Others just delight in its authenticity. Regardless of your theory behind it, if you're looking for period accuracy, the 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Ultra-Light Aged delivers in spades.





Gibson Custom 1956 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue Ultra-Light Aged Electric Guitar Features:


Breathtaking '56 Goldtop reissue


Murphy Lab Ultra-Light Aging simulates the look of a case-lived, Golden-era classic


Satisfying Chunky “C” neck profile


No-wire ABR-1 bridge plus lightweight aluminum stopbar are a recipe for resonant tone and solid intonation





Custom Shop P-90 pickups serve up old-school Les Paul chime and snarl


Hide-glued mahogany neck delivers exceptional sustain and response


Aged cellulose nitrate trapezoid fingerboard inlays


Period-accurate gold paint, replica parts, and hot hide glue construction


Thin, vintage-correct, nitrocellulose-lacquer finish


Serial 63179