Gibson Original Collection Les Paul Standard Faded ’60s

The Sound of the Rock Revolution

Though the Gibson Les Paul's birthday is in the fifties, it didn't achieve widespread prominence until the 1960s when rock music exploded onto the scene. During this wild-and-crazy decade, players like Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton all used Les Pauls to redefine what an electric guitar could do. These early rock stars caused the Les Paul's popularity to surge so mightily that Gibson resurrected it from the dead in 1968 after discontinuing the model entirely in favor of the SG in 1960.

In the ensuing years, many players gravitated towards these sixties-style Les Pauls because of their thinner neck profiles and figured tops, and they have become just as legendary as their fifties forebears. Now, Gibson pays tribute to the guitars that helped kick off the rock revolution with a delightful entry in their Original Collection: the Les Paul Standard Faded '60s.

The Secrets of Sixties Sound

The Les Paul Standard Faded '60s follows the tried-and-true Les Paul formula for excellence to a T. An AA-grade figured maple cap adorns a mahogany body to continue one of the most legendary tonewood relationships in the history of lutherie. Mahogany produces a warm, midrange-forward tone with a bit of natural compression, while maple adds in extra treble cut and enhances articulation. Together, they give these fifties-inspired beasts a robust, full voice with incredible sustain.

Gibson has also outfitted the Les Paul Standard Faded '60s model with a lightning-fast Slim Taper neck profile that is well-suited to many styles of play and techniques. And, each Faded '60s Les Paul wears a vintage-style satin nitrocellulose finish that allows the guitar to breathe and resonate like a vintage Gibson.

'Bucker Brigade

Two of Gibson's stellar Burstbucker pickups build upon the inspiring foundation laid by the tonewoods. Burstbuckers take their inspiration from the famous "Patent Applied For" (or "PAF") pickups designed by Seth Lover for Gibson in 1955. They do an excellent job of recreating the vintage magic of the originals.

A True Original

The Les Paul Standard Faded '60s taps into the original wellspring of Gibson tone, and the results are truly inspiring. They are brimming with the spirit and sound that compelled thousands of Gibson aficionados to plug in, turn up, and play loud.