Gibson Original Collection Les Paul Standard ’50s P-90

Back to Where it All Began

Back in 1952 when Gibson was putting the finishing touches on his first signature model guitar, Les Paul insisted that it come with a gold finish to emphasize its first-place quality (and because it looked stylish, of course!). Though the Les Paul Standard wore many finishes in the ensuing years, all of those original fifties Les Pauls established a gold standard of excellence. Now, Gibson USA pays tribute to those fantastic fifties Gibsons with an inspired entry in their Original Collection: the Les Paul Standard '50s P-90 model.

The Fifties Formula

The Les Paul Standard '50s P-90 follows the tried-and-true Les Paul formula for excellence to a T. A 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 '50s P-90 with a gloriously chunky rounded neck profile just like its vintage forebears. If you like your necks on the bigger side, it doesn't get much better than this! And, just like a fifties Les Paul, it wears a nitrocellulose lacquer finish, which allows for maximum resonance.

P-90 Power

As its name implies, this guitar comes equipped with two P-90s. Before we get into tone talk, let's take a moment and marvel at the aesthetic perfection of creme-colored P-90s when they sit in a Gold Top finish. It just looks right, doesn't it?

They sound right, too. Their sonic characteristics are perfect match for the timbre of mahogany and maple. P-90s have powerful, touch-sensitive midrange. They sound open and broad when you play softly, and as you play harder they get snarlier and sparklier. The highs are full of lush, chiming overtones, and the low-end is warm, deep, and inviting. In the neck position, your single note lines will have incredible depth, and your chords will have earth-shaking thickness. When you flip to the bridge, you'll get all the crunch and punch you'll ever need for rhythm work. Lead lines will cut like a ten-foot ginsu, too!

A True Original

The Les Paul Standard '50s P-90 taps in to the original wellspring of Gibson tone, and the results are truly inspiring. They are brimming with the spirit and sound of that compelled thousands of Gibson aficionados to plug in, turn up, and play loud. We know that they will provide you with a lifetime of delight as they inspire you to reach new heights on your fretboard journey.