Gibson / Les Paul Standard Gold Top / 1955 / Mahogany With Gold Top / Guitar For Sale
This totally original lightweight Les Paul Standard Gold Top weighs just 8.70 lbs. and has nice, fat nut width of 1 11/16 inches and a standard Gibson scale length of 24 3/4 inches. Solid mahogany body with a solid carved maple top, one-piece mahogany neck with a nice, thick profile, and rosewood fretboard with 22 frets and inlaid pearl trapezoid (crown) position markers. Serial number ("5 6594") inked-on in black on the back of the headstock. The top of the guitar has single cream binding and the fretboard has single cream binding. Headstock with inlaid pearl "Gibson" logo and with "Les Paul Model" silk-screened in gold. Two-layer (black on white) plastic truss-rod cover. Individual single-line "no-name" Kluson Deluxe tuners with single-ring tulip-shaped Keystone plastic buttons (stamped on the inside "2356766 PAT APPLD."). Serial number "5 6594" inked-on in black on the back of the headstock. Two beautifully balanced P-90 pickups with outputs of 7.74k and 7.78k. Cream plastic pickup covers stamped underneath "UC-452-F / 1" and "UC-452-B / 2". Single-layer cream-colored plastic pickguard. Four controls (two volume, two tone) on lower treble bout plus three-way pickup selector switch (with original Catalin switch-tip) on upper bass bout. Gold plastic barrel-shaped "Speed" knobs. The potentiometers are stamped "615 4190 440" (IRC October 1954) and the two original capacitors are stamped "Grey Tiger Type GT 452 .02 MFD 400 VDC." Combination "wrap-over" bar bridge/stud tailpiece. This super guitar is in exceptionally fine (9.00) condition. There is some minor finish checking on the top of the guitar. The original owner has etched a very small identification number (not uncommon) on the back of the body just to the right of the heel. The guitar has a long time ago been so expertly refretted with original guauge fretwire that it is almost impossible to to detect. When we fully examined this guitar we noticed that beneath the truss-rod cover there was some evidence of an incorrect truss-rod adjustment tool having been used and this had caused some surface loss to the surrounding area. We sent the guitar to Master Luthier Terry Mueller in Carbondale, IL who has almost invisibly rectified the problem. Housed in the original Gibson four-latch brown hardshell case with pink plush lining (9.25). Together with the original brown leather guitar strap, three original hang-tags incuding: yellow folding "Gibson Les Paul Model"; orange guitar shaped "Gibson Sonomatic Strings", and "Gibson Inc. Professionals Attention". Also an original box of Gibson Mona-Steel strings (containing just a "B" string).
This totally original '55 Les Paul Standard Gold Top -- with a neck and a sound to die for -- is the one of the best that we have ever seen. It has the early "IRC" pots (which were used only between 1949 and 1954) and the "Grey Tiger" capacitors, which preceeded the usual "Bumble-Bees." At just over eight and a half pounds, it is a real lightweight.
Many guitarists consider this to be the ultimate "blues machine" -- the sustain on this guitar is quite unbelievable!
"The first Gibson Les Paul solidbody electric guitar, known simply as the Les Paul Model then but now better known by its descriptive nickname 'gold-top', first went on sale during 1952" (Tony Bacon, 50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul, p. 15).
"The new Les Paul guitar was launched by Gibson in 1952, in the summer, priced at $210, which was about $20 more than Fender' Telecaster sold for at the time�Today, a gold-finish Les Paul model is nearly always called a gold-top thanks to its gold body face�The new gold-top's solid body cleverly combined a carved maple top bonded to a mahogany base, a sandwich that united the darker tonality of mahogany with the brighter sonic 'edge' of maple. Paul said that the gold colour of the original Les Paul model was his idea. 'Gold means rich,' he said, 'expensive, the best, superb'" (Tony Bacon, 50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul, pp. 20-21).
"In 1955 the gold-top gained Gibson's new Tune-o-matic bridge. The unit had the facility to adjust individual string-length, improving intonation. Two years later humbucking pickups replaced P90s on the gold-top" (Tony Bacon and Paul Day, The Gibson Les Paul Book, p. 19). This guitar is one of the last Les Paul Standard Gold Tops with "wrap-over" bar bridge/stud tailpiece before the Tune-O-Matic bridge was introduced in late 1955.
Fretted Americana , USA 
We specialize in acquiring and offering the finest specimens of American vintage electric guitars with particular attention to those in their complete, original state. We are the only dealer to embrace a written code of ethics (in Terms & Conditions). We encourage you to read it.
HOW WE WORK
We want to inspire and win your trust and confidence. You don't want to have any negative surprises upon receipt of an instrument that you've invested yourself as well as your money into. Nor do you want any untoward surprises should you decide to sell it in the future.
To that end, every guitar that we offer is catalogued to a degree and depth of detail that is fast becoming the standard in the trade. When we declare an instrument to be completely original, it is. If it is not, we tell you exactly in what manner it has been altered.
We photograph each guitar at many angles to provide you with the broadest, clearest sense of its appearance. We will, upon request, provide you with images of all electronic components, inside and out.
Each guitar we acquire is skillfully and painstakingly dissected by David Brass, who is a trained luthier as well as a dealer and collector. All parts, no matter how small, are meticulously examined. We have an enviable reference library of wide breadth and scope that we refer to when necessary for crucial facts. The instrument is put under a black-light: original finish or refin? Even the most skillfully masked ding is uncovered. David then fastidiously reassembles the instrument. It is then cleaned with the finest products available for wood and metal.
An inspection certificate of authenticity signed by David is provided with every guitar you purchase.
We keep our inventory relatively small and highly select. We choose our guitars with extreme care so we can offer you the finest examples of the finest rare guitars in the world.
We are client focused to an extraordinary degree. If you expect or would like to be surprised by courteous, professional client service, we will pleased to accommodate that desire.
It is our fervent wish to establish a long-term relationship with you.
CODE OF ETHICS
We wish to establish an ongoing relationship with you based upon your trust in our knowledge and judgment.
To that end:
We meticulously inspect in detail every guitar that we offer. We check the finish, all of the electrical components, serial numbers, etc. With over thirty years of experience collecting and handling vintage guitars and our enormous reference library, we bring to bear all that is known about guitar manufacturers, models, and annual production.
We provide full, detailed descriptions and specs to each guitar.
We openly disclose any and all flaws we discover in writing. If the instrument is not completely “straight,” we will tell you so and why.
We endeavor to conduct ourselves to the highest standard of professional behavior.
We will deal fairly and ethically; no surprises, flim-flam, dubious business practices or shenanigans.
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We allow a full 48 hour honeymoon period when you buy a guitar from us. If you are not 100% satisfied with it we will refund the purchase price in full, less shipping, upon return of the guitar in the same condition as sold. Please call us before returning the instrument.
Please inspect your new guitar immediately upon receiving it. If any guitar we offer is found to be not as described, we will happily refund the full purchase price, less shipping, upon return of the guitar in the same condition as sold. Please call us before returning the instrument.
