Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s
review
GIBSON 2019 LES PAUL STANDARD ’50S & ’60S, CLASSIC & TRIBUTE
86
GUITARIST AUGUST 2019
GIBSON
LES PAUL
DIMENSIONS
(in mm unless stated)
STANDARD ’50S STANDARD ’60s CLASSIC TRIBUTE
Neck width (nut) 42.95 42.73 43.05 42.07
Neck width (12th) 53.04 52.4 53 52.25
Neck depth (1st fret) 22.2 20.3 20.9 20.8
Neck depth (12th fret) 25 23 23.3 24.5
Weight (kg/lb) 4.02/8.84 4.37/9.61 4.1/9.02 3.27/7.2
Bridge string spacing 51 51 51 50.5
Bridge PU DC resistance (kohms) 7.95 7.77 7.75 7.99
Magnet type/potting Alnico II/no Alnico V/wax Alnico V/wax Alnico II/wax
Neck PU DC resistance (kohms) 7.52 7.78 7.82 7.7
With those exceptions, it’s virtually
identical to the ’60s model (albeit with a
plain maple top and those uncovered zebra-
coil Burstbucker 61R and 61T humbuckers).
This is certainly something to bear in mind,
because – along with its expanded wiring –
it comes in £350 cheaper on the street. It’s
also the only guitar here with a chromed
metal jackplate, which many would see
as an upgrade over the ubiquitous cream
plastic of the others. We also get larger –
and more secure – strap buttons on both the
classic and the Tribute.
Another plus here is its weight. Unlike the
Classic we looked at earlier this year, this
one comes in as the lightest of our ‘proper’
Les Paul trio, which, though no lightweight,
is pretty close to bang on centre for a ’Paul.
Even before we plug in, this Classic is
edging ahead…
Tribute
Which brings us to the Tribute, the sort of
down-spec’d Les Paul that over the years
has gotten Gibson a bad name. Dropping
£650 off the price of the Classic means that
quite a lot has to go. Most obviously, the
Tribute has a maple (not mahogany) neck.
It’s also a thinner-depth’d ’Paul. Whereas
our Standards and Classic exhibit the classic
dimensions (a shade over 61mm in overall
depth with a rim depth of just over 49mm),
our Tribute comes in closer to 56mm in
overall depth and just over 44mm at the rim.
Finished in Satin Honeyburst, the pale
caramel-hued satin nitro adopts a dull
sheen that does look a little, err, hastily
applied, not least on the plain maple top.
There’s no binding to the body or neck, and
while Gibson could have employed PRS-
5. Unlike the covered
Burstbucker 1 and 2
units on the Standard
’50s, the Standard
’60s uses covered
Burstbucker 61R and 61T
humbuckers in its neck
and bridge positions
6. Although the heel shape
changed subtly over
the years, today’s heels
seem pretty similar. All
the neck joints are short-
tenon style, too
5
6
VIDEO DEMO http://bit.ly/guitaristextra
GIT448.rev_gibson.indd 86 6/13/19 3:05 PM