• From: Santa Barbara, CA
  • Registered: 2011-09-02
  • Posts: 110

Topic: Vintage Gibson LPs

I must say... everyone seems to be loving '59 Les Pauls. Everyone says that they're the "Holy Grail". But what about the '60 LPs? Personally, I prefer a thinner neck and to me, the 1960 LPs sound a little bit darker and they have more punch to them. Maybe Joe can chime in his opinion...

2 Reply by oldgtarz (edited by oldgtarz 2012-01-28 17:57:43)

  • Registered: 2011-03-15
  • Posts: 120

Re: Vintage Gibson LPs

I have played both '59 and '60 Les Pauls and the (late) '60 was so skinny it felt like a mix of a 90's Les Paul Classic and an Ibanez Jem.
The '59 I played was way bigger but not as big as you find on some Gibson historics. For me the '59 was the winner in both playability and tone.
Historicly, Gibson made more Les Pauls with '59 specs than '60 specs which started somewhere in the summer of '60, so about half of the '60 Les Pauls were made to '59 specs.

pics of the '60 > http://burstserial.com/gallery/main.php … amp;var2=2

Joe: Is your new axe an early or late '60?

www.raysguitarstraps.com
'12 Teye La India Mora 2P, '10 Teye La India S 2P, '64 Fiesta Red Strat, '14 Les Paul CC#18, '14 Les Paul R0ltd, '13 Les Paul R7, '12 Les Paul CC#3, '07 Les Paul CR8 x2, '04 Les Paul R9, '65 Super Reverb, '93 Koch KC50dlx, JB Fuzzface #775
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Vintage Gibson LPs

I think its crazy how for years everybody said Clapton played a 59' on the blues breakers album, but it wasn't until they started doing some research on the guitar that they decided it was really a 60' les paul.  Key clues was Clapton said it had a thinner neck then any les paul he'd ever tried, the tone and volume controls had the metal covers and his humbuckers were White.  They started with black and had a shortage of black so they used white to fill in, nobody cared because the covers hide this.  Clapton was one of the first guys to remove his covers saying that the guitar sounded more open without them.

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Vintage Gibson LPs

My '72 has a skinny neck... and I learned on that one.

I like necks that are comfortable to matter how big they are. I'm slowly getting used to bigger necks.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 1,168

Re: Vintage Gibson LPs

Well, there are three kinds of 60 Les Pauls...  Early style ( which is what I have, Pre April 1960) which has 59 features including neck and the Aniline dye that will fade over time or exposure to sun, or spotlights.  Next is the mid 1960 with has the flat skinny neck like a Les Paul /SG  still the the Aniline dye finish... Third is the the late 60 aka clown burst or tomato soup burst.   A bright cherry red with relector knobs and a skinny neck.   All of these guitars are great in their own way.. It was rumored that the Beano burst was a early 60.   But nobody has seen the guitar in many years.   I have found with the vintage Les Pauls there is no absolution ... Not one of them is the same.   They all have their own fingerprint.  My advise when contemplating getting one is to have it authenticated and looked at by one or more experts..  My friend Joe Ganzler is a good place to start..  Burst Serial Log is also a good source of info..  If the deal seems to good to be true or if it is on E-bay, run don't walk away....
Joe B

http://burstserial.com/gallery/main.php … amp;var2=2

  • From: Santa Barbara, CA
  • Registered: 2011-09-02
  • Posts: 110

Re: Vintage Gibson LPs

Joe Bonamassa wrote:

Well, there are three kinds of 60 Les Pauls...  Early style ( which is what I have, Pre April 1960) which has 59 features including neck and the Aniline dye that will fade over time or exposure to sun, or spotlights.  Next is the mid 1960 with has the flat skinny neck like a Les Paul /SG  still the the Aniline dye finish... Third is the the late 60 aka clown burst or tomato soup burst.   A bright cherry red with relector knobs and a skinny neck.   All of these guitars are great in their own way.. It was rumored that the Beano burst was a early 60.   But nobody has seen the guitar in many years.   I have found with the vintage Les Pauls there is no absolution ... Not one of them is the same.   They all have their own fingerprint.  My advise when contemplating getting one is to have it authenticated and looked at by one or more experts..  My friend Joe Ganzler is a good place to start..  Burst Serial Log is also a good source of info..  If the deal seems to good to be true or if it is on E-bay, run don't walk away....
Joe B

http://burstserial.com/gallery/main.php … amp;var2=2

Thanks Joe!!! By the way, I loved the tone of the '59 you used in Bakersfield (I was the kid with Strat signed by Seymour Duncan and Bruce Kulick). The one I played was a mid-1960 LP then. It had a really thin neck and a beautiful aged finish.