Gibson Les Paul Goldtop 1968
A historically important guitar came to the Stageshop workbench. This beautiful Goldtop from 1968 is from the first series of Les Pauls after the original shape’s relaunch.
The original Les Paul model was made from 1952 to 1961.
But at this point the factory wanted to innovate and came out with the SG/Les Paul model. Les Paul’s contract with Gibson expired in 1962 and, as he was in the middle of his divorce from Mary Ford, he thought it would be smarter not to sign any new contracts until the divorce is finalized. Les Paul played no role in the development of the new SG/Les Paul model, though he often expressed his displeasure with the new design. He asked his name to be removed from the SG, which Gibson complied with in 1963.
Gibson Les Paul's changes in the mid of 60's
From the mid-60’s, changes in the music scene brought the original Les Paul design to the forefront. Popular musicians, such as Clapton, Gibbons (who initially “only” used a Flying V for humbucker sounds), Page (who worked with a three pickup Custom in 1964), Richards, Beck, Green and etc. all were seen with the original Les Pauls. Gibson recognized the demand and in 67, a new contract was signed with Les Paul. They also also reorganized the manufacturing, the quality control in the Kalamazoo factory and started making, once again, the original Les Pauls.
The series relaunched with two models, the black Custom and the Goldtop. Out of five instruments manufactured at the time, four were Goldtops and only one was a Custom.
About this Les Paul Goldtop 1968
This guitar is equipped with two P-90 pickups. The body is Honduran mahogany with a maple top. One specialty of the time, that the neck and the body is made of a single piece of mahogany. There is no volute at the end of the neck where the headstock connects, there is no Made in U.S.A. back of the head stamp as it is characteristic of only the first few Les Pauls made in 1968. The neck joint is a, so called, long tenon where the neck reaches all the way to under the first pickup. The headstock of these very early relaunch Les Pauls are smaller than found on later specimens, or on the earlier 1950’s models.