1955 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Burst Conversion

A very well-executed mid-’50s Les Paul conversion, professionally converted to late '50's Burst spec by Player Grade Vintage.

This guitar started life as a 1955/56 Goldtop, but has been refinished and routed to house a genuine pair of PAF pickups, fitted with very good reproduction O.T.P.G covers and M69 pickup rings. The baseplate stickers blacklight correctly, and the magnet in the neck pickup has been flipped for the "Peter Green" out-of-phase tone- a mod which is easily reversible. Pots are all matched '59-coded Centralab with correct Bumblebee caps.

Hardware includes a correct vintage ABR-1 bridge and stop tailpiece, with the bridge having had replacement saddles fitted. The tuners are correct single-line Klusons, though the buttons may have been changed at some stage.

Visually, the guitar is very striking. The classic Goldtop off-centre seam maple top displays attractive blister/birdseye figuring, while the Burst-style refin has been well executed with some nice checking in the lacquer and tan-lines under the plastics. The top also shows evidence of multiple hardware changes over the years, having worn both a Bigsby and another vibrato at different points in its life, with filled screw holes remaining visible. 

The neck feels great in the hand - right in that lovely Goldilocks "not too big, not too small" zone. The Rosewood fretboard appears to have been reshot, refretted, and the nut has been replaced. Knobs are period correct as is the Catalin switch tip and pickguard which has been cut to accommodate the humbuckers.

At 3.87kg, it sits in a comfortable weight range and has exactly the sort of lively, resonant response we all know and love in a good vintage Les Paul.

Anyone looking for a that old-wood feel and tone of a genuine late '50's sunburst Les Paul, at a player-grade price point, this is a fine choice! Complete with period correct 5-latch Lifton case.