SOLD! - 1956 Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop P90

This is not about guitars. This is about dreams. Dreams of vintage guitars. Vintage Les Paul Standards. In Gold....
 
When Gibson teamed up with the legendary recording star Les Paul in 1952, the company created a guitar that became one of the most influential and popular instruments of all time: the Les Paul model. 
 
The text in the 1957 Gibson catalog proclaimed: “The famed ‘Les Paul tones’ can now become a reality for all guitar players with this beautiful, solidbody Les Paul guitar, incorporating many unusual Gibson features. Striking in appearance with its gold-finished, carved-maple top, mahogany body, and neck, the Les Paul name is in gold script on the peghead of this model.”
 
The Les Paul evolved through the 1950's as practical improvements were introduced. By 1956 the bridge had been modified twice from the original trapeze tailpiece designed by Les Paul. The first change, in 1953, was the wraparound stop-bar tailpiece screwed right into the guitar’s top. This increased sustain and allowed for palm muting the strings. Finally, in 1956, the classic separate stop-bar and fully adjustable Tune-o-matic bridge combination was added which allowed for near-perfect intonation.
 
The guitar for sale has the typical features of a '56 goldtop. The brilliant finish was achieved by using a bronze powder mixed with nitrocellulose lacquer. Numerous vintage goldtops turned green in areas due to the bronze oxidizing when the clear coat was worn through. This one has very little “greening” and a very cool weather checking and craquelé on the top, back, neck and headstock. All is original without any refin or overspray. The pickup covers, pickguard, and rhythm/treble toggle surround are standard cream-colored plastic. The bold bonnet control knobs, which replaced so-called speed dials in 1955, are clear plastic sprayed from underneath with the same bronze powder finish used on the guitar. All are original.
 
The one piece mahogany neck has a lovely C-shape which sits just about perfect in your hands. It has been pro refretted with medium-jumbo frets. The P90 pickups (Neck 7.4k, Bridge 7.3k), pots, switch, wiring and electronics are all original with untouched solder. All POT codes date to 1956. The Kluson tuners have been replaced with repro Kluson Deluxe machines and the originals are in the case some of them are bent. They work fine however so you could easily reinstall them. The jack plate is also replaced but the original is in the original Gibson Brown Les Paul case with pink lining. The guitar weighs in at 4.0Kg
 
Fun fact: A brand new Les Paul Standard Goldtop was $247.50 in Gibson’s 1957 price list, plus $42 for a case