The 1960 Les Paul Standard Reissue retains the solid mahogany body and carved maple top that laid down the Les Paul’s legendary sonic signature, along with its quarter-sawn mahogany neck with long-tenon neck joint. In addition to these details, the 1960 Les Paul Standard Reissue also benefits from Gibson Custom’s 20th Anniversary Specifications.
Historically accurate features include a one-piece rosewood fingerboard, Kluson Deluxe machine heads, hot-hide glue neck fit, a Historic Truss Rod assembly with no tubing, accurate body and fingerboard binding color, Custom Buckers created in the image of the original PAFs, and period-correct Aniline dye for the guitar’s back and sides, all beneath Gibson Custom’s proprietary VOS process, which yields a gently worn look and feel.
Gibson Custom’s new Custom Bucker accurately recreates the original PAFs of the late ’50s, using Alnico III magnets and unequal turns of 42 AWG wire in each coil for that characteristic PAF “bite.” These pickups clean up beautifully at the guitar’s volume controls, while Bumble Bee tone caps assist in that warm, singing “woman tone” when you roll back the tone controls. To top it all off, the 1960 Les Paul Standard Reissue plays superbly right out of its Custom Shop hardshell case thanks to a trip through one of Gibson’s state-of-the-art Plek machines before it leaves the Custom Shop floor.
Gibson’s original Les Paul Standard evolved steadily through the course of the ’50s, but even across the short span from 1958-’60—the era of the legendary Bursts—the guitar continued to change in gradual but significant ways. As a result, while all 1958-’60 Les Pauls are among the most sought-after electric guitars ever made, different players have their favorite years from within that range, according to their, looks, specs and fine-points.
Mid way through 1960, the Les Paul was given a thinner, flatter neck shape, beloved of many a rocker for its comfort and speed, and new gold top hat control knobs with silver metal inserts and pointer rings. In addition, in 1960 Gibson changed the pigment in its Cherry Sunburst finish to a brighter, fade-resistant red. The new finish, along with the continued use of maple tops with flamed and tiger-striped patterns, resulted in some of the most visually appealing Bursts of the era, beautifully represented in the 1960 Les Paul Standard VOS.