That said, there are plenty of models that use different pickups such as the thinner mini-humbuckers found on the old Les Paul Deluxe and the older-school P90s found on a number of model spin-offs. These sorts of pickups are known for their big, round tones and are a fundamental ingredient in the classic Les Paul recipe. pickups of that vintage era, such as the '57 Classics or Burstbuckers. These days, most models use humbuckers inspired by the original P.A.F.
Standard Les Pauls are generally based on the template set in the late '50s and include humbucker pickups. Other options, like the Les Paul Tribute line, use more economic "satin" finishes, which obscure the wood altogether. Lower-end options like the Les Paul Studio tend to use darker finishes, which do not reveal any flame on their tops. Usually, these guitars carry high-quality, glossy finishes that really showcase the stripes.
If you see a Les Paul labeled as "Premium" or "Plus" or "AAA," that denotes a higher grade flame. Most Les Pauls have a piece of carved maple on the top of their mahogany body, and Les Paul aficionados tend to value those with a high degree of flaming or figuring in the wood. There's variation beyond that as well, and when looking at a specific listing on Reverb, it's the sort of thing you can always message the seller to ask about before making an offer. Those with a '60s-style neck will be a bit thinner in what's sometimes called a D-shape profile. Typically, Gibson necks fall into two broad categories: Those labeled as having a '50s-style neck tend to be a bit chunkier, rounder, and more C-shaped. One way in which different Les Paul models vary is in the shape of the neck and how it fits in your hand. Don't limit your search for a Gibson to only this year's models. Our used inventory encompasses decades' worth of special editions, model updates, finish options, and other variations. Used Les Pauls on Reverb can be beat-up road warriors, mint condition specimens, or anything in between. While the thought of a factory-fresh guitar definitely has its appeal, buying used can save you money and give you access to a wide range of Les Pauls.
This means that you can land a deal at a lower final price than what you see listed. Keep in mind that on Reverb, most sellers allow you to make offers on their listings. You can get a good sense of which Gibsons fit into what price bracket by looking at the options we've highlighted below. If you're looking to stay below that, an Epiphone Les Paul may be a better option for you. On the used market, Gibsons typically start in the $700 USD range for basic models. It will be a good way to hone in on a smaller field of options. When making any guitar purchase, think of your price range first.
If you're interested in something a little more affordable, take a look at this guide to the many excellent Epiphone Les Paul models available. As you scroll, you can click on the individual model callouts for a quick glance at what we have in stock, including different finish options and pricing history for every model.īelow, we're keeping the focus strictly on Gibson guitars. While it would be impossible to describe the ins and outs of every model and era in just one page, with this guide, we will outline the major model families, providing a good starting point on your quest for the one that's right for you. Here on Reverb, there is an ample selection of different Gibson Les Pauls for sale spanning the known universe of old and new models. Gibson also has a tendency to switch up the specs of specific models year-to-year, resulting in a mind-bogglingly diverse pool of instruments to sift through if you're trying to buy a Les Paul. First released in the early 1950s, the Les Paul has now been produced in thousands of variants over the years, with the core design spinning off into a vast constellation of Les Paul sub-models and families. The Gibson Les Paul is considered to be one of the two most important electric guitar models of all time.