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Up for sale, a 1958 Les Paul Standard in collector-grade condition, complete with the original four-latch Lifton case. This Goldtop/Darkback is simply stunning in its presentation, exhibiting limited playwear on the original nitro lacquer finish, retaining untouched electronics and original hardware and plastics.
The midpoint of 1958 was the transition from Goldtops to Bursts, making this PAF-loaded example among the last made prior to the switch, with well less than a thousand guitars produced during the front half of the calendar year. The tonewood complement comprises a one-piece Honduran mahogany body, a two-piece carved maple cap and a one-piece Honduran mahogany neck with a bound Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Lightweight at 8lbs 9oz and well-balanced on a strap, the instrument's acoustic voice has exquisite sustain, sweet bloom, and clear treble cut.
The bridge pickup meters at 7.15k ohms; this pickup’s relatively low wind makes it particularly throaty, with tight lows and plenty of treble sweetness. Extremely responsive to user inputs with a woody cut, there's a nice treble chirp and harmonic density to this PAF. The neck pickup meters at a more robust 7.95k ohms, offering great contrast with plenty of thickness and airy warmth on tap. There’s a slight midrange scoop that yields exceptional clarity, sonorous trebles, and punchy lows that translate to a hint of growl and cut at the wound strings and particularly rich tones at the plain strings. This Les Paul has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and spot-on intonation.
The one-piece Honduran mahogany neck has a round, yet fast feel, almost trending in the direction of a very soft V, measuring .905” deep at the 1st fret and .999” at the 12th, The Brazilian rosewood fretboard is a very dark cut, with limited yellowing of the trapezoid inlay. The original slender banjo-style fretwire has good meat remaining given its size, showing no evidence of leveling in the past, exhibiting moderate wear on frets 1-12 (wear favors the plain strings), and fainter flattening of the crowns beneath the plains until fret 17. The original nylon nut is intact, as is the two-ply truss rod cover. The original Kluson Deluxe single line tuners are intact, complete with their shrunken "mummy fingers" buttons. These tuners have been removed to preserve their buttons, and a set of aged (modern) Kluson Deluxe gears are currently installed. The yellow inked 8-prefix serial is present on the back of the peghead.
Solder is untouched on the wiring harness and PAF covers, and the CentraLab pots have date codes from the 38th week of 1957. The pair of Bumblebee capacitors rounds out the harness, and the PAF waterslide decals are fully intact. Original hardware includes the early square-shoulder nickel-plated pickup covers, no-wire ABR-1 bridge and stopbar (with thin/thick/thin casting marks). Stock plastics comprise the amber bonnet knobs, M-69-stamped pickup rings, amber switch tip, early-style large font “poker chip” switch surround, and the remarkably well-kept stamped jack plate. Interestingly, while Darkback Goldtops are typically seen with black cavity covers, this particular example features the lighter brown pair, an exceedingly rare occurrence.
The gloss nitro lacquer finish is 100% original, save for a dot of touchup on a redrilled/doweled forward strap button mounting hole. The Goldtop gloss has stunningly little greening/oxidation, with very gentle bronzing framing a faint shadow where the pickguard was previously affixed (pickguard is not included). There is tight, uniform lacquer checking across the top, with broader checking across the (very) dark brown lacquer on the back and perimeter.
Cosmetic wear on the finish is limited to light pick wear, a couple tiny finish chips on the back, and a number of minor marks along the perimeter and on the back at the lower bout edge. The top, by comparison, presents notably cleanly, with just a few tiny nicks. The neck profile retains its smooth matching dark brown lacquer, also with uniform horizontal checking, with a few shallow marks on the profile length, all of which are virtually imperceptible to the palm.
The original four-latch Lifton brown tolex hardshell case with pink plush interior is included and equally as clean as the guitar.
The midpoint of 1958 was the transition from Goldtops to Bursts, making this PAF-loaded example among the last made prior to the switch, with well less than a thousand guitars produced during the front half of the calendar year. The tonewood complement comprises a one-piece Honduran mahogany body, a two-piece carved maple cap and a one-piece Honduran mahogany neck with a bound Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. Lightweight at 8lbs 9oz and well-balanced on a strap, the instrument's acoustic voice has exquisite sustain, sweet bloom, and clear treble cut.
The bridge pickup meters at 7.15k ohms; this pickup’s relatively low wind makes it particularly throaty, with tight lows and plenty of treble sweetness. Extremely responsive to user inputs with a woody cut, there's a nice treble chirp and harmonic density to this PAF. The neck pickup meters at a more robust 7.95k ohms, offering great contrast with plenty of thickness and airy warmth on tap. There’s a slight midrange scoop that yields exceptional clarity, sonorous trebles, and punchy lows that translate to a hint of growl and cut at the wound strings and particularly rich tones at the plain strings. This Les Paul has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and spot-on intonation.
The one-piece Honduran mahogany neck has a round, yet fast feel, almost trending in the direction of a very soft V, measuring .905” deep at the 1st fret and .999” at the 12th, The Brazilian rosewood fretboard is a very dark cut, with limited yellowing of the trapezoid inlay. The original slender banjo-style fretwire has good meat remaining given its size, showing no evidence of leveling in the past, exhibiting moderate wear on frets 1-12 (wear favors the plain strings), and fainter flattening of the crowns beneath the plains until fret 17. The original nylon nut is intact, as is the two-ply truss rod cover. The original Kluson Deluxe single line tuners are intact, complete with their shrunken "mummy fingers" buttons. These tuners have been removed to preserve their buttons, and a set of aged (modern) Kluson Deluxe gears are currently installed. The yellow inked 8-prefix serial is present on the back of the peghead.
Solder is untouched on the wiring harness and PAF covers, and the CentraLab pots have date codes from the 38th week of 1957. The pair of Bumblebee capacitors rounds out the harness, and the PAF waterslide decals are fully intact. Original hardware includes the early square-shoulder nickel-plated pickup covers, no-wire ABR-1 bridge and stopbar (with thin/thick/thin casting marks). Stock plastics comprise the amber bonnet knobs, M-69-stamped pickup rings, amber switch tip, early-style large font “poker chip” switch surround, and the remarkably well-kept stamped jack plate. Interestingly, while Darkback Goldtops are typically seen with black cavity covers, this particular example features the lighter brown pair, an exceedingly rare occurrence.
The gloss nitro lacquer finish is 100% original, save for a dot of touchup on a redrilled/doweled forward strap button mounting hole. The Goldtop gloss has stunningly little greening/oxidation, with very gentle bronzing framing a faint shadow where the pickguard was previously affixed (pickguard is not included). There is tight, uniform lacquer checking across the top, with broader checking across the (very) dark brown lacquer on the back and perimeter.
Cosmetic wear on the finish is limited to light pick wear, a couple tiny finish chips on the back, and a number of minor marks along the perimeter and on the back at the lower bout edge. The top, by comparison, presents notably cleanly, with just a few tiny nicks. The neck profile retains its smooth matching dark brown lacquer, also with uniform horizontal checking, with a few shallow marks on the profile length, all of which are virtually imperceptible to the palm.
The original four-latch Lifton brown tolex hardshell case with pink plush interior is included and equally as clean as the guitar.
