Gibson '57 Les Paul Historic Reissue

2002, Custom Shop Historic. I bought it used in excellent shape. I got it for the Burstbucker pickups, the baseball bat neck and cause I have wanted a Black Beauty for 35 years. The long neck tenon is nice, but wasn't a deal breaker. I was looking at 58 reissues, too, but this sounded better in the store than the 58s I played. I got it - and it's got a carved mahogany top, as the Customs do, even though I had initially wanted a carved maple top. I like the smaller frets on the 57's and 58's.

I love it. I am a long-time Tele guy, but really use almost any guitar to make the sounds I need to make. A professional guitar is always nice.

Looked great. The pickguard has an odd rattle and the little curve at the top of it is incredibly jagged and sloppily cut, but I'll excuse them for it. The actual guitar is in great shape and I'm sure I can find a new pickguard if I want.

I love this guitar. I always bring a backup. I'll probably put straplocks on it one day.

Gibson customer service is very good. They respond quickly to email.

Been playing a long time. Always wanted one of these. It lives up to its billing. Expensive, but what are you going to do? You get what you pay for.

2007 LPR7 V.O.S.
Burstbucker 1 & 2

The sound of this guitar is simply amazing. Very sensitive, great dynamics. Superb CLEAN Tones, Killer CRUNCH & DISTORTION. The guitar is very loud and clear sounding unplugged and covers a wide range of frequencies. Singlenote-Playing is a pleasure - this guitar really sings!

-Music Style-
70s & 90s Rock, Alternative/Indepedent/Progressive Rock, Blues, ...

-Amps-
The R7 sounds good on various amps. Works well with vintage amps like a Hiwatt DR103 or a Fender Combo. Sounds even better with Plexi Marshalls. (Pure Zep Tone!!). I tried a - not so good - 2205 JCM800 and was surprised what the R7 did to the amp. Most of my guitars sounded muddy through this amp, even my Stratocaster. The R7 added a very nice sparkle to the overall sound and made the 2205 sound about 30% better and brighter.

-Effects-
Tape Echo & Delay.
What can I say?! Total space rock.

-Sounds/Varieties-
Both pickups are great, the best Gibson Pickups I??ve ever used and the electronics offer
a lot of varieties because you can really work with the pots. Volume and Tone Control usable from 10 to 1.

-Likes-
Early 50s neck, sounds so damn good.

Perfect setup, the V.O.S. are plek??d. Low Action.
Pickups: needed no adjustment

-Finish-
Absolutely perfect. EXTREMELY THIN nitro finish.
Soft aged Hardware: nice!

The R7 surely will withstand live playing.
As mentioned above the finish is very thin -
so I think it will wear off easy with lots of playing.
But that??s okay for me.
Strap Buttons are to small, I changed them.

Never dealt with Gibson.

Playing for 15 years.
Compared it with: R7, R8, R9
This guitar had the best overall unplugged sound.

Well, here's the twist - my Custom Art Historic '57 goldtop has a factory fitted Bigsby! Spotted in on the wall and thought WOW! - a real unique, vintage looking machine - very Keef! Never seen another like it which is v.coool. Gibson confirmed they didn't make any as standard, but there are no other stop tailpeice holes and all experts who have seen it have no doubt that's how it was made. If you have one, let me know!

The bigsby makes this very heavy instument at 4.7 Kg (c.f 2.6Kg for my 52 tele!)

Other than that it's what you'd expect.

It's by far the best Paul I've played - there's no comparrison with my old Standard - loads more snarl and depth. I'd give it a 10, but that's reserved for Clapton's and Kossof's tone! Even unplugged this guitar has a great acoustic tone - very pleasing and weighty. The bridge p/u is bassy though and tends to overpower my JTM45 - rolling the bass down to about 2 keeps the signal more open, but this is more to do with the amp.

I think the Bigsby probably only adds to the impressive sustain.

Can't fault it - this guitar plays in-tune right up the neck and never seems to go yout (I don't wobble the Bigsby too hard though - that would kill it). The aged binding around the frets on the neck shows the great craftsmenship. Can't feel the inlays at all - it's just all so well done.

The nicole hardware is developing a nice patina and the nito finish is softening - no complaints. You do get that gritty/stickiness on the neck, but you get used to that.

Becuase of the Bigsby, if I break a string live, I need to change axe, but that's only happened a small handful of times.

I honestly expect this guitar will still be riffing out sunshine of your love in 250 years time!

Well, they answered my email but I reckon they're wrong about the Bigsby - THEY put it on for sure!

The full RRP on these guitars is ludicrous, but you can always find them heavily discounted (maybe 66% of RRP) - it's an investment so if you've got the money it's gotta be done. I found the '57 gave a much more interesting and truely exciting tone over my rather generic Standard, but you need to judge with your ears and audition side by side with other LPs - they all differ.

Mine was made in 1999 (purchased new 6/2000), so it has '57 Classic pickups instead of Burstbuckers, and does not have the CTS pots or Bumblebee caps.

It's all been said before. Long neck tenon, small headstock, etc. Bottom line: if you want an LP-style guitar that has most of the features of the old ones, it gets about a 7 because it does not have CTS pots and Bumblebees. If those things aren't important to you, they don't really make it any better than an LP standard. That is why I'm not rating it in this category.

This guitar produces the classic Les Paul sound. Nothing more, nothing less. The neck pickup is probably the least useful for my style of playing, however I do use it for some leads that require creamy sustain more than dynamic response. The inbetween setting is my favorite for clean tones, producing a slightly compressed, "chewy" sound. The rear pickup has the boxy roar Les Pauls are known for.

I'd been a Fender guy for years before I bought this guitar. When I decided I wanted a Les Paul, this was the only one I tried (out of several) that perfectly reproduced the sound I had in my head as "that Les Paul tone."

I briefly (for about half a second) considered swapping out the electronics to match the current R7s, with the CTS pots, Bumblebee caps and Burstbucker pickups, but decided against it because I can't imagine this guitar sounding any better than it already does. Different, maybe. Possibly even more historically accurate. But not better.

I play melodic rock music, with a bit of an experimental edge.

I run this guitar through a Mesa Maverick 2x12, and the two sound as if they were intended to work together. In clean settings, I can get a glorious AC-30 chime. In distorted settings, it has a great medium-gain classic rock sound. Additionally, I don't have to compromise between a great distorted rhythm sound and a great lead tone, as it does both beautifully with the same amp settings. Merely selecting a different pickup gives all the range I need.

Rich and full? IMO, this setup is the very definition of rich and full.

I bought this guitar from a store that supposedly set it up before I bought it, so I can't comment on the factory setup. However, when I bought it, the nut was cut way too low and had to be replaced. I had it swapped for a bone nut, as opposed to the plastic nut it came with.

After replacing the nut and getting a proper setup, it is too good to be true. There is absolutely no relief in the neck, and the action is consistent all the way up and down the fretboard. The feel is exactly the way I want it, with just enough resistance to know you're actually playing a guitar (using Regular Slinky strings), but not so stiff as to be tiresome.

The neck shape feels as if it were made for my hands alone. I can play this guitar longer than anything else without my hands feeling fatigued. Before I had this LP, I never knew I could play a guitar for more than an hour or so without sore hands.

I used this guitar as my main axe for recording, playing live and at practice for three years, only using something else when I broke a string. And I only broke a string twice. It will stay in tune for about a week under such use, despite what others have said about the tuners.

The finish is a vintage-style nitrocelluloce laquer, and will be subject to the disadvantages of such a finish. This is something I'm willing to accept to get the vintage feel and tone I was looking for, so it doesn't bother me. But don't expect it to hold up like a modern finish.

Likewise, the hardware is nickle plated, and subject to tarnish very easily. Flitz polish will take care of that, so it's really just a matter of maintenance. Since I prefer the depth of a nickle finish to a chrome one, this is again a compromise that doesn't bother me.

The original strap buttons were tiny. But again, this is easily fixed, and I wouldn't use any guitar without straplocks, so this is moot.

Can I depend on it? I did depend on it, and it never let me down. As soon as I get another band together, I look forward to depending on it again. However, I'd never gig without a backup guitar, as string breakage can always happen.

I'm giving this guitar a 10 in this category because the cosmetic concerns are merely a byproduct of building the guitar as close as possible to vintage specs, and because for the things that really count it is utterly dependable.

Never tried, never will.

I take all my guitars to the same guy for work, and trust him far more than some "factory-approved" repair shop. If something should ever fail, I'm taking it to him and paying out of my own pocket.

I've been playing for almost 21 years now. I also own a Fender Jaguar, a Fender Telecaster, the aforementioned Mesa Maverick and a Mesa Nomad 55 2x12.

Just last month I purchased a Historic '62 SG/LP reissue, which will now be my backup/companion for my Goldtop.

Overall, this is, and always will be, my main guitar. There is no higher praise I can give than that. I love everything about it. I would complain about the price, but I've never played a guitar that I liked better, and in light of how faithfully it's served me, I think it was worth the money.

Pre VOS. June '05 manufacture.

Compared to the three other Les Pauls I've owned this guitar is impressive. I've always had the 490r/498t pickups and also have a Deluxe with the minis. I am impressed with the Burstbuckers both clean and overdriven. The sound is very defined and articulate.

The finish it beautiful and flawless. I always wanted a Goldtop and the gold is spectacular unlike the knockoffs which look yellow or orange. Now my big grip. BAD NUT!!! The damn thing won't stay in tune and the nut needs to be recut. My guess is the bad reviewer below had the same thing as me and the other players who needed the nuts recut. Why does Gibson allow this? Laziness? Apathy? Well since this is such a small, cheap part that would be perfect if someone actually cared to do it right I am dropping my rating to a 1. There is no excuse for a $5000 MSRP guitar to leave the factory with a poorly cut $2.00 nut!

It will be in my will and left to my sons.

Actually every time I call Gibson I get an immediate answer. The shop I bought the guitar from will fix the nut problem for free so I have no gripe here.

If the nut were cut right it's be a 10. Custom Shop for the price of a Standard. The best Les Paul bang for the buck available.

'05 Gibson Historic 1957 reissue gold top Les Paul - non-VOS.

The following features differentiate it from a standard Gibson USA Les Paul.

Nitrocellulose finish.
ABR1 bridge.
Lightweight aluminum tailpiece.
Vintage Kluson tuners.
Medium profile neck.
Dark back.
Bumblebee caps. CTS pots.
Burstbucker 1&2 pickups.
Long neck tenon.
Holly headstock veneer.
Silkscreened "Les Paul" logo
Certificate of Authenticity.
Various reproduction tags.
Custom Shop hardshell case.

Like heaven. Especially through my Valvetech Hayseed 30 (AC30 clone). The resonance and sustain is amazing. It's a sound I've been chasing all my life.

I made the mistake of playing a friend's R7 through my amp, and for a year after, I tried to find that elusive sound again. I put various pickups in my SG, ending up with a set of Fralins (very nice, by the way) and using my amp's EF86 front end instead of its ECC83. I got close but not quite there. Then I finally figured it out: it's the wood, stupid. The neck. The maple cap. Everything. They all combine in a perfect storm of tone. I even love the stock BurstBucker 1&2 pickups!

It needed to be intonated and have the nut cut (mine's an '05, non Plek'd model). Once I did that, It played like a dream. The rest of the guitar is immaculate.

Mine has more of a '59 neck - a little lower profile and bigger frets than other '57s I've played, which is great. I don't like baseball-bat necks. Also, mine's a darkback, which looks waaay cool. This guitar also came with bumblebee caps and CTS pots, in addition to a whole mess of case candy (cord, picks, cloth, COA, repro tags, etc.).

Built like a tank, naturally.

Haven't had to use it yet.

Best guitar I've ever played. If anyone stole this guitar, I would hunt him down and perform acts of such violence and depravity on him and his family that Keyser S?ze himself would say, "Gee, don't you think you're overdoing it a bit there, fella?"

2005 Made goldtop with Burstbucker 1 & 2 pickups. This is not the newer VOS series, this is the regular Historic Collection 57 Goldtop. Has the green gibson tuners, as well as turtoise fret markers on the neck. Is correct to a 57 in almost every aspect that I can see.

I play with 2 bands, one of the newer emo (Hawthorne Heights, My Chemical Romance) and a classic rock band. For emo I run through a AVT150 halfstack and the sound is great. It is a little brighter than a les paul standard. Also running through a deluxe reverb this sound is very dynamic for clean. This les paul I have been able to get the most variety of sounds from.

The action was slightly higher than I like, however the baseball bat neck accomdated for this. The finish is absolutly beautiful as well is the 1 piece mahogony body.

Ive gigged this guitar once so far and it held up fine. Most gibson's feel much more solid than their epiphone sisters, and I belive that this one will hold up for many many years to come. I always bring a back up, but have never had to use one with any gibson product.

I never dealt with gibson, but it has a lifetime warrenty.

I have been playing for 6 years now, as well as own 7 other fenders. I traded in a gibson les paul standard for this one, due to the large baseball bat neck. I tottaly love this guitar and I chose it soley on the sound and feel. My only dislikes are metal indicators on the volume/tone knobs. They could possibly cause a need for stiches if hit the wrong way.

PAF, CTS, Alu-stoptail, Bumblebees,... that's known. So what I would like to talk about is, why I got this Goldtop Darkback CS 57 reissue. It was simply the sound. I've been loocking for a Les Paul allready for some years. There always have been three reasons not to buy one. The price, the finish, the sound. One day I was playing in a guitar shop some Les Pauls and I was impressed by some authentic models (but the price is absolutly rediculous) when I found this Goldtop. By far the best LP for a not too exeeded price. It was love from first sight.

NOT muddy, with excellent highs. Extremly direct, excellent response. You switch the pickups and you have an good variaty of sounds (Not normal for all LPs). Diezel Einstein, TC G-Major, 2*12 and 1*15 Cabs, thats it... Its bright sound is that well, that I play also songs with it, that I used to play with my strat. And this is funny to me, because I wanted it "only" for Blues, where this Guitar is unbelievable.

What do a have to say: It's a Gibson! The finish is seen the price poor. In my case I was lucky, I would quote the finish with 5. I've seen much worse. Thre knobs had cracks, they have been replaced after 2 months of waiting, BUT they have been replaced...
The nitrofinish they used is extremly sticky on the neck, when you play longer then 5 min. On stage you have to wipe the neck after each song. I'm still thinking about removing the paint from the neck...

I hope that it will withstand live playing, but I think, some that's ambicious. The tuners seem the first thing to change...

They needed several weeks for changing the ckracked knobs, but they changed it. Even it is sad, that this seems allready satisfying, but it's what you can expect...

It was love from first sight. After 30 years of playing Blues, Rock and Jazz I found an excellent guitar to complete my setup. I play Diezel Einstein, Fender Super Reverb, a modified Laney GC30, but the combination of the Diezel with the LP ist currently my favorite. I own also some Strats (Fender, Tommys special Guitars, Warmoth) wich I love to play over the Super Reverb. From MY point of view the LP and the Super Reverb don't fit that well.
I hope that I could find another LP like that if it would be stolen...

It's a Les Paul...you know all the features by now. Darkback '57 reissue of recent vintage.

Acoustically, this thing sings. Nice tone and sustain. No buzzes, no dead spots. Outstanding.

I bought it used for $1900 in essentially new condition. I doubt the previous owner had it set up, since it looks unplayed, tags still on it. The goldtop is flawless, binding perfect, neck is straight as an arrow. I like the slightly smaller frets on this baby compared to the current production LP. The difference in playability between the production LP and this is night and day. Fret finish is far superior, the neck is straighter, without a single buzz, and the quality of the rosewood used for the fingerboard is much better, with finer grain, and a firmer feel. String bends are easier, in part thanks to the superior quality of workmanship in the inlays. The are perfectly flush with the rosewood, something that cannot be said for the production axe.


If you check the Musician's Friend catalog, you'll see that this baby costs only $300 more than the production axe. Folks, you are spending over two grand on a guitar, which we all know is silly, so spend the 300 extra measly bucks and get the custom shop model. THERE IS NO COMPARISON. I gave up a breathtaking flame top in sunburst for this axe, and I'm glad I did. What a fine instrument.

Examples of this model have been gigged since 1952. Unless you have a catastrophic neck or headstock break, this sucker will outlast you.

Never dealt with Gibson, I have a local luthier who does good work.

I love this thing. If it were stolen or lost, I'd freak out, claim the insurance, and buy another, without question. In a perfect world, it would have a stunning flamed maple top, but I wouldn't trade this axe for love nor money.

I've already said this, but spring for the few extra bucks and buy the custom shop axes. My brother has a '57 three pickup Black Beauty, and it is also a beauty.

'05 Gibson Custom Art and Historic 1957 Goldtop Reissue. Everyone knows the features of this guitar, it is the standard of Rock n Roll !!

Giving a 9 to features to give give this a level playing feild..I mean does any guitar really have above average features? Two pickups, toggle switch..pretty basic.

Wow, this is were tone in not subjective. Think early Clapton, Page, Allman brothers,..think of most of your favorite guitarsit from the late 60's and 70's...THIS Guitar can give you those sounds!

I know alot of gus are really into replacing pickups, but I find the stock Burstbuker 1 & 2 to sound perfect in this guitar. Mine weighs in at 8lb and 14 oz...From perfectly clean, to full out Jimmy page with a roll of the volume knob.

I play this guitar through a Vintage blackface Fender Bassman, loaded with Phillips 6L6WGC or JJ 6V6s depending on mood, or Marshall JTM-45 RI, modded by David Bray, with a Post phase inverter master volume, and other mods (this amp rocks!!!...seek out David when buying a Marshall!)

I'm 42 years old as of the date I'm writing this..and this is "THE SOUND" I've been looking for since my teenage years

Well, I can't credit Gibson for the set up, as the Tech recut the nut, adjust intonation, checked fret level before I picked it up. It was perect from day one in my hands. HUGE fat juicy neck...if you like skinny necks...this guitar is NOT for you

Finish, hardware, pickups...everyting else was perfect. This is my fourth Les Paul since 1978...best one ever!

I own several guitars and this is the nicest of them all, including a 1996 Fender SRV strat, and a Fender Custom shop '51 Nocaster. I just sold a '01 Gibson Les Paul standard ( great guitar for the money), but the Historics just blow the production guitars away!

I had to deal with Gibson once in '01 with my Standard. They answered every email quiclky, and sent me to a authorized repair center where my problem ws corrected that day (a slight finish flaw, some "orange peel")

This guitar is perfect...no need for service, If i did , I would imagine as good as my previous expereince.

I've been plauing for over 29 years now. If this guitar was stolen, I would kill the guy. I don't know if I could find a replacement! I was never a Goldtop guy..alway bought Burst. My last guitat had a AAA flame top in light burst...BUT if you want to get into a Historic Les paul for about $2000.00 LESS tha buying a '59 Reissue, then this is the perfect guitar for you. There is a NEW '06 historic that private reserve guitars is offering..a flamed top '57 for around $2700. a great way to get a flamed historic without the $4500-4700 price! I'm going to wait to some of the member on the Les Paul forum buy a few before I run out, but I think the '06 will be my next purchase!

Buy a Historic, you will never regret it!

FIRSTLY THIS IS THE SECOND GIBSON I HAVE TAKEN DELIVERY OF,THE FIRST WAS DODGY,I WILL GO INTO THIS LATER.
THE GUITAR IS A CUSTOM ART HISTORIC 57 GOLD TOP
EVERYTHING IS AS STANDARD.....
CAME WITH FITTED CASE AND A NEAT LITTLE BAG OF EXTRAS,CLOTH,LEAD,PIC'S ETC...

ITS THE FIRST GIBSON THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED(BEEN PLAYING SOME 30 YEARS)
SO I NEW I WOULD HAVE TO ADAPT MY STYLE A BIT AS I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A 'FENDER STRAT' FAN,OWNING QUITE A FEW OVER THE YEARS.
THE GOLD TOP WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM MY STRAT.A STOCKIER FEEL(SHORT AND COMPACT ALMOST).
THE ACTION WAS A BIT HIGHER THAN I EXPECTED BUT SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT CORRECTED THIS
THROUGH A MARSHALL 1974 SUPERLEAD(PRE MASTER VOLUME)CLEAN TONE'S WHERE TYPICAL GIBSON,BUT OVERDRIVEN THE GUITAR FAILED TOO IMPRESS
THROUGH A FENDER PRINCETON CHORUS THE CLEAN SOUNDS AGAIN WHERE TYPICAL GIBSON,BUT AGAIN THE OVERDRIVEN SOUND FAILED TO IMPRESS ALTHOUGH AT LOW VOLUME WAS QUITE ACCEPTABLE

AS STATED EARLIER THIS REVIEW IS ABOUT THE SECOND GOLDTOP I RECIEVED THE FIRST WAS RETURNED AS THE NUT HAD BEEN BADLY CUT CAUSING A REALLY BAD BUZ ON THE 'A'STRING ONLY.
THE SECOND, THE ACTION WAS A BIT HIGH AND A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT WAS ALL THAT WAS REQUIRED.
PICKUPS ADJUSTED OK
THE FINISH IS AWFUL WHILE FIRST IMPRESSIONS FLATTER TO DECIEVE ON CLOSER INSPECTION THERE ARE SMALL HAIRS IN THE LAQUER,THE LAQUER HAS SPLIT AROUND EACH SCREW HOLDING THE PICKUP SURROUNDS DOWN(ONE SPLIT EXTENDS TO THE BINDING)
THE TUNNING PEGS DONT TUNE IN PROPERLY IE...THEY STOP WORKING INTERMITANTLY AS YOU TIGHTEN THE STRINGS(VERY POOR).
THE CASE HANDLE WAS SPLIT AND THE LINNING IS VERY BADLY FITTED.
OVERALL I THINK THE GUITARS PRESENTATION IS VERY POOR

CANT COMMENT ON LIVE PLAYING OR GENERAL DURABILITY AS I HAVE ONLY HAD THE GUITAR SINCE END OF OCT 20005 EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD FROM A LONGEVITY VEIWPOINT BUT I EXPECT THE FINISH WILL ONLY GET WORSE.

CONTACTED GIBSON ABOUT CRACKING THEY PALMED ME OFF TO ROSSETTI THE UK IMPORTERS,WHO IN TURN ALSO DIDNT WANT TO KNOW
ON INSPECTION OF THE WARRANTY THAT COMES WITH THE GUITAR GIBSON GO INTO GREAT LENGTHS ABOUT HOW GOOD THEY ARE AND HOW LONG IT HAS TAKEN THEM TO PERFECT THEIR ART OF GUITAR BUILDING AND FINISHING(LOAD OF CRAP)ON THE NEXT PAGE THEY TELL YOU HOW THE WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER WHAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE 90% OF THE GUITARS FEATURES.BASICALLY IT COVERS THE FACT ITS MADE OF WOOD.
THE FINISH HAS CRACKED BECAUSE PILOT HOLES ARE INCORRECTLY POSITIONED AND BADLY DRILLED,NO OTHER REASON.

IF I LOST THE GUITAR,STOLEN OR OTHERWISE,I WOULD CERTAINLY NOT REPLACE IT.I WOULDNT BUY ANOTHER GIBSON FULLSTOP!
COMPARED TO MY STRAT IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT BEAST, DIFFERS IN SOUND AND FEEL,IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE GOT A GIBSON THAT WAS UP TO THE MARK,NEXT TIME I WILL STICK TO MY FENDERS OR IF A HUMBUCKER SOUNDING GUITAR IS REQUIRED A PAUL REED SMITH

The bottom line is ... this guitar suxs. The tulip tuners won't keep the guitar in tune for more 30 minutes of solid playing (less if you like to make bends a lot). The finish on my was sloppy, and a little drop of lacquer or glue was dried on the fretboard near the 14th fret, which I could never get off. The rosewood used for the fretboard is of subpar quality and doesn't retain moisture well, so be sure to buy a bottle of lemon oil. And this wouldn't be a thorough review without mentioning that the handle broke off of my case within the first week of owning it.

I used the guitar a lot for recording and performing in a jazz ensemble. The only time that the guitar sounded good was with distortion. It had the typical thick, crunchy Les Paul sound. Clean, however, it sounded terrible, and it always had a muddy sound when playing chords, which of course didn't work well for playing jazz voicings. I found myself only grabbing the guitar for distorted solos when recording and then setting it aside all other times. If you can afford to spend two grand for a solo-only guitar, then it might be fine for you, but if you're like me and want more from your instruments, then this guitar couldn't be a worse choice.

Like I said before, the finish was sloppy. The fretboard needed a dressing as soon as it arrived new! The binding on the neck also cracked within 2-3 years, and the chrome hardware was the worst I've seen when it came to tarnishing.

This guitar is fragile and does not age well. As previously mentioned, my case handle broke, the binding cracked, and the truss rod is unreliable and has to be adjusted frequently. Sad to say, the only thing professional about this guitar is the pricetag.

I tried to get my case handle fixed but couldn't get Gibson to cover it under the warranty because it was considered "normal wear." Since when does "normal wear" occur in the first week of ownership?
I also inquired about having the binding repaired and the lacquer/glue drop shaved off the fretboard, and Gibson wouldn't do either one (the binding was classified as "normal wear," and the sloppy resin on the fretboard was not considered a defect).

My guitar might have been a lemon because it had been returned immediately by a customer who bought it before me, and every person who played it seemed to think that it was the worst Les Paul they'd ever played. Nevertheless, if one were to assume arguendo that it was a lemon, that would just show that Gibson doesn't monitor the quality of the individual instruments being shipped out well. The worst part of that point is that it means that you could have the same experience, and trust me, it's not a good experience. You would do better to buy either a Carvin California Carved Top or a Quicksilver - the quality is far more consistent with those guitars.

Brand new 2005, all stock, darkback 57 Historic Goldtop Les Paul Reissue. If you are reading this review you probably know the features and it seems a bit strange to rate a guitar on features. Some have many, some have few. It depends on what you're looking for. It would be downright silly to give the guitar a low grade because it has fewer features. It wouldn't be a 57 reissue if it had a bunch of bells and whistles.

If you know anything about Gibsons, or guitars in general, you know each one is a little different, even if they are the same model. Well, this particular one is very special, a featherweight 8.0 lbs of pure tone and playability. It has all the classic features of a Les Paul and does the Paul thing better than any guitar I've played so I'll give it a 10.

Great for Blues, Blues Rock, Metal, Jazz, even some Funk. I use it with a Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue or a Traynor YCV20. I use Tonebone Classic and Hot British pedals and a Vox Valvetone mostly, sometimes a Dunlop Classic Wah. But this guitar does really well right into the amp played clean. Pauls aren't supposed to excel at that, but this one does.

It has a powerful, punchy Paul sound, but none of the midrange honk you can get with a dull, blunt Paul. Very lively and articulate for a bucker guitar. This one is very resonate and harmonic. Amazing bridge pickup sounds and the neck is sweet too. My last Paul was also a Histroic 57, but wasn't as toneful as this one. (Again, each individual guitar is different.) On my other Paul, I had to change pups to Seymour Duncan Antiquities to get the sound I was looking for. On this particlar axe, I'm afraid to change pups because it sounds so flawless stock.

Perfectly set up from the factory, but I restrung her with 11s and set her up myself. The only flaw I can see is some finish sinking in by the heel of the neck on the darkback. Everything is dead on, including the frets. I'll give it a 9 for that small finish sinking. But it is a truly breathtaking guitar to look at. Gibson is doing great with the gold on the Reissue 57s these days. There's a fansastic neck on this puppy, nice thick 50s style, but not too much like a baseball bat.

I'll give it a 9 because of the finish sinking at the heel, however.

Yes, the guitar is solid. Again, some of the questions on this HC form are silly and don't apply to a reissue. Yes, the finish is thin and will wear off with lots of playing, but THAT'S THE POINT. It's a reissue, so it's finished in nitro and will get that lovely wear over time. Like many players, I much prefer nitro to the poly plastic over many guitars today.

Still, one problem I intially had is the darkback is not period correct. It's not the chocolate color it would have been in the 50s. It's actually pitch black. But this grew on me quickly and now I'm in love with the way the black back is the same color as the headstock and offsets with the beautiful gold of the top. Gotta give it a 10 here.

Lifetime warranty. I've only called Gibson a few times for other guitars, and both times they were very helpeful.

I've been playing about four years now. I also own a Gibson acoustic, a Songbird Deluxe, which is just amazing. I own three Fender Stratocasters, which is the type of electric guitar I play the most. However, this Goldtop is such a killer in everyway that I doubt any others Gibson electrics will make me stray from her. It's one of the best Les Pauls I've ever played, and good Pauls are often in a league of their own. It has it in every category, tone, lightweight, looks, fantastic neck and great fretwork. Not all Pauls are perfect, but when you find the right one for you, you gotta hang on to it.

2004 57' reissue Gold Top
Maple top
light mahogany body
2 volume 2 tone
3 way switch
2 burst bucker hb's
Tune O Matic and Stop bar tail piece
early gibson neck - thicker than th 59 or 60
Rosewood fret board
medium jumbo frets
Gibson Historic (steal me) reissue case

I play rock and blues/rock - nothing really clean, I like an edge and this guitar works fine. I use an 18 watt handwired Marshall Clone 1x12 combo, a Matchless DC30 and a vox tonelabSE pedal board into a Peavey classic 50/50 tube power amp (into either a 1x12 or 2x12 cabinet). The guitar is very lively, not dark with a nice vingage vibe and tone - the pickups are low output humbuckers (PAF style) the ohm out at 7.5K for the neck and 8.3K for the bridge and sound excellent for rock or blues.

When buying a Gibson you really need to look around and check as many out as possible - Gibson does put out some crap, I looked at over a dozen reissues until I found this one, no binding problems, no finish orange peel, no corroded frets. This guitar came with nicely polished and crowned frets (bends are smooth and easy), the body had no scratches of finish discolorations, the binding was even all the way around the body, the inlays had no filler, no pinging when tuning strings, no scrape marks on the binding. Many of the other 57's I looked at had issues with one or more of the problems I've mentioned. Another thing - they pretty much all sound a little different also, this guitar weighs in at 9.3lbs and is very resonant, some of the guitars I looked at were very light (low 8lbs range) and were dogs - no sustain, some weighed in the 10+ lbs range and were very dark sounding. Check around before you buy!! Buy from a dealer who checks each guitar out before hanging it on the wall (that wouldn't be Guitar Center) and screens out the lemons. I'm giving the guitar a little lower score only because I had to drive a couple hundred miles over two weeks to find the right guitar - I played some major crap before I found the right store selling the right guitar.

The guitar should outlive me and make a fine family heirloom, I hope I play it enough to give it a nice worn look! Everything on the guitar is solid - even the tuners and I really don't like the tulip style tuners - but so far they're working fine and the guitar stays in tune really well. I always have another guitar when I play (G&L Legacy Deluxe) so in the event something did happen I'm covered.

Haven't had to use them so I can't comment.

I've been in bands for over 20 years - years ago it was serious business, now it's for the fun of playing. I've wanted a 57' reissue since they were first introduced in 94' but didn't want to spend the money - I've gone through several wanna be Les Paul models and I decided to just do it and get the real thing, I'm happy I made the decision. This guitar fits me perfectly, I love the way it plays, sounds, feels, smells, looks - I couldn't ask for anything more. I fought going to the dark side and buying a Gibson for many years, they cost too much, the quality sucks, they don't make em like they used to...... okay some of that arguement is true but Gibson is still making some very fine guitars and this guitar is one of them, I had to shop around but it paid off. The only other guitar I compared the 57' to was the 59' reissue, many of them sounded almost identical some were a little sweeter - a little more resonant but not twice the money better - your can't beat the pricing on these guitars. I own a G&L Legacy Deluxe (mentioned above) and a Clapton Strat, I pretty much have all bases covered. Would I buy one again - hopefully I'll have this one till I die but in the event it's stolen yes I would buy another without hesitation.

I am writing his review primaritly for the benefit of anyone moving from a fender style guitar to a Gibson. This is what I did when I bought my 57 Historic Reissue.

For that reason I am not going to dwell on features. These are very well set out below and on the Gibson Custom Shop website. That said, they have done a remnarkable job of recreating a NOS guitar any for that they should be praised indeed.

So, features? Well it's a Lep paul so I give it a...

Subjective, subjective, subjective. Okay so this is how I SUBJECTIVELY hear this model (note I have the new model with Burstbuckers 1 & 2):

Neck (BBucker1)
Jazz lead and chord melody is there and so is T-Bone Walker. Both delivered with some of the warmth of an L5 archtop.
Gary Moore Still Got the Blues is there along with early Clapton (incl. woman tone).

Bridge (BBucker2)
More early Clapton, more Moore (?!) and plenty of Billy Gibbons. Nice.

Neck and Bridge
This is not out of phase a'la Peter Green, though it is my favourite position.
This is the setting of Kings. Namely: BB King, Albert King and, of course, Freddie King. Great stuff.

With my strat/tele, I pretty much ran everything at 10 for lead and then turned down for chords. This vintage (esque) Les Paul is more challenging. Run any volume at 10 and it is too compressed, too mushy and too quiet(?!). Run the volume levels between 5 & 8. The idea is to cause the amp to break up if you hit the string hard but remain clean if you stroke them softly (just like they did in the old days). Now that is quite magical.

whenever I used to hear a Les Paul I didn't see what all the fuss was about and felt a fender sound was better. If you have ever felt the same way, try this: Play the Fender and enjoy. Then try the Les Paul (uninsprired? possibly yes). Now try the Fender again. It doesn't sound quite as good as last time does it! Now try the Les Paul again (like it this time...oh yes!). Boom. You are converted.

So. Subjectively I give the sound a...

You keep hearing people moaning about Gibson workmanship. Do me a favour. This is better made than my D'Angelico. It is amazing.

The Goldtop is just sublime. It smacks of the 50s but looks very modern even today. Depending on when you are in relation to the guitar the colour changes from yellow and firey to dark gold leaf. Gorgeous.

Set up was perfect right out of the case...no kidding!

It is very solid and I assume reliable, but I have only had it a few months so I will pass on a rating.

I wouldn't even try the boys in the US. However, the dealer that sold it is a gibson fanatic (Richard). He'll solve anything that might crop up. So my rating is for www.petercooks.co.uk

At the end of the day, the 57 is EXACTLY the same as a 59 save for the colour (which is gold!) and the neck (which is wider!) and yet it costs nearly half the price!?!?

Do yourself a favour and invest in something your great grandson will one day treasure when you are gone. Buy a 57 Historic Reissue.

NOTE: Fender guys, I recommend you remove (unscrew 2 screws) the scratchplate from the guitar. It makes it much easier for ex.tele/strat players to play.

This is a 2004 Historic goldtop. No flames here. It's a US made Gibson, basic singlecut LP. The pickups are gibson's Burstbucker 1 (neck) and 2 (bridge). These pickups can be nasal but not on this guitar. They are warm but clear and get get the highs if you need them as well as deep chunk, both with a bite.

Bridge style is vintange ABR-1 (I think) tune-o-matic. Tuning keys are vintage tulip style.

The guitar is a typical single cutaway LP with a full solid mahogany body and maple top, mahogany neck. the neck is beefy (57 style) which may take some players awhile to get used to. I like the fat neck and feel it improves the tone and sustain.

The fretsare very small and vintage but play very fast and smooth and are easy to bend strings on despite being smaler.

Superb. Much better than my old Les Paul Classic. The guitar has a lot of power but can be quite sweet but also can chunck -a -chunk away Jazz tones are available. The tone / volume controls work well. You can get a lot of variety on the tones but burstbuckers are bit less "creamy" sounding than some humbuckers. They make up for this with good clarity and bite. It's a pretty rich sounding guitar but never muddy. Nice natural sustain.

It was set up surprisingly well. Only have made minor pickup adjustments (slight lowering but that's typical for Gibsons).

There are a few finish flaws but they are minor.

The goldtop is beautiful and the caramel back is nice.

Seems solid to me.

I've been playing a long time but I'm relatively new to LPS's. I've demoed quite a few and this is among the best. I'd pick it over most R9s.

Its sounds fine through my fender and tone king amps and rocks with a good pedal - phenomenal sounding with a great pedal.

Definitely would want to replace this baby if I lost her.

This Historic just feels like higher quality than most LP's I've tried