The Modern and Historic Collections explained
In this Gibson Gear Guide video, Dinesh dives into the rich history and iconic tones of the Gibson Les Paul guitar from the Gibson Custom Shop. Following its introduction in 1952, the Gibson Les Paul quickly became a staple of blues, R&B, and rock ’n’ roll. The invention of PAF humbuckers in 1957 would prove to be revolutionary, paving the way for the Les Paul Standard to become the instrument of choice for guitar legends such as Jimmy Page, Slash, and Joe Bonamassa.
Let’s face it—we all know and love the Gibson Les Paul as much as our heroes do. But what if we want a period-correct reissue of a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop from the 50s, a Les Paul Custom from the late 60s, or a more modern iteration? Enter the Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul. In this Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul demo video, Dinesh shows us the differences between the Historic and Modern Custom Shop Collections, explains what VOS means, and helps you decide which instrument will be right for your playing style.
For the vintage Gibson guitar lovers out there, the Historic Collection captures the timeless appeal of Gibson’s Golden Era. These are painstaking reproductions of some of the most coveted Gibson guitars, featuring period-accurate appointments without the hefty price tags found in the vintage market. These models, with VOS (Vintage Original Sheen) finishes, have a gently aged appearance, with lightly dulled gloss nitrocellulose finishes and some patina on the hardware. On most models, you’ll find cool features such as a solid one-piece mahogany back and premium electronics like Custombucker Alnico III unpotted pickups. Throughout the whole package, you’ll find the attention to detail breathtaking, down to period-accurate case linings, hand-wired harnesses, and paper-in-oil caps.
For the modern guitar players out there who want lighter-weight bodies and additional features on their Les Paul, the Gibson Custom Shop Modern Collection combines traditional design with innovative features for technical players, giving you the ideal blend of classic design and modern flexibility. When it comes to the main differences between the Historic and Modern Collections, in the Modern Collection you’ll find weight-relieved bodies to make it easier on the shoulders, hotter 490R and 498T humbucking pickups with four-conductor wiring, and Grover tuners with kidney-style buttons. The Modern models also offer additional options such as push-pull pots for coil splitting, while the Axcess features a Floyd Rose vibrato for reliable divebombs that stay in tune.
The Gibson Custom Shop Historic Collection Les Paul is your time-traveling ticket to the ultimate vintage guitar-buying experience, offering the highest quality reproductions from the past, while the Modern Collection is your go-to for innovative features for more technical Gibson Les Paul players.
Explore the Custom Shop Historic Collection and the Custom Shop Modern Collection.
