Citation:
Dates of manufacture:
1990 to 2006
The Gibson Les Paul Classic was introduced in 1990 as a reissue based on the 1960 Les Paul. The key feature of the Classic was it's slim neck profile. The Les Paul Classic also had some other features true to the 1960 original: a narrow headstock, thin cutaway binding, aged yellowish fingerboard inlays, inked-on serial number, nickel hardware, vintage-style logo and aged binding on body and neck. Some differences were the Les Paul Classic's truss rod cover with "Classic" and pickguard engraved "1960." The pickups came with no covers so the coils were exposed, another characteristic to differentiate it from other Les Pauls, though this was fairly realistic given that many players removed the covers to get a better tone on their old Pauls.
The Classic was introduced with a retail price of $1,529 more expensive than Les Paul Standards at the time. The Classic's higher price was justified by its reissue-yet-modern vibe and was further enhanced by availability in several sunburst finishes, and in bullion gold on the top, sides, back and neck. Most of the tops on sunburst Classic models were plain: there was no special effort made to find figured maple tops. The Les Paul Classic specifications were adjusted during the early 1990s with the addition of the Classic Plus and Premium Plus models.
Specification
Controls
Tone controls 2 tone controls
Volume controls 2 volume controls
Electronics
Pickups brand and model Gibson 496R pickup(s), Gibson 500T pickup(s)
Pickups configuration 2 humbucker pickups
General
Finish colors amber finish, ebony finish, honey finish, red finish
Finish effects sunburst finish, transparent finish
Made in USA
Binding body binding, neck binding
Number of strings 6 strings
Scale length 24.75 inches scale-length
Body
Body material mahogany body
Body shape features carved top, single cutaway
Body style Les Paul-style body
Body top material maple body top
Pickguard material cream pickguard
Hardware
Bridge ABR-1 bridge
Hardware color nickel hardware
Tailpiece stop tailpiece
Tuners pearloid button tuners
Fretboard
Fingerboard material rosewood fingerboard
Fingerboard position markers trapezoid fingerboard position markers
Neck
Headstock inlays or logos pearl headstock inlay/logo
Neck profile slim D neck profile
Number of frets 22 fret
Peghead (headstock) black face headstock
