Sure, there are plenty of guitars finished in gold, but there's only one Goldtop, and that's made by Gibson. This 1954 Les Paul Goldtop comes from the meticulous hands of the Custom Shop. It then passed through the Murphy Lab for an authentic Heavy aging—all of us at Musician's Friend lusted after the lacquer checking. Loaded with a pair of P-90s, it sounds and looks like the real deal—a vintage ’50s Les Paul. Read on to discover if this Gibson could complete your collection.

Let's start with the finish

"Double Gold" is the name of Gibson's most accurate finish for Goldtop Les Paul models. The Murphy Lab applies a Heavy aging to it. Looking like a "player's grade" vintage instrument, there are significant signs of wear—buckle rash, scrapes, scratches and prominent lacquer checking. The end result is a guitar that appears to have been heavily played over the last six decades.

A new guitar made like an old one


Gibson used hide glue to connect the 2-piece maple top to the mahogany body. The neck, which sports a chunky C profile, has a long tenon joint for added resonance. We're fans of the feel—the rolled binding on the Indian rosewood fretboard makes it play like a well-loved instrument.

A pair of P-90s gives this ’50s Les Paul real punch

P-90 pickups are versatile single coils that first appeared on ’40s-era Gibson archtops. Back then, they were for blues and jazz, but over the decades these pickups have powered rock, country, funk and punk, too. They're gritty with a warm midrange. Gibson wires them here with CTS pots and paper-in-oil caps, just like an original Goldtop.

This Les Paul Reissue has historic hardware


You can't get much simpler—or more effective—than a combination bridge/tailpiece. Fewer pieces means less can go wrong, and more can go right. On the 1954 Les Paul Goldtop, that adds up to increased sustain with the Ted McCarty-designed wraparound stopbar. The Kluson single line, single ring tuners are just as dependable.

If you want an aged Goldtop with P-90s, get this Gibson


Make no mistake, the Gibson Custom ’54 Les Paul Goldtop is real investment, but it will deliver a lifetime of enjoyment. This is also the kind of guitar that you pass down. It comes pre-worn with Murphy Lab Heavy aging, but imagine how great the Goldtop will look after decades of your daily use. A certificate of authenticity and an aged brown/pink Lifton hardshell case are included.