Gibson Les Paul Goldtop ( 1952- present )

 The Gibson's  first  Les Paul were the goldtop guitars. Gibson Les Paul Goldtop guitars  were introduced In 1952 and became the first solid body electric guitars. Officially these where called "les paul models" but became popular as "les paul goldtop" as they had gold top finish.

 The trapeze tailpiece  of the 1952 and 1953 models ( strings wrapped under the bar ) were problematic, intonation was not correct and the tune was difficult to maintain.

This model is a great collectible but hardly playable. In 1953 gibson changed the trapeze tailpiece to a stop tailpiece where the strings were wrapped above the tailpiece which helped tuning to an extant.

1952-53 Les paul goldtop in 1952-1953 had a 3 piece carved top , gold top finish , trapeze tail piece bridge , Two soapbar p-90 pickups and cream covers  , nickel plated parts, kluson tuners  , 5/8" knobs , finger board and bound-top. and fingerboard ( unbound fingerboards were part of this early modes ) .


The trapeze tail piece replaced the with stop tail piece and 5/8" Knobs replaced with 1/2" knobs.


During 1955 Tune-o-matic bridge was introduced and top hat shaped knobs replaced barrel shaped ones.


In 1957 2p-90 pickups were replaced with  humbuckers. Goldtop became standard les paul in 1958 which later subdivided to Les paul SG and Les. paul deluxe.
In 1968 model with a tune o matic bridge , goldtop outlook and p 90 pickups was introduced again considered the reissue of 1956 goldtop and had few small changes.

In 1971 gibson started goldtop like 1954 with goldtop finish , 2 soapbar pickups and a stop tailpiece and discontinued in 1975 .

A thirtieth anniversary inlay made on the 19 th fret as a marking of 30 th anniversary, Gibson introduced  it in 1882 -1883 which did have 2 hambuckers like 1958 gold top.

In 1983 gibson reissue named " 56 gibson les paul gold top" was introduced as comeback of les paul gold. It had 2 p100 pickups the " official les paul goldtop reissue " with two p 100 pickups. In 1993 goldtop with 2 hambuckers was introduced which was a reissue of  1957 Gibson goldtop.