1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop (refinish)
Description
1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard electric guitar, made in USA; Body: gold top finish with dark back, refinished by Yuuki McClure, light ageing; Neck: reprofiled and thinned-down, head repair, minor heel work carried out by Yuuki, neck refinished; Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood with pearl crown position markers, rebound; Frets: good, refret; Electrics: working, PAF Patent Applied For pickups, 1957 potentiometers; Hardware: generally good and appear period correct (see footnote), correct single line Kluson Patent Pending tuners with replacement Uncle Lou's tips, incorrect height adjustment screws at second pickup; Case: original Lifton five latch hard case; Weight: 4.14kg; Overall condition: good for age / restored
*Sourced several years ago by a guitar trader and following careful examination and consultation with multiple independent specialists, this instrument was established to be an original 1958 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop. The limited known provenance indicates that the guitar was acquired from the widow of a private guitar collector who passed away approximately eleven years previous. It is believed the instrument may originally have come from South Africa, although this could not be independently verified.
At the time of acquisition, the guitar featured a thick sunburst refinish, with the refinisher having the foresight to mask the original serial number, which remains intact. The neck had previously been reprofiled, with substantial modification to the heel area, smoothed and blended into the body. A historic headstock break had also been repaired using dowels. Much of the original electronics and hardware appeared intact, although the guitar was fitted with later double-line Kluson tuners, cream plastics, newer strap buttons, switch tip, and several non-original screws. The instrument had also been refretted and rebound. The guitar retained its original, albeit well-worn, five-latch Lifton hard case.
After changing hands, the guitar was gigged for several years in its then-current condition before being entrusted to respected restorer Yuuki McClure of Player Grade Vintage. During restoration, the instrument received an authentic aged Goldtop finish, alongside corrective work to the heel area to address the earlier neck reshaping. Correct period-appropriate components were sourced to replace the later hardware, including the pickguard, pickup surrounds, switch surround and tip, and correct single-line Kluson tuners. The tuner buttons are high-quality reproduction examples sourced from Uncle Lou’s.
The reprofiled neck measures approximately 20mm in depth at the first fret (without strings) and 22mm at the twelfth fret (without strings). The guitar is fitted with original PAF humbuckers, with resistance readings of 7.4kΩ at the neck and 7.5kΩ at the bridge. Potentiometer codes (134 731) date to the 31st week of 1957, and the capacitors appear correct for the period. All black plastics are believed correct, including the switch tip, switch ring, pickup rings, output jack plate, pickguard, knobs, truss rod cover and back plates. The tuners are correct single-line PAT Pending Kluson types, with reproduction tips as noted. The bridge is the correct foundry-marked non-wire ABR-1 type, and the tailpiece is the correct lightweight cast aluminium example with 1.5" studs. One of the pickups height adjustment screws appears to be a later replacements. The guitar is housed in its correct five-latch Lifton hard case.
According to Gibson shipping totals, only 434 Les Paul Standards were produced in 1958, with this example’s serial number falling within the earlier Goldtop production range, prior to the model’s transition to the now-iconic sunburst finish.
Sold with CITES domestic non-transferable A10 certificate: 26GBA10BVJHDW
*Sourced several years ago by a guitar trader and following careful examination and consultation with multiple independent specialists, this instrument was established to be an original 1958 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop. The limited known provenance indicates that the guitar was acquired from the widow of a private guitar collector who passed away approximately eleven years previous. It is believed the instrument may originally have come from South Africa, although this could not be independently verified.
At the time of acquisition, the guitar featured a thick sunburst refinish, with the refinisher having the foresight to mask the original serial number, which remains intact. The neck had previously been reprofiled, with substantial modification to the heel area, smoothed and blended into the body. A historic headstock break had also been repaired using dowels. Much of the original electronics and hardware appeared intact, although the guitar was fitted with later double-line Kluson tuners, cream plastics, newer strap buttons, switch tip, and several non-original screws. The instrument had also been refretted and rebound. The guitar retained its original, albeit well-worn, five-latch Lifton hard case.
After changing hands, the guitar was gigged for several years in its then-current condition before being entrusted to respected restorer Yuuki McClure of Player Grade Vintage. During restoration, the instrument received an authentic aged Goldtop finish, alongside corrective work to the heel area to address the earlier neck reshaping. Correct period-appropriate components were sourced to replace the later hardware, including the pickguard, pickup surrounds, switch surround and tip, and correct single-line Kluson tuners. The tuner buttons are high-quality reproduction examples sourced from Uncle Lou’s.
The reprofiled neck measures approximately 20mm in depth at the first fret (without strings) and 22mm at the twelfth fret (without strings). The guitar is fitted with original PAF humbuckers, with resistance readings of 7.4kΩ at the neck and 7.5kΩ at the bridge. Potentiometer codes (134 731) date to the 31st week of 1957, and the capacitors appear correct for the period. All black plastics are believed correct, including the switch tip, switch ring, pickup rings, output jack plate, pickguard, knobs, truss rod cover and back plates. The tuners are correct single-line PAT Pending Kluson types, with reproduction tips as noted. The bridge is the correct foundry-marked non-wire ABR-1 type, and the tailpiece is the correct lightweight cast aluminium example with 1.5" studs. One of the pickups height adjustment screws appears to be a later replacements. The guitar is housed in its correct five-latch Lifton hard case.
According to Gibson shipping totals, only 434 Les Paul Standards were produced in 1958, with this example’s serial number falling within the earlier Goldtop production range, prior to the model’s transition to the now-iconic sunburst finish.
Sold with CITES domestic non-transferable A10 certificate: 26GBA10BVJHDW