Deluxe Addition
The 70s are back, at least that’s what Gibson would like us to think with its new erainspired, mini-humbucker-loaded Les Paul. But does it do justice to the original Deluxe?
By contrast to the mighty Standard and Custom, the Les Paul Deluxe, originally produced from 1969 until 1984, was never quite in the same classic league. It shone brightly and sold in significant numbers in its early years because the single-cut Standard had, of course, been replaced in 1961 by the very different Les Paul/SG. But more and more high-profile players were picking up and playing Standards during the 60s, which simply increased demand that Gibson ignored. Even when the classic shape made a comeback in 1968, it was in the form of the twin-pickup Custom and, briefly, the goldtop P-90. So when the Deluxe launched the following year, its appeal was obvious. Except for the fact that, with its minihumbuckers, it wasn’t a Les Paul Standard – and its construction had changed, too, with a laminated ‘pancake’ body, three-piece mahogany (then maple) neck with a volute and a larger headstock.
Artists didn’t exactly jump onboard. Pete Townshend was one famous exception, as was Scott Gorham, while Stateside, Barry Bailey of the Atlanta Rhythm Section, nicknamed ‘The Steely Dan of The South’, is a well-documented Deluxe user (although his very early ’69 doesn’t have that ‘pancake’
body). The ’68 Custom, however, had much bigger reach in the hands of Carlos Santana and Bowie sideman Mick Ronson – just two examples – and it’s little surprise that although the Deluxe sold well during the early 70s, it was eclipsed by the Custom as the decade progressed.
But this isn’t Historic Hardware – and although history hasn’t been kind to the Deluxe (especially since the weights can be excessive and those mini-humbuckers are an acquired taste), it was a well-used and, in many quarters, well-loved Les Paul.
Fast forward to the present and this new Deluxe, now priced the same as the Standard ’50s and ’60s, is the first Les Paul that Gibson has introduced to its Original Collection since the reorganisation of the line back in late 2019. Except, of course, it’s not really new. It’s certainly not a reissue – and Gibson isn’t marketing it as such – and as the mini-humbuckers have the same footprint as soapbar P-90s, it’s pretty much a Les Paul Standard ’50s P-90 with different pickups and chrome parts.
Like the other Original Collection Les Pauls, the new Deluxe isn’t weight relieved, and pulling our cased review sample from its cardboard shipping box we’re wondering if it’s made from concrete… At 4.44kg (9.77lb), the guitar is no lightweight, but neither is the shaped brown hardcase, which has a lighter red interior and noticeably rectangular-shaped latches compared with the earlier 2019 case. The case weighs 5.94kg (13lb) – the previous one is 3.94kg (8.67lb) – which means you’re actually lugging 10.4kg (22.8lb) of cased guitar around. Time to hit the gym.
While the internet rants about the variances of Gibson’s quality control, the instruments we’ve seen from the new regime have all been pretty tidy, especially at this top-tier USA production level.
So, while this new Deluxe side-steps the construction of the originals, there’s very little to moan about. In fact, the bright red of the Cherry Sunburst over the plain maple top transports this writer back to the days of the late 70s and early 80s flea-bitten rehearsal and recording studios when he owned a ’72 original. This new guitar is unnervingly close in colour.
The chrome hardware adds to the
70s sheen. The Nashville-style tuneo-matic and aluminium stud tailpiece
The instruments we’ve seen from the new regime have all been pretty tidy, especially at this top-tier USA production level