with a Grade-AA flamed maple top, Grade-A chambered mahogany back, and one-piece mahogany neck, the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited offers classic Les Paul tonewoods, combined with a look that's exclusive to this run of only 400 guitars.

A unique new Fireball finish with dark 'burst edges graces its top, while its back, neck and sides are dressed in a deep Vintage Sunburst with a dark cherry center and dark edges. Like several of Gibson USA's models of years past, the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's fast, slim '60s profiled neck carries a dark Grade-A ebony fingerboard with block inlays, while its headstock wears a chrome truss rod cover and a Les Paul designation. Quite simply, there has never been a Les Paul like it -- and once they are gone, there never will be again.

All Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's include an owner's manual, two batteries and an independent charger, and come protected in a Limited Edition plush-lined, white, hardshell case with plated emblem.

Features:

Body and Finish

Crafted along the classic lines of the Les Paul Standard, the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited has a Grade-AA maple top and chambered Grade-A mahogany back -- a legendary partnership in tonewoods -- with Gibson's exclusive Fireball finish on the top and Cherry Vintage Sunburst on the back, neck and sides, all in nitrocellulose lacquer.

Species

Each Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited is made from a top made of Grade-AA maple, a classic tonewood with a high density and an attractive figured grain. This top is attached to a tone-chambered Grade-A mahogany back.

Tonal Characteristics

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's wood combination represents an update of the Les Paul's classic maple/mahogany construction. The mahogany back brings in that wood's legendary blend of warmth and sweetness, while the maple adds definition, clarity and sustain. The body's chambering contributes an acoustic-like roundness and nuanced depth to the overall voice of the guitar.

Design

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited begins with the timeless lines and proportions of the original Les Paul Standard, with a single rounded cutaway and two-ply binding around the body's top.

Average Weight

The average weight of a completed Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited is 8.25 lbs, which results in an extremely comfortable and ergonomic, finished guitar.

Color

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited wears Gibson's exclusive Fireball nitrocellulose finish, which employs several new processes to bring out the stunning beauty of the exemplary maple used in this model. Its back, neck and sides are finished in a Cherry Vintage Sunburst.

Process

Nitrocellulose aids the tonal qualities of any guitar by decreasing the restriction of natural resonance in the woods. The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited undergoes a more intensive process than most Gibson models to enhance both the look and the sonic benefits of its finish.

It is hand-finished in nitrocellulose in a process that is carefully monitored to ensure minimum build-up, in an effort to produce a finish that breathes with the guitar and enhances natural resonance. Unlike many other manufacturers, who settle for a polyurethane finish, Gibson opts for a nitrocellulose finish that will encourage the natural vibration of the instrument for a purer tone. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous and actually gets thinner over time.

Neck and Headstock

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's neck is constructed from one solid piece of mahogany, cut using the superior quarter-sawn orientation for improved strength and resonance, and glued to the body at the Les Paul's traditional 5* angle (pitch).

A traditional headstock wears the classic Gibson logo, along with the six Robot Tuners(tm) that comprise the muscle of its Robot tuning capabilities.

Neck Species

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's neck is made from quarter-sawn mahogany, the most traditional wood for Gibson electric guitar necks. It offers an excellent sonic and visual partner to the chambered mahogany body.

Neck Profile

The neck on the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited is carved to a slim and extremely comfortable profile, which is comparable to the much-loved profiles of many Gibson guitars from the early '60s.

Tonal Characteristics

The angled, classical-style peg head and mahogany neck work together to provide exceptional tonal richness and resonance from the neck, with good string definition and sustain.

Tolerance

When fitting the neck and body together, we take advantage of our precise measuring equipment so that all angles, pitches and alignments maintain a tolerance within .005 of an inch. Not only does this help to keep your guitar in tune but it also maintains proper string alignment relative to the fingerboard.

Joint

Gibson uses what is known as the Mortis & Tenon joint to bind neck to body so that the two pieces form one solid unit. This time-tested technique has been used for millennia in all the great woodworking arts -- from shipbuilding to cabinetry -- to create one solid wood unit from two separate sections, and has been proven to yield a stronger neck and body than if the instrument was made from a single piece of wood.

Joint Angle 5* (+/- 15 seconds)

Headstock Angle

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited headstock is carefully angled at Gibson's traditional 17*, which increases pressure on the strings and helps them stay in the nut slots. An increase in string pressure also means there is no loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain.

Truss Rod

Gibson's traditional truss rod, found in most all of our guitars, is highly responsive to the individual adjustments you'll want to make to personalize and optimize string action and sustain.

Logo

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's heritage is displayed by its inlaid mother of pearl Gibson logo, one of the most globally recognized logos in the history of the electric guitar, while its exclusive status is declared by the "Limited Edition" silkscreen across the center of the headstock face.

Adhesive

The adhesive used to join neck and body is Franklin Titebond 50, one of the strongest glues on the market today.

Fingerboard Species

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited carries a Grade-A ebony fingerboard. This dark, tightly grained wood has been a feature of many high-end Gibsons over the years, including the Les Paul Custom.

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited sports 22 medium-jumbo frets, all dressed and polished for a smooth feel and optimum playability. Gibson's PLEK system guarantees a precision fit and exact string spacing.

Tonal Characteristics

Ebony fingerboards are known for their precise, well-defined tone and outstanding note clarity, adding an air of precision to the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's overall depth, warmth and richness. Ebony is also extremely hard wearing, and makes for a fingerboard with a greater lifespan than that of almost any other wood commonly used for this component.

Inlays

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited fingerboard carries block position marker inlays, in the tradition of many high-end Gibson guitars.

Nut Material

The nut on the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited is made from a special black Teflon-based material known as Tefzell, which allows for smoother and faster tuning action. It is installed into the top surface of the neck, butting up to the end of the fingerboard to ensure proper tone and sustain transfer, and its nut slots are cut with Gibson's PLEK system to ensure precise fit, break angle, and string spacing.

Nut Width

The width of the nut on the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited is approximately 1.695 in., the traditional nut width of Gibson electric guitars.

Pickups and Electronics

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's straightforward looks belie a virtually unlimited tonal palette, accessed via its MCK from a P90H neck pickup, and BurstBucker 3 bridge pickup, and a piezo-saddle bridge.

Routed independently or in myriad combinations, these pickups yield unparalleled sonic versatility, while the user-friendly control array ensures you can access them mid-flight without a single hitch in your performance, even blending in piezo acoustic tones as desired via the rotary potentiometer built into the guitar's toggle pickup selector switch.

Pickups Model

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited is equipped with two of Gibson's most popular pickups, a Burst Bucker 3 in the lead (bridge) position, and a P-90H in the rhythm (neck) position, a new hum-canceling update of the traditional P-90 single coil. Both magnetic pickups carry chromed metal covers, a matching set that is unique to Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited.

The guitar is further equipped with a revolutionary Gibson-designed piezo bridge, which consists of a modified Tune-o-matic-style bridge loaded with individual piezo pickups for each of its string saddles.

Magnet Material

Gibson's Burst Bucker 3 uses a rough Alnico 2 bar magnet, while the P-90H carries two Alnico V bar magnets.

Tonal Characteristics

Gibson's Burst Bucker 3 is a highly acclaimed PAF-style humbucker, wound to the hotter side of the vintage spectrum for plenty of cutting power and excellent midrange punch, while retaining the warmth and richness that these legendary pickups are known for.

The P-90H is a radical new design that captures all of the traditional P-90 single-coil's raw bite, grind and warmth in the neck position, with outstanding clarity and high-end sheen, but rejects the annoying 60-cycle hum that such pickups can be prone to.

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's piezo-pickup bridge is truly a "sky's-the-limit" pickup option, which yields convincing acoustic-style tones at the twist of a knob, while also providing the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's secret-weapon digital tone arsenal via the guitar's Chameleon Tone Technology.

Master Control Knob

The key to controlling the powerful functions of the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited is the Master Control Knob (MCK), which controls the brain behind this miraculous instrument and allows you to access both the guitar's unlimited tonal arsenal and its automatic tuning capabilities.

The MCK has been completely redesigned for simpler, faster, and more intuitive function, with much improved ergonomics and a sophisticated full color matrix display featuring LEDs and high-tech light pipe technology. These features work to deliver a more powerful and easier to see visual display under any light condition. In addition to the MCK's top-mounted display, LED-lit symbols now adorn its outer edge, which blend with the color of the knob so that they're only visible when lit.

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's new MCK also controls the ability to change pickups and coils and to access preset tone settings, allowing you the ability to adjust tone and tunings automatically and simultaneously, even several times during the same song.

Volume Controls

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited uses an individual volume control for each pickup, each of which uses a high-quality 300k linear potentiometer for a smooth, natural roll off.

Tone Control

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited carries a master tone control that comprises a high-quality 500k non-linear potentiometer, and has been engineered for a fluid and natural roll off of the guitars highs, yielding a broad and very usable range of voices.

Toggle Switch

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited features a unique, multi-function toggle switch which provides standard switching between the magnetic pickups, plus a revolutionary blend control that is built into its toggle lever, and allows the player to quickly determine the ratio of magnetic to piezo tone in the guitar's output.

Output Jack

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's multi-function output comprises an Amphenol XLR female 1/4 in. stereo combo receptacle (the XLR cable requires a male-to-male adapter or cable). Used with a standard mono guitar cord this supplies individual or blended magnetic and piezo pickup signals, according to the player's control selections.

Used with a stereo (TRS) cord and an external accessory box (both available separately), this feature allows you to split the piezo and magnetic signals to individual amps or PA or recording channels, further multiplying the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's sonic capabilities.

Low-Impedance Preamp

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's vastly improved output jack also includes a built-in active, low-impedance preamp comprising Gibson's new, proprietary LP-Z High Definition Impedance Circuit, designed and named in honor of the late Les Paul's constant quest for high-definition guitar tone.

The player can select either a traditional, passive high-Z output, or the LP-Z's active low-z output. The difference has been compared to the visual difference in moving from old low-definition TV systems to a new high-def system, and the clarity and depth of tonal improvement that it brings to the game have to be heard to be believed.

Hardware

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's hardware includes an upgraded set of components designed for maximum tone and function. Although it looks like the traditional Tune-o-matic model introduced in 1954, its bridge carries individual piezo-pickup-loaded saddles, and is partnered with a new tailpiece engineered for maximum string-to-body coupling.

Topping it all off, six Robot Tuners provide the muscle for its Robot automated tuning capabilities. Finally, a pair of locking strap buttons ensure the whole thing stays secure.

Tuning Keys

The headstock of the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited is equipped with Gibson's revolutionary Robot Tuners, originally introduced on the Robot Guitar, then improved for the Darkfire and Dusk Tiger.

You can access any preset tuning in less than one second, which means you can realistically change tunings in the middle of a song, if needed, and the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited even includes an added bank of tuning presets. What's more, the tuners are automatically engaged to operate both electronically or individually by hand.

Truss Rod Cover

The guitar's headstock is adorned with a chromed truss rod cover, in the shape of Gibson's traditional antique bell truss rod cover.

Strap Buttons

The guitar includes chromed straplock strap buttons to keep it safely strapped on when you're wailing.

Pickguard

This model carries a five-ply black/w/b/w/b Les Paul style pickguard.

TRIM

The trim package on the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited includes a blend of timeless Les Paul cosmetics and exclusive touches befitting a Limited Edition model.

Strings

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited is fitted with genuine Gibson strings, sizes .010-.046.

Tuning Capacity/Battery Longevity

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's battery system and power circuit have also been significantly improved to last nearly twice as long, even with the guitar's enhanced performance. You can now expect nearly 500 tunings from a single charge.

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited comes with two rechargeable batteries of a type that are widely available and can be replaced at most convenience stores, along with a wall-plug battery charger.

Batteries are changed in seconds via a click-latch door in the back of the guitar, so you can even keep a spare charged battery in your pocket and change in the middle of a live set, if necessary.

Bridge

In 1954, Gibson revolutionized guitar hardware when it debuted the Tune-o-matic bridge, setting a standard for simplicity and functionality that has never been bettered. The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited carries a groundbreaking reinvention of the classic Tune-o-matic which actually consists of six individual piezo pickups -- one for each saddle/string -- so the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited's bridge is not only a functional piece of hardware, but is also at the heart of the guitar's tonal capabilities.

Tailpiece

The Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited carries a new tailpiece that is unique to this model, and which has been designed by Gibson to provide excellent resonant coupling between strings and body and a sturdy, efficient termination point to enhance tuning stability. This tailpiece is made from Zamak and plated in chrome.

Control Knobs

The volume control knobs on the Les Paul Standard 2010 Limited are black top-hat knobs with silver inserts, alongside a master tone control with a black speed knob, and an illuminated MCK knob.