| Les Paul vintage Gibson guitars were | | | | finish. Most Les Paul Gibson vintage |
| first produced in 1952. These guitars | | | | Gold Tops have a gold colored maple top |
| were the first solid body electric that | | | | with natural back, a few guitars were |
| Gibson had made. The 1952 version of the | | | | made that had the gold finished all |
| Les Paul vintage guitar has a gold top | | | | over. |
| nitro-cellulose lacquer finish, and no | | | | In 1954 Gibson launched the Les Paul |
| serial number. This Gibson was designed | | | | Custom vintage guitar. The Les Paul |
| by Les and included Kluson tuners, a | | | | Custom has an ebony fretboard, with |
| pair of P90 pickups, and retailed for | | | | elaborate bindings on the guitar body |
| $210. | | | | and headstock. Among some guitarists |
| These Gibson vintage guitars were simply | | | | this Gibson vintage acquired the name |
| called 'Les Paul' models, and later | | | | 'black beauty' because of its gold |
| became known as Gold Tops because of the | | | | plated hardware and black finish. |