Description
The 1952 Gibson Les Paul All Gold represents one of the most important chapters in the history of the electric guitar: not only the first year of production of the Les Paul Model, but one of the rarest configurations made in its early years. This example retains the spectacular original All Gold finish, applied not only to the top but also to the back, sides, and neck, a variant produced in significantly smaller quantities than the more common Goldtops with natural backs.
Over seventy years after its construction, the guitar is in exceptional condition for an instrument of this age, with a natural patina that perfectly tells its story. The characteristic oxidation of the gold finish, due to the copper component in the paint, is particularly evident on the back of the neck, where the color has taken on the typical green hues so sought after by vintage instrument enthusiasts. The light checking on the top and the wear on the back are completely consistent with the instrument’s age and contribute to an authentic look that no modern aging process can truly replicate.
The construction is what would define the Les Paul’s identity for generations to come: a mahogany body with a carved maple top, a one-piece mahogany neck, and a Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard with binding and pearloid trapezoid inlays. The neck features the typical 1952 profile, quite deep but extremely natural in the hand, with a slight Soft V component. The original frets are still present and are in excellent condition.
The electronics are completely original and include the two extraordinary 1952 P-90 soapbars. The large original wax capacitors are also present. It is precisely this combination of early Gibson P-90s, mahogany, maple cap, and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard that gives the instrument a unique voice: dynamic, open, rich in harmonics, and capable of switching from extraordinary sweetness to surprisingly aggressiveness with just a touch of touch.
One of the most fascinating features of the very early Les Pauls is, of course, the trapeze tailpiece system designed for this model. Originally, the strings ran under the bar, a solution that allowed Gibson to mount the pickups deeper into the body but made palm muting more difficult. This model currently features a MojoAxe tailpiece, a modification designed to improve the instrument’s practicality while maintaining its original aesthetic and philosophy. The original “Les Paul” trapeze tailpiece is, of course, included.
The instrument is completed by Kluson Deluxe tuners, the original cream pickguard, original jack plate and switch tips, and the signature speed knobs. As on the very first 1952 Les Pauls, the mother-of-pearl Gibson logo is positioned lower on the headstock than on later models, and there is no serial number on the back of the headstock: Gibson, at this early production stage, had not yet introduced a definitive serialization system for its new solid-body models.
Weighing approximately 8.8 lbs (4.00 kg), this Les Paul maintains an exceptional balance between historical importance, originality, and playability. It’s not just a vintage Goldtop: it’s one of the instruments that gave birth to the entire history of the Gibson Les Paul. The first 1952 Les Pauls marked Gibson’s definitive entry into the world of solid-body guitars and helped convince a generation of musicians to gradually abandon electrified archtops in favor of a new concept of the guitar.
The guitar comes with its extremely rare original Lifton brown case from the era, a flat top with pink lining, heavily worn but perfectly consistent with the instrument’s history.
For the collector seeking a truly significant vintage Gibson, an original 1952 Les Paul All Gold occupies a very special position: first year of production, rare configuration, original components, and a patina naturally developed over seven decades. An authentic collectible from Gibson’s Golden Era, now available at Guitar Sauce in Italy and aimed at those in Europe seeking not simply a vintage Les Paul, but a fundamental piece of electric guitar history.