1956 Gibson Les Paul
The 1956 Les Paul is the last true P-90 gold-top before humbuckers transformed the model. An excellent player's instrument with the refined ABR-1 bridge and the raw, cutting tone of P-90s.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
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Recent Sales
Showing 2 verified sales for 1956 Gibson Les Paul. Reissues, replicas, and parts listings are filtered out.
Specifications
| Body Wood | Mahogany (body), Maple (carved top) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 24.750" |
| Frets | 22 |
| Pickup Config | HH |
| Bridge | ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic, stop tailpiece |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe single-ring |
| Finish Options | Gold Top |
| Est. Production | 920 |
Pickups & Electronics
Two P-90 soap-bar pickups. Final full year of P-90 equipped Les Paul Standards.
What Changed in 1956
Final full year of P-90-equipped Les Paul Standards before the introduction of PAF humbuckers in 1957. Some late 1956 models may have transition features.
Collector's Notes
The distinction between late 1956 (P-90) and very early 1957 (PAF transition) can be subtle — verify pickup date codes carefully.
How to Authenticate a 1956 Gibson Les Paul
Gibson serial numbers from this era are ink-stamped on the back of the headstock. Cross-reference with known Gibson serial tables — numbering was not strictly sequential. Potentiometer date codes are critical: look for CTS pots (code 137) with two-digit year codes matching 1956 or up to 18 months earlier. This is the most reliable dating method for Gibson guitars of this era. The finish should be nitrocellulose lacquer showing age-appropriate checking (fine crazing). Under blacklight, original nitro fluoresces a distinctive green-yellow — refinished instruments lack this characteristic. Verify original P-90 soap-bar pickups with correct Alnico magnets and bobbin construction. DC resistance should read approximately 7-9k ohms. The carved maple top over mahogany body is a key construction detail — check body weight (originals are typically 8-10 lbs). Gold top finish should show natural aging to warm brass-yellow. Examine the neck joint tenon — long tenon is correct for this era. Check for headstock repairs (Gibson headstocks are prone to breaking) — repairs reduce value significantly. Original Kluson Deluxe single-ring should be present with no evidence of replacement (no oversized bushing holes). Original hardshell case adds provenance value.