BODY
Body Style: Les Paul
Top Species: Maple
Back Species: Mahogany
Binding: Antique
FINGERBOARD
Fingerboard Species: Rosewood
Scale Length: 24 3/4
Total Length: 18.137 (Bound)
Number of Frets: 22
Width at 12th Fret: 2.260
Inlays: Figured Acrylic Trapezoid
Fingerboard Binding: Antique
ELECTRONICS
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan™ Alnico Pro-II humbucker
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan™ Alnico Pro-II humbucker
Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way selector switch
NECK
Species: Mahogany
Profile: “Slash-Profile™”
Peghead Pitch: 17
Nut: Corian
Thickness at 1st Fret: .800
Thickness at 12th Fret: .875
Heel Length: 5/8
Neck Joint Location: 16th fret
Head Inlay: The Gibson Logo and Slash Artwork
HARDWARE
Color: Chrome
Plating Finish: Chrome
Tailpiece: TonePro Stop Bar
Bridge: TonePro
Knobs: Top Hat-Amber
Tuners: Kluson Copy
Strap Buttons: Butt/Rim
Pickguard: None
Slash Les Paul Standard (from www.gibson.com/Slash)
Gibson USA's Slash Signature Les Paul Standard is a heartfelt tribute to Slash and the guitar he's used for more than 20 years to create some of the most powerful and popular hard rock of all time. Working closely with Slash, Gibson USA recreated his favorite Les Paul Standard. "I've got one of these on the road right now," Slash says. "It's probably one of the best live guitars that I've had in a really long time. It's all the best qualities of Les Pauls rolled into one. All in all, it's a pretty badass guitar." The magic of this guitar is in the details. An Antique Vintage Sunburst finish is applied to a solid mahogany body with a AA maple figured top and dark back. The body features Gibson's period-correct weight-relief structure, along with a pair of Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro humbuckers–the same pickups Slash uses in all his Les Pauls–for sweet, vintage tone. The Slash-designed solid mahogany neck is given a thin, comfortable profile to Slash's personal specifications, and Slash's skull and crossbones, top hat logo, and signature adorn the headstock. A custom-made, smooth black case featuring Slash's logo accompanies every guitar. The Gibson USA Slash Signature Les Paul is a limited-edition run of only 1,600 guitars worldwide.
Finishes
Antique Vintage Sunburst
The Gibson Logo
Some of the best guitars ever produced have proudly displayed the Gibson logo. The logo itself is made from hand-cut mother of pearl, inlayed into a pressed fiber-head veneer, glued to the face of the mahogany headstock, and protected by a thin coat of lacquer.Some of the best guitars ever produced have proudly displayed the Gibson logo. The logo itself is made from hand-cut mother of pearl, inlayed into a pressed fiber-head veneer, glued to the face of the mahogany headstock, and protected by a thin coat of lacquer.
Angled Headstock
Carved out of the same piece of mahogany as the neck and precisely angled at 17 degrees, the Gibson headstock increases the pressure on the strings and helps them to stay in the nut slots. This also diminishes the loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain. Unique to the new Slash Signature Les Paul from Gibson USA is the artwork and logo personally designed by the legendary guitarist and positioned in the center of the headstock where the “Les Paul Model” script is found.Carved out of the same piece of mahogany as the neck and precisely angled at 17 degrees, the Gibson headstock increases the pressure on the strings and helps them to stay in the nut slots. This also diminishes the loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain. Unique to the new Slash Signature Les Paul from Gibson USA is the artwork and logo personally designed by the legendary guitarist and positioned in the center of the headstock where the “Les Paul Model” script is found.
Adjustable Truss Rod
Gibson introduced the adjustable truss rod in the early 1930s and instantly revolutionized the guitar. Before this important innovation, the truss rod was used primarily to strengthen and stabilize the neck of the guitar. Now it’s the safest and most efficient way to straighten the neck, and allows a guitar to be set up using a variety of string gauges and string heights to accommodate any style of playing. In addition, by placing it at the base of the headstock, the adjustable nut is easily accessible, making any adjustment possible even while the strings are still on the guitar. Gibson introduced the adjustable truss rod in the early 1930s and instantly revolutionized the guitar. Before this important innovation, the truss rod was used primarily to strengthen and stabilize the neck of the guitar. Now it’s the safest and most efficient way to straighten the neck, and allows a guitar to be set up using a variety of string gauges and string heights to accommodate any style of playing. In addition, by placing it at the base of the headstock, the adjustable nut is easily accessible, making any adjustment possible even while the strings are still on the guitar.
Slash-designed Neck Profile
The neck on the Gibson USA Slash Signature Les Paul is modeled after Slash’s original Les Paul, which is hybrid of Gibson’s two traditional neck profiles: the thickness of the slim-taper necks of the ’60s blended with the round profile of the late ’50s necks. The result is a thin, comfortable profile made to Slash’s personal specifications. Like all Gibson guitars, these necks are machined in a rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. Once the fingerboards are glued on, the rest of the construction—including the final sanding—is done by hand, ensuring every neck will have its own distinct, but traditional, feel.The neck on the Gibson USA Slash Signature Les Paul is modeled after Slash’s original Les Paul, which is hybrid of Gibson’s two traditional neck profiles: the thickness of the slim-taper necks of the ’60s blended with the round profile of the late ’50s necks. The result is a thin, comfortable profile made to Slash’s personal specifications. Like all Gibson guitars, these necks are machined in a rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. Once the fingerboards are glued on, the rest of the construction—including the final sanding—is done by hand, ensuring every neck will have its own distinct, but traditional, feel.
22-Fret Rosewood Fingerboard
The rosewood used by Gibson is inspected and qualified before it enters the factories. Noted for its denseness and resiliency, rosewood makes fingerboards extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note an unparalleled clarity and bite. The 12-inch radius of the fingerboard provides smooth note bending capabilities and eliminates “dead” or “choked out” notes, common occurrences on fingerboards with lesser radiuses.The rosewood used by Gibson is inspected and qualified before it enters the factories. Noted for its denseness and resiliency, rosewood makes fingerboards extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note an unparalleled clarity and bite. The 12-inch radius of the fingerboard provides smooth note bending capabilities and eliminates “dead” or “choked out” notes, common occurrences on fingerboards with lesser radiuses.
Nickel and Silver Alloy Fret Wire
A combination of nickel and silver alloy (approximately 80 percent nickel and 20 percent silver) is shaped by hand into Gibson’s traditional “medium-jumbo” size and cut to an exact 12-inch radius. Each one is then hand-pressed into the fingerboard, where a machine then finishes the job to eliminate any gap that might exist between the bottom of the fret wire and the fingerboard. A combination of nickel and silver alloy (approximately 80 percent nickel and 20 percent silver) is shaped by hand into Gibson’s traditional “medium-jumbo” size and cut to an exact 12-inch radius. Each one is then hand-pressed into the fingerboard, where a machine then finishes the job to eliminate any gap that might exist between the bottom of the fret wire and the fingerboard.
Classic Trapezoid Inlays
Trapezoid inlays have graced the fingerboards of the most iconic stringed instruments in the world, including the new Slash Signature Les Paul Standard from Gibson USA. They are manufactured from a figured, swirl acrylic to get that “classic” pearl look, then inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps, thus doing away with any need to use fillers. Trapezoid inlays have graced the fingerboards of the most iconic stringed instruments in the world, including the new Slash Signature Les Paul Standard from Gibson USA. They are manufactured from a figured, swirl acrylic to get that “classic” pearl look, then inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps, thus doing away with any need to use fillers.
Set-Neck Construction
All Gibson Les Pauls feature a glued neck joint, guaranteeing solid “wood-to-wood” contact between the neck and the body, leaving no air space in the neck cavity, and allowing the neck and body to function as a single unit. All Gibson Les Pauls feature a glued neck joint, guaranteeing solid “wood-to-wood” contact between the neck and the body, leaving no air space in the neck cavity, and allowing the neck and body to function as a single unit.
Solid Mahogany Body with AA Figured Maple Top
As with all the wood that enters Gibson’s factories, the maple and mahogany used to build the new Slash Signature Les Paul Standard is personally inspected and qualified by a team of skilled wood experts. Inside the Gibson factories, humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees, which guarantees that all woods are dried to a level of “equilibrium” where the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, and controls the shrinkage and warping of the woods, in addition to reducing the weight. It also helps improve the woods’ machinability and finishing properties and adherence to glue. Consistent moisture content means that every new Slash Signature Les Paul Standard will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.As with all the wood that enters Gibson’s factories, the maple and mahogany used to build the new Slash Signature Les Paul Standard is personally inspected and qualified by a team of skilled wood experts. Inside the Gibson factories, humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees, which guarantees that all woods are dried to a level of “equilibrium” where the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, and controls the shrinkage and warping of the woods, in addition to reducing the weight. It also helps improve the woods’ machinability and finishing properties and adherence to glue. Consistent moisture content means that every new Slash Signature Les Paul Standard will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.
Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Pickups
The pickups in the new Slash Signature Les Paul from Gibson USA are identical to the ones in Slash’s original Les Paul. “I have Seymour Duncan Alnico IIs in all my Les Pauls,” Slash says. “They’re just great pickups. They’re actually low-output pickups so they’re a little bit cleaner than your average humbucker. They’re very sweet sounding. They handle gain very well, and they don’t over distort. They don’t try and add any phony dynamics that I don’t need. They’re as natural sounding as I can get.” The Alnico II magnets on these Seymour Duncan pickups yield a warm, sweet tone with more natural string vibration for increased sustain. Since Slash gets most of his distortion from the amp rather than the pickup, these pickups allow him to back off the crunch and achieve beautiful, clean tones with a softer attack. The pickups in the new Slash Signature Les Paul from Gibson USA are identical to the ones in Slash’s original Les Paul. “I have Seymour Duncan Alnico IIs in all my Les Pauls,” Slash says. “They’re just great pickups. They’re actually low-output pickups so they’re a little bit cleaner than your average humbucker. They’re very sweet sounding. They handle gain very well, and they don’t over distort. They don’t try and add any phony dynamics that I don’t need. They’re as natural sounding as I can get.” The Alnico II magnets on these Seymour Duncan pickups yield a warm, sweet tone with more natural string vibration for increased sustain. Since Slash gets most of his distortion from the amp rather than the pickup, these pickups allow him to back off the crunch and achieve beautiful, clean tones with a softer attack.
Antique Vintage Sunburst Finish
Slash has always been partial to Les Pauls with darker finishes, so the craftsmen at Gibson USA worked closely with him to develop the perfect Antique Vintage Sunburst finish for the Slash Signature Les Paul Standard. Slash has always been partial to Les Pauls with darker finishes, so the craftsmen at Gibson USA worked closely with him to develop the perfect Antique Vintage Sunburst finish for the Slash Signature Les Paul Standard.
Binding
The binding on a Les Paul Standard, or any other Gibson guitar, is a fundamental part of the company’s rich, guitar-making history. Though some people assume it is applied for aesthetic purposes only, the binding actually protects the body’s edges against damage and eliminates the sharp edges of the frets, providing a much smoother neck and easier playability. The process of applying the binding to any Gibson guitar is something that has to be seen to be truly appreciated. A lone craftsman carefully glues and fits two pieces of binding around the entire body of a Les Paul. A single, very long piece of narrow cloth is wound around the entire body until the entire surface is nearly covered. The body is then hung to dry for a full 24 hours before it is unwrapped and moved into the next phase of production. It has been done the same way at Gibson for over 100 years. The binding on a Les Paul Standard, or any other Gibson guitar, is a fundamental part of the company’s rich, guitar-making history. Though some people assume it is applied for aesthetic purposes only, the binding actually protects the body’s edges against damage and eliminates the sharp edges of the frets, providing a much smoother neck and easier playability. The process of applying the binding to any Gibson guitar is something that has to be seen to be truly appreciated. A lone craftsman carefully glues and fits two pieces of binding around the entire body of a Les Paul. A single, very long piece of narrow cloth is wound around the entire body until the entire surface is nearly covered. The body is then hung to dry for a full 24 hours before it is unwrapped and moved into the next phase of production. It has been done the same way at Gibson for over 100 years.
Tune-O-Matic Bridge and Stopbar Tailpiece
The Tune-o-matic bridge on the new Slash Signature Les Paul Standard from Gibson USA is TonePros’ Model TP6, which is the locking version of the Nashville Tune-o-matic, combined with TonePros’ T1ZSA aluminum featherweight locking “stopbar” tailpiece. Both pieces are exactly as they are on Slash’s original Les Paul. The original Tune-o-matic bridge was the brainchild of legendary Gibson president Ted McCarty in 1954, and was a true revelation in intonation, setting a standard for simplicity and functionality that has never been bettered. This pioneering piece of hardware provides a firm seating for the strings, allowing the player to adjust and fine-tune the intonation and string height in a matter of minutes. It also yields a great union between the strings and body, which results in excellent tone and sustain. To this day, the Tune-o-matic remains the industry standard. It is the epitome of form and function in electric guitar bridge design, and is one of the most revered and copied pieces of guitar hardware ever developed.The Tune-o-matic bridge on the new Slash Signature Les Paul Standard from Gibson USA is TonePros’ Model TP6, which is the locking version of the Nashville Tune-o-matic, combined with TonePros’ T1ZSA aluminum featherweight locking “stopbar” tailpiece. Both pieces are exactly as they are on Slash’s original Les Paul. The original Tune-o-matic bridge was the brainchild of legendary Gibson president Ted McCarty in 1954, and was a true revelation in intonation, setting a standard for simplicity and functionality that has never been bettered. This pioneering piece of hardware provides a firm seating for the strings, allowing the player to adjust and fine-tune the intonation and string height in a matter of minutes. It also yields a great union between the strings and body, which results in excellent tone and sustain. To this day, the Tune-o-matic remains the industry standard. It is the epitome of form and function in electric guitar bridge design, and is one of the most revered and copied pieces of guitar hardware ever developed.
