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What is it?
The original intention behind the Les Paul Special, in its 1955 launch, was to create a guitar that would offer players something between the more affordable Les Paul Junior and the flagship Les Paul Standard. Nowadays, however, in the collective consciousness of the guitar community, it is much more than just a stripped-down version of a Les Paul, but is instead a bona fide option in its own right.
Like most modern line-ups, Gibson’s catalogue is much more complicated than it was back then, featuring a huge selection of models to satisfy a range of preferences. To this end, we have seen a few different iterations of the Les Paul Special.
This particular model sticks with the original single-cutaway, slab mahogany body, bound fretboard, and dual pickup setup, which defined the Special as being a bridge between the Junior and Standard, but with two key differences: it’s equipped with Mini Humbuckers, and is available as a Gibson Exclusive via its website/Garage stores.
In short, a Mini Humbucker is a humbucking pickup the size of a P90. Still hum-cancelling, the Mini Humbucker is considered to be a little brighter and more open-sounding than a normal humbucker.
When it comes to the Les Paul Special, one of the trademarks of the well-loved formula is its two P90’s. So, replacing them with Mini Humbuckers is definitely an interesting choice. But who knows, after playing this, we may be wondering why we don’t see them on more guitars…
Specs
- Launch price: $1,799 | £1,549 | €1,799
- Made: USA
- Type: Six-string electric guitar
- Body: Mahogany
- Neck: Mahogany, ‘50s Vintage
- Fingerboard: Rosewood, 12” radius
- Scale length: 628.65mm/24.75”
- Nut/width: Graph Tech, 43.05mm/1.7”
- Frets: 22, medium jumbo
- Hardware: Vintage Deluxe tuners, Wraparound bridge
- String spacing at bridge: 10mm
- Electrics: 2 Mini Humbucker pickups, 3-way switch, 2 volume, 2 tone
- Weight: 7.9lb/3.6kg
- Case: Gibson hardshell case
- Contact: Gibson
Build quality
Build quality rating: ★★★★☆
The simple design of the Les Paul Special means that there isn’t much that can go wrong. Starting at the top, we have Gibson Deluxe tuners that resist turning enough to feel premium, as do the volume and tone knobs. Additionally, the bound fretboard is a nice addition that lends credence to the guitar’s status as a quality instrument.
A slab mahogany body saves some cash in that it lacks the carved maple top of a Les Paul, and further savings are made in a body that is not bound.
If I’m honest, the Tobacco Burst finish is a little boring, at least in my opinion. It allows some of the grain from the mahogany to show through, but it’s not that striking a look with the dark colors.
This is down to personal preference, though, as I am sure there are those out there who will appreciate the understated aesthetic.
Out of the box, the setup leaves a bit to be desired, as the action was unbalanced. Medium-high on the low E at 1.75mm and medium-low on the high E at 1.25mm. Having adjusted it, it’s now comfortably in medium-low territory with the low E down to 1.50.
That imbalance seemed to cause some tuning issues, too, but after making the adjustment, the guitar is much more stable. Another easy fix is the dry fretboard, which is a little unpleasant out of the box.
The things that aren’t so easy to fix, however, are as they should be. For example, nicely finished frets, a tight neck pocket, no imperfections in the finish, and stable tuning. All in all, a well-built guitar, with just a little setup required.
Playability
Playability rating: ★★★★½
Bends and vibrato feel effortless under the fingers
As someone who spends a lot of time gigging a Stratocaster or a Telecaster with a 25.5” scale length, it’s always a joy to pick up a Gibson with the shorter 24.75” scale length and the reduced string tension that results from it.
The strings are easy to manipulate, with bends and vibrato feeling effortless under the fingers. This is helped along by the nicely finished medium jumbo frets, creating a smooth feel, and their height offering the fingers plenty of purchase on those strings.
The 12” radius is a sweet spot for a lot of people, with enough curve to allow those open chords to be played with ease, whilst being flat enough for some flashier lines without feeling too shreddy.
And so, I find myself playing through legato lines relatively effortlessly, and easily fretting those cowboy chords down the bottom of the neck. It’s not a guitar aimed at Steve Vai levels of flashy, but perfect for those rootsy, classic rock solos.
Adding to this is the Vintage ‘50s neck profile. It fills the hand whilst stopping short of ‘baseball bat’ territory, and you won’t find any carved heel joints here either. So again, not for the shredders, but a good fit for those who like a more vintage feel.
Sounds
Sounds rating: ★★★★½
Plugging into my Hot Rod Deluxe IV with the Special, what immediately jumps out is that the clarity on a clean tone is heavenly.
The Mini Humbuckers have a tight bass and low-mid response, meaning all those fancy chord extensions cut through nicely, but not in a way that is offensive. This makes the neck pickup and the relative roundness it brings perfect for choppy, funky rhythms. Who needs a Stratocaster, eh? (Kidding, I love my Strat).
The bridge is, comparatively, a little too brash for most clean sounds, but both pickups together in that middle position present an almost acoustic-like quality, lending itself to some open chord strumming and country-esque picking.
Using the Carbon side of my Browne Amplification Ethane pedal for some edge-of-breakup tones, those tight low mids again pay dividends, allowing for a light drive full of all the detail and overtones you could ask for.
When using gain, rolling back on the volume control yields a glassy clean which is very dynamic under the fingers, returning to breakup as you dig in.
The joys of a two-tone, two-volume setup mean that one pickup can be set to a rolled-back clean, while the other is giving its full output to utilize that drive, making for a versatile guitar that can induce significant and quick changes to tone just by switching the pickup.
As the gain is pushed further, some may start to miss the low-mid bark that adds some smoothness to the sound. This is the case for me, and for that type of tone, I would sooner reach for my Les Paul Classic and its Burstbucker 61T and Burstbucker 61R pickups with the extra lower mid when compared to the Mini Humbuckers.
That’s not to say the Mini Humbuckers don’t have a place in the land of higher gain. It’s a cutting sound that will get you heard in the mix and is pleasing in its own way, particularly on the neck pickup, where its tight nature keeps the cello-like sound associated with neck humbuckers from collapsing in on itself.
So the gain-y tones may not be for everyone, but on the strength of the clean and lightly driven sounds alone, I would challenge anyone not to be won over by the Mini Humbucker.
Verdict
The bones of the Gibson Les Paul Special are of simple materials constructed in a straightforward, minimal-frills manner.
What makes this particular iteration interesting is the inclusion of Mini Humbuckers in the place of the usual P90s. It’s interesting because it’s not the norm, but maybe it should be.
Perhaps we should all have a Mini-Humbucker-loaded guitar in our arsenal
They provide something that differs from full-sized humbuckers without expanding on single-coil or P90 territory, offering stellar cleans and breakup tones thanks to a tight low end and airy highs.
It’s a valid alternative to the P90-driven Les Paul Special, and would bring something different to most collections. Perhaps we should all have a Mini-Humbucker-loaded guitar in our arsenal.
Guitar World verdict: We’ve all seen a Les Paul Special before, but this is a little different. Trading those P90’s for Mini Humbuckers results in tones that excel in clean and lightly driven contexts, although they may prove a little divisive when used in higher gain settings. It’s a simple, well-built guitar that competently shows off the joys of a Mini Humbucker. Worth a try for anyone looking for an alternative version of a Les Paul to add to their collection.
|
Test |
Results |
Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Build quality |
Well put together outside of some fixable setup issues. |
★★★★☆ |
|
Playability |
Exchanging modern comfort, for a straight forward vintage feel. |
★★★★½ |
|
Sounds |
A heavenly clarity on cleans and light drive, but lacking some low mid bark for when the gain is pushed. |
★★★★½ |
|
Overall |
A different take on a Les Paul Special, that examplifies why the Mini Humbucker deserves some attention. |
★★★★½ |
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