Gibson USA’s new LP-295 Goldtop combines the Les Paul’s legendary characteristics with avant-garde features that keep it one step ahead of everything else. This new Guitar of the Month for April 2008 sets the classic appointments of Gibson’s renowned ES-295 onto the body and neck of the celebrated Les Paul. The standard Les Paul cutaway gives way to the wider Florentine cutaway normally found on such legendary Gibson models as the Byrdland, the ES-175, and, of course, the ES-295. The cream-colored pickguard with screened gold flowers is also styled after the ES-295s, as are the split parallelogram inlays, and the chrome Bigsby tailpiece. Graphite nut and bridge saddles offer better string control when using the Bigsby. The mahogany body is chambered with a maple top and single-ply antique binding, smoothed with Gibson’s classic Goldtop finish. The headstock is also bound in single-ply cream binding, and sports Gibson’s traditional holly symbol. The neck is the standard Les Paul mahogany neck with a ’50s rounded profile and rosewood fingerboard. In the neck position, Gibson’s ’57 Classic pickup delivers warm, full tone with a balanced response, packing that classic Gibson PAF humbucker crunch. The ’57 Classic Plus is the perfect bridge-position companion to the ’57 Classic, inspired by the design of the original PAFs of the late 1950s and the early 1960s. The new LP-295, housed in a custom Guitar of the Month case from Gibson USA, is versatile enough for all styles of music and playing, and an admirable addition to Gibson’s current lineup of special edition guitars. Like all of Gibson USA’s Guitars of the Month, production is limited to just 1,000 guitars. This guitar is in excellent condition, with a minor amount of finish checking (normal for this finish), complete with OHSC. Features Parallelogram Inlays Many traditional Gibson models have featured parallelogram inlays. A figured, swirl acrylic gives these inlays that classic “pearl” look. They are then inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps and doesn’t require the use of fillers. Nitrocellulose Goldtop Finish Applying a nitrocellulose finish to any Gibson guitar—including the new LP-295—is one of the most labor-intensive elements of the guitar-making process. A properly applied nitro finish requires extensive man hours, several evenly applied coats, and an exorbitant amount of drying time. But this fact has never swayed Gibson into changing this time-tested method, employed ever since the first Gibson guitar was swathed with lacquer back in 1894. Why? For starters, a nitro finish dries to a much thinner coat than a polyurethane finish, which means there is less interference with the natural vibration of the instrument, allowing for a purer tone. A nitro finish is also a softer finish, which makes it easily repairable. You can touch up a scratch or ding on a nitro finish, but you can’t do the same on a poly finish. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous in nature, and actually gets thinner over time. It does not “seal” wood in an airtight shell—as a poly finish does—and allows the wood to breathe and age properly. Chrome Bigsby Vibrato Tailpiece The Bigsby vibrato tailpiece has been a fixture on many legendary Gibson guitars, including the ES-295, from the which the new LP-295 is modeled after. It is named after its late inventor, Paul A. Bigsby, who sold his Bigsby Guitar company to legendary former Gibson President Ted McCarty in 1966. With the Bigsby vibrato tailpiece, players are able to bend the pitch of notes or entire chords for vintage-style vibrato. It works in conjunction with Gibson’s Tune-o-matic bridge and a spring loaded arm, which is attached to a pivoting metal bar around which the strings are installed. A classic piece of guitar hardware. Traditional Hand-painted, ES-295-style Pickguard The distinctive and traditional ES-295 pickguard has been faithfully reproduced by Gibson USA for the new LP-295. The cream-colored pickguard features the classic floral and vine pattern of the original ES-295 pickguards, and is custom molded to fit precisely around each pickup. Florentine Cutaway The Florentine cutaway on the new LP-295 is wider and deeper than the cutaway on a Les Paul, with a slightly sharper edge, allowing easier access to the higher register of frets.