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Inlay material on the new Gibson Les Paul Standard Original

Marchel

New member
Joined
May 10, 2019
Messages
1
I am interested in the new Gibson Original Les Paul Standard 50's or 60's.
On the Gibson website it says that the inlays on the fretboard are acrylic.

I had a 2015 Les Paul Standard (sold it) and the inlays on that one were real mother of pearl.
Can anybody tell me why Gibson uses this acrylic?
This is a 2200 euro guitar, and for me that's a lot of money, I wonder why Gibson now uses this material?
I played D'Angelico's with a single cutaway that had real mother of pearl inlays and go for less than 900 euros...

I can remember reading an article once that said that acrylic was also used in the early days of Gibson.
What's the story?

Thanks
 

Zentar

New member
Joined
Oct 1, 2011
Messages
830
Yea acrylic inlays are not new at all.
I have a few LPs of various inlay materials. One even with just dot inlays. (btw there are different dot inlay materials as well). All I can tell you is the smoothest fit and finish on any of mine is the acrylic one. That fretboard is finely crafted. As long as they don't fall out I wouldn't let a style of inlay be part of any decision making process. A lot of acrylic inlays look pretty fancy. Most people wouldn't spot that they were acrylic because they aren't plain white. Acrylic inlays have swirls
 

AJCR

Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
124
MOP is the very very very very very minor exception for the Standard, not the rule. In fact your model may well be the only one ever.

The Les Paul has had plastic inlays from its inception in the 50's.....you know those iconic Les Pauls that are worth close to millions of dollars/euros........and the guitars the modern ones try to recreate.

Additionally, there is no requirement for any guitar to need any type of inlay material, at any price.

If you don't like the guitar, don't buy. Its as simple as that.
 

Maplehead872

Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2003
Messages
187
In 1952 the crown-shaped pearlescent inlays that Gibson put in the Goldtop Les Pauls were made from Herring fish scales in nitrocellulose, I really can't say from "53" on because I don't know how long they did this to before going to acrylic.
 
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