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History of P 90 and Maple Cap question

kevs

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Aug 8, 2019
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Someone mentioned to me, wanna check: The Maple cap was actually introduced with invention of humbucker Les Pauls correct? So traditionally Les Paul P90 guitars did not have maple caps, this is a later invention by Gibson later on?
 

brandtkronholm

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Dec 3, 2006
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P-90 Les Paul Standards 1952-1957 have maple caps. (i.e., P-90 & Humbucker Gold Tops from '52-'58 have maple caps.)
P-90 Les Paul Customs are all mahogany - they have no maple caps. (i.e., P-90 & Humbucker Black Beauties from '53-'60 are mahogany.)

There are exceptions to this rule but they are quite rare.
 

Wally

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Feb 27, 2003
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^^^^^+1.
Les Paul took exception to the maple cap being used for the LP.Standard and having the Custom be all mahogany. He thought that the Standard should have been all-mahogany with the higher dollar Custom having the maple cap. What would rock have sounded like if that had been the case? Or....would the Custom have been the guitar that Bloomfield, Clapton, and others would have chosen due to what that maple cap does???
 

Sol

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Oct 26, 2001
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775
An interesting thought. Also interesting is that without the introduction of the sunburst finish, would maple have acquired the cultural and musical cache it has today?

Why was Les so insistent that the Custom have a maple top that can't be appreciated? Was he aware of the tonal difference, or was something else at play? I'd love to know..

We do know that in 1968 the Custom finally got the maple top that Les Paul wanted from the outset, and gifted to rock n roll a Custom Les Paul with a new attitude.. I like to think that Les approved.
Such an intriguing subject ,I just love this stuff.
 

kevs

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Aug 8, 2019
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That's guys; so this rep was implying that the maple cap did not come with the p90 goldtops in th 50s, only the burst did, so he was wrong?

And he thinks the best P90 LPs are the cheaper models ie, inexpensive Specials ( 1k to $1600 range) without the cap, ie tv yellow etc...

Maple cap is added for sustain right? So if you get a LP without maple cap, it may sound wonderful but will never sustain as well as an LP with the cap, correct?

But anyway, the original Goldtop P90s from the 50s had the maple cap.... It was not an add on in the 60s/ 70s.?
 

Sol

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Oct 26, 2001
Messages
775
Someone mentioned to me, wanna check: The Maple cap was actually introduced with invention of humbucker Les Pauls correct? So traditionally Les Paul P90 guitars did not have maple caps, this is a later invention by Gibson later on?

Please take a moment to re read the responses to your questions. You'll find the answers to be accurate.
 

brandtkronholm

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Dec 3, 2006
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2,737
That's guys; so this rep was implying that the maple cap did not come with the p90 goldtops in th 50s, only the burst did, so he was wrong?

Yes, he was wrong.

And he thinks the best P90 LPs are the cheaper models ie, inexpensive Specials ( 1k to $1600 range) without the cap, ie tv yellow etc...

The best sounding P90 guitar is a matter of opinion. The P90 has its virtues.

Maple cap is added for sustain right? So if you get a LP without maple cap, it may sound wonderful but will never sustain as well as an LP with the cap, correct?

The maple was included to elicit a snappy, brighter sound, and more sustain. However, the difference between the sustain of a maple cap Les Paul versus a mahogany cap is practically indistinguishable. I can't tell. (This ignores many other factors like frets and tail pieces.)

But anyway, the original Goldtop P90s from the 50s had the maple cap.... It was not an add on in the 60s/ 70s.?

Yes, the original Goldtops with P90s from the 50s had the maple cap.
 

Maplehead872

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Jun 5, 2003
Messages
187
Just saying, keep it in mind when building the all mahogany Les Paul custom in the 50's it was a possibility Gibson picked the ebony fingerboard for a brighter attack serving the same purpose that the maple top did on the standard.Why put a maple top on a custom when it was going to wind up black anyway, just a thought.
 

Wally

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Feb 27, 2003
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3,535
Just saying, keep it in mind when building the all mahogany Les Paul custom in the 50's it was a possibility Gibson picked the ebony fingerboard for a brighter attack serving the same purpose that the maple top did on the standard.Why put a maple top on a custom when it was going to wind up black anyway, just a thought.

Gibson has always used ebony on the higher end models whether that be a hollowbody arch top, a flattop acoustic, or the solidbody guitars.
I don’t have many examples of early Gibsons in my experience, but the 1918 L1 on the wall has an ebony fretboard. It may be that in the early years and due to Orville Gibson’s belief that guitars should be built in the manner of the viol family of instruments that all Gibsons back then had ebony boards????
The sonic effect between rosewood, ebony, or even maple cannot imho be anywhere close to the effects of placing a maple cap on top of that mahogany body. But then, two Customs, one with a heavy, dense mahogany and one with a lighter wood in the body, will produce very different tones and sustain. As noted above, there are many variables that result in how any one certain guitar sounds.
 
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