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Overview Of Gibson Les Paul Tribute
Gibson Les Paul Tribute
9.4/10 Rating Score
What We Like
- Maple neck with satin finish
- 22 medium jumbo frets
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Maple top body with satin finish
- Alnico 490 dual hum pickups
Gibson – The Brand
The Gibson name needs no introduction among guitar players. Players say that you either love or hate a Gibson, and there’s apparently no in-between. I know Gibson guitars to be made with exceptional build quality, excellent materials and attention to detail. The brand also pays workers quite well and that’s one of the reasons why prices tend to be so high on Gibson guitars. The Gibson Les Paul Tribute is an awesome guitar true to the Gibson name.Aesthetics
The Gibson Les Paul Tribute has a satin finish which looks and feels great. It’s got a Graph Tech nut which is a good affordable choice instead of the classic bone nut that I would love to see on guitars. This guitar is less expensive than the Les Paul Studio, and it’s the small details like the nut choice and the finish that make the differences. The Les Paul style headstock has the Les Paul insignia on it. On the cover, there is ‘Tribute’ lettering written. These elegant touches add a bit of sophistication to the Les Paul Tribute guitar. It’s available in four classic finishes which offers you a good variety of choices. I prefer the satin honeyburst or the satin iced tea finish as it goes with the playful yet classic appeal of the tribute models.Tuning
The Gibson Les Paul Tribute has Gibson Deluxe Tuning Machines which do their job well. It’s towards the upper end of the quality spectrum so you don’t have to worry about the guitar frequently getting out of tune. There is a Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge that is also pretty good. The frets are set up and have decent intonation straight out of the box. The playability and quality is something expected of the guitar with Gibson name.Neck
The Gibson Les Paul Tribute has a maple neck with a rosewood fingerboard material. The neck is a full-scale one with a scale length 24.75” which is pretty standard. I like maple necks as they are lighter than other woods, and also quite tonally similar to mahogany neck. Having 22 medium jumbo frets means that not only do you get a premium experience, you can easily adapt to a different guitar neck if you prefer to. It would suck if you improved your chops on a narrow tall style guitar neck and switched to a medium jumbo neck only to find that you need to work on your muscle memory again. The rounded maple neck profile is something that really feels nice on this. The satin finish on the neck is super smooth to play comfortably. One thing that you may find unique about this guitar is the non-uniform thickness of the neck. The neck is thinner towards the headstock and thinner towards the bridge. The frets have a fingerboard radius of 12” which is fairly flat. The configuration makes it easy to play barres with ease. There are trapezoid inlays on the standard frets to guide players. Overall, the neck is well-made, has a good easy-to-play satin finish, is built sturdily, has no rough edges, and has excellent playability.Body
The Gibson Les Paul Tribute features a mahogany body with an ultra modern weight relief system. Ultra modern weight relief system is a novel design employed by Gibson to make bodies lightweight by carving into the body itself. Certain contours and pockets help reduce the weight which in turn helps the player with balance and ease of playability. The Gibson guitar has a maple top with a satin finish which looks beautiful. The bridge is a Nashvillle Tune-O-Matic which is a decent one as far as the string intonation and tuning are concerned. There is also an Aluminum stop bar tailpiece which adds a vintage feel to the aesthetic. The Les Paul body material is pretty sturdy and very durable, thanks to the Mahogany which is a resilient hardwood. It looks pretty cool and the shape is a classic Les Paul, but the one thing missing is a gloss finish on the body.Pickups and Controls
The Gibson Les Paul Tribute has dual hum Alnico 490 pickup. There’s an Alnico 490 R on the neck and the Alnico 490 T on the bridge. As far as electronics on premium electric guitars go, it’s pretty nice. The humbucking pickups are also free of interference, so that’s nice. The R and T stand for rhythm and treble respectively which means that the neck pickup does well for playing rock and blues, while the bridge and mid-position are good for playing leads as well as punchy melodies. There’s a 3-way pickup selector switch that allows access to the pickups. You can use them any way you want, but I generally use the neck pickup to play rhythm and the rest for a fuller-sounding expressive tone. There are 4 cream control knobs- two for tone and two for volume which is good quality. There are minor issues with the electronics if any, and the Gibson LP Tribute is great for almost any genre you might want to play. The strings are of .010 gauge which is fine for the average player. If you have a favorite set of strings, you can swap the strings out. D’Addario slinky strings come highly recommended if you’re confused about which one to get.Who it’s For
The Les Paul Tribute is a more affordable option for players who do not want to get the Les Paul Studio Tribute due to the price. It’s ideal for players looking for exclusive deals on vintage deluxe Gibson guitars. It’s got good value for both beginners and pros alike. For a beginner, it can be a bit intimidating but does provide amazing value on the slim maple neck, mahgany body and dual hum pickups. Starting out on a decent instrument can help you advance much faster too. For a more experienced player, it can double as a practice instrument and a gigging ax. For enhanced portability and convenience during practice, pairing it with one of the best mini guitar amplifiers can be an excellent choice.How it Sounds
The Gibson Les Paul Tribute captures the classic rock sound attributed to the iconic Les Paul. Featuring the Alnico II magnets and a weight relieved mahogany body, the LP Tribute offers excellent playability and versatile tones. Played clean, it sounds nice and is good for fingerstyle as well as country and folk. With a bit of distortion thrown into the mix, it can get dirty and lend a bluesy tone. If you don’t know what to use for distortion, a cheap distortion pedal will do. The dual humbucking pickups have a good punch and sound great for the old school rock genre. The bridge humbucker pick-up is especially good for playing melody lines and sounds crisp.Score
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a Gibson guitar to make your own, you don’t need to look any further than the Gibson Les Paul Tribute. It’s got great value for the price and is less expensive than the Les Paul Studio while sporting most of the premium features. However, for those exploring other highly-rated and affordable electric guitars, the ESP LTD EC 256 stands out as an excellent choice, particularly for beginners.Exploring Other Quality Budget Electric Guitars
The Gibson Les Paul Tribute, with its great value and premium features at a more accessible price point than other Gibsons, serves as an excellent example of a high-quality instrument that doesn't break the bank. For players eager to explore a broader range of similar budget electric guitar options, the market offers several compelling alternatives. These instruments often deliver exceptional build quality, versatile tones, and comfortable playability, making them ideal for both aspiring musicians and seasoned players seeking reliable gear without a hefty investment. The Epiphone DC Pro, for instance, stands out as a superb double-cutaway model that champions affordability without compromising on performance or style.
Just purchased a Tribute. Great 👍 guitar. I’ve had many Led Paul’s since 1966 and this new Tribute has the weight relief which we older players relish. I really love the neck on these new Tributes, if fact they are the most comfortable necks I’ve ever had on Les Paul. Pickups sing and of growl to taste. Great buy and should last a lifetime. No mods are needed or wanted. Play with feeling.
It’s a great guitar. I play mine thru a Vox AC 15 C1. 50’s 60’s sounds very attainable. Blues with grit okay. Medal with pedals not so great but passable. The best is the neck on the Tributes. Plays like butter. No buzz or choked out notes. The fretboard did need some treatment (very dry). These have an ICB in the rear wiring cavities, but sounds as good as typical wiring harness. Overall a great guitar at a fair price. Good playing to you.