If you’re looking for a Gibson Les Paul with P90 pickups, then the Special and ’50s Standard models will be right up your street. But is the Standard worth the extra money? In this article, I’ll compare the Gibson Les Paul Special and Standard models in-depth so you can decide which is the best electric guitar for you.
The Quick Answer
The Gibson Les Paul Special has two P90 pickups whereas the Les Paul Standard ’50s has either P90 or humbucker pickups and the Standard ’60s has humbuckers. The Standard ’60s has the thinnest neck compared to the Special and ’50s Standard. The Standard is roughly 2-3 lbs heavier than the Special.
| Feature | Gibson Les Paul Special | Gibson Les Paul Standard ‘50s/ ‘60s |
| Top Wood | None | AA Maple |
| Pickup Configuration | P90-P90 | P90-P90/ HH |
| Neck Shape | Vintage ‘50s | Vintage ‘50s/ Slim Taper |
| Inlays | Acrylic Dot | Acrylic Trapezoid |
| Binding | No | Yes |
| Bridge | Wrap-around | ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic |
| Tuning Machines | Vintage Deluxe | Vintage Deluxe/ Grover Rotomatic |
| Pickguard | Black (Flat) | Cream (Angled) |
| Control Color | Black | Amber or Gold |
| Average Price (USA) | $1700 | $2700 |
| Average Price (UK) | £1500 | £2200 |
| Color Options | TV Yellow Vintage Cherry | Heritage Cherry Sunburst Tobacco Burst Gold Top Iced Tea Bourbon Burst Unburst |
There are two main versions of the LP Standard, the ’50s and ’60s. Check out my comparison of the ’50s and ’60s Gibson Les Paul Standard models to learn more about the differences between them.
Pickups and Tone
The Les Paul Special comes with two P90 pickups, whereas the Standard comes with either humbucker or P90 pickups depending on which version you’re looking at. Let’s discuss the P90 Les Paul ’50s Standard and the Special first as these are the most similar.
The ’50s Standard P90 model has a bit more top end clarity due to the maple cap compared to the Les Paul Special. The thicker body on the Standard also gives it slightly better sustain however, they tones of both guitars are very similar.
You can also get humbucker versions of both the ’50s and ’60s Standard which sound warmer and fuller and have a higher output compared to the ’50s Standard with P90s and the Les Paul Special. The ’60s Standard humbuckers have a higher output and sound a bit brighter than the ’50s Standard humbuckers.
Here are some YouTube videos so you can listen to the tones using the same amp.
Gibson Les Paul Special
Gibson Les Paul Standard ’50s
Gibson Les Paul Standard ’60s
Feel and Playability
The Gibson Les Paul Standard has a thicker body than the Les Paul Special so weighs considerably more.
- Les Paul Standard models typically weigh 9.5-10.5 lbs
- Les Paul Special models typically weigh 7.0-7.5 lbs
The LP Standard is a very heavy guitar which can be a bit tough on the shoulders when playing for longer periods of time. The Special weighs a pretty average amount compared to most other electric guitars so is a bit more comfortable.
In terms of neck profiles there are three models to consider when you take into account the ’50s and ’60s versions of the Standard series. Here are the specifications.
| Specification | Special/ ’50s Standard | ‘60s Standard |
| Profile | Vintage ‘50s | Slim Taper |
| Width at the 1st Fret | 0.84” | 0.82” |
| Width at the 12th Fret | 0.94” | 0.94” |
As you can see, the ’60s Standard has the thinnest neck. In general, the 60s Standard neck will be more comfortable for players with smaller hands however neck shapes are very subjective and I’d advise you to try them all in a guitar store. Some guitarists who play mostly rhythm usually prefer a thicker neck as it can make chording more comfortable, but it is all personal preference.
Bridge Design
The Gibson Les Paul Standard models have a tune-o-matic bridge, whereas the Les Paul Special has a wrap-around tailpiece bridge. Tune-o-matic bridges make intonating the guitar easier however, wrap-around bridges make re-stringing the guitar more straight-forward.
There is a bit of a debate as to how much these designs affect sustain as well. Some players prefer the wrap-around bridge as it helps to increase sustain, however there are plenty of other features to compare with the Standard and Special which will have a bigger impact than the bridge design on the tone of the guitars.
Check out my comparison between the tune-o-matic and wrap-around bridge designs to learn all about their pros and cons.
Cosmetic Differences
Aside from the differences between these two models in terms of sound and feel, there are several differences which just affect how they look.
- The Standard has a maple top which adds a unique flame effect. The Special has a flatter appearance as it doesn’t have this maple top.
- The Special has dot inlays whereas the Standard has trapezoid inlays.
- The Standard has neck and body binding unlike the Special.
- The Special has a flat black pickguard and controls whereas thee Standard has an angled cream pickguard and amber/ gold controls depending on the color choice.
The color options are also different for each model.
- Gibson Les Paul Special: TV Yellow and Vintage Cherry.
- Gibson Les Paul Standard ’50s (Humbucker): Gold Top, Heritage Cherry Sunburst and Tobacco Burst.
- Gibson Les Paul Standard ’50s (P90): Gold Top.
- Gibson Les Paul Standard ’60s: Iced Tea, Bourbon Burst and Unburst.
Gibson Les Paul Special
Gibson Les Paul ’60s Standard
The Similarities
The LP Special and Standard both share several features including their body, neck and fretboard woods, scale length, fretboard radius, nut width, 22 medium jumbo frets, gloss finish and nickel hardware. There are also left-handed and right-handed versions available and both come with a hard shell case.
Here is a table highlighting the features that both models share.
| Feature | Specification |
| Body Wood | Mahogany |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fretboard Wood | Rosewood |
| Coil Tap | No |
| Finish | Gloss |
| Weight-Relief | None |
| Scale Length | 24.75” |
| Fretboard Radius | 12” |
| Nut Width | 1.69” |
| Fret Number | 22 |
| Fret Size | Medium Jumbo |
| Nut Material | Graph Tech |
| Hardware Finish | Nickel |
| Pickup Selector | Mounted |
| Control Style | Top Hats |
| String Gauge | 10 |
| Case | Hard Shell |
| Left-Handed Available | Yes |
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