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Gibson's Faded LP Special: unique and desirable

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• Review

Sounds

Even unplugged you know it's a Les Paul. There's that indefinable honk that seems restrained but which you know will turn into a raging torrent of tone when amped up.

And sure enough, it does. Whether it's the pickups, the all but non-existent finish or both; the Standard's sound is both hot and 'open'. The bridge 'bucker has an edgy yet solid sound that works well either clean or overdriven.

It's articulate and evokes the vintage bluesy tones we know and love, but happily kicks out snarling or even quite restrained modern voices too.

Neck position is clear and bell-like, but crank up the gain and the tone thickens, giving that perfect 'flutey' tone. Place the three-way toggle switch in the middle and you're suddenly faced with two sets of tone and volume pots.

The initial 'clanky' two-pickup sound – which is suitable for more or less anything aside from metal – can be either tamed or exaggerated, depending on where you set the controls. There's a real feeling that the light finish is adding considerably to the guitar's articulation.