To change the format of the Les Paul would be as sacrilegious as cutting Slash's hair. Gibson hasn't. Now, as in the '50s, you'll find yourself sweating beneath a monster mahogany body, squeezing out riffs on a set mahogany neck.

Gibson does stress this LP Custom doesn't have the historical appointments of the '50s original, but unless you're one of those weirdos who can date a guitar by looking at it, you'll neither notice nor care.

Contrary to popular opinion, the Les Paul is not a perfect design. Pick this baby up and you'll notice it's vertebrae-bendingly heavy, less accommodating than modern shred axes and pretty expensive.

If you're not a penny-pinching, pigeon-chested metaller though, this guitar is a slice of heaven. Strap up and you'll feel like Jimmy Page.

Fret a note clean and it rings out like a buttery bell. Crank the overdrive and you'll bring in a fat swagger that sustains for decades. Pull out those bending blues licks and the audience will eat out of your hand.