Gibson's Most Iconic Solidbody Goes Acoustic
Following in the footsteps of Gibson’s late-1960s and early-2000s acoustic Les Paul models, the Gibson Acoustic Les Paul Parlor Acoustic transforms Gibson’s original solidbody guitar into an acoustic-electric parlor powerhouse. Every inch of this instrument replicates the iconic profile of the Les Paul’s most cherished iteration, aesthetically and structurally speaking. In fact, the body comprises a solid AAA flame maple top and solid mahogany back/sides — the very same formula dreamed up by Les Paul, Ted McCarty, and the rest of the Kalamazoo crew back in the early 1950s. Crafted into Gibson’s single-cutaway Parlor package, this ’Paul rings with a balanced and crisp character that’s perfect for fingerpicking, recording, or even couch-bound strumming. What’s more, the mahogany neck will feel right at home for solidbody Les Paul aficionados, as it wears a classic SlimTaper profile and a bound rosewood fingerboard with a standard 12-inch Les Paul radius and exquisite pearloid trapezoid inlays. You also get a set of kidney-style Grover tuning machines and superb LR Baggs VTC+4 electronics. Coated in a nitro lacquer finish and crafted with all the hallmarks of a fine Gibson Acoustic guitar — including a hot hide glue hand-fitted neck joint and hand-scalloped X-bracing — the Gibson Acoustic Les Paul Parlor Acoustic supplies you with an acoustic-electric experience that’s classic and fresh all at once.
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Les Paul-accurate tonewood construction
The Les Paul Parlor Acoustic is faithful to its legendary solidbody inspiration right down to its very tonewoods. And while this flat-top forgoes the Les Paul’s classic carve, it does, in fact, brandish a solid flame maple top that’s fitted with hand-scalloped X-bracing. Solid mahogany back and sides complete the package, adding up to a truly unique combination of tonewoods that grants this Les Paul Parlor Acoustic a sound like no other 6-string. It’s a clear, balanced, and pleasantly compressed tone that beautifully melds with this guitar’s petite parlor profile. Plus, Gibson Acoustic packed this parlor with LR Baggs VTC+4 electronics to capture its acoustic character in complete detail when it comes time to plug in onstage.
Laden with Lester-style trim
Since 1952, the Gibson Les Paul has inspired countless guitarists around the globe. The model’s solidbody single-cut profile is a veritable icon of American engineering and mid-century design — it's also likely the first image that comes to mind when musicians and nonmusicians alike hear the words electric guitar. The Les Paul Parlor Acoustic ties this time-tested imagery back into Gibson’s century-plus legacy of impeccable acoustic craftsmanship. From the cream pickguard to the burst on the guitar’s flame maple top to the bound rosewood fingerboard with pearloid trapezoid inlays, every element of this 6-string has been fine-tuned to mirror the Les Paul’s most revered iteration.
Single-cut parlor profile
For enthusiasts who love Gibson Acoustic’s incomparable style but require more accessible playability, the Gibson Acoustic Les Paul Parlor Acoustic provides a universally comfortable fit. Its wide, rounded lower bout and narrow waist channel the stylistic elements that let everyone know where your acoustic loyalties lie, without the excess bulk to hinder your musical performance. Scalloped X-bracing keeps provides room-filling projection, ensuring that your unplugged tone still reaches all within earshot. A single Venetian cutaway welcomes upper-octave roaming with ease, and it also closely replicates the shape of this acoustic-electric's solidbody inspiration.
Built in Bozeman in the handcrafted Kalamazoo tradition
For more than eight decades, Gibson’s acoustic instruments were crafted in the historic Parsons Street Factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan — only a few hours’ drive from Sweetwater’s Fort Wayne, Indiana, campus. Gibson’s acoustic and electric guitars were built side-by-side there for much of the company’s history. Subsequently, production was relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, over the course of several years between the late 1970s and the early 1980s. Although this change of scenery worked brilliantly for Gibson’s electric lineup, it was quickly discovered that the hot and humid climate of the American South was perhaps not the ideal setting for acoustic guitar building.
Gibson’s acoustic division ultimately packed up its side presses and chisels and journeyed off to the picturesque city of Bozeman in 1989. The move was preceded by Gibson’s purchase of the Flatiron company in 1987; the latter’s immaculate mandolins demonstrated that The Treasure State’s semi-arid climate was the perfect setting to craft Gibson’s historic acoustic instruments. More than three decades down the line, the Bozeman factory comprises a well-seasoned workforce of master craftspeople — many of whom are multi-decade Gibson veterans — and produces what many musicians consider to be among the company’s finest creations.
Gibson Acoustic Les Paul Parlor Acoustic Features:
- An acoustic-electric reimagining of Gibson’s legendary solidbody Les Paul
- Solid AAA flame maple top and mahogany back and sides mirror the traditional Les Paul formula, providing a crisp and balanced tonality
- Hand-scalloped X-bracing unlocks superior resonance and a touch-sensitive response
- Fast-playing SlimTaper mahogany neck captures the feel of a traditional solidbody Les Paul
- Beautiful bound rosewood fingerboard with pearloid trapezoid inlays and a standard Les Paul 12-in. radius
- Packed with visual accouterments inspired by the Les Paul, from the sunburst top to the single-ply cream pickguard to the body’s single-cut profile to the gold Les Paul logo on the headstock
- LR Baggs VTC+4 electronics with easily accessible soundhole-mounted tone and volume controls
- Kidney-style Grover Rotomatic tuning machines lend vintage style and lock-tight stability
- Prestigious Gibson Acoustic construction includes a hand-fitted dovetail neck joint with hot hide glue and hand-scalloped X-bracing
