Description

Long the fiercest voice in European metal, the enigmatic Paul Landers has propelled Rammstein with his fiery riffs and uncompromising attitude since the band’s inception in 1994. Born of Russian descent in East Berlin, Germany, Landers always has displayed a knack for extreme tones and subtly heavy styling—both of which are captured in spades by the new Paul Landers Signature Les Paul by Gibson USA. This supercharged new guitar takes the traditional elements that have made the Les Paul Standard a favorite among rockers for more than five decades, and totally upgrades them for the no-nonsense metal merchant. The result is an EMG™-equipped tone machine with nothing to get in the way of your riffmeistery other than a single volume control, packed in über attitudinal satin-black and silver styling. As a take-no-prisoners electric for the seriously heavy rocker, the Paul Landers Signature Les Paul simply can’t be beat.

The cornerstone of the Paul Landers Signature Les Paul lies in the traditional ingredients that have put the Les Paul at the top of the tone tower since 1952. The body is made from solid mahogany, strategically weight relieved for a more comfortable playing experience and enhanced resonance, and topped by a carved solid maple cap. From the mahogany’s depth and richness to the maple’s punch and clarity, this pairing is a match made in tone heaven. The glued-in neck is carved from solid quarter-sawn mahogany to a rounded ’50s profile, and topped with a dark obeche fingerboard. Body and neck are finished in hand-sprayed Satin Ebony in nitrocellulose lacquer. Silver binding graces the body, and the minimalist styling is enhanced by the total absence of fingerboard inlays or pickguard, while the headstock is adorned by a mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and silver silkscreened “Les Paul Model” (rather than the usual gold) in keeping with the silver-and-black theme. Even the precision PLEK-cut nut is made from black Corian™, and to tip off this guitar as something truly special, a silver disk engraved “Paul Landers #1” is attached to the back of the headstock.

The hot, beating heart of the Paul Landers Signature Les Paul is represented by a pair of Paul’s choice of EMG™ pickups. These active humbuckers have been a favorite of heavy rock and metal players for decades, and provide unparalleled power, range and sustain. A silver-covered EMG™ 60® in the neck position offers deep, warm tones with incredible clarity, while an EMG™ 81® in the bridge position cranks out unbelievable levels of crunch and screaming lead tones, all with impressive resistance to noise. The pickups are linked via a traditional three-way toggle switch to a single chrome-knobbed volume control, which has been moved further up and forward from the customary position to make it accessible for easy “pinky finger” volume swells. A chrome TonePros™ Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece provide a solid anchor at the body end, while a set of locking chrome Grover™ tuners with keystone buttons clamp your strings tightly at the headstock. Add it all up, and the Paul Landers Signature Les Paul takes you straight to the meanest metal tones available today, in a showstopping style that’s guaranteed to get you noticed.

EMG 60:
The 60 humbucker packs plenty of output with a balance of thick, boosted mids, big lows and singing highs. Featuring close aperture coils, similar to a mini-humbucker, this model produces rich harmonic overtones with plenty of sustain. Due to its ceramic magnets, the EMG 60 has a full treble response and loads of output great for distinct single-note solos. The 60 provides clarity and character to your guitar and works very well in the neck position. Like all EMG active guitar and bass pickups, the 60 installs without the use of a soldering iron, making it easy to do at home.

EMG 81:
One of the most popular EMG’s, the 81 is the one that started a revolution. Utilizing powerful ceramic magnets and close aperture coils, the tone was designed with detailed intensity, incredible amounts of high end cut, and fluid sustain. Traditionally used in the bridge position of your guitar, this humbucking pickup will make your leads slice right through even the densest mix.

ABOUT GIBSON
Orville Gibson founded the company in 1902 as “The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co., Ltd.” in Kalamazoo, Michigan to make mandolin-family instruments. Gibson invented archtop guitars by constructing the same type of carved, arched tops used on violins. By the 1930s, the company was also making flattop acoustic guitars, as well as one of the first commercially available hollow-body electric guitars, used and popularized by Charlie Christian. www.gibson.com