Gibson reissues the twin mini-humbucker Les Paul 70s Deluxe

Those Gibson Les Paul Deluxe ’70s models we saw leaked  last month have just started appearing on dealer websites. These new guitars come loaded with a pair of mini-humbuckers and look very Rock and Roll! But how close are these to the original ’70s models? Let’s find out.

Gibson is looking back to the early 1970s and has now officially released the new Les Paul 70s Deluxe model, complete with twin mini-humbuckers. Available in either a Cherry Sunburst or Gold Top finish, they certainly look very close to the original ’70s boat anchors! I’m actually a huge fan of Norlin-era Les Paul models and own a Custom myself, so I’m happy to see these heavier single-cut models making a comeback.

The specifications list a non-weight relieved mahogany body with a bound maple top, a bound mahogany neck with a Rounded C profile, and an Indian Rosewood fretboard with 22 medium jumbo frets. All very typical Les Paul specifications. No mention of pancake bodies though, and obviously no maple neck with a volute, which some of the later ’70s models had as standard. You also get a few subtle upgrades like Orange Drop capacitors and a Graph Tech NuBone nut, which the originals would not have had. Plus the standard vintage keystone tuners and a Tune-O-Matic bridge with a stop bar tail piece.

If you compare these to the model leaked earlier this year, you’ll notice that the leaked version had only three knobs and what appeared to be an extra switch. The official models however, have a standard layout of twin volume and tone controls.

From the looks of things, these modern versions seem to be more ‘inspired by’ than actual reissues. Hopefully this also means that the quality control is more consistent, as back in the ’70s Gibson had a bit of reputation for churning out some very suspect guitars with QC issues, which gained the Norlin-era models a poor reputation in the decades that followed.

I’m not sure I would spend this much on a ’70s reissue, as I could literally buy an original for very similar money. As such, I feel these are going to be for a very niche audience. What do you think of these new Les Paul 70s Deluxe models? Would you drop the cash for these new reissues, or would you rather seek out an original Deluxe from the ’70s? Let us know in the comments section below.