The Gibson Custom Shop’s Murphy Lab has unveiled a stunning signature Gold Top Les Paul Standard for Maná guitarist Sergio Vallìn. Based on the Mexican superstar’s 1955 model, the Vallìn Gold Top is like a greatest hits of Les Paul design all on one high-end electric guitar.
Not only does it have a Bigsby B7 vibrato, its pickup pairing of a humbucking Custombucker at the bridge and P-90 soapbar at the neck position covers a lot of ground tonally.
“I feel thankful and honoured, a Les Paul with my name, I just can't believe it,” said Vallìn. “This guitar is an extension of my hands and my soul. I remember seeing Les Paul play at a show in New York, I met him backstage, and he said, ‘if I stopped playing, I would die’.
“I feel honoured to be carrying on Les Paul’s legacy, and I thank Gibson for honouring not only my work, but also for recognising the importance of Latin music”
Cesar Gueikian, brand president of Gibson Brands said that the Les Paul was years in the making, and that it was “an honour“ to work with Vallìn who will be touring the States with Maná, playing a residency at The Forum, Los Angeles, from April to September.
“One of the most creative, talented, and virtuoso guitar players I’ve ever known, Sergio can play everything from classical style Spanish to the most melodic and soulful riffs, onto the most unimaginable killer solos,” said Gueikian. “He has influenced generations of players in Latin America, and around the world and has collaborated with some of the best guitarists in the world – check out his incredible 2021 solo album Microsinfonias.
“Together with his band Maná, Sergio has touched people’s lives and made Latin American music matter more than ever over their 40-year career, and today they’re stronger than ever. Maná has sold more than 40 million records worldwide, think about that for a second! Four Grammy Awards, eight Latin Grammy Awards, and the list of accolades goes on and on.”
Of the guitar, Vallìn says it is lighter than a ‘50s Les Paul, “but it carries a lot of power”. It also has that time machine vibe that the Murphy Lab was established for, with the custom ageing process giving the finish a lived-in quality with lacquer crackle and road wear.
Its body is comprised of a solid piece of lightweight mahogany, with a two-piece maple cap, a rounded ’59 C profile mahogany neck that is affixed to the body with hide glue and topped with a rosewood fingerboard.
The fingerboard is inlayed with aged celluloid trapezoids, seating 22 vintage narrow-tall frets and carved into a 12” radius. Scale length is an on-brand 24.75”. The aged nickel hardware – comprising the ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic, Bigsby and Kluson Single Ring tuners – complements the finish nicely.
As for the electrics, we have the customary two volume, two tone setup, a three-way pickup selector, with quality 500K CTS pots, Paper in Oil caps, and Switchcraft jacks and switches. The P-90 is wax-potted to keep feedback to a minimum.
The Vallìn Gold Top ships in a hard-shell case in which you will also find a certificate of authenticity. The asking price is $7,999.
See Gibson for more details.
