First introduced in 1969, the Les Paul Deluxe stands out due to its mini humbucker pickups. These pickups maintain the hum-free quality of full-size humbuckers while providing a tighter low end, brighter highs, and a more pronounced attack – resulting in a much more assertive sound compared to a full-size humbucker, which became favored by 1970s rock guitarists aiming to stand out in a dual-guitar setup.

The Deluxe kept the carved maple top and mahogany body but incorporated what is known as “pancake” construction (two layers of mahogany with a layer of maple sandwiched in between) and later included maple necks. Nowadays, the Les Paul Deluxe is constructed in a more traditional manner with a solid, non-weight-relieved mahogany back, yet its design and sound still honor the original Les Paul Deluxe from the 70s.

John E. Davis is a Texas Rock Guitarist offering FREE guitar lessons videos and covers guitar equipment, concert and music news. Visit TexasRockGuitarist.com for information on Guitar Lessons, Guitar Repair and Live Music Performance videos.