1981 Gibson Les Paul Standard Wine Red
1981 Gibson Les Paul Standard Wine Red
Serial Number: 81331566
Weight: 9.74 lbs.
Condition: Very good vintage condition, 1981 model. Factory second. Guitar shows some wear, some scratches and dings in the finish, more so on the back of the body. Buckle rash on the back of the body. A few indented scratches on the bottom side of the body. Comes with Gibson "Chainsaw" Hardshell case.
This 1981 Gibson Les Paul Standard in Wine Red is a Norlin-era Standard finished in gloss nitrocellulose lacquer over a maple top and mahogany body, with 1-ply cream body binding tying together the deep red finish and gloss black headstock. At 9.74 lbs., it's a solidly built example, and the 8-digit serial number confirms 1981 production, matching the dealer's stated date. Worth noting up front: this guitar left the factory as a second — Gibson's designation for an instrument with a minor cosmetic flaw caught before it ever reached a customer — so the wear described here (scratching and dings, heavier on the back of the body, buckle rash, and a few indented scratches on the lower bout) sits on top of whatever originally earned it that factory-second status.
The set-neck, South American mahogany neck carries a C profile (.815" at the 1st fret, .995" at the 12th) for a comfortable, medium-feeling grip, joined to a rosewood fretboard with pearl trapezoid inlays, 1-ply cream binding, and a 12" radius. A 24.75" scale length and a 1 11/16" nylon nut round out the classic Les Paul Standard feel. The gloss black headstock carries the gold script Gibson logo and Norlin-era inlay, fitted with Gibson-branded tuners in nickel/chrome. An ABR-1 bridge and stopbar tailpiece deliver the sustain and tuning stability Les Pauls are known for.
Electronics are a pair of Gibson Tim Shaw Pat. No. humbuckers — Gibson's early-'80s redesign aimed at recapturing vintage PAF tone and output — wired to independent volume and tone controls for each pickup and a 3-way toggle selector, giving you everything from warm, rounded neck tone to a punchy, cutting bridge voice. Whether you're a collector after an affordable entry point into Norlin-era Gibsons, a player who wants real vintage Tim Shaw humbucker tone, or someone who doesn't mind a factory-second story behind their Les Paul, this Standard (Serial #81331566) includes its Gibson "Chainsaw" hardshell case. Order today from Brian's Guitars, your authorized Gibson dealer.
Body
Type: Solidbody
Shape: Les Paul
Top Material: Maple, 3-piece
Body Material: Mahogany
Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Color: Wine Red
Body Binding: 1-ply Cream
Neck
Material: South American Mahogany
Shape: C
Dimensions: .815" at the 1st fret, .995" at the 12th fret
Joint: Set-Neck
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Headstock: Gloss Black, Gold Script, Norlin-era Inlay
Inlay: Pearl Trapezoids
Radius: 12"
Frets: 21, Vintage
Scale Length: 24.75"
Nut Width: 1 11/16"
Nut Material: Nylon
Fretboard Binding: 1-ply Cream
Hardware
Bridge/Tailpiece: ABR-1, Stopbar Tailpiece
Tuners: Gibson Branded
Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
Pickguard: 1-ply Cream
Electronics
Neck Pickup: Gibson Tim Shaw Pat No. Humbucker
Bridge Pickup: Gibson Tim Shaw Pat No. Humbucker
Controls: 2 x Volume, 2 x Tone, 3-way Toggle Pickup Selector
Case/Gigbag: Gibson Hardshell Case