The 2001 Gibson Les Paul Classic Premium Plus in Honey Burst combines the fast-playing feel of Gibson's 1960-inspired Les Paul Classic with a highly figured flame maple top that places it well above the standard plain-top Classic in visual appeal.

The Premium Plus designation was reserved for some of the most highly figured tops in the Classic family, making these guitars particularly sought after by players who want the combination of vintage-inspired Les Paul styling, a slimmer neck profile and the more aggressive response associated with the Classic series.

Finished in warm Honey Burst over the figured maple top, this 2001 USA-made example is offered in Very Good condition.

At A Glance

Key Detail	Information
Brand	Gibson USA
Model	Les Paul Classic Premium Plus
Year	2001
Finish	Honey Burst
Top	AAA Figured Flame Maple
Fingerboard	Rosewood
Neck Feel	Slim 1960s-Style Profile
Pickup Configuration	HH
Condition	Pre-Owned, Very Good
Main Appeal	Highly figured Premium Plus version of the early Les Paul Classic
Best For	Blues rock, classic rock, hard rock, lead guitar and collecting

Pre-Owned Condition Report

Very Good Condition

This 2001 Gibson Les Paul Classic Premium Plus Honey Burst is offered in Very Good condition.

Very Good condition reflects normal evidence of previous ownership while remaining well presented and suitable for regular playing, recording, rehearsal and live use.

No faults, repairs or modifications have been supplied for this listing.

What’s Included?

✔ 2001 Gibson Les Paul Classic Premium Plus Honey Burst
✔ Hardcase

✘ No Additional Accessories Included

Condition Notes

This Les Paul has been graded Very Good, making it particularly appealing to someone looking for an early Premium Plus that can be enjoyed as a working instrument rather than requiring collector-grade cosmetic perfection.

Fair Deal Quality Control Assessment

This Pre-Owned Gibson Les Paul has been inspected and assessed by the Fair Deal Music team before sale.

Our checks include:

• Neck and bridge pickups tested
• Three-way pickup selector checked
• Both volume controls tested
• Both tone controls checked
• Output socket tested
• Frets inspected
• Rosewood fingerboard assessed
• Neck condition checked
• Tuning machines inspected
• ABR-style bridge checked
• Stopbar tailpiece assessed
• Hardware inspected
• Tuning stability checked
• Overall playability assessed
• Hardcase checked for basic usability

Service / Setup Work

All Pre-Owned electric guitars at Fair Deal Music are set up and checked before leaving the shop.

Our assessment includes action, neck relief, fret condition, intonation, tuning stability, electronics, pickup output, bridge setup, hardware and overall playability.

Please note that guitar setup can shift slightly during delivery because changes in temperature and humidity can naturally affect wooden instruments in transit.

Why Choose The Gibson Les Paul Classic Premium Plus?

AAA Figured Flame Maple Top

The defining feature of the Premium Plus is its highly figured maple top. Compared with the regular Les Paul Classic, the Premium Plus was selected for stronger flame figuring, giving the Honey Burst finish considerably more visual depth.

Fast 1960s-Style Neck

The Les Paul Classic was developed around a slimmer early-1960s-inspired neck feel, making it particularly appealing to players who find larger late-'50s-style Gibson profiles too substantial.

Powerful Classic-Series Humbucker Response

The period Classic specification is known for its hotter ceramic humbucker pairing, delivering plenty of attack and output for rock, hard rock and driven lead playing.

Traditional Les Paul Construction

A mahogany body and set mahogany neck are paired with the carved maple top and rosewood fingerboard, retaining the fundamental construction that gives a Les Paul its familiar sustain, midrange weight and solid feel.

One Of The More Desirable Original Classics

The combination of the Premium Plus figured top, Honey Burst finish and final-year 2001 production gives this model a particularly strong identity within the original Les Paul Classic family.

Comparison Against Popular Alternatives

Les Paul Classic Premium Plus vs Standard Les Paul Classic

The regular Classic provides the same fundamental fast-necked concept but generally with a plainer top. The Premium Plus is the stronger choice for players who want the Classic's performance characteristics with considerably more dramatic figuring.

Classic Premium Plus vs Les Paul Standard 60s

A modern Standard 60s offers Gibson's current take on the slim-neck Les Paul formula. The 2001 Premium Plus has the appeal of an earlier discontinued specification, hotter Classic-series electronics and period Gibson USA character.

Classic Premium Plus vs Gibson 1960 Reissue

A Custom Shop 1960 Reissue focuses far more heavily on historically accurate materials, construction and vintage-style electronics. The Premium Plus is better suited to someone who wants 1960-inspired feel combined with the more aggressive personality of the Gibson USA Classic.

Classic Premium Plus vs PRS Custom 22

A PRS Custom 22 offers a more modern double-cut platform and different scale length, while the Gibson provides the unmistakable feel, control layout and tonal weight associated with a traditional Les Paul.

Who Is It For?

Blues-Rock Players

The combination of Les Paul sustain, powerful humbuckers and a slimmer neck works particularly well for expressive lead playing and driven valve-amplifier tones.

Classic And Hard-Rock Guitarists

The bridge pickup has the output required for substantial rhythm sounds, while the neck position provides the fuller lead tone closely associated with countless Les Paul-based rock rigs.

Players Who Prefer Slimmer Gibson Necks

This is an especially attractive Les Paul for guitarists who like the sound and construction of a traditional single-cut but do not enjoy thick '50s-style neck profiles.

Studio Guitarists

The familiar twin-humbucker layout provides a useful contrast to single-coil instruments, particularly for layered rhythm guitar, sustained leads and fuller clean sounds.

Gibson Enthusiasts And Collectors

Original Classic Premium Plus guitars occupy an interesting position between standard-production Classics and far more expensive Custom Shop figured-top instruments.

Suitable Genres And Uses

• Blues
• Blues rock
• Classic rock
• Hard rock
• Heavy rock
• Alternative
• Southern rock
• Lead guitar
• Rhythm guitar
• Overdriven valve amps
• High-gain rigs
• Studio recording
• Live performance
• Gibson collections

What Makes A Les Paul Classic Premium Plus Different?

The original Les Paul Classic was created for players who liked the fundamental look and construction of a traditional Les Paul but wanted the faster feel associated with an early-1960s neck and a more aggressive pickup response.

The Premium Plus took that formula and added a substantially more figured maple top. It therefore sits in an interesting position: visually it can have the dramatic flame normally associated with premium Les Pauls, while mechanically and electronically it retains the more performance-focused personality of the Classic series.

Looking for advice on choosing the right Gibson Les Paul, figured-top Les Paul or Pre-Owned Gibson USA guitar? Our experienced team of musicians can help by phone, online or in-store.

Story & Context: Gibson Les Paul Classic Premium Plus

The Les Paul Classic emerged at the beginning of the 1990s as Gibson explored renewed interest in the appearance and feel of late-'50s and early-'60s Les Pauls. Rather than functioning as a strict historical reissue, the Classic combined vintage-inspired details with a particularly slim neck and more powerful electronics.

Demand for more dramatically figured tops led Gibson to expand the range with the Classic Plus and Classic Premium Plus. The Premium Plus represented the highest figured-top grade within this branch of the Classic family, with strongly flamed maple becoming the model's defining visual feature.

The Premium Plus appeared during the 1990s and returned for a later production period that ran through 2001, with Honey Burst among the available finishes. This example therefore comes from the closing year of the original Classic Premium Plus story, giving it a distinct place within Gibson USA's turn-of-the-century Les Paul range.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Product Type	Solid Body Electric Guitar
Brand	Gibson USA
Model	Les Paul Classic Premium Plus
Year	2001
Finish	Honey Burst
Top Material	AAA Figured Flame Maple
Body Material	Mahogany
Neck Material	Mahogany
Neck Construction	Set Neck
Neck Profile	Slim 1960s-Style
Fingerboard Material	Rosewood
Scale Length	24.75"
Number of Frets	22
Fingerboard Inlays	Trapezoid
Pickup Configuration	HH
Neck Pickup	Gibson 496R Humbucker
Bridge Pickup	Gibson 500T Humbucker
Pickup Type	Passive Ceramic Humbuckers
Controls	2 Volume, 2 Tone
Pickup Selector	3-Way Toggle
Bridge	ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic Style
Tailpiece	Stopbar
Tuning Machines	Gibson Deluxe Vintage-Style
String Configuration	6-String
Condition	Pre-Owned, Very Good

Specification Note

The exact serial number, weight and original paperwork have not been supplied for this individual guitar, so no additional example-specific production information has been assumed.

Power Requirements

No battery or external power supply is required for the guitar's passive electronics.

Connect it to a suitable guitar amplifier, pedalboard, modeller or recording interface using a standard 1/4" instrument cable.

Why Buy Pre-Owned From Fair Deal Music?

Buying Pre-Owned is often the only practical way to access discontinued Gibson specifications such as the original Les Paul Classic Premium Plus.

For a guitar like this, the appeal is not simply age. The highly figured Premium Plus top, slim Classic neck and period electronics create a combination that differs noticeably from Gibson's current regular-production Les Paul range.

At Fair Deal Music, our Pre-Owned guitars are individually checked and assessed before sale, helping customers buy older, discontinued and premium instruments with greater confidence.

Fair Deal Music Verdict

★★★★★ 5/5

The 2001 Gibson Les Paul Classic Premium Plus Honey Burst is a particularly appealing Les Paul for someone who wants serious flame figuring without moving into Custom Shop territory.

The Premium Plus top is the visual headline, but the slim 1960s-style neck and hotter Classic electronics are what give the guitar its real personality. It feels faster and sounds more aggressive than many traditional vintage-inspired Les Pauls.

Best suited for: Blues-rock, classic-rock and hard-rock players who prefer a slimmer Gibson neck, along with collectors of earlier Gibson USA Les Paul variants.

Customers usually upgrade from: Les Paul Studios, standard Classics, Epiphone Les Pauls and more affordable twin-humbucker guitars.

Most commonly paired with: Valve amplifiers, overdrive, boost, wah, delay and reverb.

Our tip: The ceramic pickups can deliver plenty of output, so try backing the guitar volume down slightly for cleaner rhythm sounds before changing amplifier settings.

Showroom feedback: The combination of a highly figured Honey Burst top and the fast-playing Classic specification makes the Premium Plus feel much more distinctive than simply being a prettier standard Les Paul.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

From our Birmingham showroom, our knowledgeable musician-led team helps players find the right equipment whether they're purchasing their first serious instrument, upgrading an existing setup or searching for something special within the Pre-Owned market.

When you shop with Fair Deal Music, you can buy with confidence thanks to:

• Expert advice from knowledgeable musicians
• Carefully checked new and Pre-Owned musical equipment
• Competitive prices on leading music brands
• Secure UK-wide delivery
• Friendly support before and after your purchase
• A trusted independent UK music retailer with decades of experience

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Thinking about upgrading? Your next piece of gear could cost less than you think.

We're always happy to consider part exchanges and trade-ins on a wide range of musical instruments and equipment. Whether you're looking to upgrade your guitar, keyboard, amplifier, drum kit or studio gear, your existing equipment could help reduce the cost of your next purchase.

Simply get in touch with our team for a no-obligation valuation, and we'll be happy to discuss the options available.

It's an easy way to unlock the value of the gear you no longer use while making your next instrument even more affordable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Classic neck compare with a 1950s Les Paul neck?

The Classic uses a noticeably slimmer 1960s-inspired profile, making it particularly suitable for players who prefer less depth in the fretting hand and a faster overall feel.

Are the 496R and 500T pickups high output?

Yes. The ceramic 496R/500T pairing is considerably more powerful than many vintage-output PAF-style humbuckers, making the Classic particularly effective for rock and higher-gain playing.

Can the pickups still produce cleaner sounds?

Yes. Reducing the guitar's volume controls and using a cleaner amplifier setting can produce articulate clean and edge-of-breakup tones despite the relatively powerful pickups.

What string gauge works well on this Les Paul?

A 10–46 set is an excellent general-purpose choice on the 24.75" scale. Lighter or heavier gauges can also be used, although a setup adjustment may be beneficial after a significant change.

Is this guitar suitable for modern amp modellers?

Yes. Its passive humbucker output works with traditional guitar amplifiers, analogue pedalboards, profiling equipment and modern digital modelling systems.

Is a 2001 Premium Plus collectable?

The discontinued Premium Plus specification, highly figured top and position within the original Les Paul Classic era all give the model additional enthusiast appeal compared with a regular production Classic.

Can I request a closer look before purchasing?

Yes. Our Request a Video Demo option is particularly useful for a figured-top Pre-Owned guitar because it allows you to see how the flame maple changes under different angles and lighting before purchasing.