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Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top
VS
Playability
77
Sound
75
Build
72
Value
60
Score
75
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Playability
80
Sound
75
Build
72
Value
61
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
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Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged vs Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top

Reasons to Get
Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged over Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top

Release Year
2022 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Aged vs Poly
Paint has been artificially aged
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 24.6'' (624.8mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Reasons to Get
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top over Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged

Decorative Top
Flame Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Poly vs Aged
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
61 vs 60
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged vs Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top

Bridge Pickup
Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) vs USA DMT Equalizer
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) vs USA DMT Nostalgia
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Nylon vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged vs Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
2
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged's 75 score, although not by a lot.

The Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top wins when it comes to playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top is the better choice.

The Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged meets only 4. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged Overview

  • From Gibson Custom's 2022 Murphy Lab series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • 1-Piece Lightweight Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Indian Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • No-Wire ABR-1 bridge
  • 50s Rounded Medium C Set neck
  • 22 Narrow Tall frets
  • Kluson Single Line, Single Ring tuners
  • Weight between 8.45lbs (3.8kgs) and 8.85lbs (4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top Overview

  • From Dean's 2020 USA series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Flame Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: USA DMT Equalizer (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: USA DMT Nostalgia (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • C Set neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Woods Used in the Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

They both share the following switching options:

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged and Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged and Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 75
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 75

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged compares to the Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged has a Nylon nut. It used to be one of the highest quality materials for nuts (and still is), but it's rare to find nowadays because it's hard to work with. It's a very resistant material with very low friction, so it will keep the guitar in tune and will last for a long time

On the other hand, the Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top comes with a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged's are Kluson Single Line, Single Ring while the Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top's are Grover

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Nylon Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged
Quality of materials 66
Features 50
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 72
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top
Quality of materials 65
Features 50
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 72

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged Nut Width
Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged Nut Width
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top Nut Width
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0050000000000001'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged's Scale Length
Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged's Scale Length
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top's Scale Length
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged has the longest scale: 24.75". The Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top is only 24.6" long. This is a 0.15'' (3.8mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged Neck Profile
Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged's neck profile
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top Neck Profile
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged and the Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged and the Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged and Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top Frets Size
Both have a similar Narrow Tall fret size

Both have a Narrow Tall fret size. Their height is very similar to Jumbo frets, but they have a narrower crown. They won't let you feel the fretboard when playing, which will make it easier to get clean notes. However, if you press down too hard you might get the notes out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 55
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77
Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top
Bending & Vibrato Ease 100
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 80

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged vs Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top
General Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Ultra Light Aged Dean USA Thoroughbred Flame Top
Brand: Gibson Custom Dean
Year: 2022 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Murphy Lab USA
Colors: Sunburst, Red Burst Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: 1-Piece Lightweight Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: No-Wire ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Kluson Single Line, Single Ring Grover
Fretboard: Indian Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Aged Cellulose Nitrate Trapezoid Pearl Block
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.6"
Shape: 50s Rounded Medium C C
Frets: 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Nylon Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive) USA DMT Equalizer (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive) USA DMT Nostalgia (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Speed
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 2 2