Swap
Swap
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
VS
Playability
78
Sound
74
Build
77
Value
61
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoAmazon logo
Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
70
Value
57
Score
72
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet vs Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet over Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Standard U vs Vintage 50s
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Pickups
H vs HH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.83'' (21.1mm) vs 0.88'' (22.4mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.97'' (24.6mm) vs 0.96'' (24.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
24.6'' (624.8mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
61 vs 57
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s over Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet

Release Year
2019 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Vintage 50s vs Standard U
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs H
High output without hum
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.88'' (22.4mm) vs 0.83'' (21.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.96'' (24.4mm) vs 0.97'' (24.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 24.6'' (624.8mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Other Key Differences
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet vs Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s

Bridge Pickup
Gretsch TV Jones Power'Tron vs Gibson Burstbucker 2
Different Bridge Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet vs Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s

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
Volume Knobs
2
Same volume control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body

Common Strengths

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

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • 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

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s's 72 score, although not by a lot.

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s in every aspect.

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 Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet is the better choice.

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s meets only 3. 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

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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.

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet Overview

  • From Gretsch's 2018 Professional Collection series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 24.6"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple top
  • Chambered Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gretsch TV Jones Power'Tron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • Gretsch '60s Jet Vibrato bridge
  • Standard U Set neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Schaller Diecast tuners
  • Weight between 6.65lbs (3kgs) and 7lbs (3.2kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Overview

  • From Gibson's 2019 Original Collection series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gibson Burstbucker 2 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Gibson Burstbucker 1 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • Vintage 50s Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Vintage Deluxe w/ Keystone Buttons 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 Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet

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.

Woods Used in the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet has an H configuration while the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s has HH pickups.

A single H pickup gives you the advantage of having a little longer sustain (all other things being equal) because there will be less magnetic fields from other pickups affecting the strings' vibration. However, they also give you the least versatility because you won't have other pickups at different distances from the bridge to create different tones. A single humbucking pickup is used for noiseless high output, which is used mainly for Hard Rock genres.

On the other hand, 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

The Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s gives you 3 switch options while the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet gives you 0. This means that the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet comes with some kind of pickup modification: Multi-Voicing.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet doesn't come with pickup switching options.

Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s'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: Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72

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 Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet compares to the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet is built in Japan while the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s is made in United States.

Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.

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 Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s 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.

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet's brige is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

On the other hand, the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s's is a 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 Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet's are Schaller Diecast while the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s's are Vintage Deluxe w/ Keystone Buttons

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
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
  • 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

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
Quality of materials 65
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 77
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
Quality of materials 60
Features 50
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 70

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

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet Nut Width
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet Nut Width
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Nut Width
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s 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 Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet's Scale Length
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet's Scale Length
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s's Scale Length
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s'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 Les Paul Standard 50s has the longest scale: 24.75". The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet 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

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet Neck Profile
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet's neck profile
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Neck Profile
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s'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.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet has a U type of neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

The Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s, on the other hand, has a V neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

Fretboard Radius

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet 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 Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet and the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s 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 large hands .

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet Frets Size
Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet's Frets Size
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s Frets Size
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s's Frets Size

The Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 78
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 60
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet vs Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
General Gretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s
Brand: Gretsch Gibson
Year: 2018 2019
Configuration: H HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan United States
Series: Professional Collection Original Collection
Colors: Natural Gold, Yellow Burst, Cherry Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Chambered Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Gretsch '60s Jet Vibrato ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Schaller Diecast Vintage Deluxe w/ Keystone Buttons
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Decoration: Pearloid Neo-Classic Thumbnail Acrylic Trapezoids
Scale Size: 24.6" 24.75"
Shape: Standard U Vintage 50s
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.97'' (24.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.88'' (22.4mm) - 12th Fret: 0.96'' (24.4mm)
Frets: 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Bone Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Gretsch TV Jones Power'Tron (Humbucker / Passive) Gibson Burstbucker 2 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Gibson Burstbucker 1 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 0 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing None
Volume Controls: 2 2
Tone Controls: 1 2