You’d have to have been living in a cave not to have heard about the biggest rock ’n’ roll reunion of the 21st century. It’s been a huge event for fans of Britpop, and we’re delighted that the Gibson team has been working with the man himself to create something special.
Epiphone have been getting in on the act, too, with releases for Bonehead and Gem Archer, but today we’re all about Noel and his new signature model.
So here it is, the Noel Gallagher Les Paul. In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about the Gibson Noel Gallagher Les Paul, looking at the specifications, playability, sound, and overall performance. Whether you’re a fan of Mr Gallagher’s recently reunited band or not, this is a guitar worth paying attention to.
Want to achieve Noel Gallagher’s tone with more than just the guitar? Check out our guide to the guitarist’s rig, including amps and pedals. And to learn more about the new Gibson and Epiphone signatures, see our video below!
The short version
The Noel Gallagher Les Paul Standard is the result of a long partnership between the artist and the Gibson flagship. Starting with an Epiphone Standard way back in the 90s, Noel has been playing Les Pauls for decades, and has finally created a unique model all of his own.
This P-90-loaded Rock ‘N’ Roll Star (sorry!) is something fans of Noel will love, as will Les Paul aficionados.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It makes use of the classic Les Paul recipe of mahogany, maple, and a set neck to offer an immense sound | Unsurprisingly, having the Gallagher name attached to it means it isn’t the cheapest Les Paul Standard in the range |
| It was designed to capture the sound, vibe, and aesthetics of the '90s | If you sided with Blur in the Britpop wars, this one probably isn’t for you! |
| Made to Noel’s specifications, it’s a great collector’s piece for fans, as well as an excellent guitar |
The Gibson Noel Gallagher Les Paul explained
What is it?
First and foremost, it’s an excellent guitar, and a proper Les Paul! Noel’s signature Standard features a non-weight relieved mahogany body with a bound maple cap, a SlimTaper neck with rosewood board and trapeze inlays, topped off with a pair of P-90s that have the growl and grit we love.
Noel has been playing a Custom Shop Les Paul throughout the 2025 tour, and earlier this year, Gibson made a very limited run of 25 replicas. This new USA-made version now brings Noel’s signature model to a much wider audience.
Like Noel’s Custom Shop guitar, this is based on a 1960 Les Paul Standard with the humbuckers swapped out for P-90s. The Les Paul sound was featured heavily on some of Noel’s most famous recordings, and that legacy is revived with this new signature model.
This isn’t the first time Mr Gallagher has worked with Nashville’s finest, of course! He has previously collaborated with Epiphone on the Noel Gallagher Riviera, based on an early ’80s Riviera that he still owns. This time around, he’s moved to the higher-end Gibson brand to produce something a little more aspirational.
The new Les Paul comes complete with epic tone, built-in rock and roll history, and a link to one of the most important bands of the Britpop scene. If you’re a fan of any of those things, it’s well worth checking out.
Materials and build quality
As you’d expect of a proper American-made Les Paul, the materials and build quality are all very good. The guitar uses the classic mahogany and maple recipe that we know and love, giving it a lovely, warm tone with enough bright top end to cut through the mix live or in the studio. The fretboard is rosewood on a mahogany neck. All fairly standard for a Les Paul.
Noel specified the SlimTaper neck carve, which is a fast, comfortable choice. He also opted for a non-weight-relieved body for maximum sustain – say what you like about the man, he’s clearly got a strong back and shoulders! The chrome-plated hardware looks elegant against the ebony finish, and the black 5-ply style pickguard is a nice little nod to the Les Paul Custom model.
The heart of the Noel Gallagher Les Paul is the pair of chrome-covered Gibson P-90s. Nothing else sounds quite like a P-90; they bring that glorious, gritty roar that we love, like they’ve been living off Cigarettes and Alcohol (sorry again). When you combine these excellent P-90s with the sustain and rich warmth that comes from the Les Paul’s construction, you get a fantastic, inspiring result.
Playability
The Noel Gallagher Les Paul sits comfortably, whether you’re playing seated or standing.
Its SlimTaper neck profile is slim enough for easy lead playing while remaining solid enough to feel like a Les Paul. The 24.75” scale length adds to the comfortable feel. Big bends, wide vibrato, and expressive techniques all come easily.
Blues, rock, metal, punk, classics from Noel’s back catalogue – whatever your style, there’s also something wonderful in the way the guitar responds to the nuances of your playing.
That said, as with many traditional Les Pauls, this isn’t a light guitar! It’s been built without weight relief, so you may find it a little tiring by the time you’re halfway through your set.
It’s a choice that maximises sustain, though, and a proper padded strap will make a big difference if shoulder strain and fatigue are potential issues for you.
Sound quality and performance
Unsurprisingly, the sound is where this Les Paul really shines. A mahogany body, a maple cap, and P-90 pickups – you know it’s going to sound amazing. It’s a recipe for rich, warm tones with bite. And while it would be very easy for us to use a lot of adjectives to describe the sound, you’d be better off looking up videos of Noel’s live performances over the last year. He gets some huge sounds from his Custom Shop version.
Thanks to the P-90s, it really sings when you start to turn up the gain. Driven sounds are thick without ever sounding muddy or unclear. There’s a real presence to the guitar, and it’s able to cut through the mix beautifully. If you’ve never played a guitar with P-90s, you don’t know what you’re missing; if you have, then you’ll have a good idea how much fun this one can be!
While Gibson are obviously looking to appeal to collectors and fans of Noel’s music, this is very much a guitar that’s built to be played. It has the build quality and reliability to stand up to regular gigs; it’s not just a pretty wall-hanger! This is a genuinely good Les Paul that we’re confident will see a lot of stages.
Gibson Noel Gallagher Les Paul Standard specifications
| Body | |
|---|---|
| Wood | Mahogany (non-weight-relieved) |
| Top | Maple cap |
| Binding | Single-ply (top and fretboard) |
| Pickguard | Black 5-ply style |
| Finish colour | Ebony |
| Neck and fretboard | |
|---|---|
| Neck material | Mahogany |
| Profile | SlimTaper |
| Construction | Set neck |
| Scale length | 24.75" / 628.65mm |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood, bound |
| Frets | 22 medium jumbo |
| Nut | Graph Tech, 1.695" / 43.053mm |
| Inlays | Acrylic trapezoid |
| Hardware and electronics | |
|---|---|
| Bridge | ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic |
| Tailpiece | Aluminium stop bar |
| Tuners | Grover Rotomatic with kidney buttons |
| Control knobs | Black Top Hat with silver reflector and dial pointer |
| Plating | Chrome |
| Pickups | Two P-90 soapbars with chrome covers |
| Controls | Two volume controls, two tone controls, three-way pickup selector switch |
FAQs
What Les Paul does Noel Gallagher use?
Noel Gallagher has used several different Les Pauls, notably the black Les Paul Standard he used on the 2025 reunion tour and a 1997 Les Paul Florentine Silver Sparkle. He has used both Gibsons and Epiphones over the years for recording and live performances.
What is Noel Gallagher’s favourite guitar?
Noel Gallagher has said that his favourite guitar is a 1960 Gibson ES-355. It’s the guitar that he wrote many of his songs on, and he’s used it on every album he’s recorded since 1996, making it one of the most listened-to guitars of the Britpop scene!
What guitar did Johnny Marr give to Noel Gallagher?
Johnny Marr has given Noel Gallagher two guitars: a 1953 Les Paul that had been refinished in sunburst and a black 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom. The sunburst model was played by Gallagher on Definitely Maybe and had previously been used on The Smiths’ debut album by Marr.
Final thoughts
So, that’s the Gibson Noel Gallagher Les Paul explained. Is it a shameless cash-in on the reunion of a certain ’90s band? Definitely not. This is a guitar that looks, sounds, and feels great – a proper Les Paul! It’s a pleasure to play, and it captures the spirit of what a Les Paul should be. If you’re a fan of Noel, Gibson, or just good guitars, you’ll like this one.
0 Comments