The Deluxe was among the "new" 1968-1969 Les Pauls.
This model featured "mini-humbuckers", also known as "New York" humbuckers, and did not initially prove popular.
The mini-humbucker pickups fit into the pre-carved P-90 pickup cavity using an adaptor ring developed by Gibson in order to use a surplus supply of Epiphone mini-humbuckers.
The Deluxe was introduced in late 1968 and helped to standardize production among Gibson's U.S.-built Les Pauls.
The first incarnation of the Deluxe featured a one-piece body and slim three-piece neck. (
It has been thought that some of these early "one-piece" bodies were actually leftovers from original 1950's Les Paul parts.)
The multipiece body (a thin layer of maple on top of two layers of Honduran mahogany) arrived in 1969.
In late 1969, a reinforcing neck volute was added.
1969 Deluxes feature the Gibson logo devoid of the dot over the "i" in Gibson.
By late 1969/early 1970, the dot over the "i" had returned, plus a "Made In USA" stamp on the back of the headstock.
Gibson produced 221 Deluxe Gold Top and other colors as specially-ordered guitars with full-size humbucker t-tops pickups between 1972 and 1974, and 1976 (179 in 1973, 28 in 1974, 9 in 1972 and 5 in 1976), is a Les Paul Standard pickup specification.
These Gold Tops are quite rare to find today and are worth US$9,500 to US$10,000 in the collector's market, because they were the first guitars since the Gold Top 1958 fitted with humbucker pickups from the factory.

Until the end of the year 1974, 90% of the Gibson Les Paul Deluxe manufactured were Gold Top.
New colors emerged from 1975, less valued than the Gold Top.
 By in late 1975, the neck construction was changed from mahogany to maple, until the early 1980s, when the construction returned to mahogany.
The body changed back to solid mahogany from the pancake design in late 1976 or early 1977.
In 1985 the Gibson canceled the Deluxe model.

Adrian Smith, of Iron Maiden, uses a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top 1972, with the bridge pickup converted to a humbucker, and has been using it since joining Iron Maiden in 1980.
Steve Lukather, of Toto, owns a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top 1974, in the rare full-size humbucker format, which he plays live, in addition to a 1971 Deluxe Tobacco Sunburst with mini-humbuckers.
Tom Scholz, of Boston, has continually played a Deluxe Gold Top 1968 since the 1970s.
Pete Townshend used Les Paul Deluxes onstage almost exclusively between 1973 and 1979, often with additional middle pickups.

Jimmy Page, of Led Zeppelin, used a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe 1969 Red, converted to humbuckers, during the 1970s, and reunion of 2007.
Ace Frehley, of Kiss, used a Deluxe Tobacco Sunburst 1973, also converted to humbuckers, in his first tours with the band.
Vivian Campbell, of Dio, used a Deluxe Black 1977, with a humbucker conversion, during his period in the band.

Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, of Thin Lizzy, also used Les Paul Deluxes in the 1970s (Brian converted his Deluxe Cherry Sunburst 1973 to humbuckers in 1977, and plays the guitar to this day).
Slash has a Deluxe Cherry Sunburst 1975, converted to humbuckers, in its collection.
Yngwie Malmsteen had a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top 1969 in his collection for more than 30 years, converted to humbuckers.
It was sold for over U$$25,000 a few years ago.
The Deluxe was among the "new" 1968-1969 Les Pauls. This model featured "mini-humbuckers", also known as "New York" humbuckers, and did not initially prove popular. The mini-humbucker pickups fit into the pre-carved P-90 pickup cavity using an adaptor ring developed by Gibson in order to use a surplus supply of Epiphone mini-humbuckers. The Deluxe was introduced in late 1968 and helped to standardize production among Gibson's U.S.-built Les Pauls. The first incarnation of the Deluxe featured a one-piece body and slim three-piece neck. (It has been thought that some of these early "one-piece" bodies were actually leftovers from original 1950's Les Paul parts.) The multipiece body (a thin layer of maple on top of two layers of Honduran mahogany) arrived in 1969. In late 1969, a reinforcing neck volute was added. 1969 Deluxes feature the Gibson logo devoid of the dot over the "i" in Gibson. By late 1969/early 1970, the dot over the "i" had returned, plus a "Made In USA" stamp on the back of the headstock. Gibson produced 221 Deluxe Gold Top and other colors as specially-ordered guitars with full-size humbucker t-tops pickups between 1972 and 1974, and 1976 (179 in 1973, 28 in 1974, 9 in 1972 and 5 in 1976), is a Les Paul Standard pickup specification. These Gold Tops are quite rare to find today and are worth US$9,500 to US$10,000 in the collector's market, because they were the first guitars since the Gold Top 1958 fitted with humbucker pickups from the factory.
Until the end of the year 1974, 90% of the Gibson Les Paul Deluxe manufactured were Gold Top. New colors emerged from 1975, less valued than the Gold Top.  By in late 1975, the neck construction was changed from mahogany to maple, until the early 1980s, when the construction returned to mahogany. The body changed back to solid mahogany from the pancake design in late 1976 or early 1977. In 1985 the Gibson canceled the Deluxe model.
Adrian Smith, of Iron Maiden, uses a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top 1972, with the bridge pickup converted to a humbucker, and has been using it since joining Iron Maiden in 1980. Steve Lukather, of Toto, owns a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top 1974, in the rare full-size humbucker format, which he plays live, in addition to a 1971 Deluxe Tobacco Sunburst with mini-humbuckers. Tom Scholz, of Boston, has continually played a Deluxe Gold Top 1968 since the 1970s. Pete Townshend used Les Paul Deluxes onstage almost exclusively between 1973 and 1979, often with additional middle pickups.
Jimmy Page, of Led Zeppelin, used a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe 1969 Red, converted to humbuckers, during the 1970s, and reunion of 2007. Ace Frehley, of Kiss, used a Deluxe Tobacco Sunburst 1973, also converted to humbuckers, in his first tours with the band. Vivian Campbell, of Dio, used a Deluxe Black 1977, with a humbucker conversion, during his period in the band. 
Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, of Thin Lizzy, also used Les Paul Deluxes in the 1970s (Brian converted his Deluxe Cherry Sunburst 1973 to humbuckers in 1977, and plays the guitar to this day). Slash has a Deluxe Cherry Sunburst 1975, converted to humbuckers, in its collection. Yngwie Malmsteen had a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top 1969 in his collection for more than 30 years, converted to humbuckers. It was sold for over U$$25,000 a few years ago.
Gibson Les Paul