The Les Paul thread

[budda]

@wiretap another R9 or an R0. I had an R8 neck a hair too big and a G0 that for whatever reason got beat by my 96 standard for play time (it was a great guitar so ).

But if I get something now, not much I want in a few years for the next milestone birthday

But my CS remind me why they are CS every time I pick them up.

 

[tedtan]

I’m really starting to hesitate on refinishing the black one

Personally, I'd leave it as is (and I'm not into relic finishes). But it's not my guitar, so...

 

[chipchappy]

snapped this of the custom shop a few months ago. It's a 2013, thats all I can really remember... I have the paperwork somewhere but I'm too lazy to go dig it up. Sounds amazing!

 

[wiretap]

@wiretap another R9 or an R0. I had an R8 neck a hair too big and a G0 that for whatever reason got beat by my 96 standard for play time (it was a great guitar so ).

But if I get something now, not much I want in a few years for the next milestone birthday

But my CS remind me why they are CS every time I pick them up.

If I were to get a standard myself, I’d probably go with an R0. Besides the ‘79, the other two I believe fall under a 59ish type neck profile (SB is .084 at the first, and the ebony is .081 but feels bigger than my ESP necks with more depth as it’s got that Gibson shoulder to it) and while those are fine I definitely would prefer a tiny bit slimmer like the ‘79. Although the differences aren’t large enough to detract from playing at all.

 

[Jon Pearson]

So would this be good place to figure out what Les Paul I should buy? Because I'm a dumb-dumb when it comes to LPs, but I am feeling some very intrusive thoughts lately about getting one after recently playing a couple at the local Music-Go-Round.

I've been thinking that Trad Pros are probably a reasonable way to enter into the world, but truthfully all the switching and the bells and whistles are going to be wasted on me. The Classics seem fine but I know there are plenty of folks who balk at the weight relief.

I'd be down for Orvilles or other Japanese stuff, but it's gotta be open book headstock and it has to "look right".

Any thoughts on what the move is for under $2k USD used?

 

[wiretap]

So would this be good place to figure out what Les Paul I should buy? Because I'm a dumb-dumb when it comes to LPs, but I am feeling some very intrusive thoughts lately about getting one after recently playing a couple at the local Music-Go-Round.

I've been thinking that Trad Pros are probably a reasonable way to enter into the world, but truthfully all the switching and the bells and whistles are going to be wasted on me. The Classics seem fine but I know there are plenty of folks who balk at the weight relief.

I'd be down for Orvilles or other Japanese stuff, but it's gotta be open book headstock and it has to "look right".

Any thoughts on what the move is for under $2k USD used?

Best place to start would be what guitars do you usually play and like? There are lots of different Les Paul with varying specs and neck shapes. I’m not into the switching and push pot shit either and I generally dislike Gibson pickups and usually swap them out, so my choices in LP largely boils down to the shape of the neck. But they do offer different pickups, some are hotter, some are more traditional PAF type shit. Just depends on what you’re looking for. I wouldn’t sweat the weight relief shit, it makes minimal difference to the sound except maybe the chambered guitars which were damn near semi hollow.

 

[Jon Pearson]

Best place to start would be what guitars do you usually play and like? There are lots of different Les Paul with varying specs and neck shapes. I’m not into the switching and push pot shit either and I generally dislike Gibson pickups and usually swap them out, so my choices in LP largely boils down to the shape of the neck. But they do offer different pickups, some are hotter, some are more traditional PAF type shit. Just depends on what you’re looking for. I wouldn’t sweat the weight relief shit, it makes minimal difference to the sound except maybe the chambered guitars which were damn near semi hollow.

I figured it went without saying since I'm posting on SS.org that I play used Prestiges

But yeah, pickups aren't too much of an issue as I don't mind swapping, I'd just rather not have all to replace ALL the electronics. Neck shape is probably the biggest thing for me, other than classic looks. I'm sure the best practical answer would really be an ESP Eclipse, but most of those don't look like a classic LP so no go.

I think the 60s neck is probably my speed, more D than C, thinner.

 

[budda]

So would this be good place to figure out what Les Paul I should buy? Because I'm a dumb-dumb when it comes to LPs, but I am feeling some very intrusive thoughts lately about getting one after recently playing a couple at the local Music-Go-Round.

I've been thinking that Trad Pros are probably a reasonable way to enter into the world, but truthfully all the switching and the bells and whistles are going to be wasted on me. The Classics seem fine but I know there are plenty of folks who balk at the weight relief.

I'd be down for Orvilles or other Japanese stuff, but it's gotta be open book headstock and it has to "look right".

Any thoughts on what the move is for under $2k USD used?

Buy the one you love to play and cant put down.

Slimmer neck will be norlin 68-83ish standards deluxes and customs, 83-2006ish studios, standards and customs, classics, jimmy page models.

Traditionals have big necks. Find a nice studio and go (not tribute).

 

[wiretap]

I figured it went without saying since I'm posting on SS.org that I play used Prestiges

But yeah, pickups aren't too much of an issue as I don't mind swapping, I'd just rather not have all to replace ALL the electronics. Neck shape is probably the biggest thing for me, other than classic looks. I'm sure the best practical answer would really be an ESP Eclipse, but most of those don't look like a classic LP so no go.

I think the 60s neck is probably my speed, more D than C, thinner.

Haha, I only ever visit this six string forum on here, I often forget this is a seven string website. Slim 60s would definitely be more your speed, but as @budda mentioned, the Norlin era had the thinnest necks, and they’re shaped different than modern Gibson’s. My ‘79 LPC feels more like my ESP’s than my other Gibson’s, and is thinner than all of them (the ESP’s). But Norlins are pricey these days also. Some of the 2000s classics can be had for alright prices, and they don’t have all the push pull pot nonsense the new ones do, and a slim 60s neck.

 

[budda]

Dont sweat weight relief or push pull. 99% of players leave all knobs at 10 which is the same as not using anything

9-hole weight relief started in 85ish iirc. Anyone who says their 90s non reissue isnt weight relieved is lying.

Chambering came later and only applies to some models on some years. A quick search online should answer that.

Modern weight relief - 2010s and some models some of the time.

Assymetrical neck and neutrik jacks, pcb pots - 2010s, search the year you’re interested in.

 

[Jon Pearson]

Dont sweat weight relief or push pull. 99% of players leave all knobs at 10 which is the same as not using anything

I know you are right, and yet somehow it offends me that it's there



Thanks to you both @budda and @wiretap. I definitely don't need the slimmest neck possible, but I think I'd be more on the 60s end than the 58/59/older end of things. If I could find a Norlin era with a volute for a sane price, I could get into that. Dropping the volute was such a silly thing to do.

 

[budda]

I know you are right, and yet somehow it offends me that it's there



Thanks to you both @budda and @wiretap. I definitely don't need the slimmest neck possible, but I think I'd be more on the 60s end than the 58/59/older end of things. If I could find a Norlin era with a volute for a sane price, I could get into that. Dropping the volute was such a silly thing to do.

Look for clownburst deluxe if you have to have norlin, but i’d be looking at studios and standards. Try every les paul you can get your hands on regardless of model - thats when you’ll find out what works for you in practice. Oh, plug them in - thats the sound you’ll be hearing (thread on mlp about acoustically quiet guitars being cannons..)

 

[wiretap]

Chambering came later and only applies to some models on some years. A quick search online should answer that.

I wanna say 2005-2008 or 9ish is when chambered guitars were the most common among the product lines but I could be mistaken.

 

[budda]

I wanna say 2005-2008 or 9ish is when chambered guitars were the most common among the product lines but I could be mistaken.

I cant remember either but theres a relatively recent lp classic thread on mlp that includes some info (we are both there but iirc Jon isnt.. yet).

I had a chambered classic briefly, and the stock 500T gave it the “les paul tone” whereas the 57+ I bought it with highlighted the decreased high end chambering generally imparts.

What counts is loving the guitar you choose though. Specs are for forums and to narrow down what to look for once you discover what you like.

 

[Jon Pearson]

I've played a few Classics in my time and always enjoy the experience. The tones and feel were always good for me, but of course this is guitar store jamming. I'm thinking hard about those now because they have the aesthetics that the Studios are missing but they seem to be good players.

I wanted to get some thoughts from here in particular because this forum is a little less zealous with some of the sillier aspects of guitar specs.

Ultimately, I DO need to go play more of them.

 

[wiretap]

I've played a few Classics in my time and always enjoy the experience. The tones and feel were always good for me, but of course this is guitar store jamming. I'm thinking hard about those now because they have the aesthetics that the Studios are missing but they seem to be good players.

I wanted to get some thoughts from here in particular because this forum is a little less zealous with some of the sillier aspects of guitar specs.

Ultimately, I DO need to go play more of them.

I had a 2004 Classic about ten years ago and I liked it other than the pickups, but I sold it before I changed them. I only got rid of it to fund the 4-knob full thickness eclipse I posted earlier in this thread that I still have, wasn’t because I disliked the guitar at all.

The only caveat (for me) with the early 2000s classics is that Gibson decided to do “aged” inlays on them and a ton of them look like shit. Snot green is the term you’ll see a lot referring to them. But some were better than others. Mine wasn’t too bad, don’t have many photos of it;

 

[Jon Pearson]

I had a 2004 Classic about ten years ago and I liked it other than the pickups, but I sold it before I changed them. I only got rid of it to fund the 4-knob full thickness eclipse I posted earlier in this thread that I still have, wasn’t because I disliked the guitar at all.

The only caveat (for me) with the early 2000s classics is that Gibson decided to do “aged” inlays on them and a ton of them look like shit. Snot green is the term you’ll see a lot referring to them. But some were better than others. Mine wasn’t too bad, don’t have many photos of it;

View attachment 146936

Always something with Gibson man.....

That's a lovely looking guitar. I like a plain-top, too. Flame is nice but I've been leaning more towards a plain top burst or just a wine red.

 

[grimmchaos]

That early 2000's era classic had a very D shaped neck if I remember right.. an old bandmate had one and I hated playing it. I'm old and could be wrong though.

 

[Jon Pearson]

That early 2000's era classic had a very D shaped neck if I remember right.. an old bandmate had one and I hated playing it. I'm old and could be wrong though.

Oh man music to my ears! That would be ideal for me.

 

[budda]

Always something with Gibson man.....

That's a lovely looking guitar. I like a plain-top, too. Flame is nice but I've been leaning more towards a plain top burst or just a wine red.

Fortunately this is like half of the les pauls made haha.

Oh man music to my ears! That would be ideal for me.

Yeah if you like D shape you’re looking at a classic or a modern. I absolutely do not like the shape on les pauls (fender lists my avris as D but they feel like C..).

They made a few runs of satin classics as well which will cost even less.

Any questions toss em in the thread!