Les Paul advice

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Rex Rocker said:
I'd say it's thinner than the Gibson 50's, but thicker than the Gibson 60's. So not super thin.
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My e-sa is a 2016 and it's kind of medium. Definitely not slim taper but not a baseball bat either. Pretty comfortable.
 
I went Lp shopping for a full two weekends. I hit every store and tried every single cut I could get my hands on. The standard and the LP classic were the winners. I ended up with the LP classic and I really love it.

I gotta agree get a Gibson. If that's what you want.. the grass is always greener kinda thing. Any time I buy something where I settle it always ends up costing me more in the long run.

But I did try some Epiphones over this last weekend and holy hell they have gotten a lot better. I like the 60's necks so I tried 2 of the higher end models and both were fucking fantastic. Seems like they always get a bad reputation but if I had my eyes closed and played it against my Gibson I'm not certain I could identify which was which.
 
The Gibson’s smell way better than the others. I have 13 “Lp’s”. Out of them 3 are Gibson’s, 1 Hearitage and the rest are either Japanese Copies from the 70’s/ early 80’s. The one that isn’t USA or Japanese that stands out is this Agile. Mahogany with a real top and ebony fretboard. It does have a bunch of upgrades but I’m still under $700. Has a Wolfetone Timberwolf in the bridge, tonepro bridge and nut. Upgraded wiring and pots. I actually prefer this to all of the US made ones.
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I knew this thread would turn into this simply because of there being so many incarnations , makes and models of the LP. In my world the Les Paul is a Gibson but I'm sure the other makes are great . If you want a Gibson Les Paul make it your quest to find the perfect one for you simply because ALL of them will feel and sound different. Go to as many stores and places as you can to find them to play and feel them .

One of the most aggravatingly fun things in my life was finding Marshall Amps and Gibson Les Pauls when I was starting out which was close to fifty years ago . These guitars and amps were all different and played different , and all different price ranges. I had more shitty sounding guitars and amps then you can shake a stick at but it was fun when you found the the right one. There's alot of good advice in this thread but to me any thing but a Gibson -- no matter how good it sounds is kind of soulless.

You will find a Gibson in your price range !!!

My .02
 
Panhead5 said:
I knew this thread would turn into this simply because of there being so many incarnations , makes and models of the LP. In my world the Les Paul is a Gibson but I'm sure the other makes are great . If you want a Gibson Les Paul make it your quest to find the perfect one for you simply because ALL of them will feel and sound different. Go to as many stores and places as you can to find them to play and feel them .

One of the most aggravatingly fun things in my life was finding Marshall Amps and Gibson Les Pauls when I was starting out which was close to fifty years ago . These guitars and amps were all different and played different , and all different price ranges. I had more shitty sounding guitars and amps then you can shake a stick at but it was fun when you found the the right one. There's alot of good advice in this thread but to me any thing but a Gibson -- no matter how good it sounds is kind of soulless.

You will find a Gibson in your price range !!!

My .02
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The problem is, the days of being able to go to stores and try a bunch are really over. Even in big cities, chain stores have limited stock that isn’t VOS or stupid money editions and we all know what’s happened to sole proprietorships. It’s taking chances online and relying on a return policy, if available, these days.
 
skoora said:
The problem is, the days of being able to go to stores and try a bunch are really over. Even in big cities, chain stores have limited stock that isn’t VOS or stupid money editions and we all know what’s happened to sole proprietorships. It’s taking chances online and relying on a return policy, if available, these days.
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You are right !
 
I went to Sam Ash and a couple Guitar Centers in my city. I tried schecter, LTD, E-2, epiphone, Jackson monarch, gibson LP traditional, classic, 50's and 60's standard, and a studio.

The 60's standard was my favorite followed by the classic then the ESP/LTD stuff. I preferred epiphone and schecter over the traditional or studio.

Funny thing is going in Gibson was the last thing I was looking for. I like the ESP LTD stuff but they didn't have that feel of an LP IMHO. Almost like a super strat just shaped like an LP.

I also tried a heritage that was really nice but it would not stay in tune long and the neck was thicker than my preference.

I also tried a gretsch that was really nice but there was something about it that was hard for me to get comfortable with.

I want to try the burny, Edward's, greco stuff or FGN but I'm always worried that it won't "Les Paul". You guys know what I'm talking about it's just something that is on a gibson that makes it unique. The feel, sound, etc. It's kind of like a Marshall too. When you want a Marshall they just have a little bit of snarl or bark that if that's the sound you are going for you should really just get a Marshall. Sure there are other options that are similar but they are never quite there.
 
ClintN667 said:
I went to Sam Ash and a couple Guitar Centers in my city. I tried schecter, LTD, E-2, epiphone, Jackson monarch, gibson LP traditional, classic, 50's and 60's standard, and a studio.

The 60's standard was my favorite followed by the classic then the ESP/LTD stuff. I preferred epiphone and schecter over the traditional or studio.

Funny thing is going in Gibson was the last thing I was looking for. I like the ESP LTD stuff but they didn't have that feel of an LP IMHO. Almost like a super strat just shaped like an LP.

I also tried a heritage that was really nice but it would not stay in tune long and the neck was thicker than my preference.

I also tried a gretsch that was really nice but there was something about it that was hard for me to get comfortable with.

I want to try the burny, Edward's, greco stuff or FGN but I'm always worried that it won't "Les Paul". You guys know what I'm talking about it's just something that is on a gibson that makes it unique. The feel, sound, etc. It's kind of like a Marshall too. When you want a Marshall they just have a little bit of snarl or bark that if that's the sound you are going for you should really just get a Marshall. Sure there are other options that are similar but they are never quite there.
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I’ve had two Burny’s. A standard and a custom. Once I put in the pickups of my choice I couldn’t hear or feel a difference that wasn’t like the difference between two Gibson’s from different era’s. I had Gibson’s as well at the time. Sustain, size was all approximately the same. The Burny’s were also pretty light, which I dug for live playing. If you’re on a budget a late 70’s/80’s, even through very early 90’s Japanese LP is a much better choice than an import, single cut from LTD or the like. A lot of the LTD’s are fine guitars (wouldn’t say no to a Lynch or two) but not for Les Paulin’.

The one caveat on Japanese guitars is sometimes the nut width is not Gibson size and can be slightly smaller. So string spacing can be tighter than you’re used to. I would definitely want to confirm the size of it before buying from Japan.
 
ClintN667 said:
Funny thing is going in Gibson was the last thing I was looking for. I like the ESP LTD stuff but they didn't have that feel of an LP IMHO. Almost like a super strat just shaped like an LP.
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Everyone has their opinion, of course, but IMO, the special part about a Les Paul is not how they feel, but how they sound (and how they look too).

IMO, by today's standards, they're bulky, the necks are not particularly fast, the frets are tiny, the heel is not ergonomic, upper fret access kinda sucks, etc. That's just my opinion, of course, but I don't seek out Les Pauls because of how they play.

But then again, those idiosyncracies add up to the way the sound, so I'm willing to put up with them for the tone alone.

I love LTD/ESP FT EC's, but they don't really sound like LP's, IMO because they don't use the same kind of mahogany and the position of the bridge and bridge pickup relative to each other is not the same. I'm sure the fret size and material and thickness of the neck have a saying in how they sound too, but I mean, personally, for me, those last two elements would be negligible if they had the first two elements right. I say so because there are plenty of LP's with the 60's neck that sound killer as well.

IMO, of course.
 
Don't know if it's been suggested already but the Adam Jones LP is solid with an Ebony board and is within budget. It has a "rounded" neck, but I don't know if that's closer to '50s or '60s or what.
 
I've never played an Edwards but supposedly they are nice. I have several Navigator LP copies built within the last couple of years. They are really nice but out of the budget.

Honestly I'd just run the racks of local shops and buy the Gibson LP that speaks to you. They make very nice guitars these days IME.
 
youd be happy with a 78-80 The Paul.
not a back breaker though. not pretty either but they rock
walnut body, ebony board and T Tops

can be had all day for about $1400 with a chain saw case if you're lucky
 
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If you buy a genuine Gibson Les Paul, even if you end up not liking it in the end at least you will know you had the genuine item . If you choose anything else and you end up NOT loving it you will probably wish you had chosen the genuine item all along .

Best of all worlds would be to purchase genuine Gibson's and it's copies and decide after spending some time with both which to keep but most don't have this ability and most guitar stores won't have versions of both on the showroom floor to compare back and forth.
 
70 Mach 1 said:
youd be happy with a 78-80 The Paul.
not a back breaker though. not pretty either but the rock
walnut body, ebony board and T Tops

can be had all day for about $1400
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I had a friend that had one of those! Forgot all about them!
 
It is crazy because I got a Standard and have had Standards because of Slash but the Classic is the better gigging Les Paul IMO. Lighter, which is always awesome.
 
I am not sure what year they started the fake wood fingerboards, but I would try to get one before they started them. Can’t stand how they feel. Some like the ‘60’s necks and some the ‘50’s. Try both. 50’s are what I prefer.
If you want a LP I would go for a Gibson if you can swing it, copies can be ok but just are not the same for me. Lacquer finish is just cooler.
 
Fake wood fingerboards on a Gibson ? First time I've heard about it.
 
ccn said:
Fake wood fingerboards on a Gibson ? First time I've heard about it.
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They have been doing it for quite awhile. Feels shit to me. Alot of compaines are doing it now. When they banned rosewood on guitars a few years back alot more got into it. Like all the fake wood flooring.
 
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