uOpt
Something Cool
Re: 1958 Les Paul Standard Reissue VOS
But that's very expensive for a classic. Plus it is swiss-cheesed or chambered.
But that's very expensive for a classic. Plus it is swiss-cheesed or chambered.
You seem to be in love with old Les Pauls. Now for the hard part: Tell me WHY!
I could care less. Played a crapton of Les Pauls in my life. There is really no rhyme or reason to the ones I love. 70-'s maple are my preferred necks, followed by the baseball bats. Whatever on the year. They make thick necks all over the decades.
Which guitar will I LOVE for my whole life? I quote Jeff H. " It has to pass the Booby test; If it feels like the first boobies you ever touched, that is the guitar. " Gotta play a lot - and say no to a lot to find her. And the year 1958 has nothing to do with what feels like that for me. It could be any Les Paul.
And of course - are you playing this or is it a case queen? I could care less about collecting. It will get dropped like all the rest. And I could care even less about investments or value holding. Kudo's to Bill for letting them ponies run!
But again - that's me. I want to here WHY you need that particular Les Paul. Like I said - being old makes old. After the basic Les Paul sound, I'll hit the electronics any old way I please to make her sound sweet to me.
The one in the OP is priced as a flame top. But not only is that the lamest figuring this side of westford, it has an ugly black streak. Somehow they forget to take that into the price.
I can support wanting a historic but the new prices are a bit out of whack. Especially this particular one.
If you have the cash I highly support getting a historic. Just the ABR bridge brings it closer to where it should be and many of them are just good. And I don't perceive the neck width as a problem, playing wise, not to mention it might contribute to sound. And heavy tuners are the devil. Sometimes.
Reselling one that you pay new price for will be brutal, though.
And don't buy one with streaks. Resell is even worse. Unless you know you'll keep forever.
I just want a Les Paul. I really don't care what year or whatever, it just has to feel and sound great to me as well as look nice. I'll definitely be playing it, I don't do the case queen thing and I don't sell my guitars. I still have every guitar that I ever bought, which is five plus an acoustic and a bass.
I'm just keeping my options wide open. I recently tried a 2015 Traditional and liked it but I'd rather not have the G Force. So if there are "better" Les Pauls out there, I'm going to find one.
It would be nice if the value appreciated on the guitar I wind up getting. I was dead broke and starving and still didn't sell any of my gear. Yeah, I'm nuts.I'm not a big fan of the G-Force either, and like you, I tend not to sell my guitars. However, I think it is appropriate to look at resale value--it is always wise to consider "buying low and selling high".
I see that you've been looking at a couple of different models. One of the things you need to settle on though, is neck size. You really need to figure out if you like the Gibson Slim Taper neck, or if you prefer the more rounded '59 profile, or if you like the "baseball bat" necks of the '54-'58 Reissues. Some people have really strong preferences. I lean to the Slim Taper, but I have a couple of the fat neck Historics and I seem to be able to get around on them.
I think in this case, where you might be buying a really expensive guitar that you haven't had a chance to play (especially when there is a lot of variation from guitar to guitar) you're going to have to accept that you might wind up with a guitar you dislike, and for whatever reason you'll want to return or resell it. I realize it can be hard to do, trust me. I've done it--it feels like I didn't do my homework; that somehow I failed when I bought something that didn't meet my needs. I've got a great collection of guitar and amps right now, but there was a time a few years ago when I was about to get evicted from my apartment and wasn't sure where my next meal was coming from. I had to sell a bunch of gear to survive--fabulous holy grail stuff--and it was a painful thing to go through. I hate selling stuff.
I realize that it is a big investment. You're doing good, gathering information--doing your homework. But sometimes it does go sideways, and the trade-off is that you've gained wisdom and experience. When that happens, you have to make the mental note and then move forward to your goal. It is okay to make a mistake.
And sometimes, you just hit the ball out of the park on the first swing. Finding and owning the guitar of your dreams is a great feeling. And when it happens, remember to give thanks, because to be happy within is to be blessed.
===================
For me, the vibe or feel of the Historic models is very different than the Gibson USA models, and I prefer that feel. There are people that have different thoughts about this, but for me they are worth the extra money. Once I got my first Historic, I was totally addicted. There are USA models I like, and some I don't. I liked the Standards before they went to the asymmetrical neck, but some guys really like that neck. My 1960 Classic Premium Plus guitars from the mid '90s are awesome; I like the thin necks, and they are great platforms for pickup and electronic upgrades...but they have a VERY different feel from my Historics. (They changed though, after about 1998 and I'm less appreciative of these.) Ditto for my Elegant--fabulously beautiful guitar, but it just doesn't have that feel. To me, that feel is worth the extra cost of the Historic models.
Bill
Those are called speed knobs, and you can get replacements to fit on any Paul.
Bill
That one is awesome, though that one mineral streak is a bit much. Makes it really identifiable though. What do you think of it?
Another place to check out is Dave's Guitar Shop in Wisconsin. They also have some beautiful guitars. Wildwood has a great rep from the Les Paul Forum.
Bill
The streak would be THE element to sell it for mine.
Too many times I see 'boring' tops that have very geometric flame or even patterns. I try and stay away from these generic looks, as you want to celebrate the fact you have a natural material, not hide it (IMO).
Thanks, I'll check that out.I'd strongly encourage the OP to join mylespaul.com. There is endless LP information in the Historic Section. I've been on there for many years and theres alot of good info including the changes that have been made throughout the years of historic production,etc. Fun LP website to surf...
Totally. I appreciate everyone's input. This is the biggest deal I've made about buying a new guitar. My gear is simply a modded Marshall JCM800. I've played a 1960s Reissue Gold Top Classic through it and it kicked ass. So, I'm not too concerned about the tone but the feel.Great advice from everyone on this topic. All I would add is that you might want to consider buying from a dealer with a good return policy. IME you're never really sure it's THE ONE until you get her home, set her up to your liking and play her through your rig. A guitar can sound great in a clip or even in the store, but if it doesn't work with your gear, then you've got more GAS at best and buyer's remorse at worst. Just my .02, YMMV.
Totally. I appreciate everyone's input. This is the biggest deal I've made about buying a new guitar. My gear is simply a modded Marshall JCM800. I've played a 1960s Reissue Gold Top Classic through it and it kicked ass. So, I'm not too concerned about the tone but the feel.
An important part of buying a reissue Gibson is to play a bunch first, to make sure you like the neck profile.
Cool, I figured that.
I've been watching Greg tear it up in Wildwood Guitars youtube.
What do you think of this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZIskmhxtpw
http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/products/04303.htm
Hey guys. I'd love to get your opinion on this guitar. I'd like to get a Les Paul next but I wan't it to be a really good one.
http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-GIB-LPR84VO-BBNH1