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  • Les Paul tone?

    Im gonna ask a stupid question. Do Les Pauls have a middy tone? I noticed my Epi LP has a middy tone to it. I thought they were supposed to have a dark tone. I recently got it fixed up and working again. Always think I need to get a real Gibson or something, but this thing plays so good and sounds so good I think Id be wasting my money. But it has a big mid tone .(superdistortion pup) Is that the common paul tone? Thanks for humoring me
    Believe me when I say that some of the most amazing music in history was made on equipment that's not as good as what you own right now.

    Jol Dantzig

  • #2
    Re: Les Paul tone?

    Yeah, thats the common les paul tone. While Pauls do sound somewhat darker than say, a strat, I wouldnt call their tone 'dark'. If it was a custom that had a mahogany top on mahogany body that might be darker sounding, but most les pauls have a maple cap. Studios dont have any cap, but I dont think they're dark sounding though.

    I think my Les Paul is quite middy, I have dialed the mids down a little now, because cranking them is a little too much. So now I'm cutting a bit of mids and dialing in a bit more treble. I've got it on like T-5/M-8/B-5 and that sounds good and not overly middy.
    Fender Classic 60's Strat
    Epi Les Paul - PG/SH-4
    DSL50 w/Avatar 2x12 (V30/G12H30)
    Vox V848 wah
    Line 6 MM-4
    Ibanez TS-9 Tubescreamer

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    • #3
      Re: Les Paul tone?

      According to the specs on Gibsons web site , the Les Paul Studio's do have a maple top with a mahogany back

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      • #4
        Re: Les Paul tone?

        My LP has a very mid focused tone. I think that's really what they are famous for. You can load them up with all kinds of crazy pups that make them sound different, but overall I think the LP tone is mid oriented. To be honest, I find that most strats have a darker tone (if they have the same pickups/wiring). Strat single coils are another matter, but I find that if you take a stock strat and stick something big dark and nasty in it pickup wize, you get a really dark sounding tone. But maybe that's just me.
        Fender Twin w/ Weber Speakers, keeley ts-9, RMC2 wah, EB MusicMan Axis Sport w/ p-90's, Heritage Les Paul (HC150) Custom Order w/ AIIpro/Custom shop bridge, various accoustics

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        • #5
          Re: Les Paul tone?

          Thanks all! Just wanted to make sure. My explorer has a darker tone. I thought they were supposed to be brighter than a paul . Im really happy with the sounds Im getting out of this paul now. Its an Epi Ace Frehley. I rewired to Gibson spec and put a paf pro in the neck. (took out the super distortion) With the new wiring, I have more usable tones than stock and Ive really been bonding with the axe. I guess I dont need to dole out $1500 for a Gibby... The name isnt that important to me so long as Im getting the tone..
          Believe me when I say that some of the most amazing music in history was made on equipment that's not as good as what you own right now.

          Jol Dantzig

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          • #6
            Re: Les Paul tone?

            The thing that may be causing that tone is the high output bridge pickup, or excessive amounts of gain.

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            • #7
              Re: Les Paul tone?

              Isn't the Super Distortion supposed to have tons of mids anyway?

              Middy pickup + middy guitar = middy tone, no doubt.
              green globe burned black by sunn

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              • #8
                Re: Les Paul tone?

                Most of the newer LPs I've played have been bright and full.......where as a PRS in my opnion is darker with more pronounced mids. I hear a lot of highs and lows in most of the modern day LPs. This is the reason the C-5 didn't float my boat in my LP.

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                • #9
                  Re: Les Paul tone?

                  studios do have maple caps, probably not as nice but they are maple.
                  Proud Master of Strats.....

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                  • #10
                    Re: Les Paul tone?

                    My PRS guitars with maple tops and 5 way rotarys are very crisp and clean sounding; not midrangey at all. My Les Pauls are more midrange and darker sounding, but my chambered Les Paul Elegant has a brighter sound than the solid Pauls I've owned.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Les Paul tone?

                      They all tend to fall within a range, but do differ depending on the density of the wood (minerals absorbed during tree growth). My Custom has a fair amount of mid range to it, but has nice clarity for notes because of the ebony fingerboard.
                      "Hello! My name is Inigo Montoya! You killed my father. Prepare to die!"

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