1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

[msaint]

Hi, I'm msaint, and I just got my hands on a 1998 USA Gibby Classic Les Paul heritage burst unchambered and not weight relieved. It's a very beautiful guitar but with seemingly tame and weak pickups and rather difficult (at least more difficult than my other Classics) to fret and bend strings even though It has .009's on it. Serial # is "8 0249" without 'Made in USA or a date on it. I can't find anything online about this axe, and the Gibson forums are much too ridiculously complicated, difficult to use and overkilled, and don't permit newbies to post or ask questions, of which I can't really see the sense of remaining a member of it since I can't even figure out how to use it and am not permitted to post comments or ask questions anyway.

My questions are;

1. Can I put top shelf PAFs in this baby without having to alter it? 2. What can I do to make the action a little better? 3. Why can't I find info online about this year of Les Paul?

Will someone with more knowledge about this than me help me out please?:dunno:

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

1. You can put any PAFs except ones designed for Stratocasters in it.
2. Better, as in higher? Lower? :dunno:
3. I have a '94 Gibson LP Standard and there isn't a lot online about that period. Les Pauls weren't the most popular item at the time and it seems the few of us that bought them have been holding on to them.

 

[blueman335]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Gibson was putting the 500T/496R set (ceramic magnets!) in LP Classics, which is probably what yours has. I'd yank them too and put in a set of good PAF's.

 

[JeffB]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

And a new set of 500k pots.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Pics?!?!?!?!?!

 

[muttznmongrelz]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Pics?!?!?!?!?!

This!!!

 

[Detroitblues]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

those serial numbers are pre-Custom Shop Gibson serial numbers. I had a 98 SG Special that had a similiar serial number. That's a Custom Shop guitar you have there. Gibson didn't label them with the CS stamp back then...

Congrats... Better guitar then you thought...

 

[Wattage]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Custom Shop started in '87 so that wouldn't be a pre-CS number unless it is much older than originally thought

To the OP Yes! You can definitely can put a good set of pups in it with out any other mods, more options available than you can process.

Has the guitar had a proper setup from a good tech? It made just need the board oiled and the frets polished to help it play great, Topwrapping the strings around the tailpiece can change the feel and make bends etc a little easier, you might want to try it next string change.

 

[JeffB]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

The original Classics had a ri/vintage type serial number along with an ABR.

 

[ItsaBass]

1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

The original Classics had a ri/vintage type serial number along with an ABR.

Exactly.

With that serial number, it's exactly what the OP said it is.

To the OP, you can put regular humbuckers in it without doing permanent modification to the guitar. There is a huge variety out there; you can make it sound however you want. It also sounds like it needs to be set up and possibly have a fret dressing. In fact, if it is set up to taste, pickups included, you might find that the pickups sound fine. The pickups that came in your guitar certainly shouldn't sound weak; if anything, many think they are too thick.

 

[msaint]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Thanks for answering my question about the PAFs. I've had a set of Seth Lover PAF pups that were manufactured in 1959 still in an original, unopened package. I had kept them at home in Laguna Beach, CA in an attic since 1972, and have had them mailed to me here in PA. I'll be installing them late tonight when I finish working on my son's car.

 

[msaint]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

The strings already sit low on the board and are Ernie Ball Super Slinky's however, they seem to be more stiff and difficult to bend than on my other Classic Pauls. The bridge also looks differently too, with the intonation screws facing towards the neck rather than towards the tailpiece.

 

[msaint]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Yes, these really have to go. What's really weird is that two of my other gits have 496rs and 500ts in them and sound really good, but this set is really disappointing.

 

[Wattage]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Thanks for answering my question about the PAFs. I've had a set of Seth Lover PAF pups that were manufactured in 1959 still in an original, unopened package. I had kept them at home in Laguna Beach, CA in an attic since 1972, and have had them mailed to me here in PA. I'll be installing them late tonight when I finish working on my son's car.

!?!?!?!?!?!

Pics please!

 

[msaint]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Thanks for replying. I'm 70 years old and barely know how to navigate the PC, and all I've learned how to do so far is to type on it. Remember, at my age this machine is like an alien technology from the future while I'm still marveling over the horse and buggy. If my son will show me how to send photos I'll get them on here ASAP.

 

[msaint]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Colorado? I helped paint the murals in the Denver airport back in the day and used to hitchhike back and forth from Laguna Beach to Boulder and Aspen when I was a kid in the late 60's and early 70's. BTW, those are some nice guitars you have there. Nice EVH amp too.

 

[JeffB]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Thanks for answering my question about the PAFs. I've had a set of Seth Lover PAF pups that were manufactured in 1959 still in an original, unopened package. I had kept them at home in Laguna Beach, CA in an attic since 1972, and have had them mailed to me here in PA. I'll be installing them late tonight when I finish working on my son's car.

I would HIGHLy recommend the 500K pots/ new wiring Harness. The original guitars and pickups were designed around 500K pots and what we now call 50's style wiring. In the 70s' Gibson changed alot of things- and at the time your Classic was manufactured, 300K volume pots and modern style wiring was the norm (it still is, in many Gibson USA production line models). With the 300K volume/modern wiring you will be "castrating" those old pickups

 

[msaint]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

Really? I'm certainly glad to hear that. It's really a pretty axe and weighs 11 lbs. You really perked me up enlightening me with such good news about my Les 'cause I was on the verge of reselling it, however, I think I'll hang on to it now, especially now that I'll be putting some nice pups and pots in it tonight. My son says I should leave it stock though. What do you think about his suggestion?

 

[JeffB]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

If you don't think the guitar itself is worthy of those vintage pickups, then leave it stock. If the guitar is a real keeper..playability, tone, etc..I'd go for the re-wire and old PAFs.

Thats my take.

 

[msaint]

Re: 1998 Gibson Classic Les Paul Heritage Burst Electric Guitar

New wiring harness? I hadn't even considered a new wiring harness however, it sounds reasonable and logical, which means I'll have to cancel the pups' installation tonight until I can get a tech over to the house later tomorrow. She' 55 years or so old and has been doing wiring installation at least 30 of those years and will definitely know what she's doing. Thanks for the advice my friend.