70's les pauls?

[The Golden Boy]

Re: 70's les pauls?

Did you notice Illini1330 asked this question over three years ago?

Sure, but that's not going to stop me from espousing my hatred towards Norlin LPs...

I guess it's one thing to run across a LP and play it, then fall in love with it, regardless of it being a Norlin guitar, than to look for an "old Les Paul" and convince yourself that you like it...

If you like 10+ pound guitars- cool. If you think 3 piece non-matched tops are cool- cool. If you like gaudy big leisure suit lapel wide headstocks- cool. If you like hideous clown burst finishes- cool. If you like volutes behind the nut- cool. If you think a 3 piece maple neck is a good thing on your Les Paul- cool. If you think a 2 piece back on your guitar is a good thing- cool. If you like the "not quite meaty, but not quite thin" necks- cool. If you're looking for heavy, chrome plated hardware and chintzy tuners that will literally fall apart- cool. If you're looking for those things, and those are the criteria you measure your guitar by- a Norlin is the guitar for you. Otherwise, get a more recent LP, let it age 30 years and chances are, the average post 1993 Les Paul will be a "better" guitar than the average Norlin, and it'll have all the "mojo" without all the "issues" that make up the average Norlin.

 

[d1dsj]

Re: 70's les pauls?

I agree with some of the guys comments/ advice on here, the main one being that if it feels right... buy it. I personally don't get on with the maple neck L.Ps from that era.. the neck just does not give and I cannot bend the strings! But that's probably just me and my technique ... or lack of.'' lol! Not sure if any customs had maple necks anyway, and although I don't like them... I'm pretty sure they will have better tuning stability. And finally, I don't give a Sh!t what anyone else thinks of any of my guitars as long as it feels good for me... and regarding value... it's worth what you can afford to pay. To me $1000 seems ridiculously cheap... I mean, that's only £500... and over here we pay that for a studio!!! If you like it, make it sing... don't miss the chance. All the best.

 

[grendeltone]

Re: 70's les pauls?

Sure, but that's not going to stop me from espousing my hatred towards Norlin LPs...

I guess it's one thing to run across a LP and play it, then fall in love with it, regardless of it being a Norlin guitar, than to look for an "old Les Paul" and convince yourself that you like it...

If you like 10+ pound guitars- cool. If you think 3 piece non-matched tops are cool- cool. If you like gaudy big leisure suit lapel wide headstocks- cool. If you like hideous clown burst finishes- cool. If you like volutes behind the nut- cool. If you think a 3 piece maple neck is a good thing on your Les Paul- cool. If you think a 2 piece back on your guitar is a good thing- cool. If you like the "not quite meaty, but not quite thin" necks- cool. If you're looking for heavy, chrome plated hardware and chintzy tuners that will literally fall apart- cool. If you're looking for those things, and those are the criteria you measure your guitar by- a Norlin is the guitar for you. Otherwise, get a more recent LP, let it age 30 years and chances are, the average post 1993 Les Paul will be a "better" guitar than the average Norlin, and it'll have all the "mojo" without all the "issues" that make up the average Norlin.

For me.... I prefer a heavier guitar, but I don't really love the multiple piece necks...but the bigger necks are what I favor. If it works, it works, but half the time, I change everything if it is not functional. Most of my Gibsons have Schaller Tuners.

I have found some recent Gibsons that are good, but I don't generally dismiss the entire line. I have found a bunch of 70's Strats that I didn't care for, but I have found one or two that are the exception.

I will agree that the acoustic Norlin period is not functional. The majority of the pieces didn't work. If I did find one that did work... Probably change my mind.

 

[big_black]

Re: 70's les pauls?

I'd rather have a Tokai Les Paul Reborn.

It's a better Les Paul than a real Les Paul.

 

[pstarove]

Re: 70's les pauls?

I'd rather have a Tokai Les Paul Reborn.

It's a better Les Paul than a real Les Paul.

but it costs more than a Gibson CS Les Paul also. Here are some fine examples:
www.japanguitars.co.uk

IMO, Tokai are not better than Grecos or Navigators (pre-ESP). Tokai just got a more agressive marketing strategy, so it's got more hype and that's all. But quiality-wise their top of the line models are equivalent.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: 70's les pauls?

A wine Red ´78 LP Custom was the best Les Paul I´ve ever played bar none, belonged to one of my ex-GFs.

You mean like this one? I got her for $900, and she sounds GREAT!!

 

[WhoFan]

Re: 70's les pauls?

i have a 76 Deluxe and as far as LP's go it's great sounding and i love the weight... saddly mine had neck joint trouble and it now has an extra thick fingerboard on it after it was rebuilt and that makes it feel huge.. so i don't play it a lot because of the neck thickness.. if it had a thin neck i'm sure i'd use it all the time..

I'm not afraid to buy 70's LP's because of the way they were made.... i'm afraid to buy 70's LP's because of the their cost! why buy a 70's LP when i can get a new one for the same price around Toronto... New ones are lighter and i dare say constructed better with less glue...

 

[big_black]

Re: 70's les pauls?

but it costs more than a Gibson CS Les Paul also. Here are some fine examples:
www.japanguitars.co.uk

IMO, Tokai are not better than Grecos or Navigators (pre-ESP). Tokai just got a more agressive marketing strategy, so it's got more hype and that's all. But quiality-wise their top of the line models are equivalent.

You should be able to get a Tokai LP Reborn (pre-cursor to the Love Rock) for a couple thousand dollars less than a CS Gibson.

If we are talking about 70's Les Pauls with pancake bodies and mis-matched tops Reborns are a much higher quality guitar.

 

[Aceman]

Re: 70's les pauls?

Greetings Grendel! Welcome. Shoot me a PM - I'm here in Tampa as well. If you want to try a couple of 70's LP's that inspired the line "Now you're messin' with a son-of-a-*****" from Hair of th Dog, let me know....See #1 & Jaci below.

Same for you Golden - Just close your eyes and let your ear and and hands decide! But I do think you really nailed all of the things that make an LP cool!

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: 70's les pauls?

Same for you Golden - Just close your eyes and let your ear and and hands decide! But I do think you really nailed all of the things that make an LP cool!

I agree, close your eyes- don't let the fact that it's a 30+ year old guitar cloud your judgement. Just being 30 years old, or just being built in Kalamazoo or being built by the same workers who built the 'Bursts don't make it a good guitar. If it's a good guitar, it's a good guitar- but because of how Norlins were made and what they're made of- they have a lot to overcome to be a good guitar.

I understand finding a guitar that fits you and you find beautiful.

I also understand that there are people that are looking for a "vintage" guitar and are willing to overlook what it is because it's "vintage."

 

[Aceman]

Re: 70's les pauls?

I also understand that there are people that are looking for a "vintage" guitar and are willing to overlook what it is because it's "vintage."

Amen bro - If it don't work it don't go! The booby test is awesome for that. Both of those guitars I posted are 100% about the FEEL. They make me play better!

Doesn't matter if it's a Hondo. If It's mojo works, it works!