Advice on buying a Les Paul

Jazzfiend101

Jazzfiend101

New member
1020483e438d0f2dbff9806d1071098e.jpg


Hey guys, I'm saving up some money to buy a real Gibson. I'm sort of capping it at $2k. Not looking to spend any more dollars on a Custom shop that may only be different cosmetically, which isn't as important as playability, in my book. And unfortunately the vintage gear from the 80s and earlier is either too pricey or it just looks beat to hell with a caption of "This one's a real player!" If you own one, cool... but I'm 26 and I just don't need that.

I found this black Traditional Pro online, and it caught my eye. I've played a few of those in Guitar Centers. Nothing really wrong with them. They play, seem to stay in tune well. This one seems a bit special for a few reasons. First, it's all black. Like everything on it is black, down to the screws in the pick guard. Yeah I know, I totally missed the pick guard too, it's that black. I think it's a satin finish, haven't asked the vendor yet. Black is sexy, but this may be a bit too metal for me. I love metal, but where I'm at people can judge you quickly by what you play. My goal is to stay accessible within the community, not necessarily be... that metal guy. And I've got a decent catalogue of songs not limited to early era Metallica. Ultimately I'm not too hung up on look, like I said before.

Next is the interesting thing. The vendor told me that it is outfitted with two special EMG pickups. The bridge is an 81TWX and the neck is an 89X. First off I have never owned a guitar with active pickups. I know there are two sides of the fence on this, and there is a vitriolic debate on what's better, passive or active or what kind of active. I know that it comes down to what I play. Usually I see guys with the classic 81/85 set up as that's the standard, next to the 81/60 set up. I've sort of steered away from those because they never have seemed to offer versatility, the 81 sounds kinda static... like iono... if you pick it lightly it sounds the same as if you chugga chugga. Not appealing. I'm using an Epiphone LP Custom and my JB in the bridge is pretty dynamic, if a bit bright. I don't mind the brightness because it seems to be pretty powerful, but when I pick soft it's responds and behaves, and when I dig in the sound definitely goes along for the ride.

Normally i'd just pass on this, but the saving grace are the options on this Les Paul. She has push/pull pots for split coils and she also has an EMG Afterburner which provides 20db in clean boost. Bye bye Tube Screamer eh???

So she has some options, is just under $2k and I'm a little turned on to the idea. Does anyone have any experience with these custom EMGs because I've never heard of them but they only have positive reviews out there... so I'm skeptical... or maybe a little paranoid haha. I know if I don't like it it'd can always change something, and I'm willing to accept that this guitar is only for some extreme metal player. I don't play that stuff... but the guitar looks pretty cool to me! Any advice on how to go about buying? What questions should I be asking myself, or the vendor? I've never spent this much before on anything.

Thanks
- Josh

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Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

When you're a les paul there's a very real risk of one day dropping the guitar or knocking it off it's stand, & having your heart broken when you look at the headstock
making an breakaway from the rest of the neck, devaluing the guitar & necessetating a repair job.

My advice to anyone buying an LP is buy one used where this has already happened, it's highly unlikely to break again & you'll save hundreds.
Perhaps you can then use these savings on pickups & black hardware.
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

I love a good Les Paul. Even if you don't like the pickups you can always change them, no harm, no foul. The best advice I can give you though is to play it first if you can. Obviously if it has setup issues that is no big deal and can be fixed (unless it's a broken truss rod of course which can be fixed but is a real pain in the ass and thus extremely expensive). The important thing to consider is how does it feel? Is it resonant? Does it speak to you? If you answered good things to these questions it may be the right LP for you.
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

Seems like you're good to go.

My best advice would be to line up at least 5 or 6 side by side,if possible.

Play a bunch,let one find you!!!

:headbang:
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

Something about that one set off my spidey-senses. Make sure is a REAL LP, and from a reputable seller.

Bill
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

when i bought my LP I tried every one in my price range in the 2 stores local to me.
I ended up with the one with the prettiest maple cap, tonally & playabity wise there was
very little between them.
they all sounded & played great
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

And the bonehead black hardware is easily sold. If the body is a satin finish, I'd drop some satin chrome or antique silver or even bronze plated on it just to make it more unique.

Or get shiny chrome and a buffing wheel on the body to make it shine like a real LP.

Sell or trade the 81 for an 85, or another 89.
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

I would not dare to buy a Gibson online. Way too many fakes around.
Is it a reputable vendor?
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

If you buy it online make sure there is a return policy in case you don't like it or it isn't what they said.

I kind of think EMG's take away some of the character of it being a Les Paul but that is just my own thing. Other than that play a bunch so you know the different neck profiles and you're aware of some of the quirks so if you do decide to buy online you can be more knowledgable about the choice.

Happy hunting Les Pauls ROCK!
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

Go to your nearest Guitar Center, idk if Jackson or New Orleans is closer, and check out the Traditional Pro III's and any of the II's they may have leftover. They are really great playing and sounding guitars. The II has a 57 classic neck pup and a Super 57 bridge (it's like an improved 57 Classic+) and the 3 has I think the same neck pup and the bridge has an A3 mag, but I don't know the specs. They both have coil splits and the boost feature. They are built close to 90's Standard specs but have a satin finish on the back and sides of the body. The 3's are listed at $1999 and the 2's I've seen listed for $1799
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

Don't buy it online. Go to a good quality music store & play a bunch. One will speak to you & that's the one you will go home with.
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

Yes LazNovak that's her. Thanks for the feedback, all. It sounds to me like buying Gibsons online isn't popular, but this is a reputable dealership so I've found. I haven't checked out a return policy, but the vendor has two other LPs in stock, including a white Signature T.

It is indeed a heavily modded Les Paul, no doubt about it. That's part of the reason I like it. Not that I'm against modding my own, but it's like... this one has already seen some sort of a professional set up. I say this because I can't imagine it's every day that someone sticks a complete cosmetic change along with these secret selling pickups and other gear. Some guys like buying stock so they can mod it themselves. I kind of like taking someone else's project and making it part of my story.

This one has a 60s neck. I'm very fond of a 50s neck, but I will be honest when I say I haven't had much experience playing with 60s necks, apart from being in GC.

And my brother is a manager in Jackson, he's an anti Gibson guy lol so he's hard to pin down for a good LP choice model. That being said, guys they have some really basic models out there that have a few features I like and others I dont. The only irritating thing is I can't play this guitar I'm looking at before I buy it, like I could at GC.

Does anyone know anything about these pickups?

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Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

Not much, but have you tried looking them up at EMGs website? They have one. I want to say the X series are slightly less "sterile" than their traditional base models - dynamics more in-line with passive pickups rather than a more even response.
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

Jazzfiend101 said:
1020483e438d0f2dbff9806d1071098e.jpg
Click to expand...

I wouldn't pay more than $1K for that; maybe less if that's the only photo they sent you. Maybe not at all.

It may be customized, but 10 bucks says it wasn't like that from the factory and instead it was some dude's
idea of a Les Paul but he eventually couldn't pay the rent. It looks like he painted it flat black to boot; this
personal "customization" may have involved a can of Krylon spray paint.

So it seems this seller wants to ride the "DIY custom" (hah) factor to jack up your cost. $2k? really?

I agree with everyone else: forget about it.

It's not that buying Gibsons online is bad; you just gotta make sure whomever you're buying from
has an iron-clad return policy.

Buying from a store where you can put your greasy mitts on the guitar is always best. That being said, I
generally have to build my own or buy online because no one carries anything good left-handed in stock.

If you like heavily-modded Les Pauls, the best way is to get a stock one that hasn't been ****ed with
and roll your own. Then you know what's been done to it.
 
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Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

$2K is pretty much the perfect budget for a Les Paul. Tons of options, from many eras, available around that price.
 
Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

Jesus,they've got some other great LPs(Traditional Search)!!!
Holy Sh1t!

Can't believe that's the one that "got you",so to speak...

edit:
2k will get you a Helluva LP,as stated.
Worth the drive!
:)
 
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Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

It just stood out from the other twelve hundred cherry bursts and Gold tops on the internet.

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Re: Advice on buying a Les Paul

Don't get me wrong, I've been shopping for some time, saving up my money, but this is the closest ONLINE that I've come to seeing something that I've been like... hey... you're pretty can we date?

The other ones have been at Guitar Center and they have been few and far between. I once went there for almost a year straight and didn't find one thing I wanted to own... and no doubt, because had I seen it she'd have been put on layaway ya know!

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