Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

I went and played about half a dozen new Gibsons yesterday, out of dozens in the store, and they were all nice. Most of them had some picky-ass inconsequential cosmetic issues that you'd never notice unless you went looking for them (and I did), but aside from that they were all gorgeous, nice-playing guitars. I don't know if this is the "horrible quality control" that I've been hearing about over and over, but I like this sort of variation in an instrument.

Three or four Gibsons on the racks? Hogwash.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

The only thing I can add is that the regular Studio models DO have a maple top. It's the "Vintage Mahogany" faded Studios, and maybe a couple of other studio versions that are mahogany topped.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

Ok, so I use tampons (no I"m not out got a full box from Brent and Jessie) and you don't, but Jolly, I think we see theads the same way....maybe

I've been using ultrathins lately. The new Always are really good.

 

[tenniso]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

Another option that is very popular right now is the Tribute series which are going for $800 or so (new) and have almost everything you want.

[/QUOTE]


Jizzed...in...my...pants.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

That Tribute model looks like the love child of my Junior Special and Goldtop.

 

[voggin]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

I've played the last 6 or so LP's at my local music store, not including studios, fadeds, etc. So we're talking about standards and traditionals. They have all been very nice. The only differences have been cosmetic (flame, etc.) and very minor tonal differences, which is to be expected from different pieces of wood. If you gave me any one of them, I would keep it forever. If I were buying one, I'd play them all and see which one gives me the biggest thrill.

They range in price here (Canada) between 2200 for a trad to about 2600 for a really nice flame top standard (I'm not really into flames, so I'd buy at the lower end). My view is, and has been for a while, that:

1. They are overpriced because of the name, BUT NOT THAT MUCH, maybe 4-500 dollars, which can be dealt with by buying used, waiting for a sale, etc.
2. LP's are very competitive with other $1500+ guitars, the only issue being the "brand premium" above.
3. I have played for 30 years in varying states of sobriety. I have never dropped a guitar in a way that would have me worry about breaking a neck. Never even broke a cheapo guitar as a kid. So the neck thing wouldn't concern me or 90% of other people.

Dr. K: You and I are kind of in the same position. We've modded (very good quality, by the way) Korean imports and now want that extra 5% or whatever it is that the real thing gets you. That's not a slight to imports, which are great these days, nor worshiping LP's like they are built by angels. I'm still saving, but if I were you I'd forget about all the details like weight relief and stuff, and buy any good standard, trad or whatever. If it's set up well and not a total lemon and you can get it at a good used price, you'll be fine.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

Most Studios are Maple topped. There are definitely more all mahog options in the studio line, however.

I think (in USD) that a Les Paul standard - plain top, any color (burst or solid) should be about 1500 dollars. 2k plus for flame, 2500 for a Custom.

I could sleep at night with those prices.

and a Studio at 1k...now you'd really have to think about Studio vs Strat.

 

[voggin]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

Most Studios are Maple topped. There are definitely more all mahog options in the studio line, however.

I think (in USD) that a Les Paul standard - plain top, any color (burst or solid) should be about 1500 dollars. 2k plus for flame, 2500 for a Custom.

I could sleep at night with those prices.

and a Studio at 1k...now you'd really have to think about Studio vs Strat.

Yeah, me too. I don't want to overstress the "overprice" thing: Gibson has the name, the prestige, so they get the (modest) premium. It's really like a 10 or 20% markup. Fender has the same thing v. its competitors, only it's less noticable on a 1000 dollar vs $825 equivalent.

 

[The Dali]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

The $1800 price point??? A great "value"

Say that to yourself a few times and see if it starts sounding stupid.

Haha... ! Yeah, ok, that does sound a little silly. But, if you think about the fact that the "Classics" and "Standards" were going for $2300 - 2700 these Traditional models do seem like you get more bang for your buck.

However, point taken...

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

and a Studio at 1k...now you'd really have to think about Studio vs Strat.

I don't see how. Who says, "I was gonna get that LP Studio, but this Strat is thirty dollars cheaper."? It's like making the decision between salmon and steak about money when they're practically the same price. You get whichever one you're in the mood for, and the other one doesn't stand a chance.

 

[Dr.K]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

I appreciate all the info. It's been great. I really just want a nice LP that's a great player so I wanted to know about my choices. Thank's! If you have more info for me please feel free to fire away, all opinions are welcome.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

Unfortunately this isn't realistic anymore thanks to Gibson marketing policy. I live in Philadelphia, probably the fourth largerst city the US, and there are NO dealers in the immediate vicinity that carry sufficient inventory for this to be plausable. At most you'll find three or four Gibsons on the racks.

When the entry price is $2K for a Gibson LP Traditional, why should you have to "run the racks"? I expect to do this for a Fender MIM Standard at $400 but should expect that any guitar I pick off the rack at $2K is going to be worthy and up to standards.

You have to "hunt the racks" because wood is about the most inconsistent build material in existence. None of them are "bad" sounding, but people have different preferences. What do you propose they do, buy a bunch of blanks, throw out all of the ones that aren't the same weight, density, grain pattern, etc and use only the blanks that come within, say, 5% variance of each other? Cause you know exactly what would happen then--$4000 studios to compensate for all the waste, and people *****ing on forums like this that their mail-ordered les paul still doesn't sound exactly like they thought it would, and the 5% variance was a huge QC issues

If you want absolute consistency, go start making guitars out of aluminum. Personally, I enjoy the fact that I can pick up 5 les pauls that are identical on paper and hear a difference in all of them.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Could you all give me a crash course in Les Paul 101?

^ drew is right. part of the fun of guitars is they're all different.

thinking they should all be exactly the same as eachother is ignorant at best...