Different Les Pauls

[RiffGuy]

I've been planning on buying a new guitar for some time now and have been considering a Les Paul (for many obvious reasons). I have several questions concerning the different models, and I know there are a bunch of dedicated Les Paul guys here. If you could help me out I'd really appreciate it.

I've played basswood Ibanez RG's up until now and like their weight and versatility. In the past few years, though, I’ve wanted to upgrade to a better guitar with a deeper, fatter sound. I’ve also outgrown the thin/flat bolt-on necks. The pickups I like in the RGs are the C-5, Custom, and Distortion. Would any of these not be a good match with a Les Paul?

Are there any sound differences between the Standard, Classic, and Studio (the models I'm considering)? The only differences seem to be cosmetic.

Why does the Standard that comes in ebony have a pickgaurd when the other colors of the same model don't?

The difference between the Standard and the Classic? Is it just that the Standard has more of a flame top, no pickgaurd, and a non-yellowed inlay?

And, finally, has anyone played the Les Paul “Vintage Mahogany” model? I’m wondering why it only costs $900 and isn’t even included on the Gibson website. It looks like it's just an all mohogany Studio with a natural finish. There's something about it's simplicity that I like. Would an all mahogany guitar be too dark for the pickups I like to use? Like I said, I've only used basswood up until now.

Here’s a link to this guitar: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/517536/

Thanks.

 

[gt5litre]

Re: Different Les Pauls

The Vintage Mahogany uses a "Faded" finish and the grain in the wood is not filled, as it is on a regular Studio and on up the line. The Studios and Classics use 2 to 3 piece bodies and the Classics have binding and non-figured tops.

Standards have 1-2 piece backs and figured tops. A pickguard is included in the case candy and can be installed by the new owner. LP owners asked that the pickguard no be installed to better show-off the figured top. The Ebony Standard uses a non-figured maple top (normally). No fancy top no problem with the pickguard being installed.

Brent

 

[gt5litre]

Re: Different Les Pauls

The quality of the woods, even the quality of the tone in the wood is said to be improved as you go up the line. Not always true as many can attest. I should also mention that the Standard get the Burstbucker Pro pickup combo, whereas the other models use the 490/498 pickup combo; this includes the Customs now built by Custom-Historic Division. The Vintage Mahagony from MF uses Burstbucker Pros.

Brent

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Different Les Pauls

the all mahogany model sounds really cool, it is a special production model done for musicians friend. I thought about buying that one myself, but i am having one made, with some better wood and a neck i like better (oh yeah and p90's also). There really isn't that much of a difference in some of the other LP's gibson is producing. i find the biggest things are neck profile, pickups and flame or no flame. I am not an LP expert by any means

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Different Les Pauls

I'm a big fan of good Les Pauls and have had most models and most pickups, and my opinion is to just buy a LP Std or LP Std. Premium Plus with the 50's neck. If it's a 2002 +, it has Burstbuckers, which sound good enough to leave in. If it has anything else like 490's or 57's, sell them and replace them with nickel C-5/59 or CC/APII or Seth N. After sifting through everything LP related, that's the stuff I believe to be the best, unless you want to spending on Historics, getting used to baseball bat necks, and STILL changing the pickups. Get the 50's/59 profile neck. Notice how many LP's on Ebay have are 60's slim taper necks. It's because people don't want them, IMO. Even though it looks like a Std is just a Studio with binding, there's more to it. There is most definitely a quality jump between the two. It's in the wood and extra refinement.

 

[hellrider77]

Re: Different Les Pauls

the new standards r really nice. have you seen the faded standards? i like the pics ive seen but have not had the oppurtunity to try one yet. plus they r a little cheaper

 

[ledzepp29]

Re: Different Les Pauls

In my experience all of gibsons production models including studio, classic and standard are all very similiar tone wise. A classic could sound more like a standard than another identical standard does, thats just wood for you. The difference in les pauls is really in the boat of production vs. historic because those guitars are truly built different therefore sounding different. And no, not all classics have multi piece backs. The classic in my sig is a one piece slab-o-mahagony.

I've found that the difference in gibson neck profiles is not that one is automatically better than the other, they are just different but both are good in there own ways. Its pretty funny to me when guys say that thin necks mean a thin tone or a bad tone, then go on to praise Page's tone as being the best LP tone, while not knowing that his les paul actually has a neck thinner than a 60's slim taper...thats a fact.

I might actually sell my classic in the near future but don't quote me on that, and no its not the neck, I just fell in love with a goldtop. If you've got any more questions just ask, I'm a les paul freak as well as many other guys here

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Different Les Pauls

Eh, Gibsons are over-rated, get a Burny or a Tokai from eBay

-X

 

[RiffGuy]

Re: Different Les Pauls

I guess I'll just have to go try a few different models to hear the difference. I really wish the classic didn't have that yellowed inlay. I don't know why anyone would want that on such an expensive guitar.

Thanks for the input, guys. More is welcome.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Different Les Pauls

The classics usually have that 60's neck on them. I like a 50's neck. Ican't stand the funky green sick looking inlays or the tuning buttons for that matter.

Depending on how much you want to spend. 56 or 57 RI GOldtops go for a tad over 2100. New. I'd be hardpressed to find a better Gibson for that price.

In the world of Gibson, you definitely get what you pay for.

As far as the overrated comment from EmptyPockets, well, he's got Emptypockets perhaps?

They are not overrated. THe problem that most people have is that the only Gibsons they've played were at Guitar Center or some other mass distributor. Boogers, finger smears, old dirty strings, maladjusted bridge by well-meaning customers. You have to play a new one out of the box in that environment.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Different Les Pauls

My advice is to get out there and play a few. Compare 50s necks with 60s necks to see what you prefer. Often the nuts are cut too high on new Gibsons, but the shop should include a proper setup in the price. Les Pauls are not overpriced if a Les Paul is what you want and you take the time to find the one you want. A good Les Paul properly set up is unbeatable.

 

[NT02]

Re: Different Les Pauls

I had a 79 Custom LP before, and sold it to buy a PRS. I missed the LP, and evetually got rid of the PRS. So, after some time I walked into Guitar Center with a mindset of owning a new LP. Right off I saw this terribly ugly ebony Classic with puke green inlays and tuning buttons. It was disgusting! So I tried out every Les Paul in the place, from the most expensive reissues to the cheaper studios, and even some all mahogany thing for $700. Every guitar sounded and played different. Seriously, some were just lousy, some were pretty comfortable. I didn't find anything that day. I went back a few weeks later and went through all of em again. Finally Brent, the one cool sales guy that's been there for the last 7 years that I've been going there, suggests I try the Classic. I told him how ugly I thought it was, but he eventually talked me into trying it out. Man, you can't believe how upset I was when it was the fastest playing, best sounding LP out of the lot. He ended up cutting me a real deal and I walked out the door with a brand new LP. A butt ugly one, that sounded and played killer. The only other LP I've played that's better was that 79 Custom. Funny thing is, now I look at it, a couple of years later, with lots of tweaking, new pickups and electronics...and it's just the coolest looking guitar. I love it!

Sorry for being long winded. In short, go to every store that you can and try out every LP that you can and then do it again. You'll find the one that belongs to you.

 

[gt5litre]

Re: Different Les Pauls

Classics got 2-3 piece backs starting in 2002 when the specs on the models were revised. The 50s and 60s neck is a marketing term by Gibson nothing more. I have played 56, 59 and 60 real deal Goldtops and Bursts and the necks were thinner than the 50s neck Gibson now markets. In fact they are a lot thinner than those used on Historics. In general the Historics are not historically correct as fa as neck carves.

I have a 89 LP Standard that has a neck that is smaller than a 50s neck, but fatter than a 60s neck and it too is a 1-piece back. I have seen several Classics and a couple of Standards over the past couple of years that had 2 piece backs. I don't know if a 1, 2 or 3 piece back would change the tone of the guitar for the worse. As far as I can tell it has not.

Brent

Brent

 

[RiffGuy]

Re: Different Les Pauls

I had a 79 Custom LP before, and sold it to buy a PRS. I missed the LP, and evetually got rid of the PRS. So, after some time I walked into Guitar Center with a mindset of owning a new LP. Right off I saw this terribly ugly ebony Classic with puke green inlays and tuning buttons. It was disgusting! So I tried out every Les Paul in the place, from the most expensive reissues to the cheaper studios, and even some all mahogany thing for $700. Every guitar sounded and played different. Seriously, some were just lousy, some were pretty comfortable. I didn't find anything that day. I went back a few weeks later and went through all of em again. Finally Brent, the one cool sales guy that's been there for the last 7 years that I've been going there, suggests I try the Classic. I told him how ugly I thought it was, but he eventually talked me into trying it out. Man, you can't believe how upset I was when it was the fastest playing, best sounding LP out of the lot. He ended up cutting me a real deal and I walked out the door with a brand new LP. A butt ugly one, that sounded and played killer. The only other LP I've played that's better was that 79 Custom. Funny thing is, now I look at it, a couple of years later, with lots of tweaking, new pickups and electronics...and it's just the coolest looking guitar. I love it!

Sorry for being long winded. In short, go to every store that you can and try out every LP that you can and then do it again. You'll find the one that belongs to you.

That was a great story. The kick-a$$ butt-ugly Les Paul! Yeah, that inlay just doesn't look right to me. Either way, it looks like I'll have to go and try a bunch out. What you were saying about Guitar Center and their inconsistency is exactly what I can't stand about the place. You could go in and play the same guitar you tried a week before and it sounds and feels completely different. So how much did you end up paying for the Classic?

Thanks for the good info.

 

[NT02]

Re: Different Les Pauls

Yeah, what can I say. It won me over. I got it with case of my choice (brown with pink lining or black, went with brown) for $1300. They had just bought off Mars' stock when they went under, so were looking to move stuff. I went through the same stuff with trying out Martins. They were all different. I eventually got the Ibanez. The consistency in production and balanced sound won me over. If only I could afford a Taylor...

Good luck. Have fun trying out all the axes. The journey to purchase can be a real treat.

 

[midnite_man]

Re: Different Les Pauls

I have a 89 LP Standard that has a neck that is smaller than a 50s neck, but fatter than a 60s neck and it too is a 1-piece back. I have seen several Classics and a couple of Standards over the past couple of years that had 2 piece backs. I don't know if a 1, 2 or 3 piece back would change the tone of the guitar for the worse. As far as I can tell it has not.

Brent

I've got a '95 Studio that's like that as far as the neck is concerned. My hands are medium to large in size with slightly big fingers and the neck fits great.
On the issue of whether the body is 1, 2, or 3 piece you gotta remember that most Strats are 3 to 5 piece construction and still deliver the Strat sound just fine. The same applies to Pauly's, I'm sure. I've played a lot of Standards, Classics, and Customs at various guitar shops....and they're all great guitars (obviously some play and sound better than others), but I have no problem putting my Studio up there right next to 'em all.
For a little over seven bills, including pup replacements for SD's, I can't complain one bit.
Don't get me wrong....I'd still love to afford a new Goldtop or Premium Standard anytime....heh-heh. Until then, I'm a happy Gibson LP owner.

..Bob

 

[jmh151]

Re: Different Les Pauls

I would look at Epiphones too. I saw the Faded Les Paul at Guitar Center. I didn't thing it was worth the money. I tried a faded Epiphone SG next to faded Gibson SG Special, and the overall build quality and wood selection was far better on the Epiphone.