Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

The prices you see advertised online are MAP, minimum advertised price. You can normally knock 15-20% off of that price. So if it maps for $3999 a good dealer will sell it for about $3200-$3400, try to go for the lower of the two prices. :D
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

Innocent_Bystander said:
The prices you see advertised online are MAP, minimum advertised price. You can normally knock 15-20% off of that price. So if it maps for $3999 a good dealer will sell it for about $3200-$3400, try to go for the lower of the two prices. :D
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Thanks for the heads up. A lot of these guys are always telling me that there's nothing they could do with the price, most of the I do get something off though. Is it generally more difficult to get a break if the item has to be special ordered?
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

stonabus said:
put one together with warmoth parts. save thousands. it wont be a set neck, though. but thats cool with me.
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A set neck and a bolt-on are going to feel and sound different. They're almost a total universe apart.

I went through the whole LPC GAS a few years ago. That's what led me to the Japanese clones. I have two Greco LP Customs that are just astounding. The black one has an ebony fretboard and the Wine Red one has one of the nicest flames I've ever seen. The electronics on that one as well as just astounding too.

I still pick up the "real deal" now and again in shops and am instantly reminded why my LPC GAS stopped when I discovered the clones.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

dudes - you are getting caught up in the euphoria that is LP GAS.

No way are ANY of those guitars worth 3.5-4k. If you've got that much excess laying around, you've got more. Just call the shop and have them build you one personally!

Long/short tenon - Phfft. Anyone here ever seen an LP with a broken neck at the heel? Anyone ever heard one with lousy sustain? Excuse to have you pay more for a couple of bucks worth of wood. My paul susses like Nigel Tufnels 58, with a short tenon!

And you guys act as if the custom shop can't make a dog. NOT TRUE. saw a class 5 supreme in GP with shoddy work - 5k!

A Frehley model went on fleabay for 700 today. And that had inlay smoodge.

Find one you like, play it, and if it passes the boobie test get it. and don't worry about a ding or two. And don't pay more than 2.5K unless it is the most sublime feeling acoustic sounding LP you have EVER felt and heard.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

I bought my main LP Custom for $850. I ended up putting another $3-400 into it to make it playable for me, but that's just me. There's something almost erotic about the look of a Les Paul, but it doesn't work for everyone. Heck, I'm really an SG man, but I have no business playing them anymore, they're just too light weight. I'm looking for the next LP myself. Don't know why, since I'm getting everything I want out of Lizzie. GAS, probably.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

Hellion said:
I bought my main LP Custom for $850. I ended up putting another $3-400 into it to make it playable for me, but that's just me. There's something almost erotic about the look of a Les Paul, but it doesn't work for everyone. Heck, I'm really an SG man, but I have no business playing them anymore, they're just too light weight. I'm looking for the next LP myself. Don't know why, since I'm getting everything I want out of Lizzie. GAS, probably.
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Yeah, I kind of feel like I'm getting everything I need out of my R9, but the LPC GAS attack hit me. If I'm going to spend serious money I definately want to make sure it is on "the one." I need to find one that feels/sounds as good as my R9. Won't be easy.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

Skarekrough said:
A set neck and a bolt-on are going to feel and sound different. They're almost a total universe apart.

I went through the whole LPC GAS a few years ago. That's what led me to the Japanese clones. I have two Greco LP Customs that are just astounding. The black one has an ebony fretboard and the Wine Red one has one of the nicest flames I've ever seen. The electronics on that one as well as just astounding too.

I still pick up the "real deal" now and again in shops and am instantly reminded why my LPC GAS stopped when I discovered the clones.
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You'll play a Japanese copy, but you turn your nose up at bolt-ons?
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

Mike D said:
Thanks for the heads up. A lot of these guys are always telling me that there's nothing they could do with the price, most of the I do get something off though. Is it generally more difficult to get a break if the item has to be special ordered?
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I've never had a problem getting a good price at my favorite local shop. I had to get my R7 from the factory as they didn't have any in stock at the time. At the time R7's MAP'd at $2799, I paid less than $2400 for it, no questions asked, no haggling, I asked for a price and this is what they gave me.

I threw a small verbal clause onto the purchase. That was that if the guitar had any sort of QC issues or was just a dog tonally, I wasn't locked into purchasing that guitar. Without hesitation they said no problem. They made a call to their Gibson rep and in two days I had a beautiful R7 in my hands.

If anyone tells you MAP is the best they can do, shop elsewhere. Either find another local dealer or make a call to one of the big Gibson dealers. Heck I could even give you some info on the little mom and pop I go to, they'd be more than happy to get you a great guitar.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

Mike D said:
Any thoughts on the long neck tenon issue?
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It's a point of huge controversy, particularly over at the LPF. It used to come up every 3 months but now everybody is bored with the topic so now it's more like 6 to 9 months.

We've got an old Brit guy named Phil47uk over there at the LPF who has as his signature line: "Long tenon, short tenon...once the drummer comes in, what the (bleep) does it matter".

Then you have the other guys who just have to have the long one, referred to by some other members as AVH's (anal vintage h***'s). If it isn't 100% authentic to the original 59 LP, it's CRAAAAAP!!! (As Mike Meyers used to say in "All Things Scottish".)

My opinion, I'm more or less with Phil. I believe the quality of the wood and workmanship in each individual guitar affects the tone infinitely more than the length of the tenon. My line of reasoning, is that if the long tenon really is better for tone, then the neck-through guitars should blow all other designs away.

Then you also have the infamous photo that has appeared in here sometimes of the cross section of the Historic (long tenon) and USA LP neck joints. The photo of the USA joint shows a gap on the bottom that allows the neck to be set more quickly and easily. But in typical sensationalist journalistic fashion, it DOESN'T show the solid glue joints on either side of the neck that are strong enough that I have yet to hear of a USA LP neck popping loose on anyone. (A single cut guitar has a huge advantage that way -- the no-cut side of the body has a massive joint with the neck.)

My advice: just play one Custom after another until you find the one that really speaks to you, whether it's used, new, USA or Historic. Even if it ends up costing you $4,500, that's a small price for that special axe. That said, I highly recommend the Historic Customs. Your chances of finding The One among them is higher.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

I've read some things about Gibsons that are so ridiculous that they're stupid. I remember reading one article about how les pauls are the best guitars in the world but you have to go through 200 Les Pauls to fine the good one of the bunch. He was talking about the quality of different woods and this that and the other thing. Of course, the whole thing turned to bunk when he said something like this:

"Not every Gibson is a jewel. I had this one les paul that I just couldn't get a good sound out of. Even with a set of high output gibson pickups with ceramic magnets, it still didn't have a good sound."

:smack:
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

theboatcandream said:
You'll play a Japanese copy, but you turn your nose up at bolt-ons?
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...for a Les Paul?

Damn right I do.

A bolt-on defeats one of the major components that for me defines what a Les Paul is.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

Skarekrough said:
...for a Les Paul?

Damn right I do.

A bolt-on defeats one of the major components that for me defines what a Les Paul is.
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A Big +1 there buddy!

Edwards LP's are the real deal IMO!

I have played some older Tokais that were killer also.

I have a 74 Ibanez LP copy in addition to the Edwards and I can say 100% that a blot on LP is way different.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

Seriously considering one of those Les Paul Custom Silverburst Limited Editions.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

Go used, I've seen fairly good condition early 70s Customs go for a song on Ebay...my 74 (headstock repair, well worn paint but all original) cost me a grand on there, it's 9.5lbs and has a tone to die for.

As for LNT, my OBG and the 74 have it, my 93 Standard doesn't - I can't tell any difference, personally.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

I think the reason people get so fussed over the two tenon types is not size, but because the short tenon also isn't a perfect fit in the cavity - on every edge there are bevels to tilt the neck in case the fit wasn't well done at the factory, so there's a lot less wood to wood contact than you'd think there is.

251_p23583.jpg
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

I think I'm gonna give one of those Silverbursts a shot. I'll keep you guys posted.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

shredaholic said:
I think the reason people get so fussed over the two tenon types is not size, but because the short tenon also isn't a perfect fit in the cavity - on every edge there are bevels to tilt the neck in case the fit wasn't well done at the factory, so there's a lot less wood to wood contact than you'd think there is.

251_p23583.jpg
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But look at all the surface area on the sides. Renders the beveling academic.
 
Re: Gassing for a Les Paul Custom...

I'd bet you couldn't tell the difference in sustain between either in a blind test...

Long v Short - phffftt
 
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