Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

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Hey guys.

Just after a few opinions if I can? Sorry for the long post, just a bit of background.

I'm currently in the process of selling 8 or 9 of my guitars that I don't use to buy something nice that I will use, and the original plan was something like an R8 or a Historic etc but when I saw them usually going for well over £3k I kind of changed my mind as I just can't stretch to anything like that at this point in my life.

So, I started looking around for LP Customs, Standard Plus Tops etc and see they tend to go from £1000ish for Standard upto around £2000ish (I know there are some more expensive but at this point I'm being financially realistic) for Customs so I've been shopping around for something with a nice bit of Flame on it to go with my 98' Plaintop Cherryburst Standard.

Since looking though I've come across a 2012 R8 Standard in Lemonburst for £2500 and a Tobaccoburst for £2300 and I must say they've definitely peaked my interest especially seeing as they're about a grand cheaper than others I've found. So my original request for opinions is this: Are these reissue guitars really worth spending the extra £1000-£1300 over a 'normal' standard? Is the quality of the workmanship and materials etc that much better, or is it because of the collectability etc of these guitars?

Before anyone says 'just try them and decide for yourself', I would but everything I seem to find is hundreds of miles away from each other and each would require a special journey to go and try it, so I'm trying to do my homework 1st.

Cheers.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

Hey mate, sounds like it's going to be an exciting purchase. From all the LPs I've owned and tried I have no doubt that the historics/ reissues are better guitars. I've never played a bad one but obviously some have suited me more than others. As for your choices, I'd love a Lemonburst! as far as standard run models go then the traditionals are pretty darn good.

Right, off to see Black Star Riders now...........
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

Depends on how you define worth... Will they sound 1500 bones better? Probably not but its silly to try and assign a monetary value to "tone" Will the fit and finish be that much better? Probably not they are made to be "more" historically accurate and that does include some looseness in how things are done. But are they different? Yes they are most historics are much lighter in weight even being non weight relieved than standard models. There are details in the construction "long tenon vs short tenon" The difficulty arises that the qualities that set them apart are not so easily quantified, not in words and not in numbers. This is what brings the internet trolls out of the woodwork. They will want you to quantify and qualify better.

But at the end of the day thats not what its about. But there is only one way to really get to know the difference. That is to play at least 1 historic and 1 standard side by side... Then sit and decide for yourself is that extra cost worth it. Sorry but this the only way it can really be done.

I will say this though. I know many guys who own epis and studios who dream and drool over historics and wish they had one. I dont know of any guys who bought historics that feel they were somehow cheated and sold the historic to buy a lesser model. I'm sure there are some out there just saying the what general consensus I see is... Im sure someone teflon coated will be along to tell me im wrong that people regret it all the time but its just not what ive seen....

thats my 2 coppers anyways
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

d1dsj said:
Hey mate, sounds like it's going to be an exciting purchase. From all the LPs I've owned and tried I have no doubt that the historics/ reissues are better guitars. I've never played a bad one but obviously some have suited me more than others. As for your choices, I'd love a Lemonburst! as far as standard run models go then the traditionals are pretty darn good.

Right, off to see Black Star Riders now...........
Click to expand...

Cheers Don!

I've only ever played a slightly older Traditional once or twice and it was very badly setup, so I never tried it at it's best so never formed an opinion of it.

BSR eh, I like them too!

Edgecrusher said:
Depends on how you define worth... Will they sound 1500 bones better? Probably not but its silly to try and assign a monetary value to "tone" Will the fit and finish be that much better? Probably not they are made to be "more" historically accurate and that does include some looseness in how things are done. But are they different? Yes they are most historics are much lighter in weight even being non weight relieved than standard models. There are details in the construction "long tenon vs short tenon" The difficulty arises that the qualities that set them apart are not so easily quantified, not in words and not in numbers. This is what brings the internet trolls out of the woodwork. They will want you to quantify and qualify better.

But at the end of the day thats not what its about. But there is only one way to really get to know the difference. That is to play at least 1 historic and 1 standard side by side... Then sit and decide for yourself is that extra cost worth it. Sorry but this the only way it can really be done.

I will say this though. I know many guys who own epis and studios who dream and drool over historics and wish they had one. I dont know of any guys who bought historics that feel they were somehow cheated and sold the historic to buy a lesser model. I'm sure there are some out there just saying the what general consensus I see is... Im sure someone teflon coated will be along to tell me im wrong that people regret it all the time but its just not what ive seen....

thats my 2 coppers anyways
Click to expand...

Thanks for your post.

A friend of mine has recently paid over £3k for a Custom shop LP Custom and tbh I don't think it plays or sounds any better than my current LP Standard that cost me £820 + a set of good PAF type pickups. Now maybe this is due to the fact that I've been playing my own LP for over 10 years so am just used to it, or that his is a bit of a dud or just not set up very well etc, who knows. I guess it's that less than great experience that's making me question my current situation. Although if that is the case then I guess it's 1 way to save over a grand :D

I do know a guy that had an R7 and whilst it was nice, he sold it and went back to using his normal standards. So guess they're not for everyone.

Guess I just need to try and track some down that are within several hours/hundreds of miles near each other and see how I get on.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

Standards are actually a modern take on Gibson LP's......switching options, compound radius board, asymmetric neck profile. The Trad is more the 'vintage' LP made on the factory floor.

The Custom is just a blinged up standard (well trad really). Same woods but for the (now) richlite board. Pre 2012 gives you ebony. They are Custom Shop made, but they use the same basic wood grading as the factory stuff.

The reissues have the select wood, both for mahogany and maple (selected by weight for the body blanks, flame for the top). Gibson practices certainly seem to be much more about the $$ than the guitar of late, but I'm sure the custom shop and this line would have as much of the TLC as Henry will allow them to do.
Whether or not your are a wood-tone believer or not, it is certain that no two guitars sound precisely the same. As mentioned, it is best to try guitars out. I've found through my own experience that there is no relationship between weight and tone.....you can get killer guitars at all weights (but they are not all the same tone though). The Reissue line perhaps gives you a much greater chance of getting close to that classic burst tone, as these guitars have pretty consistent mass bodies which are similar to what was about in the 50's. Whether or not that is what you are after only you will know - The much maligned 70's period is actually a better target for a LP if you are after a Hard Rock/metal type tone for example.

As to your friend's guitar - if he had your nice pickups in (Gibson is still struggling to make a decent pickup) who knows what you would be saying now.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

Until very recently historics were the only way to get actually solid ones.

Still the only ones with an ABR, IIRC.

I think slightly beaten up and hence cheaply priced historics are the way to go.

Add layered fretboard, PCB and all the other sinning around.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

FYI 2012 Historics had 2 piece laminated fretboards because of the wood raid they dealt with back then. Some people don't care and some do because its not historically accurate. I have also heard that a laminated fretboard could be an issue if you ever had to do a refret as the fret slots are close to going through first layer of fretboard. You would probably have a hard time reselling if you ever had to because many people are turned off by the laminated fretboards as well. For me Id pass on all 2012s.
 
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Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

GuitarGuy503 said:
FYI 2012 Historics had 2 piece laminated fretboards because of the wood raid they dealt with back then.
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Bull****. Nobody else had any problems getting 1-piece fretboard wood around the same time.

They were simply holding the customer hostage.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

^ Yes actually - Gibson had to deal with a lot of supply issues then as their normal avenues were suspended due to the Feds raid. Given how much Henry J wants to cut costs, do you really think he would have wanted to add another costly step to the production line??

Please don't bore us all with your conspiracy theories.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

AlexR said:
^ Yes actually - Gibson had to deal with a lot of supply issues then as their normal avenues were suspended due to the Feds raid. Given how much Henry J wants to cut costs, do you really think he would have wanted to add another costly step to the production line??

Please don't bore us all with your conspiracy theories.
Click to expand...

No other guitar making company had even the slightest of problems getting full-thinkness rosewood during that period.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

My two Les Pauls are both USA production line models. A 2005 Standard and a 2001 Classic. I prefer them over the Historics. I've never liked the tone or the neck size on the Historic models. Play some before you decide which model you are interested in.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

Thanks for all the posts guys, sorry it's taken me so long to come back to the thread, I've been mad busy at work and haven't been near a PC outside of work in a while.

I've found a private dealer that has a huge selection of Standards, Customs and a Historic (an R7 if I recall) so I'm taking my SLO/Splawn across tomorrow and going through them to see if he has any I want. It'll also be a good chance to compare the posher stuff to the production line stuff side by side and see if the extra cost is worth it to me.

Thanks for all the info and advice, it's been a big help.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

Brow said:
Thanks for all the posts guys, sorry it's taken me so long to come back to the thread, I've been mad busy at work and haven't been near a PC outside of work in a while.

I've found a private dealer that has a huge selection of Standards, Customs and a Historic (an R7 if I recall) so I'm taking my SLO/Splawn across tomorrow and going through them to see if he has any I want. It'll also be a good chance to compare the posher stuff to the production line stuff side by side and see if the extra cost is worth it to me.

Thanks for all the info and advice, it's been a big help.
Click to expand...

Take a little video camera and record yourself going through the guitars. Trust me, you'll miss it in the future of you don't do it. There is so much information flooding you in such a short time.

Good luck! Happy Les Pauling.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

if you want an authentic as they get LP, get the re-issue. it has all of the original design specs. even the customs, i believe, have weight relief. the re-issues don't.

i have a R7 goldtop...****ing *****ing guitar.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

Gibson LPs are like people. Each one is unique. Some people... errrr. I mean LPs are awesome, some are great, some are good, some are meh, and some are dead inside. Ya gotta play them and find the one that speaks to you.

I've got a 2001 Standard and a '91 Studio that spoke to me and that I really dig. But I had to go through a few to get here.

Regarding VOS, Reissues, etc... you mostly do get what you pay for with those. I've played a BUNCH of R8s, R9s, R0s, etc lately and most have been killer. Just played an awesome VOS with Fralin pups in it and OMG... it was positively alive (like an awesome tube amp). It was so pure, but warm sounding. Sounded/played like what I imagine a holy grail '59 Burst in Joe Bonamassa's stable would be like. Just fantastic. I also played a $6500 anniversary model the week before loaded with Bonamassas that was nearly as awesome. These guitars were just fantastic and if I had the dough... I would have had one. Even if I had to trade-in my beloved Standard. I hate to say it, but getting these reissues does generally guarantee a more "lively" guitar.

Btw... I wouldn't waste my money on the fancy "Elegant" models with binding and abalone everywhere. Sure... I like a beautiful LP. But the TONE is EVERYTHING in any guitar, especially an LP. My '91 Studio is a total beater. She's black and all ding'd up. I call her "Ugly Betty". But wow... she's got a mean, nasty tone and attitude. I keep her tuned to Eb and usually use her to play stuff like AIC and whatnot. She's nasty and I'm glad I found her last summer. Best part of that is... she only cost me $450!!!

For a fancy, big-tone classic rock machine I'll continue to make do with my lowly sweetA$$ '01 Std. Gonna rip-out the '57 Classics in her and try some Pearly Gates' pups in there. If those don't light my fire, I'm going to try some Bonamassas or Lindy Fralins. Or maybe some Seth Lovers or other pristine PAF type pup.

20140504_232226_resized_zpsc211aa95.jpg
 
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Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

Thanks for the updates guys.

Well, after a few hours of trying about 12 or 13 Les Paul Standards, Customs, a 70s Deluxe, an R7 and an R8 I came away with the R8 :D

The final 3 were an 02 Flametop Standard (discounted due to the thinner neck), a 92' Wine Red Standard and the Plaintop sunburst R8. All 3 were lovely playing and sounding guitars but the R8 just sounded that little bit sweeter and felt that little bit more resonant in my hands so I went for that.

Excuse the shoddy pics, they're taken on my phone and I'm rubbish at photos anyway:







Also, if anyone knows what finish this is then I'd appreciate knowing. I've been told 6 or 7 possible finishes by various people :D
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

I'd hit that.

In fact quite literally, I think that one was for sale some years ago and I almost sniped it.
 
Re: Gibson Les Pauls: Reissues Vs Standards/Customs. Opinions please!

Very nice! I'm working on a possible deal to trade my Standard (pictured above) towards a sweet R0 loaded with Bonamassa pups. I really dig my Std. It's heavy and got a fat neck (neither of which I dig). But it's got TONE. So does the R0. But the Reissue also has that lively, vibrant, aged feel and mojo to it.
 
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