Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?
I have eleven Les Pauls. Every one of them feels different to me. And I don't want to bash any other brands, but when you find a good Gibson, it's a great guitar. There are lots of alternatives on the market from the likes of ESP, Tokai, Schecter, PRS, Heritage et.al., but they are not a Gibson. They often don't have the re-sale value of a Gibson, which can be okay if you are looking for a bargain--but to me they usually don't have that unique specialness. I have a couple of "alternative" LPs in my Ibanez GR-520 Ghostriders, and they're great--but they are not a Les Paul. I would say that my favorite LP alternative is the now discontinued Hamer Studio Custom. Paul and Joel had a real feel for the vintage Gibsons, and captured a lot of that specialness in their guitars. I'd love to have one, but it's not a Les Paul. I like Gibsons.
I have four of the Historic Reissues, and without a doubt, my fav is one of the Guitar Center 1960 Tobacco Burst VOS LP from 2009 with a G0 serial number and a Slim Taper neck. I actually have two of these, and one is just a smidge better than the other one. I also have a fat neck '58 Plaintop Reissue, and it is also a great guitar. My '59 is a rescue dog and has some issues, so it's not quite on a par with the others. It actually has a bigger neck than the '58 which is weird. But the GC LPs, they are about as perfect for me as an LP could get. The Historics have a vibe that you don't find in other LPs, and once tasted, it's totally addicting. The G0s can sometimes be found in the $2K range, but prices are going up.
I don't own the '57 Gold top version, or one of the P-90 '54 or '56 models. While these typically have the biggest necks of the bunch, I have to admit that I have a really soft spot for a Goldie. I love flame, but there's a real no-nonsense aesthetic to a Gold Top. And finding a Gold Top Historic for around $2K is not unheard of; or perhaps even a Plain-top '58 burst. too. Have cash in hand, and be prepared to act fast at those prices.
My next two favorites are my 1960 LP Classics, I think one is from 1995 and the other is from 1996. One in Honey Burst and the other is HCSB, and both have stunning Premium Plus tops. If you like a thinner neck (the 1960's Slim-Taper, like on the SG 61' Reissue), the 1960 Classics are good platforms for upgrading. Mine got Seths on the HCSB and Ants on the HB, RS Kits, and both got LW Aluminum stop tails. They have about 90% of the vibe of the Historics, but the Historics just have a better, more vintage overall feel. After about 1998, the Classic gets some changes which I don't care for, but the early to mid-90's guitars are pretty good. I would go for as much flame as you can afford, and look for models with the ABR-1 bridge. Some of the plaintops have really ugly, bright red "clown burst" finishes--a big, "HELL NO!!!". But an early to mid-90's plaintop 1960 Classic in good shape with nice color is probably one of the better buys in an LP--if you like the neck.
An Elegant like my 2002 would probably be out of your price range these days, though I bought mine for less than $2K from a seller who needed cash, and needed it right NOW!!! I was very fortunate to get it. Mine has a slightly fuller "Slim-Taper" version of the 1960 Classics' necks. It has abalone trapezoid inlays on an ebony fingerboard with a compound radius, and the most stunning Peacock Blue finish on a quilted maple top. Factory pickups are '57 Classics; and Grover tuners. These are chambered, unlike the 1960 Classics, but it weighs the same at 9.1 lbs., and sounds about the same too. (All but two of my Pauls weigh in within a couple of ounces of 9.0 lbs.) Used prices on these have really jumped over the last couple of years. The Catalina LP was issued at the same time as the Elegant, and has many of the same features as the Elegant, with solid color tops that have a definite SoCal flavor. Had a chance to buy one of these, and really regret not getting it. They are RARE.
Back around 2006, Gibson started a line of LPs call "Classic Antiques". Different from the 1960 Classics, they have a chambered rather than weight-relieved body. My two are very light--one is under eight lbs., the other just over, yet they are very resonant and have a lot of sustain. Still have the slim necks; pickups are open-top '57 Classic/'57 Classic Plus sets. My two are from the 2007 run of the Guitar Of The Week series Gibson did, but they did others in traditional finishes. The GOTW versions I have, the Fireburst model and the Tom Morgan Artist, were special editions. (With its trippy anti-sunburst graphic, the Morgan always gathers a lot of attention--guys think it's ugly, and the women just think it beautiful.) To be honest, because they are SO light, they kind feel cheap next to a solid body LP--and well, they were cheaper. But they still rock. A little more prone to feedback than a solid body, but the sustain and resonance are there and they're a lot easier on the back. I like them--I'd buy another one if I found it for the right price, but they discontinued the series, which is a shame.
My last two are from around 2005, and they are the Supreme model--one in Root Beer, the other in HCSB. They are basically a fancy LP Custom with a chambered body. The kicker is, they have 5A tops--Gibson's highest grade, BUT--they also have a 5A maple cap on the back. So there is a ton of just gorgeous flame on these guitars, back and front, which makes them a little thicker than the usual LP, and top of the line appointments. No control panel on the back, so re-wiring pickups, etc. is NOT for the faint of heart. The 490R/498T pickups are NOT my favorite--the guitars sounds so much better and are more versatile with Duncan Seth Lovers. The neck profile is unique, neither a Historic 50's or a Slim Taper neck so this one always takes a minute or two for me to adapt, but they play great. With the Seth Lovers and the addition of a LW Gotoh stop tail, they have a nice airy tone, yet not quite as woody as my ES-335s. Still, it's a guitar that you could do metal on one night and show up in a tux for you jazz gig the next night and be totally confident in your tones. And while I love these guitars, I can honestly say that if I HAD to start liquidating my collection, the Supremes would probably be the first on the auction block.
I bought my two Supremes VERY cheap, because they were damaged in shipping and had broken headstocks. Buying a Gibson with a broken headstock can sometimes get you a great guitar for pennies on the dollar. The key here is that you DON'T want a guitar that has a break through the faceplate or is missing any bits of wood. That's a no-no. It gets really expensive to repair this kind of break because of the cosmetic issues. If the break is clean and does not damage the faceplate, they can often be made nearly invisible by a good luthier. So my advice is to not automatically reject a Gibson with a broken headstock. I also have a 335 with a break, and it may be the best sounding, best playing 335 I own.
And you may find that a 335 might fit your needs better than a Paul. I actually love both, but I've been using a 335 for the last few gigs with my band, and been very comfortable with it. Of course, if you're doing metal or using a ton of gain, the semi-hollow will have feedback issues. The versatility of the 335 is renown, and you can show up at almost any gig doing jazz, classic rock, blues or hard rock and fit right in. Something to consider, though I don't want to talk you out of a Paul.
Since I bought my Historics, I haven't really looked at new Traditionals or Standards. I liked the mid-'90s Standards, but then they started changing them with the weird jacks, asymmetrical necks, etc., and I lost interest. I do prefer full gloss or VOS finishes, but....there was a series of Pauls Gibson did that were called "Standard Faded", and these have matte finishes, and they were beautiful. Some elbow grease and some Virtuoso Cleaner and Polish can give them a very nice aged patina, and most of them have tops that have just the right amount of "vintage" figure, without being too garish. There are just so many versions of the Paul, it can be hard to keep track of them all.
So I would say that your best bet is to start learning everything you can about Les Pauls. You may want to start hanging out at
www.mylespaul.com or at the
www.lespaulforum.com. There are many books on the history of the Les Paul, and they can give you a better understanding of the intricacies of each model. Your going to have some decisions to make--probably the first being whether you prefer the 1960's Slim Taper neck or the fatter necks of the 1950's models. Then, figured or plaintop; burst or solid color; Custom vs. Standard? The choices in Les Pauls are nearly endless, but there are some basic decisions to be made. And the bottom line, you're going to have to play a lot of guitars to distill and discern what you like. Sit back and enjoy the journey, it will be fun...and at times, frustrating as hell...but you will also learn a great deal about yourself. And hopefully, at the end you'll have the tools and the experience to make the right choice.
LOL---and then the G.A.S. will set in, and you'll start all over again! God forbid you end up like me with eleven LPs and still wanting just one (or ten) more!!! LOL, it does get crazy.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Good luck!
Bill
