Les Paul owners: advice...?

N

nakroth310

New member
So I am contemplating a LP of some kind as my next guitar purchase.

I play SGs primarily and the LP has always seemed a bit awkward for me, ergonomically. They are so heavy, also....

I don't want a new one, don't want vintage, I want a player. I plan to mod it anyway, likely with Whole Lotta Humbuckers and an out-of-phase push pull. Probably want a burst of some kind, on the cosmetic front.

What's a good era... hoping for lower weight, but classic LP tone. Budget is probably around 2K, when the time comes.

Am I high to think I can find a good LP in that price range?
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

I have a 2006 LP Standard Faded and it's a great guitar. It has the 59-shaped neck.

I've modded it - Callaham bridge, SD59s in Triple Shots, middle position Out-of-phase - but that was a case of tuning it to my ears. It's not so heavy and, from what I can tell, its weight-relieved (though still heavy compared to some of my other guitars).

I would recommend this LP to anyone looking at one, provided they could play it before buying.

And no, I'm not selling! [emoji1]


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Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

Mid 2000s Standard had some weight relief and should be a good platform to mod. My personal preference would be the mid 2000s Traditional with no weight relief, however.
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

If your budget is 2k, you can get about anything you want on the used market. Traditionals are some of my favorites. More recently, Gibson has been using the prewired circuitboards instead of separate hand-wired pots, so you basically have to gut the thing to use anyone else's pickups. I don't know when that started. I think the whole baked maple and or layered fretboards began around 2011 for a couple of years.
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

1.Play before you buy
2.Most LPs since the mid 80s have some sort of weight relief
3. If the standard weight relief isn't enough, some models starting in the mid 00s were "chambered" almost fully hollow, my 08 Studio is like this.
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

You might consider the really thin model they produced for a while (Les Paul Ultra? or Ultra Lite? Something like that.)

It is a Les Paul but with a much thinner than usual mahogany body. It literally sits right between the SG and the Les Paul in terms of weight, thickness, and sound. I just looked at one at a guitar show a couple months ago and really liked it. (I'm an SG lover and NOT a Les Paul lover.) If I were going to buy a Les Paul that is the one I would want. Same shape, same carved top, same looks, but something an SG player can adapt to pretty easily.

I believe they may even be producing something like it again but I haven't followed new Gibson models since the 1900s.
The problem with the chambered Les Pauls is they are still as thick as every other Les Paul, just slightly less heavy. If you're used to throwing around an SG it's like suddenly trying to walk in platform shoes instead of Chucks.
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

I've owned a dozen or so Les Pauls over the years and have played hundreds of them. My preference is to always play them before you buy one, that's the best way to evaluate what you've got. I'll start at the top end; if you get lucky and do a ton of searching, you may be able to score a historic reissue series guitar. I have an R7 (57 reissue) that I got for $2500 or so, and it's a burst, unlike the vast majority of R7s. The earlier reissues have bigger necks and the R6 has p90s instead of humbuckers. The R8, R9 and R0 (1960) usually come in bursts but will probably bust your budget, unless you find one that has been played a lot. I've only played a handful of those guitars that weren't great. Some people will complain about tiny spots of lacquer bleeding into the binding or other really minute cosmetics, but they are made from the best components that Gibson has. That generally means lighter mahogany without resorting to weight relief.

As you go down the line in terms of price, the likelihood of getting a stellar guitar decreases. You can still find a fantastic studio, but there are going to be some duds in there as well. That's where playing them becomes more and more important. In terms of value, classics and traditional pros are really in the sweet spot. You can get them $1200-$1500 all day and are consistently good guitars with some great ones mixed in along with the rare duds. Both of those models were available with bursts having varying amounts of flame. I have a trad pro plain top honey burst that is fantastic. You will likely be in the 9.5 pound range with these, as most will have "traditional" weight relief.

Trust your own hands and ears, play them if you can.
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

^ I do have a Traditional Pro II, its a fantastic guitar and with the traditional 80s/90s weight relief is still only like 1.5lbs heavier than my chambered Studio
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

I just picked up a Custom Lite. It is 100% Les Paul but around as thick as an SG. It has a big 59 neck so there is a little dive, nothing terrible. I love this thing it is the best of both worlds. I play an SG and a Traditional typically in my current gig.

20170421_092815.jpg


20170421_120031.jpg
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

Mr. B said:
If your budget is 2k, you can get about anything you want on the used market. Traditionals are some of my favorites. More recently, Gibson has been using the prewired circuitboards instead of separate hand-wired pots, so you basically have to gut the thing to use anyone else's pickups. I don't know when that started. I think the whole baked maple and or layered fretboards began around 2011 for a couple of years.
Click to expand...

You don't have to gut them- go on eBay and you can find adapters to connect any pickup to Gibsons quick connect circuit boards
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

Securb said:
I just picked up a Custom Lite. It is 100% Les Paul but around as thick as an SG. It has a big 59 neck so there is a little dive, nothing terrible. I love this thing it is the best of both worlds. I play an SG and a Traditional typically in my current gig.

20170421_092815.jpg


20170421_120031.jpg
Click to expand...

Thats it! Way less than 2k, too. Is that the new version? I think the 1980s or '90s version had a different name but it's the same basic idea.
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

Dave Locher said:
Thats it! Way less than 2k, too. Is that the new version? I think the 1980s or '90s version had a different name but it's the same basic idea.
Click to expand...

local shop has one called the Less Paul Lite
it has a tummy cut like an
ESP or LTD
thin body
slim neck
about $1400

light nice

my custom Studio has a Swamp ash body and Maple neck
weighs in around 7 pounds
it has weight relief as well
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

Dave Locher said:
Thats it! Way less than 2k, too. Is that the new version? I think the 1980s or '90s version had a different name but it's the same basic idea.
Click to expand...

Studio light, the other guitar player in my first band had one.
 
Les Paul owners: advice...?

chadd said:
If you get lucky and do a ton of searching, you may be able to score a historic reissue series guitar.
Click to expand...

+1 if you do search far and wide, you may find a historic for a good price. If you're lucky, you'll steal one. The cheapest one I saw sold for $1875 since it had been modified with dimarzios and a middle pickup. I was waiting to be paid and couldn't pick it up. They generally will be lighter too. Mine comes in at 8.8 lbs

2014 Gibson R8 Made to Measure:
f0cb598237f9f45b4075b9439bbbf765.jpg


However, if you can't find a historic for your budget. There's still plenty of options. If you live near or in a big city, I would definitely look on Craigslist for the best deals. For 2K and below, my vote goes for a mid 2000s traditional as well. Those guitars always gave me GAS. You can look into classics as well. I'd still pickup a mid 2000s Gibson Standard in Root Beer. I love the finish on all those guitars. Securb's LP looks great too. They have a few different finishes for them.


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Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

If you want light, the 2008-2012 era Standards and Studios are chambered and really light (I have one of each). I have Whole lotta hum buckers in my studio, which I got used for $400. Got the WLH's on sale, and now I have about $600 in the guitar. (BTW, I love the WLH set. Very traditional sounding with some extra Oomph!)

I have Seths in the Standard, but you can get those used for around $1400. I imagine it would sound more or less the same as the Studio with the WLH's.

Lots of options in your budget.
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

Dave Locher said:
Thats it! Way less than 2k, too. Is that the new version? I think the 1980s or '90s version had a different name but it's the same basic idea.
Click to expand...

Yes this is the new version and I am loving it. I am a big fan of the 498T/490combo. I think they scream hard rock. The '90s version had three knobs and a coil split switch.
 
Re: Les Paul owners: advice...?

I'd be looking for a mid 90s Standard, but I've no idea if that's inside 2k these days, or not. I'm assuming it is by a fair margin, otherwise I need to redo my insurance! I'd be interested in a chambered one (as opposed to just modern weight relief), that I could put a set of Seths in :)
 
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