Les Paul specs

Brown Note

Brown Note

New member
I'm going to buy a new guitar soon and it just might be a les paul. I do have a problem with Paul's specs as they seem to change yearly and it's getting harder and harder to keep up with them.

The perfect les paul would have

bound neck and body,
non weight relieved body
Humbucker pickups
plain maple top
Colors would be either heritage cherry, goldtop or tobacco sunburst.


My price cap is at around $2000, depending on how good a deal I'm getting. So, what model Les Paul should I be looking for? I don't mind the guitar being used.
 
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Re: Les Paul specs

Well, most of the specs that you have posted narrow things down to either a Standard or a Deluxe. (You have not specified what pickups you require. This, in itself, is now a defining factor between models.)

Also, do you mean brand new or just new to you? IMO, you will get a better deal by buying pre-owned. I recently purchased a 2006 LP Std P90 limited edition Goldtop for approximately sixty per cent of your budget.

Alternatively, there are other makes of LP-style guitar of equal, if not higher, quality. My personal preference is the pre-lawsuit PRS Singlecut. IMO, a pre-owned Yamaha SG2000 or 3000 with American pickups would also answer the brief.
 
Re: Les Paul specs

Pickups are easy to change to my preference so that does not matter as long as they are humbuckers. I'm not too strict about the guitar being preowned or new, as long as it is in good shape.

How is the classic 60's les paul from a couple years back?
 
Re: Les Paul specs

an edwards?
maybe an 80s japanese replica, or an orville if you can find one
 
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Re: Les Paul specs

Used R8 or R7(Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul 1958 or 1957 Reissue) or used G0(Guitar Center-exclusive Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Plain top 1960 Reissue). it depends on whether you like a fat neck(R8/R7) or thin neck(G0).
 
Re: Les Paul specs

Edwards ELP-92
img2_63813.jpg

http://www.kurosawagakki.com/items/detail/63813.html

Tokai LS160.
img1_61932.jpg

http://www.kurosawagakki.com/items/detail/61932.html
or
LS92
img2_86898.jpg

http://www.kurosawagakki.com/tags/search/1/0/168-3258_4.html
 
Re: Les Paul specs

I'd look for an used late '70/early '80 made in Japan guitar.

Orville and Orville by Gibson are the ones that come to mind first, as they're the best I've seen from that era. The quality of the craftmaship and tonewoods was second to none in that period.

Other excellent guitars from that period are the ones built at the Terada factory, going with brands like the Terada, El Torres and Emperador.

I do own this Emperador guitar from that era and after I've changed the guts and put new hardware it'll give any ES-335, vintage or CS a round for its money and then some.

Empeador003.jpg


Anyway, excellent LP copies are the Tokai, Edwards and Burny.

HTH,
 
Re: Les Paul specs

+1 for the high end Tokais. I used to have one. Please stop showing photographs of them or I'll end up buying another one.
 
Re: Les Paul specs

I don't know if they even make any that are non weight relieved. You might want to drop that from your list.
 
Re: Les Paul specs

Brown Note said:
I'm probably a bit biased, but I want my guitar to an USA made gibson.
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Christopher Caruana said:
go for either a used Gibson LP Traditional or R8 reissue
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JOLLY said:
I don't know if they even make any that are non weight relieved. You might want to drop that from your list.
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Yeah, non-weight relieved is usually custom shop stuff, and might fall out of your price range.

In your scope though, you will find the Traditional Les Pauls. They are weight relieved, but not chambered like the Standards. Mine weighs about 12 pounds, so it feel very heavy, very classic. They have a bound body and neck, and have nice humbuckers (57 classic, and 57 classic plus, the best Gibson set, IMO). They do tend to have flame in the top, but you can get one in Goldtop if you want.

They are around 2000$ new, and tend to be good guitars. I have played a BUNCH before buying mine, and I much prefer it to the new standards.

So yeah, if you go find a traditional, you'll find that they might be exactly what you are looking for. It's very much the traditional Les Paul feel, sound, and look. Good luck with your search!
 
Re: Les Paul specs

R8s fit and are about $2300 up right now.

1980s MIJ Les Paul. If it has a plain top and a ABR-1 it's pretty much guaranteed to be good. A little dicey on the pricing side.
 
Re: Les Paul specs

bryvincent said:
Used R8 or R7(Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul 1958 or 1957 Reissue) or used G0(Guitar Center-exclusive Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Plain top 1960 Reissue). it depends on whether you like a fat neck(R8/R7) or thin neck(G0).
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yup
 
Re: Les Paul specs

R8 or an R7 would fit if you can find one in your price range. If you can't, then personally I'd wait and save the extra for one as they are great guitars.
 
Re: Les Paul specs

There are actually some R8s on sale, but gibson does not make the heritage cherry color; only this washed up cherryish color that I really can't get over no matter how I try :(

They do have a gold top, but before I go and get one I'd like to know if they made R8, or something with similar specs, with regular heritage cherry color?
 
Re: Les Paul specs

I'm fairly certain the VOS and other custom shop LP's are not weight relieved or chambered. I have seen some Goldtop VOS R7's for right around $2k on eBay, along with some plaintop R8's. Not a ton, but they are out there.

I have not seen any flame top VOS, ect for 2K though.
 
Re: Les Paul specs

Jeff_H said:
I'm fairly certain the VOS and other custom shop LP's are not weight relieved or chambered. I have seen some Goldtop VOS R7's for right around $2k on eBay, along with some plaintop R8's. Not a ton, but they are out there.

I have not seen any flame top VOS, ect for 2K though.
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I might be one of the only ppl that thinks this.....but I dont really tend to care too much if a LP is has a plain top or a flame top. My LP classic has no flame on it at all, but I actually like being able to see the wood grain. I think it looks pretty cool
 
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