les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

[Myaccount876]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

F*** the "this year/construction style/materials are automatically crap!" opinions. Don't be afraid of a Gibson that ventures out in some way from the "classic" era that everyone automatically thinks is the best. If it plays good, sounds good, and looks good, it is good. A good guitar isn't magically crap all of a sudden because of the year it was made.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

You should only be looking at age. The older, the better. Period.

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[AlexR]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

Man, there are a whole lot of 'opinions' being presented as 'fact' in this thread.

Fact - Les Pauls made after 1960 don't share the same construction as the golden age.....any of them. The Norlin period actually gets a lot of flack for changes that happened before the Norlin corporation took over. Nevertheless, its certain that the construction, woods available and pickups contribute to a different tone from 50's LP's.

Weight relief started in 83....with the 9 holes method.

Up to 75, LP's were still made with mahogany necks (3-piece), mahogany bodies (pancaked with maple) and had an essentially long tenon neck like the originals.

During/after 75 it changed to maple necks and short tenon neck-joint. Late 70's guitars sound more bitey, which is great for hard rock.

All guitars have variable tones. To say 'guitars from x period are crap' smacks of someone with single-digit IQ. Regardless of age, you need, if possible, to play the guitar. I've got 3 Norlin guitars, and 4 from after the Norlin period ended. All of my Norlins are keepers, 3 of the 4 the Henry J ones have been dogs.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

I prefer Standards over Customs, and I couldn't recommend the Historic models more highly. The Historic Reissues are fantastic. However,...

If I were going to seek out a Custom, I would probably look for one from about 1999 to 2011. If I could, I would try to find one of the ones with flamed maple tops, called Premium Plus. Tony Bacon has a pic of one in his "50 Years of the Gibson Les Paul" book, and it is jaw dropping. This era of guitars was a good one for Gibson, and if the Richlite board is an issue, these feature ebony. I think the Richlite usage started in 2012 with the Feds' raid.

Guitar Center had a run of these in the Tri-Burst finish, with the 1960 Slim Taper necks. These featured the Classic '57 pickups rather than the 490R/498T pickups, and looked and played beautifully. I wanted to buy one, but could not find one under 10 lbs., and that was a factor for me. (Customs seem inherently heavier than Standards.) I'm a sucker for a flame top.

While I agree that good guitars are where you find them, I am not a fan of the Norlin era LPs--except for the Specials and Juniors of this era, which seem to have fewer negatives about them than the Customs and Standards of that era. My 1975 '55 Special Reissue was a fine guitar. But I think Gibson has produced some of their best guitars in this millennium.

Best to play a lot of guitars, and keep your eyes and ears open for the best deal. And as always, keep an open mind and don't get too wrapped up in specs--go for the tone.

Good luck!

Bill

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

I agree with ItsaBass. Gibson started getting back to normal around 87/88, meaning the specs were more similar to 50's and modern era. They were starting to do reissues, and their Standard and Custom line were similar with updated hardare. They also ditched all the weird 70's tuners and got back to Kluson and Grover.

I usually only look at 88 - current, for my taste in Gibsons.

 

[Aceman]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

You should only be looking at age. The older, the better. Period.

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That was supposed to be funny, right?

 

[Aceman]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

Man, there are a whole lot of 'opinions' being presented as 'fact' in this thread.

Just like this post.

Fact - Les Pauls made after 1960 don't share the same construction as the golden age.....any of them. The Norlin period actually gets a lot of flack for changes that happened before the Norlin corporation took over. Nevertheless, its certain that the construction, woods available and pickups contribute to a different tone from 50's LP's.

This, however - is holy high truth! Which is why I crap upon anyone's opinion that year matters in any notable way. The bottom line on Gibson is that other than some general trends - there really is no consistency!!!!!! In the 50's you could have got all kinds of pickups. A3, A4, A5, A2...whatever they had. Underwound, Overwound, all sorts of stuff. They have always changed their stuff. Their are 70's bodies that are NOT pancake. They did all sorts of odd short run weirdness and they didn't always track it. And as always, the Maple, mahogany, rosewood each varies. There is a certain mojo, but it can all vary wildly from guitar to guitar even with consecutive serial numbers!!!!!

Up to 75, LP's were still made with mahogany necks (3-piece), mahogany bodies (pancaked with maple) and had an essentially long tenon neck like the originals.

Interesting. I have a 1973 with a Maple neck...hmmm. Facts presented as truth. Yes....

Late 70's guitars sound more bitey, which is great for hard rock.

Which is why I like the maple neck. But again, you could easily find a dead slab of 12lb LP that is dark like Sabbath's first album, just as you could find a pretty bright Studio....Play them all.

All guitars have variable tones. To say 'guitars from x period are crap' smacks of someone with single-digit IQ. Regardless of age, you need, if possible, to play the guitar. I've got 3 Norlin guitars, and 4 from after the Norlin period ended. All of my Norlins are keepers, 3 of the 4 the Henry J ones have been dogs.

Back to truth. You have to play it.

 

[esandes]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

ok i'll try a bunch out. my wishlist is impossible:
-no weight relief
-compound radius neck of modern LPs
-ebony or rosewood fretboard

regarding the question of trad vs custom...i don't know much about les pauls. i just figured the custom is a higher quality version of the trad or standard. is that right?

 

[uOpt]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

regarding the question of trad vs custom...i don't know much about les pauls. i just figured the custom is a higher quality version of the trad or standard. is that right?

No.

 

[kilphody]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

The "baked maple" is actually really good. Don't Gibson bash until you play a few. My LP Studio needed a lot of work out of the box but this is what I do.
Callaham. Seths. Level and recrown that Plek nonsense. There are times now when I can't put it down for hours and it sounds great..
PC

 

[alteredbeast]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

i would like an old ass dark sunburst custom from the 70's. checking and all, tank you.

 

[uOpt]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

i would like an old ass dark sunburst custom from the 70's. checking and all, tank you.

Oh yeah they really stink.

 

[Drunken Bowling]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

I've only played one Les Paul from the 70's. It was nothing to write home about.

 

[AlexR]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

Just like this post.




Interesting. I have a 1973 with a Maple neck...hmmm. Facts presented as truth. Yes....

I think we'll need pics of this 73 with maple neck....you've probably got the only one produced this way. Irregularity (and custom orders) is the norm with the Norlin period -they didn't 'produce' standards in the early 70's either, but there were a few custom orders that went through.

Despite one (unsubstantiated) irregularity its still fair to say that the pre 75 neck was mahogany is still a fact (with a 99.98% probability).



And I guess you got out of bed on the wrong side this morning.

 

[JeffB]

Re: les pauls from the 70s and 80s, how do they compared to modern designs?

I have handled a few production/custom order standards from the 70s. Every one I have seen had the gibson stamped covers, but that is probably just a coinicidence. There was a dealer up in New Haven several years back who had a couple for sale at ridiculous prices. Wish I could recall which neck they had.

The dude in my Avatar had a couple factory made standards (not routed deluxes) BITD too. A tobacco and that clownburst in the pic.