NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

Invader09

New member
This is a one of a kind (and a ****ing players guitar !:firing:)

Traded my SG Standard last week for this

2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)

It is actually very beautiful natural wood finish, and sounds like a fricking dream ! The action is stunningly low, and smoooth !

It was a demo model for gibson, to try out different pickup combo's fast, without loosening the strings. So the pickup cavities were cut out of the guitar, in place of mounts (that the pickups are mounted to) very cool actually. And there's also a hole in the horn (not sure what they were intending to do on that one. It also belonged to a guy named Chet Haun (a guitar tech of Godsmack, John 5, Slash, ect.) and the guy I got it from got it from Chet.

It has active EMG 81/85 set in it, and i'm totally loving the sound ! I Traded my SG for this, because the neck was like a tree stump, and I could never get a comfortable action on it. ( I was always grabbing my Les Paul Studio, over the SG, for gigging, and practicing even) This feels like a million bucks in my hand, and sounds like it too ! It has original Grover tuners too ! The condition isn't a huge issue, because it's the playability and sound that I'm after, although I really dig the natural !

Heres a few pictures !

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Comments ... : )
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

Badass!
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

I remember when those came out, thinking that the plainness was a nice thing after seeing burts, flames, quilts, gold parts etc. over the years. Plain maple top = :fing2: in my book.

The 'finish', I think, is just a mat sealer.
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

That is AWESOME. Those are very rare!

You need to make some replacement blocks so that you can swap pickups in and out easily on the fly!
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

I'd certainly like it more with some Duncans, but either way, it looks sweet!

Congrats!
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

I've always loved that natural matte finish! I've been gassin HARD for one! [drools]

She's HOT....CONGRATS & ENJOY!
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

I have to ask, do you feel there is any impact on the final sound because of the way the pups are attached? I imagine they are bolted directly to the platform that is then screwed to the back of the guitar.
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

Nice. I've been wanting to get like a cheaper version of these guitars. It would make p'up and magnet swaps so much easier!
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

Gibson brought one of those to the Dallas Guitar Show a few years back. They had problems getting the demo pickups to work, but I thought the guitar played great and felt great. I would have liked to take it home myself, so nice score!
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

Thanks guys ! Appreciate the kind words! : )


I have to ask, do you feel there is any impact on the final sound because of the way the pups are attached? I imagine they are bolted directly to the platform that is then screwed to the back of the guitar.


As far as I can tell, it dosen't sound like it has had any affect on the tone. It really sounds great, just as my other paul does.
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

What are the back plates that look like wood?
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

thats one sweet axe you got there son.
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

Me likey. Very "Mick Ronson". (Yes, I know his was a Custom.)
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

Hello Invader,

You've got a private message ;-)
Regards.
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

Actually, I know the evolution or "heritage" of that model.

Gibson made a few Les Pauls with those removable pickups and send them to dealers to use to test out different Gibson pickups. These guitars weren't meant to be sold to the public, and only used for testing.

Around 2000, Gibson came out with the Les Paul Studio Raw Power, which is just what you have there- a satin clear finished Les Paul Studio. A few years later they re-released it with EMG pickups.

About 2 years ago, Gibson released a limited edition of that guitar to the public. It came with a complete set of every pair of pickups Gibson makes- and each pickup was mounted to one of those mahogany blocks. From what I recall it was pretty expensive.

You probably got one of the original tester guitars that wasn't supposed to go to the public
 
Re: NGD: 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standard Raw Power (Demo model)!

Mines the Les Paul Standard Raw Power ; ) .... those new things are the studio models...

Denis, I will write you back
 
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