Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

[allstarrme]

I picked this up a few weeks ago at GC. I saw it one day and was offered no interest financing on it, thought about it and came back 3 days later, now it’s mine.

It’s a 2017 with 4 push pull pots for coil taps, phase reverse and blow switch. It weighs a good bit, I think we checked it at 8.5lbs. Has Grover locking tuners too.

I’m not in love with the pickups, they are BB pros and very low output. I’m still torn between putting fishman fluence classics or a set of nickel covered black winters.

 

[allstarrme]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Now the question is to pick guard or not?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

I like the transparent pickguard look, I'd go with that over not having one.

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Beautiful LP. Me likely. Not fond of being able to see the pickgard bracket.
My vote is for no.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Awesome axe! [emoji1303][emoji41]

I personally like the look pickguards on LPs. That being said, since you can’t actually see the transparent guard, I’d switch to cream.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Beauty! I like LPs with pickguards, but mine don't have that flame. Also, without the poker chip, the pickguard won't match much, so I'd leave it off on that guitar.

Big difference between Fluence Classic and Black Winter and BB Pros. I have the Winters and the BB Pros and have tried them in one of my LPs. Without knowing the music or amp you have, couldn't comment on a direction there.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

+1 for no guard.

I hate to break it to you, but 8.5lbs is on the lighter end of things for Les Pauls. I managed to get my '01 LP Standard Plus down to roughly 8.5 with a lightweight tailpiece and a few other hardware swaps. The '77 LP Custom I sold was 10.5.

I'm not super familiar with Black Winters, but I'd be worried about them being muddy in an LP depending on the amp. I found a Custom to be too think sounding in my LP, so I swapped it for a 59 which was a bit thin and bright. I have a 59/C Hybrid I'm about to install, hopefully that'll be just right.

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

I think that LP. would look best without a guard as I think most do. Unfortunately in my particular case L.P. pickguards are pretty much a must have unless I want to wear a hole through the finish in 6-8 months after taking possession of the guitar. I have a pretty aggressive down stroke while strumming....

 

[Securb]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

A beautiful guitar, I love it. I am a pickup guy on my Les Pauls. I prefer the look but also play hard and want to protect the guitar as much as possible.

 

[RorySquier]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Now that's a real nice guitar. I like the see-thru pick guard to show the wood better. It has a gorgeous top...congrats!



;>)/

 

[Mincer]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

8.5 lbs would kill me...do they make anything around 6lbs?

I never saw one with a clear guard before- it looks nice, and the fade on the sunburst is interesting too..great find!

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Nice!

Never a guard for me on LPs.... show that maple!

 

[PS412]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

A beautiful guitar, I love it. I am a pickup guy on my Les Pauls. I prefer the look but also play hard and want to protect the guitar as much as possible.

I sure like pickups in my L.P's too. My others, not so much.

 

[PS412]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

That's a beaut by the way

 

[voggin]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Excellent choice!

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Gorgeous axe!!! I think its cool that it came with a clear guard to show off the top... But, the bracket is like a sore thumb. unless your picking style would tear up the top, leave it off.
Pickup choice is going to be what your style and amp warrant, but you are going to have to either cut and splice on the connectors or rewire

 

[Aceman]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Sweet guitar!

I am in the "no guard" for that particular axe. Typical Gibson move; Half @$$ed. I can come up with half a dozen ways to clear guard it completely. One of the solutions would NEVER be "leave ugly metal piece visible"

I really really dig the top hat knobs and no poker chip switch though! Vey cool...

For what it is worth I play very heavy handed and have a 35 year old guitar that is just fine without a pick guard.

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Congrats!

I ended up putting a Custom and a Jazz in my 2016 Standard (it also came with BB Pros and the push/pull stuff). No regrets. The Custom is my favorite bridge pup for Les Pauls.

I'm also in the no pickguard camp.

My '16:

 

[allstarrme]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

Yeah I’m torn on the guard. If I came up with a smaller cleaner bracket I would run it. I may have to make something up.

I have adapters like these already:

So there’s no soldering anywhere near the guitar.

I have a carvin v3 amp and am looking at a H&k GrandMeister in the near future. I use a nova system or g system though for a lot of my lower gain sounds. My one band is female fronted covers, Joan Jett and go go’s up through some Donna’s or no doubt.

I’m not as happy with lower output pickups, I love the custom 8 and patb2 I have. I had to adjust the input gain way up and still don’t get the harmonics and split sounds I like from the burstbuckers.

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Ngd Gibson Les Paul Standard

That's why I like the Custom so much. It's in the PAF vein, so it can pull off classic sounds, but it's got enough snarl and bite that it'll do modern metal with ease. Heck, Ola Englund loves 'em.

And for the neck, there's several ways to go. I just feel that the Jazz is a better match for the Custom. But I have a Pearly Gates paired with my other Custom in my Epiphone Les Paul Custom. It's a little too wooly for the Custom, imho. But I may try a magnet swap before I swap it out for something else, because the PGn is a truly great pickup.