Diego
New member
As you might know, I bought my very first Les Paul just a week ago. I'd had the intention in the past, but every LP I tried felt to me like trying to play an elephant.
But things change and suddenly I started feeling comfortable with them. So now I've got one and I want to share my impressions with you.
THE GOOD:
Tone tone tone! Except for some specific details (I'll get into them) this thing sounds glorious. Strung with Dunlop 10-46 and it punches like no other guitar I've had before.
The pickups are definitely medium to low output and it doesn't need to be any hotter. It's just right for me as it is.
Stability - It's a damn solid guitar. It has the most stable neck of any guitar I have, it rarely goes out of tune and it intonates well.
Playability - It wasn't hard to get an even action across the fretboard and make it play like butter. I like my action somewhere between low and medium and I got it instantly.
It's not the easiest guitar to play in the upper registry, but I'm not trying to be John Petrucci, so I can deal with it.
Looks - Easily my best looking guitar and it's got a ton of compliments, even from friends who don't play music at all!
Bridge pickup - It sounds fantastic. It's a Probucker 3; uneven wound coils, slightly overwound and has an A2 magnet. Sounds like it for sure. Crunchy but sweet at the same time. And split it's just terrific. I see no reason to change it.
THE BAD:
Frets and nut - I wasn't expecting a perfect guitar from factory, but intonation isn't all that good in all spots due to slightly uneven frets. I'll have them crowned in a couple of months but I can live with it.
Also the nut wasn't cut too well and a bit too high, but a tech fixed that quickly and now it has no friction whatsoever, even though it's the stock plastic nut which was adjusted, not replaced. Excellent.
Intonation can be a problem - I had to replace the A string with a .42, because the stock .36 wouldn't intonate. Flat even with the saddle all the way to the pickups. So this particular guitar doesn't like "normal" strings.
THE "THIS IS NOT BAD BUT I STILL DIDN'T LIKE SO IT HAS TO BE MENTIONED" SECTION:
Neck pickup - I've tried all sorts of polepiece and height adjustments but this Probucker 2 pickup is so fat and thick that I can't get it to sparkle and cut even a modest bit in humbucker mode.
You'll see in one of the pictures below just how low I have it set, and that way it gives a pinch more zing, but it's not enough for me.
Yeah, leads sound fluid as **** and huuuuge but there's no way to balance that tone with the bridge pickup. It's just too woofy. It needs a bit more snarl for sure and it's very likely that I'll replace it with something with a bit more spank.
Split it's great though.
CONCLUSION:
Easily the best guitar I've ever owned. I've been playing for almost 20 years and I couldn't have given myself a better present at this point.
I've been playing songs from Metallica's Load, Black Country Communion, King's X, Mastodon and Genesis on this thing and it's just the right sound and feel for so many things.
I'll happily buy another one of these if I get the chance!
P.S: Anyone has a chrome covered Pearly Gates neck for sale?
But things change and suddenly I started feeling comfortable with them. So now I've got one and I want to share my impressions with you.
THE GOOD:
Tone tone tone! Except for some specific details (I'll get into them) this thing sounds glorious. Strung with Dunlop 10-46 and it punches like no other guitar I've had before.
The pickups are definitely medium to low output and it doesn't need to be any hotter. It's just right for me as it is.
Stability - It's a damn solid guitar. It has the most stable neck of any guitar I have, it rarely goes out of tune and it intonates well.
Playability - It wasn't hard to get an even action across the fretboard and make it play like butter. I like my action somewhere between low and medium and I got it instantly.
It's not the easiest guitar to play in the upper registry, but I'm not trying to be John Petrucci, so I can deal with it.
Looks - Easily my best looking guitar and it's got a ton of compliments, even from friends who don't play music at all!
Bridge pickup - It sounds fantastic. It's a Probucker 3; uneven wound coils, slightly overwound and has an A2 magnet. Sounds like it for sure. Crunchy but sweet at the same time. And split it's just terrific. I see no reason to change it.
THE BAD:
Frets and nut - I wasn't expecting a perfect guitar from factory, but intonation isn't all that good in all spots due to slightly uneven frets. I'll have them crowned in a couple of months but I can live with it.
Also the nut wasn't cut too well and a bit too high, but a tech fixed that quickly and now it has no friction whatsoever, even though it's the stock plastic nut which was adjusted, not replaced. Excellent.
Intonation can be a problem - I had to replace the A string with a .42, because the stock .36 wouldn't intonate. Flat even with the saddle all the way to the pickups. So this particular guitar doesn't like "normal" strings.
THE "THIS IS NOT BAD BUT I STILL DIDN'T LIKE SO IT HAS TO BE MENTIONED" SECTION:
Neck pickup - I've tried all sorts of polepiece and height adjustments but this Probucker 2 pickup is so fat and thick that I can't get it to sparkle and cut even a modest bit in humbucker mode.
You'll see in one of the pictures below just how low I have it set, and that way it gives a pinch more zing, but it's not enough for me.
Yeah, leads sound fluid as **** and huuuuge but there's no way to balance that tone with the bridge pickup. It's just too woofy. It needs a bit more snarl for sure and it's very likely that I'll replace it with something with a bit more spank.
Split it's great though.
CONCLUSION:
Easily the best guitar I've ever owned. I've been playing for almost 20 years and I couldn't have given myself a better present at this point.
I've been playing songs from Metallica's Load, Black Country Communion, King's X, Mastodon and Genesis on this thing and it's just the right sound and feel for so many things.
I'll happily buy another one of these if I get the chance!
P.S: Anyone has a chrome covered Pearly Gates neck for sale?
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