Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

[distortionhead]

Hear me out, im not knocking on any LP guys out there my old man has a pretty sweet collection of LP's (6 in all). He still collects them. He sold an 90 custom to make room for this new one.

He is driving to (driving no B.S.) North Carolina to wrap up a deal to buy a 1969 Deluxe burst/flame?. Beautiful guitar from pics. Plus my dad has a friend he retired with that lives near there looked it all over matched and verified all serial numbers as well as been gone over with with a fine tooth comb by a real LP fanatic. It is in MINT AAA+++ condition and is being sold by a hardcore collector who bought it new. NEVER GIGED NEVER LEFT THE HOUSE>>>>

The old man paid 5,500 for this thing and thinks he got a good deal?? he already has had an offer for 6,000 but he said he will never sell it

Ok, why are LP's so expensive? i asked the old man and he said THE 69 LP IS LIKE DRIVING A CADILLAC IN A WORLD FULL OF YUGO'S? I DONT GET IT BUT IF IT MAKES HIM HAPPY

 

[SamusChief]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

You should look at the Epiphone line. Swap the pickups. Done.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

A pristine, top-of-the-line guitar that defines rock and roll that was manufactured in the Summer of Love (well, close to it at least)? I think you answered your own question.

 

[distortionhead]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

im not an LP fan. He loves the 69 lp he had one but had to sell it because he was getting married and needed a good car because my sister was on the way.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Because people are willing to pay that much.

 

[Slap's RedLP]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

A lot of the price is due to the "desirability" effect. Ever hear a '59 LP Standard in-person? I have once...you hear one, and that's all she wrote....LOL

Another part of it is what I refer to as the "baseball card" mentality...the same folks that hoarded baseball cards and made big bucks from them later on...they moved from there to collectible cars and guitars.

Are they worth exorbitant prices? All depends on if you r can swing the $$$$. I know I can't so that's why I buy the lower-end stuff and mod the living daylights outta them(if the wood's good, the rest can be corrected). If your pops can swing the price...then it isn't TOO much.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

You should look at the Epiphone line. Swap the pickups. Done.

Tell yourself that, if you need to.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

If ppl stopped buying les paul and stopped paying what Gibson is putting them out for, you better believe the price would come down.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

You should look at the Epiphone line. Swap the pickups. Done.

Did you read the post or did you just read the thread title? But hey I guess if you can convince yourself that thats all the difference there is more power to yah.


To the OP. Really 5500 isnt that much for a vintage guitar these days and is just a fraction of what a 50's LP or strat would bring. Considering that Gibson has many new manufacture guitars in that price range its not so shocking either. But it all boils down to one simple thing. They cost that much cause people are willing to pay it.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Tell yourself that, if you need to.

seriously. im not in the gibson camp, but i have to admit.. :scratchch



there's a gold top lp traditional at my local dealer. if it wasnt as much as it is (i cant remember, but its like 2,500) I'd seriously consider saving up or taking on 2 more jobs or even a small loan. i remember having a jcm 800, plugging my v into it and almost ****ting myself. i cant imagine what a " real" paul would sound like.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

seriously. im not in the gibson camp, but i have to admit.. :scratchch



there's a gold top lp traditional at my local dealer. if it wasnt as much as it is (i cant remember, but its like 2,500) I'd seriously consider saving up or taking on 2 more jobs or even a small loan. i remember having a jcm 800, plugging my v into it and almost ****ting myself. i cant imagine what a " real" paul would sound like.

my Gibson LP classic into my JCM800 boosted with an SD-1 sounds like........pure tone orgasm :naughty:

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Are these Manolo Blahniks worth $945? They are to the people who pay it. And frankly, if I had thousands to spend, a vintage Gibson would be high on my list.

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[Wonker]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

You should look at the Epiphone line. Swap the pickups. Done.

Ummmm not really.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Ummmm not really.

I had to do unspeakable things to my Epiphone to make it even remotely close to a Gibson.

 

[SamusChief]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Tell yourself that, if you need to.

It is an exaggeration, but you can get a better guitar with less money than the Gibson. Every way I add it up, I can get an Epiphone Les Paul Studio, replace every frikkin' part and have a guitar better than any Gibson Les Paul. I'm not starting this argument. You can trash me if I want but I have every justification.

 

[SamusChief]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

I had to do unspeakable things to my Epiphone to make it even remotely close to a Gibson.

And it was cheaper than the Gibson, even after that, right? Thought so.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

The late 60's LP's are an interesting case, and the reasons they are so $$$ are:

1. people will pay that amount. They hold their value for collectors, as well as being awesome instruments for players.
2. 1968 was the fist year they were available after 8 years off the catalogue. That puts them next to '57-'60 LP's in terms of collectibility.
3. The Norlin era starts after this. Norlin was a plastics company trying to run a guitar business. I'm invoking the Chewbacca defense.....'it doesn't make sense!' They did a lot of cost-cutting which impacted on the consistency & quality of guitars.
4. Old guitars often have mojo you just can't get out of new ones.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

And it was cheaper than the Gibson, even after that, right? Thought so.

I've put at least $1,400 into the Epiphone, and it's still not as good as the Gibsons I've played.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

It is an exaggeration, but you can get a better guitar with less money than the Gibson. Every way I add it up, I can get an Epiphone Les Paul Studio, replace every frikkin' part and have a guitar better than any Gibson Les Paul. I'm not starting this argument. You can trash me if I want but I have every justification.

Except that you're wrong. At what point do you replace the neck and the body?

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

I've put at least $1,400 into the Epiphone, and it's still not as good as the Gibsons I've played.

If you put that much money into it, you probably put a **** ton of your time into it. Time is money. Take how much you make an hour, add up all the hours you put into it, tack it on to the total invested into the guitar - you'd be better off buying a NEW Gibson at that point. That's saying something.