Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

[Got_tone?]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Believe it or not, your dad is right. There are 2 '69 deluxe LPs on ebay that are going for more than $5500. I guess to him, this is the one that got away and he has to have it.

1969 Goldtop Deluxe LP

'69 LP deluxe goldtop

He has good taste, I myself would aim for a '68 goldtop if I had the coin. Maybe when I win the lottery, I'll buy one. For now, I'm going to follow Andrew's example and wait to buy guitar I really want, which is any 336 or 339. :approve:

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

They are over priced because they are worth it.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

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.

I didn't count the time. I have no idea how many hours I have in the de-finishing project. That alone would elevate it into new Les Paul territory. And the funny thing is, the Epiphone is still mystery wood, pieced together to look like something it isn't.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Guys, this is a great thread, but I gotta go. Terminator 3 is on USA-HD, and Kristanna Loken is lookin' all kinds of cute.

 

[trevorus]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Comparing my Les Paul Studio to pretty much any Epi I have played leaves the Epi's lacking. They are just great guitars. They are really pricey, that's why I went used, and went for a Studio. Of course I would love a Historic, or even a Standard, but alas, the money isn't there. Oh well, I get the tone and feel that makes me smile. That makes it worth it.

 

[distortionhead]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

the old boy can afford it he and mom are pretty well off (at least to me they are) But i asked him "honestly, whats so special"? his response was "the last thing my father bought me before he passed on was a 69 LP and its more sentimental than anything". "I sold it to help my new family get ahead because we were just starting out and it was the only thing of value i had. As much as i loved that guitar and what it stood for, my sacrifice was little loss to achieve a bigger gain".

But i guess my dads friend called for him to let him know after all these years he ran into my old mans HOLY GRAIL! my mom actually got the phone when he called and sent the money down to purchase it for the old boy's B-Day present.

I guess i get it now, at least that side of it.

 

[Bones]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Over-priced is subjective. I have spent a small fortune on clothes.

 

[Wonker]

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.

Yes you can...buy a Gibson on the used market.

For the money people spend on a new Epiphone and sometimes used ones and to include all the parts to fix the weaknesses of said Epiphone’s you can usually buy IMHO a very nice used Gibson.

Just my $.02

 

[some_dude]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

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.

This is a big part of it. For the most part, 50s Les Pauls have slid out of the reach of the common man (or even semi-wealthy man). This is driving up the price of late 60s Les Pauls since it's what people who want an old piece of wood yet can't afford a 50s Les Paul can afford.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Let me ask an honest question...

What are the "overpriced" compared to??

What I'm asking is what is the yardstick you are using to determine if a guitar is priced fairly??

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Why is an Ibanez Steve Vai bolt on neck, no binding model cost just as much as a Gibson Les Paul that has binding, a set neck, a flamed maple cap, and makes you feel like you're getting a BJ at the right moment you hit that perfect note? Why ask why? It is what it is.

 

[IanBallard]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

There's a lot of snake oil arguments about old instruments. I have a friend with a '60 LP that sounded like crap with the stock PAF's. The bridge measured 7.5k and the neck is over 8... not that that really matters but the "real" PAF's sounded bad. He sold them for about $5000 and bought a set of Duncans and now it sings. He doesn't care about the collectability of his LP since he plays it and records with it. Gibson, even in its golden heyday were just throwing parts that were available in them, just like Marshall did during their "golden" period. I've also heard old Marshalls that suck too.

It's all prestige. You can buy an Agile that uses real abalone inlays, premium hardware and Duncans, ebony board, 3/4" maple top, etc, etc for under $700. And assuming you get a "good" one, it may even sound as good or better than a $3000 Gibson, but in ten years, is anybody going to offer you anywhere near $700 for a Korean Agile?

 

[Gitfidl]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Back in the 1940's they had arch-top guitars and put pickups on them and they got what you'd call the "jazz" sound. (later this got humbucker). But Les Paul worked on putting pickups on a solid body (he called it a railroad tie) and he got a new sound from it. Gibson owned the wide body electric design and the bought the Les Paul design too (paid the development costs). To market the Les Paul guitar (design) they came up with voice reverberation (echo kind of sound) so Les Paul and Mary Ford got very popular (and now everybody wanted to play like Les Paul) Chet Atkins added to the mania. Gibson cashed in (and so did Les Paul and Mary Ford and Chet Atkins). Meanwhile Fender build a solid body that was much different than the Les Paul -- very successful too. When the Japanese copied the Les Paul they did not have the recording studio and the record successes. When the Koreans copied it they used a lot of plastic. So none of them quite made it as equal to the Les Paul. As you also know AMPLIFIER is everything and so regular old Les Paul's do not sound like anything special in a regular old amplifier (I have heard many of them). Still a really good solid body or semi-hollow body is going to cost $2500 and up .. my Hamer listed at $5800. (It IS worth it .. it really IS) There are many fine choices in guitars these days. (many bad ones too). Price is not always reflective of the value. In the end value is what a a willing seller will pay a willing buyer at that moment in time.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

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

Listen to the "Old Man" he speaks wisdom~:14:

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Why is an Ibanez Steve Vai bolt on neck, no binding model cost just as much as a Gibson Les Paul that has binding, a set neck, a flamed maple cap, and makes you feel like you're getting a BJ at the right moment you hit that perfect note? Why ask why? It is what it is.

A JEM is a fantastic guitar. It's every bit as good as a Les Paul, but it's a different kind of guitar. I like both, and I think they're both worth what they cost.

 

[dr. ad]

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.

i remember when i was young and knew next to nothing, and i asked the guy at my music shop "seriously, what's the difference between a squier and a fender?!"
he proceeded to go over my guitar, pointing out every difference in the hardware and some of the internals.
mercifully, he stopped before getting to the woods, finishes and factories; my disappointed expression and being resigned to getting a job seemed enough for him.

i think there's something in that for all of us, don't you?

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

$5500 for a '69 Gibson LP overpriced? Nah. Take a look at what a 1969 Fender Strat in "never left the house, never gigged" condition would run you.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Be glad that you guys do not play the piano or violin, cello or stuff like that

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Be glad that you guys do not play the piano or violin, cello or stuff like that

And that is my point...

I asked above what he felt like the LP was overpriced compared to...

There are world famous orchestral musicians that rent their instruments for every performance because they simply can not afford thousands of dollars for a middle of the line horn or violin...

We as guitar players are VERY lucky in that reguard...some one that plays a harp would laugh at us calling a $5500 guitar expensive!

Not to mention, if you want to bring it back close to home in 2011 5k is NOT that expensive for a guitar...there are new guitars being sold all the time right now with no age or mojo or vintage factor, collectible value or any of that other junk for 10k, 20k and more...

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Example...

The Gebr. Monning profession Bassoon starts at just over 10k and goes up to just over 16.5...before you get into their custom shop and that just happens to be the first bassoon I looked up!

We have it good....