Members Elliott Damage Posted February 16, 2007 Members Share Posted February 16, 2007 I know some of you guys have them! I really like the look and the feel of Les Pauls (no crazy flametops, lawer bait stuff. I like plain tops). But I haven't found one with standard humbuckers that I really like either. I'm just not a humbucker guy. I possibly want to buy a vintage guitar, I've been doing some research and these are still pretty affordable comparatively. I'm really into p-90's but maybe mini-buckers are for me? Plus I love gold and wine red, the most common finishes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members angus_old Posted February 16, 2007 Members Share Posted February 16, 2007 i have heard the new reissues are better than the originals, but i've never encountered either myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members veil Posted February 16, 2007 Members Share Posted February 16, 2007 I played a mid-70s wine red Deluxe through a silverface Twin Reverb once. It was incredible. Such a cool guitar. I love the tone of mini-humbuckers. They are really clear and warm. The guitar also had some kind of phase switch modification, to give it single-coil-like tones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jgyn Posted February 16, 2007 Members Share Posted February 16, 2007 I know that some have maple necks. I've never played one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members erksin Posted February 16, 2007 Members Share Posted February 16, 2007 The biggest key to why the '70s Deluxes sound so great is the 300K pots used in them at the time - the newer ones come with 500K pots and as a result are too bright IMO. The 300Ks are PERFECT for minis - nice cocked wah tones from the Tone pots, too.Elliott - look for models made no later than '78. Later ones were made in the new at the time Nashville factory and aren't as nice quality-wise. The pancake bodies stop somewhere around 1974 I think - might not be a big deal to you, but it is to some.I love my Deluxe - it's heavy (around 11 lbs), but the whole thing resonates when I smack a chord. One-piece tight grained Mahogany body, 3-piece maple cap - meaty tone with a nice high end sparkle. Killer neck too.I swapped out the original Nashville ABR bridge for a Tone Pros and put on a RS Guitarworks aluminum tailpiece with the Tone Pros locking studs and it really opened up the acoustic properties of the guitar. A bone nut helps too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members erksin Posted February 16, 2007 Members Share Posted February 16, 2007 Forgot to add - if it turns out you don't like the minis, you can always sell them for big bucks and drop in a pair of your fave P-90s without modification - they're the same size rout... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elliott Damage Posted February 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 16, 2007 The biggest key to why the '70s Deluxes sound so great is the 300K pots used in them at the time - the newer ones come with 500K pots and as a result are too bright IMO. The 300Ks are PERFECT for minis - nice cocked wah tones from the Tone pots, too. Elliott - look for models made no later than '78. Later ones were made in the new at the time Nashville factory and aren't as nice quality-wise. The pancake bodies stop somewhere around 1974 I think - might not be a big deal to you, but it is to some. I love my Deluxe - it's heavy (around 11 lbs), but the whole thing resonates when I smack a chord. One-piece tight grained Mahogany body, 3-piece maple cap - meaty tone with a nice high end sparkle. Killer neck too. I swapped out the original Nashville ABR bridge for a Tone Pros and put on a RS Guitarworks aluminum tailpiece with the Tone Pros locking studs and it really opened up the acoustic properties of the guitar. A bone nut helps too. thanks for the great info! I think that's pretty much everything I needed to know. One question though, what is a pancake body?as always, I appreciate your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elliott Damage Posted February 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 16, 2007 The biggest key to why the '70s Deluxes sound so great is the 300K pots used in them at the time - the newer ones come with 500K pots and as a result are too bright IMO. The 300Ks are PERFECT for minis - nice cocked wah tones from the Tone pots, too. Elliott - look for models made no later than '78. Later ones were made in the new at the time Nashville factory and aren't as nice quality-wise. The pancake bodies stop somewhere around 1974 I think - might not be a big deal to you, but it is to some. I love my Deluxe - it's heavy (around 11 lbs), but the whole thing resonates when I smack a chord. One-piece tight grained Mahogany body, 3-piece maple cap - meaty tone with a nice high end sparkle. Killer neck too. I swapped out the original Nashville ABR bridge for a Tone Pros and put on a RS Guitarworks aluminum tailpiece with the Tone Pros locking studs and it really opened up the acoustic properties of the guitar. A bone nut helps too. thanks for the great info! I think that's pretty much everything I needed to know. One question though, what is a pancake body?as always, I appreciate your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elliott Damage Posted February 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 16, 2007 Forgot to add - if it turns out you don't like the minis, you can always sell them for big bucks and drop in a pair of your fave P-90s without modification - they're the same size rout...and that is all i needed to know now im sure i want one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members erksin Posted February 16, 2007 Members Share Posted February 16, 2007 One question though, what is a pancake body? In late '69/early '70 Gibson started making a 'sandwich' out of the LP bodies for the purposes of strengthening the Mahogany (yeah right - they were cost cutting using thinner pieces). If you were to look at the side profile of the guitar, you would see a very thin Maple veneer inbetween the two 3/4" Mahogany slabs - then the Maple top cap. This went on until about 1974 or so. Some people are turned off by it - ZJD's Deluxe is a pancake body, maybe you could ask him if there is a audible difference. I don't see how it could possibly be discernable, purely cosmetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members erksin Posted February 17, 2007 Members Share Posted February 17, 2007 Bump for ED... BTW - just got through playing mine for the past hour, and you really do need one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LoneStarGuitar Posted February 17, 2007 Members Share Posted February 17, 2007 might as well whip mine out too.'73 with the pancake body. Sounds just fine to me. I removed the pickguard, as i thought it looked somewhat akward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fuzzinator Posted February 17, 2007 Members Share Posted February 17, 2007 LP Deluxes are fantastic. I owned one for a brief spell in the late 80s. At the time, I was let down by the mini-buckers, but I was very humbucker/gain-oriented at the time (the follies of metal and youth.) But I've played one since, and I think they are the perfect Les Paul. The mini-buckers have a very unique tonal property that sits somewhere in between humbuckers and P-90s. The only word I can think of to describe the tone is "sweeter." They don't have the snarl of a humbucker, nor the brightness of the P-90. Anyhow, a Deluxe LP or an SG Special makes for the perfect Gibson solidbody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LoneStarGuitar Posted February 17, 2007 Members Share Posted February 17, 2007 oh, and in reference to the picture I posted: If i ever catch the mother{censored}er who dropped a lit J on my bed in Feb of 2005 and left the small burn mark on my comforter.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members M900 Posted February 17, 2007 Members Share Posted February 17, 2007 From what I understand, the 70's was a crappy era for guitars, which is why we have Ibanez. Ibanez started out making copies of popular designs (ala present-day Dillion) but the copies were supposedly better than the US originals. After they got sued for making the "open-book headstock," they switched to original designs (more or less) then rode their high quality/low cost rep. The current (pointy) image we have of the company was solidified when Ibanez made a hideous neon snakeskin pattern guitar for Vai. That being said, most guitars from that era have had plenty of adjustments by luthiers thoughout the years, which is probably why they play well now. If you're looking for a 70's Deluxe, consider a used reissue. If you really want a vintage one, try to buy one that will make it financially feasible to have the guitar completely serviced by a tech (if you can't pay it first). Though th years or gear whoring, I've banged on some that played like butter, but a few played like {censored} -- not bad for a cheap guitar but if I'm dropping well over 1K, it'd suck if I wound up with a dog. c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members erksin Posted February 17, 2007 Members Share Posted February 17, 2007 From what I understand, the 70's was a crappy era for guitars, which is why we have Ibanez. Ibanez started out making copies of popular designs (ala present-day Dillion) but the copies were supposedly better than the US originals. After they got sued for making the "open-book headstock," they switched to original designs (more or less) then rode their high quality/low cost rep. The current (pointy) image we have of the company was solidified when Ibanez made a hideous neon snakeskin pattern guitar for Vai.That being said, most guitars from that era have had plenty of adjustments by luthiers thoughout the years, which is probably why they play well now. If you're looking for a 70's Deluxe, consider a used reissue. If you really want a vintage one, try to buy one that will make it financially feasible to have the guitar completely serviced by a tech (if you can't pay it first). Though th years or gear whoring, I've banged on some that played like butter, but a few played like {censored} -- not bad for a cheap guitar but if I'm dropping well over 1K, it'd suck if I wound up with a dog.c Good points. I actually wound up putting about $500 into mine once I got it - complete refret, bone nut, full cleaning/set-up, new bridge, tailpiece, strap locks, and tuners. The only things that really needed replacing were the frets and nut - the other stuff could have easily waited. The guitar will be good for another 10-15 years so it was well worth it to me. I think Elliott could probably find a nice vintage Deluxe for well under $2K, they made a {censored}load of them and they aren't that scarce. Mine ran about $200 more than the average prices I was seeing at the time since it is a lefty, but I definitely paid a fair price for what I got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members erksin Posted February 17, 2007 Members Share Posted February 17, 2007 Bump... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elliott Damage Posted February 17, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 17, 2007 LOTS of great info here guys! I really do appreciate it! I'm going to be looking to score one under $2k and then customizing as Erksin said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members anibas Posted February 18, 2007 Members Share Posted February 18, 2007 I've had a '78 LP Deluxe for about 16 years now,and I wouldn't trade mine for a lot of Standards and Customs that are in much nicer shape than mine.It's a heavy bastard,but those minis really have a nice sound that cuts through the mix in a nice way.Look for an original that's in less than mint condition,or has had some mods done to it(mine was routed for a bridge humbucker and a Kahler tremelo unit,both of which I promptly {censored}canned!)I got mine for $200(!) in '91 because of the wear and tear,but it's been a great guitar since I straightened it out.Good luck with the search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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