Buying a Gibson Les Paul...

[Guitarist+]

 

BULL{censored}

 

 

you think the faded Gibson SG special is better than a Fender MIM Strat?

 

Thats fine and all, you can have your opinion, but honestly most people I associate myself with prefer the lower end Fenders to the lower end Gibsons and prefer the higher end Fenders to the higher end Gibsons

[JoJo68]

you think the faded Gibson SG special is better than a Fender MIM Strat? Thats fine and all, you can have your opinion, but honestly most people I associate myself with prefer the lower end Fenders to the lower end Gibsons and prefer the higher end Fenders to the higher end Gibsons

I've found gibson electronics to be of higher quality than what they put in fenders.

[GCDEF]

 

you think the faded Gibson SG special is better than a Fender MIM Strat? Thats fine and all, you can have your opinion, but honestly most people I associate myself with prefer the lower end Fenders to the lower end Gibsons and prefer the higher end Fenders to the higher end Gibsons

 

 

You need to broaden your circle of associates.

[Hard Truth]

I owned an Agile and while it was good for the price, it did not have the sound of Gibson. Heritage guitars are as good or better than Gibsons, but their version of the Les Paul did not have the sound I expected from a LP. But if you can, try one, it might work for you.

Only a Gibson LP had the LP sound I wanted. If you don't care so much about looks (binding etc.), an LP studio is the way to get the most bang for your buck. For the classic sound get a version that has the maple top. The Vintage Mahagony and Fadeds don't have the Maple top. You can get a used LP studio for $600-$900. In my opinion that is the best way to buy a LP.

[orbm1]

 

You need to broaden your circle of associates.

 

 

+1

[GAS Man]

 

you think the faded Gibson SG special is better than a Fender MIM Strat? Thats fine and all, you can have your opinion, but honestly most people I associate myself with prefer the lower end Fenders to the lower end Gibsons and prefer the higher end Fenders to the higher end Gibsons

 

 

I have some MIM Strats (a 50s Classic and a Jimmie Vaughan, also have a MIM Telecaster and a few other Fender MIMs) and a Faded SG and VM LP. Generally I think the Gibson Fadeds have a richer tone. They skimp on the finish work whereas Fender skimps a bit more on the components. I like some of my MIMs better than others, but generally, I'd say "yes" to your question.

[GAS Man]

It's not a Les Paul but if I were in the market for a Gibson I'd be all over this right now: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid/ You can always return it. I think it would be worth a try. I love Les Pauls also, I have three. See Sig.

 

I just pulled the trigger . I saw it earlier this morning and finally caved. Hard to resist a guitar that has some of my favorite Gibson pickups in it (that alone would cost $300), plus hardshell case, interest free financing for a year for $699.

 

Oh, I had to add something worth at least a buck to get it from 6 months to 12.

[JoJo68]

I just pulled the trigger . I saw it earlier this morning and finally caved. Hard to resist a guitar that has some of my favorite Gibson pickups in it (that alone would cost $300), plus hardshell case, interest free financing for a year for $699. Oh, I had to add something worth at least a buck to get it from 6 months to 12.

 

Congrats. Good deal imo. I love BB pro's as well.

[GAS Man]

Congrats. Good deal imo. I love BB pro's as well.

 

Thanks. I have them in my VM LP and really liked them. I thought I'd also love to have them in a more traditional (denser) Les Paul since the BB Pros have so much vibe to them. I also recently put a set of them in an Epi-400 which really transformed that guitar. It gave it almost too much presence, but I like it and don't have another guitar that sounds like that modded Epi. So this will be another twist. All mahogany again, but from what I gather from the reviews, it's a thicker slab than an SG. So - we shall see.

 

I would have loved it if they'd have the trans amber at this price, that color looks more vintage, but for another 3 bills off, I figure I shouldn't be color fussy AND it will relieve any worries I might have of getting a natural finish one without the best grain matching. For transparent finish guitars, I sure appreciate it if I can buy one from a store with a gallery - no matter which brand.

[chiro972]

I owned a bad Gibson. It was a 1980 335 and I would LOVE to have that guitar back. Yes the thing needed fretwork right out of the store and I didn't know enough back then to get it done so I ended up selling it when I needed some cash in 1984. Stupid mistake.

 

I bought a Les Paul Studio Deluxe about a year ago and I couldn't be happier. I played it at guitar center and there was just no way I was putting that guitar back up on the wall. I haven't regretted it a bit. Plays beautifully, was setup just to my liking and with the coil taps, I can get a lot of nice sounds out of it that you don't expect on a humbucker guitar. I know coil tapped humbuckers aren't the same as single coils, but I do like the tonal variation and the sounds are close enough that I feel it is a very versatile guitar. I could find no QC issues with it at all.

[facefirst]

When I wanted a Les Paul, only a Les Paul would do for me. There's a reason it's so copied. That said, my LP Standard straight from the factory had some issues. The nut needed addressed because the slots were to high. The truss rod and bridge needed adjusting as well. The one thing you could tell before any of this was done is that the guitar sounded AWESOME. Without even plugging it in it was resonant and loud, that's something that can't be fixed with a setup. After setting it up properly it plays and sounds absolutely amazing.

Just an FYI, I'm pretty sure that some workers at the Gibson factory don't even play guitar. They just set them up to a spec sheet and that's it. I've never experienced the Gibson QC issues that some people complain about. That said, every company puts out some lemons.

[smorgdonkey]

 

PRS Custom 24: This one seemed to be able to do LP sounds as well as the LP and the Strat sounds as well as the Strat. It seemed to have the best of both worlds.

 

 

I've never seen a PRS like that. I've seen them kinda do the LP and kinda do the Strat.

[steveyoorock]

Wow thanks for the input, everyone!

Reading through the post, I see a couple of people recommending that I go with either the Standard or the Traditional and with the Studio being the most bang for the buck.

Out of curiosity, how much did you guys pay for your guitars?

And can someone give me more insight on the differences between the Standard and the Traditional? (Also traditional plus / pro?)

Is the Studio ONLY lacking in binding?

 

And Gas Man, I remember seeing that video on the forums before. Not sure if you were the one that posted it, but that '59 definitely sounds killer.

[Deadbeat Son]

If shopping new, here's the deal:

 

2008-current:

Traditional - "Weight relieved body" (swiss-cheese like holes drilled in mahogany under maple cap) This is what the pre-2008 Standards were like as well.

Standard - Chambered body (almost like a semi-hollow under the top)

Traditional Pro - GC/MF exclusive (I think) model with splittable humbuckers otherwise same as the Traditional

 

The above are the major differences in construction. There are differences in pickups and neck profiles as well. You should try as many as you can (if possible) to see which combination is the best fit for you.

[Help!I'maRock!]

 

And can someone give me more insight on the differences between the Standard and the Traditional? (Also traditional plus / pro?)

 

 

Here's where things get a bit murky.

 

In 2008, Gibson decided to completely re-vamp the Les Paul Standard. they gave it a new neck shape, tenon, chambering, and electronics. Luddite guitarists quickly protested that their beloved swiss cheese bodied, short neck tenon'd variant they'd been playing since the 80s had been changed. So Gibson created the Traditional series instruments to appease the masses who couldn't handle the changes.

 

2008 was still a transition year, so you still get lots of Standards with the swiss cheese/short neck tenon construction. It's safe to assume that any Standard made in '09 or later is the new construction. Otherwise, any Standard made since about 1986 or so will be the same as the Traditional in construction.

 

I can't tell you the differences between the Traditionals as they don't interest me. But I'm sure many here can.

[gatogordo]

I owned a bad Gibson. It was a 1980 335 and I would LOVE to have that guitar back. Yes the thing needed fretwork right out of the store and I didn't know enough back then to get it done so I ended up selling it when I needed some cash in 1984. Stupid mistake. I bought a Les Paul Studio Deluxe about a year ago and I couldn't be happier. I played it at guitar center and there was just no way I was putting that guitar back up on the wall. I haven't regretted it a bit. Plays beautifully, was setup just to my liking and with the coil taps, I can get a lot of nice sounds out of it that you don't expect on a humbucker guitar. I know coil tapped humbuckers aren't the same as single coils, but I do like the tonal variation and the sounds are close enough that I feel it is a very versatile guitar. I could find no QC issues with it at all.

 

 

 

 

 

Same deal here. I bought an 88' 335 and hated it, for the same reason. I wasn't experienced enough to do that guitar justice. I traded it for an Aria Jazz box.

 

6 months ago I bought an 08 faded studio with BB. Absolutely love it.

[GAS Man]

 

Wow thanks for the input, everyone! Reading through the post, I see a couple of people recommending that I go with either the Standard or the Traditional and with the Studio being the most bang for the buck. Out of curiosity, how much did you guys pay for your guitars? And can someone give me more insight on the differences between the Standard and the Traditional? (Also traditional plus / pro?) Is the Studio ONLY lacking in binding? And Gas Man, I remember seeing that video on the forums before. Not sure if you were the one that posted it, but that '59 definitely sounds killer.

 

 

Yeah, I posted that because it gives you an idea of how much variation there can be, even between an expensive copy (that's about a $6,000 copy but they can be had for around $4500) and an original Les Paul. And as you go down or sideways though the lines of Les Pauls, there's still more nuances of tonal differences.

 

My last Les Paul Studio I paid about $1150 for just by calling up my favorite vendor and asking them what they could do for me and haggling a little bit. You can usually get 10% off without too much effort. The more expensive the guitar, the more room they have to cut the price.

 

The original concept behind the Studio wasn't really just "less ornate details - like binding" but was also about making a lighter Les Paul. Most Les Pauls prior to 1983 were very heavy so they would lose favor with a lot of gigging musicians, so the idea of a Studio was a guitar that would get the Les Paul job done without breaking your shoulder or your bank. Although most Les Pauls are now lighter, the Studio's are still among the lightest. That is reflected in their tone making them a little brighter and airy sounding. I think it also emphasizes the maple cap tone a bit more making the bridge tone sound a bit harder hitting, i.e not as soft sounding as a denser LP. I don't think there's models that necessarily sound "better" than the others (unless you're trying to hit closer to the tone of the traditional Standard) but they do have different voices. I have a CS VOS '59 RI but I've continued to add other Les Pauls (like a few more Studios with different configurations) to get different tones. But when I eventually pare them down, my original '83 Studio and the RI '59 will be among the last to go.

[BoneNut]

Damn, that's a tough decision. After all, both guitars you're considering are soooooo similar!

[metallica_00]

while i'm not much of a Gibson fan, there are plenty of high quality Gibsons out there. i would be wary of ordering from a warehouse operation like Musician's Friend if only because they don't check their instruments before sending them to the customer. i would prefer to order from a large independent store like Wilcutt, Dave's, Wildwood, or even Sweetwater.

 

 

+1

 

IMO, if you're ordering something like a guitar which varies from product to product, even for the same model (versus a pedal or amp) from MF, you're completely insane. So many smaller highly reputable dealers that keep a great selection and actually care about getting the customer a top notch guitar.

[DavidMgT]

 

+1 IMO, if you're ordering something like a guitar which varies from product to product, even for the same model (versus a pedal or amp) from MF, you're completely insane. So many smaller highly reputable dealers that keep a great selection and actually care about getting the customer a top notch guitar.

 

 

I have had excellent experiences with Willcutt and Wildwood. I've gotten my Gibsons from Wildwood and they have been perfect. When I was in the market for a Les Paul Standard, they played two for me and described the differences between the two over the phone.

[jhorne]

Centre City Music is also a great place to get a Les Paul. You should also have no problem getting a price below MAP with them as well.

 

(Assuming nothing has changed in the last few years, I haven't dealt with them recently)

[mistersully]

if you can possibly play a bunch... do it

 

buying a guitar shouldn't be a chore... guitar shopping is a bloody great way to spend a day.. (and the there's amp shopping... just as awesome).... put some time aside and go and find your les paul

[dcooper830]

+1 IMO, if you're ordering something like a guitar which varies from product to product, even for the same model (versus a pedal or amp) from MF, you're completely insane. So many smaller highly reputable dealers that keep a great selection and actually care about getting the customer a top notch guitar.

 

 

I've ordered 4 Gibson Les Pauls and 1 Gibson SG Standard from MF. They've all been way better than I even expected.

 

Besides..... you have 45 days to send it back.

 

Not insane really.

[Elias Graves]

 

if you can possibly play a bunch... do it buying a guitar shouldn't be a chore... guitar shopping is a bloody great way to spend a day.. (and the there's amp shopping... just as awesome).... put some time aside and go and find your les paul

 

 

+1

It also gives you a terrific reference for what you like and what you don't. After a while, things start to gel, then you find THAT ONE and you're ready.

 

EG

[Cyprusg]

you think the faded Gibson SG special is better than a Fender MIM Strat? Thats fine and all, you can have your opinion, but honestly most people I associate myself with prefer the lower end Fenders to the lower end Gibsons and prefer the higher end Fenders to the higher end Gibsons

 

 

Dude...just stop. They're completely different types of guitars, completely on opposite ends of the spectrum. I'm a Fender guy through and through, but that doesn't mean that it's a better guitar, it just fits my playing style better.

 

To the original poster, in my opinion I would stay away from a Studio and a Les Paul with a chambered body. I can't explain it, I have no data to back it up, but I've played soooo many Studios and I've not been impressed with a single one. The feel, the sound, the look, just not impressed. As far as chambered bodied Les Pauls go, most people probably can't tell the difference but I feel like it loses a lot of that Les Paul punch, and I hate that hollow bodied like muffled resonance. Just my opinion of course. Like with any guitar you should go out and play them first before you decide what works best for you.