Can someone school me on Les Paul's?

[rlcramer]

I'm looking to pick up a Les Paul, but there are so many friggin models these days, that I have no idea where to begin.

People talk about weight relieved, chambered, plek'd necks, etc and I'm totally lost as to what I should be looking for and what these specs really mean to me.

Personally, I've always liked a really heavy guitar (in terms of weight, since I only really do recording - I never play live anymore) but I don't believe they still make an LP that isn't weight relieved or chambered, do they? And now on top of the standards and customs, there is the traditional series, etc.

I'm not looking for info on the LP Studios, Epiphones, Jr's, etc. Just the straight up USA Gibson LP's.

Any info would be appreciated.

Bobby

 

[cyoung]

I know you don't want to know about epi's but I have a Zakk Wylde epi Les Paul. I love it and it's my main recording guitar. It's nice and solid has a fast neck. I typically did not like Les Pauls because of the neck shape until I played the Zakk Wylde. I just cannot justify paying 5K for the Gibson version. Maybe if I come until some money or hit the lottery, then I will pick one up.

I would think of other option that are available, unless you are rich or something. The Edwards Les Pauls and ESP Les Pauls are something that I would also look into.

 

[AudioPhile777]

You might want to save up and get an older one... the newer ones are light and just aren't as awesome as anything made in the 90's or earlier, IMHO

 

[Jind]

Well, as far as chambering goes, the Les Paul Standard is now chambered, but you can still get an un-chambered Les Paul in the Les Paul Traditional.

The Les Paul Traditional is uses the PLEK system setup (a computer controlled setup that ensures a perfect measurement and dressing of all the frets), and has the pickup configuration of 57 Classic (neck) and 57 Classic Plus (bridge) giving it that traditional PAF tone. It uses a 50's style rounded neck profile.

The Les Paul Standard is a chambered body and also uses the PLEK system to perform the initial setup and dressing. It however has BurstBucker Pro pickups and the new asymmetrical neck profile which is supposed to be more comfortable.

I think you are just going to have to try out both and see what you think. If you plan on swapping out pickups then that's a whole new ball of wax as I'm unsure if either would sound significantly different.

 

[Harry Hughes]

Guys, there is nothing wrong with the weight relieved or chambered models at all.
They do not sound thinner or sustain less, that's a myth, if that's what was implied

 

[paladin shredder]

i think the 59's are chambered, and those are supposed to be the most sought after les pauls from my understanding, but i could be wrong.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

The Les Paul Traditional is uses the PLEK system setup (a computer controlled setup that ensures a perfect measurement and dressing of all the frets), and has the pickup configuration of 57 Classic (neck) and 57 Classic Plus (bridge) giving it that traditional PAF tone. It uses a 50's style rounded neck profile.

How 'bout the Traditional Pro? http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Traditional-Pro.aspx

It seems to have Burtsbuckers, too. The price is damn near ridiculous, though.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

ESP Eclipse

 

[plague_rider]

ESP Eclipse

I was about to say... try ESP...

 

[guitarguru777]

better yet find a old 70s setneck "lawsuit" Les Paul.

I have one and the thing just fucking slays any Les Paul made today. Be careful though cause the whole "lawsuit" thing is branded on SOOOOO many 70s chinese and jap pieces of shit.

Mine is a Memphis (Ibanez) there are also ones made by Burny that are really good. If you can find an old Memphis set neck I would highly suggest it!

All I had to do was swap out the pups and it was golden!!

 

[jauernis]

I now have a 1978 Fernandes/Burny Les Paul (just bought!) that I had side by side with a 2005 les paul and 2010 les paul traditional. It blew the 2005 out of the water and was very close to a 2010 traditional with 57's. Fernandes is a little bit chunkier and darker sound.
Soooo dont throw out the idea of a burny just in case you have room for clones.

 

[egan.]

I know you are asking for reco's but whatever you do go play them b/c Gibson QC is questionable at best. I love the sound of a great LP but I've run into several that are un-intonatable (yeah, I made that word up). Anything over $500 should intonate correctly...let alone something $3k.

 

[AllanD]

Rondo Music Les Pauls are pretty awesome. I'm planning on purchasing one soon, after the Rondo Music 8 string.

 

[ChrisTanakaCanwell]

To the OP:

It sounds like you're looking for the same type of LP that I was when I was shopping for mine... I would check out the late 80's/early 90's Standards and possibly the 1960 Classics if you're looking to spend a little less and still get a good one. If you're a lead player I would go for the 60's neck as it's a little thinner (although I play rhythm and prefer the 60's neck). Like Egan was saying though, if you're really interested in one you should check it out extensively because there are a lot of shitty ones out there.

 

[rlcramer]

Thanks for the info guys. I probably should have given a little more info in my original post. I bought a 2008 standard early last year on some ridiculous closeout at Musician's Friend for about $1100. The thing was GORGEOUS but it wouldn't stay in tune (and totally un-intonatable to quote egan), and I couldn't get it set up to where it worked for me. Sound was amazing, look was amazing, playability and usability sucked so I sold it shortly after getting it.

So I guess the moral of the story, is that I really need to head out and try a bunch of them and see which one really works for me. Although I'm primarily a 7-sing player now, I really do believe that nothing out there sounds quite like a LP.

I'll do a little digging and I'll let you guys know what I come up with.

Thanks,

Bobby

 

[D.Vial]

I'd buy an Edwards, Tokai or a Bacchus (look em' at the bay), they are cheaper and good as a Gibson, if you want Gibson Go for a Classic (Gibson 500T pickups are pretty metal) or a traditional, but if you want a top notch gibson you should look the Historics. Cheers!

 

[zackpennington]

+1 for Edwards. My black beauty Les Paul Custom copy is hands down the best Gibson I've ever played (and I've played a lot). All my guitar player friends who've played this guitar, want it. (including Joey Sturgis, lol). Best part is, I paid like $750 for it. I also get more interest than having an actual Gibson because a lot people haven't heard of them. I wouldn't ever go back to Gibby.

 

[Nitrobattery]

My vote goes for vintage. My old '78 Standard and '79 Custom were not only the two best Les Pauls I've ever owned....they were the two best I've ever played. When Gibson was owned by Norlin they had some unfavorable 3 piece tops and some had sandwiched bodies, but they also made a slew with maple necks. To me, a Les Paul with a maple neck is the biggest sounding, most balanced sounding guitar you can find. They have all of the warmth, chunk, and muscle of a LP....but with more clarity and 'snap' thanks to the maple neck.

My old babies

As far as ESP Eclipse's go, they get a big 'meh' from me. They sort of look like LP's....but that's about it. They're super thin and sound absolutely nothing like a Les Paul. Even the full thickness Eclipses are lacking in the roundness tonally of a LP. I was super excited when the Vintage Black Eclipse II's came out and worked at a music store that was an ESP dealer. I ordered one having never played one before.....and was completely bummed out by what I got. I sold it almost immediately. If you want a guitar that looks like a LP but sounds and feels like an SG they're great. But if you're after a chunky guitar with a huge sound....the EC's come up lacking.

I didn't keep this one for long

I did have an Edwards, but I got a dud. All I've read are rave reviews....but mine had a twisted neck, the neck angle was off, the fretwork was terrible, and it sounded like poo. But, like I said, a lot of other people have had great luck so I must've had a dud.

 

[lolzgreg]

I know you are asking for reco's but whatever you do go play them b/c Gibson QC is questionable at best. I love the sound of a great LP but I've run into several that are un-intonatable (yeah, I made that word up). Anything over $500 should intonate correctly...let alone something $3k.

Les Pauls made by Gibson have an unequal division of the scale length from the nut to 12th fret/12th fret to bridge. The length is actually shorter from the 12th fret back to the nut, meaning that no Les Paul ever made by Gibson will intonate anywhere near as accurately as it should.

 

[plague_rider]

One of my friends is a massive fan of the Tokai Les Paul, he says he's tried it against one or two Gibsons of a higher price and wasn't impressed by Gibson