Les Pauls

[53Crëw]

So I'm kicking around the idea of picking up a Les Paul. I checked a few out today, but I've got to admit, I haven't looked at them in years, so I don't know which ones are the good ones these days.

I found a Les Paul Classic in Honey Burst that had great resonance and you could feel the wood vibrating when you played. It was very alive. Others weren't so resonant.

Anyone have any tips for picking a Les Paul? Anything in particular I should stay away from or watch out for?

Cheers.

Edit: Oh, and what are your thoughts on the chambered bodies? Do they all come that way now? I did have an '80-something Les Paul a long time ago, but I sold it 'cause it was a back breaker. The new ones feel pretty light by comparison.

 

[Kadmium]

I've always loved Les Pauls, but Gibson-built guitars just don't have the same quality these days. If you can get hold of one, my money is on the Burny, which are manufactured by Fernandes. They easily beat every Gibson I've tried.

 

[viggen666]

the quality of new gibsons is just fine, just try before you buy.
I don't like the chambered bodies myself, doesn't feel right to me when a les paul feels too light. i found myself a nice les paul classic from 2003, doesn't have the chambered body and sounds really good once i changed that 500T to a duncan full shred, the 500T wasn't clear enough for me.

the les paul traditional still doesn't have a chambered bodies, the rest of the line has.

but if you want a gibson that sounds heavy, isn't too expensive, and has a big & solid mahogany body, get an explorer.

 

[006]

+1 to the Explorer!!! Also, the Burny Les Pauls kick ass man... no joke.

~006

 

[Meisterjäger]

I'll go for the middle ground and say the quality of Gibsons is hit and miss!

In comparison to a few Gibson LP Classics and Studios I've jammed on, I do prefer the feel of my Fernandes and the few other Fernandes' I've played, so Kadmium's recommendation of a Burny can only be seconded by me. That being said, the Gibsons were nice... but the Fernandes' were cheaper. But if you want a Gibson, you want a Gibson...

 

[viggen666]

Where did you buy the Fernandes ? I don't see those too much around here, but they look good.

 

[Kazrog]

The Epiphone Zakk Wylde can be a great guitar if you put active EMGs in it.

 

[gorath23]

Just with anything, the tip is to play a few and pick the one that sounds best. Personally I never plug a guitar in when testing it. If it sounds good unplugged, it'll sound good amp'd up(I normally change my pups anyway). Personally I'm a fan of MIJ Les Pauls as the quality control was very tight and you can pick up Gibson beaters for less than half the price of the real deal. Most 70's/80's MIJ's come with the open book headstock etc so look identical. My preference is Greco, I currently own a 'Mint Collection Custom' in Violinburst and I'm looking to pick up another, but in black, in the next few months. Mine cost me £450 shipped and with taxes from Japan. That would be considered fairly expensive for a Greco though (at least on ebay).

 

[Toni S.]

Just with anything, the tip is to play a few and pick the one that sounds best. Personally I never plug a guitar in when testing it. If it sounds good unplugged, it'll sound good amp'd up(I normally change my pups anyway). Personally I'm a fan of MIJ Les Pauls as the quality control was very tight and you can pick up Gibson beaters for less than half the price of the real deal. Most 70's/80's MIJ's come with the open book headstock etc so look identical. My preference is Greco, I currently own a 'Mint Collection Custom' in Violinburst and I'm looking to pick up another, but in black, in the next few months. Mine cost me £450 shipped and with taxes from Japan. That would be considered fairly expensive for a Greco though (at least on ebay).

So you bought it from Ebay or straight from the manufacturer?

 

[Godhasblessedme]

I've always loved Les Pauls, but Gibson-built guitars just don't have the same quality these days. If you can get hold of one, my money is on the Burny, which are manufactured by Fernandes. They easily beat every Gibson I've tried.

Hear Hear. I've got an 83 Burney custom, cream. Its an awesome les paul. Also try out the high end Japanese Tokais. Edwards are really good too. If you can find one, the Elite series Epiphones will blow you away. Also the pre Korean Epiphones are great guitars, but again rare these days.
I have some great replicas, fitted with both semour duncans and EMG's and they play and sound awesome. Replicas tend to come with pretty average pickups, so you'll need to budget for replacements. I have a blacl Tokai LP custom, Japanese model, weighs more than any Gibson I've ever picked up, plays and sounds stunning. I put EMG's in it, great guitar for just under 1k.
Generic Les Paul shapes such as the ESP Eclipse, and single cut PRS guitars are also every bit as good as any Gibson, if not better.
These days getting a great Gibson usually means going custom shop. The off the wall ones tend to be average at best.

 

[006]

I had a 74 LP Custom, Gibson, that I thought was just...really f'in good. Until I got my EC-1000. I've owned quite a few LPs and they're all gone now for no other reason other than my EC-1000 being better.

~006

 

[iekobrid]

Edwards are really good too.

Aye, I'm holding out for an Edwards. ESP build quality + more traditional Gibsonesque looks =

http://www.espguitars.co.jp/edwards/lp/E-LP-130LTS.html

http://www.espguitars.co.jp/edwards/lp/E-LP-92CD.html

 

[Sloan]

^ OH SNAP, JOHN SYKES MODEL!

 

[iekobrid]

^ OH SNAP, JOHN SYKES MODEL!

Werd. Burny and Greco have made JS models in the past but most I've seen had rosewood fretboards, which on an LP Custom is just uke:

If time & space & money were no object, I would buy two Edwards Sykes models -- one to keep stock and one to strip to bare maple and re-seal, kind of like this:

 

[Sloan]

Apparently, Gibson actually did make a custom shop John Sykes model, but I never knew about it until 20 minutes ago:

 

[iekobrid]

Huh, pre-distressed even. What year(s) was it available?

 

[jangoux]

Ibanez also made some kick ass guitars, including Les Pauls, in the 70 or 80s, IIRC. My wife has a Telecaster 72 Custom and it has the most confortable neck i've ever played, and the tone f 'ing rocks ! I found LPs a couple years ago on ebay for around $600

 

[006]

Yeah, the Les Paul that Ibanez made is referred to as "the lawsuit guitar".

~006

 

[~BURNY~]

 

[viggen666]

Edwards has a copy of that John Sykes model, going to order it probably..