My biggest regret: back during my high-school days in the middle 1990s, I saved up and got an ebony Les Paul Standard. A few years ago, I sold it to pay bills. I want that guitar back
My theory- wood is organic. It has imperfections and unique characteristics based on all sorts of environmental factors (species, soil, wind, etc). Strings vibrate at different frequencies depending on tuning. So I think some guitars just hit the jackpot by having a body and a neck that are of similar properties and that respond to different frequencies the same. Since LPs are set neck, those differences are much more obvious. In my mind this would also explain why some guitars really seem to come alive when you have them in a different tuning. I have 9 LPs (4 Gibson and 5 Epiphone) and my favorite is actually an epiphone LP custom with the Kalamazoo headstock. It was decent in standard tuning but after I set it up to be a metal guitar in drop b, the thing just awakened. It’s like the guitar was always meant to be a down tuned chuggster.
Changes in company ownership and who is building them have impacted the player experience of LPs, in my opinion. The man himself, Les Paul, played sitting down mostly but its considered heavy when playing standing. I think LP's are a case of you really have to bond with a particular specimen of one. As to issues, I am told getting a new nut cut and filed in by an actual craftsman solves the tuning issues.
I admin in a Gibson FB group (Supreme Owners), and I pretty much agree with ya. I had a white studio (early 90s) and regret not having it now. That said, I currently have two, and both are "keepers." One is an '09 Studio ("Raw Power") model, one of the rare ones with a maple fretboard. I've never had a guitar that rips the pinch harmonic technique quite like that one (57 Classics under the hood). The other is an '06 Amber Supreme. It has a VERY different (slimmer, rather than the 'ball bat') neck profile than most. With the ebony fretboard (common on Lesters), that one is just outstanding (and almost too showy to put on stage -- but I do ... lol) -- but for a different reason. The neck FEELS so much better than any other LP I've ever owned. It's not at all fatiguing in the "bread and butter chord zone" in those 4 hour marathon gigs. And being chambered, it is lighter than many of the "traditional" models. I somewhat got lucky with both -- being internet purchases without having them in my hands before acquisition. And I strongly recommend that. Yes, EVERY Les Paul guitar is its own instrument -- and we're all nuts for dropping anything over $1K on something without ever playing it first. Between the plethora of pickup options, neck profiles, new contours between body and neck ("modern" etc.) or the "traditional" styling -- heck, the same guitar with lighter gauge strings can make a world of difference if you're going to bond with it, or what it does tonally. {PS -- the title isn't that click-baity. It was accurate to your concerns, and having played assorted Gibsons since my first band in 1979, I'll concur with ya -- you're on the right track.} ;) To be honest, my #1 guitar is no longer anything LP. If you want to feel the best Gibson ever, get you an SG Supreme. The slim taper neck is lightning fast, you have all 24 frets (2 full octaves) and no hand contortions are required to get above the 17th fret. It's the only guitar I ever owned that actually DID improve my playing skills at least 25% within my first 6 months of ownership. I had to SLOW DOWN to dial in that fast neck, and then pick things back up after adapting. :)
I do the same thing with all guitars. There’s always one I won’t part with, but to be honest. I had a harder time finding a great Strat than I did a great Les Paul. Most Les Paul’s I play are usually ones I wish I could take home. To take it one step further, I’ve been looking for a great Telecaster for 8 years now and still, no dice.
I recently went out to buy a brand new LP Custom. Came home with a 1980 Custom. The gold plating is in rough shape, it has a few dings, the binding has some cracks in it, but as soon as I played it I knew that was the one
It's in the setup. I had a 2017 LP Faded T. Bottom of the line at the time. It was amazing. I sold it to fund another guitar. But I never forgot about it and finally bought another. It wasn't as good. But then I did a good setup. And you know what? It's just as good and feels exactly like I remembered. BTW, I also have a 2009 Studio exactly like yours. Gotta love that ebony fretboard on the 09s.
Hi there! If I were to tag in on this subject, I would specify the fact that the Lester Paul is made of solid slabs of wood (usually Mahogany. And then there's the 50s spec ones with the snappy sounding maple neck 😊). There's more varying aspects that play into one another, yet that one aforementioned is focal across all cases for me (arguably for all). I'll squeeze another matter of its esthetic appeal to the common eye of a Lester. It captivated me as a boy on first sight of Jimmy Page playing one in the famous concert, 'the Song Remains the Same', and it still flies strong today as an adult, as it did in my beginning. That eye candy, intrigues the player to play it over and over again, and inspires the players sonic Outlook of the many tones, sounds, and tricks that one dares to create as a guitar player in general. The other subdivision under the case of wood slabs are the species of wood and their ages on a case by case basis. Please, do tell if this hits an immediate bell for you upon me merely attempting to simplify things for Les Paul guitars, man! P.s. I had subscribed because I like the talking/presentation style of your channel.
I think it's mostly subjective - but you do have a point. I've owned Les Paul's in the past that I sold because they just didn't feel 'right' somehow. I got a 2007 BFG a few years ago and it's completely different to any other guitar I've ever played and I'll never part with it...but someone else could play that same guitar and dislike it. What you're describing is a genuine phenomenon but, like you, I cannot actually explain it although I've experienced it myself.
I've got 3 Les Paul's and they're all great and stay in tune. I'm left handed so I usually only have one to try in the shop. My favourite is a gold top P90 60s reissue. Then I have a wine red and a tobacco sunburst and they all play and sound great.
I have owned many Les Pauls over the last 45 years and the only one I have held onto and never let go is a 1996 Wine Red Les Paul Studio. One piece mahogany body with amazing grain, chunky 50's neck profile and extremely dynamic pickups that can cover any musical genre pop to metal. It is a beast and my perfect Les Paul 🙂
I think LPs are frustrating on an individual level. I’ve got one with some jimmy page wiring that’s not super great all the time, and it sounds so good except that the pots crackle and it buzzes even with the volume down if I take my hands off the metal bits, and it plays so good except that it sits super low and has horrible upper fret access and digs into me because it doesn’t have any contours. I feel like we’re an old married couple.
I think the Les Paul is associated with a particular sound that probably adds to the difficulty for those looking for a 'good' one. Not to say that Strats etc. don't have a particular sound either, but a bolt-on neck gives that 'spanky' bright tone almost immediately in my experience. Les Pauls are also quite wood specific, they seem to rely on a specific wood combination (mahogany/maple/rosewood/ebony) in a way that other guitars don't. My latest Jackson has okoume as a body wood and sounds killer, but I don't see it working for a Les Paul for example.
For me, it's the fact that the tuners are three to a side, which causes the "G" string in particular to go out of tune. I did what you stated and went to a guitar store in 2009 and played 3 or 4 different ones and picked out my favorite. The tone in that guitar, is by far, just about the best of ANY guitar I've played. Still, I took it back to see why it would not stay in tune! I almost put a Floyd Rose on it with a locking nut so it WOULD stay in tune! However, it's a chambered body, so I decided against that. I ended up replacing the original tuners with Grovers - which sucked by the way! Finally, I replaced the Grovers with Schallers, cut the G & D slots in the nut, and now use reel oil (fishing rod & reel oil) in the nut for lubrication. Now it plays beautifully!
I think it might have to do with the weight. It seems like there can be more than a 1 lbs difference between LPs and I’ve heard that lighter guitars are more resonant.
@@markmcdonald5711 how loud can it get? wondering how it will be in comparison with my boss katana 50. Also how quiet can you play it and still get a good toan?
@@owl448 It gets loud enough that in that late at night I play it in the .01 watt setting. I have two 5 watt tube amps and I use the DSL1 a lot more than the others. I'm keeping this amp.
A good Les Paul is one of the nicest playing guitars you will ever play. Finding that Les Paul is the hard part! I really have no idea what makes the perfect Les Paul, and I'm pretty sure even Gibson don't, haha.
As a lefty, going to a store and playing all the LPs to find the best one just isn't an option. We have to buy one off the internet and hope for the best. Return it for an exchange if need be. But the next one may be just as bad. Of course this is assuming Gibson makes the model you want in a lefty.
I think it’s everything you mentioned, there are more potentials for variances due to how they’re handworked and assembled, and their less than stellar QC allows those variances to be released into the market. There are less variances in PRS guitars than in Gibson, even though they share the same construction techniques, due to the training that PRS employees undergoes, tighter tolerances and more effective QC.
The Alpine white studio was probably the nicest looking of all studios to date. I bought a 2008 studio brand new in ebony which I loved... I would have bought the white had one been around at the time. I like the 490R/498T pickups which are stock in a 6k current day custom shop les paul custom...
I have 5 different Les Pauls and none are alike. My two Supremes have a slightly different neck from each other. The tone is just a bit different. My Studio is different in feel and tone from any of the others. My Standards each have a very different neck from the other three and feel very different from each other. It’s just that no two are alike. I’m lucky in that each one is what I would consider “A Good Les Paul”.
I’ve had a few Les Paul’s like you. From Standards to a 72 deluxe goldtop which was amazing. My favorite out of all of them was a 91 Studio Alpine White with gold hardware and an ebony fretboard. I would have never gotten rid of that one or the deluxe. Unfortunately all of my gear got stolen so I don’t have them anymore. I agree with you though . One can be a jewel and one can be a POS same model. Very strange. When you do find that jewel though there’s nothing better.
Totally agree. Not a LP, but the only Gibson I have held on to for nearly 20 years is an ‘05 Faded SG special, one of those worn brown ones that are a dime a dozen. It just feels, sounds, and plays great, and I love the thin satin finish on the neck. It NEVER needs a truss rod or saddle adjustment and I have not babied it. I leave it tuned down half a step for songs in Eb in my band’s setlist. It’s like a broken in baseball glove or old pair of jeans that just feels right. Have owned and played lots of “meh” Gibsons, but you definitely hold on to the standouts. Cheers
I’ve owned now 7 Les Pauls at various times, all Gibsons, including a CS R9. Not one of them was a dud. The lighter ones tend to be resonant unplugged and more airy sounding when amplified, the heavier ones have a meatier tone in my experience. I think right around 9lbs is the perfect weight you want to look for in a LP. Definitely way more work goes into making a LP than a typical bolt-on neck Fender or whatever so I agree there’s more room for variance. If you watch Trogly’s show you can see it, some examples play like dogs or are somewhat dead sounding. My personal experience has been only good, but I only owned two that cane out of the Henry J era, the rest have been since then. QC is not as good as other guitar companies, it’s just a fact, you’re paying extra to have the Gibson logo on the headstock and Gibson’s have the best resale value of any brand.
I think Strats are really tough to find, maybe even more than Les Pauls. I am still looking for my forever Les Paul Standard but I am also on the same quest for a forever Strat. Neck shape, weight, color, and tone profile seem to vary widely. Rarely found that to be the case with Teles. I can pretty much bond with any of them even though some are clearly better at suiting my tastes than others.
Alot of it comes down to a proper setup. A couple tweaks here and there as well as a properly cut nut make all the difference. However, yes it seems like some are just alive almost in a way. They have their own voice and its makes them special.
I own a Gibson Modern Les Paul. It is nice to own but I mostly play Telecasters HH with belly cuts. For me that is the most versatile and comfortable guitar to play live.
I learned this the hard way with 335s. My first one was a good used one with a Bigsby, didnt even know, just loved it, but had to sell it. Big mistake. Got another one later, didn't like it, wasnt anything like my first one. Traded it for a Lucille. Much better but now I'm eyeing that Epi Shinichi Ubukata, or 1959 355. But I'm trying find and try them in person for the same reasons. There's so many factors that go into set neck guitars, that when they vary, even in the same model line, they really do vary. Between weight, neck profiles, tops, electronics (Jeff Buckley's Tele is an example of having a unique neck pickup which was a mistake for example), etc. On bolt on guitars, you can sorta control for it. On set necks, you're relying on the spec sheet, with some room for variability from one example to another.
Just bought a lefty Gibson LP Junior with the single P-90 in dark Tobacco Sunburst, what a great sounding guitar. Also have an Epi LP Special, can't believe they can make a guitar this good for 500 dollars.
Most of the work is roughed in by CNC, and then hand finished. Same as Fender now. They both used to be originally a literal woodshop and analog work stations through and through, but Fender proved CNC would drastically improve putput and quality control. Gibson would adopt this due to diminishing market ahare due to being severly outpaced by Fender and other manufacturers who did use CNC. No difference aside from set necks, and or bolt necks. Both makers make both actually, today.
Went through a few that were very good. I’ve still got an early 06’ LP Studio Vintage Mahogany and my main squeeze is a 2013 TradPro 2 50’s neck. It’s been gutted and modded, but I knew it was a player the first time I picked it up after owning a a TradPro1 60’s neck and a Trad Goldtop 50’s. I had an alpine white LP studio for a bit, that was pretty good. I needed a Strat years ago and traded it for an American Special and some cash from the guy.
A really great Les Paul is fascinating to play and listen to. But most of them are just OK, and it doesn't have much to do with the model, or the age, or the price. It all depends on how the different woods resonate together, and that can't be predicted. The frustrating part is finding a great one that also doesn't weigh 12 lbs and have a neck like a lane at a bowling alley.
3:40 iv’e been saying this for years. Been criticized to hell and back for my love of them. This is coming from a player that has a les paul headstock tattoo on his right arm. When you find the right one its other worldly. Especially if it’s vintage. I’ll die defending this opinion. I also have receipts, I’ve owned many and played/compared many. I agree with your opinion on this video 100% very well said.
I don’t own one and haven’t played many, but I recorded at a studio that had one. It was maybe an early 2000’s studio with a worn transparent brown finish, pretty beat up… it had a repaired broken neck but it played awesome and sounded great. I have heard that broken ones sound/feel better sometimes 😂
I think a "good one" is one that is set up well in the store, so many are set up so differently from factory. I think the same is for Fender, some are set up better than others, making them play better. Not to bag on Guitar center, but their Epiphones all have super high action, how can I tell if it is a good player with action that high? When a guitar is 1K, I would hope the shop does something to ensure the guitars play well. The pickups are based on preference, but I will say I think generally Gibson's pickups are really good - so a "good one" has the Gibson pickup configuration you want. Weight, some of these vary, so if you get a lighter one, you are probably happier with that one - at least I am.
I have come to wonder how many idiots out there speak of "a good guitar" not realising they actually mean a well set up one. It's hard to say because most people speaking of "a good guitar" are too inarticulate to say more about it, so it's completely down to guessing what they mean.
I pretty much agree. Now that I think about it though, I have to say Les Pauls have been the most consistently "good" quality guitars I've ever picked up in terms of playability, tone, and things like fretwork. I've almost never picked a Les Paul off any wall in a store and been immedietely put off by things like fretsprout or insanely high action. THAT SAID. I definitely do not connect with the majority of them! I don't know what it is but I've only ever really *loved* a few Les Pauls out of the hundreds I've picked up over the last two decades or so. And I tend to like the ones made in the 2000s-early 2010s the most. It's the mojo.
Every guitar has its own personality. Its own set of quirks, issues, tonality, etc., regardless of brand or body style. Two Gibson Les Pauls or two American Fender Teles made the same day of the same wood in the same factory are going to play, feel, and sound different from one another
Youre not nuts. Literally played guitar for ten years and didnt like it much at all. Then, ended up buying a cheap vietnamese iyv lp like 6 years ago for xmas and it had "THAT" feel to it. Like...Id never held a guitar that felt that....solid? LIke....i felt like id finally picked up a guitar and was like "OOOOK, THIS is what everyone has been talking about!". Played almost every other kind of gutiar before that but yeah....les paul's are DAFFerent lol. After that, ive built like 20 guitars myself and can shred lol, but damn man, youre dead on about the lp imprint when you find a keeper.
I've owned about 8 guitars in my lifetime and far and away the worst one was the 2014 Gibson Les Paul Studio. And it was the 2nd most expensive guitar i've owned. I've played Schecter, Gretsch, Ibanez (RGs and a Destroyer), Godin, ESP, and currently a Fender Telecaster since 2018. All far superior instruments.
They told me you need to bind your guitar playing to the guitar blank souland will stay with you forever and inorder to see that souls you need to shine a black light to see the glow. Only on gibson les paul that is why its expensive.
When I pick up a PRS in a store, each one feels like the next. Only the condition of the strings differ. They are great, don’t get me wrong but they are like a cookie cutter guitar in that each one will not be different from the next. A Les Paul has more variables due to the way it’s made. When you get a good one it’s as if it’s alive and an individual. I found other brands to be more appliance like. They work, work well and are dependable but they are just not an “individual”.
They are stupidly heavy. They cost as much as a car. They are uncomfortable to play, the will not stay in tune, and they are fragile. Heavy and fragile is a bad combination.
I recently went through and played a TON of LPs. Much to my surprise I ended up taking home an Epiphone. I think it has to do with how much more complicated they are to manufacture vs your typical bolt-on type electrics. That and so much of Gibson’s rosewood supply sucks absolute d!ck
Perhaps worth mentioning that YOUR best LP might well have been someone else's worst LP. I've not found LPs to be more variable that other types but then, I've not played that many of them. With Strats and Teles, there are so many types within the model categories that it confuses things but I suspect there are far fewer "good" ones and most of us settle for simply better that average.
honestly, you can learn to stretch fingies preeeeety far. I mean, i play a left strat righty which makes the body meet at like the 15th fret, but when you really gel with a guitar, it doesnt end up mattering all that much. In my anecdotal experience at least. *shrugs*
@@47Jonesy The prices for new Gibson LP's are not justified. Not for quality reasons. It was out of date from the moment it was conceived !. It's a Cello guitar. The carved top, , the angled set neck, the angled headstock. Stuff that was around decades before 1952 ..now compare that to the Stratocaster two years later. You can see why people get P**** if some detail is not right
I like when they have a good setup. I've played new ones with buzzing frets and used ones that had very high setups. For some reason I don't think it was a warped neck. Small things make a difference. Sometimes they played better the second time I played them. The ones I liked the most rang allot because I didn't notice that I was stumming harder😊 I don't know. It could just be me..
If you ask EVH or Lee Sklar, they, when building their parts Fenders, went through a stack of bodies tap testing them. So, when a stack of maple stock and mahogany stock - all of which will be used - come together, you could have all dead pieces, half & half 2 ways, all alive, and probably? A spectrum in between. 4 pieces total for a trad LP body. Welcome to wood! Pickups - Gibson doesn't make a bad pickup, but I like 490Ts in SGs, not LPs. Dunno why. Dirty Fingers aren't bad, but I don't like really thumpy lows on high output pickups. If you don't like hot ceramic pickups, you'll always hate anything with 500Ts, for example. Most players don't account for adjusting pole pieces and pickup height. I love the 498T, while a JB to me is much more polarising while being a similar type. The bridge is not only adjustible for height at the saddle, but at the tail piece. Your chosen strings a bit too taught? Raise the tail for some slack. Screw it right down for max sustain, and there's always tge wrapped over option Billy Gibbons uses. Also: guys like me will loosen the strings, jack the bridge up way high or way too low, on a guitar we want but need to wait until payday to put a deposit on. We sometimes sleep on itv& go "nah, next time", so in theory that guitar could play like a POS for months until the store notices. Oh, and the legendary headstock break. My AAA top LP Studio had one, and it's magic. Might be the R9 leftover woods they used for this limited run, though. One piece mahogany back, too. 3 figures before the pandemic jacked prices up. Happy hunting, and buy wood, not pickups - which are cheap, and easy to swap.
it's like race of women... some races of women have lots of beautiful women and many not so beautiful... then there are les paul women where some can be 11/10, but having some stunningly beautiful women also means there are fewer 8s 7s 6s 5s etc... you can lazer scan 100 les pauls and they'll be within 0.01% of each other but one might be outstanding... how many legendary les pauls have gone through many great guitarists before finding the best match? many from memory...
I’ve tried so many different guitars and I keep coming back to my LPs
Same here, I’ve got multiple Les Pauls and they are my favorite guitar in terms of looks, feel and sound.
THIS
@rocktorrocks I can live in my Lester, if it had to come down to it, my man!
Same with me kind of
My biggest regret: back during my high-school days in the middle 1990s, I saved up and got an ebony Les Paul Standard. A few years ago, I sold it to pay bills. I want that guitar back
save up, buy another if you can. You'll squash the regret
Never sell.
Our guitarist only played Les Pauls and it was always going out of tune.
Zed's dead baby. Zed's dead. 🤘🤘
It’s not a motorcycle, it’s a chopper, baby.
My theory- wood is organic. It has imperfections and unique characteristics based on all sorts of environmental factors (species, soil, wind, etc). Strings vibrate at different frequencies depending on tuning. So I think some guitars just hit the jackpot by having a body and a neck that are of similar properties and that respond to different frequencies the same. Since LPs are set neck, those differences are much more obvious.
In my mind this would also explain why some guitars really seem to come alive when you have them in a different tuning. I have 9 LPs (4 Gibson and 5 Epiphone) and my favorite is actually an epiphone LP custom with the Kalamazoo headstock. It was decent in standard tuning but after I set it up to be a metal guitar in drop b, the thing just awakened. It’s like the guitar was always meant to be a down tuned chuggster.
Austin props for pointing out a lot of the hate for Les Pauls is from non players.
I like the weight of the Les Paul it's heavy but not to heavy you really feel it when you're playing it it just feels good.
Changes in company ownership and who is building them have impacted the player experience of LPs, in my opinion. The man himself, Les Paul, played sitting down mostly but its considered heavy when playing standing. I think LP's are a case of you really have to bond with a particular specimen of one. As to issues, I am told getting a new nut cut and filed in by an actual craftsman solves the tuning issues.
I admin in a Gibson FB group (Supreme Owners), and I pretty much agree with ya. I had a white studio (early 90s) and regret not having it now. That said, I currently have two, and both are "keepers." One is an '09 Studio ("Raw Power") model, one of the rare ones with a maple fretboard. I've never had a guitar that rips the pinch harmonic technique quite like that one (57 Classics under the hood). The other is an '06 Amber Supreme. It has a VERY different (slimmer, rather than the 'ball bat') neck profile than most. With the ebony fretboard (common on Lesters), that one is just outstanding (and almost too showy to put on stage -- but I do ... lol) -- but for a different reason. The neck FEELS so much better than any other LP I've ever owned. It's not at all fatiguing in the "bread and butter chord zone" in those 4 hour marathon gigs. And being chambered, it is lighter than many of the "traditional" models. I somewhat got lucky with both -- being internet purchases without having them in my hands before acquisition. And I strongly recommend that. Yes, EVERY Les Paul guitar is its own instrument -- and we're all nuts for dropping anything over $1K on something without ever playing it first. Between the plethora of pickup options, neck profiles, new contours between body and neck ("modern" etc.) or the "traditional" styling -- heck, the same guitar with lighter gauge strings can make a world of difference if you're going to bond with it, or what it does tonally. {PS -- the title isn't that click-baity. It was accurate to your concerns, and having played assorted Gibsons since my first band in 1979, I'll concur with ya -- you're on the right track.} ;)
To be honest, my #1 guitar is no longer anything LP. If you want to feel the best Gibson ever, get you an SG Supreme. The slim taper neck is lightning fast, you have all 24 frets (2 full octaves) and no hand contortions are required to get above the 17th fret. It's the only guitar I ever owned that actually DID improve my playing skills at least 25% within my first 6 months of ownership. I had to SLOW DOWN to dial in that fast neck, and then pick things back up after adapting. :)
See my reply. I will post on the Supreme group. It's in the setup.
Whose motorcycle is this?
Not a motorcycle baby it's a chopper 😎
That's Zeds
@@MikeHunt-69 who’s zed?
@@wyldeslash2003Zed’s dead baby…Zed’s dead
I do the same thing with all guitars. There’s always one I won’t part with, but to be honest. I had a harder time finding a great Strat than I did a great Les Paul. Most Les Paul’s I play are usually ones I wish I could take home. To take it one step further, I’ve been looking for a great Telecaster for 8 years now and still, no dice.
I recently went out to buy a brand new LP Custom. Came home with a 1980 Custom. The gold plating is in rough shape, it has a few dings, the binding has some cracks in it, but as soon as I played it I knew that was the one
Maybe the first time a TH-camr asked me to subscribe and I did lol. Good luck on a getting to 1000!
Appreciate you brother!
Subscribed 998 now. Good luck
It's in the setup. I had a 2017 LP Faded T. Bottom of the line at the time. It was amazing. I sold it to fund another guitar. But I never forgot about it and finally bought another. It wasn't as good. But then I did a good setup. And you know what? It's just as good and feels exactly like I remembered. BTW, I also have a 2009 Studio exactly like yours. Gotta love that ebony fretboard on the 09s.
Hi there!
If I were to tag in on this subject, I would specify the fact that the Lester Paul is made of solid slabs of wood (usually Mahogany. And then there's the 50s spec ones with the snappy sounding maple neck 😊).
There's more varying aspects that play into one another, yet that one aforementioned is focal across all cases for me (arguably for all).
I'll squeeze another matter of its esthetic appeal to the common eye of a Lester. It captivated me as a boy on first sight of Jimmy Page playing one in the famous concert, 'the Song Remains the Same', and it still flies strong today as an adult, as it did in my beginning. That eye candy, intrigues the player to play it over and over again, and inspires the players sonic Outlook of the many tones, sounds, and tricks that one dares to create as a guitar player in general.
The other subdivision under the case of wood slabs are the species of wood and their ages on a case by case basis.
Please, do tell if this hits an immediate bell for you upon me merely attempting to simplify things for Les Paul guitars, man!
P.s. I had subscribed because I like the talking/presentation style of your channel.
I think it's mostly subjective - but you do have a point. I've owned Les Paul's in the past that I sold because they just didn't feel 'right' somehow. I got a 2007 BFG a few years ago and it's completely different to any other guitar I've ever played and I'll never part with it...but someone else could play that same guitar and dislike it. What you're describing is a genuine phenomenon but, like you, I cannot actually explain it although I've experienced it myself.
I've got 3 Les Paul's and they're all great and stay in tune. I'm left handed so I usually only have one to try in the shop. My favourite is a gold top P90 60s reissue. Then I have a wine red and a tobacco sunburst and they all play and sound great.
I would like to find a Gold Top with 60’s profile neck. When did you get yours? I didn’t know they made one like that.
I have owned many Les Pauls over the last 45 years and the only one I have held onto and never let go is a 1996 Wine Red Les Paul Studio. One piece mahogany body with amazing grain, chunky 50's neck profile and extremely dynamic pickups that can cover any musical genre pop to metal. It is a beast and my perfect Les Paul 🙂
I think LPs are frustrating on an individual level. I’ve got one with some jimmy page wiring that’s not super great all the time, and it sounds so good except that the pots crackle and it buzzes even with the volume down if I take my hands off the metal bits, and it plays so good except that it sits super low and has horrible upper fret access and digs into me because it doesn’t have any contours. I feel like we’re an old married couple.
I think the Les Paul is associated with a particular sound that probably adds to the difficulty for those looking for a 'good' one. Not to say that Strats etc. don't have a particular sound either, but a bolt-on neck gives that 'spanky' bright tone almost immediately in my experience. Les Pauls are also quite wood specific, they seem to rely on a specific wood combination (mahogany/maple/rosewood/ebony) in a way that other guitars don't. My latest Jackson has okoume as a body wood and sounds killer, but I don't see it working for a Les Paul for example.
For me, it's the fact that the tuners are three to a side, which causes the "G" string in particular to go out of tune. I did what you stated and went to a guitar store in 2009 and played 3 or 4 different ones and picked out my favorite. The tone in that guitar, is by far, just about the best of ANY guitar I've played. Still, I took it back to see why it would not stay in tune! I almost put a Floyd Rose on it with a locking nut so it WOULD stay in tune! However, it's a chambered body, so I decided against that. I ended up replacing the original tuners with Grovers - which sucked by the way! Finally, I replaced the Grovers with Schallers, cut the G & D slots in the nut, and now use reel oil (fishing rod & reel oil) in the nut for lubrication. Now it plays beautifully!
I think it might have to do with the weight. It seems like there can be more than a 1 lbs difference between LPs and I’ve heard that lighter guitars are more resonant.
Hey, ive been considering buying one of those small Marshall DSL1 amps, do you recommend?
Check out my channel! I have a review about it. I'm a big fan
Great bedroom amp, doesn't need any pedals.
@@markmcdonald5711 how loud can it get? wondering how it will be in comparison with my boss katana 50.
Also how quiet can you play it and still get a good toan?
@@owl448 It gets loud enough that in that late at night I play it in the .01 watt setting. I have two 5 watt tube amps and I use the DSL1 a lot more than the others. I'm keeping this amp.
A good Les Paul is one of the nicest playing guitars you will ever play. Finding that Les Paul is the hard part! I really have no idea what makes the perfect Les Paul, and I'm pretty sure even Gibson don't, haha.
As a lefty, going to a store and playing all the LPs to find the best one just isn't an option.
We have to buy one off the internet and hope for the best. Return it for an exchange if need be. But the next one may be just as bad.
Of course this is assuming Gibson makes the model you want in a lefty.
If you play guitars in a store, you're comparing random set-ups. It's just as good as test-driving a car without adjusting seat and mirrors.
I think it’s everything you mentioned, there are more potentials for variances due to how they’re handworked and assembled, and their less than stellar QC allows those variances to be released into the market. There are less variances in PRS guitars than in Gibson, even though they share the same construction techniques, due to the training that PRS employees undergoes, tighter tolerances and more effective QC.
Gibson should've hiring more luthier, not lawyer
The Alpine white studio was probably the nicest looking of all studios to date. I bought a 2008 studio brand new in ebony which I loved... I would have bought the white had one been around at the time. I like the 490R/498T pickups which are stock in a 6k current day custom shop les paul custom...
I have 5 different Les Pauls and none are alike. My two Supremes have a slightly different neck from each other. The tone is just a bit different. My Studio is different in feel and tone from any of the others. My Standards each have a very different neck from the other three and feel very different from each other. It’s just that no two are alike. I’m lucky in that each one is what I would consider “A Good Les Paul”.
I’ve had a few Les Paul’s like you. From Standards to a 72 deluxe goldtop which was amazing. My favorite out of all of them was a 91 Studio Alpine White with gold hardware and an ebony fretboard. I would have never gotten rid of that one or the deluxe. Unfortunately all of my gear got stolen so I don’t have them anymore. I agree with you though . One can be a jewel and one can be a POS same model. Very strange. When you do find that jewel though there’s nothing better.
Totally agree. Not a LP, but the only Gibson I have held on to for nearly 20 years is an ‘05 Faded SG special, one of those worn brown ones that are a dime a dozen. It just feels, sounds, and plays great, and I love the thin satin finish on the neck. It NEVER needs a truss rod or saddle adjustment and I have not babied it. I leave it tuned down half a step for songs in Eb in my band’s setlist. It’s like a broken in baseball glove or old pair of jeans that just feels right. Have owned and played lots of “meh” Gibsons, but you definitely hold on to the standouts. Cheers
My 335 is a beast to play but it sounds like a monster as well.
I’ve owned now 7 Les Pauls at various times, all Gibsons, including a CS R9. Not one of them was a dud. The lighter ones tend to be resonant unplugged and more airy sounding when amplified, the heavier ones have a meatier tone in my experience. I think right around 9lbs is the perfect weight you want to look for in a LP.
Definitely way more work goes into making a LP than a typical bolt-on neck Fender or whatever so I agree there’s more room for variance.
If you watch Trogly’s show you can see it, some examples play like dogs or are somewhat dead sounding. My personal experience has been only good, but I only owned two that cane out of the Henry J era, the rest have been since then.
QC is not as good as other guitar companies, it’s just a fact, you’re paying extra to have the Gibson logo on the headstock and Gibson’s have the best resale value of any brand.
I think Strats are really tough to find, maybe even more than Les Pauls. I am still looking for my forever Les Paul Standard but I am also on the same quest for a forever Strat. Neck shape, weight, color, and tone profile seem to vary widely. Rarely found that to be the case with Teles. I can pretty much bond with any of them even though some are clearly better at suiting my tastes than others.
Alot of it comes down to a proper setup. A couple tweaks here and there as well as a properly cut nut make all the difference. However, yes it seems like some are just alive almost in a way. They have their own voice and its makes them special.
I think it’s slight variation in neck angles
I own a Gibson Modern Les Paul. It is nice to own but I mostly play Telecasters HH with belly cuts. For me that is the most versatile and comfortable guitar to play live.
I learned this the hard way with 335s. My first one was a good used one with a Bigsby, didnt even know, just loved it, but had to sell it. Big mistake. Got another one later, didn't like it, wasnt anything like my first one. Traded it for a Lucille. Much better but now I'm eyeing that Epi Shinichi Ubukata, or 1959 355. But I'm trying find and try them in person for the same reasons.
There's so many factors that go into set neck guitars, that when they vary, even in the same model line, they really do vary. Between weight, neck profiles, tops, electronics (Jeff Buckley's Tele is an example of having a unique neck pickup which was a mistake for example), etc.
On bolt on guitars, you can sorta control for it. On set necks, you're relying on the spec sheet, with some room for variability from one example to another.
Just bought a lefty Gibson LP Junior with the single P-90 in dark Tobacco Sunburst, what a great sounding guitar. Also have an Epi LP Special, can't believe they can make a guitar this good for 500 dollars.
Most of the work is roughed in by CNC, and then hand finished. Same as Fender now. They both used to be originally a literal woodshop and analog work stations through and through, but Fender proved CNC would drastically improve putput and quality control. Gibson would adopt this due to diminishing market ahare due to being severly outpaced by Fender and other manufacturers who did use CNC. No difference aside from set necks, and or bolt necks. Both makers make both actually, today.
Went through a few that were very good. I’ve still got an early 06’ LP Studio Vintage Mahogany and my main squeeze is a 2013 TradPro 2 50’s neck. It’s been gutted and modded, but I knew it was a player the first time I picked it up after owning a a TradPro1 60’s neck and a Trad Goldtop 50’s. I had an alpine white LP studio for a bit, that was pretty good. I needed a Strat years ago and traded it for an American Special and some cash from the guy.
A really great Les Paul is fascinating to play and listen to. But most of them are just OK, and it doesn't have much to do with the model, or the age, or the price. It all depends on how the different woods resonate together, and that can't be predicted. The frustrating part is finding a great one that also doesn't weigh 12 lbs and have a neck like a lane at a bowling alley.
3:40 iv’e been saying this for years. Been criticized to hell and back for my love of them. This is coming from a player that has a les paul headstock tattoo on his right arm. When you find the right one its other worldly. Especially if it’s vintage. I’ll die defending this opinion. I also have receipts, I’ve owned many and played/compared many. I agree with your opinion on this video 100% very well said.
I don’t own one and haven’t played many, but I recorded at a studio that had one. It was maybe an early 2000’s studio with a worn transparent brown finish, pretty beat up… it had a repaired broken neck but it played awesome and sounded great. I have heard that broken ones sound/feel better sometimes 😂
I think a "good one" is one that is set up well in the store, so many are set up so differently from factory. I think the same is for Fender, some are set up better than others, making them play better. Not to bag on Guitar center, but their Epiphones all have super high action, how can I tell if it is a good player with action that high? When a guitar is 1K, I would hope the shop does something to ensure the guitars play well. The pickups are based on preference, but I will say I think generally Gibson's pickups are really good - so a "good one" has the Gibson pickup configuration you want. Weight, some of these vary, so if you get a lighter one, you are probably happier with that one - at least I am.
I have come to wonder how many idiots out there speak of "a good guitar" not realising they actually mean a well set up one. It's hard to say because most people speaking of "a good guitar" are too inarticulate to say more about it, so it's completely down to guessing what they mean.
I pretty much agree. Now that I think about it though, I have to say Les Pauls have been the most consistently "good" quality guitars I've ever picked up in terms of playability, tone, and things like fretwork. I've almost never picked a Les Paul off any wall in a store and been immedietely put off by things like fretsprout or insanely high action.
THAT SAID. I definitely do not connect with the majority of them! I don't know what it is but I've only ever really *loved* a few Les Pauls out of the hundreds I've picked up over the last two decades or so. And I tend to like the ones made in the 2000s-early 2010s the most.
It's the mojo.
Every guitar has its own personality. Its own set of quirks, issues, tonality, etc., regardless of brand or body style. Two Gibson Les Pauls or two American Fender Teles made the same day of the same wood in the same factory are going to play, feel, and sound different from one another
Youre not nuts. Literally played guitar for ten years and didnt like it much at all. Then, ended up buying a cheap vietnamese iyv lp like 6 years ago for xmas and it had "THAT" feel to it. Like...Id never held a guitar that felt that....solid? LIke....i felt like id finally picked up a guitar and was like "OOOOK, THIS is what everyone has been talking about!". Played almost every other kind of gutiar before that but yeah....les paul's are DAFFerent lol.
After that, ive built like 20 guitars myself and can shred lol, but damn man, youre dead on about the lp imprint when you find a keeper.
I've owned about 8 guitars in my lifetime and far and away the worst one was the 2014 Gibson Les Paul Studio. And it was the 2nd most expensive guitar i've owned. I've played Schecter, Gretsch, Ibanez (RGs and a Destroyer), Godin, ESP, and currently a Fender Telecaster since 2018. All far superior instruments.
I have a 1990 alpine studio. Best lp I have ever played or owned. I also will never part with it.
They told me you need to bind your guitar playing to the guitar blank souland will stay with you forever and inorder to see that souls you need to shine a black light to see the glow. Only on gibson les paul that is why its expensive.
When I pick up a PRS in a store, each one feels like the next. Only the condition of the strings differ. They are great, don’t get me wrong but they are like a cookie cutter guitar in that each one will not be different from the next. A Les Paul has more variables due to the way it’s made. When you get a good one it’s as if it’s alive and an individual. I found other brands to be more appliance like. They work, work well and are dependable but they are just not an “individual”.
I really like my epiphone lp but I've never got to try another one
I get it ya i've never played one, but i understand the imprinting thing w/ Guitars
They are stupidly heavy. They cost as much as a car. They are uncomfortable to play, the will not stay in tune, and they are fragile. Heavy and fragile is a bad combination.
Talk about parroting points you heard online
I agree
Great vid, Great points pointed out. Thanks
'91 LP Studio plays great, 2009 LP Classic is a dog until I recrown the frets. Then maybe??
I recently went through and played a TON of LPs. Much to my surprise I ended up taking home an Epiphone. I think it has to do with how much more complicated they are to manufacture vs your typical bolt-on type electrics. That and so much of Gibson’s rosewood supply sucks absolute d!ck
Perhaps worth mentioning that YOUR best LP might well have been someone else's worst LP. I've not found LPs to be more variable that other types but then, I've not played that many of them. With Strats and Teles, there are so many types within the model categories that it confuses things but I suspect there are far fewer "good" ones and most of us settle for simply better that average.
I hate the lack of upper fret access. To be fair, I am all about the Superstrat design.
@@pvwulfe6662 It's not THAT bad lol
honestly, you can learn to stretch fingies preeeeety far. I mean, i play a left strat righty which makes the body meet at like the 15th fret, but when you really gel with a guitar, it doesnt end up mattering all that much. In my anecdotal experience at least. *shrugs*
I like the fight it gives. Makes bending those upper notes feel like accomplishing a great feat 😂
I just never got on with them. An SG is something I will always love.
@@47Jonesy The prices for new Gibson LP's are not justified. Not for quality reasons. It was out of date from the moment it was conceived !. It's a Cello guitar. The carved top, , the angled set neck, the angled headstock. Stuff that was around decades before 1952 ..now compare that to the Stratocaster two years later. You can see why people get P**** if some detail is not right
Les Paul Guitar is good. Period.
Um, um, um, um...... .um, um, um, um.
Sub 999 here 😁
I like when they have a good setup. I've played new ones with buzzing frets and used ones that had very high setups. For some reason I don't think it was a warped neck. Small things make a difference. Sometimes they played better the second time I played them. The ones I liked the most rang allot because I didn't notice that I was stumming harder😊 I don't know. It could just be me..
Frett access sucks...
If you ask EVH or Lee Sklar, they, when building their parts Fenders, went through a stack of bodies tap testing them.
So, when a stack of maple stock and mahogany stock - all of which will be used - come together, you could have all dead pieces, half & half 2 ways, all alive, and probably? A spectrum in between. 4 pieces total for a trad LP body.
Welcome to wood!
Pickups - Gibson doesn't make a bad pickup, but I like 490Ts in SGs, not LPs. Dunno why. Dirty Fingers aren't bad, but I don't like really thumpy lows on high output pickups.
If you don't like hot ceramic pickups, you'll always hate anything with 500Ts, for example.
Most players don't account for adjusting pole pieces and pickup height. I love the 498T, while a JB to me is much more polarising while being a similar type.
The bridge is not only adjustible for height at the saddle, but at the tail piece. Your chosen strings a bit too taught? Raise the tail for some slack.
Screw it right down for max sustain, and there's always tge wrapped over option Billy Gibbons uses.
Also: guys like me will loosen the strings, jack the bridge up way high or way too low, on a guitar we want but need to wait until payday to put a deposit on.
We sometimes sleep on itv& go "nah, next time", so in theory that guitar could play like a POS for months until the store notices.
Oh, and the legendary headstock break. My AAA top LP Studio had one, and it's magic.
Might be the R9 leftover woods they used for this limited run, though. One piece mahogany back, too. 3 figures before the pandemic jacked prices up.
Happy hunting, and buy wood, not pickups - which are cheap, and easy to swap.
What a fantastic video have a wonderful day ❤😊
it's like race of women... some races of women have lots of beautiful women and many not so beautiful... then there are les paul women where some can be 11/10, but having some stunningly beautiful women also means there are fewer 8s 7s 6s 5s etc... you can lazer scan 100 les pauls and they'll be within 0.01% of each other but one might be outstanding... how many legendary les pauls have gone through many great guitarists before finding the best match? many from memory...