• Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Topic: I am in transition!

Santa (my wife) was very good to me this year.  I have been a strat man for years but Joe gave me a terrible case of Les Paul fever after seeing him in Louisville, KY and Evansville, IN last year.  So with a generous donation and blessing from my wife I headed to my favorite guitar store, Guitar Emporium in Louisville, KY. (Check them out on the internet. Great store with constantly changing inventory of used gear.)  I returned with a huge grin and a wine red 1993 Les Paul Custom.  I tried out a bunch of Les Pauls before the holidays and none of them felt right or sounded like this one.  I must say my strats are very lonely right now as I get used to this Les Paul.  The thick tone and natural sustain are addicting.  My question to you Les Paul experts is this: How do you get your Les Pauls to cut through in a full band situation (bass, drums, keyboards, and two guitars) while retaining the thick and creamy lead tone. Luckily I play with seasoned musicians who play with dynamics so they are courteous with their volumes during my solos. But I would like to cut through a little more without losing the thick tone.  For the record, I play through cranked Fender Blackface heads. I am guessing a Tube Screamer type pedal is in my future.

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: I am in transition!

You're on the right track. You could dial up the treble on your amp to be brighter, and then roll back on your tone control for normal playing. When time comes for a solo, just roll the tone back up for some extra bite. Other people have used a wah for this. Engage the wah and find the "sweet spot" and just keep it there during the solo. That will help it cut through for sure.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: I am in transition!

I've been having great success lately after reading this http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/tonefre … -paul.html

I'm finally able to play my LP in the band properly (had it for over a year and had only gigged once with it) and the LP + 1974x = heaven for me....

I have the bridge dialed to 9 Volume, 4 Tone or around that
Neck 7 Volume and 7 Tone (this gives me a good lead sound on the neck and rhythm on the bridge) the bridge has a very strat like cut for playing rhythm on (with out the thumpy bass strings that was driving me mad previously) and the neck has a very fat smooth growl smile

I also noticed whilst I was playing around with it, how good a les paul is at cutting and blending in the mix much to the frustration of the other guitarist in the band :x
I also rewired it 50's style and replaced the pots / caps all in all I'm now very please at being able to use it in a band setting...

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: I am in transition!

HoosierRock wrote:

Santa (my wife) was very good to me this year.  I have been a strat man for years but Joe gave me a terrible case of Les Paul fever after seeing him in Louisville, KY and Evansville, IN last year.  So with a generous donation and blessing from my wife I headed to my favorite guitar store, Guitar Emporium in Louisville, KY. (Check them out on the internet. Great store with constantly changing inventory of used gear.)  I returned with a huge grin and a wine red 1993 Les Paul Custom.  I tried out a bunch of Les Pauls before the holidays and none of them felt right or sounded like this one.  I must say my strats are very lonely right now as I get used to this Les Paul.  The thick tone and natural sustain are addicting.  My question to you Les Paul experts is this: How do you get your Les Pauls to cut through in a full band situation (bass, drums, keyboards, and two guitars) while retaining the thick and creamy lead tone. Luckily I play with seasoned musicians who play with dynamics so they are courteous with their volumes during my solos. But I would like to cut through a little more without losing the thick tone.  For the record, I play through cranked Fender Blackface heads. I am guessing a Tube Screamer type pedal is in my future.

A tubescreamer type pedal will help, and also using more midrange on your amp than typically.  Everytime I hear a great Les Paul player like Joe or Warren Haynes they really seem to cut.  Warren does it by playing with a decent amount of treble and using the neck pickup, while Joe uses a #$%load of midrange and the bridge.  Also, it really helps in a 2 guitarist type band if you are playing a Gibson and your other guitarist is playing a Strat/Tele.  That way the guitars are seperated enough that both of you can easily be heard when needed.

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: I am in transition!

Almost forgot, congrats on the Les Paul Custom!  I'd love to get a Custom some day (a black one like Jimmy Page's).

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • From: Massachusetts
  • Registered: 2008-10-27
  • Posts: 577

Re: I am in transition!

Great link JohnTB....

I can't wait to get home and work on this!!!  Wonderful advice...

2009 Gibson Les Paul 1958 VOS (with black plastic)
2008 Gibson Les Paul Traditional Goldtop (with the cream plastic from the 58RI)
> Marshall Bluesbreaker 2 pedal >Boss sd-1> DD3 > Vox Ac15cc1
  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: I am in transition!

Yer it really opened my eyes, bein a strat guy I really struggled adapting to the lp playin alone was fine but in a band setting it just wouldn't mix. It's predominantly the reason why I could never justify buying a Gibson a lot of money for somet you can't play. Anyhow glad you liked it that forum is full is useful goodies smile

  • Registered: 2009-07-03
  • Posts: 37

Re: I am in transition!

JohnTB wrote:

Yer it really opened my eyes, bein a strat guy I really struggled adapting to the lp playin alone was fine but in a band setting it just wouldn't mix. It's predominantly the reason why I could never justify buying a Gibson a lot of money for somet you can't play. Anyhow glad you liked it that forum is full is useful goodies smile

Funny, I have opposite problem....I played Les Paul for a long time, and now when I play in a band with other guitarist, Strat sounds thin to me, I rarely use it in a band...but when I'm at home, I almost always play my strat....
can someone help me with this or should there be a new thread?:)
btw. congrats on LP:)