• From: New Hampshire, USA
  • Registered: 2010-12-21
  • Posts: 3,650

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

Jlowther wrote:
Jimi_lp wrote:

Well, if you're able to...a wee trip to London would be a good idea. Try out Vintage and Rare guitars, they might have a couple of 90s and early 2000s Les Pauls smile

OK thats great thanks Jimi!

before you plug in whatever guitar you try it must resonate on it own without an amp. You will know if you found the one for you if it feels and sounds great without amplification.
Good luck on your search..take your time...find the one for you.
Cheers Ron

"Joe B saved my soul, forever grateful Ron"
"Some people dream of worthy accomplishments while others stay awake and do them"
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  • DougH
  • DougH
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  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • Registered: 2011-04-01
  • Posts: 1,705

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

Arnold.. one of the best write ups I've seen about the options of Les Paul's

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(If only I had 1% of Joe's guitar talent)
  • Registered: 2011-02-25
  • Posts: 127

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

Sorry, but I've owned many guitrars and sell Gibson/Epi's.
An acoustically loud Les Paul does not guarantee good tone.
I've played plenty that sounded like crap unplugged, but were TONE monsters plugged in.
Pickups can be changed, and no two sound the same. Don't let the paricular pups stop you from buying a guitar.
I just took the stock BB's out of a new Custom Shop 1960 Reissue and put in a set of Throbaks.
Made a good Les Paul into a great one.
Join "The Les Paul Forum" and "My Les Paul" forum for more info.

  • From: Ridgeland, MS
  • Registered: 2009-08-12
  • Posts: 1,248

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

SlyStrat wrote:

Sorry, but I've owned many guitrars and sell Gibson/Epi's.
An acoustically loud Les Paul does not guarantee good tone.
I've played plenty that sounded like crap unplugged, but were TONE monsters plugged in.
Pickups can be changed, and no two sound the same. Don't let the paricular pups stop you from buying a guitar.
I just took the stock BB's out of a new Custom Shop 1960 Reissue and put in a set of Throbaks.
Made a good Les Paul into a great one.
Join "The Les Paul Forum" and "My Les Paul" forum for more info.

+1. Also, some light LPs sound great…others not so much (and vice versa). Ever picked up a 1950's LP? The ones I have held and played were surprisingly light (and resonant). As a rule, Custom Shop LPs will have lighter, first choice slabs of mahogany.

  • DougH
  • DougH
  • BONAMETAL
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  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • Registered: 2011-04-01
  • Posts: 1,705

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

SlyStrat wrote:

Join "The Les Paul Forum" .

Sorry nobody seems to be able to join this forum

I've tried.. you need some Admin to send you a confirmation and you can't get one.

The other forum is good..

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(If only I had 1% of Joe's guitar talent)
  • From: Cambridge
  • Registered: 2011-01-15
  • Posts: 912

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

Hi Ron, thanks for the heads up and the good wishes!

SlyStrat, I will most definitely thoroughly test the guitar unplugged and plugged in - I understand this is a very general question but what kind of tone should I be playing with if I'm looking for the true sound of the guitar? I've always thought a compressor brings out the natural sound

I looked at the My Les Paul forum and I'm rather overwhelmed by the mass of information - what some of the other top aspects I should be looking for when trying out the guitar?

Thanks everyone:)

Jonny L

Videos of my playing: http://www.youtube.com/user/JonnyLowtherMusic
  • From: Sussex UK
  • Registered: 2009-07-12
  • Posts: 1,465

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

congrats on your b'day JL. As has been said get yourself into London, - on a train into Kings Cross and then over to Denmark Street for a mooch around all of the vintage guitar shops, - I am sure somebody on here will tell you the good and the bad of them. - Even if you do not come away having bought one you will have a great time looking and learning.

Good luck.

Ian

My YouTube channel with plenty of my Joe's videos dating from 2009 inc his first Hammersmith Odeon ones:
http://www.youtube.com/ian916fun

Ian916's Website

  • From: braintree essex
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 221

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

Look On eBay uk there is a 58 custom shop les Paul with a bigsby it looks killer!! Is £1700 or best offer , if I was you I'd go for that!! I would go for it bit I'm saving my cash for the new jb signature when its out ! Dont buy a new one!!!!

  • From: Cambridge
  • Registered: 2011-01-15
  • Posts: 912

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

thanks so much Ian! Yeah I'll see if I can organise a trip there!

Steve, yeah i've seen that guitar it looks gorgeous! I would be worried though as I can't try it out:(

Jonny L

Videos of my playing: http://www.youtube.com/user/JonnyLowtherMusic
  • From: braintree essex
  • Registered: 2010-02-22
  • Posts: 221

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

To be honest I know alot of Gibson guitars are not always gonna be perfect , and they never are unless you know what your looking for , I know this as I used to to be guitar tech for Gibson uk and have had thousands of les pauls pass through my hands , and in general they are ok even the custom shop guitars were never spot on(considering the price) even my jb aged goldtop   Neede a fret dress , , I'd say don't go into this with the idea that your guitar will be perfect ( I hope it is) ! My point is don't worry about finding the perfect Gibson , they all tend to need some sort of tweaking but that's just coz I know what I'm looking for , I suppose it might be a bad thing!! Ha ha  give the bigsby guitar a shot , ask for deatailed pics etc, if you get a guitar and if it needs  tweaking I'll sort it out for you ! If not happy shopping , I hope you find your guitar!!

  • From: Cambridge
  • Registered: 2011-01-15
  • Posts: 912

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

stevebonamassive wrote:

To be honest I know alot of Gibson guitars are not always gonna be perfect , and they never are unless you know what your looking for , I know this as I used to to be guitar tech for Gibson uk and have had thousands of les pauls pass through my hands , and in general they are ok even the custom shop guitars were never spot on(considering the price) even my jb aged goldtop   Neede a fret dress , , I'd say don't go into this with the idea that your guitar will be perfect ( I hope it is) ! My point is don't worry about finding the perfect Gibson , they all tend to need some sort of tweaking but that's just coz I know what I'm looking for , I suppose it might be a bad thing!! Ha ha  give the bigsby guitar a shot , ask for deatailed pics etc, if you get a guitar and if it needs  tweaking I'll sort it out for you ! If not happy shopping , I hope you find your guitar!!

Hey Steve I really appreciate the advice! I've only had 2 Les pauls - an Epi and a Gibson copy so I'm not really sure what differences to expect so I'll just go for the one I like playing most. Don't know if this has anything to do with the guitar but I want the strings to be really slinky and easy to bend all the time - not just for a day after you put new strings on, if you know what I mean?

Jonny L

Videos of my playing: http://www.youtube.com/user/JonnyLowtherMusic
  • Registered: 2009-02-10
  • Posts: 470

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

All les pauls have the same scale length so the string tension is less than the likes of a strat or tele. Strings will actually get lighter with time rather than heavier. So new strings are tougher than old ones.
You could do the top wrap trick though and it will lessen the tension even further. 10s top wrapped will feel more like 9s.

  • From: Cambridge
  • Registered: 2011-01-15
  • Posts: 912

Re: First Gibson Les Paul

Jimi_lp wrote:

All les pauls have the same scale length so the string tension is less than the likes of a strat or tele. Strings will actually get lighter with time rather than heavier. So new strings are tougher than old ones.
You could do the top wrap trick though and it will lessen the tension even further. 10s top wrapped will feel more like 9s.

Hi Jimi, yes that's the reason I sold my strat...didn't like fighting against the strings all the time. I do top wrap my Les Pauls and it does make a bit of a difference!

Jonny L

Videos of my playing: http://www.youtube.com/user/JonnyLowtherMusic