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Picked up a Chicago Blue Les Paul Standard today:
Was searching for a new guitar, and wanted something with two hum and no trem. Thought about a PRS, but the two guys I jam with have PRS guitars, and I wanted to bring something a little different to the mix. I always hated it when I'd be at a stop light and six sport bikes, all the same make and model, would pull up next to me. I always think "geez, couldn't at least one of you think on your own?" So, I figured a Les Paul might add some spice to jam night, and the music store I hang out at has a ton of Les Pauls hanging on their wall.
I tried an Alex Lifeson Signature Les Paul which was heavenly. The only downsides were: it had a trem, it was a bit expensive, and knowing me, I'd be so afraid to ding it that I wouldn't play it enough to get my money's worth. Sweet, sweet guitar though.
Next I tried some Traditionals. What they say is true: you need to play a lot of Les Pauls to find the one that feels right to you. I did find one that felt good, although the neck was chunkier than I like. Next I tried a few Standards, and the Chicago Blue jumped out at me. Then I went back to the Traditional, and I could definitely feel that the Traditional had a thicker neck than the Standard. It turns out that the Standard has an asymmetrical neck profile, which really fit my hand better.
They had a 1960 reproduction model as well that was used, which had a very thin neck for a Les Paul. I just didn't bond with it like the Standard though. And as sacrilegious as it may be, I preferred the locking tuners on the Standard over the Kluson tuners on the 1960, I didn't like the way the bridge posts screwed right into the wood on the 1960... I'm just not a "vintage" guy I guess.
I was able to try the Standard and the 1960 out at jam night, and the Standard just was funner to play, and it sounded better. Plus, it's brand new, so I get to give it my own "character marks" instead of buying someone else's. And it was significantly cheaper than the Alex Lifeson so I won't freak out when it happens.
- E.
Was searching for a new guitar, and wanted something with two hum and no trem. Thought about a PRS, but the two guys I jam with have PRS guitars, and I wanted to bring something a little different to the mix. I always hated it when I'd be at a stop light and six sport bikes, all the same make and model, would pull up next to me. I always think "geez, couldn't at least one of you think on your own?" So, I figured a Les Paul might add some spice to jam night, and the music store I hang out at has a ton of Les Pauls hanging on their wall.
I tried an Alex Lifeson Signature Les Paul which was heavenly. The only downsides were: it had a trem, it was a bit expensive, and knowing me, I'd be so afraid to ding it that I wouldn't play it enough to get my money's worth. Sweet, sweet guitar though.
Next I tried some Traditionals. What they say is true: you need to play a lot of Les Pauls to find the one that feels right to you. I did find one that felt good, although the neck was chunkier than I like. Next I tried a few Standards, and the Chicago Blue jumped out at me. Then I went back to the Traditional, and I could definitely feel that the Traditional had a thicker neck than the Standard. It turns out that the Standard has an asymmetrical neck profile, which really fit my hand better.
They had a 1960 reproduction model as well that was used, which had a very thin neck for a Les Paul. I just didn't bond with it like the Standard though. And as sacrilegious as it may be, I preferred the locking tuners on the Standard over the Kluson tuners on the 1960, I didn't like the way the bridge posts screwed right into the wood on the 1960... I'm just not a "vintage" guy I guess.
I was able to try the Standard and the 1960 out at jam night, and the Standard just was funner to play, and it sounded better. Plus, it's brand new, so I get to give it my own "character marks" instead of buying someone else's. And it was significantly cheaper than the Alex Lifeson so I won't freak out when it happens.
- E.
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