My love hate guitar

[dvscool]

I just laughed when I remembered this – This shredder I used to Jam with used to appropriately call them “boat anchors”

[Gartron]

I've got an ebony 91 standard......and I loves it!!!! Had it since 93 and I'll never part with it!

[Tmoran]

Thats the mystery of les pauls. IMHO they arent a guitar you seek out. I swore I would never buy one. But one day I played one that just spoke to me. To this day I regret getting rid of it. It was exceptional. The best advice I can give you is to simply stop looking. Many times in life you find exactly what your looking for when you stop looking. Pushing on the hands of fate only makes them want to lose their grip faster. When you least expect it you will come upon the paul you were meant to own.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

A 50's profile L.P neck is awesome nice and meaty.60's neck? Nope too small.

Not for me, I don't like the 50's necks at all, makes me feel like I'm playing an acoustic or something.

[toejam]

I bought an '04 Studio Vintage Mahogany (worn/faded cherry) new in '04 from Musician's Friend, and I really like it. It's got the rounder '50s neck, and it works for me. Though, I have changed out the pups for EMGs... 85 in bridge and 81 in neck.

[canadian bacon]

Cool, a Les Pauls suck thread!

I hate Les Pauls too. Every time I try to grab a guitar, one of my six Les Pauls jump into my hands and I play it instead

No, that's not what I meant to start at all. I lust for one, but for all the wrong reasons I think.

I was just curious if there are other guitars that frustrate you all like the LP does me.

[Devotee]

toe, you love mentioning the fact that you put the 81 in the neck and the 85 in the bridge, don't you?

I would love a Les Paul if it was a neck-through and had a Jackson neck, pointy headstock and a Floyd...





...In other words, i want Jackson to make a Les Paul.

[VitaminG]

They have always intrigued me because so many of my favourite guitarists have used them. I've always had the same problem, that as much as I like the look of them, they don't feel right and want to dive out of my hands.

Found a Fireburst Studio a while back that just felt right. But this one Studio felt good, played good, sounded good. As much maligned as they seem to be, the weight relieving on the new ones seems to give them the balance that was missing in any I've tried before. I can see one in my future.

[toejam]

toe, you love mentioning the fact that you put the 81 in the neck and the 85 in the bridge, don't you?

Indeed! It's the only way to go with EMGs. Well, a 60 in the neck is also a great match with the 85.

[straycat]

Swiss cheeze, chambered or solid makes no difference to me.Love em'.

[Sukkoi19]

I have had quite a few. I ended up selling all of them because of the weight. I just couldn't take having some 10 lbs. monstrosity strapped to me for more than a few songs. Then one day at Guitar Center I found a used 2008 Classic in boring old Heritage Cherry hanging in the used section. It was light as a feather due to the chambering and sounded incredible. Well it was modded with drop caps and after ditching the 500T and 490R for a JB/Jazz set in Zebra the guitar is by far the best sounding I have ever had.

Unfortunately the issue I have with Les Pauls is that in a standing configuration they have poor high fret access and the little frets take a bit of adjustment after playing a Soloist for example. Great sounding and looking but I do only use them for the non-technically challenging songs.

[vklobucar]

Love them!

They are a totally different beast compared to say, my PC1's but in some strange way they make you work harder?

Does that sound crazy?

I had not owned a single Les Paul in over twenty years until last year when I jumped on an early 80's Standard for a steal thanks to my local Craigslist. Sure it took me a while to warm up to it but it puts a huge smile on my face when ever I play it.

Liked it so much that I bought two more in the last six months. Almost bought another as recently as yesterday but walked away.

The new ones are simply crap IMHO. I tend to jump on the late 70's to early 80's versions whenever a good and cheap one comes up for sale.

Nothing gives you that neck pickup "woman" tone like a Les Paul.

Sure they are loads harder to get access to the top frets, especially the lower slung the guitar is.

Credit where credit is due though. Had it not been for some great Les Paul player, I would never have even picked up the guitar.

Strats on the other hand I have never been able to come to terms with. I had one MIJ that came super close and like a fool I sold it but too many others left me wanting more.