Les Paul ???????s

[lerxstcat]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

Originally posted by Word:
Ibanez Pre-Lawsuit Gibson copies.. I hear they are basically the same as Gibsons and CHEAP too.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Ibanez LP copies ARE very nice, but most - NOT all, but most - have bolt-on necks, not setnecks. The setneck ones tend to go for twice what the bolt-ons do
as they're more accurate repros.

Les Paul Deluxes often came with the
mini-humbuckers, which wasn't mentioned in the otherwise excellent post about the
various LP models. The Studio models were made in both dot fretboard and trapezoid fretboard versions also.

[BigDaddyD]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

LP Specials and Jrs are also excellent but are totally different. They are mahogany bodies with P90 pups. These things kick ass. I don't know what Gibson calls a special these days, but that is what a special used to be. I had a 1993 reissue special in tv yellow and it was one of the best guitars that I ever owned. It is truly missed. I actually have a Hamer Special on the way, which is pretty much identical, excpect it is a double cutaway and says HAMER instead of Gibson. I will post pics when it gets here.

[OnlineStageGear]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

If your looking for your first Paul, try a studio. They came in both Trap inlays and for a few years there they were trying to strip them down as far as possible with just offering gig bag and dot inlays but didn't knock much off the price. There are alot of beat turds floating around there so make sure if you get one off ebay it has a good description and good pics. You can probably get one for between $600 and $800. If you find you don't like um, you can get rid of it for about the same or maybe a few $$ more [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

Matt

[BigDaddyD]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

I am not a fan of studios myself, but they are decent guitars. Sort of like a stripped down Standard. If you don't know the difference between LPs, how do you know that you want one? Go try them out. I am a LP Custom man myself for humbuckers and I equally like Specials and Jrs. Many people prefer Standards and the various variations of them. Deluxes are like pseudo customs with cheezy pups.

[OnlineStageGear]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

I think after the studio the price goes up way too much for the featores.

LP Studio $1100
LP Standard $2000 - Same as studio but add neck and body binding.
LP Custom - $3500 Same as studio but with 5 ply binding all around and a flag inlay.

$900 for body and neck binding is a bit high. $2400 for the 5 ply binding is highway robbery.

Matt

[Newc]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

It's safer to stick with the Standard or the older non-bound Studio with trapezoid inlays, as that's the most common incarnation of the LP. Customs are way overpriced, and Specials look nice but can't compare to a true Standard (arched maple top and all that).

Newc

[PowerTube]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

Actually, I think it's the Studio series which are such junk, not the Specials.

[JACKSONFREAK]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

There's a litle more differan between the Studio and the Std LP's. such as Thicker maple tops on the Std's, more sellect pieces of wood, same hardware, binding on neck, different neck dimensions( 50's fat neck and the 60's slim taper neck) on the std's. Plus the inlays on the Std are MOP not the mother of toilet seat. Also Stds with c burst finishes now have AA flame tops as a regular option.
The Customs have double body binding ebony boards and larger block MOP inlays plus Gold hardware.
You can get a really nice studio plus for about 1100 with case. Those have ebony boards, gold hardware, and flame tops.
Good luck and play several to find the right one.
Gil

[lerxstcat]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

Originally posted by BigDaddyD:
I am not a fan of studios myself, but they are decent guitars. Sort of like a stripped down Standard. If you don't know the difference between LPs, how do you know that you want one? Go try them out. I am a LP Custom man myself for humbuckers and I equally like Specials and Jrs. Many people prefer Standards and the various variations of them. Deluxes are like pseudo customs with cheezy pups.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'd say a Deluxe is like a pseudo Standard, not a Custom. Trap inlays, single body binding, no headstock binding
or split diamond inlay - did you mean to say Standard? A Deluxe is a Standard with those mini-humbuckers, right?

[BigDaddyD]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

It is not quite a custom or a standard. Sort of in between. Then again, it has been awhile. I never really like them. I suppose it is closer to a Standard though.

[pitboss]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

Thanks for all the help. Bigdaddyo - I know the guitar, dude. I've played many in my time. I even own a knock-off that I've had since I was 15. I'm just not up on all the various types. I open a Musiciansfriend catalog and there are 18 different types - custom, studio, special, special lite, smartwood, gold top reissue, etc., etc. Just like a strat - theres 20 different types of those as well.

[pro-fusion]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

This may not be true anymore, but it always seemed to me that Customs had thinner, better-feeling, necks than the rather baseball bat-like Standards. But I guess individual Gibson instruments have always had a lot of variation in neck size even within the same models. Does it depend on how many beers the 'neck-cutting' guy had for lunch??? [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

I will always have a soft spot for LP Customs. I've owned two of them in the past and still miss them. And one of them was from that much-maligned 1976-80 period--it was a gem. The other was a 1981. I prefer the frets from that era to what Gibson does now.

[k65h]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

Check out the new Epiphone Elite LP's.
They are made in Japan to high specs.
Replaced the Orville line of Gibson japan guitars.

I would look at an Elite before going with a Studio.

Other companies to look at in LP styles are:
Tokai
Fernandes/Burny
Edwards/ Navigator/ESP
Greco
Diodati
Orville / Orville by Gibson

These are some of the top Japan LP Replicas.
Most can be found on Ebay.

Diodati is a company hear that has their guitars made in Japan. Very good prices with case and shipping.
http://home.attbi.com/~arkir/diodati.html

If your budget is tight, look at:
Agile
Everest
Dillion
Samick greg bennett
Michael Kelly

[k65h]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

OH!
And also check out the Dean Evo Premium.
Made in Europe.

[Accept2]

Re: Les Paul ???????s

No, don't. If you want a Les Paul buy either a Gibson or a Heritage. The Epi Elite may be a good guitar, but its priced the same as a Studio, so why bother? As for the other stuff mentioned, those are Korean crap, and the only thing they have in common with a Les Paul is that they look like one..............