Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

[P I K A]

I've been on the les paul forum a little and have come to the conclusion that 1990 to 1992 were good years for the classic. Am I right to assume that 2002 was a good year for the standard? I'm looking at used les pauls on ebay and since I can't play them first I'm trying to get the best years of these two models. Thanks.

[blindmuddy]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

2002s were considered a significant improvement over previous years stds. But that being said it shouldn't cost too much more to go with a used r7 which are even better. same quality as the other reissues but a much more reasonable price. I got an r4 and it's the first LP I've had that I know is a keeper 100%
Chris

[blindmuddy]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

And with the r7 you'll get a solid body, better neck joint and burstbuckers instead of burstbucker pros. Although you'll have to sacrifice a cool flametop. I had 2 02s which were great but became expendable when I got my r4 and Carvin CT6

[No Use]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

if you don't mind me asking, what's the difference between burstbuckers and the burstbucker pros?

[Crusher]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

The reissue/historics also have the long neck tenon

[siggy14]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

[ QUOTE ]
2002s were considered a significant improvement over previous years stds. But that being said it shouldn't cost too much more to go with a used r7 which are even better. same quality as the other reissues but a much more reasonable price. I got an r4 and it's the first LP I've had that I know is a keeper 100%
Chris

[/ QUOTE ]

Just a little warning about the R7's, the neck is like a baseball bat, super big, where the standards you can get either the 60's or 59's. The 59's are still alot smaller then what is on the R7's, i had a black R7 and loved the way the guitar looked, sounded great, i just could not get use to the neck.

As to the classics, i believe up till around 97ish they were really good, i had a 95 that just kicked ass and wish i never sold it.

If you are buying a guitar to keep, spend the extra money and get what you want. I ended up selling my regular 2004 custom and buying a 1968 reissue which has a thinner neck and it is from the custom shop and one of the best les pauls i have ever played. I got the triburst which is the one on the main page, beautiful guitar, check it out here http://www.gibsoncustom.com/flash/pr...iguredTop.html

[DonP]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

All of the above are correct and good points.

Burstbuckers use Alnico II magnets, and Burstbucker Pros use Alnico V. The Alnico V is a little more harsh, more bottom, more in your face. The Alnico II is a little more creamy, but can be tight and punchy as well. For the longest time I liked the Alnico II's the best, but I'm starting to like the BBPro's as well.

The main reason for going 1990 - 1992 on the Classic is to get historic correct appointments - the thinner binding in the cutaway, and "MODEL" on the headstock (vs. "CLASSIC" on later years). I have a 1996 Premium Plus, and Like Todd says, it's still good. The older the Classic the less "yellow" the inlays as well.

Historics are a great axe but if you like thin necks like me, an R7 or R8 (even and R9 for me) is out of the question. For my historic, I got the Guitar Center R0, which has the 1960's neck but is a plaintop and a slightly lower price ($2,699). This might put it out of your price range.

If you are looking for best bang for the buck and a thin neck, I've see those early 1990-1992 Classics go for the $1300 (if you are careful). These would have the best chance of going up in value at the fastest rate.

The 2002+ Standards are usually in the $1500+ range, and there are so many, it will take a longer time for them to go up. I'm hoping Gibson will do something stupid like stop using nitro or solid backs (like they have on the newer Classics) so that the value of my axes will go up.

[SRD86]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

The 60s Neck on the 92 Classic I just got is MUCH thinner than the supposed 60s neck on my 93 Standard.
My Standard was my main guitar until the Classic came along and now it's no contest.

[DonP]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

Before 2002, there was no "50s" or "60s" necked Standards. There was just a Les Paul neck, and it was whatever shape was popular at the time.

I laugh seeing those ebay auctions where the say a pre-2002 has a "50s" neck or a "60s" neck. Too funny and just mis-leading to newbies.

Scott,

You 1992 is quite a nice LP. Take good care of it.

[SRD86]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

Cool man, Thanks. I will I LOVE the thing...

[blindmuddy]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

My first 02 had the 60s neck, I thought the thin neck would work for me due to the fact that that is what I've always preferred and thought all my guitars had to be that way, but I couldn't play that guitar for shit! Then I got one with the 50s profile and really liked it. It was bigger but not huge, Then when I got the r4 it was friggin HUGE but its really easy to play so, go figure, The rest of my guitars are still mostly pretty thin but for me this is the easiest LP for me to play that I've ever played.

[siggy14]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

[ QUOTE ]
All of the above are correct and good points.

Burstbuckers use Alnico II magnets, and Burstbucker Pros use Alnico V. The Alnico V is a little more harsh, more bottom, more in your face. The Alnico II is a little more creamy, but can be tight and punchy as well. For the longest time I liked the Alnico II's the best, but I'm starting to like the BBPro's as well.

The main reason for going 1990 - 1992 on the Classic is to get historic correct appointments - the thinner binding in the cutaway, and "MODEL" on the headstock (vs. "CLASSIC" on later years). I have a 1996 Premium Plus, and Like Todd says, it's still good. The older the Classic the less "yellow" the inlays as well.

Historics are a great axe but if you like thin necks like me, an R7 or R8 (even and R9 for me) is out of the question. For my historic, I got the Guitar Center R0, which has the 1960's neck but is a plaintop and a slightly lower price ($2,699). This might put it out of your price range.

If you are looking for best bang for the buck and a thin neck, I've see those early 1990-1992 Classics go for the $1300 (if you are careful). These would have the best chance of going up in value at the fastest rate.

The 2002+ Standards are usually in the $1500+ range, and there are so many, it will take a longer time for them to go up. I'm hoping Gibson will do something stupid like stop using nitro or solid backs (like they have on the newer Classics) so that the value of my axes will go up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don,

I guess i got lucky, i got my 68 for $2599 plus tax, i haggled the crap out of guitar center. In order to get that price i had to agree not to return it, so there was no 30/30 for me.

I defintly like the thin necks, my 1987 custom lite's neck is a bit thicker then the 68's, probaly more of a 59 neck but it is confortible and easy to play. Not to much difference between the 59's and 60's, you can tell, but not huge. However the classics have the 60's slim taper which is gibsons thinnist neck and you can tell a big difference.

As to the classics vs standards, i love the classics so much more, and as they find out over at gibsons forum, by having ultraviolet light shine on the frets you can get the green/yellow to fade to a nice grey which makes them look alot better. You can get used classics for about 1300 to 1500 used on ebay, kinda of sad i had originaly purchased my classic for 1050 and sold it for 1150 and if i would have held onto it i could have gotten more. But they are going up in price since new ones prices have sky rocketed.

[toejam]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

[ QUOTE ]
Burstbuckers use Alnico II magnets, and Burstbucker Pros use Alnico V.

[/ QUOTE ]
The BB Pros are also wax potted. I don't think any of the other BBs were potted, were they?

[DonP]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

[ QUOTE ]
I guess i got lucky, i got my 68 for $2599 plus tax, i haggled the crap out of guitar center. In order to get that price i had to agree not to return it, so there was no 30/30 for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

What is the "GC" tag price on those?

[ QUOTE ]
I defintly like the thin necks, my 1987 custom lite's neck is a bit thicker then the 68's, probaly more of a 59 neck but it is confortible and easy to play. Not to much difference between the 59's and 60's, you can tell, but not huge. However the classics have the 60's slim taper which is gibsons thinnist neck and you can tell a big difference.

[/ QUOTE ]

Have you tried any of the Historic R7, R8, or R9 necks? They are way fatter than a "50s" Standard neck or the neck on my 1998 SG Std. Way too fat for me.

[ QUOTE ]
As to the classics vs standards, i love the classics so much more, and as they find out over at gibsons forum, by having ultraviolet light shine on the frets you can get the green/yellow to fade to a nice grey which makes them look alot better. You can get used classics for about 1300 to 1500 used on ebay, kinda of sad i had originaly purchased my classic for 1050 and sold it for 1150 and if i would have held onto it i could have gotten more. But they are going up in price since new ones prices have sky rocketed.

[/ QUOTE ]

You'll be missing that one. Was it a special model or anything unusual?

[DonP]

Re: Question for DonP or any other les paul expert

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Burstbuckers use Alnico II magnets, and Burstbucker Pros use Alnico V.

[/ QUOTE ]
The BB Pros are also wax potted. I don't think any of the other BBs were potted, were they?

[/ QUOTE ]

Toe,

BBPros = always wax potted. The only unpotted BB's were the early ones actually installed in LP's (like the BB2&3 in the 2001 Gary Moore sig model). Over the counter they were all potted, and by 2003, they were all potted - too many complaints of squealing.

The early unpotted ones are very desirable because it is generall thought potting kills double-tones and other desired harmonic anomolies.

I had highorder pickups wind me some unpotted pickups, and I had no sqealing issues, but my older 1977 t-tops sqeal under high volume. I think as pickups age and the bobbins shrink, the coils get loose and squeal easier.