Anyone here play the new Les Paul Standards?

[AK47]

I am talking about the Les Paul standards that come with a 50's or 60's neck. I took a crapshoot and ordered a amberburst one with 50s neck I figured I could return it within 30 days if I did not like it and I have to say out of the box it is set up nice and am very impressed.

Anyone else have one or played one? Thoughts or opinions?

[slash-ed]

??

Didn't they always offer the option of 50s / 60s neck?

[AK47]

They have offered the option for a few years. Just wondering if anyone has played any of the 07 or 08 production ones. I know sometimes there were complaints on quality being hit and miss.

[shobet]

Pictures!

[Bengal]

I have played a few in the store. I was interested in the chambering and how it effected the tone. I found it was pretty minimal. But I'm still on the fence with that whole deal.

Quality is hit or miss. But I think it's more hit than miss. But you only hear about the misses, not the hits.

Amberburst does rule. We need pics.

[AK47]

Damn it!

When did they start chambering the Les Pauls? I thought this guitar was awesome and light for a Les Paul but... the weirdest thing I could here something shaking around inside it and thought it might be loosed piece of solder. So I open up the control panel and its wood chips. I cant get all of them out and it says on the Les Paul forums it is a common problem.

Damn it I liked the guitar but it has to go back I will hopefully try to get credit for a VOS 58 or 59 that is not chambered.

I will post some pics before I pack it up it was a awesome guitar but the chips and chambering are going to drive me nuts.

[Bengal]

AK,
They started totally chambering them last year. It's a huge pocket that is routed out.

Before that they weight relieved them. They drilled 9 or 13 holes in the mahogany to lighten it up. They have been doing that since the mid 80's.

The only way to get a solid LP is to buy a VOS or RI. All the light mahogany goes to those lines.

The rattling is very common on these new LP's. I hear about them all the time. But they are very light. I guess that was the main goal, to make them light. They must hear people bitching all the time about the weight of these guitars.

[AK47]

AK,
They started totally chambering them last year. It's a huge pocket that is routed out.

Before that they weight relieved them. They drilled 9 or 13 holes in the mahogany to lighten it up. They have been doing that since the mid 80's.

The only way to get a solid LP is to buy a VOS or RI. All the light mahogany goes to those lines.

The rattling is very common on these new LP's. I hear about them all the time. But they are very light. I guess that was the main goal, to make them light. They must hear people bitching all the time about the weight of these guitars.

I am going to go for the 58 or a 59. Unless they have any 2006 Les Pauls in stock. I took off the control cover and saw the huge piece of wood missing from inside and wood chips came out. I cant get them all out and can hear them shaking otherwise this guitar is awesome and I would have kept it. Oh Well.

[Spivonious]

So they routed out the chamber and then didn't clean it out before putting the top on? That's almost as bad as Jackson not letting the paint dry on the new Charvels before putting the trem cover on.

[DonP]

I am going to go for the 58 or a 59.

You are talking a seriously fat neck. Any reissue other than a R0 will have a baseball bat neck.

An R0 = a 50s Standard neck.

I've got 4 LP's and thankfully I'm done purchasing. Gibson has BIG changes coming out on 8/1/2008 to the LP Standard line - locking tuners, plek, TonePros, chrome hardware. Go to the website to see the full list of "improvements" (not my bag).

I think a lot of dealers might want to "dump" the older LP's to make room for the new, so you should be able to get good deals if they feel the pinch.

[MikeStrat]

Damn it! So I open up the control panel and its wood chips. I cant get all of them out and it says on the Les Paul forums it is a common problem.

I was in GC a couple months ago and a guy was in there trying out a bunch of Les Pauls. He kept complaining there was something making noise in several of the guitars. Must have been the same thing. He showed me a couple but I had no idea they were chambered. These fuggin companies just can't seem to get it right. I may be picky but I just don't see any excuse for this kind of thing. Especially at the prices they want. That's why I am so impressed with PRS. I can tell you right now, Paul would not put up with that shit for one second. Heads would roll if one his rolled out the factory like that.

[thenine]

You are talking a seriously fat neck. Any reissue other than a R0 will have a baseball bat neck.

An R0 = a 50s Standard neck.

.

R0 = 60's neck (thin for a LP)

[roodyrocker]

You are talking a seriously fat neck. Any reissue other than a R0 will have a baseball bat neck.

An R0 = a 50s Standard neck.

I've got 4 LP's and thankfully I'm done purchasing. Gibson has BIG changes coming out on 8/1/2008 to the LP Standard line - locking tuners, plek, TonePros, chrome hardware. Go to the website to see the full list of "improvements" (not my bag).

I think a lot of dealers might want to "dump" the older LP's to make room for the new, so you should be able to get good deals if they feel the pinch.

I didn't know about the changes you listed till now but they sound good to me. Nothing wrong with locking tuners, plek is awesome as I tried some of Lloyd's San Dimas Guitars which was one of the first to do this, and TonePros are great too. Now if they would just get rid of the chambering and its rattling wood chips it would be great! I have 2 Les Pauls a Custom and a Studio and they were pre-chambering era. Both are heavy but I never minded heavy guitars, in fact I'd rather have it be heavy than too light. I guess I'm in the minority. And yes, I've played my Les Paul Studio live and never felt it being too heavy.

[AK47]

I found a 06 as well as a 94 Classic era Les Paul Standard both in Amberburst, does anyone know the extent of chambering in those years.

I really liked this guitar I wish I could keep it but I now have to replace it. I guess we have it good with Jackson still using solid pieces of wood.

[Axewielder]

I'm sticking with the Epiphone Elitist Les Pauls, my understanding is they are not chambered.