The Mark Morton sig vs. Les Paul

[sakeido]

I'm looking for a nice fat Les Paul sound without the craptastic playability, mega heavy body, shit quality control and stupidly insane price tag. I also like Jacksons so hey why not get another one?

Can the Morton get the job done?

[NextInLine]

I've been wondering the same thing also! Would like to hear people's opinion! I'm kinda in the middle of talking a bandmate (Lev!) out of buying a les paul

[Bengal]

Well, they are both chambered so they have that in common...

I have not heard a Morton, they look sweet though...

As for new Les Pauls? No thanks, I'd take the Jackson anyday...

[sakeido]

That's why I'm not just biting the bullet and paying a few grand for one. I've played all sorts of ones right up in the $3,300cad price range and some of them are just atrocious, with glue seeping out around the neck joint, flaws in the binding, flaws in the finish, electronics that don't work even factory fresh, shitty fret jobs...

[Bengal]

You need to look at the RI's if you're looking for a traditional Les Paul. That's where they are hiding. Not in the Standard line. Not anymore anyway...

[toejam]

I love my Morton model. It's pretty lightweight due to the chambering. It is neck-thru compared to a LP's set neck. Since it is so lightweight, it does seem to be a tiny bit neck heavy. I use a leather strap and don't really have a problem, though. Its sound is really nice, and I guess it would be comparable a little to an LP. The neck is beefy, the thickest Jackson makes at the moment (bigger than a PC1), typical wide Jackson fingerboard with a thick D shape back, not too rounded. It does, however, like a KV2, have medium jumbo frets and not jumbo as advertised.

[sakeido]

I've played one a few times and really like it, it was just the tone I wasn't sure about. It was in a guitar store with no loud room so I was playing it through a rectifier at like 1/20th volume which is never a good indication of how an axe actually sounds.

It is only a little comparable to a LP? What is it most comparable to?

[toejam]

Well, I haven't played a typical LP in awhile (mahogany neck/body with maple top), as I own a faded "Vintage Mahogany" Studio that's all mahogany, plus I swapped out the pickups for EMGs (85 in the bridge and 81 in the neck), but the Morton still has a vibe similar to the LP. Also, my LP has a rosewood board compared to the ebony of the Morton. Both are pretty warm sounding, though.

[bibz]

The mortons are awesome guitars, blow away pauls on playability and they sound really good too.

[minh80]

I do own a Gibson Les Paul studio, the chambered version..but I modified the hell out of it, but it still does have the nice les paul fat tone to it. It's something you really can't get rid of no matter what you do to an LP. The Mark Morton does have similiar features to the LP and the mahogany body will give it a fat warm tone..but without the maple top..I really can't say. Out of all the Jacksons and looking at the specs..I'd say the Morton model would be closest to the LP.

[Bengal]

I do own a Gibson Les Paul studio, the chambered version..but I modified the hell out of it, but it still does have the nice les paul fat tone to it. It's something you really can't get rid of no matter what you do to an LP. The Mark Morton does have similiar features to the LP and the mahogany body will give it a fat warm tone..but without the maple top..I really can't say. Out of all the Jacksons and looking at the specs..I'd say the Morton model would be closest to the LP.

I hate to disagree with you but I think scooping out most of the mahogany out of the body changes the tone big time. I've played a few '07's and to me they sound much different from the weight relieved LP's of the last 20 years...

[Joelski]

Do yourself a favor and go try one of the Epi Standard Pluses. Sure, it's not a Gibson or a Jackson, but it is a Les Paul and IMO the quality is better than Gibson's recent offerings. I've resisted trying a LP for years due to the weight issues and being a total strat-type guy, but I saw this one and for the price I couldn't resist. As far as quality goes, it was better than the dozen "real" Lp's hanging in the shop in terms of finish work on the fret ends and playability. Sure, the top is a veneer, but I can only see the surface.. The finish is clean, unblemished and the pickups come to life with a bit of tuning and a set of 10-56's. Go give one a try. For under 5 bills you can't go wrong.

[minh80]

I hate to disagree with you but I think scooping out most of the mahogany out of the body changes the tone big time. I've played a few '07's and to me they sound much different from the weight relieved LP's of the last 20 years...

In most respects, you're right. There is a difference in the sound (not too significantly)of the weight relieved ones and the chambered ones, but what I'm saying is it still has the les paul characteristics of the fat and warm tones. It's also kind of hard to say as each Les Paul sounds slighty different than the other weight relieved or not. I tried a couple (ones from the past as well) and they all sound different from each other. I also did mention that my les paul wasn't stock, and still has the characteristic sounds of the Les Paul. Hell, Zakk Wylde has EMG's in his Les Paul and it still sounds like one.

[shreder13]

I love my Morton model. It's pretty lightweight due to the chambering. It is neck-thru compared to a LP's set neck. Since it is so lightweight, it does seem to be a tiny bit neck heavy. I use a leather strap and don't really have a problem, though. Its sound is really nice, and I guess it would be comparable a little to an LP. The neck is beefy, the thickest Jackson makes at the moment (bigger than a PC1), typical wide Jackson fingerboard with a thick D shape back, not too rounded. It does, however, like a KV2, have medium jumbo frets and not jumbo as advertised.

I've always wanted to try one, being a king v fanatic the frets on the morton sound like I would be right at home.

[Bengal]

In most respects, you're right. There is a difference in the sound (not too significantly)of the weight relieved ones and the chambered ones, but what I'm saying is it still has the les paul characteristics of the fat and warm tones. It's also kind of hard to say as each Les Paul sounds slighty different than the other weight relieved or not. I tried a couple (ones from the past as well) and they all sound different from each other. I also did mention that my les paul wasn't stock, and still has the characteristic sounds of the Les Paul. Hell, Zakk Wylde has EMG's in his Les Paul and it still sounds like one.

I see where your coming from and I don't disagree. While the sound is different, the LP sound is still there...

I just don't like chambering as a form of weight relief...