I bought this at the House of Guitars in Rochester, New York. I went
there specifically because I thought they'd have a lot of left handed
guitars. I wanted a Gibson and was originally planning on getting an SG
but they didn't have any and they only had two lefty Gibsons. The only
other guitars I tried out were a Gretsch solidbody (not sure what model)
and a LP Classic Double Cutaway w/ P-90s. I wasn't really considering the
Gretsch and the LP Classic was a nice guitar, but it didn't have the warmth
of this Standard. So I ended up getting this Standard even though it was
$500 over my budget!!
Model Year: 2005
Price: $1900.00 (new)
Where Obtained: House of Guitars in Rochester, NY
You know all this stuff so I'm not gonna go through it again. It's the same
as any LP Standard with a wine red finish. It's really a great guitar but
there are still a couple things that I don't like. One is that the jack plate
and back plates are made out of plastic. I broke the side plate by over
tightening the screws and got a metal one so that is fixed but
I got it with the "60s slim taper" neck. Les Paul's are not really known as
"shredder guitars" but this one has a very comfortable, fast neck. I like
very low action and this can handle it with no noticeable buzzing while
still maintaining fairly easy string bending. Obviously getting this guitar
won't magically turn you into Paul Gilbert but it helps and makes for a
very pleasurable playing experience.
What can I say? It has "the Les Paul tone". That warm, rich, thick, creamy
distortion made famous by guys like Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, and
Warren Haynes. It has really nice clean tones, but it really comes alive with
a little overdrive. And, of course that sustain that makes notes just sing
forever. Many people say that Les Paul's aren't very versatile, and it
may be true that you can only get them to sound like Les Paul but that
sound is applicable in any number of musical settings. I can get great
country, jazz, metal, and blues tones as well as the rock which it's
known for.
The Burstbucker pups are supposed be an exact replica of a PAF with
Alnico V magnets so they are aren't shielded as much as the rest of their
pups and there is a little noise but it's very minimal.
I put strap locks on it as soon as I got it. It seems pretty solid but it's an
expensive axe and I don't want to take ANY chances. With the strings
properly stretched out it holds tune very well. I haven't had it too long but
it should last a long, long time.
LPs are the best ever!!!!!
Model Year: 1992
Price: $1400.00
Where Obtained: music store
Us made
mahogony
groller tuners and groller tune o matic bridge
seymor duncan dimebag darrell bridgr pickup
graphite nut
intonation set to 11 guage strings
Used various amps/ models mainly marshall and peavey
everything is set to "scream" setting... pickups, action, pickup distance...
sounds very full and actually not as deep with the seymor duncan...
equally excellent for the stage and studio
Super reliable
intonation i set about once every 6-9 mos
The guitar is the bees knees and it is so great if it was stolen ill find it and kick the person who stole it a new ass
Model Year: 1988
Price: $850.00 pounds
Where Obtained: my guitar teacher
Made in the us 22 frets for controls 2 tone 2 volume two humbuckers{sp} the best finish ive ever seen on a gibson
The action is perfect the neck is nice and chunky and i can play even faster with it i have played on the epiphone les pauls and let me say this is ten times better before i got this i had a hard time with the breakdown in led zeppelins heartbreaker but now i can play it with ease
Amazing sound i mainly play rock/blues and it is perfect for it even when you put distortion in it has an amazing low end crunch it has a very warn tone too
Its already 16 years old and its still looks new so great durability
Overall it is a great guitar. One of the American workhorses. If this guitar were stolen, I would definately replace it with another one.!
Model Year: 1992
Price: $600.00
Where Obtained: Private Seller
It's a standard black/white Les Paul. Standard pickups and with a single cutaway and locking tuners, neck-thru design.
The action is incredible on this guitar. It is smooth and plays well. There are a few cosmetic flaws in this particular one but nothing that affects playability. One comment on the neck, I actually like the neck on my American Standard Strat better. Personally, I like the feel of this neck much better. It seems to suit my hands.
I play on a peavey amps and this sounds great. It is great for playing rock and even some jazz. Here again, the versitility of the strat is nice, but it is kind of like comparing apples and oranges. They have 2 seperate applications. There is a slight delay in turning the volume nob and the response. Nothing a little tune-up can't fix.
The white portions of the guitar are yellowing. It may actually give it some character. Intonation needs to be adjusted frequently but it is otherwise an excellent instrument.
I would definately buy another if this one was lost or stolen. I think the Les Paul looks and sounds great.
Model Year: 2002
Price: $2925.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Kosmic Sound
My 2002 Les Paul is a very nice guitar. I have always wanted a Les Paul and I thought I would buy a 2nd hand one but after many months scanning the adds I decided to buy a new model and I'm glad I did.
My guitar has a very nice flamed top and sounds great. I got a 50's neck and the sustain is unbelievable. A very nice guitar.
The action on this guitar is very good although I dit get it fine tuned by a professinal.
The only downside is that it is very heavy, but I;m prepared to put up with that because it has got great tone.
Great sound for Rock or Blues, I use a Fender amp.
Just love the feel and sound.........this is my third one!
Price: $1399.00 (new)
Where Obtained: fredricks music goldsboro nc
Its a standard plus,made in usa,mahogany bodie and neck,with aaa flametop
.060 at the nut and .090 at the twelth fret............................works for me
Two marshall jcm 100 watt dsl amps with marshall 4 by 12s
Reliable through giging regulary.....tuning differences once i start getting sweaty,but thats what a backup guitar is for
I have owned Gibson, Fender, Guild, Jackson, Kramer, Charvel, and other off brand names. My first guitar was an SG purchased from a friend used in 1977. The tremolo system was f-ed up, and it affected the action. When I could finally afford to buy a new one, I had to settle for some off-brand name, though I would not generally recommend that, as the general problem with various off brands are intonation, action, and fret buzz.
Anyway, this baby plays like butter. The only downside is the weight. Like most Les Pauls, it is HEAVY.
Model Year: 2002
Price: $1800.00 (new)
Where Obtained: West LA Music
Just a standard black standard.
I have owed about a dozen and a half guitars over the past 25-odd years, and this is by far the best and easiest guitar I have owned. I had to drop my strings down to 11-58, it plays so easy.
Of course a Les Paul has a very versatile sound, as does this one.
Excellent guitar very hard to get any better and If it were stolen I would find the guy that stole and it well let's just say He wouldn't be happy.
Model Year: 1990
Price: $2500.00 Australian
Where Obtained: Better Music
This guitar is the real deal. It can be anything you want it to be and I recommend a Les Paul for anyone looking for a good guitar.
Playability is great, I also own a fender strat and this guitar has better action than the strat.
I use a DOD Multieffects through a Trace Elliot Super Twin amp and the sound is great and often I get commented on the sound and how good it is.
This guitar is an Axe and can take anything you throw at it. Very Durable
Before buying my les paul I tried out some Fender strats, ESP ltd's, gibson flying V, jackson Dinky and an Ibenez RG.
The les paul was more expensive than all or most of these but I decided that it was worth paying the extra thousand or so $ because it just sounds and looks so classy is very versatile and if taken care of will last for ever.
If youre serious about playing the guitar just get one!
I bought mine when I was 16. I got a job in a supermarket stocking shelves (night fill) After 2 years of that S--- I had enough money and quit. I made the dream a reality!
Model Year: 1998
Price: $3345.00 Australian (new)
Where Obtained: Derringers music
Made in the US, a beautiful example of a les paul with a heritage cherry sunburst finish.
The 2 Humbuckers give a diverse range of tones. It just sounds great!!!!
Its my pride and joy.
I use it with a Marshall Valvestate 230R and occasionally a Marshall jcm900. It sings through both amps but especially the JCM900 being a much bigger and expensive tube amp.
I take very good care of this guitar but it is obviously very strong. (Although I would never do this) I have seen one these guitars thrown accross a stage into a speaker without any damage.( besides a few scratches)
In comparison to other guitars I have owned or played, this Standard exceeds the best points of the Fender Strat, and other leading solid body instruments. I always desired a Les Paul Standard and finally found an affordable used one. The new ones are rather pricey, but
they are the best. I might mention that I have never played a bad Gibson and this instrument certainly
exemplifies the high standards of the manufacturer and
follows in the tradition of Orville Gibson, himself.
The EMG pickups do not have the adjustable screws for
balancing the strings as do the regular humbuckers. This
is a slight disadvantage, although each end of the EMG
pickup can be raised or lowered to balance the strings
fairly well.
In summary, the Les Paul Standard represents the highest
quality in solid-body guitars, and I would not hesitate to acquire another should the instrument be
stolen or damaged. I have recommended this model to many
guitarists. After all, when you consider whose name is
on the headstock, the owner of this instrument is in
fine company.
Model Year: 1982
Price: $750.00
Where Obtained: Brunswick Music Center, Brunswick, OH
This Les Paul Standard was American made by Gibson, and
is comprised of a mahogany body with a carved maple top
veneered over the mahogany slab. The fingerboard is dark
rosewood, which is more scarce than the lighter brown
rosewood available now. The pearl inlays are trapezoidal
and add beauty to the instrument. The fingerboard contains 22 frets and the neck has an adjustable truss rod. The neck is mahogany and the scale is 24.75 inches.
The controls are the usual Gibson set up of a volume
control and a tone control for each pickup. The selector
switch chooses either pickup or both. Each tone control
can be pulled out to change the phase of the pickups.
The pickups are not the standard humbuckers found on all
the Les Pauls. Instead, the Norlin group which owned
Gibson at that time (1982) tried a new EMG pickup to test consumer response. This guitar sports these EMG
pickups, which are very powerful and require a 9-volt
battery found under one of the plastic backplates on the
back of the instrument. The battery lasts about a year,
and when the tone becomes faulty or fuzzy, it is time
for a battery change.
The instrument is finished in a red metallic lacquer which is very striking in appearance. To add to the over-all beauty of the guitar, the metal parts(bridge, stud,
and tuners) are gold plated, which is an option on this
model. The body follows the traditional lines of the
Standard with a single cut-a-way and binding on the top
edge where the top is veneered to the body. Also, the
edges of the fingerboard are bound.
The six strings pass through the stud tailpiece and over a tune-o-matic bridge. Each string can be micro-adjusted
for length with the tune-o-matic bridge in order to
make the notes at the twelfth fret match the corresponding natural harmonic at the twelfth fret.
The gold-plated tuners are large and have a string-winder that pulls out of the tuning key for rapidly
winding a string when it is changed. These tuners were made by Gibson.
The fingerboard action can be adjusted very close for
ease of playing. The neck is comfortable in my hand and
the truss rod can be adjusted to compensate for any slight warp. However, I rarely make this adjustment on
an older instrument for fear of cracking the neck. Generally, the action can be adjusted quite well at the
tunomatic bridge. I made a slight adjustment of the truss
rod only once.
I feel that the playability of the Standard far exceeds
that of most other guitars I have played. The tone is
solid and the sustain is long due to the heavy weight of the mahogany slab. This weight is bothersome to many
guitarists, but I am used to it and realize that the
sound in great part is improved by the density of the
mahogany. The instrument appears to have no flaws in the
design or manufacture. It is a well engineered and
precision made guitar.
The amplifier I use is a small Fender Squire. I use no
other effects as I prefer an honest sound. The overall
sound works well in the jazz genre for me, although many
guitarists in jazz prefer an archtop acoustic. There is
no feedback with the solid body guitars compared to the
acoustics. The instrument handles other musical styles
with ease, including church music played with the choir
and/or pipe organ. Rock and pop, of course, fall well on
the Standard.
The full warm sound stands out compared to other guitars I have used. This guitar is effective in setting quiet moods or in louder high energy musical styles. I have
recorded and played live, and this Les Paul Standard performs well in either situation.
The Les Paul Standard is a working musicians guitar. It is sturdy and reliable for steady live playing. The controls and hardware have held up admirably. Some of the
gold finish on the bridge has worn slighty. The strap-locks have never let the guitar fall.
During changes of humidity, the neck will bend ever so
slightly and I compensate by adjusting the bridge to
raise or lower the strings to maintain good action. (Usually twice a year.)
I have found that I prefer a string set based on the
0.010 first string, for ease of playing and holding the
tuning.
I've tried all kinds of Fender Stratocasters, Teles, etc., but the Gibson Les Paul is my favorite. If you want warm, fat tones and searing solos, go with the Les Paul. Even some of the twangy qualities that I love about Fenders I can still get with my Les Paul by modifying the tubes in my amp. The worst part about owning a Les Paul - the price. It's simply the most expensive guitar out there. Though I shelled out 1600 bucks, I never regret that purchase.
Price: $1580.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Guitar Trader
Mahogany body, carved maple top, rosewood fretboard, 490R and 490T humbuckers.
Action is very low and quite easy to play. Neck is smooth and allows for fast fingering. Practice on an acoustic and then let your fingers fly on this Les Paul.
I hook this up to a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. At first, the sound was too bassy, dark, and muddy. But I replaced the preamp tubes with ECC83's and the power tubes with GT 6L6S's, and got a beautiful, bright, sound that still keeps the classic warm Les Paul tone. Naturally, the Les Paul is still a bit chunkier and warmer than Stratocasters, but you can still get significant twang and brightness if you modify the amp right. Compared to some Fender Strats, the Les Paul is warmer, fatter, and just plain sweeter.
With its ultra-solid construction and weight, this is about the most durable guitar out there. I have never had to make any adjustments to my guitar aside from changing strings.
I bought this guitar at a time where I was graduating to a top-of-the-line guitar from a copy guitar. I spent some time with different Les Paul (like Studios and Juniors), but this was the one. It also helped that Sam Ash was overstocked at the time, so I was able to pick it up for $560 with case.
You should think about this guitar as an investment. It's applicable for any style and any occassion, and it's a great staple to have whether you're just about to graduate to the next level in your gear setup, or if you want to augment your current setup. I have no idea what the quality is of the current crop of Pauls, but I've also been extremely happy with mine.
Model Year: 1982
Price: $560.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Sam Ash
I got my Les Paul back in '82 for $560 with case. It's cherry sunburst a la Jimmy Page and has a rosewood neck, 2 Gibson PAF pickups, with a volume and tone control for each. It has a 3-way pickup selector switch, a tune-o-matic bridge, and a stop tailpiece. I love those classic mother-of-pearl inlays...
The action can go just about as low as you want. This was probably the main reason why I got it. I graduated to this guitar from a Tele copy with a maple neck, and I was initially hesitant about switching to rosewood, but it turned out to be an extremely easy switch.
I use it with a Mesa Boogie Mark III amp, and a Korg A3 effects unit. The Boogie distortion combined with the Paul is pretty much all I need for rock and blues. I also used for a while for jazz playing with the same setup and it was just fine.
One word of note: I stupidly had it routed for a Kahler whammy bar in the mid 80's, and the chunk of wood that was taken out definitely cut the highs, resulting in a mellower tone. I later removed the tremolo and fill it in with plastic wood. The sound is not quite the same, but I can definitely live with it.
This thing is built like a tank, and weighs almost as much. I haven't had any problems with it in almost 18 years of use, though I have been playing a semi-solid body for my recent jazz stuff.
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