Selling some pedals to buy a Les Paul -- AM I CRAZY?

[Eskimo_Joe]

Thanks for all the responses everybody! I am sold on getting a Les Paul, it's just a matter of which one. I'm kind of scared of getting a bad one. What should I be on the lookout for (i.e. tell tale signs of a bad one)?

[Jagattack]

Thanks for all the responses everybody! I am sold on getting a Les Paul, it's just a matter of which one. I'm kind of scared of getting a bad one. What should I be on the lookout for (i.e. tell tale signs of a bad one)?

I can relate a story I heard recently from a seller of Gibson Custom Shop guitars (don't think he is an official dealer).

He came across two CS-336s that had the holes drilled for the ABR at an angle so the bridge was then in the wrong place which messed up the compensation, and the intonation was hard/impossible to get right. The guitars would not play sweetly all the way along the fret board. The repair involved filling and re-drilling which left no sign, so that was good, but you'd sort of wonder, and not want to pay the same price as the guitar next to it that was fine.

However, to sell a guitar that has incorrect compensation and maybe can't ever be intonated properly is not acceptable. I can put up with finish mistakes or the odd scratch/ding, nut cut badly, binding bridge saddle adjustment screws and other easy to fix/live with stuff but not this sort of problem. If a guitar wont intonate and play sweetly then it's not a guitar that's any use to anyone. Actually, I'll go further and say, it's not a guitar.

Having said that, I personally have never had a bad Gibson! Ok I've only had a 77 LP, 93 LP and vintage ES-335 so it's not many, but they were all good.

If this story should not be posted on this board for whatever reason, somebody tell me and I'll delete this post, or Big D can delete it - whoever gets there first.
Cheers
Jag

[Donner]

no thats fine Jag, he asked for things to watch out for....

weight and balance are the big ones for me... they do effect the sound especially the sustain... but they also effect the sustain of the groan I make from shoulder pain......

[Eskimo_Joe]

no thats fine Jag, he asked for things to watch out for....

weight and balance are the big ones for me... they do effect the sound especially the sustain... but they also effect the sustain of the groan I make from shoulder pain......

Everyone seems to favor lighter Les Pauls, say 9 lbs or less. I found one that weighs in at 8.3 lbs (non-chambered). I get the part about wanting a lighter guitar so it is more comfortable, but I would like to know more about how weight affect sound and sustain?

[Donner]

I have 3 of the chambered ones ( ~ '79 Grecos, they did it first I beleive )

and they sound better and louder and more open than 'real' ones

[Eskimo_Joe]

Now I'm totally conflicted.

[DocRock]

In my experience, the heavier ones sound "deader" to me.

The lighter ones, in addition to being better for your back, also have a livelier, more resonant tone. They're not all slopped together with 3 extra lbs. of wood glue, etc.

Mine weighs in at probably just about 8 lbs.

Love it.

Earlier in the thread, murkat alluded to his job at Gibson. Maybe you should send him a PM to get some inside info. on how to shop for the best Les Paul. After all, it sounds to me like he actually MAKES them.

[EyeFly]

Earlier in the thread, murkat alluded to his job at Gibson. Maybe you should send him a PM to get some inside info. on how to shop for the best Les Paul. After all, it sounds to me like he actually MAKES them.

[/quote]

EJ,

Herein lies a pearl of sagacity!! Talk with "da man" and ask what "metrics" he uses to define a sweet one !!

cork

[murkat]

yes, I am a luthier, builder at the GCS. ask away mateys.

[Eskimo_Joe]

yes, I am a luthier, builder at the GCS. ask away mateys.

Comin at cha Murkat! Thanks!

Matt