Gibson ES Les Pauls - good or dud?

Hattigol

Been offered one at a good price. Tempted. The resale market suggests they aren't particularly popular. Too much of a tweak on an old favourite? Too much bastardisation with the 335?

Looks lovely though doesn't it...

not_the_dj

I have the ES Les Paul with Bigsby....it was a 40th birthday present to myself back in 2015, and I love it.

I only really use it at home though, it's the only guitar I have that doesn't get gigged, but then it is the most expensive guitar I've ever bought and I play some grotty pubs!

impmann

Richard Hawley uses his *a lot*

Panama_Jack666

I think they look ace. Especially in gold!

benmurray85

I bought one of the ES LPs a few years back that didn’t have the F holes. It was a lovely guitar and played great. Gigging it was a pleasure as my other (standard) LP weighs over 10lbs. 

The concept might sound odd but playing a feather light LP does take some getting used to. There is an element of 335-ness to the sound. 

One weird thing on mine was the neck join.  It really didn’t look right, I think they have a flatter top than a standard LP carve - I may be wrong! Once someone pointed it out to me it really annoyed me! 

Other than that I highly recommend them but try and play before you buy 

not_the_dj

Here's mine, yes the top doesn't have the usual LP carve so the neck joint looks different, it's only really the outline shape that's based on a Les Paul, the construction is like other ES guitars with a center block.

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/not_the_dj/FABFF53A-C59C-4ADB-97A5-21E0BBE18AEB_zpsoxip7dkj.jpg

guitars4you

I sold  a used version a few months ago - Nice guitars - far more articulation then a regular LP - Less muscle in the mids - Maybe more Larry Carlton than Joe B - obviously less weight - As with any guitar it won't suit all, but nothing actually wrong with it

crunchman

I've got one.  Apart from the standard Gibson type issues like coming from the factory with a badly cut nut**, it's a great guitar.

** you could get that on any Gibson so it's not model specific.

Hattigol

guitars4you said:

As with any guitar it won't suit all, but nothing actually wrong with it

The phrase "nothing actually wrong with it" reminds me of when you hear someone say that a girl "isn't unattractive". It's not the most glowing praise, is it! 

guitars4you

Hattigol said:

guitars4you said:

As with any guitar it won't suit all, but nothing actually wrong with it

The phrase "nothing actually wrong with it" reminds me of when you hear someone say that a girl "isn't unattractive". It's not the most glowing praise, is it! 

hard to fully answer the question in the OP - it isn't a dud - resale values have been low, so a good advantage for the used buyer - Don't expect it to be a Les Paul - But the guitar is not a dud, but many won't buy it by nature that it is neither an LP or a 335 - I couldn't fault the actual guitar, but the more you want it to be an LP then the more you probably won't like the tone

Philly_Q

benmurray85 said:

One weird thing on mine was the neck join.  It really didn’t look right, I think they have a flatter top than a standard LP carve - I may be wrong! Once someone pointed it out to me it really annoyed me! 

The end of the fretboard sits much higher above the body than it does on a standard LP.  I assume the neck angle is less steep than usual, close to parallel with the body rather than angled back.  Like the "90 degree neck pitch" on early '70s SGs models.

Notice the height of the neck pickup in its mounting ring and the gap between the neck and body binding in the cutaway.



It does look nice in gold though....!

merlin

I tried one in GAK a while ago. I was looking for a smaller body semi-hollow and it came really close.... I've now ended up with a B&G that rings all my bells and blows my skirt up more than the ES Les Paul did. P90s help though.... As does the slotted headstock. The B&G is clearly what it is whereas to me the ESLP seems to sit between stools. Great guitar though. 

Iamnobody

impmann said:

Richard Hawley uses his *a lot*

His is the LP-295 with a florentine cutaway and no f-holes. Very Nice.

It’s actually the f-holes I don’t really like the aesthetics of on ES-Paul’s. It just looks wrong so the LP-295 gets my vote. If you can find one.

http://archive.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibson%20usa/products/gotm/lespaullp-295goldtop/

fretfinder

Just why, imho...

Hattigol

fretfinder said:

Just why, imho...

A guitar with potentially the benefits of both worlds?
So why not imho...?

JayGee

Never played one but I really like the idea. I don’t think I’d expect it to be much like either a Les Paul or a 335 in use but that’s not necessarily a bad thing...

mr-mac

If you like idea of something in between why not also consider something designed by Les himself.  Les Paul Signature

crunchman

One thing I would say is that it's not a Les Paul.  If you are looking for Les Paul sound in a lighter package, this is not the guitar.  It's definitely got the sound of a semi - more so than the ES339 that I used to have.  They do seem to have removed quite a lot of the wood, and I think the centre block is smaller than the on the the 339.

It's a semi in a smaller body rather than a lightweight Les Paul.

The other thing I would add is that the MHS pickups are fantastic.  I much prefer this to the ES339.  Some of that may be the different construction, but I'm certain that it's partly the MHS pickups.  I don't know if the newer 339s have MHS rather than 57 Classics.  If they do I'm sure that it will be an improvement.

Cabicular

They don’t sound as dense or have Les Paul type sustain
but they are nice guitars
more Gretsch than Gibson I would say
I have 2 which is usually a good sign 

Hattigol

Cabicular said:

They don’t sound as dense or have Les Paul type sustain
but they are nice guitars
more Gretsch than Gibson I would say
I have 2 which is usually a good sign 

2? Come on, show us....

paganskins

Not surprising if it doesn't sound or sustain like a LP if they're this hollow.