2018 Les Paul Classic

clarke_111

Hi all,

Anybody tried/got one of these and any thoughts? I have seen some good deals around on them and love the gold top and p90 thing they have going on. 

Aware they are not chambered and therefore likely to be heavy-any other comments. Im currently looking for a
new ‘nice guitar’ after selling most stuff off previously and just being left with a couple of low end guitars. I would love to stretch to one of the Peach R8s but I just don’t think I can justify that expense-hence why this caught my eye as it’s half the price at around the £1300 mark in places. 

Any comments welcome. Was going to try to find one locally to try, but can’t find any in stock which doesn’t help.

Cheers

cbilly22

Through the joys of Toyota GB being just down the road, and my companies insistence that I attended yet another course, I played one for around an hour at Guitar Guitar in Epsom week before last, amongst a load of other very good guitars that I had wanted to demo for a while.. It was actually in the running to come home but a PRS Singlecut Satin blew me and everything else I played away and I have hardly put it down since.
Back to the Classic, it was excellent with no issues that I could pick up on other than being a little weighty. Not as bad as some, or my own Tokai for that matter, but a little over what I would consider comfortable. Sounded great, actually quite hard to find a duff sound to be fair, definitely had the sound I imagine when I think of P90 equipped Les Pauls. Playing experience was about what you expect from a Gibson most of the time. It was fine but could very easily have been made better....and it looked unspeakably cool!
Doesn't change the fact that the PRS was a better guitar, or at least a better guitar for me. The Classic was the nicest Gibson I played though, and that included an R9, a couple of Standards and a Traditional (that was awful) and a couple of SGs.
My advice would always be to play one first as the feel across the Les Pauls (in fact all the Gibsons) was pretty variable. The Classic was up for £1399, which is probably a fair price. A very good guitar but not a stop you in your tracks, love at first strum one, for me at any rate.

Thinking about it as I type, if I had made my decision online I would certainly have had the Classic and probably not paid much attention to the PRS, which would have been a bloody shame as I would have missed out on a superb guitar. Goes to show that no online advice or review compares to actually playing them.

Sorry for waffling on

Gerz6558

Got a gold top. Bought mine in July from a well known UK shop. Took three swaps but got exactly what I was looking for. It replaces an 89 custom, no regrets.

For the price in this day and age it was a no brainer for me. Not often Gibson do such a spec below custom Shop. Maybe in the new era/management which is starting now, but the price will be way way inflated.

clarke_111

Thanks for the replies chaps and good points-esp around the need to try which is easier said than done but there we go.

inteeresting around the PRS-I was also thinking about them, although the silly side of me made me think I wanted a Gibson-not a wise buying basis though granted. 

Re set up I know it can vary with Gibson’s but I am a bit weird any way and would be raising action a little and heavy strings so that I can play slide as well as ‘normal’. Too much Joey Landreth got me wanting the goldtop! 

Gerz6558

If you can't get to play one beforehand definitely be prepared to run a careful eye over it before the honeymoon period sets in. And don't be scared to swap it if something feels off.

I still can't believe the first one I received sailed through so called quality control at gibson and the UK shop. But the one I have now made it worth while.

Now is the time to buy the 2018 Gibson stock, going off the 2019 prices. The specs of this one are an added bonus.

cbilly22

Re set up I know it can vary with Gibson’s but I am a bit weird any way and would be raising action a little and heavy strings so that I can play slide as well as ‘normal’. Too much Joey Landreth got me wanting the goldtop! 

Then the one at Guitar Guitar would suit you quite nicely . The action was a little bit of a fight, or rather the neck relief needed a little adjusting as there was a too much for my my taste. The bigger feel issue was a very dry fretboard, but once again not much to sort that out. A little bit of lemon oil and a buff and it would have felt much, much nicer to play.

I disagree that wanting a Gibson isn't a wise buying basis. If that's what you want, then that's as good a reason as any to gravitate towards a guitar. Might as well play something that makes you smile. I've always liked PRS guitars in one form or another so no surprise that this one suited me, but Les Paul it ain't.

jeztone2

I’ve got the 2017 which is the same guitar but with humbuckers. Mine is really nice. I’ve seen a couple with dried out fingerboards. But otherwise, they are as good as anything I’ve seen Gibson put out. 

Whitecat

Every one I’ve seen has been on the very heavy side - with several over 10lbs. Keep that in mind if you are buying online...