All this talk of Les Pauls..

rlw

..so after not really finding anything used that I'm really keen on, I went and tried some new ones yesterday.  To be precise, two 2019 Traditionals and a 2018 R8.  I hated them all, finding the basic tone to bright and strident, even with the tone and volume wound down.  I was shocked to be honest as I had gone out with a loaded credit card and came home empty handed.

I'm now looking at a twin P90 Tokai which, hopefully, will be a bit less of a or very sharp instrument, although can I justify two twin P90 guitars?

guitarfishbay

Have you ever tried any of the PRS Singlecut types?  In particular the SC58, SC245 or McCarty SC594?  You'd probably prefer them to the 25" PRS Models as they'd be a bit closer in feel to the Gibsons.

I've not tried the latest McCarty, but have tried the other two.  In general they're smoother sounding than Gibsons, which you might like if you're finding the Gibsons a bit aggressive.  Worth a try, anything I've played from US PRS tends to be nicely made at least.

merlin

You can justify two P90 guitars with the knowledge that P90s are the most amazing pickups. 
Why not simply buy my PRS SE Soapy II?

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/150998/prs-se-soapbar-2-in-sunburst#latest

guitars4you

Sometimes you just find a certain guitar is not you - Don't hear to many say an LP is to bright and strident - Not sure what you currently own/play, but current guitar(s) tends to influence your choice of where to go next, as they are obviously what you currently bond with

Certainly surprised the R8 was to bright - Yet I was chatting to a customer the other day who fitted a pair of Full Monty pick-ups to his LP and took them of the following day as far to bright - So each to their own

I always struggle with a LP - Yes I can play one but always feels as though I'm having to work harder to play one, or indeed play within my self - Many PRS Guitars for me are more comfortable to hand

Not sure what else to suggest/try, but enjoy the search

rlw

guitarfishbay said:

Have you ever tried any of the PRS Singlecut types?  In particular the SC58, SC245 or McCarty SC594?  You'd probably prefer them to the 25" PRS Models as they'd be a bit closer in feel to the Gibsons.

I've not tried the latest McCarty, but have tried the other two.  In general they're smoother sounding than Gibsons, which you might like if you're finding the Gibsons a bit aggressive.  Worth a try, anything I've played from US PRS tends to be nicely made at least.

I tried an older MCarty, in fact I bought one, but ultimately found it far too dull and dark.  It went.

rlw

merlin said:

You can justify two P90 guitars with the knowledge that P90s are the most amazing pickups. 
Why not simply buy my PRS SE Soapy II?

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/150998/prs-se-soapbar-2-in-sunburst#latest

Had one of those and found it quite antiseptic and safe sounding.  It went.

rlw

guitars4you said:

Sometimes you just find a certain guitar is not you - Don't hear to many say an LP is to bright and strident - Not sure what you currently own/play, but current guitar(s) tends to influence your choice of where to go next, as they are obviously what you currently bond with

Certainly surprised the R8 was to bright - Yet I was chatting to a customer the other day who fitted a pair of Full Monty pick-ups to his LP and took them of the following day as far to bright - So each to their own

I always struggle with a LP - Yes I can play one but always feels as though I'm having to work harder to play one, or indeed play within my self - Many PRS Guitars for me are more comfortable to hand

Not sure what else to suggest/try, but enjoy the search

I have a modded CE24 which I love and Vela.  Both great guitars but neither has that LP sound, although you wouldn’t expect the Vela to.

rlw

I’m looking at two Tokais - a black custom so solid with no maple cap and and a gold top with a maple cap.
I truly want another single cut but those Trads were a real shock.  The R8 was better but I felt it was too lacking in body while being very hollow sounding.

p90fool

You need a ten pound Custom with a 498T, this plinky, Tele-on-steroids fashion in LPs will die out again soon, mark my words.

welshboyo

p90fool said:

You need a ten pound Custom with a 498T, this plinky, Tele-on-steroids fashion in LPs will die out again soon, mark my words.

very very true!! I wish my Custom would brighten up a bit sometimes!!

MichaelAT

Just keep on looking/trying. LP vary greatly. Not only because of mf'ing tolerances, wood etc., but also b/c of different pickups in different models. FWIW, I never had a LP where I thought it would be too bright. 

rlw

p90fool said:

You need a ten pound Custom with a 498T, this plinky, Tele-on-steroids fashion in LPs will die out again soon, mark my words.

I am most inclined to agree with you on this point.

Fishboy7

p90fool said:

You need a ten pound Custom with a 498T, this plinky, Tele-on-steroids fashion in LPs will die out again soon, mark my words.

, ..... or EMG 81s 

HandwrittenHero

I tend to use nickel strings and play through Marshall or Tweed amps, so I’ve probably been taking care of low end reasonably well and can afford to be looking to add top end on rather than finding too bright to begin with.

I think there’s also playing/EQ habits. I dial in the amp to neck pickup with tone full and then flip to bridge, roll tone back until it’s playing nicely with the neck.

It could be possible that you found 2 Traditionals and an R8 that were extremely bright for whatever reason. I played some 2018 R8s and R9s when I was shopping and didn't find them bright. Likewise both my own R9 and Traditional aren't what I'd call bright guitars. Both are pretty resonant played without an amp - but amplified tend to have grunt and meat to them.

The tele on steroids point is vastly misunderstood to me. It’s almost as if some people bring the expectation of a 60s tele with twang and wind up looking for that...the more likely crossover point is early 50s Teles - which usually have more bark than twang. Easy differentiation for me there is with my strat, which I’d call bright - play a power chord with my AV52 tele or either LP through a Marshall set right and it’s a meaty roar. Swap the strat in without changing EQ and it’s thinner and maybe snarls a little.

KrisGee

rlw said:

I have a modded CE24 which I love and Vela.  Both great guitars but neither has that LP sound, although you wouldn’t expect the Vela to.

Do yourself a favour and try an sc245. It's the most lp sounding prs I've owned and it's a great feeling instrument too. Very comfortable, stays in tune, needs no modding. 

rlw

KrisGee said:

rlw said:

I have a modded CE24 which I love and Vela.  Both great guitars but neither has that LP sound, although you wouldn’t expect the Vela to.

Do yourself a favour and try an sc245. It's the most lp sounding prs I've owned and it's a great feeling instrument too. Very comfortable, stays in tune, needs no modding. 

But it’s the wrong shape....

mikeyrob73

i kinda agree 
i have a LP Classic and a PRS SC250 with OX4 Slash pickups and the PRS is more Les Paul than the Classic is. 

McToot

You're a bloody fussy bugger aren't you @rlw.

Remember the 'grass is greener' syndrome is what fuels this GAS machine of ours and should be nurtured. Perfection is probably out there, but it may be a 1,000 guitars before you find it.  I'm only on about 37 guitars so far; I'm only just starting out. 

  

Grumpyrocker

I love my LP Traditional as it was a gift from my wife. However I don't actually play it that much and I have less expensive guitars I play much more and find more comfortable.

However if I hadn't scratched the LP itch I'd have spent years (as I already have) really wanting one and believing they were the guitar I wanted above all others. At least I got mine (in 2009) before the really silly price increases began. 

If the guitar didn't have sentimental value I'd be tempted to sell it.

rlw

McToot said:

You're a bloody fussy bugger aren't you @rlw.

Remember the 'grass is greener' syndrome is what fuels this GAS machine of ours and should be nurtured. Perfection is probably out there, but it may be a 1,000 guitars before you find it.  I'm only on about 37 guitars so far; I'm only just starting out. 

  

I like to think of it as discerning, rather than just plain old fussy 

Sassafras

Strange. I've always found Les Pauls not bright or strident enough. That's why I love Fenders.