Gibson smartwood exotic Les Paul

Flanging_Fred

Does anyone have experience with one of these? Do the different woods make them sound much different from a standard?

I'm finding that I'm becoming a bit of a fan of guitars with simple wood finishes and these look interesting.

JookyChap

I think "Not_the_Dj has one (I may be wrong about that)

XWulfhere

@Not_the_Dj

Is @JookyChap using a mac? :-)

JookyChap

Cheers @Wulfhere - no a Chromebook and the keyboard keeps going all septic on me

not_the_dj

Yes I have one. The first Gibson I ever bought (used about 10 years ago), I love the look. I have recently had the pick-ups changed for the more vintage sounding Oil City Blitz Spirits, which I prefered to the stock ones. The body is thinner than a standard so I'd say that's have a greater effect on tone than the cap wood (they're still mahogany back and neck). I love mine and I'll never sell it. http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/not_the_dj/5F226E01-E3E9-4B07-9C9A-FC2D97D92A0B_zpsfape7hb1.jpg

Flanging_Fred

Thanks for the heads up Colin. Maybe I'm getting old but a lot of Led Paul's just seem a bit er, blingy.

10thumbs

That's a really nice one, not_the_dj ,

I saw a very pale wood finish one on ebay last year , and my first thought was .......

.. have Ikea started making guitars ........ .  >:D<

johnhe

This is a necro-bump. But I’m thinking about buying one of these. And would appreciate anyone’s thoughts.

My broken shoulder means that playing a guitar more than 8lbs is not going to happen. So I’d love a LP, but the only ones I’ve reslly loved the look and feel of are the chambered R8’s - which are very rare and very expensive.

The Smartwood Exotic that I’m looking at has probably been refinished. To be honest, it’s probably more like an SG with a Les Paul control layout. The body is slim and contoured.  But it feels and sounds very good. However, I’m worried about buying something which might prove hard to sell in future.

https://imgur.com/gallery/Uwr41EN



.

not_the_dj

Looks like I posted in this thread originally, as I still have and still love mine.

Jalapeno

Used to have one in Bubinga (IIRC) - it was fine though a little neck heavy (baseball bat neck profile).

johnhe

Just spent a while with it. Sounds nice. But doesn’t sound or feel like a typical Les Paul. Much less bass. More mids. I have to either pay or take it back to the store tomorrow.

thegummy

not_the_dj said:

Yes I have one. The first Gibson I ever bought (used about 10 years ago), I love the look. I have recently had the pick-ups changed for the more vintage sounding Oil City Blitz Spirits, which I prefered to the stock ones. The body is thinner than a standard so I'd say that's have a greater effect on tone than the cap wood (they're still mahogany back and neck). I love mine and I'll never sell it. http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj563/not_the_dj/5F226E01-E3E9-4B07-9C9A-FC2D97D92A0B_zpsfape7hb1.jpg

That is pretty cool looking!

Kittyfrisk

johnhe said:

Just spent a while with it. Sounds nice. But doesn’t sound or feel like a typical Les Paul. Much less bass. More mids. I have to either pay or take it back to the store tomorrow.

If the guitar isn't talking to you, then just leave it.
It looks like it has a refinish, as all SmartWoods were natural woods. So future value will be reduced IMO.
You might have some luck in looking for a Gibson Firebrand or The Paul, as they are Les Paul shaped, but SG weights. They are appreciating in value now, but Gibson did a recent reissue of The Paul that you might get to try out.
Hope you get sorted 

Philly_Q

I've owned two of them.  The first had a Curupay top which looked a lot like @not_the_dj's one above, although not necessarily the same timber, three of the six different top woods were a similar rich brown colour.

It was really well made - nowhere to hide sloppy workmanship with that thin satin finish - and had a nice fat neck, but for some reason I sold it.  Partly due to the gold hardware.

A few years later I bought another with an Ambay Guasu top - it looked more like plain unfigured maple - but it wasn't as nice and had a thinner neck.  I didn't keep it long.

I very much like the basic concept of a thinner bodied LP with a slight belly cut (I've also owned The Paul SL and a Custom Lite).  They should make more LPs along those lines, as an alternative to fat LPs with weight-relieved bodies.

rocktron

Deleted by OP.

fandango

rocktron said:

How about this Jig-Saw Ibby?

I saw it at Rudy's Music years ago and haven't seen another one since:-

(Sorry, I don't know why these pictures appear out of focus here. They are quite clear on my Photobucket library.)

A bit off topic, mate. Sure you got the right thread?

johnhe

So I bought the guitar! NGD was Saturday.

As I spent more time with the Smartwood Exotic, I grew to like it more and more. I had to get over the fact that it doesn’t feel or sound much like s typical LP. But it does sound and feel lovely. And I really like the look of the guitar - I may already have said so, but it’s like an SG with LP control layout.

im not in love with the pickups, so some tinkering is in order. Ive already played it out, and the smaller body is supremely comfortable. 

https://imgur.com/gallery/wzQaUaD

https://imgur.com/gallery/Cdz12PM

Yamaha77

I had an exotic and it played nice, pretty sure it was curapay. Ripped out those Gibson Pickups and put in some Seymour Duncans. Diet Les Paul. Midway between an SG and LP Classic. Had to sell when times were hard much like my 04 classic that i've tried to track down.

not_the_dj

johnhe said:

So I bought the guitar! NGD was Saturday.

As I spent more time with the Smartwood Exotic, I grew to like it more and more. I had to get over the fact that it doesn’t feel or sound much like s typical LP. But it does sound and feel lovely. And I really like the look of the guitar - I may already have said so, but it’s like an SG with LP control layout.

im not in love with the pickups, so some tinkering is in order. Ive already played it out, and the smaller body is supremely comfortable. 

https://imgur.com/gallery/wzQaUaD

https://imgur.com/gallery/Cdz12PM

Nice one, enjoy it.