Les Paul Customs

stickyfiddle · March 2018

Bored at work and coming down with a cold and thinking about Les Paul Customs and realising I've actually never played one.

Obviously the coolest option is black with pickguard and without pickup covers, but more importantly, is the CS VOS one significantly different beyond sometimes having no maple cap, always having an actual ebony fretboard and ABR-1 bridge, and probably having a long tenon?

Do any of those things matter? Does anyone rational even care?

impmann · March 2018

stickyfiddle said:

Do any of those things matter? Does anyone rational even care?

Nope. ;-)

:-)

martin8708 · March 2018

I have been looking at possibly getting a Les Paul as well.
I have only tried a few , but their seem to be so many different models and variations of models that it's going to take quite a bit of research to know exactly what I am buying .
There also seems to be huge differences in weight , and some of the prices can easily run into thousands by adding a few words , is , true historic or standard historic .

I suppose most manufacturer's are guilty of over complicating their product line , but Gibson seem to be very good at this.

RandallFlagg · March 2018

I grew up lusting for an LP Custom because of Steve Jones white one he played in Sex Pistols, I've had 2 over the years a white and then a black, never bonded with them at the time, but I was a lot younger then. I don't like the fact that the new ones have chipboard fingerboards instead of ebony.

My R8 fills my LP needs and the lovely golden honey iced tea flame top looks better than black or white anyway.

ICBM · March 2018

stickyfiddle said:

Bored at work and coming down with a cold and thinking about Les Paul Customs and realising I've actually never played one.

Obviously the coolest option is black with pickguard and without pickup covers, but more importantly, is the CS VOS one significantly different beyond sometimes having no maple cap, always having an actual ebony fretboard and ABR-1 bridge, and probably having a long tenon?

Do any of those things matter? Does anyone rational even care?

Black with no covers and *no* pickguard is the coolest option... although to be fair, it is the only Les Paul that's tolerable with one. But best of all is the 1954-style version with a P90 and an Alnico.

The all-mahogany body makes quite a big difference to the sound, the ebony fingerboard does to the feel, the ABR-1 to the look, and the long tenon to... er, something. Or not.

Trotter · March 2018

In my experience the VOS custom shop customs have always been a step up from the "standard" customs.

I will caveat that with my experience of a true historic that I spent a few hours with: A 57ri black LP custom. it was average at best, even through some very high end boutique amps. At the price they are listed at, I would have expected it to blow my head off.
Just a poor example i'm sure but again it brings back the well worn phrase of good and bad guitars at any price point and as such, play as many as possible and pick the one that works for you.

Jason · March 2018

I had a custom shop one, it was pretty poor, I moved it on quite quickly, just so lifeless, I kept the Orville version, not because it was cheaper but because it was better guitar

Danielsguitars · March 2018

I agree about pre 57 customs being the best, something about those p90's and the staple neck pickup

after that it's the 59 3 pickup with bigsby, such a cool looking guitar

I haven't got either of them but will remedy that this year by making both

telehack · March 2018

Poor man's edition: http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Electrics/Les-Paul/Ltd-Ed-Inspired-by-1955-LP-Custom-Outfit.aspx

I keep hoping one of these Epis will drop in my lap. Thick neck! Put a staple pickup in the neck of that and go...

I currently have a Epiphone Japan LPC if that counts. I almost sold it, but I'm glad I didn't. It's got a really clear sound for a Les Paul. No mud whatsoever.

impmann · March 2018

I had an early 90s three pickup with gold hardware... flippin boat anchor that had the tone of child's piano. 'Orrible thing. I just thought it looked the bomb until someone said it looked like a cheap hooker's handbag... and they were right of course.

If you want the sound (especially if you want the Steve Jones LP Custom sound) check out the mid 90s Les Paul Studios with the ebony fingerboards. Those things roar.

ICBM · March 2018

impmann said:

I had an early 90s three pickup with gold hardware... flippin boat anchor that had the tone of child's piano. 'Orrible thing. I just thought it looked the bomb until someone said it looked like a cheap hooker's handbag... and they were right of course.

The guitarist in my band has one, and although it is really quite heavy - just under 11lbs - it sounds absolutely massive. We did take the pickup covers off which made it sound better as well as look a lot less tarty

, but it was pretty good before anyway. Also tried a Bigsby (with Vibramate) but it took something away from the tone and made it uncomfortably heavy.

guitars4you · March 2018

Many factors come into play - ebony fingerboard tends to be high on the list over 'richlite' option

No pick up covers is a matter of taste, but equally as against just removing the covers, you can look at the option of changing the Gibson pick-ups - Again a matter of taste but IMO there are many better pick-ups to fit to such a guitar as against what Gibson have fitted - Again will depend on the age, as Gibson have changed pick-ups many times that a Custom will be spec'd with

Many LP Custom's are heavy weight models - many over 10 lbs - finding something around 8.5 or 9lbs is pretty slim pickings

As per other comments above, an all mahogany bodied model sounds significantly different to a model with a maple cap - All mahogany tends to have more grunt, more focused mids and a touch less in the way of sparkling highs

If ABR-1 is high on your list then I think your only option is the VOS route

@wezv had a link running a day or two ago on a project - many of the best LP Custom's I've played are a few years old, with a good re-fret. no nibs, a new wiring loom and 'upgraded' pick-ups

Black does look cool but IMO white wins - old, dirty, custard or puss coloured - aka Fleetwood Mac and Rumours

octatonic · March 2018

Tape a brick to a black LP Studio and save yourself £1500.

RiftAmps · March 2018

There is only one LP Custom worth talking about - http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7099

57Deluxe · March 2018

I decided to give my white Studio the CUSTOM Vibe... subtle details but big result!

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/52/9b/22/529b224c4c97bd7faab4373212154ff0.jpg

Philly_Q · March 2018

Just regarding the fingerboard, I thought even the Custom Shop ones had richlite nowadays?

Gibson seem almost perversely determined not to use ebony, despite the fact that even Epiphone use it.

bodhi · March 2018

How about a 2-pickup '57 reissue Custom in faded cherry?

Lord knows it's the only guitar I do truly and actively regret selling. What a mug.

Image: https://s19.postimg.org/oeu5vtw9v/Untitled-1.jpg

WezV · March 2018

Philly_Q said:

Just regarding the fingerboard, I thought even the Custom Shop ones had richlite nowadays?
Gibson seem almost perversely determined not to use ebony, despite the fact that even Epiphone use it.

Makes you wonder if Henry gets on with Bob Taylor

richardhomer · March 2018

I played a black LPC at a guitar show on Sunday - it was a 70s one in lovely condition. The gold hardware was beautifully worn, the binding nicely yellowed and the ebony board was really smooth. It had clearly been played a lot - but obviously cherished by its owner.

It would be a privilege to own it, even if only to look at....

stickyfiddle · March 2018

WezV said:

Philly_Q said:

Just regarding the fingerboard, I thought even the Custom Shop ones had richlite nowadays?
Gibson seem almost perversely determined not to use ebony, despite the fact that even Epiphone use it.

Makes you wonder if Henry gets on with Bob Taylor

I can't imagine why anyone might not get on with HenryJ, with him being so well known as a courteous gent and gracious leader...

FWIW they are still doing ebony on the VOS ones, and Chicago Music Exchange have some non-Historic VOS LPCs with ebony boards right now, but despite being basically my perfect Les Paul they're 2 bucks short of $6k...

Image: https://images.reverb.com/image/upload/s--AmO7H9Nx--/a_exif,c_limit,e_unsharp_mask:80,f_auto,fl_progressive,g_south,h_1600,q_80,w_1600/v1514909839/dxeqssfyanskf1g2vljj.jpg

Chalky · March 2018

I've got a black 1987 LP Custom, aged and tarnished. It is one of those guitars where every note on every fret rings out beautifully.

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