Thinking about getting a Les Paul

[Blitzwing]

I'm starting to do some research on getting an electric eventually and at this point I have my heart set on a Gibson Les Paul.
There are so many variations and different models it's super confusing.
I'm probably looking at a Traditional or a Standard and nothing vintage per se.
Maybe new or used...I'll have to see.
I'm still in the early stages of trying to learn about this stuff-this will be my first electric.
I don't want to say 'money is no object' but by the time I make a decision, I would think I can cover the price of whatever I decide is the one.
Any tips on things to look for, thoughts or advice?

[jseth]

I LOVE Les Paul!!!! His playing and all his contributions to modern sound and recording, his sense of humor that comes through his playing...

And I REALLY wanted to love "his" guitar... but I could not bond with any of them I have ever played... they are fun and all, but not comfortable for me for long periods of playing... for one thing, they are REALLY heavy guitars, and it seems that the "good' ones are the heaviest of the lot! They also don't seem to "fit" on my lap for playing when sitting (which I do when not in a band).

So, my advice would be to get your hands on a bunch of them and spend time playing them, make sure that you really want one...

And I'd be looking at Standard and Custom Les Pauls, if I were looking for one... Gibson put out a Les Paul "Recording" model with low impedance pickups and I was always sort of drawn to that one, but have never played one plugged in... but the two versions I mentioned are the original Les Paul models...

[clintj]

First off, do you have any sort of neck, back, or shoulder problems? If yes, then try one of the new weight relieved ones. The traditional ones with the solid mahogany slab are heavy. Very heavy.

Second, do you have a particular sound or genre you're chasing? The pickups, whether 57 Classic, Burstbuckers, etc will pair with different amps differently. Try a few amp/guitar combos out before you commit.

Speaking of amps, your amp will make up at least half of your final sound. If you don't have one, be sure to budget for a quality one and put several through their paces to see what you like. If you do have one, bring it with you unless the store stocks the same model.

Lastly, if I were shopping for one I would start with a Standard and go from there. See if you like the difference from switching to a Traditional, or Studio, or whatever else they have on hand.

[Blitzwing]

Thanks for the replies so far.
I know the stock answer on this forum is 'try a million and find the one you like' and this is the correct answer in an ideal world but the reality is that there is only 1 Gibson dealer within 100 miles and its a GC that tends to stock lower end stuff.

I will certainly go and try what they've got but the chances that they will have a Standard, a Traditional, a '59 reissue, a Studio, a Standard Plus, etc, etc to compare are probably low.
I'm just trying to narrow down the potential variants to a couple that I might give some thought to and maybe get a couple of ideas.
You guys have already given me some things to think about so thank you for your posts.

I don't have an amp yet either so any input on this issue would also be helpful. I know the amp is going to make a big difference as well. I'm just going to be playing at home so probably 60W or below would be my target output.

[guitararmy]

I get confused easily by all of the different Les Paul models that Gibson has.
If I was looking for one today, I'd probably pick one based on the flame maple top and the price....

Or I'd consider an Epiphone with the nicer pickups.

[The Growler]

Try several and you will see different pickups, different necks, etc. as well as weight relief that as mentioned previously. Pretty hard to not find a Les Paul you will like since there are so many versions.

As for your amp. You will need nowhere near 60 watts if you are playing at home. There are many, very good tube amps in the 15 to 25 watt range that can be played at home and gigs. Mic 'em and you can play anywhere. Don't limit your amp choice based on wattage.

[GitFiddle]

I have 11 Les Pauls covering the spectrum you describe above, have a 58 instead of the 59. I gravitate heaviest to my Traditional. It is my go-to. If I had to own one, that's the one I would keep. You may decide otherwise.

[aknow]

I agree with JSeth. I've had an amazing Les Paul, a 58 burst that was always too heavy after about an hour, no matter what strap or how muscular I was. I sold it to a collector for silly $, I've had a 1980 LP Heritage for 30 years, great sound yet also real heavy. Then I got a couple of Tributes from 2011. They have a much lighter weight, fit more comfortably, have P-90's instead of humbuckers, and richlite fingerboards. Much more comfortable to play if you can ignore the rather loud background noise from the P-90's. The standards are usually great guitars, overpriced new, and hard on your shoulder/lower cervical spine w/ extended play. With all that, nothing sounds as good as a good L.P. They match well with Fender blackface amps.
Good Luck!

[muscmp]

play all of them in as many stores you can. first play them acoustically, then electrified thru an amp that you may be considering or already have. take home the one that sings to you.

play music!

[psychojohn]

OP,

Look at my sigi and you'll notice 4 LP's, three of them Epiphones and one Gibby. You'll also notice 2 are the same model, different colors. These are not accidents and you might learn from my experience.

My first was the Gibby. $1700 + change. Open pick ups give it a more aggressive tone. Next was my Cherry LP 60's tribute +: $699. Hands down sounds better TO ME than the Gibby at less than half the price. Although an Epi, Epi's are real LP's and this model has the Gibby hardwear on it including the pups, pots, tuners and a beautiful top (thus the "+"). Sounded and Played better out of the box and after set up than my Gibby in similar conditions. Loved it so much I got another two weeks later and have not regretted it. THE BEST BUY AND VALUE IN A LP OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, gibby or Epi combined.

The GX was similarly a great steal at $799 for it's construction, again with Gibby parts and top shelf appointments. I just can't bond with the finger board and neck on this one (flat finger board with very little radius for string bending and narrow neck for speed.)

Soooo my advice is before you go out and buy a Gibby, try out the Epi LP 50' or 60's Tribute + (different necks) first, try the Gibby and see what you think. Many, like me, have ended up with two Epi's or just get one and spend the rest on a good amp (Peavey Classic 30) or pocket it.

John

[JP McD]

If it's your first electric, don't get fixated on a brand or model just yet. You might want to try out a Strat and a Tele or a PRS. I love my LP, but find that my Tele is a more versatile guitar. The recent revamp of the '54 reissue is one of the best guitars I've ever played!

Happy hunting!

[Sombras]

Originally Posted by clintj

First off, do you have any sort of neck, back, or shoulder problems? If yes, then try one of the new weight relieved ones. The traditional ones with the solid mahogany slab are heavy. Very heavy.

Second, do you have a particular sound or genre you're chasing? The pickups, whether 57 Classic, Burstbuckers, etc will pair with different amps differently. Try a few amp/guitar combos out before you commit.

Speaking of amps, your amp will make up at least half of your final sound. If you don't have one, be sure to budget for a quality one and put several through their paces to see what you like. If you do have one, bring it with you unless the store stocks the same model.

Some very good advice here.

Weight: I have found that I reach my shoulder-fatigue limit much faster with my LP than Strat. I also have to use a thicker padded strap which helped a lot. If you play sitting down a lot, this won't be an issue. I've never played one, but I've heard great things about the "chambered" LPs being lighter and more resonant.

Necks: Like most popular guitar series, there are many neck profiles to choose from. The most common with the LP, I think, are 50s and 60s profiles. I found a HUGE difference between the two and much prefer the 60s neck, but I have met others who can't/won't play anything other than the 50s profile.

Amp: This one took me a while to figure out. I have found that my LP--or me on my LP--sounds MUCH better out of a quality amp compared to a budget amp. My Strat pretty much sounds like my Strat through any amp, with the high-end amps obviously sounding better. But my LP sounds HORRIBLE through budget amps and really comes alive through a good tube amplifier.

Pickups: Lots and lots of varieties here. Play a bunch through the type of amplifier you think you'll end up with and see which work for you.

[The Growler]

One more thing regarding weight: the right strap can make this a non issue for most of us. Width, material, padding, etc.

[Randmo]

Originally Posted by Blitzwing

I'm starting to do some research on getting an electric eventually and at this point I have my heart set on a Gibson Les Paul.

I went through the same thing... I was stuck on a Les Paul for some reason, maybe because I liked my Gibson J-15 so well. Anyway I pulled the trigger last Sunday, came home with a Les Paul Studio Deluxe II from GC. $999 until September 1st. No regrets here.

It is very confusing, play a lot of them.

[Bob Womack]

I've played Les Pauls for thirty-seven years. A few tips:

Read up, know the specs and necks and pickups.

1. Yeah, get out and play them.

2. '58 neck: thick. '59 neck: middling. '60s neck: slim. The modern standard has an "Assymetrical Slim Neck" that I find weird and uncomfortable.

3. Weight: three classes: solid is heavier to heavy. Weight-relieved is drilled with holes and can be too light, causing the peghead to drop when on a strap. Chambered is just about perfect and balanced.

4. I have three:
'74 standard built in Kalamazoo before the line was official. Heavy, medium-slim neck like a '59, sustain for AGES. This is the one that is challenging to keep on for a whole night due to weight.
2006 Studio weight-relieved. Fat neck. Neck-heavy but a lovely guitar.
2012 '60s Tribute Studio with P-90 pickups. Chambered. '60 profile slim neck. Balanced. Lovely. Weight like a Fender.

5. I'd get the Traditional over the Standard due to the neck but it is going to come down to your hands, your ears, your back, your money.

Have fun shopping!

Bob