Tell me why (or why not) you own a Les Paul

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

Yup. Besides tastes (which vary) how different pickups react with different amps and effects chains really make a lot of the difference in how electric guitars sound. It's not uncommon for regular sized humbuckers to be uninspiring to me, but I think that may be because my tastes, amps, and effects are by now "formatted" for single-coil pickups.

Yours has the Gibson 490/498 pair from what I see. I'm not familiar with them personally.

The 490R/498T doesn't get a lot of respect from many people but I have them in two of my Les Paul Studios and I'm a fan. The 498T is great for hard rock/metal. I like Alnico V magnets for what I play.

[Rick Jones]

Originally Posted by rmp

those crazy gibson headstocks! we never know when they're gonna make a run for it do we!

I was utterly devastated. The guy I sold it to (un-repaired) has been gigging it for ages now though after he put it back together.

[DBW]

I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio. I bought it in 2007 and it is my first guitar. It's made of Swamp Ash and doesn't have any binding- therefore it's relatively light. It also has the 490/498 pickups which I like. Right now I'm learning "Outshined" by Soundgarden on it. I bought it because the Les Paul is an iconic guitar.

[DBW]

Gibson Les Paul Studio cropped.jpg

My first guitar.

[tdq]

Eons ago, when I first started playing electric guitar, my friends all had Strat copies - I didn't have an electric for some time, but begged and borrowed. I somehow ended up with a tele, but always imagined I'd get a Les Paul someday. Years later that day arrived finally and - apart from it being super heavy, I just didn't take to it and eventually sold it. I've since remained a tele guy. Although a 335 would be nice....

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Not anything real heavy but I can make one for you! I'm gigging hard the next few days but next week I can knock one out for you

Here's some medium grit slide guitar with it though it starts at 1:42

Thanks, I enjoyed that and really liked your tone. I find that allot of people associate the P-90's with a really bright, gritty high gain tone. I like how you've got that tamed down for nice smooth full sound. Thats how I run mine, with my particular amp it seems to work better if I use the amp's OD in moderation, and then use a booster to bring the gain up further without getting to much of that harsh gritty sound.

No big deal, dont go out of your way, but if you do get around to recording those p-90's a little hotter I'd for sure be interested in hearing it. I've been working on some music the last couple days that I'm pretty pumped about, if I find some time maybe I'll lay down a guitar track.

[Bob Womack]

I've said this before, but it might be interesting for this discussion. Back in the 1970s in the South, when I got started in electric guitar, there were certain unspoken attitudes afloat about guitars. Because of the Allman Brothers and Joe Walsh and others, the Les Paul was considered a powerful, masculine guitar. The Telecaster was considered a country guitar. The Strat was considered a more feminine instrument. I pursued the Les Paul.

Of course, all of the instruments were capable of both strength and sensitivity. I use several different types in recording. But those biases were afloat in the 1970s. The truth is that the Les Paul does provide a girth that most others don't offer, but the characters of the other instruments are useful as well.

Bob

[Chickee]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

I've said this before, but it might be interesting for this discussion. Back in the 1970s in the South, when I got started in electric guitar, there were certain unspoken attitudes afloat about guitars. Because of the Allman Brothers and Joe Walsh and others, the Les Paul was considered a powerful, masculine guitar. The Telecaster was considered a country guitar. The Strat was considered a more feminine instrument. I pursued the Les Paul.

Of course, all of the instruments were capable of both strength and sensitivity. I use several different types in recording. But those biases were afloat in the 1970s. The truth is that the Les Paul does provide a girth that most others don't offer, but the characters of the other instruments are useful as well.

Bob

That’s an interesting view Bob.
In Brooklyn at that time LesPauls, SG’s and 335’s were hot ticket items, if you were well heeled. Gretsch guitars were popular, abundant and cool. A lot of tremolo and reverb with those babies!
And as you said, Telecasters were strictly country guitars, but the Stratocaster was all Hendrix, all the time. If you were wielding a Stratocaster at a battle of the bands, you better know how to play that thing! Boy, you really sparked a memory there Bob! Thanks,
frank d.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

I've said this before, but it might be interesting for this discussion. Back in the 1970s in the South, when I got started in electric guitar, there were certain unspoken attitudes afloat about guitars. Because of the Allman Brothers and Joe Walsh and others, the Les Paul was considered a powerful, masculine guitar. The Telecaster was considered a country guitar. The Strat was considered a more feminine instrument. I pursued the Les Paul.

Of course, all of the instruments were capable of both strength and sensitivity. I use several different types in recording. But those biases were afloat in the 1970s. The truth is that the Les Paul does provide a girth that most others don't offer, but the characters of the other instruments are useful as well.

Bob

There is a very good reason that the Les Paul has been an overwhelming staple among single guitar bands that are trying to create a big sound... for over 60 years and still counting.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

Thanks, I enjoyed that and really liked your tone. I find that allot of people associate the P-90's with a really bright, gritty high gain tone. I like how you've got that tamed down for nice smooth full sound. Thats how I run mine, with my particular amp it seems to work better if I use the amp's OD in moderation, and then use a booster to bring the gain up further without getting to much of that harsh gritty sound.

No big deal, dont go out of your way, but if you do get around to recording those p-90's a little hotter I'd for sure be interested in hearing it. I've been working on some music the last couple days that I'm pretty pumped about, if I find some time maybe I'll lay down a guitar track.

I've never been a big fan of treble, like you, I prefer fatness. Here's me playing slide with my old Les Paul Special through a TOPHAT amp that had some pretty nice mids when I would goose it with an old rat pedal. It's starts out crunchy, but you can hear me flicking the three way switch, and searching for a tone that sounds cool with the open drone strings...

https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=6608365

The P90s were made by SHED who went out of business a few years back. I should have bought a few sets!

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

I've never been a big fan of treble, like you, I prefer fatness. Here's me playing slide with my old Les Paul Special through a TOPHAT amp that had some pretty nice mids when I would goose it with an old rat pedal. It's starts out crunchy, but you can hear me flicking the three way switch, and searching for a tone that sounds cool with the open drone strings...

https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=6608365

The P90s were made by SHED who went out of business a few years back. I should have bought a few sets!

Nice playing, and once again, some really killer tone. I'm afraid I dont run mine through anything so dear, just a Katana. I hardly use any effects besides OD, but I do like being able to cycle through various levels of gain on the fly to match whatever type of playing I need.

I have my amp set up so I can use either just the boost, or the crunch, or both to get different levels of gain. I also roll my neck pickup off a little so switching pickups will further alter the gain. I particularly like how the P-90's respond to this over humbuckers.

Not my band, and probably not P-90's, definitely Les Pauls... but this is the sort of "electric" music that is currently turning my crank. My tone and playing style is very different, so what I'm doing sounds different, but in the same ballpark.

[Bushleague]

Just a little more LP action and I'll quit, I promise.. Saw these guys live last week, cool technical prog passages contrasting nicely with music that is pure heart. Add in a crowd thats been locked down for a couple years and it makes for a highly memorable show.

[talister106]

In 1989, I bought a Les Paul Standard because it was the iconic guitar with the sound I wanted. Still have it and looking back at all the memories it had brought me made me think of what is the reason for it`s success. Tone and playability come to mind and a versatility to play in many different musical areas, yet the pride you get opening that case and seeing a Gibson Les Paul waiting for you never gets old.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Snorse

I was utterly devastated. The guy I sold it to (un-repaired) has been gigging it for ages now though after he put it back together.

The positive thing is that the headstock was repaired and that Les Paul was brought back to life. If you had known back then, would you have spent the cash to repair the headstock? It may be an expensive fix but in the right hands it can make the guitar completely stable.

[letterk]

Originally Posted by Snorse

My LP standard that I had for years (until the headstock decided to come off in the case for some reason) had Bareknuckle 'Mule' in the neck and a Kent Armstrong PAF clone in the bridge. The 490/498 are much hotter and kind of scooped... 'metal' sounding I guess.

Another bad design that could be fixed.