Need advice please

[Chippo]

Hey Guys

I need some help with my next Les Paul move. I got my first Les last year for my 1st anniversary. It's a 2005 standard and was the end of a long search for a les paul that felt right. It sounded great on the day I bought it but went downhill from there. It sat in the cupboard for a month or so waiting for the anniversary so i could play it and I took it in for a checkup before I started using it. I was told that the neck had some issues and needed some serious work. So I got all that done and a few adjustmenst later it was playing better than ever. My problem is that I've never got the pickups to sound the way I want and I'm always making adjustments to no avail.

I took it to my tech and we compared it to some other Les Pauls and my pickups are far off what they should be. They are burstbuckers but dont sound like the burstbuckers in the guitars in his shop.

Anyway I'm now making my next move. It's either work on the guitar with new pickups and what not or trade it in and look for another les paul. I can get decent trades at the place I bought it from and they have some re issues that I like the look of. I'd love to keep it as it's quite special but I'm worried that all this work still may not get the guitar to wow me.

Whats your opinion? Thanks heaps

[RussB]

Trade it for one you like

/thread

[small axe]

trade it in for a les paul u like

[Austinrocks]

what amp are you using, my humbucker LP drove me nuts in a marshall studio 15, 6V6s really show up problems in a humbucker, P-90 LP sounded amazing.

[Chippo]

I play it though either an Orange AD30, Rockerverb 50 or a Vox AC30. It was a real eye opener last week when i went to try it alongside other les pauls. We just played it through a Fender amp clean and it definitely didnt sound like a les paul should. Compared to the others anyway

I was hoping the guy would tell me that I'm an idiot and that there was nothing wrong with it but he noticed the same things I did.

[tbonesullivan]

have the electronics been inspected to make sure that nothing is wrong? like possibly the humbucker wired in parallel instead of series? or maybe in single coil mode? what about pickups height and pole piece height? did the other les pauls have the same pickups? same strings?

[Chippo]

I tried a couple with the same pickups. Dont know about strings but i doubt they were the same. I have adjusted the pickups sooooo many times and got nothing better. I had a look at the wiring the other night and it seems ok. I did wonder if maybe i could be losing something there but it all looks like it is still stock from the factory. hmmmm. My biggest worry is changing the pups and still getting nothing out of it. However if i work on it and it comes together for me then i will love it even more cos i would have gotten it there.

ahhhhh i wish i didnt have a guitarists brain hahahaha.

[Whiskey N Beans]

Warranty repair sounds best. Gibson would likely make yours top notch or swap it out. Patience required. But easier than moving a lemon. Also, if you bought at a GC or similar major retailer they often are pretty flexible when you only want to exchange. At least you've identified the problem and know your concerns are legit. Best of luck finding the right LP for you.

[RussB]

Originally Posted by Whiskey N Beans

Warranty repair sounds best. Gibson would likely make yours top notch or swap it out. Patience required. But easier than moving a lemon. Also, if you bought at a GC or similar major retailer they often are pretty flexible when you only want to exchange. At least you've identified the problem and know your concerns are legit. Best of luck finding the right LP for you.

OP's in Australia

[jp1977]

some guitars are just dogs, but if it is playing and sounding nice unplugged then your problem is with the electronics and can be replaced or repaired. First check the height of pickups etc, then the wiring and see if pots are up to spec. Also, gibson makes a few types of burstbucker pickups, burstbucker V use alnico 5 magnets while the Burstbucker 1 -2-or 3 use alnico 2, and are wound in output depending on which. Gibson uses all of these stock on different les pauls so that could be why u notice the tonal differance when comparing to yours. Also, there is some truth to the saying that no 2 guitars sound alike.

[In Absentia]

If the pickups are the problem, I'd start there. If it feels fine, just drop some new buckers in there. A couple hundred isn't that much comparatively. This guitar is one that you should enjoy because of the sentimental value. Like a marriage, it probably needs work to make sure it is in top form.

[Chippo]

Thanks again guys. Yeah i did think yesterday that i should hang on and work on it cos of the sentimental value. I shouldnt be so keen to trade it in. Anyway I do understand what you are saying about the different pickups but these definitely dont make it sound like a les paul and dont do it justice. I dont have a clue what pickups to look at though. I'm really keen on AC/DC and Zepplin sort of sounds. I've been advised of a few companies but havent set myself on anything yet

[sleepingtiger]

IF you bought it new, you had warrantee issues. If used....oh $hit!

Tony