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'59 Les Paul - why considered by many as the best?

Discussion in 'Guitars in General' started by gear007, Feb 25, 2009.

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  1. Feb 25, 2009 #1
    gear007

    gear007 Member

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    After spending the last 20 years playing acoustic guitar, I can honestly say I'm pretty new to electrics. Never really considered playing them much...until recently. I've studied acoustics pretty intensely and understand the whole "pre-war" thing quite well. But when it comes to electrics, nada. Almost every piece of literature I stumble across regarding Gibson Les Pauls seems to use the '59 ( the real 1959 not reissues) as the measuring stick for true greatness. My question is simple, Why?
     
    gear007, Feb 25, 2009
    gear007, Feb 25, 2009
    #1
  2. Feb 25, 2009 #2
    DGDGBD

    DGDGBD Member

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    :munch
     
    DGDGBD, Feb 25, 2009
    DGDGBD, Feb 25, 2009
    #2
  3. Feb 25, 2009 #3
    jcmark611

    jcmark611 Member

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    Ever listen to Led Zeppelin?
     
    jcmark611, Feb 25, 2009
    jcmark611, Feb 25, 2009
    #3
  4. Feb 25, 2009 #4
    Stike

    Stike Member

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    Yeah, Page rocks the **** out of that Tele!
     
    Stike, Feb 25, 2009
    Stike, Feb 25, 2009
    #4
  5. Feb 25, 2009 #5
    Sean French

    Sean French Supporting Member

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    Mike Bloomfield,Peter Green,Keith Richards,Eric Clapton,Jimmy Page,Joe Walsh,Duane Allman,Billy Gibbons etc....
    Actually the Les Paul was not a success and discontinued after 1960.
    Then the blues/rock guys started playing them,the 59's,as they had jumbo frets starting that year.
    Kieth had a '59 on tour with the Stones in '64 and soon many of our heros followed.
     
    Sean French, Feb 25, 2009
    Sean French, Feb 25, 2009
    #5
  6. Feb 25, 2009 #6
    GuitarsFromMars

    GuitarsFromMars Member

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    British rock musicians used them initially,then american rock musicians.The ICON in rock music from the 60's to the 70's.The arguably,most famous electric guitar in Rock n' Roll.It IS greatness when you hear one of the nicely maintained ones.We have a few members who are significantly more knowledgable about them than I am.The 'golden era was 1957-1960.
     
    GuitarsFromMars, Feb 25, 2009
    GuitarsFromMars, Feb 25, 2009
    #6
  7. Feb 25, 2009 #7
    shane8

    shane8 Member

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    in those days if u wanted that sound there was no alternative and now there is

    obviously the 59 LP is the most over rated guitar in the world and their cost has nothing to do with their worth but they are rare and have all those 60s and 70s rock god associations
     
    shane8, Feb 25, 2009
    shane8, Feb 25, 2009
    #7
  8. Feb 25, 2009 #8
    gear007

    gear007 Member

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    So, jumbo frets and rock stars. j/k There's got to be more to it than that. Right?
     
    gear007, Feb 25, 2009
    gear007, Feb 25, 2009
    #8
  9. Feb 25, 2009 #9
    02Singlecut

    02Singlecut Member

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    Too Funny......IMHO Page's best tome came from that Tele and his Black LPC. I bet he'd make a Squier Strat sound awesome!
     
    02Singlecut, Feb 25, 2009
    02Singlecut, Feb 25, 2009
    #9
  10. Feb 25, 2009 #10
    majordelt

    majordelt Member

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    I agree..It's not the gear. It's the player
     
    majordelt, Feb 25, 2009
    majordelt, Feb 25, 2009
    #10
  11. Feb 25, 2009 #11
    '70 RS

    '70 RS Member

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    No. That about covers it.
     
    '70 RS, Feb 25, 2009
    '70 RS, Feb 25, 2009
    #11
  12. Feb 25, 2009 #12
    '70 RS

    '70 RS Member

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    The "Some people just don't get it" posts should be here soon.
     
    '70 RS, Feb 25, 2009
    '70 RS, Feb 25, 2009
    #12
  13. Feb 25, 2009 #13
    bilbal

    bilbal Member

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    The gear helps.
     
    bilbal, Feb 25, 2009
    bilbal, Feb 25, 2009
    #13
  14. Feb 25, 2009 #14
    clint

    clint Member

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    I don't know about that. Strats and Teles hold their own as far as electric guitars go but there's something alluring about a flametop LP that is as much about the aesthetics as the tone. And very few were made in those 2-3 years.
     
    clint, Feb 25, 2009
    clint, Feb 25, 2009
    #14
  15. Feb 25, 2009 #15
    Cody

    Cody Well, look who’s undead!

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    Some people just don't get it.
     
    Cody, Feb 25, 2009
    Cody, Feb 25, 2009
    #15
  16. Feb 25, 2009 #16
    GuitarsFromMars

    GuitarsFromMars Member

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    where?
     
    GuitarsFromMars, Feb 25, 2009
    GuitarsFromMars, Feb 25, 2009
    #16
  17. Feb 25, 2009 #17
    shane8

    shane8 Member

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    shane8, Feb 25, 2009
    shane8, Feb 25, 2009
    #17
  18. Feb 25, 2009 #18
    gear007

    gear007 Member

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    gear007, Feb 25, 2009
    gear007, Feb 25, 2009
    #18
  19. Feb 25, 2009 #19
    Luke

    Luke Senior Member

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    Having played four real 1959 Les Pauls, I will say I can not figure out the thrill. They were nice, but not $250,000 worth. At $5,000 MAYBE I'd consider it.
     
    Luke, Feb 25, 2009
    Luke, Feb 25, 2009
    #19
  20. Feb 25, 2009 #20
    FFTT

    FFTT Member

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    Just hang around estate sales for a few decades and you can come across some amazing
    closet classics.

    I'm sure the first time someone paid $5000.00 for a '59 LP they must have
    thought that person was out of their ever lovin' mind.

    I'd sure like check one out some day, but
    I'm really totally happy with my 85 Studio Standard
     
    FFTT, Feb 25, 2009
    FFTT, Feb 25, 2009
    #20
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