Ok, you've ll heard me rant and rave over my High Order equipped Agile AL-3000 Prestige Gold Top and although I have always respected a plain old LP Standard (59 neck for me), I have yet to lay down the cash for one even though I could. That may have changed recently with the introduction of the VOS series. My question is; do you thing the only thing or primary thing that makes these VOS LP's so attractive is merely the Plek job? I'm thinking the answer is yes . . . So cascading into the next question; is there more to the VOS series that would prevent one from thinking a regular Standard with a Plek job will play and sound just as good? Irrespective of which pickups one has in it? And . . . How much more is a VOS that a Standard, street price?
Remember, the VOS stuff applies ONLY to the historics, not the standards AFAIK. From a playability standpoint, the PLEK job is all that's different. A standard (or any regular USA) is NOT going to be the same as a historic. It's been debated numerous times, but they ARE made differently. Some claim to hear the difference, some say there isn't. I hear one myself. As an LP Classic owner, let's just say I've been wanting a historic ever since playing one. So if you took a used HISTORIC and Plek'd it. Sure that would work. LP std? not the same. It'll play great though!
Do search on Gibson VOS on TGP. A number who have tried VOS guitars feel that Gibson has got it right this time. I have not tried one myself though.
I have tried some VOS Historics and some regular Historics (most notably 57's, 58's, and SG's all back to back (as in playing within the span of 2 hours or so). With my limited time on the LP's I wouldn't hesitate to say I like the VOS series better (which is why I'll be buying a VOS R7 here shortly). And without a doubt I will say that VOS SG is much better to the regular Historic SG. I can't really say for sure if it's all because of the PLEK job, but at the same time there was just something else about the VOS line up that just made them feel "right" with me. I really wish I could expand on why they feel right to me, but I honestly don't know, there's just something about them that makes me feel all warm inside.
Sorry, but put me in the camp of "plek is good, but let's not go crazy here". I realize folks are bringing it in house, but if what can be a third party, post production, treatment changes things so drastically, it's time to just buy 300 dollar chinese guitars and plek 'em. Or to put it another way, you can't polish a turd. If you start with a good guitar you will have a better feeling good guitar. If you start with crap you will have better feeling crap. So I guess I'm saying, no, it's not just the plek that makes ANY guitar great.
Why not send the Agile off for PLEKking and see if that makes you anywhere close to as happy as the VOS does?
I own a VOS R7. Have owned many other non-VOS historics. The VOS is nice as I like the slightly dulled finsh and parts, and the frets are perfect. However it is not a night and day difference compared to a non-VOS Gibby as some claim. I've had plenty that did not need fretwork, and 2 that did. Imo, the plek makes a great guitar even better. But there always were killer historics out there.
I just bought a really great older Historic. Light, sounds wonnerful, plays well. I'm thinking I'll have a PLEK-job on it the next time it NEEDS it... But for now I just enjoying the killer guitar that it already is. NF
I agree with everyone here for sure. These were just a questions that were borne out from all the positive VOS reviews considering the non VOS Gibby's have alrways been hit and miss. For the record, the Agile I own is amongst one of the best playing guitars I have ever owned, believe it or not and I'm 50 years old from a guitar family. If a Plek job did anything for that guitar, it may improve the ringing sustain in the very high registers is all.
My LP Standard sounded good as a base point after the plek it felt great too. I don't know about Historics, but I'd go for an older one that's a good deal with great tone and start from there.
