How to tell when you are a 'Les Paul' guy...

[jasonk931]

Ok, so! Years and years of playing, a bizillion, and one guitars later, I've come to a conclusion! Im a Les Paul guy! I'm coming out of the guitar closet with axe in tow and it's a Paul! I realized that every guitar I would buy or build (I am a part time luthier/builder), I am always morphing, mutating, albeit, down right changing each guitar to sound like and feel like my Les Paul Goldtops. I, like many others, watch guitar videos, players, etc and find myself G.A.S.'ing for that tone or sound, thinking it would increase me somehow to the status of said, shred-meister! Time, money, and age have taught me one thing...play what is YOU! Turn off the videos, webpages of lore, and focus on what makes you lift your head back and smile as you shred in your own way!

For me, give me a Les Paul Goldtop with true PAF humbuckers, and I will call it a day as I retreat to my tonal vacation! Ahhh, bliss.

Now, having said all this, I still have my stash of Strats, Teles, SG's, Gretsch, and such. All amazing guitars in their own right. Occasionally I will pause from the true me and grab my Gilmour invisibility cloak and attach my paws to my blacked out strat and wail in my Floyd moment and enjoy every minute of it! But, and that's a really big but, once I return to the reality of me, LP, you are calling me.

Maybe coffee made me write this today, or the fact that I am stairing at my LP while I write this, but sometimes you just have to put to pen your heart. For me, Les is More....Cheers all.

Disclaimer: This is no way a slam to other guitar styles or manufacturers. I own most. Just a little praise for a creation I thoroughly enjoy.

 

[Fatboy666]

same here

I've owned every shape and style of guitar, always go back to the LP or something similar. Still have Tele, Strats, Gretsches, etc. Lately I've been on a semi hollow trip. But I still bring some sort of LP to every gig.

 

[jasonk931]

same here

I've owned every shape and style of guitar, always go back to the LP or something similar. Still have Tele, Strats, Gretsches, etc. Lately I've been on a semi hollow trip. But I still bring some sort of LP to every gig.

So true. I found myself always trying to get my Strats to sound like my LP. I even bought a Gold strat and took out stock pups and put PAF's in because I was trying to have another style with same tone. Habits....

 

[cliffenstein]

I was a strat with humbuckers guy for years and years, but I always would look at my guitar heroes playing their LPs and think to myself maybe someday. When I started a band where aesthetically a Les Paul was necessary (I'm the first to admit my shallowness when it comes to getting the "looks" right for whatever band I'm in), I got one and made the permanent switch. I wouldn't even consider going back now.

 

[Lewguitar]

I've owned a few dream guitars.

Two 50's Bursts, one 3 pickup Custom, one '56 Goldtop...

I don't miss them at all. Miss the money I could get for them today but that's all.

None of them made me a better player.

I very much miss my '60 ES-355 that was ripped off from me 35 years ago though.

 

[cram]

I'm a guitar slut. I cannot commit. I love them all.

 

[jonthomas83]

Nice! Good post.

For me, I plug in an LP and I love the sound of it, it's me. Then I plug in my Strat, I love the sound of it, it's me...then I plug in my Tele...PRS...

I think I'm pretty much there though, I've got all bases covered and I'm happy with all of them.

But one thing is for sure, there's nothing quite like plugging in a Les Paul!

 

[.]

I swore by LPs for years. Gibson in general. Then, one day while out looking for a Strat to get the tones only a Strat can, I tried out a Tele. Never cared for Teles prior. Probably because of aesthetics. Loved it. Sold my Gibsons and bought 11 Telecasters in one year. I swore Gibsons (especially LPs) were the only guitars for me...until I played one I liked better. Now...I've got my eye on a PRS Vela...

 

[jasonk931]

I've owned a few dream guitars.

Two 50's Bursts, one 3 pickup Custom, one '56 Goldtop...

I don't miss them at all. Miss the money I could get for them today but that's all.

None of them made me a better player.

I very much miss my '60 ES-355 that was ripped off from me 35 years ago though.

Well said. Sorry to hear about your beloved ES-335. Like losing a family member. Taste is key. Whatever works for you and makes you 'feel it'. Awesome!

 

[jasonk931]

Nice! Good post.

For me, I plug in an LP and I love the sound of it, it's me. Then I plug in my Strat, I love the sound of it, it's me...then I plug in my Tele...PRS...

I think I'm pretty much there though, I've got all bases covered and I'm happy with all of them.

But one thing is for sure, there's nothing quite like plugging in a Les Paul!

I recently purchased a Bernie Marsden PRS, and I loved it. I modded it, but had to sell it to cover my Israel trip coming up. The guitar was insanely balanced and spot on, but for my T-Rex short arms and hands, my LP just 'fits'

 

[jasonk931]

I swore by LPs for years. Gibson in general. Then, one day while out looking for a Strat to get the tones only a Strat can, I tried out a Tele. Never cared for Teles prior. Probably because of aesthetics. Loved it. Sold my Gibsons and bought 11 Telecasters in one year. I swore Gibsons (especially LPs) were the only guitars for me...until I played one I liked better. Now...I've got my eye on a PRS Vela...

I tried other Teles for a couple years, and couldn't get that 'fit'. However, I purchased a Richie Kotzen tele for its fat neck, and overall beefiness, and I was amazed. Not my LP's, but in its own right, it's the closest to my LP with a bit of difference and tone. Enjoy it throughly. Consequently, however, I am selling my RK Tele for some extra $ for my Israel mission trip. Amazing guitar though. Biggest neck Fende has ever made.

 

[sixstringfuel]

No limits here I love them all and enjoy mixing it up!

 

[supergenius365]

Got my first "real" Les Paul yesterday- a 2005 Classic. I'm obviously in the Honeymoon Phase, but what a joy so far. Even playing at very low volume, it just gives me the sounds I want.

 

[Summa]

I don't try to get my Strats to sound like a LP but I do like my Strat necks to feel like my R9

 

[jasonk931]

Reiteration...This is not a Les Paul is better thread. Just a taste thing. Just a like, boxers, or briefs...everyone has a certain style. I love them all, just find I always return to my home, which is LP.

 

[Turi]

Ha, going by what you're saying, I'd be a Strat guy.
My first guitar was a Strat style guitar. I've had multiple Strats in the past, always flipping them to try other things etc etc everything else I've only had one of ('cept 2 Teles) and always go back to the Strat.

However I am GASing so bad for a Gold LP atm. Don't care if it's Gibson or Epi (would stick to one of those brands).. man I want one so bad.
I can't get one though, no cash atm and I'm not going to drop my Strat.. I need a 2nd guitar..

LPs always look cool as hell but eh.. something about single coils is just what I want to hear in my own playing.
I want a gold LP purely for the looks, LOL.
Though I'd imagine I could find uses for the power of some decent humbuckers.. you can't (well, I can't) get that shriek you can get from a single-coil bridge pickup in a Strat..

In reality I'm just a guitar guy in general. I'm easily impressed, dig the cheap just as much as the expensive and love checking out all different ****.
But damn do I want a gold top LP.
I've played a few of 'em and they're always like the epitome of cool, sound ****ing fantastic and feel great.

There was one particular one in the local shop ages ago that was like a "darkback" model or something - it wasn't crazy expensive or anything.. was a Gibson.. sounded amazing, had Burstbuckers in it, felt brilliant. I had it on lay-buy for a while and went for an LPJ instead, sorta screwed the shop over a bit doing that eh.. that one guitar always in my head.
I want the same one. I dig 'em with the gold top and dark back and sides.

Just did some googling - it was a 2013 '60s Tribute in Goldtop/Darkback.

Beautiful guitar, imo.
I'd change the knobs for amber ones, if it were mine.

I had a mate with me who came in a few times to check it out, while I was paying it off (really wish I'd stuck with it now LOL) and every time he was all "man that sounds awesome".

He asks me on FB like once every couple of weeks when I'm going to get one, lol.

 

[jasonk931]

Got my first "real" Les Paul yesterday- a 2005 Classic. I'm obviously in the Honeymoon Phase, but what a joy so far. Even playing at very low volume, it just gives me the sounds I want.

Nice. Enjoy!

 

[.]

I tried other Teles for a couple years, and couldn't get that 'fit'. However, I purchased a Richie Kotzen tele for its fat neck, and overall beefiness, and I was amazed. Not my LP's, but in its own right, it's the closest to my LP with a bit of difference and tone. Enjoy it throughly. Consequently, however, I am selling my RK Tele for some extra $ for my Israel mission trip. Amazing guitar though. Biggest neck Fende has ever made.

I always replace bolt ons with Musikraft Fat Cs. My #1 Tele has an all maple neck, 1" at the nut, 1" at the 12th...

 

[MrGibson]

Good post, you seem to be a nice fellow. A "les Paul guy" is someone who changes hardware for appearance and plastics for tone, who hangs the COA on the wall next to his dentist diploma, walks into a GC and says "I like to buy strings for my Les Paul".

For the last couple of years I've mostly been playing LP's. I really don't know why. It's a bug. I'll get over it....maybe.

 

[amstrtatnut]

Ive mostly been a strat guy for years. I actually started getting more compliments on my playing when I bought an epi dot. Then I got a les paul copy. Loads of compliments. Now Ive got a Les Paul on the way. It will be here Tuesday. Yay!

I think strats sound great but have always had problems with lack of midrange. Kinda plinky sounding. Attempts at getting a more full sound have been mostly unsuccessful. Ive tried all sorts of pedals. Ill never get rid of my strats but for most gigs I reach for my agile or my epi. Hopefully the Les Paul is a keeper. Ill find out on Tuesday.