I can't help it: I love Les Pauls

[jda]

I've been on a major gear-buying binge this year. Bought tons of guitars, and played them lots and lots.

I keep coming back to the Les Pauls. I know all the stuff about Gibson and how evil and stupid they are, and how there are quality control issues, and all of that stuff.

But you know what? Les Pauls just rock my world. I love them, and I think they are great.

So you can make fun of me now. I don't care. I love my Les Pauls. and 335s.

 

[Pearly Grapes]

Same here! Even including the binge (to a lesser extent).

But I only buy used LPs. Maybe that doesn't matter to Gibson, but I prefer to do it that way.

PG

 

[dgassie]

You have impecable taste!

I don't understand all the "Gibson is evil" and quality control issues. If someone doesn't like 'em...don't buy 'em. If they don't like the way a company does business... don't do business with 'em. It's as simple as that... but that doesn't mean they should bad mouth someone elses pride and joy. However... most everyone who has "issues" with Gibson, can't afford one or they can but simply don't want to. Maybe they will in the future.

When I had an Epi LP Standard, I honestly thought it was just as good as a Gibby...it wasn't. Now I have a Gibson LP Studio and of course I think it's just as good as any Standard! =) I guess it's natural to want and believe we got a spectacular "deal" on a guitar and be more than optimistic about its performance. I've done it more times than I care to remember and I've gone through the whole upgrade route too! I have this outragous Epi Sheriton II I've worked on. I love that thing to death but if someone offered to trade it for a Gibby 335 that played and sounded better, I'd do it in a heart beat.

I'd say much of this is brought on by a few snobish owners of more expensive guitars who look down at beginners and their gear or in general other players who happen to like other brands or can't offord the expensive X brand. Maybe these guys need a little justification for the wad of cash they laid down. Who knows?

In the end...play what you got. Turn it up, play it loud and proud. ****, if it makes you happy, no one has the right to tell you otherwise. You like what you like.

Dan

 

[BPlexico]

Jeff - I hope this means you are enjoying that BRW R9....



-- Barr

 

[AaeCee]

Sorry dgassie, but I think your rantings are a bit misguided. I own 4 Custom & Historic Gibsons (3 are LPs), and I think that constructive criticism serves a vital purpose. I want to know about any issues, shortfalls, etc., in advance of any purchase in order to be able to properly scrutinize the product. Information, especially at its most critical, gleaned from this forum, has proven indespensible in enabling me to procure superb examples of these products. And while I want to know about any major 'issues' others have with any brand, I'm perfectly capable of sorting out that which is meaningful to me. I am an owner of quite a few expensive guitars, but I look down at no one, and I find that most of us on this forum are both understanding and encouraging to the 'beginners and their gear' you refer to, and are especially helpful when it comes to finding great gear that happens to be inexpensive. We've all been there. I find that most here embrace gear that provides great value, rather than 'looking down' at it. PS...I too adore LPs. Have many nice axes, some even pricier, but consider my LPs as the anchors of my collection. AC

 

[Souled Out]

I have walls of guitars, I love and play them all. Put me on Island and have to choose one. Historic LP with Goodwoods and Buzz Feiten. That being said, stock, the tuning system is worst of all time my opinion. I couldn't get thru a song without the G and B strings wacking out. Seems doesn't make sense to buy a historic and then do these mods, but I didn't buy for the an investment.

 

[webe123]

Originally posted by jda
I've been on a major gear-buying binge this year. Bought tons of guitars, and played them lots and lots.

I keep coming back to the Les Pauls. I know all the stuff about Gibson and how evil and stupid they are, and how there are quality control issues, and all of that stuff.

But you know what? Les Pauls just rock my world. I love them, and I think they are great.

So you can make fun of me now. I don't care. I love my Les Pauls. and 335s.

Why would anyone make fun of you because you own a Gibson les paul? That is stupid. I would never try to make fun of or look down on anybody no matter what gear they own.... that is also stupid.

I own a Gibson Les paul (no QC issues on that one) , but I also believe they have some issues with the company....however, that doesn't mean they don't build great guitars!!

It only means that they have some internal problems they need to address. Gibson has been in business for a lot of years and are a standard like fender, which all the other guitar manufacturers look to when they build. Weather or not they want to admit it. True, some manufacturers make even better products than the original Gibson or Fenders....but they still look to them as a refrence point, that in itself is significant. If those two companies never made a decent guitar....do you think anyone would care to copy or imitate them?

So the way I see it, Gibsons business decisions have been downright crazy in some areas, but that doesn't mean that their product is not good.

You need to lean to seperate the two. You can have a decent product (well at least when you get the QC right) and still make bad business decisions.

 

[Mr.Hanky]

I re-iterate......ahem....


Les Pauls RULE the planet!

My R7 makes that perfectly clear.


I have no tuning issues with mine either, lube the nut, get a few winds on each machinehead strech the strings and you should be golden.

 

[Turbozag]

I have 3 and wish I had 30.

I've tried about everything else including PRS (have a BLE on layaway now), but I always come back to the good ol Les Paul.

Aside from the various "small" issues, the foundation of the Les Paul guitar is and always has been as solid as a "rock"!

I've got a 1970 DeLuxe, 1 1978 The Paul and a 2000 R7.
I wouldn't sell any of them!

 

[Srini]

Originally posted by jda
I've been on a major gear-buying binge this year. Bought tons of guitars, and played them lots and lots.

I keep coming back to the Les Pauls. I know all the stuff about Gibson and how evil and stupid they are, and how there are quality control issues, and all of that stuff.

But you know what? Les Pauls just rock my world. I love them, and I think they are great.

So you can make fun of me now. I don't care. I love my Les Pauls. and 335s.

Nothing wrong with Les Pauls per se, although I'm decidedly a Strat guy. In my mind, though, there a couple of issues. One, they're heavy as hell and, at my age, I bet I'd crack a shoulder bone in a second! The other thing is that, for my kind of attack on the strings, Strats are generally more articulate - but that may just be a single coil thing. Third, although this is no biggie, the shorter scale doesn't do it for me.

That said, I LOVE 335s - go figure!

Srini

 

[rockinlespaul]

Les Paul's?

YUMMY!!!

Damn...where'd that Tokai come from? lol

 

[Guinness Lad]

Originally posted by dgassie
You have impecable taste!

I don't understand all the "Gibson is evil" and quality control issues. If someone doesn't like 'em...don't buy 'em. If they don't like the way a company does business... don't do business with 'em. It's as simple as that... but that doesn't mean they should bad mouth someone elses pride and joy. However... most everyone who has "issues" with Gibson, can't afford one or they can but simply don't want to. Maybe they will in the future.

When I had an Epi LP Standard, I honestly thought it was just as good as a Gibby...it wasn't. Now I have a Gibson LP Studio and of course I think it's just as good as any Standard! =) I guess it's natural to want and believe we got a spectacular "deal" on a guitar and be more than optimistic about its performance. I've done it more times than I care to remember and I've gone through the whole upgrade route too! I have this outragous Epi Sheriton II I've worked on. I love that thing to death but if someone offered to trade it for a Gibby 335 that played and sounded better, I'd do it in a heart beat.

I'd say much of this is brought on by a few snobish owners of more expensive guitars who look down at beginners and their gear or in general other players who happen to like other brands or can't offord the expensive X brand. Maybe these guys need a little justification for the wad of cash they laid down. Who knows?

In the end...play what you got. Turn it up, play it loud and proud. ****, if it makes you happy, no one has the right to tell you otherwise. You like what you like.

Dan

+1 This what it's all about. Guitar companies aren't evil, they are in business to make money and are generally accountable to either the stockholders or the managing family. If you like what you play that's all that counts, don't drag the ownership into it.

I guess buying guitars and amps could/should be based on the morals of a particular company. I would then argue if you don't like the way one company does business do you still hold that standard in regards to everything or do some products/services put you on a moral high horse?

I've spent money on some guitars and amps trying to make them better and sometimes I've had excellent results and other times the final product still wouldn't measure up (even though I really wanted it to).

I recently spent big money on an amp but up to this point nothing I found did it for me quite like this amp does. I still have a modified jap strat from the 80's and with all the modifications this particular guitar sounds as good as any big name/dollar strat. I would have to say however the old adage is generally true, "you get what you pay for."

One thing about modifying stuff is you learn about the craft which helps you no matter how the item your working on turns out. I think this is the most important thing because it makes us more discriminating and knowledgable buyers in the future.

 

[webe123]

Originally posted by harryjmic
+1 This what it's all about. Guitar companies aren't evil, they are in business to make money and are generally accountable to either the stockholders or the managing family. If you like what you play that's all that counts, don't drag the ownership into it.

I guess buying guitars and amps could/should be based on the morals of a particular company. I would then argue if you don't like the way one company does business do you still hold that standard in regards to everything or do some products/services put you on a moral high horse?

I've spent money on some guitars and amps trying to make them better and sometimes I've had excellent results and other times the final product still wouldn't measure up (even though I really wanted it to).

I recently spent big money on an amp but up to this point nothing I found did it for me quite like this amp does. I still have a modified jap strat from the 80's and with all the modifications this particular guitar sounds as good as any big name/dollar strat. I would have to say however the old adage is generally true, "you get what you pay for."

One thing about modifying stuff is you learn about the craft which helps you no matter how the item your working on turns out. I think this is the most important thing because it makes us more discriminating and knowledgable buyers in the future.

Well tell me something...why then are people having QC trouble with some Gibson Les Paul standards to some Les Paul supremes if you "get what you pay for"?? Don't people pay big bucks for them? Shouldn't they be entitled to a decent guitar at least?

The way you put it, people do not have a right to complain if they buy a $2,500.00 guitar and it turns out to have bigger issues than what they can get fixed. They sure DO have a right to complain.

That is not to say that everything Gibson makes has problems, but the ones that do have them, need to be addressed. Period.

 

[Nigel11]

Many guitars have come and gone but my Les Paul has been around for about 13 or 14 years.

 

[jda]

I'm glad to see that there are many fans of the Les Paul here!

And don't worry about me separating all the various things that you would like me to learn to separate - I'm reasonably pleased with my faculties. I don't really care about Gibson all that much as a company - I do want there to be a good supply of Les Pauls available used, so I guess it's best that they keep making them.

Being of sound mind and body, I think Les Pauls rock. Playing a Les Paul makes me feel good, and I'm glad that others are getting similar good feelings.

 

[HEY!YOU!]

I own Gibson's of different age from '62-'00. 11 total.
Never had any tuning prob's ever, even with the dreded Kluson's.
Bought three site unseen(in person), no QC prob's in any of the 11.

I think some people (generally) have too great an expectation of perfection.
They are a hand-made product for the most part or at least have a human element factor involved with the making of it.
I have not seen one that I would consider "shoddy workmanship".

 

[CAFeathers]

I currently have 4 Gibsons, 1983 Sonex 180 Deluxe, 2002 LP Studio, 2004 LP Faded DC, and 2005 R6. All of them Left-Handed!
I love my Gibsons and will not give them up, unless of course it is for another Gibson.

 

[Bluedawg]

Hi, I'm Mark and I'm a Gibsonaholic. I have 7 LPs, 5 Gibbie archtops, a Gibson acoustic and a Gibson RD standard.

I am also a lover of PRS, Fender, Rickenbacker, etc. I would like to have a nice Hamer, McInturff, Suhr, and even more. guess that makes me a guitaraholic, actually.

I have had good luck with my Gibsons even ones that I bought in the last few years. I think part of the problem is that the big wharehouse approach to guitars means the retailers are not maintaining them as well as they should and Gibson is not getting the QC feedback it needs from those wharehouse stores that Gibson needs to correct any factory problems (assuming they want to do so). The reputable dealers like those on the Les Paul forum have good Gibsons based on my experience and I suspect they let Gibson know when the factory screws up.

just my 2 cents.

 

[tennisplayer]

The greatist thing about my LP's is I can plug them into any amp direct and they sound thick, full, chunky, creamy,...ah you know what I mean. Not so with my strats, they need a lot of eq-ing or they sound thin. And if you step on an OD pedal......they crunch and Rock!

 

[aroman]

I have had BAD luck with Gibson.
However I dream of having a GREAT LP some day.
I think the LP is the most elegant, coolest looking solid body electric Guitar ever.