Incoming Tomorrow, Gibson Chambered '54 Les Paul Goldtop...

[jumpnblues]

...I'm pumped! Current or past owners, what do/did you think of the stock Gibson P-90s? I have Lollars ready to go if need be. There was a thread about a week ago about chambered '54's vs non-chambered ones, but I'd welcome any additional comments regarding their comparison. I'll have 10 days to evaluate this one and exchange it for a non-chambered one if I want. I've been wanting a '54 LPGT for years. Any thoughts, comments, or advice? Thanks.


Tom

 

[stevieboy]

I've got a non chambered one. I think the stock pickups are fine. I'm also a fan of Lollars, and if I had a spare set sitting around I'm sure I would have put them in as the curiosity would be killing this cat. But I'm not compelled enough to buy a new set and try them. I do occasionally wonder how it would sound, however, and it could happen!.

I understand that you have to get a specific set of covers from Lollar, or take a little off the bottom of the standard ones, to fit in a Les Paul. What Lollars do you have? The "Costello" set I guess comes with the right covers.

I've always been intrigued by the chambered LP's, especially the 54, but I've never actually encountered one in person

 

[dukeh62]

I understand that you have to get a specific set of covers from Lollar, or take a little off the bottom of the standard ones, to fit in a Les Paul. What Lollars do you have? The "Costello" set I guess comes with the right covers.

I've always been intrigued by the chambered LP's, especially the 54, but I've never actually encountered one in person

Just use the covers from the Gibson pups and they'll work great.

 

[HHB]

cool, thats one LP I'd love to try ( then buy and sell 9 mo later as usual LOL )

 

[jumpnblues]

I've got a non chambered one. I think the stock pickups are fine. I'm also a fan of Lollars, and if I had a spare set sitting around I'm sure I would have put them in as the curiosity would be killing this cat. But I'm not compelled enough to buy a new set and try them. I do occasionally wonder how it would sound, however, and it could happen!.

I understand that you have to get a specific set of covers from Lollar, or take a little off the bottom of the standard ones, to fit in a Les Paul. What Lollars do you have? The "Costello" set I guess comes with the right covers.

I've always been intrigued by the chambered LP's, especially the 54, but I've never actually encountered one in person

I have a set of the standard Lollar P-90s in my Epi '56 LPGT and no mods were necessary. I'm going to use that set in my CR4, reinstall the stock ones in the Epi and sell it.


Tom

 

[musicofanatic5]

Tom, settle down and keep the Lollars in the drawer for a minute! Play the damn gtr for a while and evaluate the sound of the originals. Use your experience with other P-90's (didn't you say you liked the sound of the original p.u.s in the reish ES-5?) to listen for what you like in a P-90. My general complaint with stock Gibson p.u.s is they are too hot. Dunno what's the case with the one's on a historic? Besides, it sounds like you'll be busier deciding whether or not you like the "swiss cheese" body or not. and, of course, to keep the option open of returning the gtr (brand new, right?), you'll not want to have mucked around with your soldering iron.
I have just had my offer accepted on a '04 LPR-4. One of the previous owners (I'll be #3) spent a fortune on every possible aftermarket upgrade (vinnidge-accurate top repaint, Antiquity p.u.s, tone-pros this, Pigtail that, RS up the wazoo, etc, etc), stuff that one can never recoup the cost of upon resale (to my advantage!). At just over nine pounds, I hope my old man frame can handle it!
Someone made a heckuva deal on this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260379491859
I was looking at it and decided it was too new looking, and the mahogany too light colored for my tastes.
Anyway, just keep your soldering iron "in your pants" and properly evaluate the stock p.u.s when you get it, and, of course, be sure to keep us up to date!
On the other hand, just stick the Lollars in there and be done with it! Who the hell am I to be dispensing advice that has any connection with "rational thought"?!?

 

[stevieboy]

Just use the covers from the Gibson pups and they'll work great.

Thanks, I wasn't sure if you could do that. I once talked with Lollar about some P90 situation I had and he had said that not all of his P90's would quite fit into some other covers, IIRC the pole piece holes might in some cases not line up. But we weren't talking about the Gibsons specifically.

 

[jumpnblues]

Tom, settle down and keep the Lollars in the drawer for a minute! Play the damn gtr for a while and evaluate the sound of the originals. Use your experience with other P-90's (didn't you say you liked the sound of the original p.u.s in the reish ES-5?) to listen for what you like in a P-90. My general complaint with stock Gibson p.u.s is they are too hot. Dunno what's the case with the one's on a historic? Besides, it sounds like you'll be busier deciding whether or not you like the "swiss cheese" body or not. and, of course, to keep the option open of returning the gtr (brand new, right?), you'll not want to have mucked around with your soldering iron.
I have just had my offer accepted on a '04 LPR-4. One of the previous owners (I'll be #3) spent a fortune on every possible aftermarket upgrade (vinnidge-accurate top repaint, Antiquity p.u.s, tone-pros this, Pigtail that, RS up the wazoo, etc, etc), stuff that one can never recoup the cost of upon resale (to my advantage!). At just over nine pounds, I hope my old man frame can handle it!
Someone made a heckuva deal on this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=260379491859
I was looking at it and decided it was too new looking, and the mahogany too light colored for my tastes.
Anyway, just keep your soldering iron "in your pants" and properly evaluate the stock p.u.s when you get it, and, of course, be sure to keep us up to date!
On the other hand, just stick the Lollars in there and be done with it! Who the hell am I to be dispensing advice that has any connection with "rational thought"?!?

Jon,


Great advice as usual. I'm going to do a lot of playing with the stock pu's the first few days to eval them and the guitar itself, per your suggestion. Then, I'll decide what to do, first, with the guitar and, second, with the pu's. But, yeah, my main priority should be to see how I like a chambered '54 wraptail LPGT. If I don't like it chambered, it'll go back for a non-chambered one. Either way, I should end up with a killer guitar. Thanks for the advice, Jon.


Tom

 

[BadAssBill]

This may be apples and oranges, but I just got an R6 that I got to play with a band for the first time on Tues. I don't have much to compare it to on the P90 side, but the same amp I use Strat/Tele's on where my guitar volume is on 7...with the P90's I was on 3. So...they run hot as pickups go.
I couldn't agree more with the advice just to leave it be for a while. Adjust it...the PU height...get a benchmark.

Best of luck...be sure to post photos!

 

[Spider-Man]

...Besides, it sounds like you'll be busier deciding whether or not you like the "swiss cheese" body or not.

Maybe it's a trivial point, but the chambered guitars are hollow, not swiss cheese holes. The CR8 that I had sounded very different (in a good way) from a solid body, or a swiss cheese body for that matter.

I have just had my offer accepted on a '04 LPR-4. One of the previous owners (I'll be #3) spent a fortune on every possible aftermarket upgrade (vinnidge-accurate top repaint, Antiquity p.u.s, tone-pros this, Pigtail that, RS up the wazoo, etc, etc), stuff that one can never recoup the cost of upon resale (to my advantage!). At just over nine pounds, I hope my old man frame can handle it!

I've really been digging P90's lately and was seriously considering making an offer on that one. I'd have to sell off my R7 to fund it and I'm not sure I want to do that yet. Congrats on picking up a cool guitar.

I have never had the opportunity to play and R4 and I'm really curious about them..... I'm particularly curious about the neck pickup. I assume there is a lot more low end clarity with the neck P90 than you get with a neck humbucker?

 

[musicofanatic5]

Maybe it's a trivial point, but the chambered guitars are hollow, not swiss cheese holes. The CR8 that I had sounded very different (in a good way) from a solid body, or a swiss cheese body for that matter.

I was just being my usual smart-ass self. I was recently shown diagrams and X-rays of the chamber-pot gtrs, so I'm all up to speed there. No slight on them, I just operate on the "no joke is too small" principle. Hopefully the un-chambered gtr in my future will not be a joke (like a bad chiropractor joke).

 

[bluesjuke]

Getting close Tom!
I like the Gibson stock P-90's in my R6 quite a bit.



musicofanatic5, I saw that and almost offered my '98 R8 on it.
Nice and congrats!

Next for me will be an R4 too.

 

[James]

Congrats! The Chambered Les Pauls rock!

 

[jumpnblues]

Jon,


Almost forgot...congrats on your recent acquisition!! We'll have to compare notes.


Tom

 

[jumpnblues]

Thanks guys for all the comments. Keep'um comin'.


Tom

 

[Eric Pykala]

Just wait 'til you try the chambered version. Your solidbody thoughts will vanish. Mine was one of the few guitars I really miss; outstanding even with the stock pups.-Eric

 

[stevieboy]

Well, it's tomorrow...

 

[Paul86]

And tomorrow there'll be pics, right?

 

[jumpnblues]

Oh baby!

 

[stryker59]

pics pics pics!!