The difference between a Les Paul Custom and a Les Paul Standard!.

[u2fanmatty]

I am going into my local guitar shop to choose my guitar on Monday and if I go for a Les Paul, which I probably will, I was wondering apart from the hardware difference specs on LPC and the LPS, is there any magnificent sound difference. Because I am willing to pay the extra 50 for the custom if it will sound better. But if it sounds the same as standard then I will make do with that.

Also, if I change my mind about buying the les paul, is there any alternatives to a strat (i've heard cort guitars are great) or a tele?

[Dr_simon]

Gibson LP Standard: $1999.00
Gibson LP Custom: $2999.00 (cheap one)
Gibson LP Studio: $1099.00
PRS CE24 $1650.00

I’m of to Des Moines (that well known guitar Mecca, well I has more variety than Iowa City) to look for an LP next weekend. I’m gona sit down and play a bunch and unless I can feel an extra $1000.00 difference between the standard and the studio well I will get the studio !

I still think they are going to have their work cut out as if they are not a lot better than my PRS, well I may go for something completely different!

[Lordathestrings]

Originally posted by Dr_simon
Gibson LP Standard: $1999.00
Gibson LP Custom: $2999.00 (cheap one)
Gibson LP Studio: $1099.00
PRS CE24 $1650.00:eek:

I paid $650 for my second 1984 Yamaha SBG1000. I got Dimarzio Tone Zone and PAF Pro pickups for less than $100 total. All on eBay. I can appreciate cachet as much as anyone, but when it comes down to parting with my own coin, I just couldn't find any justification for Gibson prices.

A lot of the ads refer to the SBG series as 'Gibson SG copies', but in fact they are carved-top, maple-on-mahogany, double-cutaway versions of the LP. And if you can find an SBG2000 or 3000, you get tasty extras like a brass tone-block under the bridge, real abalone in the body binding, and all gold-plated hardware. For about $1200!

[u2fanmatty]

I should have mentioned I am going for the Epiphone Les Paul. :)

[Dr_simon]

when it comes down to parting with my own coin, I just couldn't find any justification for Gibson prices.


The sound of nails being hit on head !

Me, I’m turning up at the music store with a pick and a blindfold and I fully intend to play as many axes as I can before closing time !

Unfortunately I only get one day to go shopping however that doesn’t stop me from checking out a couple of different stores !

I’m after an LPish tone fatter than the CE24 if I can, but, at the end of the day I also want a new digital patch bay, a Bass Pod Pro and a New mic pre amp, a whole bunch of plug ins... we shall see !

[Lordathestrings]

At the time of this post, there's only 12 hours left on this particular auction, Click Here (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2536141287&category=33033), and it's only an SBG200, (not a 1000, 2000, or 3000), but for the princely sum of $122.50 plus shipping, someone is about to claim a better guitar than most of what Gibson currently has to offer. I suggest the price difference would cover any possible mods you might want to make. Really, different pickups are about all you're likely to crave - and even that is purely a matter of personal taste. The stockers are pretty damn good.

[PonyOne]

Since I started coming here and I've read your posts about how awesome these guitars are, I've looked for one to try out and haven't ever actually found one... when I finally do maybe I'll buy it. I use a Tone Zone in my Kramer, what a damn fine pickup that is...

So did you leave the piezo on that new one or did you scrap that? I thought that it looked a little odd when you posted the pic up...

[Lordathestrings]

I've had my 'Brand X' 1984 SBG1000 since I bought it new. I haven't changed a thing since '86, when I installed a DiMarzio Dual Sound at the bridge, and a SCHB (Super Clean HumBucker) at the neck, and modded the switches for phasing, and Series/Parallel coil connection of each pickup.

I stumbled across a stock 1984 SGB1000 on eBay, and started foaming at the mouth. I just had to have it. The nut had been replaced by a home-made piezo pickup that was a bit of a hoot to fart around with at first, but the novelty wore off fairly quickly. I re-installed the original bone nut about a month after I bought the guitar.

In a couple of weeks, I have an appointment with my favourite guitar tech/guru. I'm having the stock pickups on the second SBG replaced by the Tone Zone - PAF Pro combination, and the switching is being modded to match my Brand X. Both guitars are being set up and intonated for D'Addario EJ21 strings. I've been playing EXL115W's for as long as I can remember, so the move from .011 to .012 is no big deal. I'm looking to get a little richer tone, is all.

I noticed in one of your posts, that you said the Tone Zone sound wasn't well suited to the Blues. I hope to add a '70pedal from Fulltone and trash that concept thoroughly. Until then, I think I can develop enough tasty strangeness by judiciously out-of-phase balancing the Tone Zone with the PAF Pro to keep the "White Guys Playing Black Music On Japanese Instruments" genre alive for a while yet! :)

I'm also in the process of building a new cabinet for my 1977 Ampeg VT-40. I've been using it to drive my pair of Garnet 4-10 cabs because the four 10" CTS speakers that were originally in the amp were ruined (flood damage?? :eek: ). Hey, there was a reason I got the amp for only $175! Anyway, I just got a new WeberVST paper-dome Ceramic California 15, and I'm putting the amp and speaker into a new purpose-built cab. I couldn't find an exact match for the tolex and grill cloth, but Ampeg sold me some of their Anniversary stuff, which will do nicely. I'm also going to try out some 5751 preamp tubes in this rig. This should be a tone-monster! :D

And then there's that Odyssey V I'm milling a new bridge/toneblock for....

[Dr_simon]

Guitar went for 283 USD (+ 30 shipping) and then IF it plays OK (remember this is from a pawn shop not a music store) another 280 for a pair of PRS dragon IIs = 560
(plus labor 60-100 bucks), Id have at sell it at 660 just to break even!


....Naaaaaa ! I dropped out at 200 !

[u2fanmatty]

I'm not really sure but did anyone answer my question ?

[Dr_simon]

Dude, go to the store with an open mind, a pick and a blindfold. Don't listen too hard to what ever the sales guys try to tell you, cover your eyes and play all the guitars you can afford. Get the one that sounds and feels best to you and don’t be forced into making a decision then and their. Guitars are very individual things for a million reasons and it is very difficult to generalize with out sitting down with a particular axe. To compound the problem, different styles require different hard where and different people prefer different setups. Consequently, the only way to know is to play the exact axe you are going to buy.

[Tele Master]

But keep in mind that your musical tastes might change. You may want to look at something than is could for more than one kind of music.

[u2fanmatty]

I have a wide range of musical styles. Although my three fav bands are U2, Radiohead and the Stone Roses. Anyone know what would be the best to suit these.

[Polera]

To try and answer your question where others have evaded is that the studio version is made to sound like the les paul with out all the estetics. Things like pearl inlays, finish, tunning knobs, etc, are less expensive on the studio paul so that all you get is essentiall the "les sound". How close it comes to emulating that sound however i do not know, and you need the try it out before you buy.

[Dr_simon]

Not so much evading as reading !

Standard not studio !

Further….. do you expect all the Epi Standard Lps are identical ?

Do you expect all the Custom LPs to be identical ?

I don’t, which is why I give the advice I do. It is not evasive but born of 20 years of guitar playing experience !

Both Gibson and Epiphone have been known to sell dogs as “New” warped necks, cracked neck housings , the list go on and it is totally important to check the axe you are about to get is not a lemon.

It is also a chance to get to plat a lot of different guitars and get a feel for what is out their so as next time you have more of an idea of what you want.


[Edited by Dr_simon on 06-09-2003 at 08:01 PM]

[spanky10940]

I have to agree with Simon 100% Although I don't have the years of experience he has, the words of wisdom speak the same from anyone - it's cool that you are on the track of the style of guitar you want but you need to sit down and just play them.

Here's an example - I own a Tex mex fat strat and luckily I LOVE it. I just walked in, saw it, bought it.. that simple (for this guitar and story anyway) I paid $320 for it USD. A very good friend of mine bought a strat and paid $1500 for it.. has the noiseless pickups in it, sperzel locking tuners - whole nine on it.. (sorry, can't remember the model) between his guitar and mine, I'd take mine any day of the week and twice on sunday! I'm totally of the mind that if it plays right and sounds right to you - then you have what you wanted. If you're looking to emulate someone, go get yerself a guitar mag that shows the artists' rig, then copy it as closely as you can, remember, what you see them slignin on stage may not be what they're usin in the studio.

Lastly - if it's just the differences in the guitars that your looking for, go get a Gibson catalogue. should be more helpful so you can pick and choose what you want.

[PonyOne]

In regards to your favorite bands...

I'm not really sure what all guitars are used by U2, but I've seen the Edge play a Gibson Explorer numerous times, I've also seen a couple Strats.

Radiohead uses Telecasters a lot. If you watch theri tour diary, Meeting People Is Easy, you see Telecasters all over the place. I've also seen them use a Rickenbacker and I seem to recall a Les Paul.

Stone Roses I honestly couldn't tell you... though one of my favorite bands, Year Of The Rabbit, played a cover of I Wanna Be Adored on a Danelectro and a Telecaster.

There are lots of guitars out there, and the best advice I can give is to try em all... and just get what feels and sounds best to you. You also can't always guarantee that the guitar you hear on the CD is the same guitar you see them with live or in ads for the product... for instance, Blur's Graham Coxon, played a Telecaster at most of their live shows but recorded most of their songs with an older Les Paul Standard. There are lots of famous guitarists who have an endorsement from a big company, and so they play thier guitars in public, but in the studio, they have a few tone beasts from other companies, and that's what you hear.

[u2fanmatty]

Thanks for the advice guys. And I have chose my guitar. I tried almost all the guitars in my price range and I chose a les paul. Taking into account all you guys said I realised that I didn't have to pay loads to get a guitar that suited me. Just had to look around. So with this in mind I did get a Les Paul. But it was from a cheaper gibson budget clone. Not Epiphone. Givson. I was initially put off by the fact it was £100 less than the Epiphone Standard but in my opinion it played so much better. It had a smooth neck. Humbucker pickups weren't too rocky, yet had more power than the single coils on the strat and teles I played. And so I decided that even because I had never heard of the make before I would buy this model. And it plays like a dream through my amp. And as a plus I got to spend an extra £100 on effects.

[Dr_simon]

Cool man, I hope your new axe is fantastic and you really enjoy playing it !

[Lordathestrings]

Originally posted by u2fanmatty
...And so I decided that even because I had never heard of the make before I would buy this model. And it plays like a dream through my amp. And as a plus I got to spend an extra £100 on effects. I do like a happy ending! :D

[u2fanmatty]

Me as well. Anyway, because I was trying to play Oasis, Radiohead and Nirvana songs on my acoustic, they were sounding flat. Now they are sounding fantastic and I've started to improvise on some bits.