Les Paul Standard VS Classic

[javashred]

Besides the neck profile, different pickups, and the "aged" look of the inlays, what is the difference between the two? Is there a quality difference? Standards look and play a bit more solid to me. Any info would help.

Thanks,
-Chris

[bduersch]

I'm not aware of any other major differences between the two.

If you're considering one or the other, I highly recommend you find a guitar store where you can play both of them back to back. I did this... didn't notice anything different about the feel between the two, but found that I prefer the sound of the classic's pickups for my style of playing. I thought the pickups in the standard didn't have enough output for my personal tastes and were a little too muddy. Of course, I could've gotten a standard and switched the pickups, but that would've required effort, especially since both were selling for roughly the same amount in the used market.

Which, of course, is my $0.02!

--B

[lhrocker]

There isn't that much of a difference, but the Classic gives you much more bang for the buck on the used market. If you get a pre-93, you pretty much get a "60's historic model", which is why after 93, you get the greener inlays and classic on the headstock rather than "Les Paul Model".

Try both - see what tickles your fancy.

[MidnightFlamed]

Yeah, I pretty much figure they could rename it to the "Les Paul Rounded" and "Les Paul 60s Slim Taper"

Especially if it's gonna stay loaded with stock pickups, I've always thought the Classic is a bit nicer to play (neck-wise) and sounds cooler.

[johncowan]

If you can, play a PRS Singlecut too. Nothing personal against Gibson, but if you are checking playability vs value at a store the extra few minutes invested in trying one wouldn't hurt.

JC

[SeanT]

They both are great guitars. Classics come with hot ceramic pickups whereas lower output pups are installed on Standards.

I owned them before but I settled with historic reissues.

SeanT

[PerpetualBurn]

I went to a store and tried out about 20 different guitars of that type, some gibsons, some PRS, a couple of Tom andersons too. For the money, The classic was the best playing of the bunch, that 59 rounded neck is sweet, almost feels like a jem7 neck, cept when you get upto the high frets of course! Also, those pickups are real tight, they may be high output, but its not a bad thing when you compare it with the standard. those standard pups sounded a lil mushy to me, the classic had this great tigh low end, and really smooth sounding lead tone when run through a decent amount of gain. Eitherway, i had 3000 to spend, and in the end i got an as new les paul classic for 1000, cause it just felt more 'me' than everything else there. The standard wasnt quite to my personal tastes...but i certainly didnt see any difference that warrants a price or quality differencial.

Rob :P

[strat110]

http://www.dinosaurrockguitar.com/interviews/MrX.shtml

IF YOU ARE THINKING OF GETTING A LES PAUL MAKE SURE YOU READ THIS INTERVIEW FIRST!!!!!!!

[PerpetualBurn]

Id have to agree with everything that guy says, I work in music retailing also, ive seen much of what he's talking about with the gibsons, i see it even more with Fenders. Sometimes your gonna get a mexi strat that has that special something, and a USA standard that sounds like a squier. Its an odd phenomenom, and i guess in the end its just down to poor quality controll, in the end, im not gonna say, dont buy a gibson/fender/whatever until you read this, because, there is no point, both companys can (and do on the occasion!) make a great guitar, if you find one and you like it,
get it. I tried out my Classic les paul after trying out all the expensive ones, and it just felt amazing, so i bought it (having said that...i had 3000 in my pocket, and felt i had got off lightly with my trade price LP classic!)

Rob

[JMack]

Mr. X, lol, seems like a reputable fella Think he was fired and hold a grudge?

Seriously, you do not need to read that interview if you try before you buy. Is this not common sense?

Oh yeah, if you like high gain, play lots of metal, nothing beats the 500T found in the bridge of the classics. If you play Classic Rock or hard rock, buy a new Standard equipped with burst buckers.


The new Standards also come with a flamed top now.

Jason