What is with the Gibson Les Paul craze?

[Tank]

Every guitar player in the long run develops some kind of "vodoo" that makes him feel better. It can range from small things like "only that pick" or "only that fret cleaner" up to "only that guitars" or even odd behaviour....

If you are wired that way, have it that way...
If you think it makes you play and sound better, it probably will.

[screamndemon69]

Everyone buys what inspires him/her, which is a different reason for everyone. Looks tend to inspire me to pick up a particular axe and then playability once I have it in my hands and tone is the make or break it point to whether it stays in my hands. LP's loose out for me at the second step but will always win the other two (looks, tone).

I love the tone of Les Pauls but the shape and neck joint keeps the LP from being a guitar I can ever own - I've really tried to get comfortable with LP shaped guitars but just can't

[mccabekyle]

Originally Posted by screamndemon69

Everyone buys what inspires him/her, which is a different reason for everyone. Looks tend to inspire me to pick up a particular axe and then playability once I have it in my hands and tone is the make or break it point to whether it stays in my hands. LP's loose out for me at the second step but will always win the other two (looks, tone).

I love the tone of Les Pauls but the shape and neck joint keeps the LP from being a guitar I can ever own - I've really tried to get comfortable with LP shaped guitars but just can't

Ever tried an ESP Eclipse?

[screamndemon69]

Originally Posted by mccabekyle

Ever tried an ESP Eclipse?

I just sold the LTD EC-1000 I bought this year (to a fellow jemsiter - thanks Hutch!). I wanted one of those for a few years and it just didn't work for me when slung around my shoulder for stage use. I was pretty bummed (and still am).

I would imagine the ESP version would have the same problems. The EC series had a worse problem due to 24 frets even though the neck joint isn't as bulky as the LP.

If I play the guitar up around my chest rather than with my jeans button in the center of the back of the guitar it works ok but I just couldn't wear an LP so high onstage.

[ashbass]

To the original post: it's about money and gibson is spreading it around. I recall a while back someone noticed that on the Nashville Network tv station there were an above average amount of LPs shown in use. The gibson parent company owned that network. What is in the public eye gets bought. pretty simple. And how about this new-fangled GuitarHero game? GIBSONS out the ASS Everywhere. That's a coup of marketing that game is. the new version comes with a ... Les Paul controller! Except for the PS2 version which has a kramer strat knock off.

Anyway Ibanezking, when you get to the age that you can afford more than one guitar you get to choose guitars for different feels. As in, I had a gibson ES335 and it had better upper fret access than an RG (only 22 frets though still) but I never wanted to play satriani on it. Could the guitar take it? sure, but it didnt' feel right with that guitar. Playing some classic rock doesnt' feel right on my 540R. It plays. It sounds good. But the guitar just isn't *right* for that song according to me.

I'm happy that I'm old enough to be able to have had and still keep a few guitars. I've the 540R, a '58 Reissue LP, and a faded Flying V. I'm good electrically.

How about steel six-string versus nylon six-string? I can play the same things on both but they sound different and each is better for a particular type of sound and song. Not all songs sound the same. So not all guitars sound the same either.

FWIW: I haven't played the Ibanez seriously in over a year. What I like to listen to and like to play right now in my life fits the two gibsons better. LP is number 1, then the V for blues and deep classic cuts, then the Radius for a little flavor every now and again and just to say to myself, damn this is a sexy guitar.

[Gudster]

Originally Posted by screamndemon69

I just sold the LTD EC-1000 I bought this year (to a fellow jemsiter - thanks Hutch!). I wanted one of those for a few years and it just didn't work for me when slung around my shoulder for stage use. I was pretty bummed (and still am).

I would imagine the ESP version would have the same problems. The EC series had a worse problem due to 24 frets even though the neck joint isn't as bulky as the LP.

If I play the guitar up around my chest rather than with my jeans button in the center of the back of the guitar it works ok but I just couldn't wear an LP so high onstage.

The Eclipse is more or less identical in shape and feel than the EC-1000. I tried them both out extensively about half a year ago then made my purchase.

[thedonutman]

1 point against Gibsons.


They make crappy songs to advertise their guitars

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XloR73vDvPA


Its understandable if its a guitar that individual, but a production guitar?

You don't see Steve Vai writing a song called "Jem777" do you?

[screamndemon69]

Originally Posted by Gudster

The Eclipse is more or less identical in shape and feel than the EC-1000. I tried them both out extensively about half a year ago then made my purchase.

That's what I figured.

I almost bought the ESP version but it just didn't seem to warrant the extra $600 (I'm sure it is worth it) for me to buy that over the LTD 1000 version.

I am still GASsing for their LTD MW-600 Wilton Strat.

[ColinMmmmm]

Originally Posted by screamndemon69

I just sold the LTD EC-1000 I bought this year (to a fellow jemsiter - thanks Hutch!). I wanted one of those for a few years and it just didn't work for me when slung around my shoulder for stage use. I was pretty bummed (and still am).

I would imagine the ESP version would have the same problems. The EC series had a worse problem due to 24 frets even though the neck joint isn't as bulky as the LP.

If I play the guitar up around my chest rather than with my jeans button in the center of the back of the guitar it works ok but I just couldn't wear an LP so high onstage.

Ever tried a Washburn Idol?

[Gudster]

Originally Posted by screamndemon69

That's what I figured.

I almost bought the ESP version but it just didn't seem to warrant the extra $600 (I'm sure it is worth it) for me to buy that over the LTD 1000 version.

It's not. My mate has a black Eclipse and the thing has been back to ESP twice because it won't hold a tune. Its still suspect even now he says and it's going on **** shortly.

I liked the 24 Frets simply because I felt more at home with the fretboard (even though playing that far up the neck is hard with Les Paul shapped guitars).

I used to be the worst when it came to guitar snobbery sometimes. But when I went to look for a guitar about 18 months ago, I was tring everything from SGs to American Strats and then I played my RG 2550e. I wanted to like the SG more, its a Gibson, it looks cooler and sounds fantastic. But the RG just felt right. So rather than take the SG home and get used to it I did what turned out to be the very right thing and went up a week later and bought the RG.

Glad I did the same with my EC-1000. Also got a lovely Fuzz Probe (the pedal, not crap slang for a shag) that day too.

[David McCarroll]

Originally Posted by elcid

The reason the reissue guitars with "faults" is because there are people out there that like them. I have a friend who swears by 3 bolt Teles.

I know plenty of guitar techs who swear AT 3 bolt Telecasters - we used to refer to them as "the continuously adjustable neck joint".......

Actually I don't think it was so much the three bolt neck joint (really seriously bad idea as it was), it was that Fender's production tolerances had slipped to the point that you could lob the neck into the pocket from about six metres away!

[screamndemon69]

That's good to hear that the ESP Eclipse wasn't a BIG leap from the LTD version. I'm sure that isn't the case with most ESP over LTD versions.

I tried to like the SG's too but those felt wrong to me, the neck, the body, just all of it.

I haven't tried an Idol yet but they look mighty nice with a shape closer to the Gibson DC than an LP. I have a USA Hamer Special that is similar to the Gibson DC so that fills my desire for a DC or an Idol.

I WISH I could play an LP comfortably

[elcid]

Originally Posted by David McCarroll

I know plenty of guitar techs who swear AT 3 bolt Telecasters - we used to refer to them as "the continuously adjustable neck joint".......

Actually I don't think it was so much the three bolt neck joint (really seriously bad idea as it was), it was that Fender's production tolerances had slipped to the point that you could lob the neck into the pocket from about six metres away!

I think G&L also uses a 3 bolt neck with no problems.

[Algiman]

Originally Posted by elcid

I think G&L also uses a 3 bolt neck with no problems.

They did, but guitarist voodoo says this is bad so they stopped doing it.

As mentioned, 3 screws should be just as good as 4 in a strat type neck joint if the neck pocket is tight.

[eyesonly]

Originally Posted by Inzane

I don't read a lot of guitar magazines, and mostly because there aren't many available in my area, but I do pick up Guitar World occasionally (lately every other month or so if there's something that interests me). Anyway one thing that I've been noticing the last few months is whether its in the ads or the articles, there are all these obscure bands I've never heard of and they're all shown holding Les Pauls. ??

Now there's no way all these guys could possibly be in endorsement deals with Gibson. So it makes me wonder... With guys like Satch and Vai, Ibanez can say "see, we make great guitars.. THESE guys play them.". But with all these other misc. guys shown playing Les Pauls, (assuming they're not all in endorsement deals) its more like "See.. look at me, I'm cool because I play a Les Paul." Which is like reverse endorsement sorta.

Has anyone else noticed this?

And what is so great about a Les Paul anyway? (No, I've never held or played one... yet).

You’ve never played a Les Paul? Well I guess you have good reason to be so curious.

Yes it is cool to play a Les Paul. It’s cool like an old corvette or mustang is cool to drive. But just because you have a Skyline R34 doesn’t mean you can drive well either! What you don’t seem to understand is that THE JEM!! Is the poser guitar, whereas the Les Paul is a classic. Ok so half the board is upset and half of them are going yeah my Jem makes me feel so cool

It sounds like you have begun to question why you play a gem and others play a Les Paul. For a start there is not really any Les Paul craze. Les Paul models have been used for Blues, Rock, Jazz, Country, Pop, Metal so you would see them a lot because a lot of people play them. Most bands in guitar player are rock bands. Most rock bands play Gibson’s. They give a great rock tone, always have and always will. The first thing about a Les Paul is that TONE comes first. If you don’t want to compromise on TONE, you play a Les Paul. To me the GEM has a pretty ordinary sounding McTone. It cuts through well, but has no character. The number of tones you can get from the middle position of a LP with the variations on each tone and volume control is brilliant. You can tune the sound to be just right at any point. You can also set up two different sounds and toggle between them, like clean and lead and the middle point is an edgy rhythm sound. This is just by moving the conveniently located toggle switch, no need to touch a knob. The single cut gives the upper fret access, but the thing about it is that the way the body contacts so much of the neck gives a tonal enhancement.

Les Paul -> Amp = Tone

Ok another way of looking at it. The Evolution pickups have little treble response to compensate for the lack of bass brought about by the Floyd Rose. Right there you have compressed the tonal range of the guitar signal before it’s even gone down the guitar lead. A Les Paul gets extended bass and treble response from using a maple top. It expands the response of the mahogany. Plug in a Junior or a special and you have more midrange because it has no top. So a Les Paul with its mahogany/maple body has an expanded frequency response before it leaves the guitar.

Anyway if you like Jems that’s good but don’t screw up your face at photos of people using Les Pauls. They are really not as bad as you might think. The last Ibanez I owned this year was an RGT42DXFX model with Evolution Pickups installed. Before that maybe 4 years back I had an RG570FM. I used to own an RG470 in the 90’s and loved it. Since then though I have played and owned quite a few guitars of all different sorts. Now with regards to the Wizard necks I don’t find them at all comfortable to play. A Gibson ‘60’s slim taper neck is comfortable and fast. I have owned 6 Gibsons with this particular neck profile. It suits my hand, and I can play my Les Paul as fast as I could my Ibanez or any other guitar. Don’t mistake Vai and Satch playing Ibanez as meaning they are good or that’s all you can play. The Jem and JS are very different animals anyway. There are many brands, many players and many tones. Also feel free to buy another guitar or ten and piss ‘em off if you don’t like them.

I am always! Buying another guitar to try out. So far only a Gibson is good enough My keepers are Les Paul Junior Special Plus (Transparent Amber flame top), and a Les Paul Junior (Vintage sunburst). I love them, but it doesn’t close my mind to buying and trying other guitars. I am a huge Vai and Satch fan, amoung many others but I play what I like and what I play suits me the best.