I think it's time I got a Les Paul for work - pickup reviews, photos for my Mixdown, Gibson.com and Seymourduncan.com articles, etc - and I'm looking around for opinions and experiences. I'd prefer at Gibson rather than Epiphone or copies by any other brands.

Basically what I need is a Les Paul with mahogany/maple construction and 2xvolume, 2xtone, 3-way-toggle electronics configuration. After those things are taken care of, my options are pretty much wide open. I'm not too strict about neck size/shape or anything like that. (In fact I think it's better to play a wide variety of necks so you don't feel lost if you're ever handed a strange guitar in a jam or something).

Here are some Les Pauls that I like (and some I could never afford but like to look at anyway). http://iheartguitarblog.com/2012/04/...recommend.html

Keep in mind that I'm a poor freelance journalist!

Hey Petie, forgive me as I know you said no Epi's but I SERIOUSLY urge you to consider and research the "Elitist" Les Pauls. They were ALL made in the Fujigen plant........same place as our favorite high end and signature Ibbys come from. They're beautiful guitars with all genuine Gibson electronics and hardware. For a top quality guitar that need to be used as a "parts horse", they can be bought in the $1k range....sometimes less.

I've spent about 6 months researching this as I'm also looking for my first "Paul". The Elitists are ,IMO, by far the best bang for your buck deal that exists as far as LP's go. If I ever find an Alpine White LPC Elitist....I'll be buying it almost regardless of the price.

Ooh, that's a good idea!

They really are great guitar. They're sometimes a little difficult to find because they weren't made for many years.

Studio 50's awesome

LP traditional plus. 50's neck, 57 classic humbuckers, drop dead gorgeous tone, sustain for days. NO CHAMBERS.... weight relief but non chambered.

or LP traditional pro. samething except 60's neck and burstbucker at the bridge and locking tuners...

Hey there Petie, I checked out your blog post and you are on the right track. Lots of good choices there and you already hit the ones I was going to recommend. I have a 2009 Studio and a 2010 1950s Tribute. My Tribute is the P90 version but the humbucker ones are just as much a value-- maple/mahogany, great tone, just not as nice a finish.

I'd go Studio if price were the main concern and Trad if I could swing it ok. Of course there is the Choice #1. Good taste my man.

Peace

Mike

If you have the money go with a R9, if you have some money go with Traditional , if you have no money get a faded.

I currently have 4 and my favorite is the axcess. One of the best guitars i ever owned.

If you're looking for a Les Paul, my advice would be to seriously consider a Heritage H150 or H157. I own one of each, and I'd take them over any modern day Gibson without a second thought.

My advice?

Don't force yourself to like a Paul, or even own one. I made the mistake of assuming that I needed a 'paul to round out my collection, tried a buttload, and even walked out of the shop with one, but ultimately I realised I'd been impressed "for a paul", and not because it was a guitar I really wanted to live with. I took it back immediately.

Your situation may be different, but I don't see why you'd need a paul, and only a paul, to get a parts horse...

I see where you're coming from, but a Les Paul is seen as kind of a 'standard' (pardon the pun) and it'd be nice to expand my pickup reviews to 'Here's how it sounds in an RG, here's how it sounds in a Les Paul, here's how it sounds in an HSS Strat,' etc. I feel like I'm missing a chance to give more value to my readers. And I've played enough of them to know that I get along well with Les Pauls, even if they're not my first preference.

Plus, writing for guitar mags/sites is my full-time job, so I can justify guitar purchases to my lady because it's a work thing, haha.

I like SGs too, and I thought about getting one instead of a Les Paul, but for the purposes of review I really need that maple/mahogany combo, and since I write for Gibson I'd rather get a Gibson (or an Epi if I find one I really like) than a guitar with the same woods by a different manufacturer.

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

If I had the money I'd get Andy Brauer to work his magic on it. I played the LP he 'Brauerized' after Slash bought his previous one and it was AMAZING. Maybe if I get one soon, I'll take it to him next time I'm in LA. https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=168863083961

I strongly suggets a MIJ LP like Burny, Greco, Tokai, or Orville if you can get over the namesake of having to own a Gibson. I own a Burny LP that I got for $700 that, I kid you not, beats out most Gibson's that I've played. I compared it against Studio's and Standard's, like it better than both. Here she is:

If anyone missed it (or stumble across this thread years from now), here's what I ended up getting:

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f19/ng...al-120346.html

And just to reiterate, as great as Burny, Edwards, Tokai etc are, it had to be a Gibson because I would be using the guitar in photos/videos for articles I write for Gibson's website. Using a copy of a Gibson for that purpose would be unprofessional. Gibson didn't ask me to get this or anything like that (and they certainly didn't ask me to post about my search - I don't think they run their online presence that way), I just thought it was important to add that extra dimension to my articles.

Look for a used LP Standard. They are as cool as the customs in their own way and you could pick one up under 1000.00. I got one from GC on the used wall and payed 1100.00. Way better than paying 2 or 3 grand for a new one. Plus I would go for one that has a little age on it. I hear that Gibson uses plek machines now on their set ups and they are mass producing the guitars without using the proper plek procedure.