Do i really need/want a Les Paul?

adampeter

Once again i'm very close to pulling the trigger on yet another Les Paul, in the vain hope that this could be "the one!"
After close around 10 LPs from standards to CS reissues should i really give up and concede that i'm just not suited to LPs?
Trouble is i so want to be a LP guy,
Anyone else been on this journey?  

John_A

Sort answer - Yes

What was it you didn't like about the 10 you've had?

Sassafras

Only took me 1 Les Paul to realise they just weren't for me.

adampeter

John_A said:

Sort answer - Yes

What was it you didn't like about the 10 you've had?

Various things, mostly nut width related, i really get on with fender vintage nut widths, around 42mm or under, 
Tried a HP and jesus that nut was wide!!!
Other than that its more of a bonding thing, very hard to explain i suppose.

Philly_Q

You could go and visit @ellwood and try a dozen or two of his.

Jonathanthomas83

I'd say if you've gone through 10 then it's probably not for you! I've always been an LP guy so find it hard to understand anyone who doesn't like them.

I guess the question could be, what makes you "so want to be a Les Paul guy?"

Legionreturns

If 10 LPs haven't floated your boat then the problem is probably you. You must be weird or something

(I'm the same with strats... Tried loads... I'd rather smear chilli powder on my dangly bits than buy another!) 

stickyfiddle

adampeter said:

John_A said:

Sort answer - Yes

What was it you didn't like about the 10 you've had?

Various things, mostly nut width related, i really get on with fender vintage nut widths, around 42mm or under, 
Tried a HP and jesus that nut was wide!!!
Other than that its more of a bonding thing, very hard to explain i suppose.

Have you been buying blind in a "hit and hope" sort of plan? Don't do that! Go to a big dealer and play every single thing they have in stock. Buy the one that you don't to put down. If none give you that feeling, go to another shop and try again. 

Rinse, repeat..

richardhomer

I’ve had four over a 35 year plus period. I’ve also owned 3 PRSs in an effort to get closer to what a Les Paul does - but with more acceptable ergonomics. I now own none of those guitars - all humbucking duties are handled by my 335.

When it comes to it, I don’t think any other guitar does what a good LP does. I recently played a 2005 R7 which was fantastic - I got very close to buying it - but that would’ve required selling my 335, so I didn’t.

I think the conclusion I’ve come to is that a Les Paul will never feel like home to me - the ergonomics are just ‘too’ wrong - but if I could afford to own one for when I need ‘that’ sound, I probably would buy another....

guitarfishbay

People who find Les Paul ergonomics wrong are usually people who play sat down with the instrument on their picking hand leg. And I won’t argue with that - they’re not the most comfortable when played that way.

When stood up, or playing in the classical position I think LP ergonomics are fine.

But if you don’t like the necks and string spacing then that’s a bigger issue IMO.

Personally I’ve never owned 10 of anything. I’d be inclined to look at something else, even a non Gibson LP shape at this point.

crunchman

I've had two LPs, plus a couple of copies when I was younger.  I like them, but they do have their issues.

I wouldn't rule out another one at some point if I could find the right one, but if I was going to buy another guitar in that vein at the moment, I'd go for a PRS McCarty 594.  It's not quite a Les Paul tonally, but it's not far off.  The 10"  radius might make it feel a bit more like home for someone who is more used to Fender Neck Radius.

Garthy

stickyfiddle said:

adampeter said:

John_A said:

Sort answer - Yes

What was it you didn't like about the 10 you've had?

Various things, mostly nut width related, i really get on with fender vintage nut widths, around 42mm or under, 
Tried a HP and jesus that nut was wide!!!
Other than that its more of a bonding thing, very hard to explain i suppose.

Have you been buying blind in a "hit and hope" sort of plan? Don't do that! Go to a big dealer and play every single thing they have in stock. Buy the one that you don't to put down. If none give you that feeling, go to another shop and try again. 

Rinse, repeat..

Yet people say Chibson's are crap & inconsistent....

If you've tried 10 and still don't like them then the chances are they aren't for you.

If you saw someone try whiskey 10 times and pull funny faces would you think they were nuts to try glass number 11 or do you think they perhaps should just admit they don't like whiskey?

darthed1981

There is an old Andertons video where they both go and "buy" a Les Paul.

Both of them try about ten each while deciding which one to get.

The message is clear - come to our store and we will let you make a good decision and take time over your very expensive purchase.

Hopefully they and other stores will stick to that.  To be honest I'd hope they would let you try a few if buying an Epi!

stickyfiddle

Garthy said:

stickyfiddle said:

adampeter said:

John_A said:

Sort answer - Yes

What was it you didn't like about the 10 you've had?

Various things, mostly nut width related, i really get on with fender vintage nut widths, around 42mm or under, 
Tried a HP and jesus that nut was wide!!!
Other than that its more of a bonding thing, very hard to explain i suppose.

Have you been buying blind in a "hit and hope" sort of plan? Don't do that! Go to a big dealer and play every single thing they have in stock. Buy the one that you don't to put down. If none give you that feeling, go to another shop and try again. 

Rinse, repeat..

Yet people say Chibson's are crap & inconsistent....

If you've tried 10 and still don't like them then the chances are they aren't for you.

If you saw someone try whiskey 10 times and pull funny faces would you think they were nuts to try glass number 11 or do you think they perhaps should just admit they don't like whiskey?

It depends how much OP didn't like them. I'm not saying anything of Gibsons being crap, just that they're made from wood & wire, and so each one is naturally different to the next. I demoed a bunch of LP Standards, Trads and Classics in Tokyo a year or so ago. While none of them quite ticked all the boxes for me, they were all objectively good instruments and all noticeably different from each other. 

Guitars (and particularly high end ones) aren't like new cars or iphones - they're not all identical.

ellwood

Philly_Q said:

You could go and visit @ellwood and try a dozen or two of his.

You are more than welcome to try them.

And also try the Tremonti I have here which may offer an option. I have Classic, Standard, Custom Shop and True Historic, plus Custom build and MIJs here. I'm not saying I have a definitive collection by any means at all, but if nothing here even slightly floats your boat on top of the ten you have already owned I'm guessing that Les Pauls aren't for you....

sweepy

I keep ending up owning one, yes the ergonomics are atrocious but they have that sound that just works so well . I keep buying and selling them and at the moment I have a 2012 Trad Gold Top with OX4’s which works for me

John_A

adampeter said:

John_A said:

Sort answer - Yes

What was it you didn't like about the 10 you've had?

Various things, mostly nut width related, i really get on with fender vintage nut widths, around 42mm or under, 
Tried a HP and jesus that nut was wide!!!
Other than that its more of a bonding thing, very hard to explain i suppose.

Mine are both about 43, maybe just under.  If your primary instrument is a strat or tele, maybe it's a weight thing, there are quite a few chambered or weight relived options around, my Standard Faded is 7 1/2 Lbs and feels very comfy to wear.

grungebob

What about trying a musicman axis, similar to an LP but with a very different neck. You may like it?

sweepy

I can confirm how light @John_A  ‘s Les Paul faded is, lovely guitar and getting very scarce on the s/h market. Les Paul hunting is always a frustrating experience 

Sassafras

Garthy said:

If you saw someone try whiskey 10 times and pull funny faces would you think they were nuts to try glass number 11 or do you think they perhaps should just admit they don't like whiskey?

I would conclude that person was a reluctant alcoholic.

JezWynd

25.5. Magic number.
24.75. Tragic number.