Gibson Les paul STD v Customs..... experts pop in for tea

Hootsmon

hi there folks

I started this sorry career of mine on Customs in the 70s, (a nice black LPC cost me 400 of your earth quids back then If I remember correctly.) anyways... I moved on to the STDs and that's where I stayed.

I've picked up a lot of info over the years regarding STDs but paid no attention to the evolution of my original love the LPC!

this is where you guys come in....what is your take on the "custom shop" Custom LP?

a lot of STANDARD players much prefer the HISTORIC series when it comes to STDs.....is it the same for the Custom model owners and what are the differences/upgrades between the CS LPC and the regular Custom guitar? 

it looks like a night of research on the LP forum tonight but I just wanted to hear what you guys thought 1st

Jan Akkerman and John McLaughlin from the original MO album "the inner mountain flame" bear full responsibility for this love affair

many thanks guys

samzadgan

Sorry...don't want to derail this thread...as I'm also interested in this topic...but i wanted to add another series to the comparison...the Supreme, which doesn't seem to get much love.

Hootsmon

PS I am aware of the differences between the two models,the STD and LPC...........,it's how the modern CS LPC differs from the old 70s LPC that interests me

Ta

Hootsmon

samzadgan said:

Sorry...don't want to derail this thread...as I'm also interested in this topic...but i wanted to add another series to the comparison...the Supreme, which doesn't seem to get much love.

that's OK, pop in....as long as you have brought some biscuits

underdog

I really don't like the look of customs, I'm not sure why, I just don't.

chrisj1602

My current Les Paul is a black CS Custom, from 2007. I'm sure you have read the specs, but the main changes from the historic are the neck is a bit slimmer, though still classed as a rounded profile, not a 60s neck at all. It also has a maple top, Nashville bridge and 498T/490R pickups.

My Les Paul prior to this was a VOS Goldtop R7, which I also really loved. That had a thicker neck, probably more shoulder and less rounded from memory. Only just fit a capo on! Had the usual historic Abr bridge and burstbucker 1&2 pickups.

Here's the really helpful bit; I think I prefer the custom but I don't know why. I had a Custom a few years before the R7, and I always wanted to get another custom, it just seemed to suit me. I did prefer the R7 pickups though. And a like the abr bridge. I'd like to have both guitars to be honest!

BloodEagle

Ive got a 78 tobaccoburst custom and i have a 2001 R7 black beauty - im not sure if this is what you meant but the 70s one is different to the historic in a number of ways - weight, top carve, maple neck, cutaway horn shape, headstock size and shape, neck shape, control cavity etc etc. For my money the 70s one is easily the superior guitar - it sounds incredbily powerful and articulate, and really resonates in your hand - its the one guitar i own that i am never ever going to get rid of. The R7 is great in its,own right - very very loud unplugged, plays stupidly easily and slinkily, and has a slighlt middy chime to it, as easy at is though my prefernce is for something i can dig in to much harder

marantz1300

The VOS 57 RI historic has a long tenon and are is all mahogany.The neck is fat 50's style.I think 69 RI'shave a maple top.
The CS  Customs have the normal short tenon.

ICBM

I'd pick a Custom over a Standard any day, whatever the length of the tenon. I just think they ring better and sound bigger. It's the ebony fingerboard and/or the extra mass of the headstock, almost certainly - nothing else is different, unless the amount of binding affects the tone!

You can always change pickups and even the bridge, it's the basic guitar you can't.

Hootsmon

ICBM said:

I'd pick a Custom over a Standard any day, whatever the length of the tenon. I just think they ring better and sound bigger. It's the ebony fingerboard and/or the extra mass of the headstock, almost certainly - nothing else is different, unless the amount of binding affects the tone!

You can always change pickups and even the bridge, it's the basic guitar you can't.

^ I believe the Customs are solid mahogany without the maple cap

Hootsmon

^ oh I'm not so sure about that now...it's late though,check sunday......

ICBM

50s-style ('54-'61 and reissues) ones are solid mahogany, post-'68 ones are mahogany with maple cap, same as a Standard.

From what I understand 50s ones are actually a two-piece, with a flat mahogany back piece the same as a Standard, and a separate mahogany cap, but I've never taken one apart to find out .

mani

If your'e after a new CS LPC be aware that they've moved to richlite as a replacement for the ebony fretboard.

They've done a small batch of reissues with ebony board (I think Thomann have a few of those), likely to be the last.  I'm looking for a lefty 3 pu one at the moment.

Jez6345789

Spent a lot of time listening to the old Ackerman stuff recently and researching a bit he certainly mixed them up with filtertrons in one of them and a lot of the stuff at the Rainbow Live Album done on the black custom with the staple pickup. 

My mate has a lovely CSB 70's custom and despite being a  pancake body and neck veloute the thing is a  tone monster with lovely sustain.

Would quite like to find one of the reissues they did with the staple pickup

Neil

hootsmon said:

Jan Akkerman and John McLaughlin from the original MO album "the inner mountain flame" bear full responsibility for this love affair.

Inner "mounting" flame. 

stickyfiddle

I'm not a les paul player but all of my favourite LP tones come from Customs and not Standards. I'm pretty certain that isn't a coincidence. The ebony is certainly a bi part of it - my ebony-board SG Special had the same "snap" in the attack that a good LP custom does.

xSkarloey

underdog;437120" said:

I really don't like the look of customs, I'm not sure why, I just don't.

I love the look of a Custom that's been around the block a few times. A bit weathered but still a very sassy and classy guitar.

I believe the current models still have a richlite f/board and sport the 498/490 pups like you got on the Studios until 2013.

markblack

@samzadgan

here's a bit of love for a Supreme for ya! I love it. 

jd0272

I think the difference between a Custom Shop Custom, and a 1970's Custom, is around about the weight of a 1960's Mini. Give or take.

I'll get me coat.

ADP

I like the way there's no control cavity cover on the Supreme. I've never seen one before so I googled it to see how they get the electronics in there. I'm guessing it's through the hole for the jack socket; the plate looks a little larger than normal. Very cool.

markblack

@ADP Yep, I have the fear if it ever goes wrong...