Gibson Les Paul - Which is which?

MattFGBI

I like the last one. Because I like zebra pickups. If I was to buy an LP it would be a black custom though. And probably an early 80s model. 

Sassafras

I think they all look horrible, particularly number 6. It looks cheap and nasty.

RandallFlagg

For me, one big issue with factory Gibson Les Pauls is the increased neck angle compared to Cusom Shop Historics, it feels horrible to me.

plus, I really like the fat necks of a Historic. I love my R8. It's a fat heavy beast but sounds great.

ICBM

RandallFlagg said:

For me, one big issue with factory Gibson Les Pauls is the increased neck angle compared to Cusom Shop Historics, it feels horrible to me.

Try a 2017 Custom Special - 1.1º neck angle!




Seriously, I agree - I really dislike the overly-steep neck angles. Although the angle can be quite variable both on standard-range models and Historics - it isn't impossible to find a standard with a lower angle than a Historic. Gibson just seem to have a basic problem with this… but it actually wouldn't surprise me if some of the new cheap models are better in that respect, since they will be less 'hand fitted', which is where the problem is.

richardhomer

Fundamentally they are all just copies of a Terry Morgan - they even use the same logo.

It's a scandal and an outrage....

Philly_Q

I agree with @RandallFlagg about the neck angles, although I'd always assumed it was just a hit-or-miss quality control issue - are the USA models supposed to have a steeper neck angle than the Historics?

This is turning out to be quite an educational thread!

Elwood

@Philly_Q you're right!

I thought they were all the same angle with a supprisingly large tolerance leading to differences between models.

RandallFlagg

Philly_Q said:

I agree with @RandallFlagg about the neck angles, although I'd always assumed it was just a hit-or-miss quality control issue - are the USA models supposed to have a steeper neck angle than the Historics?

This is turning out to be quite an educational thread!

I think the standard factory build are purposely build with a greater neck angle than the custom shop

guitars4you

interesting slant when you just show 6 guitars like that - couple of obvious differences at first on plain top and tuners - then it makes you look and question - Granted to see all 6 in the flesh would be easier, not just due to serial numbers, but features like pick up surrounds, scratchplate and mounting screws, which are hard to make out on my pc monitor without close up shots - but interesting test on a first quick view

p90fool

I have a theory that the slightly exaggerated belly (and consequent neck angle) of LP Standards was introduced originally as a reaction to and to distance them from the almost flat top a lot of Norlin Les Pauls had in the 70s - a way of saying "look, they're proper again". 

Historics have to be more accurate than that, so have a flatter belly around the pickup area, like they did in the 50s. 

siraxeman

Gibson Les Paul - Which is which?

Answer - 1-6. They are ALL Les Pauls. Simples.

crunchman

I understand where @ICBM is coming from.  After trying a really good Traditional in a shop in the US when on holiday, I decided to sell a very underwhelming Custom Shop Les Paul and buy a Traditional.  When Guitar Village had a blow out on the previous year's Traditionals a few years ago, I went there and tried 5 or 6 of them.  I also tried a second hand R8.  No contest.  The R8 was massively better than all of them and I ended up buying it.  Having said that, it is also a lot better than my previous Custom Shop guitar, and better than some other Custom Shop guitars I've tried as well.

Going back to the original premise of this thread, I wouldn't really care what model they are officially.  I'd want to go into a shop and try them all, and about 15 others as well, and buy the one I liked most - whatever the official model designation was.

Voxman

crunchman said:

I understand where @ICBM is coming from.  After trying a really good Traditional in a shop in the US when on holiday, I decided to sell a very underwhelming Custom Shop Les Paul and buy a Traditional.  When Guitar Village had a blow out on the previous year's Traditionals a few years ago, I went there and tried 5 or 6 of them.  I also tried a second hand R8.  No contest.  The R8 was massively better than all of them and I ended up buying it.  Having said that, it is also a lot better than my previous Custom Shop guitar, and better than some other Custom Shop guitars I've tried as well.

Going back to the original premise of this thread, I wouldn't really care what model they are officially.  I'd want to go into a shop and try them all, and about 15 others as well, and buy the one I liked most - whatever the official model designation was.

I've yet to go through the exercise of trying all different LP variants (hopefully, later this year) and I concur that trying all different LP's would be time well spent. But all feedback I've read suggests that the R9's are over-priced and R8's and even R7's and Traditional's provide some of the best overall balance as between build quality, tone, feel/comfort and value.  

bodhi

For near enough three times the price second hand it should be better in every way, and it isn't - not even close.

Agreed.

I can't deny that I'd like to own a 2013/2014 lemon burst R9, but 3x the price does not necessarily equate 3x better (whatever your definition of better is).

dindude

Well I glazed over and then fell asleep trying to spot the differences. Just confirms what I already , know I guess - I'm a Fender man.