Advice for those challenged by a Les Paul

AllthegearNoidea · February 2017

I love the tone of a Les Paul but after owning a few including standards and collectors choice have found that I struggle with the shape for comfort. I played a Prs 594 and it was great to play and was much better built in my opinion than the current standards and traditional. Any other options worth considering and why do PRS take such a battering?

jeztone2 · February 2017

I think it's because they came to markwt after the classic era. If the Custom 24 had come out in 1965 instead of 85. I suspect lots of Classic Albums would be different.

vasselmeyer · February 2017

Look at the Feline range. They are what a Les Paul ought to be with significantly reduced weight and amazing top end access. I played one at the Guitar Show and it was effortless. If I didn't have my DGT I'd be buying one right now.

AllthegearNoidea · February 2017

Thanks I'll have a look

Aidanspaghetti · February 2017

Play standing up. Better all round.

darthed1981 · February 2017

I saw this thread title and instantly thought "just give it your phone and wallet..."

I love Les Pauls, but the Indie one I own with no weight relief is insanely heavy. The Epi and Gibson I own with weight relief are much more civilised.

AllthegearNoidea · February 2017

Aidanspaghetti said:

Play standing up. Better all round.

I should add thst the weight of the guitar and standing still due to four spinal ops is an issue

MagicPigDetective · February 2017

How about a Reverend Sensei? It has a Les Paulish light korina body and there are various pickup options.

richardhomer · February 2017

I've had four Les Pauls in my playing career - and never kept any for more than a year or so. Their 'geometry' (neck angle, bridge off the body) is so different from a Strat's - I've always struggled.

Four about four years I had a 2011 McCarty (not a 594). It was great - played well, one volume in the 'right' place, less tail-heavy when played seated, etc. A great Les Paul substitute that cured the things I wanted curing.

So why do I no longer own it? The short answer is I bought a CS Strat and something needed to go to help to pay for it - but the longer answer is it didn't really sound 'that' much like a Les Paul - and my 335 gets close enough to doing what the McCarty did....

I've changed my opinion about this quite considerably in the last few months - I think if you 'really' want to nail what a Les Paul does - I think you need a Les Paul. Fortunately a shortage of cash will hopefully stop me from mistakenly buying my 5th.

AllthegearNoidea · February 2017

Aidanspaghetti said:

Play standing up. Better all round.

I should add thst the weight of the guutar and standing still due to four spinal ops is an issue

AllthegearNoidea · February 2017

richardhomer said:

I've had four Les Pauls in my playing career - and never kept any for more than a year or so. Their 'geometry' (neck angle, bridge off the body) is so different from a Strat's - I've always struggled.

Four about four years I had a 2011 McCarty (not a 594). It was great - played well, one volume in the 'right' place, less tail-heavy when played seated, etc. A great Les Paul substitute that cured the things I wanted curing.

So why do I no longer own it? The short answer is I bought a CS Strat and something needed to go to help to pay for it - but the longer answer is it didn't really sound 'that' much like a Les Paul - and my 335 gets close enough to doing what the McCarty did....

I've changed my opinion about this quite considerably in the last few months - I think if you 'really' want to nail what a Les Paul does - I think you need a Les Paul. Fortunately a shortage of cash will hopefully stop me from mistakenly buying my 5th.

I have a 335 I'm also torn about selling for this les paul search. Mccarty may be a way to get close at a price that's not too offensive

AllthegearNoidea · February 2017

MagicPigDetective said:

How about a Reverend Sensei? It has a Les Paulish light korina body and there are various pickup options.

I've never had the chance to try one. Do you have one?

MagicPigDetective · February 2017

AllthegearNoidea said:

MagicPigDetective said:

How about a Reverend Sensei? It has a Les Paulish light korina body and there are various pickup options.

I've never had the chance to try one. Do you have one?

Unfortunately not and dont live anywhere near a shop that stocks Reverends. Anyone else tried one? I did try a Reverend Bayonet recently, liked it a lot. The Guild S100 Polara looks like another possible option, but more of an SG style.

Danielsguitars · February 2017

What about a flat top Les Paul special

Light weight great tone imo

Or just get a light weight les paul

slacker · February 2017

I like Les Paul's and have had a 2004 Classic from new. It's got Lollars in it now and its my number one guitar. A mate of mine bought a CE in the 90s and its been his sole electric guitar since. I've played it many times and yes it's playable and versatile but IMHO pure subjective opinion it does ok at a lot of things where a Les Paul does one thing really well.

I have some Rickenbackers as well which always get stick re the neck. I suppose my attitude is that if I want a guitar I'll put up with it's foibles.

stimpsonslostson · February 2017

A PRS Bernie Marsden is an obvious suggestion.

I think the issue with PRS is the lack of X-factor. They're really well made, sound good & look good too (though sometimes overly shiny for me). They just don't set my pulse racing... Close your eyes and image opening a magazine to a photo of yourself on stage. What are you playing? Probably not a PRS (unless you already have one).

Voxman · February 2017

I love my Les Paul, but I agree, access to the highest frets is awkward.

However, with all the recommendations made here I'm amazed that no one's mentioned the one guitar that IMO is the perfect 'LP alternative' ...and that is the guitar intended to be the LP's replacement, the Gibson SG.

Great humbucker tone, very light by comparison, and terrific access to the top frets. In addition to my LP Custom I have an SG Standard and a PRS Cu24. The latter I use when I need both H/B and single coil tones. But I treat my LP and SG very much as 'interchangeable' guitars and having played my friends LP Standards, the SG is very, very similar tonally. And of course the original SG's were called Les Pauls!

Very comfortable to play, great LP type tone and sustain, light and half the price of a LP, you can pick up a decent used SG Standard for £6-700, and a decent SG Special for as little as £4-500.

CloudNine · February 2017

Not easy to find one to play, but I have a McInturff Carolina which fixes all the Les Paul issues imo, and still has amazing vintage sounding LP tone. Have owned a good few single cuts, Historics, other boutique stuff etc, and this is head and shoulders my favourite. Often the non Gibson stuff lacks that little something in tone that an LP gives, but not this. Probably for my tastes, the best all round guitar I have ever owned. And that is from an absolute shitload of pretty nice guitars....

Weighs 8lb, easy upper fret access, stays in tune, neck angle perfect. The carve on the top is rolled slightly flat where forearm rests, which you can barely see but makes a difference, rolled edge in the cutaway, lots of little things which add up to improve comfort. People who have compared them directly against Gustavsons, Bartletts and that sort of thing put them on the same level, and they are a little less expensive than those. Still not exactly cheap though.

monkey42 · February 2017

AllthegearNoidea said:

I love the tone of a Les Paul but after owning a few including standards and collectors choice have found that I struggle with the shape for comfort. I played a Prs 594 and it was great to play and was much better built in my opinion than the current standards and traditional. Any other options worth considering and why do PRS take such a battering?

If you tried a 594 and liked it then you may have found your solution

Rabs · February 2017

May be a simple question.. But did any of those LPs have a slim 60s neck?

My first Gibson was a 92 LP Studio... I did love that guitar but always found it a bit awkward as you say... Then when the day came for me to buy a Standard level guitar I went to the shop and asked to play one and was instantly disappointed when I found the neck even chunkier than my Studio and harder to play.... So I told the shop owner what I thought and he gave me a LP Classic.... and wow oh wow, total night and day for me....

Since then all of my Gibbies must have a slim neck.. The fat 50s necks cramp my hands.

And my LP Double Cut Special has the best fastest neck of all.. (and the great upper fret access)

tone1 · February 2017

This cured me of my Les Paul GAS

http://i1373.photobucket.com/albums/ag391/tonysmyth1/Mobile Uploads/125FFA23-C46A-4C01-8901-8C9CF25CA96E_zpshqxe25ja.jpg

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Advice for those challenged by a Les Paul

Comments