Recommend me a Les Paul Custom with a slim neck

slowpilgrim

Hi all,

I'm currently selling my Classic (which plays wonderfully) to fund my dream guitar, an ebony Les Paul Custom. I prefer a slim neck, which seems to be a bit of a rarity on the Custom, and ebony fretboard. I don't want to spend more than £2.5k really, but could stretch to £3k for something really special.

In canvassing my options, I've identified the following guitars that would fit the bill:

• 87 - 89 Custom Lite (rare as hell now, but played a friend's and it was absolutely killer)
• 70s Norlin, noting that some have the slim necks
• 07 - 08 Custom Classic
• I'm thinking there may be some 68 RIs that have slim necks?

My questions are -

a) is there anything else I could be looking out for (my ideal neck is something between the '59 rounded that my 1993 Studio had, and a 60s slim which my current Classic has)?
b) Which is more likely to be a high quality player's guitar, noting that I'll likely be buying something online without a play test?

Thanks in advance -

brooom

Greco EGC57-60, you're welcome.

fretfinder

slowpilgrim said:

Hi all, I'm currently selling my Classic (which plays wonderfully) to fund my dream guitar, an ebony Les Paul Custom. I prefer a slim neck which seems to be a bit of a rarity on the Custom. I don't want to spend more than £2.5k really, but could stretch to £3k for something really special.

In canvassing my options, I've identified the following guitars that would fit the bill:

I thought that most Customs had slim necks, apart from the 57 and 68 custom shop reissues?

By the way, I don’t think much of your list of guitars that would fit the bill! 

slowpilgrim

Apparently I managed to hit post halfway through typing out that list!

fastonebaz

The ESP eclipse series are reported to be better quality and have slim necks.  There's a few options.

Budget 
https://www.espguitars.com/products/21014-ec-1000t?category_id=1963292-ec-series

Fancy
https://www.espguitars.com/products/9984-e-ii-eclipse-db-vb?category_id=1963524-eclipse-series-guitars-3

I'd love a esp one day. 

TTBZ

+1 for ESP Eclipse if you don't mind the looks. They do an LTD EC1000 in black/gold like a Custom with Dimarzio 36th Anni pickups, I really want one. Annoyingly the black one doesn't have the much improved neck heel of that honeyburst Fluence one. I've played LTD and Gibson side by side and felt like the LTD was pretty similar in feel, certainly didn't feel like the Gibson was worth all that extra money. I prefer the modern refinements and improved design too - the neck heel is way better and the control layout is great if like me you never bother with tone knobs.

If you like silverbursts (well, more like an aged green silverburst), the Bill Kelliher signature LTD looks about as close to perfect as it gets to me - 22 frets, 12" radius, full thickness body, ebony board, smooth neck heel, 1 vol 1 tone (I'd run it 2 vol no tone). Andertons have it on sale right now too.

stonevibe

Had an ESP Eclipse and they have a thin U-shape which is very thin and I currently own a '77 black Custom which has a thin neck. Just the Custom has a neck closer to my old LP Classic.

Iamnobody

If you are chasing a dream guitar, surely it has to be a Gibson. Otherwise you may as well stay with your current LP.

Also again if chasing dreams you’d have to rule the classic out as it’s got a rosewood fingerboard and the lite due to its shallow body.

The dream must be a full fat custom with ebony fingerboard - which rules out a lot of the post 2011 ones that are richlite.

I’m not saying any of the other options aren’t as good - they might be better. My thought process here is you’ve got a specific custom spec to chase. If you compromise on any of it you may as well keep your current wonderful playing LP classic? 

slowpilgrim

Right, that's kinda of why I'm veering towards just ponying up the cash for an early 70s LPC, to get the vibe/sound and thinner profile... no compromise.

JMP220478

PRS Tremonti - stoptail - arguably better QC, 60's esque neck, PRS take on Marks LP Custom ...

I have the  Trem version and its an excellent rock guitar - I use a LP Classic with Suhr Aldrich pu's as a backup ..

maltingsaudio

From outside the box and at the risk of being stuck with a pitchfork, why not get the neck on your classic reprofiled and an ebony board fitted? 

riffpowers

My 1990 one has a slim neck .

slowpilgrim

Quick google search shows most 80s-90s customs have the rounded 59 (like my 93 studio used to have?) so I guess yours is slim by exception... or I hope so as I watched an 89 come and go on our local gumtree last week.

Iamnobody

Have you seen this one?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F143593999454

It’s not cheap but looks in good nick - as does the case.

slowpilgrim

yep been e-mailing the seller, it's a kalamazoo serial as well so may be a goer

Iamnobody

If it was a ‘78 I’d be having a mental wrestle with myself about buying it! At the right price...

hollywoodrox

My epiphone felt quite slim , 60s slim taper it was a 2016 custom pro.
  Ltd eclipse are always good

slowpilgrim

Iamnobody said:

If it was a ‘78 I’d be having a mental wrestle with myself about buying it! At the right price...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163873086653?ul_noapp=true

Iamnobody

slowpilgrim said:

Iamnobody said:

If it was a ‘78 I’d be having a mental wrestle with myself about buying it! At the right price...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163873086653?ul_noapp=true

Thanks but it’s way overpriced. That’s in my mind of course - when I started looking at these a few years ago you could snag well played late ‘78 customs for ~ £1600-2k.

I haven’t moved on much from that! And it’s a silly year of birth idea that I know deep down is lunacy...

I’d surrender my better judgement for a bargain custom but really it’s a ‘78 pro deluxe with ebony board and P90s or a ‘78 Rick 330. Thankfully both are like rocking horse shit to find so my bank account/credit card can relax.

Good luck with your hunt. Not being tied down to a year opens up some nice options.

slowpilgrim

Right, I noticed far lower prices in older threads discussing this stuff as well. I'm currently looking at a 72 (£3000), 76 (£2800) and 79 (£2000) but each has its downsides (whether non-original hardware or neck breaks etc).

fretfinder

slowpilgrim said:

Quick google search shows most 80s-90s customs have the rounded 59 (like my 93 studio used to have?) so I guess yours is slim by exception... or I hope so as I watched an 89 come and go on our local gumtree last week.

Not sure where that info came from but a 59 is a big neck and the only Customs I’m aware of that had big necks were the 57 and 68 reissues. The normal production ones (non-Historic, non-Custom Shop) had slim necks I believe.