Educate me on Les Pauls

Lebarque

I've got a hankering for a Les Paul, but don't know too much about them. 

Probably want a goldtop. Maybe black. Maybe Slash Derrig-style.

Don't like skinny or fat necks. Medium C is good.

What models should I look out for? I've seen advice to look for pre-2012?

I'd rather not spend more than £2k, so open to other brands too. Assume Tokai and Maybach are good?

Teach me!

Nerine

Don’t read too much into “good wood” eras and all that waffle. There are gems and dogs in every model year. 

Unfortunately, the only real answer to this question is to go out and try a few. 

Les Pauls can vary a bit, so once you’re armed with that experience you can start to focus in on your preferred spec.
Or, just base it purely on looks and see what sticks. No right or wrong. Just make sure you try a few to get an idea of what necks, hardware, pickups etc come on what guitars. 

Judge each instrument on its own merit. I have a 2017 Historic 1958 Reissue. How does it compare to a 2013? No idea. Do I care? No. 

Is it a killer guitar? Yes. Did I specifically want a 2017 model year? No. Does it matter? Probably not. 

I think point being, keep an open mind, don’t listen to the tosh spouted online and just try some and if you like it, it doesn’t matter what year or spec it is or whatever the self appointed internet experts have to say about it. 

OilCityPickups

Play em and make your decision based on that (unless you just want to hang it on a wall and look at it) .
 I have a 2014 Gibson LP Studio 120th Anniversary 'flame top' which plays as well as any LP I've tried ... but looks wise it wouldn't suit the purists having no binding and being blue burst.  It has a peach of a 'just in the middle' neck, and is a perfect weight. 

If it plays right and sounds right - it is right. 

chrisj1602

The latest incarnations of the Standard are well spec’d, as are the latest Slash models which are based off the same.

tone1

After years of long and painstaking research, I have come to the conclusion that in the 99.9% of cases that I studied, I found that they looked best without the pickguard…..

slacker

Don't worry too much regarding colour. Play some.

timmypix

Definitely go out and play some. To help you make sense of what's out there now:

Gibson stabilised their lineup in 2019 after 6 years or so of annual "model year" changes, so 2019 to present should all be much of a muchness.

If you don't like skinny necks, you don't want a Classic and you don't want anything with a 60s neck.
The 50s/"vintage" C neck profile isn't that fat and is probably what you're looking for; the necks only get really fat when you're looking at Custom Shop 57 and 58 models.

So in current production, that points you towards the 50s Standard or the Slash signature models.

If you're looking at guitars earlier than 2019, it probably pays to look up individual guitars when they catch your interest - use Gibson's legacy website or the Wayback Machine to view old versions of their website to check specs on older models.

As a general rule on pre-2019, if you like a medium C, you'll probably be drawn to a Les Paul Traditional, which is what they called a "normal" Les Paul once they decided the Standard was to be the modern/flagship/innovative model. They did the Traditional from 2008 to 2019 and it generally avoided the yearly model refreshes* short of colour changes and a change from weight-relieved to non weight-relieved in 2012.

Before that, the Les Paul Standard from 2002 to 2008 came in both 50s and 60s neck variations (ie, medium or slim) and is generally held in high regard - it was a return to flame tops after the plain tops of the 90s Standards.

Hopefully that helps you get started or make sense of some of the things you come across! A £2k budget gives you your pick of the market short of dealer mark-ups on unusual or perceived "desirable" models.

*2015 is a weird year where Gibson decided every single model should have robot tuners, a brass zero fret net and a wider fretboard, which some people like, but most don't. I've tried one and found it easy to adjust to in isolation but very weird when coming from other guitars. So possibly avoid 2015, and by extension the 2016 and 2017 "HP" (High Performance) models, although there were normal "T" (Traditional") models to match in those years, so you could conceivably find a 2016/17 Traditional T.

rlw

Tokai are very good too.  An LS196GT or similar would be a very fine guitar with the bits Gibson don't bother about - one piece back, long neck tenon etc.  

guitars4you

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  a lot of merit in what @timmypix say's above

If you are hell bent on a gold top then far less choice as not always in the price list and burst models seriously outsell a gold top finish - So you'll probably have to take longer over your search

I personally favour the 2002-2008 era LP's - But that doesn't mean you won't find a good LP outside such dates, for a similar price, that won't match a 2002-2008 model 

Agree that IMO avoid 2015 and again IMO the 2016/17 HP models 

If you want a good non Gibson that can match an LP, then a Jap Tokai is well worth checking out - Plus I've played/sold a few nice Eastman models - can't help you much on Maybach as not seen much of them 

As an overview, based on your 2K budget go used - But that should not be an issue as many good LP's around £1500-2000

Bigsby

timmypix said:

*2015 is a weird year where Gibson decided every single model should have robot tuners, a brass zero fret net and a wider fretboard, which some people like, but most don't. I've tried one and found it easy to adjust to in isolation but very weird when coming from other guitars. So possibly avoid 2015, and by extension the 2016 and 2017 "HP" (High Performance) models, although there were normal "T" (Traditional") models to match in those years, so you could conceivably find a 2016/17 Traditional T.

Though note that the 2016/17 HP models didn't have necks as wide as the 2015, they really split the difference and just gave a bit more wiggle room for wide vibrato on the e strings. They also had fret-over-binding (as did 2014 & 15), which is a big plus for me as I can't stand the fat nibs on bound necked Gibson USA models. FWIW, I owned a 2016 SG HP, and the neck didn't feel wide at all when compared to other SGs I owned. 

mudslide73

Don't discount any era apart from the weird years (LP100s, robot tuners etc.). I know I say this a lot but mine's from 95 and is great but that's not generally considered a golden year. As has been said above: you need to play a few.

spirit7

1990s standards are very well-regarded - I’d personally start there.  But as above - play as many as you can. 

Th4fonz

I’d say pop to hanks Denmark street there’s usually a few early 2000 standards there to try plus some customshops if you want to just get a feel for the years and neck profiles as there all different.  And upstairs there will be a few studios Orville’s burnys etc.  

57Deluxe

Don't think that only a Gibson will do the job. I have a 2006  unchambered Gibson LP with ebony fretboard and the reality is, my £129 Harley Benton Goldtop P90 is better built, better neck and has more tone options. Whether the Gibson has better woods and componentry is partially redundant, as when in the hand the HB makes soaring solos and ripping rock riff classics with impunity whereas the Gibson is harder work.



 

snowblind

Go play some. Only way to find one you like. 

duotone

If I wanted a hardtail HH guitar now I would go for:

S2 MCCARTY 594 SINGLECUT https://uk.prsguitars.com/electrics/model/s2_mccarty_594_singlecut_2023_2

Maybach Lester: https://maybach-guitars.de/guitars/series/lester-series/

Tokai: https://tokaigakki.com/lineup/

adamino

Overpriced
Quality control is shite
Chambered models feel like toys
New models feel plasticky unless you opt for the super expensive models for the corporate rich Peter Pan Syndrome types.

elstoof

Tell us how you really feel

Ddigger

adamino said:

Overpriced
Quality control is shite
Chambered models feel like toys
New models feel plasticky unless you opt for the super expensive models for the corporate rich Peter Pan Syndrome types.

Ok, something for everyone then...

Lots of useful info here.  Thanks to Timmypix for the long post.

stickyfiddle

The 2002-2007 Standards are my favourite non-CS Les Pauls - not because they're particularly better or worse quality, but because the specs just made for a properly good Les Paul for my preferences. The LP Traditional they did after that was also pretty similar, so worth a look. 

Goldtops are best  

Actually the very latest blacktops are also gorgeous

fretmeister

Whatever you do - make sure you take off the scratchplate and then burn it so you are never tempted to put it on again.

It won't affect the value with any people who have taste and proper decorum.