School me on Les Paul Deluxes

TinLip

I haven't played one - only heard them on recordings.

I've heard that the min-HBs on the Deluxe cut through a mix better but for me the classic LP sound is that beefy low end. If there *that* much of a difference?

Was toying with the idea of a 70's LP a little while ago but was torn between the Deluxe and the Standard. Now I'm skint it doesn't really matter

richardhomer

I like Deluxes - to me, nothing screams '70s' (in a good way) better than one of these.

What I like about them, is that they don't bask unfavourably in the shadow of '58-'60 Standards, as '70s Standards did. They were kind of a guitar in their own right, if that makes sense?

Early ones had mahogany necks - most were three-piece (with volute) and 'pancake' bodies (two layers of mahogany with a thin maple veneer in between). Soon all Gibsons of the period got maple necks.

The last ones (I'm not 100% sure on dates - but around 1980) returned to one piece mahogany backs.

Tops are invariably three piece and rarely particularly well matched - if that bothers you, stick with Gold Tops.

There have been subsequent reissues - though these were essentially modern-day Standards with mini hums, or weight relieved bodies with 1 piece mahogany necks, so not 'period correct'.

ICBM

They're quite a lot brighter and more 'ringing', but they still have a fair amount of bottom end - which I think comes from the weight and thickness of the guitar body, rather than the pickups. The bigger difference is that the full-size humbuckers are fuller and smoother in the mids, to me - the minis are slightly hollow and a touch metallic, like halfway between a humbucker and a Tele bridge pickup, or like a vintage Rickenbacker.

I really like them - my first Les Paul was a '70 Deluxe and the sound of it has always stuck with me somehow, even though at the time I thought I didn't like it because it wasn't a Standard! I prefer Customs to Standards too, they have more 'ring' to them.

p90fool

Deluxes are great, don't worry about the pickups sounding too thin, the Les Paul construction overwhelms all!

I have a Les Paul Standard with Mojo gold foil pickups which are among the brightest and jangliest you can buy but guess what, it still sounds like a Les Paul, just with extra bite.

Skipped

I feel huge nostalgia for them  which is not the same as rating them highly.
When the first heavily discounted Sunburst models arrived in the UK (price control had somehow been maintained up to this point) I tried every one I could find. Orange Music were selling them for £218 without a case. The other shops in London were maybe £10 more. Every one was terrible, made worse by the poor set-up both at the factory and non-existent at the dealer. And they were heavy. This sudden availabilty in the UK coincided with a dramatic surge in production numbers (obviously) so maybe that was the problem.

Of course I have played a few since then. I think that several refrets over 40 years,  and lots of playwear has improved some of these guitars and I would never rule out buying one.   I think they sound great in the hands of a young Scott Gorham.

daveyh

I used to have a 74 deluxe gold top and to this day I regret selling it.

TinLip

I read today that they stopped making them in 1985 due to lack of demand. Is that the hair metal bands of the 80's to blame?

ICBM

TinLip said:

I read today that they stopped making them in 1985 due to lack of demand. Is that the hair metal bands of the 80's to blame?

Just that back then, it was high-output full-size humbuckers that were in fashion, so Deluxes were perceived as inferior.

Now, everything from original Epiphones to Gretsches has come back into fashion and that brighter, less full-on humbucker sound is desirable.

TinLip

Yeah, that definitely is true. I've noticed Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) and Adam Granduciel (The War on Drugs) both using them recently and their sound isn't the balls-to-the-wall LP through a Marshall stack. 

marantz1300

I had a 71,great guitars and pickups.
Plus P90's are a straight fit.
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii98/marantz1300/Gibson/SDC10631.jpg
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii98/marantz1300/Gibson/SDC10633.jpg
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii98/marantz1300/Gibson/SDC10661.jpg
http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii98/marantz1300/Gibson/SDC10663.jpg

chrisj1602

I like the mini hum buckers, had them on a Sheraton. Never tried them on a LP though.

callmesnake

Great guitars! I've got a re-issue gold top which has the normal LP chunk but with a Tele bite.

shugz

The Les Paul I have is a '70 LP Goldtop Deluxe. It's been routed, refretted and a head repair as well. A bit of an old gal. It's also a multi piece body, neck and maple top, basically all the features no one is supposed to like!

Hand on heart this is the best (for me) Les Paul I have played or owned and have played many an LP from vintage to modern over the years. For me anyway, it was a lesson in disregarding the supposed 'golden spec' of any guitar (say the '59 era Les Paul being most desired) and getting one that works as a player.

Cheers
Hugh

marantz1300

The 71 routed Deluxe I had is the guitar I miss the most.
I liked it more then better then my 69 Custom.

TinLip

Thank you gents, this has been most helpful. I will take it the consensus is more positive than negative about these puppies.

marantz1300

marantz1300 said:

The 71 routed Deluxe I had is the guitar I miss the most.
I liked it more then better then my 69 Custom.

I nearly swallowed my tounge typing that.