2010 Les Paul Standard Goldtop.....are these OK?

surfguy13

I know Gibson had a couple of iffy periods in the last 10 years or so, using dodgy materials and questionable build quality.  Have an option on a 2010 LP Standard Goldtop, made in Nashville, and wasn't sure if guitars made around this time were OK. 

Also, what pickups would a Standard have been fitted with?  Burstbuckers?  The guy doesn't want to remove them to check!

Any advide would be most welcome.

Glacial_Pace

It will be chambered, that may or may not be an issue for you but it does tend to bring the value down a bit.

surfguy13

Glacial_Pace said:

It will be chambered, that may or may not be an issue for you but it does tend to bring the value down a bit.

OMG, I had no idea these were chambered.  In fact I wasn't aware that any LPs were chambered!  I really appreciate you letting me know as I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have had a clue if I'd tried it.  Defintely want a solid body so that rules it out for me.

Bucket

I don't see what the big issue is with chambering. I like it, if anything. Light weight and increased acoustic ring are very good things IMO.

richardhomer

surfguy13 said:

Glacial_Pace said:

It will be chambered, that may or may not be an issue for you but it does tend to bring the value down a bit.

OMG, I had no idea these were chambered.  In fact I wasn't aware that any LPs were chambered!  I really appreciate you letting me know as I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have had a clue if I'd tried it.  Defintely want a solid body so that rules it out for me.

Les Pauls have been chambered/weight-relieved for about 30 years - except on the models were they state they aren't.

This is why the post Norlin guitars are generally lighter - not because they suddenly started buying lighter mahogany....

surfguy13

Bucket said:

I don't see what the big issue is with chambering. I like it, if anything. Light weight and increased acoustic ring are very good things IMO.

I take your point, light has to be better with a LP but my problem is that I've never played, let alone owned, a chambered guitar and so I have no reference point.  When you go to try a guitar in someone's home it's far from easy to get any sort of view and I'd hate to buy something only to find that a couple of weeks later I wasn't getting on with it.

Gassage

2010? Really? OMG.....if anything happens, we're here for you.

Moss

Chambering really isn't an issue

It makes the guitar more manageable weight-wise and any tonal changes are pretty tiny

Niallseroreilly

I have a 2013 LP standard and its incredible, really a great player. Burstbucker pros get a bad name but i think they sound great with the right amp. 

Im sure the 2010s are quite similiar.  Plus goldtop les pauls are always nice.

Sassafras

Surely the only way to judge is by trying it. Doesn't matter if it's chambered, if it's got burstbuckers or bumsuckers. None of that will tell you how it'll be a couple of weeks down the line.

guitars4you

Most Gibson LP Stds from 2002 till around 2004/5 are solid - After that it is a bit hit 'n' miss - many are chambered - as an overview anything below 8lbs is probably chambered and anything above 9lbs is not - that leaves a big grey area in the middle and the only true way of knowing is an x-ray machine

So bottom line is play it - if it feels right, plays right and sounds right, then what the 'eck - I don't see any major issues with a 2010 Gold Top and yes expect Burstbuckers - how much is he asking

Can't recall the exact cut off period but I'm not a fan of that silly jack socket and see thru' back plate with 'bing electronics' and not everyone likes the asymmetrical neck of that period but you need to play and let your hands be the judge of it

surfguy13

guitars4you said:

Most Gibson LP Stds from 2002 till around 2004/5 are solid - After that it is a bit hit 'n' miss - many are chambered - as an overview anything below 8lbs is probably chambered and anything above 9lbs is not - that leaves a big grey area in the middle and the only true way of knowing is an x-ray machine

So bottom line is play it - if it feels right, plays right and sounds right, then what the 'eck - I don't see any major issues with a 2010 Gold Top and yes expect Burstbuckers - how much is he asking

Can't recall the exact cut off period but I'm not a fan of that silly jack socket and see thru' back plate with 'bing electronics' and not everyone likes the asymmetrical neck of that period but you need to play and let your hands be the judge of it

That's really interesting, thanks for the overview.  He's asking £1200 and it's mint, not played much at all as far as I can see. 

I agree about playing it and then make a decision but I find that it's incredibly difficult to get any sort of an idea how a guitar sounds when you're sitting in someone's house and probably don't have the option to play it at anything but low volume levels, particularly if it's an 'as new' guitar.  My last LP was a 2001 so probably very different from a recent model.  I think I'll probably give this one a miss and try and find an earlier standard.  

breadfan

LP Standards have been either weight relieved or chambered for the past 30 years or so.

This is well worth a look.

Sassafras

I find the best way to try a guitar is unplugged. If it sounds good like that, it'll sound good amped up.

rsvmark

£1200? Buy it man and Be done. I love a GT me

guitars4you

surfguy13 said:

That's really interesting, thanks for the overview.  He's asking £1200 and it's mint, not played much at all as far as I can see. 

   

assuming everything is in fine fettle then £1200 appears to be a good  deal

koss59

To me the weight relieved ones that they've been doing since the 80's still sound like a Les Paul should.
The chambered I think started in 2006 and I've not played one that I thought sounded like a "typical" Les Paul, you might think it sounds better though.
Whenever I play chambered guitars however I usually find certain notes very lively and they jump out louder than others. I find this on Gretsch Duo Jets too.

surfguy13

Thanks guys, some really helpful comments!  I think it may well be worth going over and checking it out, the guy selling it is very pleasant so why not!  Appreciate all the input, been really helpful.

mudslide73

Good luck man. Once you hear the girth you'll be hypnotised  

surfguy13

mudslide73 said:

Good luck man. Once you hear the girth you'll be hypnotised  

I sincerely hope so!!!! 

p90fool

koss59 said:

To me the weight relieved ones that they've been doing since the 80's still sound like a Les Paul should.
The chambered I think started in 2006 and I've not played one that I thought sounded like a "typical" Les Paul, you might think it sounds better though.

This is exactly my experience too, though the major difference to me is dynamic rather than tonal.

I love Les Pauls, whether solid or 9-hole weight-relieved, but a chambered Les Paul is a different animal, it sounds like a 336.

Not necessarily a bad guitar, but a terrible Les Paul IMO.