Les Paul Specials?

UnclePsychosis · December 2016

Hi folks

Les Paul Specials - any thoughts on them in general? I've always liked the look of them and like a neck pickup too much to go for a Junior. Would have to be p90s of course.

Also who makes a Special at the cheaper end of the market? Are the Epi ones any good?

SimonC · December 2016

PRS SE Santana standard special with P90's is what you want.

UnclePsychosis · December 2016

SimonC said:

PRS SE Santana standard special with P90's is what you want.

---see, on paper you're right. But for some reason they just don't do it for me.

SunDevil · December 2016

Love my Special - there's no downside against a Jr as you say and unless you already have a P90 loaded LP, it's a no brainer.

UnclePsychosis · December 2016

What do you have @SunDevil? ;

richh · December 2016

I love my Special, it is now my main guitar. But I haven't tried the Epiphone ones. As ever, the best thing you can do is just try as many as possible until you find the one you like - which could be a less expensive one, you never know!

Limehouse_Blues · December 2016

Among the Epiphones look out for the Fujigen built Japanese domestic market ones. They are seriously class.

impmann · December 2016

If you buy a DC Special, the neck pickup is further 'south' toward the bridge than on a traditional guitar. This gives a different sound, that arguably is better for rythmn than a regular positioned one, as its less 'flutey' etc.

One of my fave guitars ever was a DC Special. Great little guitars.

Bridgehouse · December 2016

impmann said:

If you buy a DC Special, the neck pickup is further 'south' toward the bridge than on a traditional guitar. This gives a different sound, that arguably is better for rythmn than a regular positioned one, as its less 'flutey' etc.

One of my fave guitars ever was a DC Special. Great little guitars.

The neck pickup on my 62 special is one of my favourite tones. Lindt smooth... Mmmmmmm

SunDevil · December 2016

@UnclePsychosis - lucky enough to have a Historic 60 Reissue - yep, I know that's somewhat missing the original design brief of the Special, but it has the best neck I've ever played

roberty · December 2016

What Gibson years in particular do you guys think are best to go for? They don't always make them, do they. My uncle has a 98 in fire engine red with P100 pickups. I prefer cherry and don't get on with the P100s at all. Sold a Japanese Epi in the classifieds a while back, it was okay

Bridgehouse · December 2016

roberty said:

What Gibson years in particular do you guys think are best to go for? They don't always make them, do they. My uncle has a 98 in fire engine red with P100 pickups. I prefer cherry and don't get on with the P100s at all. Sold a Japanese Epi in the classifieds a while back, it was okay

Sell a kidney, and a leg if needed and get a late 50's - early 60's..

roberty · December 2016

Bridgehouse said:

roberty said:

What Gibson years in particular do you guys think are best to go for? They don't always make them, do they. My uncle has a 98 in fire engine red with P100 pickups. I prefer cherry and don't get on with the P100s at all. Sold a Japanese Epi in the classifieds a while back, it was okay

Sell a kidney, and a leg if needed and get a late 50's - early 60's..

Haha in a perfect world mate. Probably need both kidneys the way I've treated them.

It's possible I could afford a 50s Jr sometime next year, how much more roughly is it for the specials?

When you get to that kind of money, also, the custom shop prices all of a sudden seem quite sensible

There must be some good recent-ish factory years

Bridgehouse · December 2016

roberty said:

Bridgehouse said:

roberty said:

What Gibson years in particular do you guys think are best to go for? They don't always make them, do they. My uncle has a 98 in fire engine red with P100 pickups. I prefer cherry and don't get on with the P100s at all. Sold a Japanese Epi in the classifieds a while back, it was okay

Sell a kidney, and a leg if needed and get a late 50's - early 60's..

Haha in a perfect world mate. Probably need both kidneys the way I've treated them.

It's possible I could afford a 50s Jr sometime next year, how much more roughly is it for the specials?

When you get to that kind of money, also, the custom shop prices all of a sudden seem quite sensible

There must be some good recent-ish factory years

The CS reissues are good, don't get me wrong. But for that special something.. that indescribable feeling.. The CS Specials I've tried felt a bit too clinical to be honest.

If you look around and go for a refin, or a non-original parts, or a repaired neck/heel break then you are looking at £3k - £3.5k for a 59-60 which isn't that much more than a CS one - hell, it's the same as an R8 new....

Blacksheep · December 2016

You need to take care with the 59s because of the well documented weakened neck joint.
problem was fixed by late 59 but those models seem to come up less often and tend to fetch a higher price.
if you end up going vintage I've got a player grade 57 Special that I'm supposed for be selling. if you want to give it a try in the new New Year let me know. I'm not exactly making a huge effort to flog it, so it'll probably be around for a while. Or at least until the wife remembers I promised her I'd unload it.

RandallFlagg · December 2016

Doug & Pat did a show on them and compared some vintage ones with some Juniors and it sounded to me like the Specials sounded a bit thinner and not as fat and growly as the Juniors.

it's made me want a Junior over a Special.

UnclePsychosis · December 2016

Thanks for the offer Bridgehouse, very kind of you but my budget (when I get it together) is definitely closer to Vintage than vintage!

Blacksheep · December 2016

RandallFlagg said:

Doug & Pat did a show on them and comoared some vintage ones with some Juniors and it sounded to me like the Specials sounded a bit thinner and not as fat and growly as the Juniors.

it's made me want a Junior over a Special.

This is true. That's not to say the Juniors are better, merely different. You undoubtedly limit your options with a Junior. But the utter gloriousness of that tone is worth it, I believe.

Xsmnmy · December 2016

I love my 50s sc Junior, but wanted a neck pickup too so I put together a p90 lp kit and drilled the top for a wraptail bridge (R4 style), and l like it a lot. Now I'm working on a more Special-like slab mahogany Dan Armstrong, w/ one vintage & one 50s wind Lollar P90.

wellsyboy · December 2016

Collings DCS - cant go wrong!

Placidcasual79 · December 2016

A tv yellow LP special is my dream guitar, double cut all the better. If budget is limited there are 2015 double cuts, that have, to me, incredibly wide necks. Also there are ones being made in the USA for the Japanese market for about a grand.....

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