I've been bad...pre-NGD Gibson Custom 59 Les Paul

victorludorum · January 22

Let's hope that it's that actual Gibson that you're hearing on the video, and not another one that's been dubbed on as it was when you bought your Tele ;-)

It's a good catch either way!

OilCityPickups · January 22

I'm not usually a fan of traditional looking Les Pauls ... but as the say in my ancestral home of Devon 'that could proper turn moi ed!'

RandallFlagg · January 22

victorludorum said:

Let's hope that it's that actual Gibson that you're hearing on the video, and not another one that's been dubbed on as it was when you bought your Tele ;-)

It's a good catch either way!

I'm sure the video audio is legit. That Tele sounded better than the dubious audio anyway. There's not many guitars I've flipped that I wish I'd kept but that Tele is one of just a couple over the last 20 years...was a cracking guitar, one of the best neck profiles on any Fender I've owned.

The R9 arrives tomorrow

Philly_Q · January 22

RandallFlagg said:

victorludorum said:

Let's hope that it's that actual Gibson that you're hearing on the video, and not another one that's been dubbed on as it was when you bought your Tele ;-)

It's a good catch either way!

I'm sure the video audio is legit. That Tele sounded better than the dubious audio anyway. There's not many guitars I've flipped that I wish I'd kept but that Tele is one of just a couple over the last 20 years...was a cracking guitar, one of the best neck profiles on any Fender I've owned.

The R9 arrives tomorrow

Which Tele was that? Was it also from Peach? Don't tell me the sadly departed Jack couldn't actually play guitar....

RandallFlagg · January 22

Philly_Q said:

RandallFlagg said:

victorludorum said:

Let's hope that it's that actual Gibson that you're hearing on the video, and not another one that's been dubbed on as it was when you bought your Tele ;-)

It's a good catch either way!

I'm sure the video audio is legit. That Tele sounded better than the dubious audio anyway. There's not many guitars I've flipped that I wish I'd kept but that Tele is one of just a couple over the last 20 years...was a cracking guitar, one of the best neck profiles on any Fender I've owned.

The R9 arrives tomorrow

Which Tele was that? Was it also from Peach? Don't tell me the sadly departed Jack couldn't actually play guitar....

This one:

richardhomer · January 24

Well, what’s the verdict?

RandallFlagg · January 24

Arrived yesterday, I only had time to unpack, tweak the action & truss rod to where I like it (action was too low) and fine tune the intonation, plug in and play for about 20 minutes.

It's light weight for a Les Paul (as expected) but still feels substantial, it's not toy weight like a 6lb SG Junior

Flawless finish, plays terrific and sounds very good, especially clean on the neck pickup, quite a bit brighter sounding than I was expecting, I think a little brighter than my SG on the neck pickup, which also has Custombucker alnico III unpotted pickups, need to A/B them. I did get it to dial in perfectly to the Billy Duffy "Lil Devil" sound when playing along with the track quite loud in the man cave.

The nickel pickup covers, VOS aged were in the case, unsoldered and as new, which I didn't expect, which is a nice touch if I wanted to fit them down the road.

The only issue I have....is the looks.

The top colour isn't as garish in natural light, as the video, which used some bright lights and possibly some post production. That's a good thing for me, but the back is brown not cherry red or even a faded cherry red, it's a definite brown, which doesn't seem right. The mineral streaks in the top are great as is the subtle-ish flame, really happy with the maple figuring.

Does it just look a bit sickly and sweet with the zebras and washed out pink of the sunburst? I dunno, it doesn't seem like a traditional look for a '59 (which was why I liked it initially when choosing online) but...hum...haw...hum...haw

Will see how I feel after a few days then either do an happy NGD or request a return.

I hope I keep it but I am a fickle bugger

richardhomer · January 24

@RandallFlagg - the unpotted Custom Buckers are bright with covers on - but in a good way - so without might be a step too far.

Shame you’re not convinced about the looks - a Les Paul should be the best looking guitar you own!

RandallFlagg · January 24

richardhomer said:

@RandallFlagg - the unpotted Custom Buckers are bright with covers on - but in a good way - so without might be a step too far.

Shame you’re not convinced about the looks - a Les Paul should be the best looking guitar you own!

It's not too bright just brighter than I expected, sounds fine with the amp adjusted and tones rolled back a touch, in fact sounds better than fine, the clarity on the neck pickup, bold fat and warm yet clear is great.

Just took the pick guard off and it looks better without I think...I might slip the pickup covers on and see how that looks when I get chance at the weekend. The flame figuring and colour really does look like fire...I might be "warming to it" :-) It gives me a bit of Mick Jones' 'Give 'em Enough Rope' era Les Paul feel

Fishboy7 · January 24

Looks good to me - has a bit of character about it

RandallFlagg · January 24

Fishboy7 said:

Looks good to me - has a bit of character about it

Yeah, I think I'm sold. It sounds really good and feels great to play, got a bit of a Slash Les Paul vibe to it with the uncovered pickups as well.

YourArsenal87 · January 25

I think that looks amazing.

idiotwindow · January 25

Looks great to me (including the brown back) and if it "sounds really good and feels great to play" it must be a keeper.

Incidentally, I'm not sure I would have removed the pick guard (and I certainly wouldn't put the pickup covers on) if I was contemplating returning it under DSR.

Sync · January 25

Yer, I wouldn't be happy with the holes left by removing the pickguard.

The overall look of that one isn't something I'd pick so I'd really have to bond with it to keep it.

Whenever I have gone LP shopping, I have taken a long weekend to go to the stores across the country with good stock and tried loads to stop what happens with the above one.

richardhomer · January 25

RandallFlagg said:

richardhomer said:

@RandallFlagg - the unpotted Custom Buckers are bright with covers on - but in a good way - so without might be a step too far.

Shame you’re not convinced about the looks - a Les Paul should be the best looking guitar you own!

It's not too bright just brighter than I expected, sounds fine with the amp adjusted and tones rolled back a touch, in fact sounds better than fine, the clarity on the neck pickup, bold fat and warm yet clear is great.

Just took the pick guard off and it looks better without I think...I might slip the pickup covers on and see how that looks when I get chance at the weekend. The flame figuring and colour really does look like fire...I might be "warming to it" :-) It gives me a bit of Mick Jones' 'Give 'em Enough Rope' era Les Paul feel

If you’ll forgive me for being direct, I think you’re trying to ‘sell’ it to yourself.

There’s no shortage of Custom Shop Les Pauls - and they’re too expensive to settle for one that isn’t really what you want.

topdog91 · January 25

richardhomer said:

RandallFlagg said:

It's not too bright just brighter than I expected, sounds fine with the amp adjusted and tones rolled back a touch, in fact sounds better than fine, the clarity on the neck pickup, bold fat and warm yet clear is great.

Just took the pick guard off and it looks better without I think...I might slip the pickup covers on and see how that looks when I get chance at the weekend. The flame figuring and colour really does look like fire...I might be "warming to it" :-) It gives me a bit of Mick Jones' 'Give 'em Enough Rope' era Les Paul feel

If you’ll forgive me for being direct, I think you’re trying to ‘sell’ it to yourself.

There’s no shortage of Custom Shop Les Pauls - and they’re too expensive to settle for one that isn’t really what you want.

Yeah, it does seem a bit like that. At a tenth of the price I wouldn't want to have any reservations about a guitar.

I think with luxury goods, the high price can make one ignore oneself even more because of the pressure that it costs a lot so it must be good so if one has reservations one must be the problem.

RandallFlagg · January 25

I am a fussy bugger. I've owned enough Gibson's and Les Paul's over the last 3 decades or more to know what I like and don't like.

I have a very narrow range of criteria for what I like. Out of the 50+ or so 'burst Les Paul's Peach & Coda have in there is only a few that make my shortlist and one is here with me.

I've only had this guitar a few hours in real terms as I've been at work and not seen it in daylight yet. I will take some time at the weekend to get to know the new arrival and if I still have reservations back it will go.

victorludorum · January 25

It's not as nice as the Tele...

Jokes aside, it looks like a lovely guitar and the finish should fade shouldn't it? You can always put the covers on the pickups or change them completely and keep the originals.

RandallFlagg · January 26

Keeping it!

Exceptional weight - the weight of a Les Paul is what has put off all the previous ones I've owned. You don't come across many new ones at 8lb 2oz these days
Plays wonderfully well
Sounds great
Maple figuring is very good, with some mineral streaks, not too stripey
Uncovered pickups preferred and the zebras go well with the colour
Top colour growing on me - my daughter says she loves the colour, I'm colour blinds on red & greens anyway.
It's a 'burst R9 FFS...!
It's bit different looking to the regular green lemon bursts, poppy bursts etc with covered pickups. I always like something a little different looking

Pickguard on or off? I prefer playing with pickguard off but think it looks better on, but there is some nice flame under the guard:

RandallFlagg · January 26

I think I may sell my CS 61 SG...maybe hunt for a 7.5lb Tele to complement the LP

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I've been bad...pre-NGD Gibson Custom 59 Les Paul

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