The Les Pauls of GFSA (rule modification)

singemonkey · 2011-03-16T13:05:47+00:00

We can't let the Strat maniacs have all the fun. Let's see all the Les Pauls. All the ones you've posted before, and the ones you haven't. We're talking all of the single cutaway, mahogany backed guitars with a Gibson Les Paul scale-length. We want to see the Epiphones, the Tokais, the Tanglewoods, the Corts, the Gibsons, the Ibanez. And then say just a little bit about 'em. rule mod: Only post pictures of your specific guitar. No product shots. Even if it's a grim and grainy cell-phone pic, at least we know it's the very same guitar you plunk away on (you need not delete existing product shots, just make sure to post a pic of the actual guitar sometime ? ) Here are mine which you've all seen before: 2009 Tokai LS150 Had this one since the last year. Absolute beauty. My main gigging guitar. Pure quality. Super-comfortable chunky neck. 1983 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe One of the infamous Norlin-era Gibsons. Heavy as about four of Reinhard's LP, and about 12 of Nick's ? but I love it anyway. Did a lot of modding before I was happy with it (mini-hums to P90s, roto-grip tuners, Bigsby B7, bell knobs, etc.). Strung with .11s now. Bit of a slim neck. Crazy low "fretless-wonder" type frets. Just needs a grounding issue sorted out before it's ready to gig. Had this since '95 and it's the possession I run back into the burning house for. Over to you guys.

Gearhead

Arjun Menon wrote {..} in metric Newtons (N) while the ground crew was inputing course corrections using the Imperial measure, Pound-force (lbf). This error has since been known as the metric mixup {..}

So what you mean? The scale length of a LP is actually 24.75 centimeter? This is not a metric mixup, you're on the wrong forum altogether dude.

arjunmenon

Gearhead wrote
Arjun Menon wrote {..} in metric Newtons (N) while the ground crew was inputing course corrections using the Imperial measure, Pound-force (lbf). This error has since been known as the metric mixup {..}
So what you mean? The scale length of a LP is actually 24.75 centimeter? This is not a metric mixup, you're on the wrong forum altogether dude.

Sorry, no cigar here. I really don't care if an LP is 24.75 or 247.5 in scale length
I only tried to elaborate on Jack Flash's post of the mars orbiter (his point IMO was, God is in the details).
The whole thing was sparked by a post on the scale length of a PRS SC, to which kp247 said "Make it interesting, not talk about rubbish like the micro differences of scale lengths". Jack Flash further responded with "It's not irrelevant at all, it defends the importance of specs... you might want to go back and appreciate the OP and long standing GFSA members discussion on scale length - you might learn a little about LPs".
As for being on the wrong forum, maybe i am, maybe i'm not, but please let me the judge of that. Ta.

Gearhead

Jislike, me and my big mouth. I just thought it was funny how this thread is about pictures of GFSA member guitars and about the definition of a Les Paul and about judging contests and about Frampton and about rocket science. The latter was so far off topic to begin with that I figured one could joke about just how far fetched the connection to pictures of GFSA member guitars is. Apparently not ☹

arjunmenon

Gearhead wrote Jislike, me and my big mouth. I just thought it was funny how this thread is about pictures of GFSA member guitars and about the definition of a Les Paul and about judging contests and about Frampton and about rocket science. The latter was so far off topic to begin with that I figured one could joke about just how far fetched the connection to pictures of GFSA member guitars is. Apparently not ☹

For coming to that conclusion, you've been karma'd. ?
My post was indeed far fetched, hence my apology (in the same post).
The point that JF made though, isn't.

dee

BTW, on the topic of Les Paul's, would there be any tonal differences between a bolt on neck Les Paul to a set neck? Let's say for arguments sake both guitars are made to the exact same specs and parts....

DonovanB

IINM you don't get as much sustain with a bolt on joint.

guidothepimmp

while I agree that sustain has to do with the construction of the instrument, i'd be more inclined to say that things like string through vs floyd (or any oter trem), hollow body vs solid, wood density etc have more effect on sustain than the neck being bolt on as opposed to glued in, or neck through for that matter.

A neck snugly bolted onto abody cnt have significantly less sustain than a set neck. IMO of course.

I find the main difference being a tonal difference with neck through guits in particular having a darker voicing compared to its bolt on counter parts. :-\

DonovanB

Sustain isn't an opinion, it either rings longer or doesn't. It is measurable in time.

Perhaps some study is required, or educated opinion?

Gearhead

It is hard to measure since (knowing that no two pieces of wood are the same) you can't just compare a through neck to a bolt on. However, I suppose if you really want to know you could apply a saw to a through neck... Once you have tested the bolt on that way, you could glue the thing back on like a set neck. ???

AlanRatcliffe

The truth is that a well made bolt-on has more than enough sustain (heck, even bad bolt-ons can have more than enough, given a bit of volume and drive), so sustain is kind of a moot point.

The problem with comparing neck joints has always been there is no way to compare them on the same guitar. I've glued in a few bolt-ons and can tell you that it made no difference to guitars that already had decent bolt-on joints. Most luthiers agree that the integrity of the neck joint is of major importance and it acts like a tone filter, but few like to quantify the differences between the types as there are too many other factors involved. For instance, neck-throughs are often brighter sounding, but this is partly due to the relatively dense neck wood continuing all the way through the body, past the pickups to the bridge and beyond. Through necks are also usually stiffer (to reduce fail rates - one in five is not uncommon with neck throughs), by using harder woods and commonly, laminate construction. The size and shape of the heel (fatter on set-necks), the depth of the cutaways (usually deeper on through-necks) all have bearing on the tone too. Scale length has a huge effect too... So most luthiers experiment and come up with combinations of all the factors that work for a specific guitar design.

Coming back to Les Pauls, a lot is made of the differences between long and short neck tenons, but the main difference is not whether it is a long or short tenon, but how well the joint is made - I've heard great short tenon LPs and bad long tenons. The short tenons were often made with more tolerance and during a time when a lot of costs were being cut in every other area too, so have a bad rep.

singemonkey

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Coming back to Les Pauls, a lot is made of the differences between long and short neck tenons, but the main difference is not whether it is a long or short tenon, but how well the joint is made - I've heard great short tenon LPs and bad long tenons. The short tenons were often made with more tolerance and during a time when a lot of costs were being cut in every other area too, so have a bad rep.

Too true. But the 50's LPs had 'em, so we want 'em. I agree that it makes no difference though. It's how snug the join.

guidothepimmp

So all you Les Paul purists are gonna love this ?

The proverbial cat among the pigeons.. And who said Charvel only made superstrats...

Ladies and gentleman I give you the Charvel "Refinement"

I'll have one of these thanks ?

So to elaborate a tad, made mid to late 90's from what I can gather. Madeonly for the Japanese market, although some were sold outside Japan for obvious reasons.

guidothepimmp

OOps, sorry to the OP, I missed the bit about only actual forum guitars on the thread.. :-[

rich365

AndreM wrote
rich365 wrote Any chance of a better pic of the one at the rear? The sunburst one. Looks like really nice flame.

This is really a beautiful guitar. There are plenty of flame maple Les Pauls around but this has nice flame behind a really nice cherry sunburst, a perfectly balanced combination. Gorgeous!

I tell you you've got 2 of the nicest Les Paul's here. Now that I see what a black Standard can look like I have to agree with the other poster, black with ebony is just a killer combo, especially on a Standard. On a black Custom it's almost as if the black and the binding is over accentuated, but that's just my view.

singemonkey

rich365 wrote I tell you you've got 2 of the nicest Les Paul's here. .

Now where's yours? ?

DonovanB

Gearhead wrote It is hard to measure since (knowing that no two pieces of wood are the same)

Its not hard to measure, you just time it with a stop watch (for a crude start)

But I understand your point that it's not comparing apples with apples. Or Granny Smith's with a red delicious...

Alan Ratcliffe wrote The truth is that a well made bolt-on has more than enough sustain (heck, even bad bolt-ons can have more than enough, given a bit of volume and drive), so sustain is kind of a moot point.

The #1 richest man in the world and the #7 richest have more than enough money, but one has more than the other. It's a pointless question to ask, but it's still interesting.
Which one will get you a 30 second note? Maybe we should have a sustain challenge.... no compressors allowed. ?

I remember reading somewhere that the original design of the les paul and the fixed pickups were to reduce movement of the pup which negated sustain.

Whatever the cause, I certainly enjoy playing with more sustain. Especially if it rings longer before feeding back.

costafonix

My cherry red '72 Les Paul Deluxe.
This guitar was my main gigging guitar for many years, we've seen some great times together..lots of chips, bumps, bruises and wear..
She's kind of in semi-retirement at the moment, but I know I'll pick her up one day and will realise what I've been missing all these years.
Note the 'Gibson' stamp on the neck pickup cover (I cannot find a similar one for the bridge)...

rich365

singemonkey wrote Now where's yours? ?

Here it is! Sorry, it's the best my Samsung phonecam can do!

vic

Nice deluxes above...I like the colour ?

singemonkey

CostaFonix wrote My cherry red '72 Les Paul Deluxe.

Strikes me there've been a few mods here. Firstly, the top looks a bit like mahogany. It's not is it? ???

The pickguard's surely not original?

All in all a great looking LP. I don't know why one mini-hum would be branded and the other not. I can try to find out over at mylespaul?

rich365. Lovely. Two red deluxes in a row. I actually posted this thread after first considering having a Les Paul Deluxes of GFSA, because I knew there were at least 4. Yours looks all stock, right? Even the tuners.

Does yours have a maple or mahogany neck? I'm sure costafonix has a maple neck, but I'm not sure about a '79.

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