All the flavours of Les Paul

deefstes

Sorry for bombarding the forum with all these questions but you seem to rise to each one of them brilliantly so I have to capitalise while I can ?

I'm still trying to get my head around the various types, colours and finishes of Les Paul guitars. Fender publishes a catalogue on their website that gives you all the models, colours and configurations and they also have a colour guide on their website, explaining what "Sienna Sunburst" or "Chrome Red" means. I have not been able to find anything like that for Gibson.

What I'd like to know is, what are the different types of Les Paul available and how do they fit together in the "hierarchy" so to speak? I see the names Standard, Studio, Traditional, Traditional Pro, Deluxe, Les Paul 100 (although I think I've only seen these in Epiphones), Axcess, Supreme etc. bandied about. What exactly are the different models or where I can find info on it? I can only imagine what "Supreme" means, something like "this guitar is friggin' awesome and waaaay out of your price range!"

Secondly, the colours. Some Cherry Sunbursts have that flamed maple finish and others don't, or am I wrong? What is the difference between "Ebony" and "Black Beauty". Does the colour of the pick guard affect the name of the guitar? I've seen black LP's with a black pick guard and with a white pick guard. Is that just an option like you get to choose between maple or rosewood fret board on Fenders?

Some pics::

Here's Cherryburst (Les Paul Deluxe) but it doesn't have the flamed maple look. Also, it doesn't have a pick guard. Are those just ways to get the cost down for, what I'd imagine is a lower cost guitar? I see the pickups are not covered either.

Here's a Cherryburst (Les Paul Traditional) with the flamed maple finish and a pick guard and covered pickups (how amazingly beautiful is this thing!!!) I guess the real question is, where can I get THIS guitar for less than 10k? ?

Here's a Cherryburst (Les Paul Traditional Pro) again without the flamed maple finish and with uncovered pickups, but with a pick guard (and just as big a price tag as the one above).

OK, I don't know why I just posted all these pics, I guess I got carried away. ? And now my keyboard is a bit of a mess with all the drool here.

Thanks in advance. I'd appreciate if you could help me get a better understanding of all these terms.

singemonkey

Ok. There's really too much to answer there. Head over to www.mylespaul.com, look on the Gibson Les Pauls section and look into the Les Pauls 101 thread at the top.

Basically, you just need to do a lot of reading to sort it all out. That's a very funny Deluxe, btw. I have a Les Paul Deluxe, and it's a very different guitar. I suspect that's some newer model that they've decided to give the name to. Classic Les Paul Deluxes, including the reissues from the last decade, have mini-humbuckers instead of full-size.

Check out the wikipedia article, check out google searches on the history of the Les Paul.

In my particular opinion "Supreme" means, "decking out a pretty girl in so much make-up and jewelry that she looks like a cheap stage performer." Kitsch. I think Traditionals are great though.

Reinhard

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul.aspx You can check al their specs there.

Tone

Hey man

I understand your situation and also wonder why Gibson don't create a Website with more information on ALL the models they offer. I have some experience with Gibsons and will just give you a brief rundown of their models and their finishes.

First of all to get the guitar you are after in the price range you want I would suggest first deciding on the specs of the instrument you are looking for then the finish. The "hierarchy" in my opinion works something like this:

1.) Custom Shop Les Paul's- these Les Paul are all obviously made in the Custom Shop and are a step up on the Gibson USA "Standard production guitars." The woods used at the Custom Shop are of a higher standard as well as the craftsmanship and attention to detail. All of your VOS (Vintage original Spec) models and Custom Les Paul's "Black Beauties" come from the Custom Shop. Most reissues e.g. the 1959 Les Paul VOS come from the Custom Shop as more care has to be taken with the hardware, build and finish to make sure everything is as close as possible to the original 1959 Les Paul's specs... These models come in a variety of finishes. The sunburst finishes are most traditional, there are two types of Bursts, the "Flame top" which uses selected flamed maple to give it is on fire look and then "plain top" which is also a maple sunburst top but without the wood grain that makes it look "Flamey ? ". The Custom Les Paul's come in Ebony (which is black) and White. Their is also a finish difference when looking at VOS vs a Gloss finish. The VOS finishes have a softer patina and doesn't shine like gloss. The VOS makes your guitar look gently faded more like an aged Les Paul.

2.) The Gibson Les Paul Standard. Most people when they hear "standard" think the guitar is a middle of the road model but this is not true. Yes the Custom Shop models may have a "different or in some cases better" sound but the Les Paul Standards (most recently the 2008 Standards) are Gibson's Les Paul benchmark. For 2008 Gibson have chambered the Standards Body giving it a different tone that I have really been enjoying. The Standards come out in a range of finishes, including Tobacco Burst, Desert Burst and Sunburst and ebony.

3.) Les Paul Studios. These are Les Paul's aimed at being more cost effective but still have great tone. The difference between these and the Standards are mostly finish and details (like binding) as well as pickups. The Studios come out in finishes including; Wine Red, Ebony and Arctic White.

Hope this helps you

singemonkey

I disagree that the current Les Paul Standard represents a benchmark. The benchmark Les Paul is the flame-topped, 1959 Les Paul Standard. Most people judge Les Pauls against this guitar. Hence: benchmark.

There are very few people, I would say, who would choose the Les Paul Standard over an accurate reproduction ofthe 1959 version. If they were sold at the same price, I have no doubt that the '59 reissue would outsell the Standard 9:1. The only advantage of the current standard is that it's chambered. This makes no difference to weight - since the '59 reissues are incredibly light anyway. But it does make a difference to sound, and a minority prefer the sound of a chambered Les Paul.

I fully agree that the Les Paul Standard is a good guitar. But Gibson saying it's a benchmark doesn't make it one. The 1959 reissue doesn't have extra features. It has what most people want in a Les Paul. The Standard is a compromise, albeit a reasonable one.