Explain Les Paul Models

[Gearzilla]

https://www.ishibashi-music.jp/category/select/cid/406

The older Japanese Epiphones with the Gibson Style headstock or The Greco ones are pretty strong on the ROI factor.

Surprised no one has mentioned how deep a neck is set in on some of the different models.

 

[Bruce]

My buddy has an old Studio with an ebony board and a REALLY tiny neck, it‘s the only other Les Paul I’ve played that I wanted to own. But it felt like a toy in comparison to his LPC. If I’m going to get a Les Paul, I want to get a big, chunky motherf*cker that feels like I’m playing a Les Paul and the LPC is just wear it’s at.

I was thiiiiiissssss close to getting an older Silverburst last fall but the Adam Jones sig caused all the prices to skyrocket on any Silverburst, so I got 4 other guitars instead.

My black LPC was like my left arm for years. You can smell that guitar when you open the case, it smells like a bar.
My White LPC I started a tradition with at a place called Smiths in NYC in Times Square. Played there pretty regularly. I had the guitar signed by patrons who all looked like they were having fun. No rules, just write something. Guitar is also put away. My 3rd custom is a triburst.

 

[Gearzilla]

My black LPC was like my left arm for years. You can smell that guitar when you open the case, it smells like a bar.
My White LPC I started a tradition with at a place called Smiths in NYC in Times Square. Played there pretty regularly. I had the guitar signed by patrons who all looked like they were having fun. No rules, just write something. Guitar is also put away. My 3rd custom is a triburst.

Any thoughts on the Knaggs SSC?

 

[TubeStack]

Agree with the others that you really gotta play a bunch. I've gotten excited about a Gibson (and other brands, but even more so with Gibson, it seems) based on specs, and then played one in real life and immediately knew I didn't like it. There is a lot of variation within the USA models and they can feel wildly different from each other (and sometimes feel super cheap, especially in relation to the price). And I say this as a primarily Gibson guy all my life.

Also, just because it says “weight relieved,” doesn't mean it's light. A lot of those models are still heavy AF.

 

[Bruce]

Any thoughts on the Knaggs SSC?

Plenty. Starting with buy one if you’re a LPC fan. It’s an amazing guitar. I own one. Fit and finish are perfect, the bare knuckles scream for hard rock and it’s sexy as all hell.

 

[HotRats]

There are other models than the Custom?

Reissues rawk

 

[DrewJD82]

Reissues rawk

Like '59 Reissue LPC's?

 

[HotRats]

Like '59 Reissue LPC's?

 

[Whizzinby]

Alright, was able to get my hands on a few at GC. Tribute, 60’s and some Pro V. (No 50’s or Modern at this local shop) Played them acoustically just trying to get a feel for necks.

The Tribute, big ole NOPE. Like playing a baseball bat. With an RG as my number 1 at the moment, there is no way I’d jive with that neck.

60’s fantastic. Much smaller neck, less rounded, and more comfortable. Actually liked the finished neck. Promising.

Pro V or whatever it’s called had a slim neck too. My RG has an unfinished neck back like this Pro one does, but for some reason I preferred the glossed back of the 60’s neck.

I’m going to guess based on this preliminary pass I won’t like a bigger 50’s neck, which keeps me pointed in the Modern or 60’s direction, but I may need to make a run sometime soon to the “nicer” GC to definitively rule the 50’s out, or more importantly, get my hands on a Modern.

 

[Fireproof]

That all seems reasonable. I’m not a big fan of the fatter 50’s necks at all - anything ‘58 or earlier - bleh. ‘59 feels okay, but still not my favorite for my stubby hands and short fingers.. So for me, the 60’s feel great, whether slim taper or asymmetrical. Just feel so nice in my hand.

 

[HotRats]

I believe that current neck shapes are not like that anymore. At least the fat ones are slimmer than they used to be.

 

[Fireproof]

I believe that current neck shapes are not like that anymore. At least the fat ones are slimmer than they used to be.

They may be slightly different, but aren’t they still like that relatively? ‘57’s are fat, ‘59’s not quite as fat, then ‘60’s and on, the slim ones?

 

[Jarick]

My Tribute has a slim taper neck like the 60s ones. Tribute models seem to change specs every year.

 

[HotRats]

They may be slightly different, but aren’t they still like that relatively? ‘57’s are fat, ‘59’s not quite as fat, then ‘60’s and on, the slim ones?

Not anymore as far as I know.
I've got 2 R8s (2014 and 2017) and an R7 (2020) and there's no real difference between them and I believe the now they've settled for the kind of 59 shape everywhere. I might be wrong though.

 

[Whizzinby]

You guys have experience with the Burstbucker Pro+ pickups in the Modern? From what I can tell are just Alnico 5 versions of the BB1/2’s to get a little more output. I’ve played a Studio with BB1/2’s that I liked.

The output on them looks in line with what I’d like. I have an RG with BareKnuckle Aftermaths that absolutely cook, (Passive but still HOT) which is great for some things, but goosing the front end of the signal path makes them a bit one-stroked in application. These Pro+ look like about half the output, (8k) which is a good thing.

 

[la szum]

Yup. Slightly overwound vintage PAF vibe. Emphasis on "slightly."

 

[Whizzinby]

Yup. Slightly overwound vintage PAF vibe. Emphasis on "slightly."

That’s perfect. I’m looking for something less hot than the Aftermaths, but not necessarily neutered. The problem with hot pickups are they basically force your hand with everything else in the chain before the amp. I dig the BB1/2’s I’ve played, so these are probably safe.

 

[Jarick]

I put a set of Duncan alnico 2 pros in my LP a couple weeks back and really dig them. Very similar to BB1/2. Plenty of snap and squish. Nice thing with that wind is you can swap mags easily for a little different tone and feel.

 

[HotRats]

You guys have experience with the Burstbucker Pro+ pickups in the Modern? From what I can tell are just Alnico 5 versions of the BB1/2’s to get a little more output. I’ve played a Studio with BB1/2’s that I liked.

The output on them looks in line with what I’d like. I have an RG with BareKnuckle Aftermaths that absolutely cook, (Passive but still HOT) which is great for some things, but goosing the front end of the signal path makes them a bit one-stroked in application. These Pro+ look like about half the output, (8k) which is a good thing.

They are a nice all round pickup with some more push compared to a more classic paf style pickup.

Some people hate them, some love them, as usual.

 

[Los-D]

Alright, was able to get my hands on a few at GC. Tribute, 60’s and some Pro V. (No 50’s or Modern at this local shop) Played them acoustically just trying to get a feel for necks.

The Tribute, big ole NOPE. Like playing a baseball bat. With an RG as my number 1 at the moment, there is no way I’d jive with that neck.

60’s fantastic. Much smaller neck, less rounded, and more comfortable. Actually liked the finished neck. Promising.

Pro V or whatever it’s called had a slim neck too. My RG has an unfinished neck back like this Pro one does, but for some reason I preferred the glossed back of the 60’s neck.

I’m going to guess based on this preliminary pass I won’t like a bigger 50’s neck, which keeps me pointed in the Modern or 60’s direction, but I may need to make a run sometime soon to the “nicer” GC to definitively rule the 50’s out, or more importantly, get my hands on a Modern.

The 60s (Slim Taper) neck is my favorite Gibson neck. Even over the asymmetrical ones.

As for pickups, I really like the 90s 498Ts (more rounded JB to my ears) but the BBPro+ are dang good, especially for PAF style. Can’t go wrong with Duncans either (love the Pearly Gates)