What's with used Les Paul prices??

napalmdeath

Well-known member
What is with people the last year or so? I've been looking for a good used Les Paul Classic, and people are absolutely delusional with their prices, on just about every level of Les Paul on the net. $1600 - $2000 for a Classic?? $1200-$1300 for a mint Studio?? People say buy used, but you don't know if someone's unloading a lemon, or they're just asking ridiculous prices. You're just about better off buying new!

I'm looking for $1200-$1400 for excellent condition, and it's like a needle in a haystack!
 
-I'm in the LES PAUL market as well, been playing a ton of them, I think the entire FUTURE TRIBUTE & 50's, 60's & 70's TRIBUTE line up are great guitars, reasonable prices as well,... My last LES PAUL was a GOTHIC-(i almost had the entire GOTHIC line up, couldn't find a EXPLORER thou)-
that was 12 years or so, but I know exactly what I want, and I'm not gonna "settle",... Gold Top, dark back, no weight relief or swiss cheese body, one piece back and most importantly its gotta weigh at least 9lbs. Well as you know that's a $2500 guitar used-(I actually prefer used guitar's)- and right now the leading candidate is an EDWARD's..
 
sg guy":5t47pbqr said:
-I'm in the LES PAUL market as well, been playing a ton of them, I think the entire FUTURE TRIBUTE & 50's, 60's & 70's TRIBUTE line up are great guitars, reasonable prices as well,... My last LES PAUL was a GOTHIC-(i almost had the entire GOTHIC line up, couldn't find a EXPLORER thou)-
that was 12 years or so, but I know exactly what I want, and I'm not gonna "settle",... Gold Top, dark back, no weight relief or swiss cheese body, one piece back and most importantly its gotta weigh at least 9lbs. Well as you know that's a $2500 guitar used-(I actually prefer used guitar's)- and right now the leading candidate is an EDWARD's..

I've eyeballed this one for $899
170018824_lg3.jpg
 
Be careful buying used. A few years ago I was trying, buying, returning Les Pauls. There is a LOT of shit out there. Lot's of fucked up guitars that maybe don't bug some because it says Gibson on the head stock. A few LP's I bought had these annoying humps in the neck that couldn't be adjusted out, some had dips in the neck that couldn't be straightened out, just a lot of headaches. Try in person, and bring a screwdriver and allen wrench and ask if you can tweak before you buy.
 
I've got one for sale, but it's a 3 pickup model and I put Wolfetones in it. It's not a regular LP Classic, but it's very badass.
 
I was just looking through the DC Craigslist yesterday. Les Paul Standards for $100 less than.

No thanks. I'll pay a little more for a warranty.
 
napalmdeath":1a15b2cb said:
sg guy":1a15b2cb said:
-I'm in the LES PAUL market as well, been playing a ton of them, I think the entire FUTURE TRIBUTE & 50's, 60's & 70's TRIBUTE line up are great guitars, reasonable prices as well,... My last LES PAUL was a GOTHIC-(i almost had the entire GOTHIC line up, couldn't find a EXPLORER thou)-
that was 12 years or so, but I know exactly what I want, and I'm not gonna "settle",... Gold Top, dark back, no weight relief or swiss cheese body, one piece back and most importantly its gotta weigh at least 9lbs. Well as you know that's a $2500 guitar used-(I actually prefer used guitar's)- and right now the leading candidate is an EDWARD's..

I've eyeballed this one for $899
170018824_lg3.jpg

What is this cause I can not find anything on Wildwood's inventory at that price? Id buy that !!
 
I agree about garden variety used LPs however the other day I was in GC and noticed some of the higher end/nice top LPs were actually not that bad. There were several in the top row there in the $2k and just over range.
 
:rock: :rock: :rock: I too have been vacillating over what Les Paul to buy . . . old or new. . . . I normally go to Wally World (Guitar Center) first as they have the most hanging on the walls to try. Once you block out the kids that picked up a guitar for the first time playing through a Marshall rig turned up to 8, you can sit and see how they feel. . . . .

I do have to say this about the NEW Les Pauls. . . . When a Les Paul weighs the same as my American Stratocaster, something is very wrong. I get it. . . the feminization of the American male dictates that Les Pauls only weigh 8 pounds. Sorry Charlie, not for me . . . . thank you.

Then you have to become a Gibson inventory release specialist to see if you can even find a model that is not chambered or weight relieved. That is providing they even exist. I think in my total search time of 6 months, I found 1 or 2 models that actually stated in the description "No modern weight relief" and for the life of me. . . I can't remember which models they were because, one description states "Traditional or Heritage" models are not but the site selling the model states they are weight relived. It's a friggin nightmare if your an old head like me looking for a REAL Les Paul.

I have also been astonished at what people are asking for Used Les Pauls that have undergone headstock repairs ( Headstock snapped off at the luthiers joint) and all kinds of mod's that left them scarred cosmetically. In my day, you couldn't give these guitars away! Now they go for upwards of $2,000.00 for some basterdized train wreck from the 80's as if they were in mint condition, I don't get it either.

So there's the problem in a nutshell . . . . I am an old head that owned about 12 Les Pauls (Custom, Delux, Gold Tops etc.) from the 80's till today. When I play a Paul on stage I should be able to move around and the guitar stays put. I should be able to play against it's weight. That's what I remember about playing old school Pauls. It just seems that if I want that again, I'm not only going to have to be very VERY careful in my selection and be sure I bring my checkbook, because they aint cheap.
 
I have two historics and they play and sound fantastic.. no issues whatsoever, and they weigh just about 9lbs each. I bought them used on TGP and here without playing first but I know what to ask and I know what pics I need to see to make a general assessment. Ive done a lot of reading on the les paul forums and research over the years and Ive never heard of warped bumpy necks etc.. what a bunch of bullshit. The neck has a truss rod adjustment.. even necks with a severe back bow can be adjusted using clamps.. any good guitar tech can do it. Necks just don't back bow just "because" its almost always user error.
 


I got my 2013 Trad Pro II locally for $950. Not common but at that price I had to do it. 50's neck and I love it.
 
Wow, I feel you guys pain. I am pretty lucky in the sense I have never liked any Les Paul shaped guitar from Gibson or anyone. As it turned out, I really don't like any Gibson guitars at all and I've always felt pretty lucky because they priced so high. I'm not knocking the brand or les pauls at all for anyone who loves them. I know I'm in the minority, but Gibson just seems so boring to me.
 
Those are fairly accurate for USA production LP, standards and Traditional +'s...$1300-$1600 for decent used one.

I have 3 LP's, a trad +, 3PU BB7 and an R7 Goldtop that I bought used without ever touching. I still have them ;) I wasn't worried if I got a dud or not as I easily could sell them and probably make a a little profit.

10675703_10203847939574394_3387509942209705556_n.jpg


I don't get people who pay $2300-2800 USA production model when I bought my two Historics RI's in the $2100-2500 range. The R7 had the retail take in the case and someone paid $4499 for in 2009...I paid $2100 shipped ;)
 
-awesome feed back!!!

-and I thought I was the only one that like a real piece wood that sits low with the neck pointing up-(kinda the opposite of my SG's)-with that Les Paul sustain,

-so let me ask you Les Paul guys which model's, new & old, have what I'm looking for, since I was 15, all I have ever owned is Gibson, but if there's another brand that has what I want, I'm willing to go there, I like long tenon necks as well, does Gibson even have a long tenon neck LP?
 
Look for used Custom shops I've never paid more than 2500.00 get a nice set up and they are killer guitars do your research on the les Paul forums as for lower pricing I would just find a Fujigen,Burney,Edwards for under a grand there a whole lot better the the standard line.
 
sg guy":2txdd96g said:
all I have ever owned is Gibson, but if there's another brand that has what I want, I'm willing to go there,

Try a PRS. Once I played one I sold my Gibsons and Fenders and never looked back. Build quality and attention to detail is awesome.
 
BrokenFusion":abi1mdfz said:
sg guy":abi1mdfz said:
all I have ever owned is Gibson, but if there's another brand that has what I want, I'm willing to go there,

Try a PRS. Once I played one I sold my Gibsons and Fenders and never looked back. Build quality and attention to detail is awesome.

Me too, I've owned 4. I have a lower end S2 Singlecut now, but its USA made, just with imported hardware. I changed the pickups to Duncan Custom and a Pearly Gates, and it just plain screams! Killer guitar, and plays beautifully, and I rarely have to tune it!
 
-PRS makes some beautiful guitar's, works of art,.. But for what ever reason, I just don't like the way they feel, I can't put a finger on it, or tell you what exactly I don't like about them,.. I don't know, maybe I just hate birds..
 
Screw Gibson. I build my own from Warmoth. Get a nicer top, stainless steel frets, and whetever pickups and electronic configuration you want... and it will cost you a lot less. For $1200-1400, you could build a damned nice one.
 
Classic's have been going for $1,600 - $2,000 for a number of years now (especially 90's ones)

I too have been looking for a while to find a $1,300 one to grab

The $1,100 - $1,300 classic find is a rarity now a days unless it's a newer post 06' one

Around here mint studio's are around $700 - $800
 
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