I want a Les Paul

[duesentrieb]

Hi Bob,

if you want to look for a ObG GT (like a Gibson Historic, long tenon, nitro, fret end binding, . . . price would be in the 2k$ area), let me know.
Also the manufacturer (FujiGen) of ObGs still makes very fine LPs under its own brand: FGN (at least in Europe, not sure about the US).

 

[Bob Savage]

Hi Bob,

if you want to look for a ObG GT (like a Gibson Historic, long tenon, nitro, fret end binding, . . . price would be in the 2k$ area), let me know.
Also the manufacturer (FujiGen) of ObGs still makes very fine LPs under its own brand: FGN (at least in Europe, not sure about the US).

Ugh... see, now you're trying to make me spend more!!! You're talking used, correct?

And what is ObG GT? What's it mean and how do I know how to find that?

 

[Gainzilla]

Im not going to call you crazy Bob but I will look at you a little funny if you trade the Vigier for anything... Thats a great friggin guitar and I loved playing it..

Im a lot like you in the fact that Ive been a Superstrat whammy playing guy since day one. I too went through a phase where I had a serious LP jones. I just had to have a Les Paul and what I found out was that as much as I had fun playing the guitar, I never failed to go back to the Superstrats. Sure, I rave about my Floyd Paul but truth be told, That guitar looks like an LP, sounds like an LP but is really little more than an LP shaped neck thru super strat LOL!!! Its got a Fender Scale , a San Dimas Charvel neck profile and a seriously shaped neck heel. Other than the shape, I took away all of the parts of an LP that I couldnt stand which by the way, are some of the very things that define an LP LOL....

If you absolutely have to have an LP then by all means, take the plunge but please dont trade the Vigier for it...

Kage

 

[Bob Savage]

Im not going to call you crazy Bob but I will look at you a little funny if you trade the Vigier for anything... Thats a great friggin guitar and I loved playing it..

Im a lot like you in the fact that Ive been a Superstrat whammy playing guy since day one. I too went through a phase where I had a serious LP jones. I just had to have a Les Paul and what I found out was that as much as I had fun playing the guitar, I never failed to go back to the Superstrats. Sure, I rave about my Floyd Paul but truth be told, That guitar looks like an LP, sounds like an LP but is really little more than an LP shaped neck thru super strat LOL!!! Its got a Fender Scale , a San Dimas Charvel neck profile and a seriously shaped neck heel. Other than the shape, I took away all of the parts of an LP that I couldnt stand which by the way, are some of the very things that define an LP LOL....

If you absolutely have to have an LP then by all means, take the plunge but please dont trade the Vigier for it...

Kage

Hey Kage!

Coincidentally, I decided yesterday that I'm going to hold off on selling the Vigier, and if I sell a super strat it may end up being the Charvel So Cal. Plus, the Vigier is heavily modified, has been dropped (although it was structurally unaffected), and Vigiers already have a substantial depreciation anyway so it's probably just best to keep it.

I've got a number of items for sale (Axe-Fx, my Argosy recording console/desk and other misc items) so I may be able to do the LP without selling a guitar, but I'm also wanting a couple other guitars... not sure which though. Thinking a Tele (yes, the ugliest guitar made), maybe a real strat (not sure on this one), an SG and I'm also thinking about either a star body or an Explorer. At the moment though I'm focusing only on the LP.

 

[Gainzilla]

Hey Kage!

Coincidentally, I decided yesterday that I'm going to hold off on selling the Vigier, and if I sell a super strat it may end up being the Charvel So Cal. Plus, the Vigier is heavily modified, has been dropped (although it was structurally unaffected), and Vigiers already have a substantial depreciation anyway so it's probably just best to keep it.

Very cool to hear Bob, regardless of depreciation, mods, bumps and bruises, that Vigier Rocks and Im happy that you decided to keep her..

I've got a number of items for sale (Axe-Fx, my Argosy recording console/desk and other misc items) so I may be able to do the LP without selling a guitar, but I'm also wanting a couple other guitars... not sure which though. Thinking a Tele (yes, the ugliest guitar made), maybe a real strat (not sure on this one), an SG and I'm also thinking about either a star body or an Explorer. At the moment though I'm focusing only on the LP.

As far as strats, The American special is an AWESOME guitar at a great price. The only sticking point is the pickups IMHO but theyre easy enough to change. I dig Teles as well but again, I need to mess with the pickups to be happy..

I love Explorers , V's and LP's but the Gibson scale is something that I could never get used to or be happy with. Time will tell if it works for you on whatever platform you decide to go with...

Kage

 

[duesentrieb]

Hi Bob,

if you want to look for a ObG GT (like a Gibson Historic, long tenon, nitro, fret end binding, . . . price would be in the 2k$ area), let me know.
Also the manufacturer (FujiGen) of ObGs still makes very fine LPs under its own brand: FGN (at least in Europe, not sure about the US).

Ugh... see, now you're trying to make me spend more!!! You're talking used, correct?

And what is ObG GT? What's it mean and how do I know how to find that?

Orville by Gibson, Bob. GT = GoldTop.

http://www.japanguitars.co.uk/Page%201%20history.html

FGN doesn't seem to be available in the US . . .

 

[Schaf]

Bob,
Go out and play a bunch of Les Paul's before you sell anything to get a Les Paul. Know what I mean?

Absolutely know what you mean. If the LP doesn't do it for me I'll be buying something else though so I'm still selling off some gear.

Man, I played a couple of the tradional pros right off the rack not to long ago. I was very impressed with the tone and playability. This is coming from a guy that has a custom shop standard. And, I'm a guy who has always had to make some adjustments to suit me. They come in both 50's and 60's necks And, I've seen them on sale brand new for 1699.00 lately. So, you can get a pretty good deal on them used through guitar center.

 

[Bob Savage]

Man, I played a couple of the tradional pros right off the rack not to long ago. I was very impressed with the tone and playability. This is coming from a guy that has a custom shop standard. And, I'm a guy who has always had to make some adjustments to suit me. They come in both 50's and 60's necks And, I've seen them on sale brand new for 1699.00 lately. So, you can get a pretty good deal on them used through guitar center.

Yeah, I saw a couple gold tops for around that when I was at GC, but they had the 50's necks. Should definitely be able to get a good deal on a used one... on the other hand, I kind of like the newer version of weigh relief (see my post from last night) and am wondering if I shouldn't just buck up and play a bunch of new ones and pick the best of the bunch. Chances are I'll end up in LA to do my shopping if I go that route. The GC near me blows.

 

[bigdaddyd]

So not surprising to hear that GC had a bunch of guitars that were setup like shit. It was what was expected. I have a really hard time even stepping foot into the one here in the city. Once you find a good one, they are hard to put down. My Les Paul is my favorite guitar and it is my most stable guitar. It's action is awesome and it sounds great. Even Kage likes it...lol. That said, if it were hanging on the wall at GC it would probably have a twisted neck and 3" action and be missing a knob and switch tip. Keep looking and good luck.

 

[Bob Savage]

Funny, there was a new gold top hanging that was missing all of its knobs. I also tried a used standard that had far worse action than the $150 daisy guitar a few aisles over. I've not used GC in quite some time (like years) for anything but strings, straps and picks, but I can see why there's so many complaints about them.

 

[ratter]

Somebody mentioned ESP/Edwards...I was thinking the same thing. If you like your Viper, the Edwards will probably have a familiar overall feel to the fit and finish. I liked the one I had a lot.

 

[Bob Savage]

Somebody mentioned ESP/Edwards...I was thinking the same thing. If you like your Viper, the Edwards will probably have a familiar overall feel to the fit and finish. I liked the one I had a lot.

I'm tempted, but am also fairly set on finding a great playing Gibson. Yeah, I know... but it's what I want at least for now.

 

[ratter]

Somebody mentioned ESP/Edwards...I was thinking the same thing. If you like your Viper, the Edwards will probably have a familiar overall feel to the fit and finish. I liked the one I had a lot.

I'm tempted, but am also fairly set on finding a great playing Gibson. Yeah, I know... but it's what I want at least for now.

Nothing wrong with that. Sometimes you want the genuine article...

 

[MichaelG]

I played a LP Special at GC the other day. Selector switch was upside down, switch tip missing, action was terrible. When I told the sales guy, he just laughed and out it back on the wall. With a good setup, however, it would have been a great guitar.

I see that all the time, not to mention the guitars are always out of tune. Workers just walking around. This is not just at GC. I never understood how hard it would be to make sure the guitars were maintained. I mean, wipe them down once in a while and make sure they are in tune. Nothing worse than walking into an empty store with 2 or 3 salespeople sitting there with nothing to do and not one guitar is in tune. No guitar cords around to plug into anything, and no one knows where anything is.

So unless you are pretty knowledgeable/experienced in how to choose a guitar when you are looking at Gibsons in GC then you can pick out a decent one. Because a lot of players are not particularly experienced/knowledgeable its hard to blame them for walking into GC, trying a bunch of LPs (or other Gibson products) and then walk out and start posting on a forum about how they "can't find any good Gibsons" Its a shame because certainly a proper setup can avoid that sort of misunderstanding. GC is doing the brand any favors by the sounds of it either

 

[Bob Savage]

GC is doing the brand any favors by the sounds of it either

That's an understatement. I didn't really go into a GC rant because that's not my purpose in this thread and I think most know enough about GC that it's beating a dead horse, but the first LP I picked up ($1900 tag) wasn't tuned and the strings were flapping in the wind. Once I got it as close to pitch as I could by ear it played like pressing on a barbed wire fence. Every subsequent LP I picked up with the exception of one was nowhere near pitch, and of course were not even tuned to the pitch they were down to. One of the new gold tops hanging in the "nice" section was missing all of its knobs. When Mr. Gibson Certified was putting one LP back back on the wall he also had one in his other hand which he accidentally knocked into another guitar that was on a stand. In the short few minutes I talked to the guy the volume of misinformation was astounding.

Were you aware the difference between a standard and traditional is the standard (maybe he said standard, don't remember) has a Maple top?

 

[bigdaddyd]

GC is doing the brand any favors by the sounds of it either

That's an understatement. I didn't really go into a GC rant because that's not my purpose in this thread and I think most know enough about GC that it's beating a dead horse, but the first LP I picked up ($1900 tag) wasn't tuned and the strings were flapping in the wind. Once I got it as close to pitch as I could by ear it played like pressing on a barbed wire fence. Every subsequent LP I picked up with the exception of one was nowhere near pitch, and of course were not even tuned to the pitch they were down to. One of the new gold tops hanging in the "nice" section was missing all of its knobs. When Mr. Gibson Certified was putting one LP back back on the wall he also had one in his other hand which he accidentally knocked into another guitar that was on a stand. In the short few minutes I talked to the guy the volume of misinformation was astounding.

Were you aware the difference between a standard and traditional (maybe he said standard, don't remember) has a Maple top?

That is silly, but it is just like when I was told that Gibson never made an SG with a jack on the side by an "expert". This is especially funny because I own two of them.

 

[supersonic]

That's what I love about this forum, heaps of acurate and usefull information.

 

[21_guitars]

Lots of good info for sure. LP's can be hit or miss. I went through this a few years ago and ended up buying one of the last Faded CV modified LP's (Peter Green inspired) guitars.

Either try a bunch or buy from a solid member here.

Jeff Beck says LP's are for pussies, buy a stratocaster instead.

Good luck!

 

[MichaelG]

Either try a bunch or buy from a solid member here.

I will only likely buy a LP from a solid member on RT/MLP forums, or from a few select stores (wildwood comes to mind) that I know are only choosing the better LPs to sell as well. Usually these guys have already played a bunch and bought the pick of the litter already and hell, they probably know more about picking a good on than me.

Bob, I know you are set on a Gibson but man the Japanese brands and the odd small builder LPs that you see pop up in the classifieds from time to time are really good guitars. I bought a Lowell LP off of a guy on TGP for $1200 and the thing is just bloody amazing in its workmanship and tone... Without a second thought I'd take it over any of the 10+ LPs I've demoed in the local (not GC!) music stores.

Jeff Beck says LP's are for pussies, buy a stratocaster instead.

Unlike Mr. Beck, I feel like a complete badass with my LP strapped on.... Something about testicles dropping an inch or two like what Nick said earlier perhaps...

 

[Bob Savage]

Bob, I know you are set on a Gibson but man the Japanese brands and the odd small builder LPs that you see pop up in the classifieds from time to time are really good guitars. I bought a Lowell LP off of a guy on TGP for $1200 and the thing is just bloody amazing in its workmanship and tone... Without a second thought I'd take it over any of the 10+ LPs I've demoed in the local (not GC!) music stores.

Just checked Wildwood and they're out of my league on price. I do hear what you're saying about Japanese builders but I'm probably going to just play a bunch of Gibsons and see where it leads me.