Why don't YOU like Les Pauls?

i really like Gibson Les Pauls. i stumbled across one quite by accident (borrowed a room-mate's LP studio one night as a gig back-up and had to play it when my strat popped a string mid-set), and my mind was blown from the first note. up to that point, i thought they were guitars for cromags (a bit overly-opinionated back then i guess, but i digress...).

my #1 for a long time was a '79 LP Custom. it's been around the US and to Europe twice. i've recorded albums with it, and played numerous shows with it. i took it out of regular rotation once the prices got crazy (didn't want it to get stolen). it is still with me and comes out to play from time to time. it has a beautiful clean sound, and does aggressive rock very well. here's a pic:
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i've had a few over the years. i don't regret selling any that i did, but none of the sales was a reflection on the quality of each individual instrument - they all played and sounded wonderful. Some of you know about a particular Les Paul I have that has quite a story - the "blacktop". i won't belabor the topic here, but i will share a few more pics :) :

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Stylish axe, that black one. Do you notice any difference in sound with the maple neck as opposed to rosewood?

thank you, YB! both guitars pictured have maple necks. i think the tone is slightly brighter with the maple neck than LPs with the more traditional mahogany ones, but i'm not sure i'd pass a blind listening test if someone were to aggressively challenge me to one. the black one has no real finish on the back of the neck (a very light oil coat just to seal the wood), so it has a wonderful raw feel to it. now that is a noticeable difference.
 
thank you, YB! both guitars pictured have maple necks. i think the tone is slightly brighter with the maple neck than LPs with the more traditional mahogany ones, but i'm not sure i'd pass a blind listening test if someone were to aggressively challenge me to one. the black one has no real finish on the back of the neck (a very light oil coat just to seal the wood), so it has a wonderful raw feel to it. now that is a noticeable difference.
Ah, kinda like Zakk Wylde's LP, then? I seem to recall his having a raw maple neck, which makes me think of various Music Man guitars I've played.
 
Ah, kinda like Zakk Wylde's LP, then? I seem to recall his having a raw maple neck, which makes me think of various Music Man guitars I've played.

exactly. Gibson made LPs with maple necks during a certain production period. Zakk presumably really got on good with one of those and then modeled his signature LP along the lines of that feature. he stripped the finish for a smoother, faster feel. that's what this is going for as well. it's a great feel and is easy to glide along (though i admittedly don't have a problem playing LPs with finished necks either).

i was actually looking to mirror the feel of my Tyler Studio Elite, which has a really amazing unfinished maple neck. it's heaven to play on.
 
For me.. too damn heavy and I have never liked their necks. A buddy has a 72 goldtop he bought while serving in Nam, and it sounds great, but I just can't play it right. I have two 50's archtops and a 70's 320TDN that I scoot around on quite nicely , but the LP's neck was nothing like any of them. Thick and slow to me.
 
The last one I had, the Signature T, was an awesome guitar. Having said that, I missed the Fender sounds too much so I got rid of it.

Bet the farm that I'll get another down the road.
 
They feel bulky and awkward to me, like playing a club. I remember the first time I saw one in person, and thought to myself "wow, that's a lot smaller than they look like in the pictures of rock stars playing them".
 
I was never interested. My neighbor has lent me his Standard because of back problems, he can't play it so he wants me to enjoy it. I really really like it. But I am afraid of bonding too much and rue the day I have to give it back.
 
Funny thing about Les Pauls with me.

I love them. I love their sound. I love the versatility.

What I really hate is standing up with them and playing them live. They just do not sit right for me when I am using a strap. I just hate playing them while I am standing up and they are just plain uncomfortable for me.
 
I feel like some of you haven't quite grasped the core concept of this thread.:thu:

Some sweet Pauls you folks have there. Mr. McFeely, yours is particularly nice. It almost looks in that live shot that is has to subtlest of figuring (really broad), but it could just be a trick of the light. Either the plain(ish) top and light burst are just killer.

But in keeping with the aforementioned core concept, I don't like...ummm...well...














































...gimmee a sec...



























...AH HA! I don't like that it's not mine!
 
Totally! And again...

Seriously though, there's some amazing stuff on Black Market Hearts that I can hear, but just can't imagine playing. What's more, it's not something relatively useless like light speed arpeggios, but wickedly musical stuff...reminiscent of the the Hellecasters in a blues context.
Where do I send the check :embarrassed:


Seriously though, thanks :)
 
Where do I send the check :embarrassed:


Seriously though, thanks :)

Seriously, you're welcome. I love a ton of music and tons of players. My praise isn't noteworthy other than in those vast oceans of music that I'm just trying to keep afloat in, when something grabs my ear in a positive way it seemingly has to be special...at least to me. And not little bus special...and that's just mean of me to say in this era of good intentioned political correctness.
 
Seriously, you're welcome. I love a ton of music and tons of players. My praise isn't noteworthy other than in those vast oceans of music that I'm just trying to keep afloat in, when something grabs my ear in a positive way it seemingly has to be special...at least to me. And not little bus special...and that's just mean of me to say in this era of good intentioned political correctness.
Its nice to be appreciated though. I really haven't been able to get the word out or market the album like I wanted to as this winter/spring has been one clusterfuck after another so hearing ANYTHING about the album makes me happy.
 
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