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Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:08 am
by wingnutkj
I love me some Reddit drama, and this one involves a Les Paul (a '50s LP Custom, no less):
https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/ ... /?sort=old

Reddit stories can be a nightmare to read, so for anyone here's a spoiler-tastic recap of events:
  • 22 year old guy asks if he's an asshole for buying his dream guitar without telling his fiancée.
  • He bought the guitar after some idle googling, and it's a once-in-a-lifetime deal.
  • Guitar is a pre-60s Les Paul Custom (triple pick-up), black with gold hardware. It costs him just under 10K (more on this later)
  • He couldn't get finance from the guitar store, so he put it on an old credit card with a $10K limit.
  • He didn't tell his fiancée, and when she finds out, she's pissed off.
  • He thinks it's fine to have it on his credit card, because that's what they're for and he can handle the repayments. Also - it's once in a lifetime opportunity and a sweeeet guitar.
  • It turns out he doesn't know what the interest rate is on the card, but the minimum repayment used to be $80, which is fine.
  • It's explained to him that he'll need to repay more than the minimum if he ever wants to pay it off, and the minimum is actually going to be higher due it being a percentage of the outstanding amount.
  • He's not worried, because the if he can't repay, bank can just take the guitar from him and cancel the debt.
  • It's explained to him that that's not how this works.
  • Doesn't matter though, because he's due to get a return on an investment real soon.
  • The investment is a word-of-mouth deal where he invested some money his old band got from a record deal into a legal cannabis dispensary, and he's expecting the return just as soon as the legal issues around banking money from cannabis dispensaries are sorted out.
  • He's also earning $15 an hour working in said dispensary. So yeah, financially, it's going to be FINE
  • Oh, but he's still paying out on a court-mandated settlement for an accident he was involved in (which is why he couldn't get finance from the store)
  • Back to the guitar - after the "you spent HOW MUCH on a guitar!?" comments have died down, a few more discerning redditors start asking "hold on, if this is a rare '50s LP, why's it so CHEAP?".
  • Apparently it's a legit closet classic - owned from new and kept in its case since the 60s. The dealer told him eight other people were interested, which is why it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and he had to act FAST.
  • A few people post links to similar guitars, at the kind of prices you'd expect for '50s LP Customs.
  • The music shop must have made a mistake!
  • He's overjoyed, because his considerably more mint condition, and could be worth, let's see, 150-250K!
  • He gets back in touch with the music shop to see if they can arrange an appraiser, and it turns out they've been trying to get in touch because the guitar is a reproduction/fake that was mislabelled, so he's to return it for a full refund.
  • He phones his fiancée to tell her this, and gets told "we're done".
So yeah, you don't need a Les Paul.

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 6:41 am
by 601210
Holy shit what a ride.

Honestly it probably resolved about as well as it could have -- he gets a chance to examine his decision making skills (which he probably won't take) and he finds out the hard way that he's definitely not ready to marry.

Fiancee gets to find out beforehand that her husband-to-be is a total dumbass and is able to get out while she can.

A music store takes the high road and doesn't screw someone over $10,000 let alone completely ruin his life (would they be liable if it was found out they knew it was counterfeit? I'd guess yes?)

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 7:00 am
by StevenO
Fiancee dodged a bullet there. What a dumbass.

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 9:08 am
by Larry Mal
I mean, that was a sad story.

Really, what I learned from that thread is that my early 90's Studio is probably fine.

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 9:49 am
by Fiddy
After that story, I suddenly think i need a Chinese Les Paul instead... Will somebody talk me out of it?

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 10:39 am
by Maggieo
I suddenly think I need a Tokai Love Rock. Talk me out of it. :freako: :P :ph34r:

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:01 pm
by Maggieo

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 3:19 pm
by DesmondWafers
That story is pretty sad, but it makes me glad that I’m into guitars rather than a hobby that’s really expensive. I’m around the same age as that guy and I know plenty of people who do something similar, but with $40,000 cars. At least the Les Paul would appreciate, if it was real.

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:01 pm
by Larry Mal
Maggieo wrote:
Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:01 pm
God, Reverb totally has my number now.
Sure, that's a good article... I mean, maybe just get a nice Studio and see if you are really committed to the idea? You can get a nice Studio from a good era for $600 if you look.

Thick necks on them, though.

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:10 pm
by Futuron
Of course it was fake. And 22 is too young to be throwing more than you can afford on stuff like that. Wait until your mid-life crisis! :D

Never risk a "once in a lifetime opportunity" unless you can afford to take the loss. (ie fake/faulty & no refund, or investment falls through)


Dude seriously dodged a bullet there


* oh yeah, and don't treat significant others like that either!

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 11:24 pm
by mackerelmint
Yeah, if some guy I was shacked up with blew 10 grand on a Chibson using a credit card he can't afford to use, I'd dump him too.

But not before I installed a fleshlight in said Chibson so it could keep him company in my absence.

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 2:02 am
by Tehz_
Larry Mal wrote:
Thu Mar 07, 2019 9:08 am
I mean, that was a sad story.

Really, what I learned from that thread is that my early 90's Studio is probably fine.
More than fine, I’m sure! Those 90’s Studios are some of my favorite guitars out there, I would take one of those over most LP’s period.

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 10:39 am
by Maggieo
Larry Mal wrote:
Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:01 pm
Maggieo wrote:
Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:01 pm
God, Reverb totally has my number now.
Sure, that's a good article... I mean, maybe just get a nice Studio and see if you are really committed to the idea? You can get a nice Studio from a good era for $600 if you look.

Thick necks on them, though.
If I get one, I'd go with a Tokai or an Orville. The 90's studios are great, but I like the binding and stuff. I mean, go for the whole package, right?

That said, I miss my SG Original I sold back to B, so if I get a humbucker Gibby,it might just be another SG.

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 11:51 am
by Larry Mal
Sure, I could see that... my Les Paul Studio is a good guitar and all, but it's heavy as can be, and wants to drag right off my lap all the time- my belief is that it's not weight relieved at all. Like I say, it's got a very thick neck on it.

That being said, it's a well constructed guitar and the pickups sound great on it. They often get a bad rap, but I think they are wonderful, as good as any of the more classic/vintage type PAF pickups.

That being said, I'm not all that committed to the model, and that one is probably all the Les Paul I'll ever need. I would like a Standard, and a Deluxe, but not enough to really get one I guess.

Re: I Suddenly Think I Need A Les Paul. Talk Me Out Of It.

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 6:48 pm
by BlueSparkle
The last LP I bought was a wine red 2017 studio, and I bought it because it was absolute magic. the feel was better than nearly every LP I've owned, bar one.

But for me the 490/498's weren't my thing and neither was the circuitboard wiring. So I did the emerson prewired PIO conversion and dropped in the BB Pro's that Gibson CS use.

in the best Bill & Ted's impersonation "whoa..... Excellent!"

My SG standard has "classic 61's" in it. Those are golden, perfect period correct traditional SG sounding so lush.
my Ace Frehley budokan LP has Dimarzio PAF's and a SD in the bridge - it's absolutely authentic 70's bang on.
But my LP studio is now the preferred 'player' because I don't feel bad about wear n tear.