NGD - Les Paul Content

[shoule79]

My new to me, well loved, 1996 Les Paul Classic.

For a lot of my time playing, starting with my first Epiphone and MIJ Fender guitars, I went back and forth between Gibson and Fender guitars. In 01 or 02 I bought a really nice 81 LP Standard, which blew the sounds of the stock MIJ Fender pickups away. I figured I was a Gibson guy and mostly played them or similar guitars (Guild FTW) for the next decade. I just looked on Fender as junk and didn’t really play any during that time. My Fender pile was only my Jazzmaster, which in those days before forums and stuff, I figured was always going to be what it was (great player that sounded horrible) and only kept for memories.

During that time life happened, illnesses and kids. I went for a couple years without picking up a guitar. When I picked it up again when my oldest was about 2, I decided to sell off most of the stuff I’d hoarded in my band years. I took in an exceptional AM Standard Tele on a trade to flip, and the sound is always wanted was there. Scoring a really nice AVRI JM a couple months later cemented things, I’d just never tried the right Fender guitar. My #1 LP didn’t get played for a couple years, so when I found my forever acoustic, away it went.

I got the humbucker itch from time to time, but never found the right guitar. A buddy let me try his LP Classic from a similar era a while back, so when this one showed up in a local store I thought I’d demo it while trying out some pedals with my wife.

Oh my god, the 60’s neck on this thing is amazing. It feels slimmer and narrower than anything Gibson makes today, and made the neck on my old LP feel like a baseball bat. The 491/498 pickups were never my favourite, but these really work for me. Not as harsh or bright as they have been in other guitars I’ve had. Again, prefer these to the 81’s Shawbuckers. I did not see that coming.



It’s missing the poker chip and pick guard, so I’m going to source them to bring it back to its original glory. It had a Bigsby at one point, so there are some additional holes by the strap button, and some wear where it was resting against the top. It’s checked and worn all over.

I’m still a single coil guy, but this thing does what it does, and well. Glad to be back in humbucker land.

[marqueemoon]

That's a nice looking LP. Well done.

[Veitchy]

Nice guitar. I actually love a plain top underneath a burst, so this ticks a lot of my boxes.

Enjoy it.

[zhivago]

These are great, a friend of mine has one from the early 2000s and it totally rocks!

[Larry Mal]

Great guitar, the 90's were a good era for Gibson. I didn't even know they were making Classics at that point, though.

[shoule79]

Great guitar, the 90's were a good era for Gibson. I didn't even know they were making Classics at that point, though.

They started making the Classics around 1990. A friend has a 91 or 92, same finish as mine. Playing his got me interested in LP's again, specifically the early Classics. The necks are really thin, which I like. The biggest difference between his and mine is that his says Model on the headstock and mine says Classic. I believe they changed that and, a couple years after mine, the color of the fretboard markers to differentiate the Classics from the 59 reissues they were making at that time.

[Flurko]

. I believe they changed that and, a couple years after mine, the color of the fretboard markers to differentiate the Classics from the 59 reissues they were making at that time.

I was wondering about that, I didn't see yellow markers on your guitar, which are the details I really dislike on classic.
This one looks great ! To me open bobbin pick-ups are right with no pickguard, it's kind of a set look -as is the opposite-.

[Larry Mal]

Great guitar, the 90's were a good era for Gibson. I didn't even know they were making Classics at that point, though.

The necks are really thin, which I like. The biggest difference between his and mine is that his says Model on the headstock and mine says Classic. I believe they changed that and, a couple years after mine, the color of the fretboard markers to differentiate the Classics from the 59 reissues they were making at that time.

Nice. I would probably like that. I have an early 90's Studio, and the neck on that is super thick, which I don't love. It would be more enjoyable if it wasn't also incredibly heavy, which makes the guitar kind of awkward in my lap. It's a great guitar, though.

Is there much weight relief on your Classic? I have always been told that they were weight-relieving the Les Pauls of this era, but I'll be damned if my Studio can have been, and I have no idea if the Classics of that era would have been.

[shoule79]

Is there much weight relief on your Classic? I have always been told that they were weight-relieving the Les Pauls of this era, but I'll be damned if my Studio can have been, and I have no idea if the Classics of that era would have been.

Definitely weight relieved. It weighs about as much as my Marrguar, which I find heavy for a Jag. My Norlin era Standards were 10+ pounds. Much lighter than that and all the modern LP’s in the store. I’m not doing a 10 pound guitar anymore.

90’s Studios are no joke. One of the best Gibsons I’ve ever played was an early 90’s Studio. The neck profile always made them a bit of a non starter for me though.

The only thing I miss on this one vs my old LP’s was the volute.

[Larry Mal]

I love the volute and have no idea why they ever quit using it.

Well, I know why, but I guess I should say I have no idea why the market couldn't embrace that.

And yeah, my Studio is a fine guitar, it sounds great, but it's never been a big favorite of mine to actually play. I keep it around for when I want that kind of thing, which is rarely.

Congratulations on a great guitar. I had been deciding whether or not to get a Les Paul I liked more, and I ended up with an ES-335, so I will probably hang tight there.

Any mods planned?

[shoule79]

I may try some PAF style pickups to get something that isn’t so hot in there. These sound good but drive the lower watt amps I usually use a bit hard. Last time I had a 491/498 combo it was in an Explorer, but I had higher wattage amps at the time so it wasn’t as noticeable. It’s fine with my bigger amps that have more headroom though. If I do that I’ll likely put in 500k pots (if not already there) and do 50’s wiring.

I’m going back and forth on putting on a selector ring and pick guard. It looks a little Guns N Roses for my taste right now, but at the same time I do kinda dig it. I may do a Bigsby at some point because I always reach for a bar after playing my Jag and JM so much.

[Larry Mal]

See, I came to realize that I really like those pickups. Not for everything, and not all the time, but what they do they do well.

But I hear you, I always did want some nice low wind PAF type pickups, but I could never bring myself to put them in my Studio. Firstly, I don't really like the Studio enough to justify putting in expensive pickups. I still wouldn't play it all that much.

A lot of great choices out there. I have been spending a lot of time with Gibson's Memphis Historic Spec and Memphis Historic Spec 2 pickups. They are both wonderful, and I would put them up against Lollar or all the rest.

[shoule79]

I’ll have to check those out. Classic 57’s were already on my shortlist.

There’s a local pickup builder in my city that is obsessed with PAF’s, and I was thinking of trying him out. He’s done some work for me on guitars in the past, and frankly did the best setup on a Jazzmaster I’ve ever had. He stopped doing other guitar work to focus on pickups.

[budda12ax7]

Nice