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2005 Gibson Les Paul R7 Goldtop or Ebony Les Paul Custom


ReaL Madras

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Personal preference would be the biggest key factor...

 

I like the popular Custom pickup configuration of the 490R/498T...

 

An R7 is gonna be a handful of a neck profile, but if you like that they are awesome!

 

I love Custom headstocks and ebony fretboards, if it's still of a vintage where it has one...

 

Choose what you like best and what fills you with passion to play it!

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I'm thinking of buying one or the other off a guy and I am curious as to people's pros and cons and views as to which is the better guitar?...

Would anyone be able to give an estimate on their values?...

I sincerely hope this is some sort of joke?...

Because believe it or not you are approaching this situation from the absolute polar opposite from the 'Right' direction.

 

Apart from mild curiosity concerning the two different models why on Earth should the viewpoints of anyone else have any bearing on the matter?

You are wanting to buy a guitar for You. Not for me. Not for my next door neighbour. Not for PeterEricBBStevieJimiJimmyDjangoAndresJoeChetMarkDavidetcetcetc...

 

If you have the funds available to purchase either instrument then simply play them both. For as long as you feel is decent.

Then buy the one you prefer.

Believe me; it really isn't any more complex than that.

 

If you want the best guitar for you.

 

P.

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I sincerely hope this is some sort of joke?...

Because believe it or not you are approaching this situation from the absolute polar opposite from the 'Right' direction.

 

Apart from mild curiosity concerning the two different models why on Earth should the viewpoints of anyone else have any bearing on the matter?

You are wanting to buy a guitar for You. Not for me. Not for my next door neighbour. Not for PeterEricBBStevieJimiJimmyDjangoAndresJoeChetMarkDavidetcetcetc...

 

If you have the funds available to purchase either instrument then simply play them both. For as long as you feel is decent.

Then buy the one you prefer.

Believe me; it really isn't any more complex than that.

 

If you want the best guitar for you.

 

P.

 

Thanks for your assistance and objective views on the guitars mentioned, it was gratefully received........Good god.....

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Thanks for your assistance........

I offered you the best advice you are likely to receive in this thread.

Whether or not you wish to act on it is entirely up to you.

 

Limes excel at fcuking people off while still managing to get a Christmas card from them every year...

'Tact' and 'Diplomacy' are our watchwords.

 

P.

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Hope this helped you a little...oh, one more thing: rct is a bit hard to decipher, but he is a great man. The other P guy is full of himself and usually writes empty paragraphs.

 

Lighten up, Francis. It's the internet. Everyones character adds something. There are many times my character adds nothing but useless banter and distraction. Pippy, on the other hand, is a far more straight up contributor and is chock full of all sorts of useful information about Les Pauls in particular. He is, however, a friggin cheapskate, so don't make any bets with him.

 

rct

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Almost all recent USA LP Customs have a maple cap.

And I'd far rather be transparent than opaque. I've nothing to hide.

 

I'm also sufficiently arrogant to claim that my words concerning playing the guitars for as long as is decent is still the most useful piece of advice in this thread by a very, very long way.

If the opportunity presents itself to be able to A/B two guitars under consideration nothing - nothing at all - comes even close to being as useful.

Reading all the specs in the world and reading the impressions of virtual folks whose style, preferences, body-build etc. are unknown is practically useless in comparison.

 

P.

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[scared]

 

You mean to say that when I was called a 'Mean Guitarist'........

 

[crying]

 

P.

 

Well hey, at least when you visit Scotland Ireland London Wales you aren't considered cheap!

 

rct

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You can have three of the exact same LP and they all can sound a little different. Only you can decide what you want and I wouldn't let anyone steer you from the one you want. Players can recommend guitars but that's what they would buy. Everyone is different. I'm a fan of LP Traditionals but that's me. Other LP's I like too and some I don't care for. I was in a guitar club once where most of the guys could name capacitors, tone pots etc.. I know none of that and I have played over the course of 30 years, I just play but I play guitars that I like and that I choose. Try out some guitars and when you find the right one you will know it, it will feel right. [thumbup]

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Well hey, at least when you visit Scotland Ireland London Wales you aren't considered cheap!...

[laugh]

 

That's what I would have thought, too! But NOooooo!........

 

Hey, Chris! Long Time...nice to see you around!

Any new fillies in the stable?

 

Good advice!

 

[thumbup]

 

P.

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Thanks to those that got the gist of what I was asking, as for the arrogant and rather patronizing tone of the other, well I couldn't give a toss what he thinks of my enquiry. I own about 25 electrics including 5 Gibsons and I know that they differ. I also know when they feel right for me but I was asking for players views, it is a guitar site after all......no wonder this place is as dead as a do do with posters like this guy.

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You can have three of the exact same LP and they all can sound a little different. Only you can decide what you want and I wouldn't let anyone steer you from the one you want. Players can recommend guitars but that's what they would buy. Everyone is different. I'm a fan of LP Traditionals but that's me. Other LP's I like too and some I don't care for. I was in a guitar club once where most of the guys could name capacitors, tone pots etc.. I know none of that and I have played over the course of 30 years, I just play but I play guitars that I like and that I choose. Try out some guitars and when you find the right one you will know it, it will feel right. [thumbup]

 

 

I bought my son a traditional for Christmas....it is a beautiful guitar.

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Almost all recent USA LP Customs have a maple cap.

And I'd far rather be transparent than opaque. I've nothing to hide.

 

I'm also sufficiently arrogant to claim that my words concerning playing the guitars for as long as is decent is still the most useful piece of advice in this thread by a very, very long way.

If the opportunity presents itself to be able to A/B two guitars under consideration nothing - nothing at all - comes even close to being as useful.

Reading all the specs in the world and reading the impressions of virtual folks whose style, preferences, body-build etc. are unknown is practically useless in comparison.

 

P.

 

You may well be arrogant but you should learn to read, I wasn't asking your advice on how to buy a guitar I was asking for people's opinions of the guitar......you're self absorbed man.

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You know what? You're absolutely right. I was in a grumpy mood. I offer my apologies.

OK, I'll be more helpful and constructive this time.

 

Body;

Although the R7 and the LPC will feel generally the same in the hand there are a few noticeable differences.

As a rule of thumb the R7 will have a very chunky '50s neck profile. They also tend to have a lot of 'shoulder' meaning these necks feel very 'full' in the hand.

Customs have slightly slimmer necks and less shoulder. Many people, and especially those with smaller hands, find these more comfortable if the guitar is played for a long period.

The metal-bodied tuners on the Custom can, occasionally, make these instruments feel more 'neck-heavy' than the plastic-tipped 'Kluson'-style units used on the R-I's.

Bodily they are of similar construction in that they both have a mahogany slab with a 1/2" carved maple top-cap.

The main body of the R7 is left solid whereas the LPC will be 'Traditionally Weight Relieved' with the 'Swiss-Cheese' holes.

Psychologically some people prefer the former although, in practice (and arguably), it has been shown to make no discernible difference to the final tone.

The R7 will have a solid rosewood 'board. Depending on when the Custom was made it could have either an ebony 'board or one made from 'Richlite', a man-made phenolic-resin.

The characteristics of rosewood are well known. It has a fairly 'warm' tone and can be slightly 'open-grain' to the touch.

Ebony is 'cooler' sounding and is much more close-grained giving it a smoother feel to the fingertips. As it is also a very dense wood it will wear down slower than rosewood.

'Richlite' is an odd one. Many people abhor the idea of such a product being used as a 'board material - especially on an expensive LP such as the Custom.

Those who have tried it, however, tend to find that it is almost indistinguishable from ebony in both looks and feel.

Whether it modifies the final tone is an argument which rages all the time.

One oft-overlooked aspect is the rear edges of the bodies.

The LPC has a bound back. This means that the angle between back surface and edge is rather pronounced.

The R7, OTOH, has a gently radiused 'edge' which can make these instruments more comfortable to play whilst seated.

 

Pickups;

The 2005 G-T will come with some variant of Burstbuckers. The Custom will have the 490R in the neck and the 498T at the bridge.

The BBs, generally speaking, offer more of a 'vintage' tone whereas the 490/498 combo has a more '70s/80s vibe. The 498 in particular has more of a mid-range focus than the BBs.

Output-wise each p'up in the Custom will be hotter than their respective counterpart in the R7.

A lot will depend on which BBs are in the R7 - whether BB1, BB2 or BB3.

Gibson give the following outputs as an average; BB1 - 6.5; BB2 - 7.4; BB3 - 8.4.

In comparison the 490R / 498T outputs are 7.4 and 9.0 respectively.

There is a chance that the LPC might be a 3-p'up model. If this is the case then check to make sure you can cope with the presence of the middle p'up; some players find that it gets in the way of their picking style.

 

Wiring;

This time it depends on the exact specs of the LPC under consideration.

The R7 will have 500k audio taper pots all-round and a pair of (modern) 'Bumblebee' caps. It will also be wired up '50s-style.

The LPC may have 500k; 300k; audio taper; linear taper; ceramic caps etc...etc... It will most likely be wired up 'modern'-style.

Both of these circuits work in different ways and players tend to fall into one or other camp depending on their playing style. Here it can only be decided by your own preference.

In general the '50s wiring means that not much happens with the vol knobs until (approx) 8 - 10 when it goes from gentle clarity to full-on crunch.

At this same part of the vol pot the tone is also changed to a marked degree which some people find counter-intuitive.

The LPC, by contrast, has a more 'logical' progression on all counts.

 

Hardware;

The tuners have already been mentioned but here is just a little bit more about them;

Many people find Grover machines to offer more tuning stability over the Kluson (or Gibson) Deluxe pegs used on the R7.

The R7 will have the early style ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic whilst the LPC will have the later 'Nashville' type.

Depending on what you are used to and your right-hand technique the ABR-1 might feel a bit narrow under-hand as the body of the bridge is slimmer than the 'Nashville'.

The bridge saddles on the LPC might also feel like they are less pronounced - have a lower relief - than the earlier design.

Comfort, again, might be the issue, with the later type being easier on the edge of the hand.

There is much debate about tonal transfer / string break angle / bridge rattles and so forth concerning both designs. These discussions fill pages and pages of this forum and I won't go into the fine detail here.

 

Other than that they are pretty much identical.

Be advised that the 'personality' of each R7 will alter far more from one instrument to the next than do LPCs.

 

P.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Fine choice.

We look forward to the road-test report once you have acquainted yourselves with one another.

 

And are those straplocks I see fitted? Excellent.

 

Pick Long and Prosper!

 

P.

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