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considering buying my first Gibson Les paul - help !


BenDJ89

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Hey,

 

I'm a 27 year old guitarplayer from Belgium/Europe considering buying his first LP, it's a used (!) 1996 les paul studio. Asking price: 650 euros/700 dollars approx.. Everything about it is Original. I just have a few concerns:

 

the current owner was honest about a crack in the neck, that was fixed professionally years ago, but still..is it something i should take in account?

 

i have rather small hands, i've been playing for 10 years now, and i play mostly Fender and PRS. Before you say anything, the PRS i got (S2 Mira), has a certain neck profile that is very similar to Fender. It looks chunky, but it's not. I have girly hands lol, i'm ashamed of it, but that's life. But i've Always dreamt of a les paul. A standard is too much for me, since i only gig a few times a year, a studio is more than fine for me. But can i play that chunky, baseball batt like 50's neck it seems to have? i know, "get used to it", but still, small hands and big instrument dont seem logical to me.

 

Is it worth the buy: for the price, the year (apparently it was a good year), and would it be a good and "different" addition to my current collection: a fender standard strat with YJM fury pickups and a PRS S2 Mira. I dont get to play a lot of Gibsons in my part of the country....small town.

 

And finally, any advice, encouraging words, comments would be most welcome ! I actually considered buying the lp studio 2015 last year, it was that or my prs s2 mira; And dont get me wrong, i absolutely love my PRS, and i just could not bond with the sound and overall quality and feel of the 2015 model. It just didnt feel like a guitar to me, weird to say i know...But i cannot shake this feeling of: a les paul...yeah !

 

Thank you

 

ps: keep in mind, that American instruments are taxed heavier since 2016, i know it shouldnt matter for used guitars, but all the sellers over here follow the trend. Unfortunately...

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Hello and welcome to this nice place in the web. [thumbup]

 

A properly repaired crack in the neck usually devalues an instrument about 40...50 % compared to the estimated price of one of otherwise same condition without any previous damage. This makes the asked price seem quite steep to me. I would stay away from it.

 

Compare to this one which is by far not a bargain but flawless. It has a faded finish and comes with a gigbag only, but it's a 2014: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Gibson-Les-Paul-Studio-tobacco-burst-mit-Gigbag-2014-top-Zustand-/252462303562

 

Here's the same model brand-new - look at the price: http://www.thomann.de/be/gibson_lp_studio_faded_2016_t_sfb.htm

 

They all have that relatively fat late 50's rounded neck, but I love the only Les Paul of mine featuring that, too...

 

The glossy Studio models come with slim neck, coil split option and hardcase. NOTE: This one costs about what the used 1996 in question would have to be worth with an immaculate neck to justify the currently asked price! [scared]

 

http://www.thomann.de/be/gibson_lp_studio_2016_t_vsb_ch.htm

 

Just my two cents...

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pictures of the repair would help us a bit, But Caps right, a neck break/repair does tend to knock a lot of resale off.

 

So a visual helps here, (Ex: if it looks like a Do It Yourself home repair verses one that was done by a pro) but it still does impact resale regardless.

 

I'd find another studio with out the neck issue for the same money, that's the way to go instead of getting into a process of negotiating with the seller.

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Hi Ben,

Welcome to the forum. I think the guitar your looking at is overpriced, as Capmaster say's you can get a new one, undamaged from Thomann or some stores in the U.K who I would imagine will be more than happy to export to Belgium:

 

http://www.reidys.com/index.pl?SubDepartment=GUITARS&Keywords=Gibson+2016&submit=Search&MinimumCost=&MaximumCost=&InStock=1

 

https://new.andertons.co.uk/c/1/electric-guitars?p=1&q=1&v=0&me=_Brand&f=Brand:Gibson&x=Brand

 

I'm sure you will be able to get a better deal, you just need to decide what you want, pickup's-P90's or Humbuckers finish etc. Any questions, don't hesitate to ask, there are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here who will be more than happy to help.

 

Regards,

Ian

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Way too much to pay for a guitar with a broken neck that may be too fat for you to play.

 

Keep on looking my friend.

 

As an aside, I don't have very large hands and I find the 50's neck more comfortable than the slimmer necks. Everyone has their preference. Try out some different neck sizes and see what you think.

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Hi and welcome to the forum, Ben.

 

I'm just going to reinforce what everyone else has already said; 650 Euros for a Studio with a headstock repair is way too much money.

If you buy it then you will inherit the 'problem' if for any reason you ever decide to sell it on - and if that came to pass then you would find that there are very few people who will pay good money for a Gibson with a broken/repaired headstock.

 

Philip.

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...

 

ps: i'm not a big fan of the faded series. Just dont like the finish lol. I like my guitars shiny, all of us Europeans do lol.

[biggrin] Yep - I basically do that, too, but six of my Gibsons have Worn or Satin or Vintage Gloss finishes. One has been such a bargain that I couldn't resist although I either don't like Ebony finishes, the one from my avatar just had to be despite of her solid finish, and the other, translucent respectively transparent ones have been available this way only... [rolleyes]

 

Furthermore I have satin necks on one Ibanez - already since 1987 - and seven of my Fender guitars.

 

No trouble at all with any of them. Just a change of preset in my mind does the trick. ;)

 

 

...

 

As an aside, I don't have very large hands and I find the 50's neck more comfortable than the slimmer necks. Everyone has their preference. Try out some different neck sizes and see what you think.

I second that suggestion. [thumbup] To my feel fatter necks make chording more relaxed and not a big difference while soloing. Perhaps this is also a mindset thing.

 

Finally, I think setups are much more critical, and I swear I'm a pedantic scrutinizer about them... B)

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To my feel fatter necks make chording more relaxed and not a big difference while soloing. Perhaps this is also a mindset thing.

 

 

 

Yep, I play mostly rhythm guitar so all the chords I play became much easier after I bought my Les Paul. Prior to that I had been using an Epi SG with slim neck.

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Id say if you don't like fat necks then don't get it.. Especially those early studios.. and as mentioned you can get some great deals where theres no neck issue at all.

 

You want to look for a LP with a slim 60s neck..

 

This would be the 60s tribute studio for example

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-60s-Tribute.aspx

 

I tell you why I say that.. My first LP was a studio from about 1992.. And it was ok, but it did always feel a bit chunky to me.. When the day came for me to buy a Standard I went to the shop assuming that it would feel better to me, it did not, both obviously had 50s necks.. At that time I had no idea they did different neck shapes.. So I told the shop owner and he came out with a LP Classic which has the slim 60s neck.. A total revelation for me.. And ive never looked back.. All my gibbies have 60s necks...

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By the way, I don't want to shock you, but I own one of these great Epiphones, too, besides five Gibson LPs each costing four to eight times the price this one came for then. Glossy polyester finish, slim D shape neck, Gibson USA pickups, and lots more.

 

I do fully confirm what the first sentence of the model introduction - the last link below - states about this top-notch Epiphone guitar: "The Les Paul Tribute Plus is far and away the best Les Paul for the money you can find anywhere in the world."

 

http://www.thomann.de/be/epiphone_les_paul_tribute_plus_fc.htm

 

http://www.epiphone.com/Products/Les-Paul/Les-Paul-Tribute-Plus-Outfit.aspx

 

http://www.epiphone.com/News/Features/2013/The-Epiphone-Les-Paul-Tribute-Plus-UG.aspx

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You want to look for a LP with a slim 60s neck..

 

This would be the 60s tribute studio for example

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-60s-Tribute.aspx

I don't get why they put P90s in there exclusively. I think they should make some low-budget satin LPs with 60's neck and humbuckers, too. :-k

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OOOoooooooohhhhh!!!!!!!!

 

Just saw this mentioned in Cap's link...

 

https://new.anderton...outfit-in-ebony

 

That's NICE!

 

Pip.

 

EDIT : Although the copywriter has been rather, erm, 'inventive' shall we say?

 

"P-90 pickups ...... were Les’ favorite style of pickup for his personal Les Pauls...."

 

No they weren't. Not even remotely his favourite.

 

That's an odd claim to make considering how well-known his personal preference was?.................:-k

From the '70s onwards he almost always played LPs with Low-Impedance p'ups - and these were often made by Les himself.

Even a quick scan through the hundreds of guitars auctioned-off after his death shows that very, very few of the guitars he kept were equipped with P-90s.

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thanks for posting the photo, but it doesn't really help much with the repair, from the one shot of the back of the neck, it looks like it was probably done properly, but very hard to know for sure.

 

Besides, the asking price is still too high IMO. There are many more where this came from.... keep lookin..

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Agreed. I think he'd love the 60s profile.

The thing is its not like I haven't tried again..

 

Like when I bought the Gary Moore BFG.. I LOVED everything about that guitar apart from the neck.. I tried for a year to get used to it and never could so it got sold.. Sad really cos I really did love everything else about it. A totally unique LP

 

DSC01168_zpsjosdwsuq.jpg

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OOOoooooooohhhhh!!!!!!!!

 

Just saw this mentioned in Cap's link...

 

https://new.anderton...outfit-in-ebony

 

That's NICE!

 

Pip.

 

EDIT : Although the copywriter has been rather, erm, 'inventive' shall we say?

 

"P-90 pickups ...... were Les’ favorite style of pickup for his personal Les Pauls...."

 

No they weren't. Not even remotely his favourite.

 

That's an odd claim to make considering how well-known his personal preference was?.................:-k

From the '70s onwards he almost always played LPs with Low-Impedance p'ups - and these were often made by Les himself.

Even a quick scan through the hundreds of guitars auctioned-off after his death shows that very, very few of the guitars he kept were equipped with P-90s.

 

I know man. It's always been my last defense when other guitar players make fun of me because I don't get along with P90's, "...yeah well, Les himself hated 'em...". Usually met with WUUHHHHAAAATTT? And dismissal.

 

rct

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Ohh yes and I forgot to mention..

 

DONT go for a 2015 what ever you do.. They have the widest necks known to man :)

 

(well not quite, but they are wide, like 7 string wide).

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Hmmm... did you perhaps mean Ian's link? :-k

Actually no, Cap, although to be completely fair to Ian I suppose it will be in there somewhere as well.

 

I just happened to see the Epi in the offer at the right edge of the 'page' level with the bridge of the LP in the last link in your post #11.

 

But perhaps I'm to be faulted for going off-topic....

 

Pip.

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Actually looking at them. The latest Studio T has a slim neck

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-Studio.aspx

Sure, and I put a Thomann link of the lowest priced of these into my post #2. She also includes coil split options.

 

However, they all are in a different price range as I implied there, too. This means there's currently no low-budget 60's neck model with humbuckers available. Adding some could be a good idea, in senses of players and business as well.

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Hello,

 

Thank you all for your help. Indeed, i decided not to go for this les paul. Mostly cuz idd becuz of the crack of the neck and the fact that maybe the slimmer neck profiles are more my thing.

Question though: where online can i find specs for 90's studios?

 

in terms of the price, there are more les pauls online in my country used, but like i said, every single one of them asks like 700 bucks. I wonder why that it is though...

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Ben,

Wise decision not to buy the guitar with the neck repair, you'd never be able to sell it.

 

There are a number of book that may give you the information your looking for (I'm sure Pippy will be able to suggest a few), but I still think for the kind of money your talking about you would be better off buying a new Les Paul. Also I think the quality of Gibson's products is (arguably) better than it's ever been. There are plenty of on line retailers who would ship a guitar to you the draw back is that you won't be able to play it first, but if you go with a 60's neck you won't go far wrong.

Regarding the satin finished guitars, I know that some people use polish to create a gloss finish on their guitars, but I've no experience of this myself, maybe someone else can help with that.

 

Good luck and enjoy the hunt, you'll find one that you like eventually, just take your time.

 

 

Ian

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