Newest of the newbies

[Vince Q]

Hello all. Vince here. At 59 might I qualify for senior status?

 

Just got back into playing guitar after about an 11-year hiatus. Decided that I wanted a Paul, being pretty much a Strat man since I started playing 40+ years ago. I knew I had probably lost my chops but I didn't know how badly until I wrapped my hands around my recently-purchased black '81 Deluxe.

 

My Les Paul history includes a used '72 wine red Custom and a used '68 black Custom, both bought back around 1977: For the wine red Custom I paid $350, and $450 for the blackie. In '79 I decided to buy a brand new LP and went to Guz Zoppi Music Center here in the Detroit area and paid $600 out the door for a brand new black Custom. I ordered it with nickel hardware because the gold hardware looks cheesy when the gold wears off. It had black plastic pick guard and trim parts so I switched them out for cream-colored parts a la a Standard. Great looking guitar.

 

After deciding to get back into guitar playing and knowing I wanted a Les Paul came the question of what model. I went to a Guitar Center and played a new Standard: It sounded awful, totally muffled as if the tone were turned down to zero. I even checked to make sure the tone on the guitar was turned up and it was, and also on the amp I was playing through. That result was repeated with a couple more Standards through a couple more amps; so, I decided to get a Deluxe. Love it. Playing it through my Fender Twin it has exactly the sound I want for playing chorded jazz melodies.

 

I simply can't believe how expensive guitars in general (and LPs in particular) have become! What happened between then and now? Still pretty much two or three pieces of wood and some wire, right?

 

Anyway, looking forward to reading about all of your advice and experiences with LPs to get me back up to speed.

 

V

[4Hayden]

Welcome Vince to the forum , price of wood went sky high

 

 

4H