Twang Gang

I thought one big difference between a Standard and a Traditional was that Traditionals did not have weight relieved bodies.

Playing along with a recording of a song is not the best way to learn. The correct notes/chords are always there in time on the recording so no matter how poorly you play the song is still intact. This could be why you don't feel like you are making much progress. You would be better served to play the songs just by yourself and make them stand on your performance alone. They will not sound the same as the recording, but if you can play it from beginning to end on your own and keep at it you will improve much faster rather than letting the recording sort of bail you out each time you make a mistake. As to metronome or backing track - again I feel you are better off without either. You need to learn to listen to yourself as you play. If it sounds too slow then speed up, if it sounds too fast slow down. After three years you should be playing quite a few songs successfully - if you are not, it may be the teaching method that is holding you back.

Nobody will believe this one, but I spent an afternoon sitting by the pool at a hotel in Rome talking with James Garner who was there filming the movie "Grand Prix" back in 1965. Would have traded it for breakfast with Petula Clark though.

How do you measure the neck angle? I am ignorant as to how to do it. I am curious about my 2017 LP Standard neck angle. My bridge is about 1/8th inch off the body (varies from the treble to the bass side). Seems the OP can get the action he wants, but is concerned because his bridge "looks" higher than many others he has seen.

Nice that you got to keep the guitar in the family so to speak. So it was originally $1850 and marked down to $1020 - we'll know just how good a friend he was by the price you paid 😜

Sorry, can't offer any advice as my 2017 LP Standard has a push/pull that I can use to put the pickups out-of-phase in the middle position. Frankly I don't care for the sound that much and rarely use it. I don't know what the push/pull is really doing, as it certainly isn't rewinding any bobbins or flipping any magnets around, but it does sound like examples of "out-of-phase" pickups that I have heard. This would lead me to believe that there is something that can be done quite simply (some sort of filter perhaps?) to get that sound other than reversing magnets and all that. My point being that maybe a really knowledgeable tech who knows what the push/pull switch does when pulled up, to get that sound, might have a simpler solution than reworking the pickups in the guitar?

I read that thread a couple days ago and as I recall your wife did a lot of work for one of the bands and got back stage access to a big multi band concert in Vegas, and then you were going to California to visit a fellow forumite. I don't know what it could possibly have evolved into, but there was certainly nothing in it when I read it that was worthy of being deleted. And just to be clear, Pinch, I am very old (73 in about a week). 😏

She ascended to the throne in 1952 and was coronated in 1953 and since I was born in '50 she has been a presence around the world for just about my whole life. My mother's side of my family were all British and in 1953 my great uncle sent me a commemorative 5 Shilling coin that by chance I just happened to come upon the other day and was reflecting on her long reign as Queen. May she Rest In Peace, and Long Live King Charles.

Nice looker, but let's hang on a minute. Didn't you just get a cherry burst LP in the past year or so? Seems like for a guy who mostly gigs a 335, you're collecting a lot of Lesters. Apparently the wife doesn't frequent the garage/shop very often 🤩

I don't own it anymore, but it was great. Very light (about 7 lbs.), and slim with a belly carve so comfortable to play. Had 490 and 498 pickups so hot sound, it didn't seem to me that it lost any mid range tones due to the slimmer body. I gigged it for several years and from the audience point of view nobody could tell it wasn't a black beauty custom😜. When I got it the control configuration was one master tone knob and where the other tone knob should have been was a little toggle switch for coil tapping. I had it modded to add the normal tone knob and made it a push/pull for the coil tap (switched from black speed knobs to gold top hats). I got it new at Sam Ash for $1350, so quite inexpensive as well. I will say one thing though, it was the only Gibson guitar I ever owned that needed repairs after a while. First the pickup selector switch crapped out and due to the slimmer body, it was not easy to find a replacement. I was lucky to find a very helpful guy at the Switchcraft factory who sent me the correct one. Then later (2018) the bridge pickup died and I had to buy a new one from Gibson. But overall it was still a good experience, all the sound and cool of a LP Custom and a lot easier on the back and shoulder! Here's the skinny profile:

I don't know anything about Explorers - but that little white inspection card should tell you.

OK, I'll play 2017 Standard Below left: 2013 LP Lite, Below right 2019 Classic

Watched both episodes, not too impressed so far. Special effects are cool when the dragons themselves are on screen, but so far this series is a lot more "soap opera" and a lot less action than the original series was. First episode had a good "tournament" with some action, but the second was pretty quite. Seems to be less character development that the original series

Sorry, I didn't know where you were. I would think an authorized Gibson dealer in France would be able to order them for you?

Gibson | Top Hat Knobs with Inserts - 4 pack

Congratulations, wonderful looking guitar. Enjoy!!

I may be wrong, but I don't recall Gibson putting 57 Classic Humbucker pickups in a Les Paul.

Since it is free you have nothing to lose. Give it a try, it might be fine especially if you are just starting out playing.

Sorry the SG didn't work out for you. There are a few different Gibson neck profiles and hopefully you can find one that is comfortable for you. The radius is the curve of the fingerboard and Gibson has used a 12 inch radius for many years on most electric guitars. That has nothing to do with the neck profile, which can be rounded, C shape, D shape, or slight V shape. You really have to try them to see which fits your hand best, so good luck in the search.

2022.

Gibson serial number can drive you crazy, but for a custom shop guitar, pretty sure that one was built in 2015.

I don't know when they first appeared, but a band mate of mine bought a new one in 1976 (first I had seen) so they've been around at least that long.

The TV yellow LP special is a less expensive model and thus the hardware is not the same quality.

Can't really go wrong with a LP Classic. Many finish options, the newer ones have cool 61 classic pickups that really give a vintage sound, very playable slim taper necks. I had one and loved it.

Pretty sure that is what is referred to as a Nashville bridge. Cool find - enjoy it.