pauloqs
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Posts posted by pauloqs
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Hi, my name is Paulo and I'm also a Gibson addict. I play mostly electric, but I just got my first Gibson acoustic, a 2019 L-00 Studio in Walnut burst. Just wow!! What a guitar at such relatively good price. I've played many $3k-$5k acoustic guitars of different makes, both Gibson and non-Gibson, and I own a standard series OM(000) Martin. The L-00 Studio do not disappoint and definitely punches above its weight (price bracket). So much mojo, character and great bluesy vibe on that guitar. On top of that, it sounds spectacular. Before trying it at the store, I was a bit hesitant regarding the walnut back and sides, but ended up loving it. I'd say it's a middle ground between clarity and response of mahogany and the warmth of rosewood. I became an instant fan of walnut. As a bonus, it's just a beautiful piece of wood that is slightly figured. Also, for someone who plays mostly electric, it is extremely easy and comfortable to play those L-00 with its shorter scale and neck profile that feels very familiar to electric guitar players. The neck profile is also a very good middle ground. Not overly thin, but not too chunky either. I bonded with my L-00 the moment I picked it up to try it. It has a much bigger sound than I was expecting for a guitar with a smaller body. Sounds loud and balanced and the action was spot on. Comfortably low without any buzzing whatsoever. It's the first guitar, be it acoustic or electric, of any make, that I didn't need nor want to adjust or tweak one single thing on it. Usually with other guitars I adjust the action height to my liking, or the neck relief, or the nut slots, or the fret ends, or nut edges, or something else entirely as soon as I got home, but not with this guitar. It was just perfect off the rack.
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2017 Standard T in Bourbon Burst with upgraded '57 Classic/'57 classic plus
2017 Standard High Performance in Honeyburst with upgraded BK Mule/Riff Raff combo
2017 R0 (G0)
The HP one is the one I tend to grab most often. It is lighter than the others and I'm in absolute love with those Bare Knuckle pickups. They are just phenomenal on that guitar.
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Maybe it was the particular guitar I tried, but the slim taper neck felt wider than the rounded to me. It could also be the size/shape of my hand and/or how I hold the neck. I dunno. I just know now that I prefer the rounded C profile. :)
As far as pickups, I'm still not getting along with these BB Pros very well. I've been obsessively researching pickups for days. It's really hard to choose pickups without actually trying them. I was set on Gibson 57s but now I've pretty much decided on SD Pearly Gates. (I want an ES-339 later and from what I've read the 57 sound is more like what I want from a semi-hollow.)
Or I could just save some money and throw in the SD Jazz/JB combo I was going to sell. I had that combo for years in an epiphone LP though so it sounds/feels familiar. But I kinda wanted something a bit more classic rock for this LP.
Before I buy anything though, I'm going to go to guitar center again and try out different Gibson pickups.
...I'm starting to understand why people have like 15 of the same kind of guitar. So many options. :blink:
I get the BB pro, but they aren't for everyone. They take gain really well and they cut through a band mix like a butter knife. They also have a tone of clarity. Personally, I much prefer the '57 Classic and '57 Classic +. Interestingly, my two guitars that came with BB pros have had pickup upgrades. One for the '57 Classic/'57 Classic + and the other with a pair of Bare Knuckles, The Mule (neck)/Riff Raff (bridge). My other guitars that came with 490/498 or '61 still have their stock pickups. BB 1, 2 and 3 are also pretty good, but I'm a bit hesitant about them because I believe they're unpotted.
Regarding the Slim Tapered neck guitar you've tried, was that a High Performance one? What year was it? The reason I ask is that there are different fretborad widths withing guitars with the slim-tapered neck carve. I know that the 2017 High Performance (HP) models had wider fretboards than the non-HP models. Not as wide as what you got across the 2015 lineup, but still noticeably a bit wider than regular non-HP models. Or are you saying wider more in a D neck shape instead of a C shape?
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I agree with what others said regarding how these guitars play even better over time. It gets a played in feel to them that is hard to beat. I haven't played a Studio as old as yours. I think the oldest one I've played I believe were a 2009 and a 2010 models and I think they were both Studios or the precursor to what's been dubbed Faded in the past few years. One thing I noticed compared with my 2017 Studio was the different neck profile. The profile being used in Studios these days is the slim-tapered carve, which is on the thinner side and reminiscent, albeit still different, of a '60s neck profile. The 2009 and 2010 necks felt a bit chunkier, but not in a bad way. I was actually surprised how comfortable I found those older thicker necks. I've always thought that I would default to preferring slimmer necks. However, I don't know if it's an age thing or it's just a natural evolution of my playing style, I've been liking chunkier necks more and more. With that said, I find the slim tapered necks just a joy to play. They are very comfortable and there is something about the geometry of the carve and the shoulders that makes those slim tapered super easy to play. Although, I'm rediscovering my neck carve preferences and I've started finding some necks too thin for my taste, that is not the case with those slim tapered necks. They are on the thinner side, but they do not feel too thin for my taste.
Edit: Also, I like SD pickups, but I love Gibson pickups. To my taste, one of the few pickup makers that to me can go head to head with Gibson pickups is Bare Knuckle. Not that I've tried every brand out, but among the ones I've tried and based on my personal taste, it's a toss up between Gibson and Bare Knuckle.
Change Electronics on Historics or no?
in Gibson USA
Posted
I didn’t know some RI came with BB. Mine has CustomBuckers which I really like. I also like Bare Knuckle’s the Mule/Riff Raff or the Mule/Black Dog Neck/Bridge combos. Personally, I wouldn’t swap any of the other electronics, just the pickups. Furthermore, for a custom shop guitar, I would go all out with the pickups and either get the 57 Classic/classic+ or custombucker, if he can find a used pair, or either one of aforementioned Bare Knuckes combos. Though, I’d probably lean the BK route.