Les Paul variations

[btoth76]

Hello All!

 

I have made some pictures of my Les Pauls on the weekend. I am trying to arrange them in an order to make the difference between their specifications obvious.

 

The first one shows the difference between (from right to left) satin, naturally aged gloss, and the gloss finish of a relatively new guitar:

 

 

[btoth76]

The next photos show the finishes on the back of the bodies. You can see the difference between the (right to left) satin finished Studio body - made from multiple pieces of mahogany, the gloss finished two-piece Classic Custom body, and the one-piece British Honduran mahogany body of the 1978 LP Recording:

 

 

[btoth76]

This one is about fretboards. (Up to down) Torrified maple, naturally-aged rosewood, and the modern rosewood fingerboard of a 2010 Studio 50's Tribute.

 

 

 

Close-ups for classic rosewood against "baked" maple:

 

[btoth76]

The different neck shapes. (Up to down) 50's style Studio, 70's style thin-to-thick, and the 60's style neck:

 

(Note the neck heel on 70's guitar).

 

From up to down: 70's, 60's, 50's

 

Modern neck to peghead joint and the voluted 70's style (Up to down):

[btoth76]

The volute:

 

[btoth76]

If You have ever wondered how different are the acrylic inlays of a recent Classic Custom, compared to mother-of-pearl inlays of an upper range instrument, these pictures clearly shows it:

 

 

(This one also shows the modern (and classic) 17 degree headstock against the Norlin-era 14 degree)

[btoth76]

Finally the pickups. Left to right: Full-size humbuckers ('57 Classics in this case), the low-impedance "Les Paul" units, and the P-90s.

 

 

Close-up of the low-Z "Les Paul" units:

 

Cheers... Bence

[pippy]

Nice comparative snaps, Bence.

 

 

How are you getting along with finding out all the possibile tones from the Recording? I remember you saying you could get almost the same sound as from your '57 Classics(?).

 

P.

[emcee]

Nice collection you got there!

[btoth76]

Nice comparative snaps, Bence.

 

 

How are you getting along with finding out all the possibile tones from the Recording? I remember you saying you could get almost the same sound as from your '57 Classics(?).

 

P.

 

Thanks! :)

 

The Recording is a complete universe of tones. I still have some struggle with the Low-Z mode. I bought an impedance matching transformer (Palmer Daccapo) to connect it to my amps, but the volume is very low this way.

 

In high-Z mode, I prefer to either set the "Decade" control at 2, the EQ knobs halfways, and the tone control in position "2" - it makes it sound like an acoustic guitar; or the tone in position "1" with the "Decade" at 8 - this gives me - what I think is - the classic P.A.F. sound. Something like the 57 Classics just a bit less brighter.

 

I love everything about the Recording. The neck is just right: thin at the headstock, thick at the body joint. The very low frets make the fretboard a very fast one. Even the harmonica bridge provides a more comfortable rest for the picking hand than the regular TOM.

 

I have opened up the control cavity yesterday, the array of components inside is mind-blowing. It has a very complex circuit. 0.047 cap of a strange kind - never seen such before. I gave the pots some WD-40 treatment and closed it back. (Pictures in the Vintage section, "Low-impedance Guitars Club").

 

Cheers... Bence

[JM2112]

Alright, bence, I just spent a nice chunk of change on a new LP, and here you gotta go and post pics of your LP's giving me more G.A.S.!!!

 

Nice pics, and an excellent trio of LP's. I would love to try the Recording!

[btoth76]

Hey Bence I remember those Recordings Hanging in the shops in the 70s :)

 

I like your gear man good line up.

 

Hey I ask you on my Video thread but what did you shine that Gold Top Tribute with to take off the satin make it gloss again?

 

Hello and thanks, Donny!

 

I use Virtuoso Polish on all my guitars. I use it every 3 months. Even on the poly finished Tele. The finish of the Tribute - after regular treatment - does not becomes a "gloss" in the way You'd describe a Standard or Custom, it's kind of halfways between the satin and gloss. It's surface is shiny and oily, but it does not have that mirror-like look and feel. I guess this photo shows the difference better than I can explain:

 

 

Cheers... Bence

[btoth76]

Alright, bence, I just spent a nice chunk of change on a new LP, and here you gotta go and post pics of your LP's giving me more G.A.S.!!!

 

Nice pics, and an excellent trio of LP's. I would love to try the Recording!

 

Hello JM2112! Thanks! I know what You mean, that's what I feel when I look at Rabs's posts. :D GAS is incurable, worthless to fight it. :)

 

Cheers... Bence

[jakg]

man, i am having love pangs with your LP Recording model. infinity thumbs up !!!

[btoth76]

Hello Donny!

 

We all need just one more LP... :D

 

Seriously...those Signature "T"s are basically the pre-2013 Traditionals. Thus, they are the same as the Classic Custom except for the torrified maple fingerboard. Same weight-relieved body, same neck profile, same pickups (OK, the bridge unit is Classic Plus).

 

The finishes are fantastic. I prefer the VS too, but I also like the White-burst.

 

My approach to collecting guitars is to have diversity. Even tough I own three LPs, all of them are very different. Following this thinking, the next thing I would add to my collection is a Deluxe. But this is my way...I support Your idea of purchasing the Signature "T". The specs and the finishes make it a winner guitar!

 

Cheers... Bence

[btoth76]

 

Looking forward for Your review! Just don't tell it's awesome. I want to avoid all temptations.

 

Cheers... Bence