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Show me an LP Deluxe, please


Junior Jr III

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Must be watching too many Who concerts but I'd really love to have a Les Paul Deluxe. Is there anyone on the forum with one? I can't find any Clubs for them. Maybe too short a life span. I'll have to look up production years. Of course I'd have to think about taping a big number below the bridge just for kicks.

Is it the minihumbuckers that keep people away?

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...Is there anyone on the forum with one? I can't find any Clubs for them. Maybe too short a life span. I'll have to look up production years...

Is it the minihumbuckers that keep people away?

There are a few members who have them. Charlie Brown has a particularly fine looking example.

 

As far as life span and production years go the DeLuxe is probably the most numerous LP out there after the Standard and Custom models.

Just counting the period from '71 through '75 there were a whopping 30,072 manufactured(*).

Production years were '69 - '84; '92 - '97; '99 - '08 and, of course, the recent versions mentioned in the previous post.

 

The mini's are not to everyones' taste, it has to be said.

 

Pip.

 

(*) According to production figures published in Tony Bacon's book on the Les Paul.

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Thanks, Pippy!

 

And, here it is, once again: 1976 Vintage...

 

1ae53ac4-e1ed-47c6-a397-f234ff8333c4_zps7622db5f.jpg

 

All original parts electronics, and pickups, except the Grover Tuners!

But, I still have the stock "double ring" Kluson's, which could be

remounted, at some future point, if wanted/needed.

 

Very heavy, pancake body, as well. I use a "bass" neoprene strap, when I

play this one, at a gig!

 

 

CB

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That's what I needed to see! A 70's era Dee-lux.

I didn't realize that there had been that many made or for all those years. Other than the recent reissues I figured 10 years of original production at most. '70 - '80. Good to know the facts. Now why don't I see more of them around? I ought to be able to find some kind of deal from those fist 15 years of production.

Thanks for the information and the picture. Both useful.

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Pippy's correct, Mini-Humbuckers MAY not be to everyone's liking?! BUT, in my case, I LOVE 'em!

Have them on my AIUSA Sheraton, as well! They're "edgier" than full size Humbuckers, and especially

useful, in that capacity, as a "neck" pickup! Better articulation, and less "Mud!" So, once you get

used to their strengths, and "drawbacks"(if there are any), they're quite toneful, and versatile, IMHO. [thumbup]

 

 

CB

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I'm curious; does anyone with a Deluxe ever swap out one or both of the mini's for P90's?

 

And that is a stunner you have there, Charlie Brown...jealous much? I am.

I think so.

 

But also, I'm pretty sure some came with them. Although I am not sure if they were called "Deluxe".

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There are a few members who have them. Charlie Brown has a particularly fine looking example.

 

 

The mini's are not to everyones' taste, it has to be said.

 

Pip.

 

 

 

 

Pippy's correct, Mini-Humbuckers MAY not be to everyone's liking?! BUT, in my case, I LOVE 'em!

Have them on my AIUSA Sheraton, as well! They're "edgier" that full size Humbuckers, and especially

useful, in that capacity, as a "neck" pickup! Better articulation, and less "Mud!" So, once you get

used to their strengths, and "drawbacks"(if there are any), they're quite toneful, and versatile, IMHO. [thumbup]

 

 

CB

I wonder if the reason many don't like them is just because they aren't "humbuckers", or PAF style.

 

To me, they remind me of a tube screamer. Heavy on the mids. Also, maybe like a Music Man amp (which ironically, Pippy also has).

 

They are for sure, a wonderfully crunchy pickup, but yet also clean sounding.

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...once you get used to their strengths, and "drawbacks"(if there are any), they're quite toneful, and versatile, IMHO...
...Heavy on the mids. Also, maybe like a Music Man amp (which ironically, Pippy also has)...

I must say that I've never had a DeLuxe plugged-in long enough to fully explore their potential but first impressions were always as stein mentions; i.e. too focussed on the 'mids' for my taste.

 

Perhaps it is just a case of a mid-biased guitar through a mid-biased amp which left me searching for something which would be hard to find?

Certainly I've played with other guitarists who have had very sweet-sounding DeLuxes and the Brian Robertson / Scott Gorham pairing seemed to do ok with them, too.

 

FWIW (and I know full-well this is heresy) I've never been much taken with the sound of P-90s either.

But then again I've never had a really good chance to "Cry 'Havoc!' and Let Slip the Dog-Ear'ds of War."............as Ant. was wont to say.....

 

Pip.

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Have them on my AIUSA Sheraton, as well!

 

CB

 

 

I must say that I've never had a DeLuxe plugged-in long enough to fully explore their potential but first impressions were always as stein mentions; i.e. too focussed on the 'mids' for my taste.

 

 

Pip.

Another coincidence.

 

I came real close to buying that very same kind of guitar, but as it was at the time, I really liked the guitar, and I really liked the pups, but for how I "viewed" the guitar, the looks and the semi-hollow type, couldn't picture using THAT particular guitar with THAT particular type of sound.

 

I would say looking back it was not a good decision.

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FWIW (and I know full-well this is heresy) I've never been much taken with the sound of P-90s either.

But then again I've never had a really good chance to "Cry 'Havoc!' and Let Slip the Dog-Ear'ds of War."............as Ant. was wont to say.....

 

Pip.

 

This must be remedied methinks.....

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This must be remedied methinks.....

I agree.

I've played quite a few but just never in situations where I really got a chance to give them their head.

 

I even made a trip into town one day with the sole intention of buying a P-90'd LP Classic Custom (GOTW) but was strangely underwhelmed by the sound.

 

But perhaps one day I'll find the right one?

I know how highly you rate you own R6 Custom.

 

Pip.

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P90s were great at Back Then volumes in Back Then venues. You really need plenty of volume and speakers to do what they are best at. I haven't seriously gigged them since the early 80's. I currently have an Epiphone 56 knock off and the P90s are pretty good in that, but it'll prolly go in a trade one of these days.

 

Most of the Deluxes I remember kids having in the 70's got dad routed and Dimarzio'd.

 

rct

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Well, while Mini's can seem "mid-range" prominent, they also excel at "Sparkly" highs, and more

articulate lower=bass tones, without the "mud" that some full sized Humbuckers have. None of which,

isn't amp (or, guitar tone, or volume control) remedied. Some amps, may favor the "stock," full on volume,

and tone settings, better than other's. But, that's quite true of most guitars/pickup combinations.

Mini's are no different, in that regard. And, like most sound's/tone's, it's what you like, and/or

are (or get) used to! When one plays a "Strat" for a LONG time, Humbucker Les Paul's, or 335's

can sound "dull" and flat (tone wise), by comparison! Conversely, if you're a Gibson player for a

long time, the Strat and Tele's can sound "shrill," and piercing, by comparison. But, that's why

they all have "tone and volume" controls! [biggrin] I just try to take advantage, of the tone

capabilities, of all, without denigrating any of them. Otherwise, why buy them? [tongue][biggrin]

 

 

CB

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...while Mini's can seem "mid-range" prominent, they also excel at "Sparkly" highs, and more articulate lower=bass tones, without the "mud" that some full sized Humbuckers have. None of which, isn't amp (or, guitar tone, or volume control) remedied......that's why they all have "tone and volume" controls!

Oh, I quite agree, CB.

As I said earlier;

I must say that I've never had a DeLuxe plugged-in long enough to fully explore their potential...

The failing was on my part; not that of the mini-hums. Ditto the P-90s.

I'm positive that were I to spend a week with either type of Lester I'd be more than happy with the tones I would find.

 

Sorry if there was any misunderstanding!

 

Pip.

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As of yesterday, I've owned this one for 42 years. I bought it used Oct 21st 1973. It was my first of a long line of Gibsons. It has a one piece body, no "Made in USA" stamp & no volute. First year in production for the Deluxe.

 

1969GibsonLesPaulDeluxe.jpg

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I agree.

I've played quite a few but just never in situations where I really got a chance to give them their head.

 

I even made a trip into town one day with the sole intention of buying a P-90'd LP Classic Custom (GOTW) but was strangely underwhelmed by the sound.

 

But perhaps one day I'll find the right one?

I know how highly you rate you own R6 Custom.

 

Pip.

 

 

And, like most sound's/tone's, it's what you like, and/or

are (or get) used to! When one plays a "Strat" for a LONG time, Humbucker Les Paul's, or 335's

can sound "dull" and flat (tone wise), by comparison! Conversely, if you're a Gibson player for a

long time, the Strat and Tele's can sound "shrill," and piercing, by comparison. [tongue][biggrin]

 

 

CB

Wisdom here.

 

I feel like I can get good tones out of either humbucks or strats, either one, just as fat, just as sparkly, whatever.

 

But if you take one and plug it into the same rig as you were playing the other, of CORSE it isn't going to sound even close.

 

"Getting used to" is kinda the key. You get used to something, and you know how it's going to react when you turn this or add that. When you make changes as drastic as P-90's to humbeckers, or humbuckers to Strats, yer gonna have to make adjustments to the rig and get used to THAT, the way the amp responds.

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This must be remedied methinks.....

 

 

I agree.

I've played quite a few but just never in situations where I really got a chance to give them their head.

 

I even made a trip into town one day with the sole intention of buying a P-90'd LP Classic Custom (GOTW) but was strangely underwhelmed by the sound.

 

But perhaps one day I'll find the right one?

I know how highly you rate you own R6 Custom.

 

Pip.

As coincidence would have it, (again?), one of my P-90'd axes is GOTW, although it's the "Classic Antique". Well, actually they are H-90's, but the H-90 is an actual P-90 with the extra coil on the bottom you can turn off.

 

As is was, I had actually intended on putting in Mini-humbucks in it at the time I bought it, in order to get to know them, try them out. Only thing that stopped me was I couldn't find them in gold at the time. I looked for them, and the Firebird pups in gold.

 

P-90's are a different animal, difficult to tame, but given the right attitude, can produce some of the greatest tones ever to come out of the electric guitar. From very friendly cleans, Jazzy type stuff with color and interest, to mean crunch and that FAT GIBSON TONE. Even "shrill" at times. All depending.

 

I'd say as far as experimenting, "getting to know" a guitar, P-90's are the deepest.

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