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Les Paul High Performance Love Thread


Sabredog

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You shouldn't have to but a lot of people simply replace the nut with better string spacing.

I currently have 4 Gibson electrics and they all came with the proper spacing but the first time I played that SG it was a WTF moment.

I think it was a 2007 SG Classic which went back to eBay where it came from.

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About the E falling off the neck.

 

I've always had a problem with this. Should I practice more? Maybe, but I've been playing for 48 years. I play every day and I put in at least an hour; often much more.

 

Whether I am just a poor player or not, I have never stopped or thought about giving up. The best improvement on this problem was getting rid of the Strat (standard 70s USA model). I used it exclusively for nearly 25 years because I loved the sound. It handled like a pig.

 

 

All my other guitars are better at handling the problem.

Rarely happens anymore, but it does once in a while. Yes, live too [blush]

 

 

Partly for this reason, I would never use a guitar that was too rounded at the edges. Nor one with nibs.

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About the E falling off the neck.

 

I've always had a problem with this.

Partly for this reason, I would never use a guitar that was too rounded at the edges. Nor one with nibs.

 

Maybe (partly) explains why I like nibs so much. I can honestly say that this just doesn't ever happen with me (no matter what guitar it is).

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I wasn't going to say anything else here but...

 

I don't really care much about anyone's playing style or skill at all. I mean, I do hope everyone plays well of course, but everyone's different and we all enjoy (hopefully) playing what and how we play it.

 

If this thread had been about how much a person was enjoying their guitar, and even why, that would be great. I'd have been happy to congratulate them and even compliment them on a fine looking Les Paul. But if's when you start telling everyone else they should share you're preference or be a stale, old fashioned poser is when it goes bad.

 

Like I said, a preference for a wider fret board is completely valid and I don't knock anyone who plays an HP. I'm sure they're nice.

 

To each their own. Enjoy.

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I wasn't going to say anything else here but...

 

I don't really care much about anyone's playing style or skill at all. I mean, I do hope everyone plays well of course, but everyone's different and we all enjoy (hopefully) playing what and how we play it.

 

If this thread had been about how much a person was enjoying their guitar, and even why, that would be great. I'd have been happy to congratulate them and even compliment them on a fine looking Les Paul. But if's when you start telling everyone else they should share you're preference or be a stale, old fashioned poser is when it goes bad.

 

Like I said, a preference for a wider fret board is completely valid and I don't knock anyone who plays an HP. I'm sure they're nice.

 

To each their own. Enjoy.

 

I hope your comment isn't aimed at me because if it is then I heartily resent it.

 

I make no comment whatsoever about anyone's playing skill. Truth be told I reckon just about every poster on this website plays better than me.

 

Who exactly is telling anyone that they "should share" this opinion or that opinion. I don't think I have ever done that in any post I have ever posted on this site and certainly not within this thread.

 

I don't getting where you are coming from mate. Don't get it at all.

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I hope your comment isn't aimed at me because if it is then I heartily resent it.

 

I make no comment whatsoever about anyone's playing skill. Truth be told I reckon just about every poster on this website plays better than me.

 

Who exactly is telling anyone that they "should share" this opinion or that opinion. I don't think I have ever done that in any post I have ever posted on this site and certainly not within this thread.

 

I don't getting where you are coming from mate. Don't get it at all.

 

I really don't think that was aimed at anyone in particular.

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Agreed.

 

I think it was more directed at the position taken by anyone who says "My Way Good; Your Way Not Good. You Old Fart."

 

I do have, somewhere, a snap of one of my guitars which shows how fret-nibs were crafted in a different manner to how they are done (apparently) nowadays but it's not on the hard-drive and, of course, Photobucket has screwed-up much of my unimportant-Gibson-only reference stock so it will have to be added as-and-when I can find the original...

 

Pip.

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I personally love my SG hp. I understand the taking the road of the traditionalist but I myself truly enjoy playing this guitar. I was not a fan of the tuners so I did change those to a set of Kluson Deluxe. I dont mind the pcb tone pot set up. To each their own I suppose.

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I do have, somewhere, a snap of one of my guitars which shows how fret-nibs were crafted in a different manner to how they are done (apparently) nowadays but it's not on the hard-drive and, of course, Photobucket has screwed-up much of my unimportant-Gibson-only reference stock so it will have to be added as-and-when I can find the original...

 

Pip.

 

And the nibs on my RO are not the same as the nibs on my USA LP. In fact the entire binding is much thicker on the neck of the USA guitar and so are the nibs. Much flatter on top too.

 

 

 

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And the nibs on my RO are not the same as the nibs on my USA LP. In fact the entire binding is much thicker on the neck of the USA guitar and so are the nibs. Much flatter on top too.

Yes.

I don't know when the style of binding was changed to the current form where a flat part of the nib sits flush with- and level with the fret took over from the earlier practice. Both my 1960 Classics (1991 & 1995) have the same style of binding as is used on my re-issues which is where the nib is shaped and tapered into the fret-top.

 

Pip.

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Guest Farnsbarns

I can actually agree with that, all you have to do is leave enough space maybe 1 mm extra metal, I actually have seen some less Paul's with binding nibs that actually have enough fret before the binding, so I probably got one that was very low on the quality control scale.

frets 5 through 13, the high E string came off the Fret 60% of the time.

 

I've owned about 50 different guitars from all 20 different guitar manufacturers not a single one of these excellent machines, did I have the high E fall off the board,

So I know i do not need practice, I can blame it on the guitar. all of these other well thought out excellent highly engineered guitars would not consider using Nibs. no manufacturer in the world in the modern day would consider introducing a guitar with 20% of a fret being plastic and 80% being metal.

I never experienced the problem until I played the Les Paul with nibs.

I'm not saying that type of design especially at the time period, is not a good guitar, clearly it's a very good guitar with some minor minor flaws, as you say because many people used it to make good music , but just because something can be made to work does not mean that it can't be improved. It has a lot of parallels to golf clubs. the equipment improves a players playing. no golfer of the 60s could hit a 300 yard drive now 90% of the players can hit the 300 yard drive. it's all related to improved equipment.

I'm just saying the HP version is an improved version to an already very good guitar, not disrespecting the 60s. but engineers do learn how to make things better.

 

if you are regularly hitting 280 yard drive with a driver today, and someone gives you a persimmons wood and it's not much bigger than a golf ball itself, and you only hit it 180 yards, and your friends tell you you just need more practice, you actually say no I just need modern equipment.

 

absolutely from an engineering perspective there are multiple approaches to correct this design flaw or quality control flaw of a string too close to a rounded fret edge, combining the approaches would probably be best.

1. optimize the string spacing give the outer edge strings a little more freedom to operate. i.e different string spacing in the nut cut,

2 extend the fret somehow.

3. extend the fret by extending or widening the fret board relative to the nut cut string spacing.

 

20%? I think your guitar might be a fake, unless Gibson have started using 1/4" royalite binding on the quiet. [lol]

 

Just a quick question. If I try to do a Page-esque tone-and-a-half bend, downwards, even on the B string it falls off the fret, it's marginal on the G string. Is your neck so wide you can do that? Do you avoid big bends or do you perform such bends upwards, away from the fretboard edge? Just curious.

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20%? I think your guitar might be a fake, unless Gibson have started using 1/4" royalite binding on the quiet. [lol]

 

Just a quick question. If I try to do a Page-esque tone-and-a-half bend, downwards, even on the B string it falls off the fret, it's marginal on the G string. Is your neck so wide you can do that? Do you avoid big bends or do you perform such bends upwards, away from the fretboard edge? Just curious.

 

This post gets a 10, no, make that 11!

 

 

 

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I have a 2016 traditional HP, and I really like it. I ditched the robot tuners, and they were stiff when used manually, and didn't tune correctly in auto mode. I put Locking Grover's on it and they are great. I like the access neck (but could easily live without it), and the quick detach pick guard is amazing, not sure why these are not more popular. Easy to take off without leaving holes or if you leave it on as I do, easy to clean/dust under. The wider neck is good, but again, not really an issue either way. I do appreciate the upgraded wood and real MOP inlays, I just think they look better. The 2018's have gotten pretty wild on colors and chrome, so I think I would pass, but I think the 2016 models are the peak of the HP guitars!

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I will probably buy a new '18 LP Standard HP tomorrow. It's a deal too good to pass up on a really nice looking Blood Orange burst. I came into this thread thinking I might get a little info and maybe some encouragement to pull the trigger tomorrow, but sadly that didn't happen. I'll see how I feel in the morning, but I'm probably going to go for it. For the record, I couldn't care less about nibs. [tongue]

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Guest Farnsbarns

I will probably buy a new '18 LP Standard HP tomorrow. It's a deal too good to pass up on a really nice looking Blood Orange burst. I came into this thread thinking I might get a little info and maybe some encouragement to pull the trigger tomorrow, but sadly that didn't happen. I'll see how I feel in the morning, but I'm probably going to go for it. For the record, I couldn't care less about nibs. [tongue]

 

Don't be put off. I don't think anyone is saying they're bad. Personally I don't care too much about nibs (I like a reissue and the 50's look so in that sense I like 'em but I don't think it makes much difference to me to play on). The consensus seems to be that people like them but no one seems to be saying an HP is bad, just the OP saying everything else is which has garnered the response. If you like the guitar, no nibs, wide fretboard and everything can and should be of no concern at all.

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Go for it then! [thumbup]

 

Thanks, I did. A new '18 Les Paul HP Blood Orange Fade with Grover Tuners from the factory. From the pictures it has a very dark fret board which makes me think it is Richlite. I know that will excite you guys. [rolleyes]

I've noticed a marked improvement with the quality of the tops the last month or so. I can't wait to get it. I'm not sure if my wife is going to impound it till my birthday on the 20th. I'll live if she does.

hOV97vj.jpg

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it has a very dark fret board which makes me think it is Richlite. I know that will excite you guys. [rolleyes]

 

 

Arrrrrgh! [scared]

 

 

I haven't played a Richlite board (and personally wouldn't buy one) but people who have say they are as good as ebony to play.

 

It is a great looking guitar! Good luck and enjoyment with playing it! [biggrin]

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Guest Farnsbarns

Thanks, I did. A new '18 Les Paul HP Blood Orange Fade with Grover Tuners from the factory. From the pictures it has a very dark fret board which makes me think it is Richlite. I know that will excite you guys. [rolleyes]

I've noticed a marked improvement with the quality of the tops the last month or so. I can't wait to get it. I'm not sure if my wife is going to impound it till my birthday on the 20th. I'll live if she does.

hOV97vj.jpg

 

I like Richlite. Only played one guitar with Richlite, a midtown custom or standard, forget which, it's great stuff.

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I like Richlite. Only played one guitar with Richlite, a midtown custom or standard, forget which, it's great stuff.

 

Thanks, I've never played a richlite fb, but I do like ebony and I'm not a vintage minded guy, so what ever works is good with me. I'm not trying to provoke you guys, but I'm considering getting a g-force tuner to put on. In my band I need to do alt tunings. My #1 guitar is a modified Variax, which lets me do alt tunings with a knob turn. I'm hoping to get close to that with this new LP. So far every guitar I've played with the g-force has worked fine. So until I get a roadie, I need something that will keep me playing instead of standing on stage tuning while the rest of the band stares at me.

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Thanks, I've never played a richlite fb, but I do like ebony and I'm not a vintage minded guy, so what ever works is good with me. I'm not trying to provoke you guys, but I'm considering getting a g-force tuner to put on. In my band I need to do alt tunings. My #1 guitar is a modified Variax, which lets me do alt tunings with a knob turn. I'm hoping to get close to that with this new LP. So far every guitar I've played with the g-force has worked fine. So until I get a roadie, I need something that will keep me playing instead of standing on stage tuning while the rest of the band stares at me.

 

Not a provocation at all drew. Again I couldn't bear a G-force thingy on my guitars but as you describe your circumstances there is a plain purpose to it and so why not? If it makes life easier and it would surely do that given a need to change tunings frequently and on stage then by all means...it makes perfect sense.

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