D Big Daddy M Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 (edited) I do not play guitar but my son does. He is 16. My only brush with guitars was cutting and sawing the maple for Les Pauls when I was a teenager (my grandfather had a sawmill near Nashville). I have always wanted one even though I do not play and when he started, he got a cheap Fender. Now that he is playing more I wanted him to have a proper Les Paul. Since we specialized in curly maple, I had to get him one. He is getting a brand new, old stock 2016 wine red Standard. My question is what amp should I get him. It will be played mostly at home but I want him to be proud of what he has and get him a pretty good one. Obviously I want to save as much as possible. Hoping people here can advise me? Seems amps run from about $10-thousands. Will do no good to have such a nice guitar with a $10 amp, but how high do I need to go for him to play in his bedroom? Please advise as I really know nothing (I know wood). Edited November 12, 2019 by D Big Daddy M 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 For a young player who wants to explore all options in tone, who probably wants to dabble in guitar effects, and who doesn't want to lug a really heavy amplifier from there to there, I would recommend the Peavey Vypyr VIP2. It's a 40 watt modeling amp with a single 12 inch speaker. It emulates a variety of classic tube amps, and has dozens of onboard effects and combinations. The great thing is that it's designed to accommodate electric guitars, acoustic electric guitars, and bass guitars. And it sounds brilliant at all three endeavors. $249 at Sweetwater and/or Amazon. A really great and versatile amp, and works well at both stage volumes and bedroom sound levels as well. I have gigged with mine. Two thumbs up, really!🙂https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VypyrVIP2--peavey-vypyr-vip-2-40-watt-1x12-inch-modeling-guitar-bass-acoustic-combo-amp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted November 12, 2019 Author Share Posted November 12, 2019 3 hours ago, sparquelito said: For a young player who wants to explore all options in tone, who probably wants to dabble in guitar effects, and who doesn't want to lug a really heavy amplifier from there to there, I would recommend the Peavey Vypyr VIP2. It's a 40 watt modeling amp with a single 12 inch speaker. It emulates a variety of classic tube amps, and has dozens of onboard effects and combinations. The great thing is that it's designed to accommodate electric guitars, acoustic electric guitars, and bass guitars. And it sounds brilliant at all three endeavors. $249 at Sweetwater and/or Amazon. A really great and versatile amp, and works well at both stage volumes and bedroom sound levels as well. I have gigged with mine. Two thumbs up, really!🙂https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VypyrVIP2--peavey-vypyr-vip-2-40-watt-1x12-inch-modeling-guitar-bass-acoustic-combo-amp Exactly the type of info I was looking for. TY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 (edited) 8 hours ago, D Big Daddy M said: No props for how pretty it is? I do apologize. That guitar in your original post is indeed gorgeous. I love the color and the woodgrain very much. I really love that it has chrome hardware and not gold. (I'm not a fan of the gold.) I live down south of you by an hour and a half. Harvest, Alabama. You would laugh at my Les Paul. It's butt-ugly. (When compared to the one you brought your son, that is.) See photo below. 🙂https://www.dropshots.com/sparkmaj/date/2019-04-15/18:28:25 Edited November 12, 2019 by sparquelito Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted November 12, 2019 Author Share Posted November 12, 2019 I would never "laugh" at any Les Paul. My experience with Gibson was taking them our BEST wood to make their beautiful custom shop guitars. We delt exclusively with a guy named Jim Hutchison in the Custom Shop. In our estimation, Gibson wanted the "best" maple but not "too good". We routinely had rejected some of the best AAAA and even AAAAA as (at that time) they did not want it. The only wanted the AAA or less. As a kid, i dreamed of having a Les Paul, red, highly figured top made of our wood. Several of the guys at Gibson told me many times, let us know when you want your custom red Les paul and we will make it for you. Even into my adulthood, the promise was there (I am 48 now but am speaking of well into my 30s). Then Jim died and all of the staff turned over at Gibson and suddenly I did not know anyone. Recently I spoke with a few people and told them my story. I did not get the above guitar for free, as I had been promised 30 years ago, but I did get one that should meet my son's needs for a great guitar and my requirements that it be "our wood" (even though I did not saw it) and the color I had always dreamed of having--for a price I could stomach. To me it is more of a work of art than an instrument, although one made to be played. I have a neighbor who owns a pretty famous guitar store (Gruhn Guitars) and he always says that instruments are made to be played, not displayed. He has convinced me that they are not museum pieces. At his store, anyone can go in and play seemingly priceless instruments, any time they wish and for as long as they wish. So even though it is a display piece for me, it will be used by my son! I have a coffee table in my house made of the curly maple that we sawed for Gibson and until now that was the closest I had to a Les Paul. (for the record my wife hates it and put it in the attic.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted November 12, 2019 Author Share Posted November 12, 2019 I am a shooter as a hobby and in the shooting world, your Les Paul finish would be described as "battle worn" and considered highly desirable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted November 12, 2019 Author Share Posted November 12, 2019 It came with a second set of knobs called Amber TopHat. I like the ones that are installed on it but the second set is there if he wishes to use them. No clue what the difference is. Also came with a pick guard that I would assume he will want to use so he does not scratch it up, but again his call. This is his Christmas present, which I do not think I mentioned above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted November 12, 2019 Author Share Posted November 12, 2019 This is the spec sheet I was given 2016 Les Paul Standard Wine Red Proto.xlsx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tx-ogre Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 That’s a sweet looking guitar. Wine Red is a great choice for LPs. As far as amps goes, another choice similar to the one Sparquelito recommended would be a Vox Valvetronics VT40X (https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VT40X--vox-vt40x-40-watt-1x10-inch-modeling-combo-amp). It has amp and effects modeling like the Vypyr, but is also a hybrid amp (tube pre-amp, solid state power amp). I owned a Valvetronics amp (can’t remember the exact model) about 10 years ago and liked it, selling it only because I needed to free up some space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted November 13, 2019 Author Share Posted November 13, 2019 So, total newbie question but can I buy one of these off of Craigslist (there are some of both of the recommended models) or do amps have a life expectancy? Does it need to be new? Is it "better" if a little used? Do they wear out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arcticsg Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Howdy! Welcome to the board! 🙂 That, is a gorgeous Les Paul! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G Mac Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 That's a pretty guitar, D Big Daddy M! I imagine that your son will love it! Hopefully, he'll give it many years of merciless use for they are, indeed, meant to be played! I don't have any amp suggestions as I am a one amp kind of guy and I think they may be a bit more expensive than the others are endorsing. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 (edited) On 11/12/2019 at 10:39 PM, D Big Daddy M said: So, total newbie question but can I buy one of these off of Craigslist (there are some of both of the recommended models) or do amps have a life expectancy? Does it need to be new? Is it "better" if a little used? Do they wear out? Sure, you can get an amp used, but you'd want to have a way to test things out before you drop any cash down. There are also a few other modeling amps too. Fender Mustangs, and Marshall Code Amps for example. There's also the Boss Katana Series which pack a lot of features like the Peavy, Fender and Marshalls. The Marshall code amp can be controlled from an Android or iOS device using the Marshall Gateway App. I have a code 50 and that is one cool feature. I also have an older mustang V1. I think the Mustangs have a slight edge over the Codes for clean sounds. that LP you bought for you son is gorgeous... he's going to love it. Edited November 14, 2019 by kidblast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted November 14, 2019 Author Share Posted November 14, 2019 TY all for the responses and keep it up. I was mistaken about the amp he has now. I thought it came bundled with the "Wal Mart" Fender that we got him 2nd hand, but he reminded me last night that he actually bought it later from his music teacher. it is indeed a Fender mustang so I think we may be "good" for now. I had in mind that the one he is using was functionally cardboard, but I was mistaken. For the record, he has NO CLUE he is getting a guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 55 minutes ago, D Big Daddy M said: For the record, he has NO CLUE he is getting a guitar. ok... so we'll keep it a secret then!!! 🙂 Mustangs are good amps for home use, depending on which one he has, they are actually good amps for taking to open jams and gigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted November 14, 2019 Author Share Posted November 14, 2019 Ok so another stupid newbie question (out of ignorance)--I keep reading about getting new guitars "set up". Do I need to do something to it before I give it to him? I keep seeing things like lube this and that. As posted above, remember I am a shooter. If someone got a new weapon for Christmas and it arrived "dry" (not properly lubed) and they took it out and shot it for a whole weekend and then tried to lube it, it would be too late and potentially irreparably damaged. I don't think that is the case with guitars but when i read "lube the xxx" that is where my mind goes--so do I need to do something to it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 so the general rule of thumb is yes, any new guitar would need to be setup. But a lot of those details are specific to the person playing it. So what would be good is to let him play it for a bit (a few days/week) and then he can talk to the setup tech and give them some idea of how he needs it for his playing style. No harm will come from it being setup AFTER he's put a few hours on it, unlike a firearm, which I understand completely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted November 14, 2019 Author Share Posted November 14, 2019 Thank you, and again, thank you all for these responses and for bearing with my total ignorance of everything about guitars (except for the wood). I just want him to LOVE it and to continue to enjoy playing music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filbert Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 I wish my parents had bought me a Les Paul when I first started guitar - your son is one lucky kid! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FemmeParallell Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 hey D Big Daddy M, this is so awesome, it was my childhood dream to get a guitar when i was a kid (back then i wanted a blue or white stratocaster hehe), your son is gonna flip when he gets his new Les paul 😃 tell us how it went when he gets it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted December 7, 2019 Author Share Posted December 7, 2019 So I kind of put the word out around Nashville when I was looking for the LP above. Today a guy (that owed me) brought me this LPStudio 2008 model. Now my son is getting 2. I figure he can have a nice one and a "gig" one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted December 7, 2019 Author Share Posted December 7, 2019 Question--remember I do not play and know little about guitars (I know wood)--The fretboard looks very dry to me. I am unclear if this is faded or just worn or played by someone with sweaty hands. Should I condition it? If so, with what product? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 Hi - Yes I would condition it; as you know about wood you might not want to do this, but I put a thin layer of fine oil ("white oil" or camera oil) on my rosewood fretboard once every few years. Or you could visit a guitar shop and ask for their advice - they will probably suggest something expensive like lemon oil. However ordinary thin oil will do just as well. That fretboard does look very dry and in need of a clean, as well. It should darken up a bit with some oil. Best wishes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted December 11, 2019 Author Share Posted December 11, 2019 TY. I ended up taking it to Gruhn Guitars in Nashville and the checked it out for me (for free. They are really nice). They oiled it. Advice from them for future was "cheapest possible lemon oil" from Lowe's or Home Depot. I am nearly as excited about the studio as I am about the Standard. Everyone who has played it has deemed it "a player". I'm am new to all of this and do not play, but I am finding myself a bit obsessed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Big Daddy M Posted December 11, 2019 Author Share Posted December 11, 2019 My other background is shooting and I am squarely in the camp of "oil is oil" for my firearms. Not knowing guitars, I was a tiny bit afraid of ruining a finish or something on my son's guitar. Lemon oil at home Depot is cheap so I got him some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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