Les Paul Custom neck

[rallen]

Why are the frets kind of squarish? My son complains he cannot do slides easily. Is there an advantage on square frets over the more rounded ones?

 

Why are the bottom frets so hard to reach? There is a 3 inch arch your hand needs to cover, there is nowhere for your thumb to go, either at the back (classical style) or over. If you slide you hit your palm upon a sharp-ish corner and it hurts (my son says). I have seen some modern Customs (I think) with a rounded off edge, so I suppose my son is not the only one to complain. But on such an expensive guitar, why not make the neck fluid with the body ? Is it because when the guitar was originally designed, noone really played down those last frets?

[NeoConMan]

Tradition.

 

Lotsa guitar choices in the world, only one Les Paul.

 

Look at the SG.

It "replaced" the Les Paul in 1961, and has excellent upper fret access.

The SG 61 reissue produced today does as well.

 

So, yeah, no good reason.

That's just the nature of the beast.

 

And there have been many, many variations of the Les Paul over the years - in the eighties especially.

None ever sold very well.

 

People who want a Les Paul want it made "right" and will forego all the nuttiness.

[pippy]

Why are the frets kind of squarish? My son complains he cannot do slides easily. Is there an advantage on square frets over the more rounded ones?

 

Why are the bottom frets so hard to reach? There is a 3 inch arch your hand needs to cover' date=' there is nowhere for your thumb to go, either at the back (classical style) or over. If you slide you hit your palm upon a sharp-ish corner and it hurts (my son says). I have seen some modern Customs (I think) with a rounded off edge, so I suppose my son is not the only one to complain. But on such an expensive guitar, why not make the neck fluid with the body ? Is it because when the guitar was originally designed, noone really played down those last frets?[/quote']

 

Where to start?!

 

What age is your son; how long has he been playing guitar and what did he play before he got the LP? Are the tips of his fingers hardened by playing? If not then he just needs to play a lot more...

 

If he's fairly young and/or hasn't been playing that long then he just needs some time to get acquainted with the different feel the LP will have. In time he will in all likelihood prefer the feel.

 

Flatter fret-tops allow easier playing for some styles. The larger, squarer frets were a result of changes made over the 1958, 1959 and 1960 Les Paul model years, although the LP Custom in those days always had lower, wider frets than the regular model - hence the nickname 'Fretless Wonder'.

 

The neck-heel area was designed like that in 1952. If he plays in that upper-fret region a lot the perhaps the LP Custom was a poor choice of instrument. There is a LP model called the 'Axcess' which has a dressed away heel. That might be more suitable to his playing style.

 

As Neo hints; the SG would probably better for his current playing style.

 

There should be no sharp corners on which to hurt your palm. The fret-ends should have the edge corners covered by the plastic that binds the neck and these should not be sharp.

 

He'll either get used to it or else change to a different model.

[rallen]

Hi. The LP Custom is my guitar, which I almost never play and which he has "acquired". I also bought him an "everyday" guitar in the form of an ESP-AX, which has 24 frets and the neck joins the body very fluidly unlike the Gibson where there's a sharp protrusion at the back where you hurt your palm. When I bought the LP Custom, 21 years ago, I had no idea how to choose a guitar, I just bought an expensive guitar thinking it must be good.

 

On the SG - this guitar appears to be a slab of wood cut to a shape, just like the Fenders, and it appears to have none of the LP qualities of different woods used for the body? Or does it?

[pippy]

On the SG - this guitar appears to be a slab of wood cut to a shape' date=' just like the Fenders, and it appears to have none of the LP qualities of different woods used for the body? Or does it?[/quote']

 

The LP is, in essence, also just a slab of wood cut to a shape...

 

The SG has many qualities that the LP lacks, just as the LP has many qualities not found on any other instrument.

 

It's like trying to compare a Rolls-Royce with a Ferrari or a Land Rover or a...well I'm sure you get the idea.

 

If he prefers the ESP then that's OK by me - they are fine instruments in their own right.

 

What is infinitely more important than which brand of guitar he plays is the music he makes with it.

[rallen]

I think the ESP AX-400, at about 700 pounds (650 + Seymour Duncan replacement neck pickup), is slightly easier to play on than the LP.

 

The LP Custom, probably at 2,000 pounds these days?, is better musically.

 

You strum a chord on it and the whole body carries the resonances, and also tranmits them. The ESP does not as much, the difference it is quite audible with no amp on.

 

I just wish they could re-make the LPCustom but with easier bottom fret access :-

[DiamondJig]

Look at the Gibson Les Paul Axcess USA or Custom

 

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/Les-Paul-Axcess-Standard.asp

 

do a forum search on AXCESS to see member guitars like this one.

 

[pippy]

I think the ESP AX-400' date=' at about 700 pounds (650 + Seymour Duncan replacement neck pickup), is slightly easier to play on than the LP.

 

The LP Custom, probably at 2,000 pounds these days?, is better musically.

 

You strum a chord on it and the whole body carries the resonances, and also tranmits them. The ESP does not as much, the difference it is quite audible with no amp on.

 

I just wish they could re-make the LPCustom but with easier bottom fret access :-[/quote']

 

(I suspect you mean upper-fret access. The ones closer to the neck-body join?)

 

There is, of course, a double-cut Les Paul which has better upper-fret access if the SG doesn't appeal. One advantage of the DC is it is usually quite a bit cheaper than a regular LP!

 

The normal ticket price for a brand new LP Custom in London's Denmark St. is £2,499.00.

 

There are a great many guitars which are 'easier' to play than a LP Custom; PRS being prime examples.

[Wild_Rose]

the Axcess is HOT

as far as neck and frets are concerned, I say it's all down to personal preference..

[yoda]

unlike the Gibson where there's a sharp protrusion at the back where you hurt your palm.

 

 

 

 

OOHHHHH Boo Hoo' date=' my hand hurts!!!!!!!

 

Why in my day if you wanted to play the upper frets on your guitar...... it hurt like a mother****er..........that's the why it was and we liked it!!!

 

 

J/K

[NeoConMan]

On the SG - this guitar appears to be a slab of wood cut to a shape' date=' just like the Fenders[/quote']

Yes, and no.

Flat slab like a Fender, but with a set/glued in neck.

 

 

and it appears to have none of the LP qualities of different woods used for the body? Or does it?

The Fender is usually Alder' date=' Poplar, or maybe Ash - with a Maple neck [i']bolted[/i] to it.

 

LP & SG are both Mahogany bodies, and usually Mahogany necks.

The LP has the additional Maple cap glued on top and carved into shape - making it somewhat thicker.

 

Lots more time put into selecting woods, machining, assembling and finishing.

 

Fender is usually considered to be a bit more utilitarian, and easily modified.

Gibsons are positioned up-market from there - and assumed to need no further efforts to "perfect" them.

 

Nothing against Fender - I own several - but that's sorta the way it's been for decades.

[mwink822]

 

 

OOHHHHH Boo Hoo' date=' my hand hurts!!!!!!!

 

Why in my day if you wanted to play the upper frets on your guitar...... it hurt like a mother****er..........that's the why it was and we liked it!!!

 

 

:) J/K[/quote']

 

LOL!!! Along those lines, tell the youngin to man up

[pippy]

Why in my day if you wanted to play the upper frets on your guitar...... it hurt like a mother****er..........that's the why it was and we liked it!!! J/K

 

It's only bats that can listen to all that 'tweedly-tweedly-tweedly' stuff without getting severe earache anyways...