Ren Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Hiya Forum, Hope everyone's well today, cos I'm feeling GRAND! Picked up my new 2008 Standard couple of days ago from Guitar Village, Farnham here in the UK. I also have a 2002 version LP Standard that I bought in Jan this year, was going to mod it with plek fret-dressing and locking tuners, when, lo, the new 2008 came out, so sort of had to had one! I'm currently in the peculiar position of having two Les Paul Standards in HCSB, made about a year apart, enabling a good A/B comparison. First up, a couple of things: I got quite paranoid in the days before my purchase as a few on this forum had said various things about the 2008 that worried me. Example: The tone controls don't work, or only work when the volume controls are not fully wide open. I can report, not true - they work exactly the same as my original Std. Also, that the tone and sustain claims were all hype and the new 2008s didn't sound good. Seriously NOT TRUE! When I first plugged my new 2008 in, I wasn't really expecting any difference in sound to be honest, but I was blown away. I really mean this - I'm not just being biased by the fact of my new purchase, it really does sound very different. Fuller, richer and more sustain. Individual lead lines sound just so much better. Truely, I was shocked. Before anyone queries, I know a little about set-ups and I have set both guitars to same actions and PUP height, etc. OK, my new 2008 does still have the OEM brite-wires, where I always use slinkys as standard, but the difference is beyond strings - it's in the PUPS and electronics, wood and joints. I'm sold on the sound. The new asymetric neck feels really strange to me, much sort of chunkier. Not sure yet how it fits in my hand - need more time to get used to it, but it does make my fretting hand sort of feel more secure and confident on the fretboard. But it does feel VERY different. Finish: AWESOME. The flaming and colour on this guitar are superb - I personally have not seen another HCSB so good. Just look at the pccies of it next to my original - it looks pale and insipid by comparison (I realise this is subjective - my wife said my original sort of looked older...) Now the gaffs: The new Tone-pros stopbar tailpiece is meant to have two little grub screws that bind on to the posts. On mine the grubscrew holes have shamefully been over-drilled, so there is no thread at all, and the screws just drop out! Unbelievable. Also unbelievable that the dealer didn't spot this. Gibson make a point of the new superb action set up on the new plek'd 2008. Mine came with a 2.67mm action on the 12th fret on the 6th string!!!!!!!! (factory spec I believe is 1.2mm). I know action is subjective, but come on, 2.67mm? There is grey gunk on the rosewood fretboard just after the 17th fret. Same gunk on the top and sides of the 17th fret. Looks like the plek machine gobbed (english term) on the fret-board! Fretting. I believe these frets have two claws at either end that pushes into the fingerboard. If you look with a magnifying glass at mine, the claws are pushed in ok, but the rest of the fret remain a few thou above the fingerboard, so there's a kind of small gap between the bottom of the fret and the fingerboard. Is this right? I looked on my original Std, and some, although much fewer, of the frets were similar. If I run a small straight edhe over three frets at a time, I can get some 'rocking on some frets. Has this really been plek'd? I plan to get it checked here in the UK at Chandlers where they have the only plek machine in the uk. The nut has been cut very well - it is cut by the plek. So much better than my original std where the nut slots are a disgrace. Bridge saddles: If you look with a magnifying glass, the finish of the string grooves is shameful - can't be part of the plek. Makes me want to immediately get some better replacements. Anyone else look through a magnifying at these and been shocked? Still, overall, I am overwhelmed by the sound and finish, and am therefore amazingly and stupidly happy! OK now the piccies: Cheers, and love and peace to all. Gooing to go and play it now!/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Glad you like it. You are right, that is one hell of a good looking finish. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buchananblues Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Very very nice looking standard ~ congrats!!!! I have a new traditional and like you went over it with a magnifying glass, about the only issue I could find was the truss rod cover was broken at the bottom screw closet to the nut, a very small piece of the cover was broken off, as if the screw was tightened too much. Not really a huge deal, I am very particular, but I thought it wasn't enough to warrant a return, so I ordered a new Gibson OEM Blank replacement. So I will swap them out when I get the new one, making sure NOT to overtighten the screw. The setup was very good ~ the 57 HB's sound spectacular ~ the finisha was almost perfect, there is a very small amount of over spray where the neck joins at the body, truly not enough to warrant a return. The treble pickup is a little on the loose side as compared to the bass pickup, but not a big deal. With all that, I do have to say overall I am extremely pleased with my Les Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRom Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Wow, quite a delema. It plays great sounds great and looks great but has a laundry list of defect issues. Tough call but for that much dough, I'd have to return it. I'm sure the next one will be just as great. Congrats on the new ax! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 I have a new traditional Thanks guys. I've got her here now on the bed with me Hi buchananblues, Was your's plek'd? Are there gaps between the frets and fingerboard? cheers, ren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 As much as some people here hate the idea of the new standard, they are being sold, so, I was wondering when one would show up in here... Congratulations! I have to agree with you... I like the new one better... After all the hype about the changes gibson made I wanted to know from someone who owned one... so are there any other differences? do the controls work exactly as the older standard? What about the straplocks? and the jack! ohhh... the jack! C´mon man... give us some more details! (and some more pictures, maybe one of the back of the neck on both guitars?). Congratulations again on a fine guitar man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Wow your really careful. ;) Out of all my guitars I've never looked at one with a magnifying glass I always figured if I can't see it neither can anyone else and so it wont be an issue. no wonder I'm happy with most of the Gibson's I buy. how about everyone else (Sherlock Holmes) or like me (Mr Magoo happy with what I don't see)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I'm like you retro... no need to bother myself with things I cant see with my bare eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 "The new Tone-pros stopbar tailpiece is meant to have two little grub screws that bind on to the posts. On mine the grubscrew holes have shamefully been over-drilled, so there is no thread at all, and the screws just drop out! Unbelievable. Also unbelievable that the dealer didn't spot this." Can you show us some photos. Not sure I understand what the problem is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Two beautiful guitars you have there!! New Standards have + tops, I believe. That would explain why you feel the older Standard pales in comparison. I don't think anybody here disputes the tonal capabilities of the new Standard. If you say the thing sounds amazing, I will take your word for it. Fuller, richer...I'm sure it is. I think the problem some people have with it (including myself) is all the changes Gibson has made to what is supposed to be "the standard" in the Gibson line up. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raybass Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Hello guys, I'm new here, so cheers to everyone! I'm from Portugal and right now I'm living in "great psychological agony" as I´m going to order a new Les Paul and I'm completely divided between the 2008 Standard and the Traditional, so I really need your help! Let me explain, here in Portugal the access to Gibson instruments is not that great (although it's getting better) and I haven't tried as many ("old") Les Paul as I'd wish. I have a good information source and I know that some 2008 Standard's will arrive in October and Traditional's in November (not many). This means that it will be somehow difficult to make an A/B comparison. There's also the important fact that I'm going to buy my guitar on a special deal with a very good price but this deal also means that even if I liked one of the guitars that are coming to Portugal, I'll have to place a new order and keep the guitar that will arrive to me (I know it sounds strange, but believe me the price will make a big difference). This all means that, if I'd wait for for the "testing" guitars to arrive in Portugal, place my order and in reasonable shipping times considering the proximity to christmas at that time, I can surely expect to receive my new guitar in January or so. I CANNOT WAIT SO MUCH TIME!!! I will probably go mentally ill and I'd better spend my money in pharmaceutics! On the other hand, I can place the order now on any of the two guitars and I'll be receiving it in 4 weeks at most. I know that this sounds a little strange, but please believe me that it's true. After a long thought, I decided that I'm going to place my order now without trying one! I know that's not how things should be done, but regarding my peculiar situation, I think that's my best exit before I go insane! That's why I need you help. I've done my research and I'm perfectly aware of the specs on both guitars and what is being talked over the internet. For me, what really matters is the body, pickups and the neck shape. The tuners, jack and everything else is not important for my choice. Regarding my playing style I'm a little ambiguous, since I play blues, alternative (indie) rock like Radiohead and God Speed You! Black Emperor, Led Zeppelin style rock and even more classic stuff like Bob Dylan and Neil Young. My present main guitar is an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Black Beauty (3PU's) and my secondary ones are a Fender Stratocaster Vintage made in Japan 1996 and a new reissue Danelectro '59 Dano. My amp right now is a Roland Cube 60 but my future plans are to get something like a Vox AC-30 or an Orange AD-30TC. This is something that I will start saving for as soon has I buy the guitar. I use a bunch of effects, but mostly I give use to reverb, delay, overdrive (I'm not a heavy distortion kind of guy) and some tremolo, that are all coming from my already old Boss GT-6, but I my effects will be properly taken cared of along the time from the purchase of the guitar till the amp. I like a full, hot and warm tone on a guitar. With presence and soul. I'm really not interested in shimmering high tones. For that I have my Strat. As you can see, my plans are to replace all my stuff with professional grade equipment. I've just mentioned all this so you guys can have a really good picture of what I play and where I want to get. So, the 100 million question is: 2008 Standard or Traditional, which guitar do you think will suite me the best? On one side I'd go for the Traditional with the more warm '57 Classics pu's and heavier weight from the weight-relief specs (and I really prefer the more vintage style aesthetics), but the other side of my brain does not give up on the Burstbucker Pros pu's and the promised sustain from the chambered body. Oh god, please help me, I'm really suffering from double "Les Paul personality issues"! Sorry for any english errors and for this extensive text that I've just realized that I have written... This must be the longest post of the year... Thank you so much for your help!!! Here is the link to my band myspace: Esteban Device - http://www.myspace.com/estebandevice And my personal page on a Portuguese Music Community - http://palcoprincipal.clix.pt/user/paulodiogo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stymye Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 nice guitar! but >please< take all those stickers off ! and post more pics.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedaykin98 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 That is one fantastic looking guitar, and I don't even like Heritage Cherry! Glad to hear a good report about a 2008. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Gratz the new guitar! Let me know if the new neck shape fatigues or relaxes your hand more! (and call me Mr. Magoo. If it plays and sounds good, doesn't look beat up and abused.....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Enjoy!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 OK more on the 2008... On second playing, still hit by the awesome new tone. I didn't imagine it. Besides anything the guitar seems to have a new clarity that cuts through a mix better. Guess I am a bit of a sherlock holmes then! Prolly started when I got really let down and p****d off with really poor guitar work by a so called professional. I used to be a mechanic, so thought it can't be rocket science, so I bought Dan Erlewine's book, got the tools and started setting up and checking these things myself. Glad I did. Anyway, yeh - also the Dunlop straplocks: I'm used to the Schallers but these seem better in that they're simpler to operate with a simple push of the button where you have to line the schallers up. The dunlop's stick out a bit, looking like there's some leverage on the guitar wood, but presume everything's strong enough. Think I prefer the dunlops though I hadn't seen them before. Controls: Identical layout and operation, but the knobs are a darker gold and the action is far, far lighter. Some might say too light, but I always thought with sweaty hands and no grip-knurling on the knobs it was sometimes difficult to get a good grip and a positive adjustment mid-song. I much prefer the lighter action of the new ones, though there does seem a little excess 'play' on all four of them which doesn't make them feel high-quality though presume ok. How much the 'bourne' electronics affect the sound I'm not in a position to say, but either the controls, the pups or the mix of the two makes a big difference. In one of my songs, right at the end, I need to turn the treble right down on the neck pup for a particular bit of lead, and with my old LP, the sound sort of went weak and got lost - not so with the '08 - it's 'darkness still shines through'! The neck: Yeh, been playing it more now and I really like it, but as I said before it is very different. Even though it feels slim it is much chunkier around the top/bass side. For me it definitely is a nice, confident feel, but for anyone who really loves their 60s neck or whatever, maybe they should check it out first. Haven't got a good enough camera to get the necessary close up of the 'over-drilled' stopbar holes, but these are the little, supposedly, threaded holes that sit at right-angles to the main post slot in the stopbar (so that a corresponding grub screw will grip the post). All the stickers are off now. Just wanted to photograph it as it came! I'll get some more piccies up soon. Weight: My old standard was 8lbs 2oz. My new 08 is 8lbs 11oz, so a bit heavier, and feels it. All in all, my new 08 somehow feels more like a true Les Paul than my other standard. Don't know if that makes sense. I don't know if it's the additional weight (I used to have a custom), the finish or what. Normally if I buy something and it's not right, it puts me off the thing, but with my new 08 it was love at first strum. It's so awesome, I can even forgive Gibson the stupid errors. This guitar has SOUL!! Oh, and haven't mentioned the Grover locking tuners. They are the cherry on the cake. Lovely and so simple. With the new plek-cut nut and the grovers, no more pinging of the 1st and 2nd strings when tuning. In fact NO TUNING PROBLEMS at all! Personally I much prefer the chrome and look of the Grovers over the green tulip klusons on my other standard which always looked a bit plastic'y. The grovers just really finish the guitar off and make it look higher class in my eyes, but I appreciate this look is subjective. For me, there really would be no going back now after playing the new 08. Really interested in the opinions of any other 08 standard owners...? Love and peace, ren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Wow your really careful. Out of all my guitars I've never looked at one with a magnifying glass I always figured if I can't see it neither can anyone else and so it wont be an issue. no wonder I'm happy with most of the Gibson's I buy. how about everyone else (Sherlock Holmes) or like me (Mr Magoo happy with what I don't see)? I'm more Magoo. To me, lifes too short to worry about things I can't detect on my guitars and cars. My wifes the opposite though! Anyway Ren, that's a beautiful guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 I'm more Magoo. To me' date=' lifes too short to worry about things I can't detect on my guitars and cars. My wifes the opposite though! Anyway Ren, that's a beautiful guitar. [/quote'] Thanks saturn. Yeh, it's a fair point, but hey someone has to set the guitar up, dress frets, etc, and should we just presume it's always done right? It makes a BIG difference. I know the magnifying glass makes me sound a real geek, but it's just a standard part of my guitar set-up toolbox and is necessary if you've got sight like mine! cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I didn't mean to imply your issues weren't worth worrying about. Actually I would probably be at least a little concerned with some of the things you described. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fedaykin98 Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Let's see the pics now that the stickers are off! I played a 2008 Desert Burst today - like I said, don't like Heritage Cherry, so I think the Desert Burst is the best finish they offer the 2008 in. Really, really loved the sound and feel of the guitar. The one thing that kept me from taking it home was the weight - chambered or not, I played it standing up and it was pretty heavy on my shoulder. I'm pretty shocked to hear Ren say that this one weighs more than his old Standard; that's pretty depressing. I guess the wood they are using right now is so much heavier than the old stuff that the chambering not only doesn't make it lighter, it leaves the guitar heavier? Fabulous guitar for those who don't mind the weight, though. I think I'll keep my eyes open for a lighter one - there's a wide variance. Ren's is over 10 lbs., whereas you can find chambered customs on the net that are 8.6ish, and Cloud 9s in the 7s. I want as light as I can get! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 OK, some more pics now the stickers are off! Meanwhile, have taken close ups of the tonepros stopbar problem and will post them up on a new thread. cheers, ren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VA_siCkBoy Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 That is such a beautiful guitar! Congratulations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaphod B Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Beautiful flame on that top. Nice guitar, enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MI_Canuck Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Gorgeous LP!!! Beautiful flame top on it!!! Congrats!! cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet22 Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Nice to see you've added the pick-guard. Right thing to do. The danger with the more "vibrant" bursts is that they can look a little "PRS" without them - so hats off to ya' ! Sorry to hijack an excellent thread with the ol' pick-guard arguement. Sweet looking guitar, really. And hey..? Why not get the magnifyer out? It's a great indicator of QC. Nice one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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