How I Accidentally Purchased a Gibson Les Paul Studio Deluxe 50’s Style

[glp2012]

WARNING...extremely long post, but may provide some advice for choosing a guitar.

 

Bottom line it that I bought a 2011 Gibson Les Paul Studio Deluxe 50’s model. You can read my advice below for selecting a guitar. The process took about four months. Here were the guitars I played before selecting this one:

 

Three Gibson Les Paul Faded Studio’s

Five Gibson Les Paul Studio Deluxe 60’s neck

Two Gibson Les Paul Studio Deluxe 50’s neck

One Gibson Les Paul Standard

Three Fender American Telecasters

Two Fender Mexican Telecasters

Three Fender American Stratocasters

Six Fender Mexican Stratocasters

Just about one of every Epiphone Les Paul model

Two Epiphone Dot Studio’s

Two Ibanez Artcore’s

One Gretsch 5120

(and a partridge in a pear tree…)

 

My advice is to play as many guitars as possible. You will know the right one when you play it. I would not advocate buying a guitar without first trying it out and seeing how it feels to you. I suspect that we might all have different opinions about the feel of the same guitar.

 

Initially, I was looking for an American Fender Telecaster. I was trying out a 60th Anniversary Telecaster and noticed a Les Paul behind me. I don’t know what attracted me to it because I didn’t know much about Gibson guitar models (I've never really liked Gibson's). Regardless, I picked up the guitar and had an almost religious experience…the heavens parted, a light started shining, and angels started singing. This guitar sounded great! I had to put it down because I though I was dreaming…not to mention it was out of my price range.

 

Three weeks later (and a ton of eBay auctions), I finally had enough cash to buy the guitar. Compared to other guitars, the resonance and tone are far superior. Acoustically, the guitar has a great sound. I am more of a Fender Stratocaster person, but the GLP blew me away. It may not be the guitar for everyone, but I’m a convert.

 

One last note (and in my opinion)…the difference between Mexican and American Strats is almost negligible, but the difference between Gibson and Epiphone is remarkable. You can feel an immediate difference between the two. I played several Epiphone’s and most of them felt completely different (and only a few were comfortable). Most of the Gibson’s I played had a similar, almost comfortable feel (excluding the faded Studio models which felt rough). However, when you get to some of the higher end Epiphone’s, the quality improves. I found an Epiphone Studio Deluxe that felt fantastic.

 

I put pictures of this guitar in another post so did not want to duplicate them.

 

Good luck buying your next guitar!

[RowdyMoon]

Glad it worked out or ya...saw the pics...nice looking LP....It's true..weird how 2 of the so called same guitars will have a diff feel. Thats why I would never buy from ebay cause ya never know what you're etting.

[StijnV]

Thanks for sharing this info !

[blueslespaultone]

Sweet guitar, I saw the lp, it's very nice.

[NightTimeConcealmentX91]

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[charlie brown]

One question, how can you accidentally buy a guitar? There are several though processes from deciding, giving cash or credit card, then receiving the item? I thought an accident was a small unplanned event?

 

Oh...I've done that...went in to get a pedal, or some strings,

and walked out with a guitar, in addition, or instead of. LOL

 

CB

[cjmwrx]

I have almost the exact same story as your's, minus the Ibanez, Gretch, and the Epis. Wound up with a Deluxe 60s and an American Deluxe Tele

 

Was a great learning experience. I would not do it again, and I hope others reading this thread take something away from it(other than I may be a terrible shopper). My next purchase is an ES339, I have played 3 so far. None were worth my cash yet.

 

Glad you're happy in the end. Nice Axe!