Amplify Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 Hi guys, i've recently come into a fairly large sum of money and was having difficulty deciding what to buy. i have about £4000 to spend on a guitar and was looking at a new LP '59 RE-ISSUE VOS in FADED TOBACCO or an LP 2008 standard. also (and this just came to me while writing this) if i bought the LP standard i might have enough cash left over to buy an sg as well. Any thoughts or opinions much appreciated.
Tim Plains Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 Historic Les Paul, do doubt! Not sure what they're selling for in the UK, but you could probably get a '58 reissue Les Paul and a SG for the price of a '59.
ALIEN8 Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 I own a LP and SG, and together they cover a lot of bases, an both have their place. They are very different guitars too... but they can cover some common ground if needed. '59 VOS guitars are awesome, play and sound great - for the most part. I personally think you're throwing a handful of money away on these that you will probably never see in re-selling, if that's your thing. Let me say this again though; they are beautiful and great players. The new standards are great too, and hold their value well. If you are trying to accomplish something specific with an LP (ie Page sound etc), you would be better off with a VOS. If you just want a gibson, or two to start a collection, get the standard.
Flight959 Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 A new R9 is around the £4000 price tag... A new R8 is around the £2400 Price tag... I'd get a nice R8 leaving you with enough change left over to have a nice amp to go with it... Regards Flight959
cajunman831 Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 I just bought a Yimano Les Paul reissue 59 2007.I,m waiting for it to arrive by Thursday from Route 66.I also got a Les Paul std before they went to the new models and I love it.
SRV-Zeppelin Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 Buy a Standard and either an SG or a Strat (or a Tele, for all I care.) Don't get me wrong, VOS guitars are great, but certain people (cough)Tim(cough) exaggerate how good they are... I think you'd be a lot happier with two great guitars as opposed to one excellent one.
retrosurfer1959 Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 The reissues are amazing the difference between the R8 and the R9 is mostly cosmetic (I know the blank is better wood) but the difference between a reissue and a standard is a lot more than cosmetic try a reissue they sell themselves.
solacematt Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 As badass as it would be to have the reissue, personally, I'd go with the '08, change the pickups out if not happy with them, and get a few warped Electro Harmonix effects...but that's just me and I like ****ed up walls of noise :D/
Thundergod Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 +1 a standard and an american tele. Its funny how there are so many people "recently comming into a fairly large sum of money"... didnt we do this thread last week? Welcome to the forum by the way.
Tim Plains Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 Don't get me wrong' date=' VOS guitars are great, but certain people (cough)Tim(cough) exaggerate how good they are... I think you'd be a lot happier with two great guitars as opposed to one excellent one. You're right... That's why I sold my SG Standard and why I'm hopefully selling my LP Standard tomorrow. I'd rather have one R9 over a two Gibson USA guitars...but that's just me.
Amplify Posted December 3, 2008 Author Posted December 3, 2008 Ok, first of all thanks for all the replies and advice guys. seems to be a little bit of a mixed opinion so far. I have only ever owned a Squire strat and then a Fender strat so buying a Gibson is a completely new thing for me. Up until a few weeks ago i had no idea that i would be in this financial situation so i hadn't even thought or looked at buying a new guitar. I realise this question had already been done in the posts before which i did post in but only got a small response of which i was gratefull, but i wanted to ask the question myself. The cost of the guitar isn't really that important. its just that after deciding i wanted a Gibson (I've always liked them) and looking at their website that things started to get a bit hazy. There are so many different versions of the LP but i seemed to have narrowed it down to these two or three. I have recently played a second hand 58 Re-issue custom and a new 2008 STD at my local shop and the 58 sounded so much better but they weren't on the same amp so it wasn't really a good/fair comparison. i'm going back to the shop next week to play a 59 VOS which i really like the look of and seems to be the slightly more popular guitar from what i've read on here so far. In a previous post when i asked the same question Lucy-guitar suggested i should buy a 59 VOS from either 2005/2006 rather than a new one and that made me wonder if there was anything wrong with the new ones? Why buy a second hand one when i could get one new? I'm not looking at resale value cos i won't be selling it although i'm not a collector either. So is 2008 a bad year for the 59 VOS's. Also i've recently read on here about anniversary models coming out next year, if this is the case then should i wait for those to arrive? Again i'd just like to say thanks to all of you for your advice so far as i know these questions must be asked over and over again and i know i have to play these guitars and decide for myself but you guys are the experts and as i've never been able to afford a Gibson before i've never even looked at their spec to choose one. And just in case anyone is interested i'll be playing it through a Line 6 Flextone2 plus. One week till decision day and counting!! Cheers Andy
SRV-Zeppelin Posted December 3, 2008 Posted December 3, 2008 You're right... That's why I sold my SG Standard and why I'm hopefully selling my LP Standard tomorrow. I'd rather have one R9 over a two Gibson USA guitars...but that's just me.[/quote'] I knew you'd have something to say about my post, Tim... and as to your and Retrosurfer's comments, I have played historics, and yes, they do clean the floor with USA models... but... By "exaggerating" how good they are, I mean that some people (cough)Tim(cough) think that they're the only guitars worth buying/playing and that all other guitars are obsolete in comparison. I'd take my LP and a 62 Strat RI any day over a 50th anniversary R9. Well... not completely true... I'd take the R9, sell it, and then buy my LP, the Strat, and a Marshall JCM 2000 half stack. Those historics just cost too much in my opinion...
Tim Plains Posted December 3, 2008 Posted December 3, 2008 In a previous post when i asked the same question Lucy-guitar suggested i should buy a 59 VOS from either 2005/2006 rather than a new one and that made me wonder if there was anything wrong with the new ones? Why buy a second hand one when i could get one new? I'm not looking at resale value cos i won't be selling it although i'm not a collector either. So is 2008 a bad year for the 59 VOS's. 2003 (or is it 2002?) to present is all the same, spec wise. He probably ment from a cost perspective because if you were to buy a new one and sell it within a few years, you will lose money...in N. America, anyways. Check eBay if you want to get an idea of what they sell for used. There are rumors that the 2009 R9s will be different than the current ones. Essentially, more historically accurate and then this will be it for modifying/updating the historic line of LPs. I also heard this from my Gibson dealer, but I'll wait until I see one in front of me. SRV-Zeppelin, I knew you'd have something to say about mine. I'm not going to comment on the Strat because I don't know anything about it, but you said it yourself "I have played historics, and yes, they do clean the floor with USA models." Please explain how am I exaggerating? I hate using the term "the best" but they are in fact the best Gibson sells. '52, '54, 57, '59...whatever, those reissue Les Pauls are the cream of the crop, as far as new ones go. Tell me, if you owned a historic Les Paul...I don't care which one, any historic that you found sweet enough to bring home...do you think you'd touch your Standard anymore? I can almost guarantee you wouldn't. I'm not the first/only person to say this, either. You don't see many people selling their historic Les Paul for a LP Standard... Maybe you haven't noticed, but I don't recommend buying the R9 and only the R9. I suggest a historic Les Paul. They're all essentially the same guitar. Gold - buy a '57, black - Custom, burst - buy a '58, burst with flame - '59/'60. Some people new to Les Pauls join the forum and ask which is the best Les Paul...well, the answer is a historic Les Paul...sorry to say.
SRV-Zeppelin Posted December 3, 2008 Posted December 3, 2008 Geez Tim, you're making me think... as I mentioned, by "exaggerating" I mean that you highly recommend historics over all other Gibson models- for good reason, and there's nothing wrong with that- but you make it seem like they are the only Gibson guitars worth buying/playing. Not saying that's your opinion; it just comes off like that sometimes. And if I had a historic and my standard, no Tim, I don't think I would touch my Standard as often- but, I'm saying I would rather own an LP and a Strat/SG/Tele/whatever than just one historic Gibson. I'm sure you would agree with me that there is absolutely nothing wrong with most standard USA models and that the historics just build on that and are better. I would just prefer the versatility of owning several high-end guitars than one really high-end guitar. Some people new to Les Pauls join the forum and ask which is the best Les Paul...well' date=' the answer is a historic Les Paul...sorry to say. [/quote'] This is true, and I don't think it's sorry to say. As I pointed out, historics do "clean the floor" with standard models. They are, as you so aptly put it, "the cream of the crop." I just recommend owning two great guitars rather than one really pricy guitar that you're afraid to touch. (At least I would be.) Does that answer your question?
FennRx Posted December 3, 2008 Posted December 3, 2008 i stand by my original post.... here we have a guy who has only owned a Squier and then a Fender Strat....and since he didnt say it was an American Strat, it is entirely possible that his total guitar cost is around $500 plus or minus. so we are going to recommend a $5200 guitar? i'm sorry, but that's retarded. While it is true that the Historics are the best, I hardly think someone who has zero experience with LPs will really appreciate the quality of a CS guitar. When I got my LP Studio all those years ago, i thought it was the greatest guitar ever. i wouldn't have been able to fully a enjoy an R9. and dont forget those people who play the Historics and don't like them. what about the Epi Elitists? i would get out there a play a bunch. i would consider a LP VM or Studio. If you insist on a higher model, i would not go above the Traditional.
Bram Posted December 3, 2008 Posted December 3, 2008 Don't forget that it also depends on what sound you're looking for in a Les Paul. There are huge differences in vibe/tone/weight etc. between all the different Les Pauls you can buy. Remember that a '59 Vos or Historic reissue isn't the same as the real deal, sad but just true. If you want the '59 Les Paul tone you'd have to buy an original '59 to get exactly the same vintage vibe and tone. It isn't without a reason that all reissues of a particular Les Paul are cheaper compared to the real (vintage) original. You gotta pay for real history. If you love the tone of Adam Jones to death, you'd have to search for an original 70's or 80's Les Paul Custom Silverburst to get the same vibe/tone. You simply can't compare a reissue with the real deal, for several reasons (wood/aging-process, pickups, weight, paint jobs, etc). An 'aged' Custom Shop Les Paul isn't aged in tone; therefore it has to be played for more than 20/30 years with naturel wear and tear. If you aren't looking for a specific tone, I'd get the 2008 Les Paul Standard; just a Les Paul (Why should you pay 'more' if you don't need more?!). It's good the way it is.
Amplify Posted December 10, 2008 Author Posted December 10, 2008 Just like to say thanks again to everyone for their comments but the deals been done. Now if someone can tell me how the hell i can get a pic on here (cos i'm a bit of a pc dollard) i'd gladly show you all what i've bought. Cheers!
jnstrom Posted December 10, 2008 Posted December 10, 2008 Buy the VOS my friend, they are amazing!!! and later when you come across some more money get yourself a strat. then a sg then a tele then a standard then a mustang then a Black Beauty ..... you see the theme.
jnstrom Posted December 10, 2008 Posted December 10, 2008 I added my pics to photo bucket first then copy and save it back to my my computer this makes it the right size then either click on the insert pic from the icons above or link it from the photobucket site.
t-bone Posted December 10, 2008 Posted December 10, 2008 i stand by my original post.... here we have a guy who has only owned a Squier and then a Fender Strat....and since he didnt say it was an American Strat' date=' it is entirely possible that his total guitar cost is around $500 plus or minus. so we are going to recommend a $5200 guitar? i'm sorry, but that's retarded. While it is true that the Historics are the best, I hardly think someone who has zero experience with LPs will really appreciate the quality of a CS guitar. When I got my LP Studio all those years ago, i thought it was the greatest guitar ever. i wouldn't have been able to fully a enjoy an R9. and dont forget those people who play the Historics and don't like them. what about the Epi Elitists? i would get out there a play a bunch. i would consider a LP VM or Studio. If you insist on a higher model, i would not go above the Traditional. [/quote'] I think people buy according to their wallets, not their experience or skill level. I'd never "qualify" for my current Standard, much less a Historic. I've only played guitar for about 15 years. And it would seem that I'm not progressing as fast as I used to. So if we expand on that line of thought, I'll most likely never be "good enough" as a guitarist to qualify for a Historic. I simply don't deserve one. But if I were rich, I'd most certainly get one anyway. And you're absolutely right about getting out there, Fennrx. Amplify, you really need to try the different models out for yourself.
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