Rabs Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I kinda like the LP Trubite.. But does Joe B REALLY need another model... lol :) (also im not sure the picture on the headstock is really necessary?) Les Paul Tribute: $4,999 Mahogany body with carved Maple top Mahogany neck with traditional "thick" profile Bound rosewood fingerboard with trapezoid Inlays Dual P-90 humbucking pickups in the neck and bridge positions Chrome, wraparound trapeze tailpiece matching Les' 1952 patent Cream pickguard with 'Lester William Polsfuss' stamped in his handwriting Maple head veneer with Les' photo laser etched TonePros™ vintage-style tuners with 16:1 ratio http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Tribute.aspx Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Standard: $5,999 Mahogany body with modern weight relief Mahogany neck with new 1960 Asymmetrical profile Bound Rosewood fingerboard with trapezoid inlays Dual Joe Bonamassa signature Seymour Duncan pickups in the neck and bridge Black five-ply pickguard signed by Joe Locking Grover™ tuners http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Joe-Bonamassa-Les-Paul-Standard.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heymisterk Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 At that price, they ought to include Joe B with the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Another Les Paul Tribute based on the first-run '52s...Why? Bonamassa models are getting a bit boring now too...Not impressed with these at all. Trad. '13 is only new model that gives me G.A.S.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I'm not a goldtop man... SORRY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 I'm not a goldtop man... SORRY! I wasnt at all until I went looking for a 60s Tribute.. I mean a GOLD guitar, it sounds ridiculous.. what sort of ahole wants a gold coloured guitar lol... :) BUT there was something special about the Goldtop version.. I now love it more than anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderchild Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 I wasnt at all until I went looking for a 60s Tribute.. I mean a GOLD guitar, it sounds ridiculous.. what sort of ahole wants a gold coloured guitar lol... :) BUT there was something special about the Goldtop version.. I now love it more than anything. Please don't flame me, not intending to p*ss anyone off or diss their guitars, or hijack Rabs' thread, but what is the mystique about Goldtops? no matter what model or series. it has to be a Goldtop. I have a 2008 Standard in Heritage cherry and a Custom Classic in Wine red, both IMHO beautiful guitars and I can see the beauty of the wood. Just wonderin', maybe I feel this way cause gold has never been my color on anything. Sorry Rabs, here's your thread back TC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 Please don't flame me, not intending to p*ss anyone off or diss their guitars, or hijack Rabs' thread, but what is the mystique about Goldtops? no matter what model or series. it has to be a Goldtop. I have a 2008 Standard in Heritage cherry and a Custom Classic in Wine red, both IMHO beautiful guitars and I can see the beauty of the wood. Just wonderin', maybe I feel this way cause gold has never been my color on anything. Sorry Rabs, here's your thread back TC As I say I felt the same way till I tried my one.. And I dont think the fact that its Gold has anything to do with anything.. Its just a great guitar so I overlooked the colour (which i would not normally go for).. Now I love them.. And the fact that my one has a light back means I still get to see some lovely looking wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 My first LP was a 73 Deluxe Gold Top. but I also sort of like the characteristic of the grain structure. like my 02 standard.. (mod'd with Duncan pickups -- didn't really like the Burstbuckers.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Agree all these tributes are getting a little silly. The Les tribute has a tailpiece and that was the first thing they changed from the original models because you couldn't get the intonation right. This one is probably better - but still not that desirable to me. As to the gold tops - they don't look accurate either. I had an early gold top (no one could ever determine if it was a true '58 or a "58" reissue from '68) but the gold had flecks/sparkles in it resembling a metal flake auto paint job. These just look very plain flat finish and the color seems tanner than mine was. I suppose for someone who doesn't play much and has more money than they know what to do with a tribute with Les' picture on the headstock might be cool to own? And what's with the two different types of knobs on the Joe model - with his sunglasses on he can't tell the volumes from the tones? Oh, sorry just read the descriptions. The prices are totally justified because with the Les you get a varsity jacket and a tee shirt, and with the Joe you get a pair of sunglasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Joe's on his way to Zakkville.... Seriously, enough is enough. I can see having ONE CS, ONE standard, and ONE Epi model for Joe, and offering them in different colors. Same with Zakk: a new sig model comes out every year. Just make one LP for each "class" (CS, standard, and Epi), and offer different options, like the Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 While I don't know, but there must be some history with the Les Paul and the "Gold Top" that we're all missing. Maybe someone can fill us in? My first electric was a no-name (literally no name anywhere on the guitar) Les Paul Gold Top with black pick-guard and gold hardware. Had a zero fret, redwood board and rounded edges on the inlays. Had full multi-ply binding and no name on the headstock. I bought it used in the late 1970s. I'm not really a fan of gold, but for some reason, I have a strange attraction to LP goldtops to this day. There's just something about them... Fast forward to today... I stopped in one of my local Guitar Centers (one with a platinum room )and this new NAMM model Joe B. was sitting on a stand. Street price marked on it is $3599.00. Has the darkest rosewood board I've ever seen. Played it throung a Fender SuperSonic 60W combo and man did it feel awesome and scream! The guitar was just top notch. I am a big fan of the asymetrical neck, just wish they would offer it on a guitar in the $1500 - $2000 range. I think you have to spend around $2500 before you can get it. Anyway, a $3500 guitar isn't in my future with two kids in college. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PingPongBob Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 I like Gold Tops. I'm sick of Joe Bonamassa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 I agree with the observation that the gold isn't quite right. Mrs agrees, it's why I don't have a modern day goldtop, have always dug them. Joe Bonamassa has truly entered the realm of dogs hit and I really wish he would just go away. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I'll jump back in a second time. Glad rct and the Mrs. agree with me the top isn't even close to the way the old ones looked. As for Joe B, he's a good player, way better than I'll ever be, but it's mostly the blues. I understand he made it big and Gibson wants to cash in on his popularity, but the blues have been around for a century or more. I love the blues, but let's wait 30 or 40 years and see if anyone is still appreciating his playing before we immortilize him with all these tribute signature guitars. As to the history of the gold top - when the first Les Paul model came out in 1952 they were finished with the sparkly gold top because in Les words "It looked expensive" The back sides and neck were left natural mahogany. Later some had the gold finish on the back and sides as well. So it's just that the very first LPs had goldtops that it has become an icon. Later came the "tuxedo" custom model in black with the fancier inlaid headstock. These were simply cosmetic things to make the guitar look good and sell. I think most of us would tend to agree, now, that a beautiful woodgrain looks better and the goldtop covers that up. You need to remember that the Fender Nocasters and Teles were outselling Gibson at the time so they tried to dress theirs up more than Fender did. One of the main reasons they have a carved maple top attached to the mahogany body is because Gibson knew that Fender did not have the machinery at that time to do that type of construction. So it was competition and trying to differentiate the brand that led to the goldtop - not anything inherently to do with music or tone or playability. But like I said before when you consider that you get a T-shirt with one, and a pair of sunglasses with the other - the prices are justified. See any pattern here folks? One of the reasons Gibson has been around a hundred years is they play the game. This is America (and don't get me wrong I love America), but you have to hype and sell stuff anyway you can to survive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Joe's on his way to Zakkville.... Seriously, enough is enough. I can see having ONE CS, ONE standard, and ONE Epi model for Joe, and offering them in different colors. Same with Zakk: a new sig model comes out every year. Just make one LP for each "class" (CS, standard, and Epi), and offer different options, like the Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci models. Have to agree with you here. While Gibson is obviously trying to be in as many niches as possible to appeal to anyone they should take a lesson from General Motors. They had the Chevrolet,Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac brands. They were all the same cars with a few different bits of chrome changed around at the front or back end. The chassis, motor, transmissions were all the same. Their costs skyrocketed trying to design new models for each brand each year and when the post WWII inflationary cycle ended so did Oldsmobile, and Pontiac (and Saturn too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 They ain't bad looking, but if I were to go with a solid color I'd prefer a 50th Anniversary Black Beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I sort of don't get the hatin on Joe B...?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Have to agree with you here. While Gibson is obviously trying to be in as many niches as possible to appeal to anyone they should take a lesson from General Motors. They had the Chevrolet,Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac brands. They were all the same cars with a few different bits of chrome changed around at the front or back end. The chassis, motor, transmissions were all the same. Their costs skyrocketed trying to design new models for each brand each year and when the post WWII inflationary cycle ended so did Oldsmobile, and Pontiac (and Saturn too). That isn't true for Cadillac. There were some cars that Caddy made that were re-branded GM cars, and in some cases, they put a buick or olds motor into a Caddy, but that was the exception. Most Caddy's have their own chassis, their own motors, and their own "coach" designers. From the Northstar back to the 4.9, HT4100, 368, 425, 500, 472, 429...etc. As far as I know, the Deville has never shared a chassis with another GM car. The redesigned Eldorado of '67 was a Caddy design, that shared a chassis with Olds for a few years in the 70's, but didn't last long. The "new" Seville of '76 was a re-branded Nova at first, but became an origonal Caddy again later. "Eldorado" and "Seville" were origonally trim packages before they became their own separate chassis designs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I sort of don't get the hatin on Joe B...?? Me neither. I like his playing a lot. The overkill signature products with these people is just too much though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Me neither. I like his playing a lot. The overkill signature products with these people is just too much though! I know Kaleb. I'm not sure I get that either, (how many signature guitars does a fella need anyway) But that marketing/endorsement issue aside, I like just about everything he's been doing lately. Especially the work done with Black Country Communion. Awesome running muzak! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I know Kaleb. I'm not sure I get that either, (how many signature guitars does a fella need anyway) But that marketing/endorsement issue aside, I like just about everything he's been doing lately. Especially the work done with Black Country Communion. Awesome running muzak! I prefer his older stuff, as well as BCC (very unfortunate that it won't go on), over his more recent stuff, but that's just me. I wish he'd cut loose and do a heavy blues-rock record again. His old stuff is reminiscent of Free and Humble Pie. Pat Travers, too. His new stuff is just a little too...artsy and fancy for me. But that's just me. It's kinda how I view Rush. I never, ever stopped being a fan, but most of the material from 82-91 just didn't cut it for me. I was listening to a compilation the other day in the truck with my bass player (we were just at the bar and I played Working Man-Finding My Way-Neil's drum solo from All The World's a Stage on the jukebox!), and "Force Ten" came on and I just couldn't take it. I felt like I was being sterilized, or probed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I prefer his older stuff, as well as BCC (very unfortunate that it won't go on), over his more recent stuff, but that's just me. I wish he'd cut loose and do a heavy blues-rock record again. His old stuff is reminiscent of Free and Humble Pie. Pat Travers, too. His new stuff is just a little too...artsy and fancy for me. But that's just me. It's kinda how I view Rush. I never, ever stopped being a fan, but most of the material from 82-91 just didn't cut it for me. I was listening to a compilation the other day in the truck with my bass player (we were just at the bar and I played Working Man-Finding My Way-Neil's drum solo from All The World's a Stage on the jukebox!), and "Force Ten" came on and I just couldn't take it. I felt like I was being sterilized, or probed. yep the same views here on both Joe B. and Rush! It is unfortunate that BCC looks like it wont continue, seems there was more to come from them, maybe they will make amends and put out a fourth album. From what I got out of that seemed like Mr. Hughes and Joe had a disagreement with what Joe should be doing with Joe's music career. Maybe I miss read the discourse, but I hope it doesn't sink it for good. I really like this band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I quite like the Goldtop... I have a friend who has an older one Which, due to tarnish and wear, has gone green in patches... :blink: V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 The one thing I will add about all of this is that Gibsons photos on their site of their guitars hardly ever do them justice. They are nearly always nicer in real life.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaleb Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 The one thing I will add about all of this is that Gibsons photos on their site of their guitars hardly ever do them justice. They are nearly always nicer in real life.. Real guitar stores (like The Music Zoo in NYC) have the best photos. Maybe it's because the picture is of the individual guitar in the store, rather than the model that will be mass-produced and pumped out like Big Macs (or, more easily, the Musician's Friend/GC way). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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