Featured review by:
Jeffthecedar, on april 25, 2005 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 794
Purchased from: Guitar Center
Features: I'm not sure when it was made, but it was made in Nashville TE, USA. It's go 22 frets, a rosewood fretboard, the and typical fatish Gibson neck. It's got a solid, no-laminated top. It's got a mahogany body, and neck, and it's got a faded yellow finish. It's a single cutaway Les Paul, flat top body. It's got the standard Les Paul controls (three-way selector, 2 volume knobs, two tone knobs), and it's got a neck pickup and a bridge pickup (neck: 490R Alnico magnet humbucker, Bridge: 498T Alnico magnet humbucker). It has non-locking "Gibson Deluxe" tuners, and came with a gig bag. My only features complaint is that it didn't come with a hard case, and the gig bag it came with has almost no padding. // 8
Sound: I play mostly hard rock, but I also like blues, some metal, and some cleaner tone stuff. The guitar plays it all very well. I'm using with a small Behringer amp (I need a new one), and it sounds great, but I've tried it on other (better) amps, and it sounds even better. It has the typical Gibson full, crunchy tone, and sounds great, both distorted and clean. It makes no noise when I'm not playing it, and when I am playing it, it only makes noise I want it to make (unless I mess up, which isn't the guitar's fault). // 10
Action, Fit & Finish: I'm no guitar expert, and I havn't had it very long, but as far as I can tell, everything has been set up correctly. The guitar is a faded, so it is supposed to look older, even though it's new. If you don't count purposful wear on the finish, it's in great condition. // 10
Reliability & Durability: This guitar will withstand live playing, and the hardware seems sturdy. The strap buttons are solid. If I played a gig, I would probably bring my old guitar too, for safteys sake, but I am sure it would not be needed. The finish is a little thin, but thats because it's supposed to look older: it's a "Faded." // 10
Impression: I play alot of different music, and this guitar works with everything. I've been playing for a year and about 3 months, and this is my second guitar. I also own a Squire Strat, a small beringer amp, and a RP80 effects processor by Digitech. If it were stolen, I would buy it again, definetly. I love the sound of it and the way it feels. Before buying this, I played some epiphones, a few Fender Strats, a Yamaha, and some guitars of another brand that slips my mind. All around, it played, and sounded better than them all. // 10
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on october 01, 2005 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: Cliva Ringas (lil guitar shop in Lafayette, IN)
Features: // 10
Sound: I play a wide range of music, which is a good thing I have this guitar. I have a Zoom GFX 5 which it sounds great through. Clean tones are the easiest to find with this Les Paul, but on the other hand distortion were a little more time consuming, but nothing to complain about. I had to move my neck pickup, upwards to get more highs in my tone. I also moved the bridge pickup downward so it would eliminate some of the mids. The pickups sound somewhat muddy at first, but if you know anything about action or your set-up you'll understand. After I accomplished that task which took less then 10 minutes of fiddling, it sounded awesome. This guitar is made for a variety of sounds. // 9
Action, Fit & Finish: It was set-up beautifully. I would prolly raise the action, but that is personal preferrence. The guitar contained no flaws whatsoever. // 10
Reliability & Durability: I have an upcoming show that I plan to use this guitar for, but I'll bring a backup guitar no matter what. There is one knob that seems somewhat loose, but I can take care of that myself. The finish is faded to mimic an older looking guitar. I have the worn cherry and it does elude a Vintage look, but it will last for a long time. // 9
Impression: I play a lot of punk/hardcore/alternative/metal/blues/jazz everything I can get my ears listening to. It's a great guitar with endless sounds and tones, you just have to mess around with your effects and what not. I have been playing 5 years maybe a little less and also own a Fender Strat, which also rocks. I wouldn't ask any questions at all because I didn't when I went to go pick up this beaut. I saw and knew that it was the one. If it were to be stolen I'd try hunting you down first, but if that planned failed to be executed I would buy another one, or invest more into a Gibson. My favorite asset about this guitar is the unbelievable clean tone. I didn't do much comparing because I know what I like, but if I had enough money I'd buy all the guitars I could my hands on just because music and guitar is my passion. I really don't need anything else I like the stripped down axe look and feel. If you want a great guitar for a good price check into this one. // 10
Reviewed by:
deadmeat82, on july 31, 2007 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 650
Purchased from: Guitar Center
Features: Mine is a 2003 model bought Brand New from guitar center. It is a flat top with the faded flat black finish. The guitar has chrome hardware, features 22 jumbo frets, a cutaway body, and a Tune-O-Matic bridge. It comes with 2 volume and two tone knobs (one for each pickup) and a three way selector Switch. As with nearly any guitar center sale of over 500 bucks I was able to talk them into throwing in a Gibson USA padded gig bag. // 6
Sound: I play through a Crate Blue Voodoo 120 watt all tube head paired with a Crate 4X12 blue voodoo cabinet. I love the sound of this amp so I only use a noise suppressor pedal. At first I was disappointed in the sound of this guitar but with a little pickup tweaking and a minor action adjustment I was able to iron out some of my problems. This is a great guitar for heavier music as it has chronically deep tone. No matter how high you set your tone knobs, your amp, or your EQ, you still get mucho bass. Naturally the bridge pickup brings out the highs a bit, but you still hear a lot of low end in there. I'm personally a big late 80s metal and early-mid 90's alternative fan (toadies/oleander/alice in chains) and this guitar did alright with those types of music. However, I think this guitar's niche lies in the heavier rock genres (godsmack/disturbed). The lower tone just lends itself to detuned heavier music. // 7
Action, Fit & Finish: The action on this guitar was great from the first moment, however as I mentioned earlier the pickups needed a bit of adjusting to bring out the higher strings. All of the hardware and finishing work on the guitar looked fine, however I have a little problem with the g and b strings coming out of tune often, very often. I actually check the tunings on these two strings every 2 or 3 songs just to be safe. // 8
Reliability & Durability: Live gig rule #1: never play without a backup! But all things considered, I don't see this guitar developing any mechanical or electrical flaws without advanced notice. The finish is made to look worn so I really think that more minor wear would probably go nearly unnoticed. I recommend using some locktite or a dab of super glue on the nut where you plug in your cables, mine kept twisting loose and I had to have the wires re-soldered to the contacts. Also, I'd invest in a good set of strap locks, due to the angle of the neckside strap button you could easily have a slippage and end up with a broken guitar neck. For short gigs 1-2 hrs this would be a great guitar, but if you're playing in a bar cover band and you have to fill something like a 9-2 block, this guitar gets heavy after awhile. // 8
Impression: For the bluesy alternative music that I enjoy playing, this guitar is good, but I can think of some that may be better. For rythm playing in heavier rock songs, this guitar is great. I love the action and playability of this guitar but I'm slightly disappointed in the higher fret access due to the neck getting very fat around the fifteenth fret. I'd only been playing for about 3 years or so when I bought this guitar and I was at the time in a heavy rock band. Part of me thinks I was just drawn to the look and the Legend behind the les paul name more than the actual features of this guitar. If I could add anything to mine I think I would hotrod the electronics and possibly shave the neck a bit. // 7
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on january 09, 2006 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 550
Purchased from: Guitar Center
Features: I bought mine used. Made in the USA! I think it was made in '02 or '03 according to serial number. This guitar is a flat top mind blowing guitar. The pickups give that good pure Gibson sound. It gets out of tune a little fast for me though! It has a Tune-O-Matic bridge which I think looks very cool! // 9
Sound: I play rock from metal to blues. This guitar is pretty loud! I am using my Vox Valvetronix amp and it is a great amp but it just sounds awesome! I even use my bad amp (a tiny Squier not even Fender) and it still sounds good. This guitar gives a sound that could make anyone love it no matter if you are a metal fan or a blues fan! It sounds awesome. // 10
Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar is definatley a studio guitar. There is nothing flashy about it, I love it. The treble pickup was a bit high so I lowered it and the neck pickup was fine. This guitar was assembeled very well I think! The finish gets scratched up easy so I put a cream pickguard on mine! // 9
Reliability & Durability: This guitar can play live any day. I use a gig bag and that keeps it safe. The headstock was very well assembled and I am not worrying about it fall off the neck. The Hulk could throw this guitar 100 miles and it would still be playable! I love it! // 10
Impression: I play hard rock, rock, metal and blues and it sounds great for all of them. If you play metal you just have to find a good distortion pedal or effect and it will sound great. But for rock and blues it sounds great. I was looking at SG Fadeds but then I saw the Les Paul Faded. I like Fadeds because it gives it that Vintage look. The SG just was to stiff, the strings were stiff and unbendable and I tried the les paul and it just clicked! Some people think you're paying 700 bucks for a name, not true! I know my stuff! This guitar is not a waste of cash! // 9
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