The lacquer is heavily checked and peeling off the headstock. The body is pretty checked as well.
Gibson LP Classic - Beautiful Flame
Moderated By: mods
Gibson LP Classic - Beautiful Flame
So i splurged this month and bought myself a proper electric guitar. It's woefully under appreciated and unvalued in Japan. It's the most beautiful flame i've ever seen on a guitar at this price. It's the kind of instrument i can get lost in playing for hours. A keeper for sure! I'm considering dropping it into Drop C but i think that might be sacrilege of some sort. The colour is a bit lighter is person...similar to Slash's recording les paul. The pickups are Gibson's 500T and 490R. They're ceramic and very high output. I really like the way these sound in a les paul.
The lacquer is heavily checked and peeling off the headstock. The body is pretty checked as well.
The lacquer is heavily checked and peeling off the headstock. The body is pretty checked as well.
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Fakir Mustache
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westtexasred
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Cool guitar! Here is Eric Shoaf's definitive article on the evolution of the Les Paul Classic From Vintage Guitar magazine, May 1998:
"Late in the decade, Gibson's head of research and development, J.T. Riboloff, designed a reissue Les Paul based on the popular and collectible 1960 model. The key difference between this guitar and other Les Pauls in production at the time was the slim neck profile. In addition, Riboloff added other features to make the instrument faithful to the original such as a narrow headstock, thin cutaway binding, aged fingerboard inlays, inked-on serial number, nickel hardware, vintage-style logo and aged binding on body and neck.
The Les Paul Classic, as it was to be called, did have a couple of concessions to marketing such as a truss rod cover with "Classic" and pickguard marked "1960." The pickups came with no covers so the coils were exposed, another characteristic to differentiate it from other Les Pauls, though this was fairly realistic and a tip of the hat to those who traditionally removed covers to get a better tone on their old Pauls.
The Classic was introduced in 1990 with a retail price of $1,529. The least expensive Les Paul Standard at the time was the ebony finished version costing $1,169 while the sunburst model was $1,399. The Classic's higher price was justified by its reissue-yet-modern vibe and was further enhanced by availability in several sunburst finishes, and in bullion gold on the top, sides, back and neck. Most of the tops on sunburst models were plain and no extra effort was made to use fancy wood on these.
An immediate hit for Gibson, the Classic was tweaked further as time passed. The first change was the addition of a curly or "Plus" top in April 1991. Using maple which was deemed lacking in figure for the vaunted '59 reissue line, the Classic received nicely flamed tops and the designation Les Paul Classic Plus. Pricing was also adjusted as the Classic rose to $1,699 and the Classic Plus debuted at 2,099. By way of comparison, the '59 Reissue listed for $4,199 at the time. The Classic line continued to be a popular seller.
The success of the Classic and its new brother, the flamed top Classic Plus presented some difficult marketing problems for Gibson. The fact was that in many ways, the Classic was more of an accurate reissue than the '59 Les Paul of the early 1990s which still had a wide headstock, bright fingerboard and inlays, and wrong tuner bushings. The '59 did have a beefier neck and a highly flamed top, but the issue was further clouded when some highly figured Classic Plus models came to market. Wood grading is not an exact science, and some of the tops rejected for '59 reissues were in fact quite highly figured. Others had only mild flame. But with just a few easily obtainable parts, a blank truss rod cover, pickup covers, and a new pick guard, the owner of a particularly flamey Classic Plus could have a guitar that appeared to be just as nice as a '59 reissue while saving over $2,000 in the process.
Customers weren't the only ones who noticed this. Dealers were equally aware and they had a further beef with Gibson. As previously mentioned, tops on the Classic Plus ran the gamut from fairly mild flame to highly figured. A dealer ordering four Classic Plus models from Gibson might receive two which were nicely figured and two which were much less flamey. But the price was the same for each and explaining the difference to customers wasn't easy. The dealer gripes became louder in 1992 when the Historic Collection was announced. Dealers receiving the Historic Collection franchise were required to place a cash deposit with Gibson in order to participate in the program. Included among designated Historic Collection instruments was the Les Paul '59 reissue which, at that time, had not yet been reconfigured to Historic Collection specifications. Some dealers felt that a premium was being charged for a guitar which wasn't as faithful to the original as lower priced offerings.
Further, in 1992 a 1960 style slim tapered neck was mated with a '59 reissue body to create a Les Paul 1960 reissue which some customers confused with the Classic Plus until they checked the price tag. Worse, some dealers may have felt compelled to pass off a tarted-up Classic Plus as a 1960 reissue in order to improve profitability.
To complicate things even more, the Classic line was extended again in early 1993 with the introduction of the Premium Plus model. Responding to complaints about top grading, Gibson set up yet another line of figured tops which were nicer than "plus" tops but not as nice (in most cases) as '59 reissue tops. For dealers, the basic concern still remained: these guitars were almost like reissues for a lot less money. The only real difference between the Plus and Premium Plus was the top and the fact that the Premium designated guitars had no pickguard installed. It was delivered in the case pocket. The buyer also paid a $500 premium for the Premium Plus compared to the Plus.
While having the appearance of corporate bumbling, Gibson was actually trying to work out the differences and, also in 1993, they managed to get it right. The Historic Collection '59 Les Paul introduced that year was the most accurate reissue of the model to date in details which went far beyond appearances. The '59 has become the most popular of Gibson's Historic line. Still, for those who wanted the look of a '59 without the cost there was the Classic Premium Plus with a few changed parts for a lot less money. But Gibson solved that problem as well in mid-1993 when the decal on the headstock of all Classics was changed from "Les Paul Model" to "Les Paul Classic." This finally differentiated the Classic from other Les Paul models in a way which couldn't be easily tampered. Late in 1993 the binding in the cutaway of the Classic was widened, a further distancing from the '59 reissue."
"Late in the decade, Gibson's head of research and development, J.T. Riboloff, designed a reissue Les Paul based on the popular and collectible 1960 model. The key difference between this guitar and other Les Pauls in production at the time was the slim neck profile. In addition, Riboloff added other features to make the instrument faithful to the original such as a narrow headstock, thin cutaway binding, aged fingerboard inlays, inked-on serial number, nickel hardware, vintage-style logo and aged binding on body and neck.
The Les Paul Classic, as it was to be called, did have a couple of concessions to marketing such as a truss rod cover with "Classic" and pickguard marked "1960." The pickups came with no covers so the coils were exposed, another characteristic to differentiate it from other Les Pauls, though this was fairly realistic and a tip of the hat to those who traditionally removed covers to get a better tone on their old Pauls.
The Classic was introduced in 1990 with a retail price of $1,529. The least expensive Les Paul Standard at the time was the ebony finished version costing $1,169 while the sunburst model was $1,399. The Classic's higher price was justified by its reissue-yet-modern vibe and was further enhanced by availability in several sunburst finishes, and in bullion gold on the top, sides, back and neck. Most of the tops on sunburst models were plain and no extra effort was made to use fancy wood on these.
An immediate hit for Gibson, the Classic was tweaked further as time passed. The first change was the addition of a curly or "Plus" top in April 1991. Using maple which was deemed lacking in figure for the vaunted '59 reissue line, the Classic received nicely flamed tops and the designation Les Paul Classic Plus. Pricing was also adjusted as the Classic rose to $1,699 and the Classic Plus debuted at 2,099. By way of comparison, the '59 Reissue listed for $4,199 at the time. The Classic line continued to be a popular seller.
The success of the Classic and its new brother, the flamed top Classic Plus presented some difficult marketing problems for Gibson. The fact was that in many ways, the Classic was more of an accurate reissue than the '59 Les Paul of the early 1990s which still had a wide headstock, bright fingerboard and inlays, and wrong tuner bushings. The '59 did have a beefier neck and a highly flamed top, but the issue was further clouded when some highly figured Classic Plus models came to market. Wood grading is not an exact science, and some of the tops rejected for '59 reissues were in fact quite highly figured. Others had only mild flame. But with just a few easily obtainable parts, a blank truss rod cover, pickup covers, and a new pick guard, the owner of a particularly flamey Classic Plus could have a guitar that appeared to be just as nice as a '59 reissue while saving over $2,000 in the process.
Customers weren't the only ones who noticed this. Dealers were equally aware and they had a further beef with Gibson. As previously mentioned, tops on the Classic Plus ran the gamut from fairly mild flame to highly figured. A dealer ordering four Classic Plus models from Gibson might receive two which were nicely figured and two which were much less flamey. But the price was the same for each and explaining the difference to customers wasn't easy. The dealer gripes became louder in 1992 when the Historic Collection was announced. Dealers receiving the Historic Collection franchise were required to place a cash deposit with Gibson in order to participate in the program. Included among designated Historic Collection instruments was the Les Paul '59 reissue which, at that time, had not yet been reconfigured to Historic Collection specifications. Some dealers felt that a premium was being charged for a guitar which wasn't as faithful to the original as lower priced offerings.
Further, in 1992 a 1960 style slim tapered neck was mated with a '59 reissue body to create a Les Paul 1960 reissue which some customers confused with the Classic Plus until they checked the price tag. Worse, some dealers may have felt compelled to pass off a tarted-up Classic Plus as a 1960 reissue in order to improve profitability.
To complicate things even more, the Classic line was extended again in early 1993 with the introduction of the Premium Plus model. Responding to complaints about top grading, Gibson set up yet another line of figured tops which were nicer than "plus" tops but not as nice (in most cases) as '59 reissue tops. For dealers, the basic concern still remained: these guitars were almost like reissues for a lot less money. The only real difference between the Plus and Premium Plus was the top and the fact that the Premium designated guitars had no pickguard installed. It was delivered in the case pocket. The buyer also paid a $500 premium for the Premium Plus compared to the Plus.
While having the appearance of corporate bumbling, Gibson was actually trying to work out the differences and, also in 1993, they managed to get it right. The Historic Collection '59 Les Paul introduced that year was the most accurate reissue of the model to date in details which went far beyond appearances. The '59 has become the most popular of Gibson's Historic line. Still, for those who wanted the look of a '59 without the cost there was the Classic Premium Plus with a few changed parts for a lot less money. But Gibson solved that problem as well in mid-1993 when the decal on the headstock of all Classics was changed from "Les Paul Model" to "Les Paul Classic." This finally differentiated the Classic from other Les Paul models in a way which couldn't be easily tampered. Late in 1993 the binding in the cutaway of the Classic was widened, a further distancing from the '59 reissue."
This one is only about 4kgs! I know the mahogany is weight relieved...but i don't mind at all.singlepickup24 wrote:Nice one. I had a 2003 LP Standard with Burstbuckers. The most amazing guitar, really. I totally understand how you get lost while playing it. Just a shame LPs are so damn heavy.
It's from 2004. It had minimal playing wear. I believe the severe checking is due to improper storage. Here in Japan the temperature of rooms tend to fluctuate wildly in the winter. I imagine the store or previous owner let the guitar sit around the shop at night as the indoor temp dropped to 0C. Then during the day he cranked up the heater to 25C. That over a period of years can cause some extreme checking. I kind of like the effect on the headstock.
Thanks for the info WesTex. I'm sure you could agree, with Les Pauls, you need to find a guitar that speaks to you. I've played certain les pauls that just seem tonally dead while others seem to sort of "breathe" or just resonate in a very musical way. I know this guitar would be scoffed at by R9 purists but i love it!
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westtexasred
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Re: Gibson LP Classic - Beautiful Flame
That's a beauty man,a "Classic" indeed. Here is a real 1959 Les Paul for comparison.
Great time period for Gibsons. I'm glad you got a lighter one. Mine wasn't ridiculously heavy, but just a bit much for me in the long run. A real shame, because it was a player and sounded so nice...JJLipton wrote:This one is only about 4kgs! I know the mahogany is weight relieved...but i don't mind at all.singlepickup24 wrote:Nice one. I had a 2003 LP Standard with Burstbuckers. The most amazing guitar, really. I totally understand how you get lost while playing it. Just a shame LPs are so damn heavy.
It's from 2004. It had minimal playing wear. I believe the severe checking is due to improper storage. Here in Japan the temperature of rooms tend to fluctuate wildly in the winter. I imagine the store or previous owner let the guitar sit around the shop at night as the indoor temp dropped to 0C. Then during the day he cranked up the heater to 25C. That over a period of years can cause some extreme checking. I kind of like the effect on the headstock.
I moved to Taiwan this summer, and while I can't relate to subzero indoor temperatures, I have had to adjust to high humidity issues. I keep bamboo charcoal packets (basically a natural dessicant) in my gig bag at all times. Seems to be working fine...
Gibsons made even into the early '90s used pretty old-school lacquer that has the propensity to check and yellow like the '50s guitars under weather/contaminant conditions. I remember seeing a 1991 LP standard that was as worn as a '50s guitar, and a mid '80s alpine white custom that was a classic example of TV yellow except in the control cavity and around some wear-thru spots near the forearm where it was bright white. I assume these guitars were owned by people who also smoked like it was the '50s, of course. Gigging it around San Francisco in 2006 or so my brother's 1996 LP started to check on the body and he had it buffed out.Fakir Mustache wrote:I've never seen a Les Paul so checked. O.k., maybe in pics of 1950s gold tops I have. What year is it?
That's a nice guitar, love tobacco burst. I have a 2005 standard '50s neck, crazy about it. 2002-2007 was indeed a great recent time for Gibsons, if you're buying used its my fave era for gettin' some bang-for-buck going on right now.
Aug wrote:which one of you bastards sent me an ebay question asking if you can get teh kurdtz with that 64 mustang?
robertOG wrote:fran & paul are some of the original gangstas of the JS days when you'd have to say "phuck"
Gorgeous.
I miss my les paul. I loved it but I think the pickup were too hot for me (had a studio with the 490r/498t).
Pretty sure my next "real" guitar will be a Les Paul. The classic series has caught my eye more than once. I'm normally a fan of plaintops but I love the flame and checking on yours.
I miss my les paul. I loved it but I think the pickup were too hot for me (had a studio with the 490r/498t).
Pretty sure my next "real" guitar will be a Les Paul. The classic series has caught my eye more than once. I'm normally a fan of plaintops but I love the flame and checking on yours.
Thanks man. Its only 10 years old but it looks like its been through a war. A lot of les pails on the ebay here have similar checking. I think its just the nature of how the japanese heat their homes, which subjects guitars to extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations.Nick wrote:Gorgeous.
I miss my les paul. I loved it but I think the pickup were too hot for me (had a studio with the 490r/498t).
Pretty sure my next "real" guitar will be a Les Paul. The classic series has caught my eye more than once. I'm normally a fan of plaintops but I love the flame and checking on yours.
If you thought the 498t was too hot i doubt you'll like the 500t. To me the 498t was just a 57 classic with tons of mids. It had a tendency to blur pick attack which i didn't like much. The 500t is hot and bright, with that les paul mid range honkiness. I love using high out pickups on the gain channel and backing off the gain to about 10 or 11 o clock to get a smooth early santana style sound.
