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Best year for LP Standards?

papersoul

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Dec 20, 2003
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Does it exist?

My tech and I were talking and I know he seems to find a lot of late 80s LPs that are stellar! I wonder why?

I know my 2004 is great but I know I got a good one.

I am sure there are monsters from all years but I am more concerned with the later years...80s - to current. I say that because it seems the older modles I can't afford nor can I afford an Historic...UNLESS I save some more. Hehe..
 

Magnum

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I've owned eight. My two 2002 Flametop Standards were awesome. Followed closely by my 1994 Ebony Standard.
 

plonky17

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I have heard anecdotally that the early 90's was a gold period for Gibson (90-94).

Of course plenty of people will disgree

Grant
 

sharq attaq

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I have heard anecdotally that the early 90's was a gold period for Gibson (90-94).

Of course plenty of people will disgree

Grant

That was the years of the Classic. Outstanding guitars 91-93. If you like slim necks. And I don't mind 'em. If they'd had a bit thinner finish, they would've been nearly perfect.
 

Henk

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Early 90's standards are really good but rather heavy IMHO, mine is a '92. If my memory serves me right these are the last non-weight relieved standards. Build quality and hardware are much better then the later ones aswell.
 

avereste

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Early 90s are weight relieved.
I've got a 92 standard and it's the best les paul I've had (including a R7, G0 and a R9).
It's light, 8.5 lbs, and it sounds resonant and balanced, with spank and full at the same time.
I think gibson finish their guitars better now, and more historically accurate too, but I don't care at all.
It's the one that remains.
 

Henk

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I stand corrected, i was a decade off....

In the early 80s Gibson started drilling 9 'soundholes' in the mahagony back. I never noticed the difference to be honest, at least i cant hear them tapping the back of my guitar.

Somewhere in the late 90s/early 2000s(??) they started chambering the backs and this you can hear when tapping the back not to mention the considerable loss in weight.
 

papersoul

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Chambering started just a couple of years ago.

2006 I believe they started chambering. How about chambering Studios?

I believe the late 80s were good too!

How about the best year for Studios? I played a friends 2005 Studio and hated it next to my 2004 Standard. Felt like railroad. Nothing smooth about the neck!
 

Ad_02Std

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Apr 12, 2005
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My Standard was made in Jan 2002 and must have been one of the first to have the newer 2002 specs. They seemed to be trying particularly hard to impress with this one, and I've never played a Les Paul I like more.

My friend has a 2003 Standard and it feels and sounds quite different.
 

57Lefty

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There is no "bestest" anything. It's just what you like. After owning a lot of them you figure this out. For me : 8.5-8.9 Lbs, bigger neck, large frets. I would also give the nod to the 2002+ models .
 

LesterP

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My Standard was made in Jan 2002 and must have been one of the first to have the newer 2002 specs. They seemed to be trying particularly hard to impress with this one, and I've never played a Les Paul I like more.

My friend has a 2003 Standard and it feels and sounds quite different.

I agree with the above and feel 2002 was THE year for Standards.

Nice weights, killer tops, thin binding, Kluson type tuners = 2002 being a winner.
 

27sauce

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I have a 1994 Standard that is a standout. It makes any set of pickups sound great. Yes, a bit on the heavy side but very resonant. I almost traded it straight up for an 06 faded Standard but they just did not compare. 87-94ish are just great guitars, the newer ones have a plastic feel to them that I cant put my finger on, seems like the wood is still green when they build them.
lp001-1.jpg
 

DHBucker

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Jul 18, 2007
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Well to be technical the the best years for the Les Paul Standard are 1958-1960. All hair splitting aside my '90 Standard is the one I waited for years to buy. I bought her new and it is a great guitar and I felt was better than several R8-R9 lesters I've played. It is heavy, but that's ok by me.
 

papersoul

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Well, i had a 1994 standard that sounded like cardboard compared to my 2004 which is way more resonant and full sounding. The 94 had those flat frets I hate so I need to determine what years they used those, the wide, fat frets.

Now, I know I have tried 87-89 LPs that were killer. And it sounds like 2002s as well. Ya never know. Problem is, I don't find many used in town so I always go to ebay. I live in Philadelphia, so if anyone has found a good store with a variety of used LPs...let me know!

Also, what about Studio years? I hear early to mid 90s.
 

Triplet

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My '92 is the best "off the shelf" guitar I've ever come across. The only thing I've done to it is fit an ABR, otherwise, bone stock - and I'm quite the gear ho....

92Standard.jpg
 

cherrick

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Jul 1, 2002
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1980:
3 piece maple neck
3 piece maple top
tone for eternity
blackpaul01.jpg
 

Magnum

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Right, but the weight relief hole drilling was started way before that. Two different things.

I am very well aware of that, thank you. I was simply correcting the comment on the chambering. Weight relief started in 1982. :salude
 
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