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Best year for LP Standards?

Picaso

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Jul 5, 2007
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164
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.

For guitars in Philly, try Benni Cintioli in the north east. He gets a lot of used stuff through that store.Here today, gone tomorrow, so check often.

For older guitars, I got lucky with an 80 standard because it came with Tim Shaw pickups and it had a mahogany neck, so it's similar to a heritage 80.It's about 9lbs of non weight relieved mahogany, and has a warm,mellow vintage tone with great low end.

As for the newer ones, I believe that in 2002 they changed the specs, and it got great reviews, so that year gets mentioned often. Like you,I too have a 2004, and it's a great guitar as well, but in different ways than the 80 standard.

And just to prove a point, I also have a 1970 pancake ( not a style that many like) that has been used and abused in every which way.But if it's tight,focused, in your face rock that you want, that guitar with it's Bill Larence pickups is THE go to gutar for me. It has awsome cleans ala Page and the Allmans, the neck 'pup has "woman tone" for days, and the bridge pickup through a marshall will blister the paint on the walls !

So I think that the age old axiom is true..... Good (and bad) guitars can be found in all years. It also depends on what you're looking for.

+1 to '58 through 60 though.... Not too many of those that we all could resist
if it weren't for the price....

Picaso
 

DonP

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Joined
Feb 21, 2003
Messages
3,020
2002 was an awesome year for Standards. Gibson got almost eveything right with this guitar.
 

LarryN

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Joined
Oct 19, 2002
Messages
234
I think Picaso is right. There are gems and duds from most periods, though the mid to late 70's where mostly inexcusable. I had a beautiful R7 that couldn't sing a note to save its ass. I found a Studio about three years ago that really does it. On the other hand, there do seem to be periods that are more consistent than others.
 

papersoul

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Dec 20, 2003
Messages
3,066
Well, I guess I have my whole life to buy more LPs and since I have a nice '04 Standard, I am thinking I might grab a good Studio since realisticaly there are other things I need like a new acoustic electric and studio gear, LOL! I have a bad habit of sinking extra money into guitars at the sacrifice of things I need! LOL. I wonder how different a good 2002 Standard would be from my '04 which is great.

I am surprised nobody mentioned 88 and 89. I have played some killers from that time period.
 

honkytone

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Aug 6, 2005
Messages
138
I've owned a bunch of standards but my favorites were a 1990 CSB and the 2001 light burst flametop I have now (which I picked up for 899 BTW!!!). I had a '78 tobacco burst that was a great guitar too and it really had that reliced vibe due to plenty of use. Most eras have their dogs and their gems. I'm partial to early 90's for all Gibsons. That seemed to be a turning point for Gibson in general. I had a 2000 Standard though that had a big ole hump in the fretboard in the heel area. Man that sucked because everything else was perfect.
 

sonar

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Jan 10, 2003
Messages
3,589
I'll reiterate what I and others have said about LP's since the line was reissued in the late 60's - some good, many mediocre and a few duds.

Most mediocre Gibby's can be setup to be good Gibby's with the proper approach. The rest is up to the guy playing said guitar.

And this includes everything from Norlin's to Custom Shops.
 

papersoul

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Dec 20, 2003
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3,066
Soooo many opinions. I talked to a guy today who feels Gibson was know for making great guitars with more attention to detail in the late 80s.
 

dean69

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Dec 18, 2008
Messages
58
another + for the 2002 standard from me.

all the things that have been already mentioned make the 02 standard a superb sounding les paul plus:

nickle hardware
 

papersoul

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Dec 20, 2003
Messages
3,066
Sounds like whatever they started to do right in 2002, carried over a few years because my 2004 is unreal just like you guys say.
 

A. Warren

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Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
285
and here we have the genesis of another guitar myth that later on ill have to convince people that doesnt exist.
please post ACTUAL, VERIFIABLE FACTS that make 2002's different.
not just different pickups, because of their transferrability, and no "because it feels right", which is ephemeral at best.

stuff like wood and construction differences, fit and finish.
 

57Lefty

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Jun 7, 2005
Messages
1,037
Gibson re-tooled the LP std. in 2002 (actually mid 2002)
* Neck profile choice of 50"s or 60's.
* Kluson Tuners
* Nickel Hardware
* Top hat Knobs
* Burstbucker Pickups
* Std. flame tops were equal to the old AAA.
Although they still had the Std. Plus tops they did away with that
whole A-AAAAAAAAA. thing. As a result the ROTM guitars had nicer tops.
And they seemed to be lighter as well.
I remember getting an 02 lightburst from Saul and loving it. He had some 01's he was letting go and he sent me a GT. The two guitars side by side were night and day to me. I sent the GT back.
 

Ad_02Std

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Apr 12, 2005
Messages
5,055
They went for a big re-launch and seemed to put an extra special effort into getting these right. Mine was one of the first and its serial number is a Jan '02 stamp, and I think it was shipped to the UK early for the purposes of being a review model. The model was officially re-launched around March/April of that year. I bought mine in May, it was the only one I could find in the country at the time.


Yes, they vary a lot. I'd never buy another guitar sight-unseen again, I believe I was naive and got lucky, but I do think there is a particular reason why there are many people shouting "2002" in this thread: Gibson were determined to impress with this re-launch. Whether that means they picked slightly higher grade timber for the first re-launch Standards, or put extra care into the finish and general QC I don't know.
 

Angry Steve

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Joined
Oct 23, 2006
Messages
287
funny, I thought my '02 was just a good guitar. Didn't realize that so many others felt the same about their '02's. Guess there was something good in Nashville that year.

I vote for 2002
 
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