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My Lester is great but can't compete w/ most of these beauties. This post is awesome! We could have a nice Coffee Table book w/ the pictures of these guitars. This post is a real treat for a Les Paul Fan.
Well, I guess it's time for "The Monarch of Maple" to weigh in. . .As a connoisseur of flameousity in the Gibson Les Paul for quite some time, I've seen and owned my share of same. I've been through the "big-wide" flame stage, the "quilty maple" flame stage, the "tight, ribbon-y" flame stage, the "subtle, peek-a-boo" flame stage. My now-mature and discriminating flame palette now prefers an all-over combination of characteristics in order to continue piquing my interest in a flametop Electric Spanish product, to wit:
-Guitar must have flame with "character"; not necessarily "covered" from stem to stern, but with flame that's interesting - usually inconsistent, perhaps even poorly bookmatched, but not in a "goofy" way. . .
-Guitar must have it's strongest "money view" from the driver's side, so that when I'm playing it and look down on it's manificence, I get some inspired "wood" of my own. . .
-Guitar must have some delicious "crossgrain", or vertical/medullary action to complement the flame. Here's where it gets dicey - the "wrong" crossgrain sends a definite "gag reflex" to my GI system - too much barbeque straightness is categorically verboten! What's needed here is some breathtaking curves, waves, pillowy-looking clouds, amoebas, etc.
-Color must be "tasteful" - not too much any one way; not too faded, not too dark around the edges, not too yellow in the middle.
May I offer as examples two of my own - an original 1959 effort from Gibson first, and then a fine R8 Historic product from 2001, a good year for the Authentic line: