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Anyone here purchase the new Les Paul Recording II

Garcia

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Apr 14, 2010
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179
As featured here: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPRCNACH

It isn't listed on Gibson's site but us being sold (or was being sold) at various vendors worldwide. Limited run tribute guitar to Les supposedly perfectly modeled after the one he played at the Iridium in NYC for so many years but it looks like they took the liberty of changing the control plate, layout and functionality. It's written up like a V1, has features if a V2 but appears to actually be neither. I'm curious if anyone here bought one or had an opportunity to play one in store. If you have would you mind giving us all a full review and uploading several high res images? I'm really curious to know how well they did, the build quality, construction, circuit design, playability and tone comparison. I own a 1972 Recording v1 which I love. It's a sleeper and greatly unappreciated guitar.

Anywho, looking at the posted images it looks like your benigiting from modern construction practices (no pancake body for example) but it is solid, weight relieved or chambered? Who knows. It should have an ABR-1 or later SG style TOM but has a newer Nashville bridge. The control kayout as mentioned is changed and even though it's written up as having a Decade switch I don't see one. All I see is what looks like the controls of just about every new LP spread out. Look at the Sweetwater pictures. There are four knobs (two volume, and two tone instead of Volume, Decade, Treble and Bass) and the switches are Hi-Z and individual coil splits for each pickup. The Hi-Z switch is like V1 but is already has a built in transformer and dual outputs like V2. All sorts of stuff is odd to me. I could go on and on but would love for someone who has one to tell us what they think about it.

Thank you!
 

Triburst

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Feb 12, 2006
Messages
4,353
RECORDING3.jpg
 

Texas Blues

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Apr 13, 2008
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Interesting guitar to say the least and I appreciate what Les was going for by going direct.

Who needs an amplificadore' anyhow?

Fact is, I've been jonesing to try out a Tech 21 Blonde, a tweed pedal/sans amp for running straight into the p.a.

Hauling around an amp for only 2 or 4 songs for an open mic is frustrating.

I'm almost surprised Les didn't come up with such a device so he could use any guitar instead of just the Recording.
 

58Lover

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Oct 27, 2001
Messages
4,133
Flat top, volute.....
If they sell 10 of these I'd be shocked. You can buy an original.
 

chuckNC

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Apr 24, 2012
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I played an original LP Recording Model one day at a local shop. I didn't get to try the low Z since the guitar didn't have the transformer-end cable. But I liked the sounds I could get. Talk about "Tele on Steroids" ... that bridge pickup was as ballsy as a DeArmond 200 with at least as much definition. Neck pickup wanted to be bassy/scooped as I recall. But Les always sounded good on it, so I assume that it would have sounded that way if I would have chopped a bit more bass off at the amp. Lot's of great clean tones available with the phase switcher and 'Decade' switch too.

OTOH, if you had told me that the construction was "veneered cinderblock" I would have believed it. And the frets were almost nonexistant. I was tempted, but not enough.

The body construction (and fretwork) on these new ones could correct the defects, IMO.
 

guitarguy1962

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Joined
Oct 20, 2004
Messages
159
I think I'll wait for the $13,000 Custom Shop version! :rofl Geez,does anyone else think Gibson is slowly returning to its Norlin roots?
 

Cody

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Jul 23, 2002
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4,494
Being that the originals weighed about the same as a VW Beetle, this weight relieved version could be a fun, different addition. It's always had its own look.
 

relic

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Joined
Feb 19, 2002
Messages
92
I did own and use one of these for about 6 mos in the 70's. It was very weird but did sound great - after I figured out the knobs and switches. It was VERY heavy - Id guess 11 pounds. But it got a great sound. I had some recordings with it and was very pleased. I just couldn't look at it. Capital U.G.L.Y. I was REALLY surprised that they were re-issuing this as the electronics alone have to cost about 400 bucks to make (guess).

I had a marshall at first and then got the les paul amp that went with this. Solid state - 4 12's and 2 horns. Not very loud at all but major wattage. (300??)v Im sure they wont be re-issuing THAT
 

gibson-r8

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Jul 15, 2004
Messages
574
Price a pair of those pickups and 2800 doesn't sound so bad. These guitars have always had fans and critics. So be it with the reissues.
 

chuckNC

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Apr 24, 2012
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1,261
I used to have a set of those old pickups. Was thinking of doing a project with them but sold them off instead. You would be hard-pressed to find any other pickup that weighs half of what one of those things weighs. Just sayin, they add that much more heft to the already impressive Norlinosity.
 

JR-Special

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Dec 26, 2001
Messages
598
Are they gonna do a VOS version with Murphy aging? I really want the 10K limited edition.

Low impedance pickups are a great idea. It IS what the amp wants as input the from pickups. The signal will be improved. But today's active pickups achieve the same low impedance output without all the headaches of the Gibson/Les Paul design. And active pickups allow for active frequency equalization (like the mid-boost on Fender's Clapton signature model).

I am sure that there will be a market for some of these. Some players want this model. But for me, it really is not a great design nor is it priced in a spot that makes it attractive. Attractive? Nope, it's still uglylooking after all these years.
 

MikeSlub

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Jul 15, 2001
Messages
15,166
They were very interesting geetars. I have a 1978 model in clownburst. :) :jim

1978_Gibson_Les_Paul_Recording_Cherry_Sunburst.JPG
 
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