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Notable Les Paul Deluxe Players

DanD

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Apr 8, 2007
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I can only think of two off the top of my head.

Pete Townshend and Scott Gorham.

Scott is the only one I know of who used a Deluxe for a substantial part of his career.

Pete's Deluxe use was more of a mid 70s phase. It was his guitar of choice when I saw the Who in '79.

Who else has used a Deluxe?

Any notable career Deluxe players? :hmm
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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Bailey, Lukather, Johnny Winter for awhile, lots more but I have Chemo Brain and it is hard for me to remember. I saw many, many guitarists in the Clubs I worked at in the 70's. Musicman Amps were the most commonly seen next to Fenders then too. At least in the Clubs I played and went to. A Les Paul Deluxe and a Musicman HD amp is a very potent combo!
 

DanD

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Thanks Al :salude

Spent the past couple hours listening to ARS. I'd forgotten the tasty tones Barry got from his Deluxe. :yah
 

DanD

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Really I was thinking only mini equipped Deluxes.

There are lots of conversions out and about but it's a Standard 'tonally' after a conversion.

I just don't see/hear too many people in the limelight playing mini'd Deluxes.

Mine has been getting mass attention lately and it made me wonder why I don't see/hear more of them. :hmm
 

Big Al

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I can guarantee you heard a lot more as they were used on lots of recordings. The mini hum sound is very versatile and works better with some of the more modern amps. They just crush through vintage Fender amps. One of my favorite sounds.
 

guitplayer

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My opinion , playing in the 70`s . The mini-hums were bad then and still are. Amp should not
change that.WADR I play loud Rock. Always have. always will.

Most of who I know then played routed deluxes .:hank
 

Elmore

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Jul 10, 2003
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A second for Barry Bailey of the Atlanta Rhythm Section. It terms of just tone, that is my favorite LP Deluxe tone. Great player too. Listen to their version of Spooky.
 

guitplayer

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Notable might be Jeff Carlisi. He played a 1970 GT and a 1969 routed gt. Still does
 

DanD

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I can guarantee you heard a lot more as they were used on lots of recordings. The mini hum sound is very versatile and works better with some of the more modern amps. They just crush through vintage Fender amps. One of my favorite sounds.

I've been playing mine through a CBB Kingston (Black Face Deluxe clone) lately and the combination certainly is killer.

It took a bit of experimentation with the pup heights to dial in a tone I like. The bridge is still a bit louder in my 'sweet spot' but I can live with it.

With this combo I can get an almost Tele like cut minus the noise. The minis are also thicker sounding than singles without the 'bucker mud.

The neck clean is a really special tone. I think that is becoming my new fave.

It's a really nice middle ground. :yah

I'm sure I've heard more recorded Deluxe than I know of. It's kinda' why I started the thread. I'd like to go back and pick through some of these tones.

Barry Bailey's work with ARS is certainly fertile ground. :dude:

Some of the older ARS is very close in style to ABB. A lot of those songs I've not heard before. ARS was never on my list of must buy albums back in the day. I relegated them to 'I hear enough of this on the radio' stauts. My bad...:dang
 

DanD

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Notable might be Jeff Carlisi. He played a 1970 GT and a 1969 routed gt. Still does

From Jeff's web page axology:

"1969 GIbson Les Paul Deluxe (Gold Top)

Primary Studio Guitar

Solos: Hold on Loosely, Caught Up in You, Fantasy Girl, Rockin' Into the Night, Like No Other Night, Back Where You Belong.

Pickups: Mini-Humbuckers

Inspired by: Barry Bailey from Atlanta Rhythm Section"

It's funny as .38 Special wasn't one of my favorite bands by a long shot. But I always did like the leads from these songs.

I think Al is right. I've heard a lot of mini but just didn't know it. Now that I'm playing one I'm finding the sounds in my head that were previously elusive. :hmm
 

Big Al

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My opinion , playing in the 70`s . The mini-hums were bad then and still are. Amp should not
change that.WADR I play loud Rock. Always have. always will.

Most of who I know then played routed deluxes .:hank

I played all through the 70's and my band RAMBUNCTIOUS killed all the Disco's in Carson City and Reno and returned live music to the clubs. I played all over the West Coast from 75 on and before that it was in NY that I played. Les Paul Deluxes were everywhere and they continued to sell in huge numbers even after the Standard was made available. They are hardly bad and I played loud Rock, just not stupid loud or overly gained out fuzz mush, and I am fully aware of what each type pickup can do. Newer amps with extended tone and gain structures interface better with the Mini IMO. It just works better.

I played many gigs with my early 70's Goldtop Deluxe and never had a problem playing with other guitarists with full size hum buckers. Still have that guitar and it still slays and plays. If you only play a tiny, defined, loud raw type of tone that doesn't represent the whole of the live music that was played every week in Clubs all around the country back then, or now.

IMO, a strong argument can be made for the greater utility of the critically overlooked and underused Mini equipped Les Pauls over the too strong flavor of the PAF Humbucker. The latter sounds great and if you listen to most sound clips that feature them, or people demoing other stuff but using them, it all sounds the same. A cool sound for sure, but I get bored with the one dimensionality of it and as I play all kinds of stuff, (badly), I like the ability to cover all my sound choices with the Mini/Deluxe combo. I can do Country Twang, Blusey moans and stinging stabs, smooth Jazzy runs and chords to brash Rock in Roll.

Though not everyone played the same, or likes the same stuff, I think it is a worthwhile endeavor to explore this option if you feel you want more. Everyone should own one and another with P90's but that is for a different rant.:spabout:hank:hank
 
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MO HANY

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Sep 15, 2015
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i agree 100 percent with you about the les paul deluxe ,i think they are the beast in the shadows ,i own 1979 les paul deluxe for over 10 years now and lately i have been lucky enough to come across real P.A.F Mini Humbucker 1960 one came of original epiphone sorrento it reads 7.18 which is hot for a mini it got the original wire and i decided it will be the perfect upgrade for bridge position ,first of all i had to re route the guitar as it turned to be a bit deeper than the 70s gibson mini but 100 percent worth it 10000000 percent i think its the perfect mod for deluxe , i will post pics of it and sound clip soon with my Fargen Retro classic .
 

RocknRollShakeUp

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Jul 7, 2006
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Am I wrong to contend that a good les Paul with a good set of mini humbuckers would be the best device to give one the mythological fat Tele sound?
 
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