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Let's chat about '90s and '00s LP Classics

pgfitzgerald

New member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
8
Hey ya'll! I just joined up after lurking for a while. My intro post is here if you care to read through it.

I've been reading through the forum for about a week and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. :)

I'm pretty sure a '90s or '00s Classic is going to fit me best, but the new Traditionals look very nice.

I've been hitting the local shops, playing new and used, and spending more time than I care to admit on Reverb, eBay, etc.

Here are some of my thoughts:


  • I prefer the slim taper neck profile, but I'd probably be fine with the rounded neck profile.
  • I prefer a plain maple top. I'm into "nothing fancy."
  • I almost decided on Ebony, but I'm really digging Honey Burst on a plain top.
  • If I have a choice, I'd prefer a brown back.
  • One-piece or two-piece back doesn't bother me either way.
  • Non-weight relieved body would be okay.
  • I don't mind traditional 9-hole weight relief.
  • I don't really want a chambered body.
  • I prefer vintage-style keystone tuners with press-in bushings. No kidney-shaped Grover tuners.
  • Must have cream neck and body binding.
  • The green inlays on the older Classics don't really bother me.
  • Given the choice, I'd go with standard pearl inlays.

Stuff I could potentially change later:


  • Must have nickel hardware. No chrome or gold.
  • No push-pull pots or other "modern" nonsense. Just two volume, two tone, toggle, and jack.
  • I prefer amber or gold top hat knobs. I was never a fan of speed knobs.
  • I prefer having a cream switch washer, cream pickguard, and cream jack plate cover.
  • I'm not a fan of ceramic pickups.
  • I've been playing Seymour Duncan JB/59s for a while and would prefer more midrange.
  • Perhaps Burstbuckers or Classic 57s. Maybe Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates or Seth Lovers.
  • I think the orange drop caps sound like a great addition to the Traditionals.
  • I'd also be interested in giving the bumblebees a shot.

I like the recent Traditionals and the older Classics. I'm leaning heavily toward the older Classics. The AA flame maple tops on the Traditionals are a bit of a turn off for me. I really prefer the plain and simple aesthetics of the Classics.

It's been hard to verify specs and finishes and such since Gibson changes their mind so often.

Questions:


  • I don't think I can replace kidney-shaped Govers with vintage-style keystones without leaving visible screw holes can I?
  • I'm trying to figure out the brown and cherry backs. Is there any rhyme or reason to this? Like Honey Burst has a brown back where Light Burst has a cherry back, or is it just up to what Gibson feels like doing that particular day?
  • Aside from pulling the neck pickup, are there any foolproof ways to differentiate between Honey Burst, Iced Tea Burst, Light Burst, and Vintage Sunburst?
    • My research thus far seems to indicate Iced Tea Burst wasn't even an option on the older Classics, but bunches of folks are stating their Classic has that finish. Based on the datasheet from '03, the Classic was available in Honey Burst, Light Burst, and Vintage Sunburst (among other finishes).
    • Honey Burst, Vintage Sunburst, and Light Burst all appear to be somewhat similar with Vintage Sunburst being darker than Honey Burst and Light Burst being more red than Honey Burst.
    • Please share pics from the '90s and '00s Classics! :)
    • Datasheet Link
  • When was the Classic discontinued? Some time around '08?
  • When was it reintroduced? Some time around '14?

I'd prefer to stick to $1,800 or lower used, but would pay a few hundred more for a nice one.
I'd be willing to lay down around $2,200 plus tax for a new one, assuming I can negotiate a 20% discount.
I've got more money than sense, but I also have a wife I'd like to keep. I think $2,500 is probably my max.

Thanks y'all!

-- Paul
 

lure555

Swirling Vortex of Sound, Classic Club
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
3,417
AD39F36A-CE38-4195-9E1B-D49B0421F691.jpg
I have the 01 Honeyburst and an 18 GT Classic pictured here. The 18 was magic right out of the literal box, but the 01 needed some help. The stock pickups were terrible. It came with the vintage tuners, but I had the Bigsby installed. The neck is quite a bit thinner than the 18, but I love it. When I was looking, I had to check out at least 3 Honeybursts before settling on mine. A few had bits where the finish looked like baby diarrhea. Happy hunting! :)

Oh, don’t judge Honeybursts by my photo. The filter I used made it look like a tobaccoburst. 3BB4674F-D586-4AA4-B3AC-F7593566B75A.jpg
 

grimlyflick

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 27, 2005
Messages
1,276
a3cb3817.jpg


2004 Classic in lightburst, at the time I bought it a Classic was £200 cheaper than a Standard but essentially the same guitar. I never liked the Burstbuckers so I went with the Classic and used the spare £200 to upgrade the pickups to the pickups of my choice and the green inlays never bothered me.

Since then a bunch of other bits have changed which are listed below, but for me it’s a great guitar I kept in favour over a 2006 Standard I had also at the time, which was a very dark sounding guitar as opposed to the more vibrant souding Classic.

Upgrades:
RS 50s wiring kit
RS lightweight tailpiece with TonePros locking studs
TonePros bridge
Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates
Standard scratchplace
Blank truss rod cover
Historic bride surround
Kluson machineheads

:salude
 

Mini Forklift Ⓥ

New member
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
69
I had a '95 LP Classic Premium Plus, nice enough looker with its AAA+ top but I just found it a bit unexciting for some reason and I struggled with the thin neck . Funny as it should have ticked all the boxes for me. I now have a 2014 Traditional, one of the 120th Anniversary models with the '59 buckers and it's like day and night between them.
 

pgfitzgerald

New member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
8
I have the 01 Honeyburst and an 18 GT Classic pictured here. The 18 was magic right out of the literal box, but the 01 needed some help. The stock pickups were terrible. It came with the vintage tuners, but I had the Bigsby installed. The neck is quite a bit thinner than the 18, but I love it. When I was looking, I had to check out at least 3 Honeybursts before settling on mine. A few had bits where the finish looked like baby diarrhea. Happy hunting! :)

Oh, don’t judge Honeybursts by my photo. The filter I used made it look like a tobaccoburst.

Looks great!

What color is the back of your Honey Burst?
 

pgfitzgerald

New member
Joined
Oct 1, 2018
Messages
8
2004 Classic in lightburst, at the time I bought it a Classic was £200 cheaper than a Standard but essentially the same guitar. I never liked the Burstbuckers so I went with the Classic and used the spare £200 to upgrade the pickups to the pickups of my choice and the green inlays never bothered me.

Since then a bunch of other bits have changed which are listed below, but for me it’s a great guitar I kept in favour over a 2006 Standard I had also at the time, which was a very dark sounding guitar as opposed to the more vibrant souding Classic.

Upgrades:
RS 50s wiring kit
RS lightweight tailpiece with TonePros locking studs
TonePros bridge
Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates
Standard scratchplace
Blank truss rod cover
Historic bride surround
Kluson machineheads

:salude

Awesome! What color is the back on your Light Burst?

The music store literally just down the street has a used 2000 Standard on consignment. I just played it this afternoon. The guy replaced the Grover tuners with Kluson Deluxe, and installed a bone nut and a pair of Seth Lovers. Honey Burst with brown back. Not bad overall.
 

grimlyflick

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 27, 2005
Messages
1,276
Awesome! What color is the back on your Light Burst?

The music store literally just down the street has a used 2000 Standard on consignment. I just played it this afternoon. The guy replaced the Grover tuners with Kluson Deluxe, and installed a bone nut and a pair of Seth Lovers. Honey Burst with brown back. Not bad overall.

I have a cherry back on mine, that 2000 sounds like a fine guitar and should tick a lot of the boxes of your Classic craving, just so long as it feels and sounds good to you of course.
:)
 

Keefoman

Active member
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
576
I had a '01 Classic for many years. Beeing an '01, it had the ABR-1 bridge which was a good thing. I think Gibson went Nashville bridge in 2004? The stock ceramic pickups weren't to my liking, so I swapped them for a set of Lollar Imperials. At the same time i installed RS electronics and wired it '50's style. That made the guitar a proper Les Paul in my eyes and ears, and I was very happy with it. Had to let it go, as I couldn't afford keeping it when I bought the R8, but I do miss it occasionally.

Mine was plaintop heritage cherry sunburst. (Close to clownburst actually)
 

iloveguitars79

New member
Joined
May 24, 2018
Messages
12
I've got an '05 Classic. A lot of people harp on the 498R/500T pickups on the forums, but I LOVE them. For heavy distortion/fuzz tones they blow my R9 away. I'm a big 90's grunge fan and can nail Soundgarden/STP/AIC tones with the Classic. More clarity and more balls. They also drive my amps harder to get a good overdrive out of them, rather than using a pedal. I think the combination of those pickups and the Zinc tailpiece/Nashville bridge is the right recipe for that type of sound.

A lot of people also harp on the Nashville bridge. The funny thing is.. my Classic is as resonant or maybe even more resonant than my R9.

I've added Grovers to mine. As I recall you can see the top hole left from the Klusons. Although, it's very minor and the added functionality of the Grovers far outweighs the tiny holes on the back of the headstock..

The Classic in it's stock form isn't for everyone. It can be modified to be more like a Standard or closer to a R0, which a lot of guys do, but... I think it's got it's own thing going on. And I like it...
 

c_wester

Well-known member
Joined
May 9, 2002
Messages
2,116
The Super high bridge is a turn of for me on these guitars.
But if I found a really really killer sounding one I would buy it.
 
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