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Hi All,
A quick hello from the UK – this forum has been really helpful when I was looking for my Les Paul, with any question I asked of the internet.
Up until now I’ve been playing a Telecaster Standard, a 70’s Yamaha acoustic and occasionally an Ibanez with a blue quilted maple top. I'm into blues/rock/60's/70's/Indie/modern rock.
I decided that my first proper Les Paul was going to be a late 80’s or 90’s Custom – which proved tricky as they are thin on the ground where I live in the north of England - they all seem to reside around London!
After a few months of looking – I got impatient and bought my guitar unseen online, from a seller that specialises in shipping guitars. I had not even got around to trying a custom in a guitar store,
and my only experience of a Les Paul was an Epiphone that I had briefly 20 years ago as a beginner! Risky. After lots of questions to the seller and extra photos etc. I took the plunge – and it arrived safely in a ton of bubble wrap around the hardcase.
So it’s a late 1990 Custom in Black, Ebony fretboard and gold hardware. Looks all original, pickups have black ‘Patent applied for’ stickers on the back which I think may be ’57 Classics.
Looks as though it’s not had a lot of use over 30 years – original frets only have a little wear. First fret is too high and setup/action/pickup height is all over the place so needs a little love.
First impressions in my hands – the neck feels great, quite rounded ‘C’ shape, not thin not fat.
Unplugged strum – Wow the sustain.... never played anything like it before.
Plugged in to my Marshall JTM30 - neck pickup – now this sounds nice, detailed. that sustain again. Strum a chord and listen –, what’s that I’m hearing - overtones? (harmonics?) I don’t know how to describe it but it sounds fantastic. Turned up the pre-amp gain and there’s that fat creamy lead sound high up the neck – just what I wanted. Bridge pickup a bit quiet/thin, but then it’s set very low and one adjuster screw is stuck.
Heavy as you’d expect – 10.5lbs – placed it on my guitar stand and the stand sagged and spread under the weight! So need to buy a heavier duty stand I think.
It looks fantastic – the Nitro finish has yellowed and has crazed in places, especially on the front of the headstock. Pickup covers and the bridge are quite badly corroded/bubbled (the green stuff coming through the plating) so I might try to improve that a little.
Planning to get it to a good guitar tech for a fret dress/crown, full setup. Here's a couple of pics to start with.
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