What is an 'ideal' weight for a 1950s gold top w/P-90 pickups?

[lifebreath]

I'm currently looking at an 'all gold' example w/P-90s that weighs in at 9.5 lb. aka 9 lb - 8 oz.

That's quite a bit more weight than I like in a LP but for the example I'm looking at I may make an exception; maybe? I like em much lighter ......

Keep posting those weights because I'm curious where these things are landing weight wise .......

I just posted this in the “Vintage Les Paul Weights” thread:

Based on the sample of 21 vintage (50’s - 1960) Les Pauls, we have the following distribution with very little skewness:

Mean weight = 8.95
SD = 0.67
1 SD range = 8.28 - 9.62
2 SD range = 7.62 - 10.29
3 SD range = 6.94 - 10.96

So there you have it! THE definitive study to date on vintage Les Paul weight!

My 1955 GT is hefty at 10.2 lbs, just under the 2 SD cutoff. But it plays and sounds fantastic!

 

[dwagar]

6-7 years or more ago: No, if I felt the guitar was really, really outstanding in tone and playability. If it was a true keeper.

But after 2018, back problems have unfortunately made it impossible for me to enjoy any guitar over 9,3 lbs / 4.2 kg. so no matter how spectacular a guitar, I will have to pass.

I agree. I'm exactly in this position too.

Years ago I had a '74 LP Custom that I loved, I played it for over a decade. But it was over 10 pounds, and it just got too heavy for me.

I moved to my R9 (and my '53 GT) that were in the 8 1/2 range.

Turns out I have disk degeneration, cause I got old, and now those are too heavy for me to gig with.

I now use my '57 Special (7 pounds) or an SG Tribute I bought (6 pounds).

If you have no back problems, enjoy the shit out of those heavier guitars that some of us will no longer buy.

 

[jimmi]

6-7 years or more ago: No, if I felt the guitar was really, really outstanding in tone and playability. If it was a true keeper.

But after 2018, back problems have unfortunately made it impossible for me to enjoy any guitar over 9,3 lbs / 4.2 kg. so no matter how spectacular a guitar, I will have to pass.

another reason to keep my gym schedule going I guess. I can take all these great but slightly heavy guitars off your hands .

My cutoff is about 10lbs. I am game for anything that weight or less but will take a lighter one all things being equal.

 

[S. Weiger]

another reason to keep my gym schedule going I guess. I can take all these great but slightly heavy guitars off your hands .

My cutoff is about 10lbs. I am game for anything that weight or less but will take a lighter one all things being equal.

Haha thx, they are long gone, also to financing other nice guitars.
I almost bought a '68 LP Custom back in 2016 that weighted more than 10 lbs, but was in very fine condition, priced ok, and really good sounding.. Yeah keep the gym routines while you can

 

[jimmi]

Haha thx, they are long gone, also to financing other nice guitars.
I almost bought a '68 LP Custom back in 2016 that weighted more than 10 lbs, but was in very fine condition, priced ok, and really good sounding.. Yeah keep the gym routines while you can

I think most can keep the routine as long as the motivation is there. There is a guy that swims with us that is 74 and still does 3000 yds in an hour and another who is in his 90s and had 2 beck surgeries and still does 800ish yrds a day.

Not long back I got all motivated to buy a late 60s custom. Almost pulled the trigger twice assuming the necks were like the 50s…they were not. I played a couple in town and I don’t like the necks past about the 9th fret. They really thicken up. Much thicker past that point than my 50s LPs. That and the pickups in both guitars were kinda meh (and I like a good TTop). Totally killed it for me. I love the all black look but (heresy here I know) but I might rather have a 50s reissue than a late 60s one. I don’t like the 3 pickup models that much (I don’t like the middle position and the middle pickup seems always in the way) and they seem to be in an odd place in the market if you want to sell…most people would prefer a burst finish guitar with PAFs, then a gold top with PAFs or p90s and then a 3 pickup custom …actually the Staple pickup guitars might be next.

 

[MapleFlame]

If weight is an issue playing live, then that may bother you, I have played high 7's to 10 pound Gold Tops and loved the character of each. The P90's, you really need to match each guitar to an amp. I will actually will do a comparison of all my gold tops through Tweeds, Black face and Vox amps. I should have done this years ago.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

There was a snarky assertion posted elsewhere that I got a kick out of:

"Hey man, how much does your Les Paul weigh?"

"More than an SG."

 

[aladdinsane]

I just picked up a 52 goldtop and it's 8.4 lbs. I also have a 68 goldtop that's 8.71. I grew up playing 10 lb. + Norlins, so these two feel incredibly light to me. I like both in different ways, but the sub 9-lb. LPs are pretty great.

 

[rockabilly69]

WARNING: these are not 'vintage' but only based on a vintage design

below are the same model guitar made by the same shop with very minor cosmetic difference

both are solid aka neither one is weight relieved and they are quite close in serial number

the 25 oz. difference in weight however is pretty stark


8 lb. - 14 oz.
View attachment 24569


7 lb. - 5 oz.
View attachment 24570



below is the 'all' gold example I am looking to possibly purchase but it weighs in at 9 lb. - 8 oz.
It's also from the same shop as the two above examples, it's 26 years old and close to mint condition
View attachment 24572


View attachment 24573

Are they even real Gibsons???? Don't look like it to me.

 

[rays44]

No disrespect intended toward anyone.
I've never weighed a single one of my guitars over the last 50 + years. Even in the '70's when heavy was considered a plus, I couldn't care less. It was always just about tone, playability and the connection I got from the instrument, or lack thereof.

 

[rays44]

. The P90's, you really need to match each guitar to an amp. I will actually will do a comparison of all my gold tops through Tweeds, Black face and Vox amps. I should have done this years ago.

This is a key statement. I find that P90's can be magical in one amp and just ok in another. The same can be said with humbuckers but to a lesser extent. As an example, I have a Budda Superdrive 30 (original hand wired series) that to my ear, is best paired with a P90 guitar.
Apologies for going off topic.

 

[MojoJones]

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