Which guitar is closest to a burst....

[kharrison]

I have a 56 Junior, 63 SG/LP Junior, and now a 73 Les Paul Custom. All three sound great through my newly acquired 64 white knob 6G2. I have several other brown and blonde Fender amps that are pretty consistent. Which guitar would you think would get close to burst tone? I have played several 58/59 bursts, they all sounded good but a little different. A 59 that I played a few years ago stands out. To me the 56 Junior with the P90 is pretty close to what I remember from the burst experience, but now this old LPC with Pat Sticker TTops have that humbucking bite and over tones. I guess it is really up to the player but just curious what you all would think would be closest. The SG has a tone all of its own. Very dark and aggressive.

 

[JJ Blair]

Sad to say, none of the above. The closest should be the Custom, but I don't find '70s Customs very Burst like, with their pancake bodies, short tenons, three piece necks and T Tops. Juniors don't sound anything like a Burst to me, and and SGs sound like SGs.

 

[kharrison]

Sad to say, none of the above. The closest should be the Custom, but I don't find '70s Customs very Burst like, with their pancake bodies, short tenons, three piece necks and T Tops. Juniors don't sound anything like a Burst to me, and and SGs sound like SGs.

Honest answer. I know that the three listed are FAR from a burst but was just curious which would be even close. The Custom still has a mahogany neck and a maple top, and I have heard some great T Tops and not so great ones. I know the SG isn't even close, the 56 P90 gets some great double tones as does the Custom. It has been a few years since I played an actual burst, several, to me, were nothing special, but a friends 59 had what I thought was THE burst tone.

 

[duaneflowers]

Difficult to answer without hearing them... but from the list I would think the custom has the most potential. Pop a pair of Wizzes in them if the pickups are not all they could be and make sure the pots and caps are up to par and you will probably be as close as you are going to get outta the 3... :jim

 

[yeti]

The Custom cuz it also has 2 PU'sla

 

[jimmi]

Sad to say, none of the above. The closest should be the Custom, but I don't find '70s Customs very Burst like, with their pancake bodies, short tenons, three piece necks and T Tops. Juniors don't sound anything like a Burst to me, and and SGs sound like SGs.

His early 70s custom has a transitional tenon. Shouldn't be that big of difference. I think that the customs were still one peice bodies until 74 or 75 (sure someone will correct me if I am wrong). T-tops I agree but some of that is in the magnet which you can swap or swap the whole pickup. All that said, I have played some very good norlin era guitars. just different than the 50s.

 

[JJ Blair]

Jimmi, yes. Sorry. It's transitional, but it's definitely the pancake body and three piece neck. Those started in 1970, even on Customs.

 

[jimmi]

Jimmi, yes. Sorry. It's transitional, but it's definitely the pancake body and three piece neck. Those started in 1970, even on Customs.

I have to check on that again. My knowledge of the details from the Norlin period is a bit weak but my memory was that the pancake bodies were delayed on the customs for a few years after they started on the standards/deluxes.

 

[krapac]

Jimmi, yes. Sorry. It's transitional, but it's definitely the pancake body and three piece neck. Those started in 1970, even on Customs.

Correct JJ..! Another important feature is the ebony board instead rosewood board, the sound and feel is different.

 

[j45]

Any of them depending on the amp. I find a good 50's P90 guitar through a JTM45 can be more reminiscent of what we think of as a burst sound than a burst through a Super Reverb.

 

[kharrison]

My Custom has a pancake body and it's a 73. Forgot about the ebony neck point.

 

[moonweasel]

I have to check on that again. My knowledge of the details from the Norlin period is a bit weak but my memory was that the pancake bodies were delayed on the customs for a few years after they started on the standards/deluxes.

Hi Jimmi,

Pancakes on both models started at the same time. VERY VERY VERY late 69, around serial 890xxx or so.

 

[JJ Blair]

Correct JJ..! Another important feature is the ebony board instead rosewood board, the sound and feel is different.

I have guitars with both, but I've never really been able to quantify how it's different. Is it brighter? Is it snappier? I asked a luthier once to tell me the difference, and his answers was pretty nebulous.

 

[krapac]

I don't have many guitar with ebony board, but still have a Custom, a very old L5, a ES355 and a granny L3.
It's subjective, in my hands the ebony board sound brighter and firm, more precise but less (to my ears) musical and variegated. Acoustically speaking, with no electrification, the ebony is very, very good.

 

[JJ Blair]

Maybe the ebony has less overtone? Is that what I'm hearing?

 

[Progrocker111]

Jimmi, yes. Sorry. It's transitional, but it's definitely the pancake body and three piece neck. Those started in 1970, even on Customs.

Pancake bodies dont have noticable impact on tone. Early 70s Les Paul Customs can still be very resonant, are very articulate and with excellent sustain. 1970 and 1971s still had many construction angles similar to 50s ones. Only the headstock angle was lower, neck angle was still nearly the same. In 1972 there were some other changes such as a bit steeper neck angle, no holy wood veneer. For example 70 Les Paul Custom is still very similar to 68, only difference is the pancake body, 3 piece neck and transitional tenon, which has still the same function than long. These guitars are more focused and brighter sounding than 50s Les Pauls, but still can have very rich sound with many overtones. Post 75 Norlins are more different though.

 

[kharrison]

Unplugged my Custom is just as resonant as my 56 Junior is. It's light to probably in the high 8 pound range.

 

[krapac]

Maybe the ebony has less overtone? Is that what I'm hearing?

The result in different response, probably is relative to the wood density between braz rosewood and ebony.
Obviously the sound of a burst, or better, a 50's Les Paul (non Custom) is a sum of various parameter, but the braz rosewood to me is an important part that characterize the sound of some Gibson guitars from the "golden era".

 

[JJ Blair]

Never sounded like a Burst to me, but this guy had an awesome Les Paul tone with a maple top Custom.

 

[yeti]

I still think this is a useful video on the subject. It confirms what i have experienced myself. Putting it into words is not so easy, but that's the difference. Would be great if the vid had some different playing techniques and sounds but still...

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