Should I...Shouldn't I (Les Paul content)

ohmygodtheykilledkenny · Post by **ohmygodtheykilledkenny** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:52 pm

First, it is a 1982 Les Paul Custom, Black, and when I bought it, it had been gigged every day since its purchase. This thing is beautifully broken in and plays quite well. However, I've noticed for a while now that it lacks the definition and clarity that I want. When I was into Sabbath and Rhoads/Ozzy, this wasn't an issue, because the gain masked this, but now that my musical taste has changed, so has my need for a good sounding Les Paul.

It weighs in at 9.5 lbs, so while it isn't a super light 50's rarity, it's not a huge dead weight.

I want to:

1.Swap the muddy stock pickups for a set of Wolftone Legends.
2.Swap the stock electronics for a vintage retrofit kit from RS Guitarworks.
3.Install a Tonepro's locking T-O-M with a lightweight aluminum Tailpiece.

Anything you guys want to add? Anything on the list you'd change? This is just speculation, since I am jonesing unbelievably hard for a 67' Flying V Re-issue with a vibrola (and of course, all the changes listed above would then be performed on the V). BTW For those who've talked with me before, my parents are maintaining their iron grip on my bank-account, but only till January!

Travis

JimiJames · Post by **JimiJames** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:22 pm

Does it have Grover Kidney's, Tulip or Imperials?
I highly recoment The Grover Kidney's with the 18:1 ratio in Nickel. (not the 14:1's)
The Locking Rotomatics would be a second option since your going with the TP's AVR Bridge & Tailpiece...

FWIW Make this thing sound like a Gibson Les Paul Custom and NOT a LP Standard.

ohmygodtheykilledkenny · Post by **ohmygodtheykilledkenny** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 3:31 pm

It's got these crazy flip out tuners that turn into string winders. They were stock, but one of them broke and the button was replaced with a standard tulip.

What would the difference be between making this sound like a custom as opposed to a standard, what would it entail? Forgive my noobishness, I've only ever played my Custom and a few new standards, which I did not care for.

As far as TonePros is concerned, I just want to go better than what is on it now, since it does not appear to be the original gibson parts. If I just went with Gibson's T-O-M, would it give me the goods, or am I better off shelling out the dough for TonePros.

Travis

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:37 pm

ohmygodtheykilledkenny wrote:It's got these crazy flip out tuners that turn into string winders. They were stock, but one of them broke and the button was replaced with a standard tulip.

What would the difference be between making this sound like a custom as opposed to a standard, what would it entail? Forgive my noobishness, I've only ever played my Custom and a few new standards, which I did not care for.

As far as TonePros is concerned, I just want to go better than what is on it now, since it does not appear to be the original gibson parts. If I just went with Gibson's T-O-M, would it give me the goods, or am I better off shelling out the dough for TonePros.

Travis

Trav, I know a lot of guys will probably disagree with this, (thats ok) but IMO, the TonePros shit is overrated. They're NOT bad, but I dont think there is enough difference between that and a Gibson TOM to warrant the extra coin. (Old LP's had TOM's, and nobody ever accused them of needing a new bridge). They have a really good advertising rap going, and it sells the product. The one reason I COULD see using TP stuff is if you were a guitar roadie, restringing after every gig or two. THEN I would use them. I used to go thru the effort of locking down my TOM's, using countersunk allen cap screws thru the bridge directly into the guitar top, without bushings, and a rethreaded thumbwheel under the bridge. It was rock solid as all hell, and tonally, it made no difference at all when compared to the standard Gibson threaded post and thumbwheel. Just extra work. I did the same mod to a PRS wraptail, with the same result. I hate to say it, but the same thing applies to the aluminum tailpiece. IMO, Urban legend. It IS lighter, but thats it. I dont think it has any appreciable effect on the guitars tone. Ive used both types on the same guitar, and could not tell the diff. There IS a difference between a steel, or brass, or aluminum wraptail, but thats not the deal here. As far as getting a Custom to sound like a Standard, you're gonna battle that ebony fretboard for tone, cause rosewood is a lot warmer, and I dont think ebony will ever get that kind of warmth.

ohmygodtheykilledkenny · Post by **ohmygodtheykilledkenny** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:33 am

Allright, I'll probably just go with the Gibson parts for the bridge than, since tonally it won't suffer. Surprisingly, my Les Paul is quite warm sounding, that could just be the lack of high end in the pickups and electronics though. We'll see, maybe I'll just drop a whole bunch of coin and get all the guitars I want.

(of course, for all intensive purposes, I have no coin)

Travis

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:52 am

ohmygodtheykilledkenny wrote: We'll see, maybe I'll just drop a whole bunch of coin and get all the guitars I want. (of course, for all intensive purposes, I have no coin)Travis

Coin can be tough, my friend!!!

JimiJames · Post by **JimiJames** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 12:34 am

It not just one or two parts but the sum of all.
I would go with NEW Gibson Historic Spec parts before going with the TP's stuff. It's about the same $ as the TP's.
If anything it's more attractive keeping Gibson Original Replacement Parts for obvious reasons

I'm not sure if they're over-rated and yeah, they're not bad but, for TP's, it's the Idea of what they're offering to players as they choose
what's best for them either giging on the road or the home body studio guy.
Some prefer to have a sense of stability in their instrument's and if a company like TP's offers "locking" type mercahandize it would theoretically make sense to go with them for these type of players.

> I believe the stock Gibson parts are good enough and charactorize a signature sound for the guitar ....
for what it was made to sound like.

I think there was a little confusion on a the statement "Custom to sound like a Standard"
As stated before your Les Paul Custom should be kept to sound like a Les Paul Custom.
The Custom & the Standard sound different from each other as both are killer sounding guitars !

Yeah... and GAS can really put a hurtin' in those pockets.

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 3:13 pm

JimiJames wrote:Yeah... and GAS can really put a hurtin' in those pockets.

You aint kidding. My wife went to Florida Saturday morning, and Im taking the opportunity to head downtown tomorrow and possibly pick up a new Mojave Scorpion, if I like it. $2400.00... Ohhh, what she dont know, dont hurt her, but its gonna kick MY ass!! One of the benefits of having G.A.S. is that when you have a lot of equipment, "she who would get MAJOR LEAGUE pissed" isnt all that hip to what comes and goes!! Still, I could never figure out WHY she would get major league pissed. Its not like buying another amp or guitar is gonna put us in the poor house. I guess its just like... YOU spent $2400 on another amp, you already HAVE 7 amps, and I buy shoes... SHOES!!! But she's GOT like 507 pairs of shoes (of course with matching handbags), so to ME, its balanced. (maybe).

Bad Kitty · Post by **Bad Kitty** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 1:02 pm

Who are you trying to convince? Us or yourself?

Go for it!

Mike

ohmygodtheykilledkenny · Post by **ohmygodtheykilledkenny** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 1:04 pm

I will probably go with the Gibson Historics stuff than, for the obvious reasons.

Whats really funny is to right down all the stuff you jonesing for then tally up the value. Bet you anything it comes out over 10 g's.

So if you guys could choose...Wolfetone, Fralin, or WCR?

Travis

wdelaney72 · Post by **wdelaney72** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:16 pm

ohmygodtheykilledkenny wrote:So if you guys could choose...Wolfetone, Fralin, or WCR?

Travis

f) none of the above - HighOrder!

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:58 pm

Bad Kitty wrote:Who are you trying to convince? Us or yourself?
Go for it! Mike

Not trying to convince anybody... just some verbal justification!! ANYWAY, I went downtown today to Ultra Sound studio to check out the Mojave Scorpion, and I gotta say it... I was unimpressed. I really was expecting that amp to sound better than it did. It did NOT sound bad, but certainly did not live up to the hype surrounding it. It has a lot of volume, and it does have a reasonably punchy tone, but it was NOWHERE near as good as an old PTP Marshall. The tone controls have very little effect unless a comparison is made between them being fully dimed, or fully off. Going from 10 oclock to 2 oclock on ANY of the tone controls made very little difference, and that IS a criticism leveled at that amp by Dave Szabados from Legendary Tones. The sound clips on Mojave's site must have REALLY been optimized, and tweaked at the board, cause I was not able to get those early "VH" tones for anything. Honestly, my Soldano OR my Bogner would have killed it easily. A little disappointed, but there's always other rigs around the corner.

ohmygodtheykilledkenny · Post by **ohmygodtheykilledkenny** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 3:08 pm

wdelaney72 wrote:
ohmygodtheykilledkenny wrote:So if you guys could choose...Wolfetone, Fralin, or WCR?

Travis
f) none of the above - HighOrder!

I toyed with the thought of highorders for awhile, I'm looking for pure Dickey Betts/Eric Clapton neck tone, do they deliver?

Travis

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 3:13 pm

fill, get the Epi Valve Jr and do the Mercury Magentics mod. MM had the before and after set up at the Amp show. That litlle guy is a tone MONSTER! Great recording amp.

And, the new Vox AC15 Handwired TV front. Blew me away, too.

Of course, you could always go for Geogre's 45/100!!

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 4:32 pm

NY Chief wrote:fill, get the Epi Valve Jr and do the Mercury Magentics mod. MM had the before and after set up at the Amp show. That litlle guy is a tone MONSTER! Great recording amp.And, the new Vox AC15 Handwired TV front. Blew me away, too.Of course, you could always go for Geogre's 45/100!!

I've heard a lot of good things about that MM mod Epi, Chief. I might give something like that a shot, but I was looking more for a '70-'71 50 watt metalfront PTP tone. I just finished emailing George about the prospects of putting one together, so Ill see where that goes. Ill tell you something, though. That Ultra Sounds studio is really nice. I rented some time there today, and played thru a slew of amps, including the Mojave, Dr.Z, Roccaforte, Cornford, Victoria, and Maven Peel. To me, the most impressive of the bunch was the Roccaforte. Nails the old, aggressive Marshall thing to a tee, but the only thing that put me off was that it was INSANELY loud. The studio I was in was pretty big, maybe 25'x25', and thru a 4x12, I couldnt turn it up past about 10 oclock on the volume control. It sounded amazing, but rated at 80 watts?? It sounded as loud as a Marshall Major to me. Maybe the guy at the studio was wrong about which Rocc I was playing thru, cause if that was 80 watts, making a 100 watt Rocc would be absolutely ludicrous.