Everyone's favorite sounding Gibson ?

bluze81 · Post by **bluze81** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 11:59 pm

I really dig many Gibson models, have owened a bunch as well, a mid 1960s cherry red sg standard I had really had the it factor with early pat,n0# humbuckers,a great singing quality, also bought a real 58 burst in 1980 that had huge tone! I am chasing after a new VOS Paul.

Marshall Growl · Post by **Marshall Growl** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 4:49 am

Since many of you are including your LP copies. I had a Bacchus LP Goldtop that was very nice, check these on ebay, they are going for more than Tokais. I bought mine in 2002 and paid 490$ It came with Dimarzio pups. I sold it to a friend for 300$ Maybe 400$ It totally had that LP sound. I just got my Fenix LP copy back that I had sold. I put it in the shop today for Sperzel tuner install and intonation, and neck adjustment. Both these copies are very nice.

2112 · Post by **2112** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:06 am

I have an original 1967 gibson flying v sitting in nashville @ GIBSON for a restoration.Dropped it off in july with Timmothy Tucker @ gibson and should be ready in jan/08 sometime.Anybody that has ever played it wanted to buy it.I will post pics in the new year!!can't wait

Tone Slinger · Post by **Tone Slinger** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:12 am

I see what you guy's are talkin about, concerning finding a L.P that has that specific tone. I've gigged with a epi copy, and have played several, though have never owned one, except a old '78 or '79 Silverburst Custom that I had early on in my development. I didnt have all the sound associations togather to even know how it sounded then. I only recall really likeing one. It was a '92 cherry sunburst standard. It had that real specific midrange quality I associate Les Pauls with. All others I've tried tend to have too much lower midrange 'honk' to them. That is why I like the '67 flying v copies Gibson are putting out. As alway's, one will alway's sound the best, if your trying out different color's, etc, but the V consistantly has that very particular midrange frequency that my soul searches for. They do not have the bottom end of a L.P though.

908ssp · Post by **908ssp** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 4:02 pm

I had these back in the 80s.

The maple fret board Custom sounded good but it weighed a ton and I liked the Deluxe. Now I just have this old thing.

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 4:29 pm

908ssp wrote:Now I just have this old thing.

Gee Alex, are we supposed to feel sorry for you?

worldoftone · Post by **worldoftone** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 4:54 pm

I've owned a '74 Flying V, a '75 EDS-1275 and an R8 Flametop Les Paul. The LP sounded the best out of the three, but my favorite Gibson is the 335. They always sound good, no matter what amp you play them through.

- WOT

wide slide · Post by **wide slide** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:22 pm

hey Tone Slinger,

you like V's... I'm surprised you or some else hasn't mentioned Lonnie Mack here or in the Artist post yet.

Unless he was mentioned and I didn't see it!!!

His Gibson V is on most all his work right?

shakti · Post by **shakti** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:48 am

Gibsons are kind of tricky, especially Les Pauls. I don't know if it's because there are so many classic recorded Les Paul tones I/we compare to, but to get a Gibson that *really* gets you pumping is rare with non-vintage ones. I've played my share of duds, and they're at best non-inspiring. But the Gibson lure is too big to ignore, so I'm pleased to say I've finally found "my" Les Paul.

2002 R8 Historic Makeover

Tone Slinger · Post by **Tone Slinger** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:13 pm

Sweet guitar man

. I bet that set ya back at least 4 grand, but hey, I'd spend that if I could.

Wide Slide, I hadnt thought about Lonnie in years, and come to think of it, I've only heard him a couple of times, I recall he had great tone,sorta 'snarly' sounding. He had an origional '58 V with the bigsby on it.

I was looking through some vintage photo's of UFO, and Michael Schenker had a 67-70 era black flying V with white pick guard along with a bigsby ! It looked like he had the arm of it off. These were from early '76. I looked at some live UFO footage from '77, and Michael had replaced the bigby with a stop tail piece. You could still see the 3 small holes back there that had held the bigsby on. He had also put a black pick guard on it that had been on his previous main V.

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 9:23 pm

shakti wrote:Gibsons are kind of tricky, especially Les Pauls. I don't know if it's because there are so many classic recorded Les Paul tones I/we compare to, but to get a Gibson that *really* gets you pumping is rare with non-vintage ones. I've played my share of duds, and they're at best non-inspiring. But the Gibson lure is too big to ignore, so I'm pleased to say I've finally found "my" Les Paul.

Super nice guitar, Shak. Great top, and great color!! Reminds me of Duane Allmans "darkburst". Sweeeet!!

shakti · Post by **shakti** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:23 am

Thanks! Yes, it does resemble "Hot 'Lanta" a lot. The previous owner picked out the guitar for its tone and figure, which already then reminded him of Duane's famous Darkburst, and then sent it to Historic Makeovers for a package A treatment. They refinished it in Darkburst. It also had a truss rod change to correct 50s style without the "condom" which Gibson has used since 1968, a brazilian rosewood fretboard with authentic inlays, glued with hide glue as on the originals, correct nitrocellulose laquer without plasticizers, and a neck reshape for more correct 50s shape.

They also apply an ageing process where the laquer starts to shrink and check like the originals also do. This process is different from the one used by for instance Tom Murphy, who uses razor blades to artificially simulate finish checking - this process gives "natural" checking only sped-up.

To top it off, it has real 50s tuners with new tips, a real 50s engraved truss rod cover, WCR Fillmore neck and Goodwood bridge PUs, and RS pots and caps.

I paid 5.1k for it, but it was worth every last little penny. I had to sell off two older Marshalls to finance it, but I don't regret it a second, because this guitar is *the one*! I am going to replace the Marshalls with Metro builds. I don't think the price was bad either - this R8 is from before Gibson started differentiating between R8s and R9s, so it still has the lighter wood which is now only being used on R9s (8lb 15oz I believe), and a beautiful flame top. Those two features alone essentially make it an R9 by today's standards, and a stock R9 would cost 4k alone. Then figure in the above HM treatment at 2.5k, and the various upgraded parts, and the deal is starting to look real good. '03 stock Gibson R9s with brazilian rosewood frequently sell for 7-8k, especially with the kind of figure seen on this guitar. You want brazilian rosewood? This one's got it - only difference is that a Gibson employee didn't put it on there with the incorrect glue...

Mark's Guitar Loft sold a very nice HM for 7k in less than a week. Essentially the same kind of guitar as this one. Of course, some will like the colour and figure of that one better than this, and vice versa, but you get the general picture. I'm set for Les Pauls, anyway.

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 7:45 am

I can see where that guitar would be "THE" LP. The more I look at it, the nicer it keeps looking. The fact that you had all that work done with the finish, ageing, the pickups just adds to it IMO (even though some collectors would disagree). It personalized it to being "your" guitar. What you spent on it is really a moot point... thats what it took to get it to be THAT guitar, and if Gibson marketed that guitar with those exact specs, it would cost 12k easy, if not more.
I had a convertible 5.0 Mustang in the early '90's, and I modified that car to the teeth. Supercharged, full chassis and suspension, roll cage, etc. So many guys said "Oh, but its not original now... a collector wouldnt want it". Yeah, but a collector doesnt OWN it, and a collector doesnt DRIVE it... I do!! And its my car, and I love it!! I think that axe is killa, and if it were mine, I'd NEVER sell it. Its just too good, and most likely as close to an original as possible, without dropping 300k!!

wdelaney72 · Post by **wdelaney72** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 8:49 am

That's one of the most beatiful bursts I've ever seen.

wide slide · Post by **wide slide** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 8:19 pm

Shakti,

thats REEAL Nice, and well planned!!!

I've got a few Gibsons LP's ans SG's. I like the SG with the P-90's for some things and I love the LP's for other. One LP (76 Deluxe) is an Old player that seen many nights., but the mini humbuckers sound great. The other is a nice Honeyburst Std.
The mid 70's LP gets a bad rap but this player has the feel and tone.
This LP sound great playing slid with.

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Everyone's favorite sounding Gibson ?

Favorite sounding Gibson