Why flame?

[rip]

I guess its just preference but does anyone else just like the plain tops for les pauls?

rip

[mwm523]

I LOVE plaintops. Here's my R8:



And my next purchase will be a goldtop R4.

No flame needed!!!

[jbzoso2002]

I do like all Les Pauls, plain tops goldtops,
but nothing quite looks like a killer flametop!

Plus they all look a little different.

Jimmy

[BrianH]

I prefer plaintops, too '07 G0.

[Scumback Speakers]

I'm just a Les Paul whore...goldtop, flametop, faded top, black top, cherry top, I have them all.

Sort of sounds like that Eric Burdon song, huh?

"Drink the wine, get that girl...uh uh uh uh"

[rip]

Sweet looking plain top there.

Yeah I wish companies put as much effect into finding good plain tops as they did with their flame or quilt tops.

Have you guys seen an ash top on a les paul? Wonder how it would sound.

Rip

[Brad737]

Well, I've certainly played quite a few awesome plaintops. But I just find flamed and quilted maple to be gorgeous. If I'm going to spend a lot of money for a guitar, I'm going to make sure it looks nice too.

[yngwie308]

I'm just a Les Paul whore...goldtop, flametop, faded top, black top, cherry top, I have them all.

Sort of sounds like that Eric Burdon song, huh?

"Drink the wine, get that girl...uh uh uh uh"

And an SG whore Jim..LOL, btw I heard Rick Normans G12-65's he got from you the other day and my future Scumbacks are the 65's 75hZ !!! Awesome!!
Dave

[JimiJames]

I'm just a Les Paul whore...goldtop, flametop, faded top, black top, cherry top, I have them all.

Sort of sounds like that Eric Burdon song, huh?

"Drink the wine, get that girl...uh uh uh uh"

+1

[Metal Handles]

I was thinking a lot about this just the other day. I sort of came to the realization that Duane Allman, Billy Gibbons and a bunch of other Les Paul slinging greats deserved nothing but the best. I mean really, Hotlanta and Pearly Gates fit those players like nothing else could. They just had to be FLAMEY!

On the other hand, if you suck and show off with an over the top flame monster, something just doesn't seem quite right to me. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to bash any of you guys here, I have a brother-in-law (who is a terrific player) that had an amazing sounding 1960 plain top sunburst that was an absolutely killer guitar in every way. It fit him perfectly, but I still feel that there is a place for the flames.

So to sum it up, I don't think there is a "one is the only" kind of solution here. I think there a number of possible fits for both types.

By the way, I have a three piece goldtop and I can see the top piece has a really tight flamey piece of maple under the finish, so I have an example of the best of both worlds!

[Jon W]

I used to really love the the flame tops...back when they were kinda rare. Then fender did the "photo-flame" and then there were a lot of real flame tops on everything under the sun (even if some are just a thin laminate), from PRS, Schecter, Gibson, Hondo....

I guess I just, sort of ODed on flame tops.

So now a nice vintage plane top in a cherry burst (the old cherry burst with less red), or sun burst, etc. just seems to do it for me.

That said, I'm a Les Paul whore, too...love 'em all.

[stump]

I like both. Here's my 2003 Classic Plain Top in Cinnamon Burst. Swapped out pickups and Tone Pros hardware.

[jerryjg]

to convince yourself that a plain top is better than nice beuatiful modertaly flamed maple top ..well, go right ahead, but it shows a complete lack of taste IMO. Now those uber flamey tops, yeah, Id prefer a plain top. But theres nothing like a sweet moderatly flamed Maple top. That IS Les Paul, and if you think otherwise you are just Wrong..
It AINT "a matter of preference" as has been suggested. I think most civilised people would agree, and of course, the market value bears testament to this fact.;

[xlb3x]

I like the plain ones but I would rather have flame. Here is my 1994 R9. Not a great photo but you get the idea. Very 3D top.