The "Routed" Deluxe Appreciation Page

[pmonk]

Yeah, this 1975 Deluxe was routed with a chain saw...so what.

I got a couple of plain back t-tops in that bad boy and she kicks ass!!!!!!

[acstorfer]

The bridge pickup routed for a Lollar Imperial (high wound).

The bridge routed for a, dare I say it? The bridge routed for a Kahler.

[Smash88]

cool guits

[Scooter2112]

Sacrilege!!

WHY would anyone route a Deluxe and strip it of its originality?

Wouldn't it just be easier and far less destructive to buy a Standard, Custom, Traditional, Classic, Studio, etc. instead??

[stephenwz968]

Pmonk - that's a great guitar (I should know! :P ), keep on rockin' it!!!

[elcajon64]

Now you're talking.

My '77



An in-progress Goldtop



A few others I've gone through over the years.

[acstorfer]

Originally Posted by Scooter2112

Sacrilege!!

WHY would anyone route a Deluxe and strip it of its originality?

Wouldn't it just be easier and far less destructive to buy a Standard, Custom, Traditional, Classic, Studio, etc. instead??

I guess because they were/are owned by people other than you? Because people have a right to do what they want to, to their guitars?

I'm guessing those reasons are good enough.

[Scooter2112]

Originally Posted by acstorfer

I guess because they were/are owned by people other than you? Because people have a right to do what they want to, to their guitars?

I'm guessing those reasons are good enough.

Yeah...I get that. You've basically said..."none of your business, you just don't get it." (which is weak, and not really an answer)

Just don't understand the reason for doing it.

I'm just not sure what distinguishes a routed Deluxe from any other humbuckered Gibson??

Does a routed Deluxe sound or play differently than a Standard with the same pickups?

What kind of mojo am I really missing with this?

[pmonk]

Originally Posted by Scooter2112

Sacrilege!!

WHY would anyone route a Deluxe and strip it of its originality?

Wouldn't it just be easier and far less destructive to buy a Standard, Custom, Traditional, Classic, Studio, etc. instead??

Well, back in 1975 Standards were only available by special order, if the general public wanted that full humbucker sound, they did it on there own!

Traditionals and Classics did not exist back then?

Personally, I don't see how removing the same amount of wood to install a full humbucker is considered destructive?

You tell me how this current set up doesn't kick ass!

I would put this bastard of a guitar with this set up against any Historic Reissues cookie-cutter guitar any day of the week!!!

[Benny Lamb]

My 1978 Pro Deluxe. (NOT routed by me)

[Scooter2112]

Originally Posted by pmonk

Well, back in 1975 Standards were only available by special order, if the general public wanted that full humbucker sound, they did it on there own!

Traditionals and Classics did not exit back then?

Personally, I don't see how removing the same amount of wood to install a full humbucker is considered destructive?

You tell me how this current set up doesn't kick ass!

I would put this bastard of a guitar with this set up against any Historic Reissues cookie-cutter guitar any day of the week!!!

Thank you. Good answers.

I was really just curious to the reasoning, and the "sacrilege" thing was all tongue-in-cheek.

Sounds logical for that era and what was available at that time. In hindsight with the options available nowadays, a stock Deluxe is kind of a rare bird...and probably on the radar screen of lots of collectors/vintage owners.

Nevertheless, great looking guitars, guys!

[kjwolfer]

My 72 GT

[kmrumedy]

70 GT Deluxe loaded with Throbaks. (Pmonk - I am digging that amp!!)

[HOT-BRIT]

they sell for a lower price than unmodified Deluxe, they can be great value and great players

[acstorfer]

Originally Posted by Scooter2112

Yeah...I get that. You've basically said..."none of your business, you just don't get it." (which is weak, and not really an answer)

Just don't understand the reason for doing it.

I'm just not sure what distinguishes a routed Deluxe from any other humbuckered Gibson??

Does a routed Deluxe sound or play differently than a Standard with the same pickups?

What kind of mojo am I really missing with this?

Actually, it was a perfect answer, considering it was directed to someone who jumps into an appreciation thread where you jumped in and called our guitars "sacrilege". However, to answer your questions.

There is no difference between a routed Deluxe and a solid Les Paul Standard. As was said earlier, in the early 70's there were no Standards, other than special orders. It was far les expensive to buy a Deluxe and route it, than to special order a Standard.

In the 70's it was common (well more common than today) to modify guitars. Guitars were tools instead of show pieces. See David Gilmore (black Strat), Pete Townsend (pickup installed between the minis), Ace Frehley (routed a 73 Deluxe to full humbuckers), Eddie Van Halen (who did everything he could do to his guitars), Bigsby's were installed right into the body, in the 80's came the Floyd Rose/Kahler craze, and many other examples.

Deluxes were cheap guitars. They were the Studio of it's time. No one ever considered that they would be considered collectors pieces. Again, they were tools. They were thought of as a hunk of wood, not something that looks pretty.

Personally, I love buying modified guitars provided they were modifications I want. They, in my eyes, are better guitars that I can purchase for a lot less $$$. It is far better to buy one of these than spend a ton and not get to personalize my own guitar. I also appreciate that I can play a modified guitar with complete abandon.

It really is a shame that collectors and the folk who like pretty guitars came upon the scene. Tearing into a guitar and making it perfect for the player is lost and that is a crying shame!

[SkyDog07]

Routed the same week I bought it in '72. My band mate bought a Cherry SB Deluxe the same day but kept the MiniHBs - sounded great together.

[Bobby Mahogany]

Originally Posted by SkyDog07

Routed the same week I bought it in '72. My band mate bought a Cherry SB Deluxe the same day but kept the MiniHBs - sounded great together.

I'm sorry SkyDog07, but that guitar is not historically correct. I will have to seize it and put it in my vault. Just for the sake of taking care of that scarred instrument, I will play it everyday but it will be out of damn pity, like walking a dog from the dog pound with no pleasure at all! And just to show you I still have a heart, even if you crossed the law of no-modification, I will pay for transport.

[chipper]

Originally Posted by elcajon64

Now you're talking.

An in-progress Goldtop

Love this one.

And also kjwolfer's and kmrumedy's. There is something about aged Goldtops that I really really love. Don't know why, but old GT's do it for me.

[elcajon64]

Originally Posted by chipper

Love this one.

And also kjwolfer's and kmrumedy's. There is something about aged Goldtops that I really really love. Don't know why, but old GT's do it for me.

Thanks.

If you look close, you can see the neck pickup route is bored out toward the top (instead of cut out toward the bridge) and up into the fretboard. It's going to take a bit of effort to fix.

That's what makes these so desirable. They're cheap.

[pmonk]

Originally Posted by elcajon64

Thanks.

If you look close, you can see the neck pickup route is bored out toward the top (instead of cut out toward the bridge) and up into the fretboard. It's going to take a bit of effort to fix.

That's what makes these so desirable. They're cheap.

The two greatest things in life, cheap girls and cheap guitars!

[gtr-tek]

My routed Deluxe (well, one of):



I have another but I don't have any pix at the moment. The routing was a hack job, they didn't even use a router. It is covered up though...

[captain tightpants]

With Kahler..



With Nashville...




Nice to have options

[gtr-tek]

Sweet! I need to get pix of my Deluxe with a Kahler up.

[cmh6122]

Originally Posted by gtr-tek

Sweet! I need to get pix of my Deluxe with a Kahler up.

That's right.

[Webtroll]

Originally Posted by captain tightpants

With Kahler..

With Nashville...

Nice to have options

Do you use a lock at the headstock? What does it look like without it? Did you mount it over the truss rod cover or remove that for the lock?

Also since you've gone back and forth what are your opinions on the difference in tone, feel and sustain? I hated the Kahler I installed on my '76, but I know some people love em.

[Smash88]

Here's Adrian Smiths routed GT. A famous routed deluxe guit. Think he still uses this guit in the studio and live. Always liked it.

[kdm]

already showed my routed '69 (843204) here...:

Let's see your first Les Paul! thread

So far as I recall I bought it '71 . It had a one piece body, one piece neck, no volute and minihumbuckers .

[captain tightpants]

Originally Posted by Webtroll

Do you use a lock at the headstock? What does it look like without it? Did you mount it over the truss rod cover or remove that for the lock?

Also since you've gone back and forth what are your opinions on the difference in tone, feel and sustain? I hated the Kahler I installed on my '76, but I know some people love em.

It had a string lock on it when i bought it, but it got removed years ago. It was an older one, it was just a small base with six allen screws that locked the strings in place. It was dead simple and actually a good design, but it was made out of really cheap material, the B strings threads were stripped and it wouldn't lock. It was designed to mount over the truss rod covet, the holes are still in the headstock from it.

Looked just like this one...


As for the tone, there is a noticeable difference to my ears. I find the Nashville sounds a little brighter and makes the guitar sound a little more open. The guitar definitely cuts better with the Nashville.

On the other hand, the Kahler imparted a full, rich growl to the tone that is somewhat missing with the Nashville. The guitar definitely had balls with the Kahler.

Neither is better, just different

Sustain wise I've never noticed a discernible difference, and as for the feel, I always had the Kahler's saddles set to the fret board's radius, so it doesn't really feel that different with the Nashville. The break angle with the Kahler was very similar to a top-wrapped Nashville, too.

All in all, I swapped in the Nashville just for kicks, and I've kept it that way because i liked the difference.

[Webtroll]

Thanks for the reply!

[marantz1300]

My 71.Already routed when I got it.The dings and routes are liberating.I dont worry if I add to them or mod the guitar.