Custom shop 59l Les Paul or 3 pick up black beauty?

[ns112]

Hi, I can’t decide which guitar is best to buy, a custom shop 59 Les Paul or a 3 pick up black beauty. I’m a big Jimmy Page fan and can’t decide which is the better one to get. Does anyone have any thoughts or advice?

 

[mvenuti1980]

I’ve never played either, but I’d get the black beauty. The custom shop pumps out as many R9s as they can, but not so many 3 pup black beauties. Be the coolest kid on the block!

 

[Shelkonnery]

Even though the 3 pickup Black Beauty (w/Bigsby) is an important part of Jimmy Page's history, I'd say his iconic Les Paul tone is directly associated with his '59 Standard Burst.

They are both amazing guitars with their own features and characteristics.
Just be sure to play a 3-humbucker guitar first, some people complain about the middle pickup getting in the way.

 

[Gtarzan81]

I've got a Greco with 3 pickups and have the middle pickup way down. It still gets in the way.

 

[musicmaniac]

The '59 is your best bet.

 

[jbash]

Without a tenth of a second of thought I would grab a R9.

They look awesome but I never could get along with the 3 pickup guitars. I've owned 3 and I don't care for the way the middle position sounds at all- whether full, or grabbing coils from bridge and middle

More importantly they are in my way all the time so I have to roll them way down in the ring out of my way which would kill the tone if I *did* like it.

So for practicality purposes, the 3 pup guitars all end up being case queens for me.

 

[Roxy13]

I was going to suggest you play a 3 pickup guitar first if you havne't yet. I had a friend asking me the other day what to do because he was having trouble with the middle pickup being in his way on the one he has. He was asking me if it bothers me on any of mine and I said no, but I have a very light touch and you have a much heavier one than I do. There really isn't any way to change your playing style once you've been playing 40+ years so the 3 pickup guitars are not for everyone I guess, but they sure look awesome.

Gtarzan's Greco was mine before it was his and I didin't have any trouble with the middle pickup, but he is.

So yeah, go try one before you buy and then discover it's not for you after all.

 

[shupe13]

BLACK BEAUTY

 

[pondcaster]

Another vote for 3pup Black Beauty.

 

[Gibsonrocknroll]

 

[Rogueaverage616]

Get the 3 Pickup Gibson Custom shop 1957 Black beauty custom.I have a 2019 R9 and 2018 R0, as far as custom shop les pauls go, a d a Custom Shop SG Historic.I am drooling and lusting for the 1957 R7 les paul Custom, but $6,500 is a big chunk of change , and cringe over loosing that from my life savings right now.If you can do it, then get that first, as these things seem to be holding at $$$$$ and i see them climbing.

the R9 can be found resonabally everywhere

 

[jaik]

If it’s your only guitar and you are trying to be like Jimmy Page, the R9 will be closer.
But a 3pu BB is a cool guitar & I’d rather have one of those because to me the burst thing seems too common. I would want to set it up like an ES5 with one of the pickup magnetically out of phase, that’s what makes a 3 pickup guitar useful to me. It’s the bridge pickup on an ES5. One of the tone pots can be converted to a volume pot for the middle pickup, and I’d probably want center position on the switch to be All On so the volume pots can select any combo.

 

[CB91710]

3-Pickup Black Beauty in the wild is nearly as rare as hen's teeth, R9s are like Doritos.
The BB will hold value better, and has far more "wow" factor on stage, even getting the attention of non-musicians, because it is so unique.
To a non-musician, there's no difference between an R9 and a regular production Unburst Standard or Trad.

But as a Page fan with a Custom Shop budget.... the R9 is more iconic, but still more iconic is the EDS1275.
If someone gave me a million bucks to buy guitars, of the three, the R9 would be my last purchase.

 

[mjross]

Purchased 3 “57’s” recently and one of them was a 3 Pickup BB. Never played one before but always liked the look. There‘s just something special about a 3 pickup BB, and when you find a lefty 3 pickup BB (talk about rare), it really special. Love the way this guitar plays and sounds. However, I also found the middle pickup to be a little bit of an issue but adapted pretty quickly.

When I compare the BB to my “59’s”, they are different beasts but that’s by design. It would be a difficult decision for me. Best to just play both (if possible) and that will answer your question.

I’m including a pic of the “57’s” with the BB in the middle. Just a killer imposing guitar. BB’s are hard to deny!

https://imgur.com/a/id0hYg3

 

[mjross]

View attachment 566436

Just purchased the Burny version of this double neck! I was surprised that Burny actually made a Jimmy Page version of the of the Gibson Jimmy Page double neck. What really surprised me was the guitar itself, what a gem. The guitar is 30 years old, like new and I’m here to tell you, it’s on par with any Gibson DN I’ve ever played. Fit and finish is perfect.

Sorry to derail a little but I’m just excited about this find. Back to our regularly scheduled topic!

https://imgur.com/a/r8pgOxr

 

[endial]

Purchased 3 “57’s” recently and one of them was a 3 Pickup BB. Never played one before but always liked the look. There‘s just something special about a 3 pickup BB, and when you find a lefty 3 pickup BB (talk about rare), it really special. Love the way this guitar plays and sounds. However, I also found the middle pickup to be a little bit of an issue but adapted pretty quickly.

When I compare the BB to my “59’s”, they are different beasts but that’s by design. It would be a difficult decision for me. Best to just play both (if possible) and that will answer your question.

I’m including a pic of the “57’s” with the BB in the middle. Just a killer imposing guitar. BB’s are hard to deny!

https://imgur.com/a/id0hYg3

Dear God, that powder blue... ...

 

[rjwilson37]

I would get the R9 all the way, Black Beauties are nice, but the R9 is the best. Also, you can get a BB any time you want down the line if you still feel inclined to get one.

 

[Slashperryburst]

Custom all the way.

Hi, I can’t decide which guitar is best to buy, a custom shop 59 Les Paul or a 3 pick up black beauty. I’m a big Jimmy Page fan and can’t decide which is the better one to get. Does anyone have any thoughts or advice?

You don't happen to follow guitarguitar on Facebook, do you? They asked the same thing on their Facebook page yesterday.

A couple of people joined in and posted pictures of their guitars in the comments. Including one guy showing off a chibson.

 

[ns112]

Custom all the way.



You don't happen to follow guitarguitar on Facebook, do you? They asked the same thing on their Facebook page yesterday.

A couple of people joined in and posted pictures of their guitars in the comments. Including one guy showing off a chibson.

No mate it wasn’t me.

 

[Slashperryburst]

No mate it wasn’t me.

For the record, I wasn't saying you posted anything. Just wondering if you'd seen it. They asked whether people preferred a 3pu BB with bigsby or a 59ri.