Getting very, very confused :D

[Bordersquirrel]

Hi all,

First I'd like to thank everyone for the heaps of excellent advice I've gotten from these forums.

After having read (a lot) around the subject of dipping my toes into the (piranha-filled) waters of Les Paul ownership, I've come to three conclusions;

1) I simply do not have the skill or disposable income to warrant spending thousands of pounds on a guitar, much as I'd like to.
2) Although I am learning all the time I just don't know enough about Les Pauls, luthiers, neck profiles, PUPs, finishes, tonewoods or anything else to make a really informed decision.
3) For my first purchase I really want a verifiable, good-condition and awesome-playing guitar. Looks, history and future value are less important concerns.

So Les Paul gurus...I have about £700 to spend (including shipping and import taxes) and I need a great guitar. My options seem to be;

1) Wait for the "right" vintage MIJ to turn up on MLP or Ebay
2) Get a top-end MIC like a Burny RLG-60SL
3) Get a lower-end MIK like an LTD EC-1000FM (or EC-401VF)
4) Get a low-end Gibson LP Studio (maybe a VM or a Raw Power Reissue)
5) Get a top-end Epiphone LP (Prophecy or a 50th Anniversary)
6) Take a complete flyer on something like an Agile or a Michael Kelly Patriot
7) Keep saving until I can get a "proper" Gibson LP, a new MIJ Tokai or maybe an ESP Eclipse II (might take me a few months!)

I honestly have no idea where to go from here. I can't afford to get burned for £700 on an Ebay auction. I'm planning to visit some local stores and put some feelers out (luckily Halifax/Bradford/Leeds is pretty good for guitar shops) but with my limited price-range I realise I might need to pull the trigger on an unseen bargain.

I shall keep y'all informed and when that magical NGD rolls around there will be pictures and maybe even some sound samples!

Although if I get any more confused I shall keep my Schecter Avenger and spend the LP money on a good psychiatrist and/or some good whisky!

Dave

 

[snaredrum]

i hate to be the simpleton, but what colour/style are you after?

 

[tonebone]

Get a "low end" Bacchus Universe or ESP Grassroots. Way, wayyyy below your price range, and nothing but good reviews.

 

[Dr Strangelove]

Go into every shop in your area (and surrounding area), play every LP shaped guitar you can find within your price range. Don't worry about maker, model or colour, none of that is important at all. Go home, have a drink and think about it. Then go buy the one you remember the most the following day.

That's all there is to it. Everything else is just fluff.

 

[hank]

Get a "low end" Bacchus Universe or ESP Grassroots. Way, wayyyy below your price range, and nothing but good reviews.

This is a great first option.

 

[tonebone]

G-LP-50s in Honey.
http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/other-les-pauls/64396-e-s-p-2009-catalog-2.html
GrassRoots G-LP-50S Honey Sunburst
?grassroots????????????????

Or
Bacchus BLS-700FM (LD) ??????????????????
Bacchus Universe Series BLS-600FM (Lemon Drop)
Bacchus BLS-700FM CS

 

[Phildog]

Go into every shop in your area (and surrounding area), play ever LP shaped guitar you can find within your price range. Don't worry about maker, model or colour, none of that is important at all. Go home, have a drink and think about it. Then go buy the one you remember the most the following day.

That's all there is to it. Everything else is just fluff.

+1

Also keep in mind that the Les Paul isn't for everyone. There's plenty of LP's in your price range, but you have to play them and see how it feels in your arms, your hands, and your ears. I wouldn't want to spend $50USD only to find out that it just doesn't feel right to me.

I'd go the cheapest route possible and play it to see if I develop a relationship with it. If it doesn't work out, at least you'll still have something to fund the guitar you do get along with. But if it does work out, then you can probably upgrade it to make it a great playing guitar without dropping a fortune. Make sense to you?

 

[tonebone]

+1

Also keep in mind that the Les Paul isn't for everyone. There's plenty of LP's in your price range, but you have to play them and see how it feels in your arms, your hands, and your ears. I wouldn't want to spend $50USD only to find out that it just doesn't feel right to me.

I'd go the cheapest route possible and play it to see if I develop a relationship with it. If it doesn't work out, at least you'll still have something to fund the guitar you do get along with. But if it does work out, then you can probably upgrade it to make it a great playing guitar without dropping a fortune. Make sense to you?

great advice! It's what I did. Didn't like tele's at all. Sorta liked strats. But really felt at home with LP's (even the odd "almost" LP syles).

 

[JDB]

There has been some great buys right here in "other les paul classifieds".

Keep an eye out for wulfs number 4.

 

[Dr Strangelove]

Also keep in mind that the Les Paul isn't for everyone.

Quite right. Whatever feels and sounds right is the guitar for you, regardless of model type. You buy a guitar with your ears and your hands, not your eyes. Just because a guitar costs £3000 and has a AAAA Tiger Stripe top is no guarantee it isn't a lemon.

Sometimes I think all prospective buyers should be given a blindfold before entering guitar shops.

 

[Bordersquirrel]

Wow...loads of replies already! Got to say I love these forums

i hate to be the simpleton, but what colour/style are you after?

Well my favourite look on an LP is a really, really dark sunburst (basically yellow/gold out to black) so I guess a Tobacco Sunburst (or on the Epi the "Heritage Darkburst"...apparently). Style-wise it'd be a fixed bridge (TOM or TonePro) with a 60s C-profile neck.

Get a "low end" Bacchus Universe or ESP Grassroots. Way, wayyyy below your price range, and nothing but good reviews.

Interesting...been looking at a fair few ESPs and not come across the Grassroots ones...something else to read up on!

Go into every shop in your area (and surrounding area), play ever LP shaped guitar you can find within your price range. Don't worry about maker, model or colour, none of that is important at all. Go home, have a drink and think about it. Then go buy the one you remember the most the following day.

That's all there is to it. Everything else is just fluff.

That's the plan...I'll have the cash in my hand at the end of the month and I'm heading off on a guitar-shop tour. I've already played a couple of MIC Burnys that were *this* close to grabbing my wallet, so much so that the guy who owns that store is getting a slightly higher-end model in for me to have a look at.

+1

Also keep in mind that the Les Paul isn't for everyone. There's plenty of LP's in your price range, but you have to play them and see how it feels in your arms, your hands, and your ears. I wouldn't want to spend $50USD only to find out that it just doesn't feel right to me.

I'd go the cheapest route possible and play it to see if I develop a relationship with it. If it doesn't work out, at least you'll still have something to fund the guitar you do get along with. But if it does work out, then you can probably upgrade it to make it a great playing guitar without dropping a fortune. Make sense to you?

I'm pretty sure I'm wanting to head down the LP route but I can see the point you're making. The other side of that of course is that I don't want to buy some crappy LP, hate it and then move on to another guitar type. My first guitar was a MIM Fender Strat, my second was a PRS CE24 and my third was a spiky Schecter and I'm still looking for the guitar that really pulls me in and gets me excited about playing it.

If life wasn't confusing enough, I've also just come across this rather sexy looking guitar;

Tuscany 'Rush' Les Paul in Dark Cherry Burst/Maple Top | eBay UK

MIK with setup in Italy apparently and without wanting to get too excited that is a fine-looking instrument. Can't imagine I'll be able to find one to try out though, but some good things said about them.

 

[snaredrum]

 

[Dr Strangelove]

The Burny option sounds promising - as for the "guitar that really pulls me in and gets me excited about playing it" - you'll know it when you play it.

Personally I avoid eBay and internet purchases, I would never buy a guitar I haven't played first, although I know others would disagree. Just a rule I have.

Best of luck and happy hunting.

 

[GammyBird]

This young fella has a couple for sale....here is his ebay offerings.

uitacoom | eBay UK

 

[J-Dizzle]

surely Wulfman has something for sale in Bordersquirrel's pricerange?

 

[tonebone]

wassup?

Does squirrel need to ask you about that?

It's got the prerequisite MIJ broken pup ring.

 

[bassbo530]

MY Advice go for a used Burny !!! If you do go EBAY .. Ask Questions !!! Read reviews & feedback !! Only Go to one that has a RETURN POLICY !!! GOOD LUCK !!! Then show us what you GOT !!!

 

[SingeMonkey]

There must be a lot of used MIJs in your price-range going used in the UK - especially Grecos. I don't think you have any really good reason to buy a low-spec new guitar rather.

Just do a little searching. I came across a store this morning searching for info on a guitar for someone on my local forum that has a stack of grecos around your price range - late-seventies and early eighties. They might not be the best deals ever, but they are great quality MIJ using good woods.

The Little Guitar Shop Greco

This may not be anywhere near you, but it's an example of what's out there. Good luck with finding a killer guitar.

 

[Geardog]

Sometimes I think all prospective buyers should be given a blindfold before entering guitar shops.

Agreed. And if you can't look away from how nice it looks - at least close your eyes and feel and listen.

And the other great tip given here was to go home and think about it. My latest buy was an acoustic. Played about 60 guitars in 4 shops. 2 days later, i still recalled the tone of the one I went back to buy.

 

[Bordersquirrel]

There's bits and pieces on Ebay, japanguitars have a couple of nice-looking Burnys (actually Mark has a LG75-GR on that site that looks very, very nice) but I think I just don't know the right places to look. I remember when I first started playing there were tons of shops selling good-quality secondhand guitars, from specialist stores to pawn shops and other places. Now most guitar shops are selling Les Paul Standards, Fenders, Epiphones and then a procession of spiky (and ugly) "metal" guitars and then all the secondhand places are full of MIC tat for £50.

I'm down in London at the end of the month (and I'll have the cash in my pocket) so I'm open to suggestions to where I should check out...I seem to remember that Denmark Place has a few good shops.

I'm also going to try to get over to Leeds, but I don't think the shops over there are as good as they used to be.

I shall be keeping a close eye on the MIJ thread also, in case Wulfman pops up with something outrageous. I know Greg has some really nice guitars up on Ebay just now and I'll be giving him a shout when I've got the cash ready (hopefully before that stag weekend he's saving for!)