How Many Have The Les Paul As Their Main Squeeze?

[Classicplayer]

I've been playing guitar (or stringed instrument) since 1950 and have used or owned some great sounding and not so great sounding guitars. Twenty five years ago near age 60, I bought my first Les Paul which I still own and play frequently. Seven years ago I bought a 2nd.one and alternate between each one. I've sold off all my Fender guitars except one lone Strat of which I'm going to part with soon. Advancing age and the bit or arthritis it brings has played a part to say that the Les Paul is now my main instrument for sheer ease of playing, cool-looks (still) and above all, its stellar tones.

How many of us Gibson Les Paul players have adopted this model as their one and only and (like myselfj have realized that you can utlize them in situations that normally would call for a Fender of some sort to be used?

Classicplayer

 

[68 Greenback]

My 2019 Special has been my only guitar the last 4 years. The P90’s, to me, are great for mimicking the humbucking Gibson experience, but can also seem like fat Fender singles depending on where the guitar vol is set and the type of amp you’re playing.
Before that my #1 for many years was another singlecut Special, but with humbuckers and TOM. I moved to Specials from Std’s for their lighter weight, and from Strats/Teles to LP’s because the Gibson scale length suits my old hands better.

 

[searswashere]

Got my first LP in 04, had other singlecuts and guitars throughout til 2021 (?) and been mainly LP since then. I have other guitars as I appreciate the differences among them.

 

[1allspub]

Yes, ever since I got my first LP (28yrs ago, an Epiphone) I knew I was gonna be a LP guy for the rest of my days. That guitar ended up getting stolen and I went guitar-less for 3-4 years (busy life: divorce, custody battle for my son, etc). Then I remarried and my new (and present, now 26yrs later) wife bought me a new guitar for Christmas one year. It was not an LP! But a Yamaha Pacifica (HSS Strat copy). It was a fine guitar and served well enough to get me back into playing (I still have it), but I always knew I needed another LP. Since then I’ve had several (and by several I mean 30+). I went through an exploratory phase where I was buying/selling/trading on a regular basis. I still do, but am less ardent about it. And I’ve settled on a handful of LPs that are all so good that the thought of getting rid of one or more to fund a different one is less appealing.*

I like and have some other models too, but the LP is by far and away my main squeeze… and always will be.

*That said, there is one particular one I still have on my bucket list, so who knows….

 

[TXOldRedRocker]

My first guitar was a Strat, of course. Sometime after that I played a Les Paul that was for sale, as consignment, in a local guitar store. I had wanting to play one, since I loved 70's Classic Rock, which had Les Paul tones all over it. Absolutely loved the tone, the feel, the look, everything. Bought one.

I currently own 21 guitars. 13 of them are Les Paul's. I play a Les Paul 99.5% of the time I play guitar. I feel like I should pick up other types of guitars more often, but I just reach for a Les Paul when I want to play. For me, there's just nothing better to play, and hear.

 

[Aahzz]

I'm traditionally very fickle. Over the thirty couple years I've been playing, I've gone through dozens of guitars - a fair few Lesters, a good number of Fenders, a bunch of PRS, and more than a couple others. I'm generally a serial flipper, because I like new toys. I also don't tend to keep a lot of guitars on hand - if I don't play it often, it should go to someone who will.

That said, I'm currently at 2 electrics, both Les Pauls purchased this year. They're both so good that I'm intending to keep them long term. The Standard 60s Double Trouble is truly magical, and the Studio is really, really good. So at least for the moment the Les Paul isn't just my main squeeze, but my only squeeze.

 

[SupremeCorn]

Getting my R8 ruined other guitars for me. I play like 90% of the time on that.

 

[mdubya]

An ES 335 and a Firebird are my main squeezes if pushed to make a proclamation.

I have 5 Les Pauls. 3 are in regular rotation. 1 is semI-regular.

ES's (x4 or 5), Firebirds (x3), SG's (x3), Explorers and a Futura (x3), and a handful of Les Pauls (x5).

I have a Strat which never gets touched, an Ibanez FRM 100 which hasn't been played in over a year, several acoustics, and some other oddball wall hangers (never mind a few mandolins and a bass...).

LP content:

 

[pondcaster]

Getting my R8 ruined other guitars for me. I play like 90% of the time on that.

Came to post this exact sentiment.

Having had tons of other guitars over the years, mostly Telecasters it seemed, I've whittled down the collection to just a few (2 G LPs, 2 F strats, a PRS and a F precision bass) but really only play my '19 R8. It has made playing other guitars lackluster. It's just that darn good.

Talk about the 100% cure for GAS... Recently sold/traded two other Les Pauls because they just weren't seeing any playtime so off to another who will give them the attention they deserve.

 

[SupremeCorn]

View attachment 869561

Came to post this exact sentiment.

Having had tons of other guitars over the years, mostly Telecasters it seemed, I've whittled down the collection to just a few (2 G LPs, 2 F strats, a PRS and a F precision bass) but really only play my '19 R8. It has made playing other guitars lackluster. It's just that darn good.

Talk about the 100% cure for GAS... Recently sold/traded two other Les Pauls because they just weren't seeing any playtime so off to another who will give them the attention they deserve.

Yeah same here. I still have my 2018 Les Paul Traditional, but it basically doesn't get played. I was thinking of selling or trading it for a strat (since I don't have one) but it's hard to part with guitars haha.

 

[Peter M]

Les Pauls are my only "squeeze".

 

[Line6distortion]

My ham fists tend to wear d chord frets, so getting a spare electrics was always what I opted for. My first LP is "the Paul" 1979, t tops, all walnut, ebony fretboard. still play it some, I had it set up with a fret leveling by Dave Rusan (Prince's guitar tech) in the mid 1990's. It still has the nice low action that I like. I have two other Studio's 2018, 2020? They are both mostly new. The PLEK being done these days makes a great playing guitar, and about all that is needed is a couple of turns on the bridge to get the action low to my liking. But I do take pride in getting my "beaters" setup nicely. Three were kits or husk's which I built and the others were great buys which fell into my cart. I do have a PRS SE, which I must say has a nice neck to navigate. - like the Gibson's. It is a lighter guitar which is good and bad. But yes my gibsons are the best players, but probably get put on reserve so as to not wear out frets. maybe it is a neurosis. L6

 

[Dilver]

I think it’s kind of why we’re all here. I have a lot of guitars, but the three get all the attention:
- R8
- Junior
- Tele (partscaster)

All I do is record these days - my gigging days are past me. The R8 “works every time”. The Junior excites me when I need new energy, and the tele for clean rhythm just records so well. But I’ve got a project in the works with @LtDave32 that may shake things up

 

[Tementnoise]

I like various guitars, I only have one tele right now but I need another. And I’ve got my ESP’s, custom shop Phoenix (firebird type shape) that’s dear to me and a full thickness eclipse (but that’s basically an LP), but I own more Les Paul’s than anything and they are generally my go-to number 1’s most of the time.

There are other guitars I’d like (another tele, a jazzmaster of some kind) but I keep finding deals on Les Paul’s…

 

[Deftone]

Les Paul's are #1 for me.

 

[sonar1]

I’m playing in an eleven piece horn band lately.
I need all the cut I can get.
Got this EC Johnson from MLP member Brazilnut.
It has become my #1 grab for most things.
But I also keep a venerable black LP Studio around for fatter tones.

 

[searswashere]

I like various guitars, I only have one tele right now but I need another. And I’ve got my ESP’s, custom shop Phoenix (firebird type shape) that’s dear to me and a full thickness eclipse (but that’s basically an LP), but I own more Les Paul’s than anything and they are generally my go-to number 1’s most of the time.

There are other guitars I’d like (another tele, a jazzmaster of some kind) but I keep finding deals on Les Paul’s…

I may help solve the jazzmaster one sooner than later

 

[Brazilnut]

I have a confession to make. I love my Classic Antique, and play it a lot. But I still play an SG most often, and especially if I play out. SGs have always been my favorite Gibson. The only other guitars I have besides the LP is a @LtDave32 creation and a tele I built.

 

[sonar1]

Oh yeah, LtDave Desert Stars too:

 

[dc007]

Did the Strat thing and the SG thing but it's been LP 95% of the time.