Les Pauls you’ve SOLD? And why?

[Jerry_M]

Well I think I have sold every LP I have owned

First I had a Tribute 2013 the one with the Sticky Fingers on it, I sold it because.... I can't really remember maybe to flip a quick buck.
Then I bought a new Tribute 2017 in Goldtop, fantastic guitar very light, fast neck, smelled delicious but I sold it to fund an ES335
The last one its my Traditional Pro II in Merlot with Lollars, that one still hurts. I was going trough an scorching divorce and I had to sold it in order to, well, eat and pay a mortage of a house I don't live in....

Well I still have the 335! That's a win.

 

[E.T.]

View attachment 529850

The 1885 Silverburst must be something of a time machine

 

[sparky2]

1971 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe goldtop.
Bought it used in 1977, sold it in 1978 when I went off to the Army.
My future ex-wife thought it was a good idea.
It wasn't a good idea, in the end.
(Selling the guitar, and marrying that girl. Both were really bad ideas.)

1996 Gibson Les Paul Studio.
Bought it new from Zzounds in 1996.
Sold it in 2014 because it was too heavy.

2001 Gibson Les Paul Studio Coppertop.
Bought it used in 2015, and sold it in 2016 because a friend coveted it.
And it was too heavy.


2013 Gibson Les Paul Sully Erna Signature.
Bought new in 2016, and sold it in 2017 because it was a one-trick pony, and it was too heavy.

2018 Gibson Les Paul Faded in Worn Bourbon finish.
Bought new in 2018, sold it in 2019 because it was too heavy.
Sensing a trend here?

2018 Gibson Les Paul BFG P90.
Bought new in 2018, sold it in 2019.
It was cool as hell, but ultimately too heavy.
You might well assume (at this point) that I'm not very bright, and I don't learn my lessons.

I now own a 2017 Les Paul Custom Studio that is beat-to-shit and it sounds fabulous.
I love it.
I weighs just 7 lbs, 3 ounces.

It's a winner.
And it's light.

 

[apostlegato]

Ok here’s the list
1980 Custom Silverburst (Ive cried often since)
2019 Standard 50s
2020 Standard 50s
(Liked them, just found an amazing Burny RLG90 for half the price.)
Traded a Greco Gold top to an Orville(for sale)
2018 Special DC p90s TV yellow (crying)

I have now replaced my Silverburst with a 1981 which is a second as well.

 

[jap545]

My 2011 Traditional Gold top. It was my first Gibson. I sold it because i needed the money. I regretted it immediatley. My girlfriend (now wife) helped me buy it. I sold it to a guy in Medfield Mass..Wrote him a few letters over the years offering him more than i sold it for. I explained how it was sentimental to me and that i had made a mistake hoping he could empathise and sell it back to me. He wouldn't. Last time i offered to buy him a new 2019 Standard 50s gold top. No answer.

 

[pbecker314]

Years ago I had a beautiful Black Beauty Les Paul Custom. I don’t even remember why I sold it, but it was well before the days when I started tinkering with guitar mods and pickup swaps. It was a great guitar and I should have kept it, but oh well! Also had and sold a 2010-ish Les Paul Goldtop with P90s. That was a pretty fine guitar, but in the end, turns out I’m not a P90’s guy so I let the guitar go.

I currently own a beautiful 1987 Les Paul Standard Cherry Sunburst that is a really great guitar I will never sell! That one has been upgraded with Bare Knuckle pickups and sounds and plays great. I am the original owner and it required a refret last year and is back in great shape again now.

My main gigging guitar these days is a 2018 Les Paul Standard in Blueberry Burst, also with Bare Knuckle pickups. This is probably the finest guitar I have ever owned and really sounds awesome. I play nearly all gigs using just that guitar these days, but I do occasionally switch to the ‘87 Sunburst and I also have a nice 1989 Strat that sounds great too, especially clean, and I am the original owner of that guitar. It’s a great guitar, fitted with JBE pickups, but whenever I play lead on the Strat, I always find myself longing for the thickness of the Les Paul

 

[Phillycheez402]

Man, I'm 35 and had acquired so many guitars over the years. I dont have any pics anymore because the more recent ones were on old cell phones. I had a couple early 00's standards, a p90 studio, and a 2011 (if my memory serves me right) standard that was my goto that I lost due to theft.

The only ones I ever sold were a couple of Ibanez guitars and a LP tribute.

I've recently started building back up

 

[LesPaul60sTribute]

I purchased a brand new 2013 Traditional in a one year only color called carmel-burst. I loved the guitar & everything about it. After a few months I somehow came to the conclusion that I needed a tobacco burst Standard. I sold the 2013 Traditional but always wished I would have kept it and owned both the 2013 & my tobacco burst Standard.

The 2013 Traditionals really hit all the marks - ne weight relief, beautiful dark boards, handsome natural backs, really beautiful and sounded great too with the '57 Classics. Here are a few pics from my actual listing for the sale.

Every other Les Paul I sold never got to me - but this Traditional I still regret selling.

 

[Nintari]

I had a new 2003 Les Paul Classic back in 2003. It was, at the time, a dream guitar for me. My mother had some financial hardships, and so I sold it a few months later to help her out. Been waiting to get another one (now my dream Les Paul is a Custom shop) ever since.

 

[Nintari]

My first electric guitar was a Kent LP in ebony bought it new in 1980. Sadly I sold it to help fund my goldtop 15 years ago (I sold alot of things to get this goldtop) and I've regretted it since. Honestly it was unplayable but now a days I feel like it would have been a good project to get it playable or at least hang on the wall if anything.

Hey, you could be me.

I sold my first guitar to a pawn shop back when I was a teenager because I was hard up for cash at the time and needed smokes.

Talk about a wound that never heals. lol

 

[The Golden Boy]

I’ve acquired and sold bunches of Les Pauls.

In the early 90s I was picking up old Les Pauls as $300-900 guitars. The $900 was a really cherry 60 Jr. Deluxes and Juniors were $3-500. Standards and Specials were $5-750.

It’s a shame that used guitar prices have skyrocketed- There shouldn’t be a “mystique” about Les Pauls- just guitars you like or don’t like.

I’m glad there’s quality Les Pauls that are affordable- The “Epiphones” from when I was a kid were NOT the level of what those guitars are these days.

 

[rogue3]

I never met a Les Paul i didn't like. The only ones i sold was either because i felt i had too many guitars, and some weren't getting played,or,i needed the money,or i didn't really appreciate a particular Les Paul's qualities, because i was inexperienced myself.

When i was doing a lot of live playing, i really just settled on 2 Lesters, although i owned a couple others.I think that was just the comfort factor thing, i could close my eyes and know what to expect from a particular instrument.

I never owned one that was a dud,whatever that means,but, judging from others experience,we know they are out there.

tongue firmly in cheek,lol...

 

[cofer22]

Ive sold 2 LP standards. Both for bicycles.
1. A 1990 honeyburst I bought this guitar new right before I went into the Army with some of the profits from selling my truck; to of all people, my guitar teacher. I honestly didn’t need a LP at the time. My playing was poor, I had a crappy Crate amp, and after the Army very little time. It sat in the case under my bed for a few years, following me around as a college student. In 1996 I started doing triathlons, and needed a light bike. Selling that Les Paul helped me get a sweet Cannondale road bike that I used for a few years. Didn’t really think twice about letting it go.
2. Late 90’s maybe 2000 LP Standard Plus Cherryburst, I can’t remember. Around 2000 I really got back into playing, buying and trading guitars until I found what I was after. I had scored a really cool 77 Tele Deluxe (should never have sold) and Reissue Marshall Plexi. Was playing a ton, and decided the wide Range Humbuckers weren’t what I was wanting. So I sold it and bought the LP on eBay. That LP was so pretty, but it lacked something. I changed pickups to WCR Darkbursts, but i never really bonded with that guitar. Then I needed a new mountain bike which are RIDICULOUSLY expensive, and the LP helped fund that bike as well.
Now I have a sweet 2015 CS LP Special which is definitely a keeper. I won’t be selling it ever. I’ve realized the 60’s Slim taper profile really fits my hand and playing style, so I’m on the lookout for a LP standard with a 60’s Slim Taper neck.
it’s really interesting that all through my childhood and early adult years I lusted after Les Paul’s, but they were the easiest guitars to get rid of.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

I was gonna say I've sold two. But that's just Gibsons. If you include Epiphones, I've sold four.

The Epiphones are an easy explanation. They were both Juniors. I eventually decided that even with a tone control, a Junior was too limiting in a live situation, so I sold them.

Both the Gibsons I sold were P-100 Les Paul Specials. While it'd seem that I sold them because I prefer actual P-90s to P-100s (and I do), in fact that's not the case.

The first I sold was a gloss black Special, that I bought new on closeout. I only have a couple pics of it being played at a show. It simply wasn't a very good guitar. Although there were other quibbles with quality control, the main thing about that guitar that iced it was a bad case of sticky-neck. Maybe it would've eventually cured as the nitro aged, but I wasn't willing to wait. So off it went.

The other P-100 LP Special was a totally different story. It belonged to an internet buddy of mine who went through some tough times, and after his divorce, moved to the same town as me. He had to pawn the guitar, because at the time I didn't have the dosh to buy it from him. But about a year later, it happened that the same guitar showed back up in the same pawn shop where he'd originally lost it. So that second time, I was able to buy it. I let my bud know I had found his guitar, and would do my best to hold onto it for as long as possible, until he raised the funds to buy it back.

It took him several years, but he was able to get back on his feet. So his beloved guitar went back to him! He still has it.

 

[jlf599]

I've owned 20 Les Pauls and sold 19 of them. The one I still have is the first good guitar I've ever owned and I have a lot of sentimental attachment to it...but I rarely play it anymore.

Sold:
1976 LP Custom - Black
1993 LP Studio Lite M3 - Red
1997? LP Studio Lite - Blue
1998 LP Smartwood Exotic - Chancharana?
2000? LP Smartwood Exotic - Ambuay Guasu
2000s LP Studio Plus - Natural (flamed)
2000s LP Traditional - Ebony
2000s LP Supreme - Cherry Burst
2000s LP Deluxe - Wine Red
2008 LP Classic - Vintage Burst
2009? LP Dark Fire Robot
2010 LP Standard Red Rocker Sammy Hagar - wine red
2010 LP Custom - Natural maple top/maple fretboard
2016? LP Standard Plus - Ocean
2017 LP Custom Shop Modern Standard - Faded Pelham Blue
2017 LP Standard R0 - Vintage Dark Burst highly flamed
2019 LP Classic Lite - Honey Burst
2019 LP Jr DC Tribute - Trans Blue
2019 LP Standard - Blueberry Burst

Kept:
1991 LP Standard Cherry Burst

I gigged a lot of them. I only really regret selling the black LP custom and Red Rocker Standard. My shoulder prompted selling off the heaviest ones. In recent years, I found that I prefer something a little different and have mostly moved to Music Man guitars...finding a Morse HH to be one of the best Les Pauls I've ever played.

Here's the most I owned at one time - Deluxe, Smartwood, Studio Plus, Supreme, Standard, Hagar Standard, Custom maple, Custom black

And the one that's left...

 

[Brek]

I have sold a few I owned for various reasons. In early 2000’s had quite a collection at one point, had a couple of 2002 classics, a 2003 standard, and brown mahogany topped les Paul, don’t know spec or what is was called, was nice, then I went nuts and bought two Jimmy page Murphy aged number ones. All but one were sold to invest property, the last page I sold, don’t know why, I didn’t need the money, I had no investment opportunity’s, I think maybe I was fed up, as when I had tried selling them on eBay, man the hate, and just general weirdness of people who messaged me. I think I just wanted rid and my money back. Miss it like hell though.

 

[johnnyesquire]

Well in hollywood in early 70s you could still find 58 goldtops here & there for$300, but going rate was $350. I flipped a few ( struggling rocker) to make $50. This was a decade before I became a luthier. But even then, I knew when guys were buying them, stripping of the goldtop, to see if it was a flame, or a birdseye top- birdseye top was another $25-$50, I was done. My first keeper LP- way long story- was a [email protected] guitar center, on sunset- took 6 months, with a friend of mine s order. My 74 white custom came in!! Wow, what a day!!!
LP's, ever since( SGs for 2 years after I broke my back) but Les Paula, still cranking thru ol tube Hi- Watt's, into my 60's

 

[deftgala]

I own four Les Pauls; ‘95 Studio, ‘12 Standard, ‘18 GT Classic w/P90s, ‘18 GT Tribute. I have come close to selling the Tribute but chicken out every time. It’s unique enough that I continue to keep it.

I have sold an Ebony Flying V (which I regret) and an SG Faded (don’t miss it).

I often wonder if I’d sell all my LPs to purchase one really expensive LP to rule them all. Is that worth the trade?

 

[DBDM]

I have only sold (traded really) one LP. It was a 2018 Non weight relieved Tribute with 50s wiring and Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups. I knew it was a bad move but I did it to get my son a mandolin. I went back to the store to buy it back on a Monday and discovered it sold on the Saturday before (2 days earlier). I will likely never sell one (at least a good oen) again. I also traded an SG Baritone ("Buckethead" SG) but that one was different. I never really bonded with that guitar and I do not miss it.

 

[metalmike222]

It's funny... reading this thread has actually reminded me of several Les Paul's that I've sold, but completely forgotten about over the years. I've sold most of the Les Paul's that I've owned for various (dumb) reasons. They are as follows in as close to chronological order as I can remember:
Norlin Deluxe with the bridge pickup routed for a humbucker. Sold it because it didn't sound like my 79 Standard and I didn't appreciate each guitar having its own sound back then.
Norlin Special with P90s. Traded it for the Custom listed below.
90s Studio. Sold it because it just never really felt right. In hindsight, it probably just needed a setup or something...
Norlin Custom Black Beauty. Didn't exactly sell it... long story. This one is "the one that got away."
The Paul. Sold it because it didn't sound like my 79 Standard.
Early 90s Standard. Sold it after I moved to Austin and needed money.
At this point it was a LONG time before I bought another LP. Most recently I sold the following to finance my new Blueberry Burst Trad Pro V (no regrets at all...). I actually bought both as investment guitars fully intending to sell them for the Trad.
2018 Tribute. Got it for a great price early last year. Made $200 selling it.
2012 Studio. Broke even.

Hopefully these are the last LPs I will ever sell.