MiniB
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- Dec 30, 2012
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Soooo......
2020 Wildwood Select USA Les Paul Standard in 'Unburst'. Got it because I wanted another Les Paul that had a neck shape similar to my ES-335 with medium c neck profile. This one's neck is .88" to .98", feels great and much closer to my ES-335 than the ginormous neck I had on an R8.
BUT...out of the box the strings felt very stiff, and the fret ends are rather sharp and dig in a bit. Surprising since it's a bound neck with nibs. I was actually about to return is, but it sounds really good plugged in. These '59 Tribute Humbuckers sound quite nice....not too icy and not too plump, sort of medium-low output. Only thing is that they both measure exactly 7.29K, and I have to have the bridge pickup hiked up pretty high near the strings to balance out. In another thread I did some mockups to see if I'd like aged covers or double-creams (obviously with different pickups), but as long as I stay with the stock pickups it's aged covers.
Anyway it felt stiff and the medium jumbo frets are quite high and I was hanging up on them, but I had a feeling that the main contributor to that was the steep angle of strings behind the bridge even with the tailpiece studs backed out....since this model has a pretty high bridge and neck angle. As soon as I change strings and top wrapped, it changed the feel completely. Much easier to play and bend and wasn't hanging up anymore. Still going to have the frets crowned/polished and the fret ends smoothed out, but already it's starting from a much better place than what I thought it was. Was also thinking of getting the fingerboard edges rolled like on my ES-335, but I don't think I need that now.
Weight is 9.07 lbs but at first felt quite a bit heavier...thought it may have been a misprint of 9.7 lbs. It does not have the acoustic resonance as the 2013 R8 I had with its non-condomed truss rod and hide glue, but it does play a little clearer plugged in with the larger frets, and with the neck shape its easier on my hand. I might replace the tuners with Grovers too. The pots seem to maintain the high end nicely all the way down, actually better than the RS Superpots I had on the R8, although the taper is longer like on the ES-335 with its Memphis Tone Circuit.
Altogether, happy with the purchase. Wish the finish wasn't so thick, but that's a pretty minor niggle. The fingerboard rosewood is nice and dark, quite lovely. Here it is with aged covers/hardware and more 'vintage-spec' plastic. The finish is actually quite similar to the Sunrise Tea Burst on my former R8, so visually it was a pretty easy transition.
2020 Wildwood Select USA Les Paul Standard in 'Unburst'. Got it because I wanted another Les Paul that had a neck shape similar to my ES-335 with medium c neck profile. This one's neck is .88" to .98", feels great and much closer to my ES-335 than the ginormous neck I had on an R8.
BUT...out of the box the strings felt very stiff, and the fret ends are rather sharp and dig in a bit. Surprising since it's a bound neck with nibs. I was actually about to return is, but it sounds really good plugged in. These '59 Tribute Humbuckers sound quite nice....not too icy and not too plump, sort of medium-low output. Only thing is that they both measure exactly 7.29K, and I have to have the bridge pickup hiked up pretty high near the strings to balance out. In another thread I did some mockups to see if I'd like aged covers or double-creams (obviously with different pickups), but as long as I stay with the stock pickups it's aged covers.
Anyway it felt stiff and the medium jumbo frets are quite high and I was hanging up on them, but I had a feeling that the main contributor to that was the steep angle of strings behind the bridge even with the tailpiece studs backed out....since this model has a pretty high bridge and neck angle. As soon as I change strings and top wrapped, it changed the feel completely. Much easier to play and bend and wasn't hanging up anymore. Still going to have the frets crowned/polished and the fret ends smoothed out, but already it's starting from a much better place than what I thought it was. Was also thinking of getting the fingerboard edges rolled like on my ES-335, but I don't think I need that now.
Weight is 9.07 lbs but at first felt quite a bit heavier...thought it may have been a misprint of 9.7 lbs. It does not have the acoustic resonance as the 2013 R8 I had with its non-condomed truss rod and hide glue, but it does play a little clearer plugged in with the larger frets, and with the neck shape its easier on my hand. I might replace the tuners with Grovers too. The pots seem to maintain the high end nicely all the way down, actually better than the RS Superpots I had on the R8, although the taper is longer like on the ES-335 with its Memphis Tone Circuit.
Altogether, happy with the purchase. Wish the finish wasn't so thick, but that's a pretty minor niggle. The fingerboard rosewood is nice and dark, quite lovely. Here it is with aged covers/hardware and more 'vintage-spec' plastic. The finish is actually quite similar to the Sunrise Tea Burst on my former R8, so visually it was a pretty easy transition.
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and play her in good health!
