NGD - Les Paul Custom Ebony

[rjwilson37]

I pulled the trigger on a Les Paul Custom from Sweetwater. I am getting it Plek'd with a Medium to Medium Low Action using my favorite Strings Daddario 9-46, Super Light Top/Regular Bottom. I can't wait till I get it next week. I love my Joe Bonamassa Black Beauty, but I also wanted a Slim Taper Neck custom with only two pickups as well. I also wanted to get it Plek'd and see if that makes a difference, since the Plek is supposed to really do a great job on the frets for a nice starting base setup. I took my LP Modern to the local Luthier and it was $180 for the fret dressing/leveling and setup, so what's a few dollars more. The fret dressing on the LP Modern was just ok, I think there are still some slightly sharp fret edges and I had to take it back for a ping on the G string when tuning. So... I guess we will see how well the new LP Custom plays when I get it this coming week with the Sweetwater Plek/setup, I am so excited. I love the look of this guitar, it is just beautiful. I like the Alpine White as well, but on a white wall with the other guitars, it is just to much white. haha

 

[elephantrider]

damn nice unit!

 

[Midnight Blues]

Saw your other post first rjw, didn't realize she was new. She's a real beauty!

Congrats, HNGD and play her in good health!

 

[rjwilson37]

I really like the Ebony Les Paul Customs, past and present. They are such an iconic awesome beautiful guitar in both Gold or Nickle hardware with P90's or with Humbuckers that are covered or uncovered. I got the Joe Bonamassa the day I got the email from Epiphone that the BB was out and available. I didn't even know that there were going to be so few made and only the lucky early birds would be getting them. I had been looking at the Epiphone 2020 Les Paul Customs inspired by Gibson and wanted to get one, but first pulled the trigger on the Joe BB because of the aged binding and it just looked gorgeous when it popped up. I thought that I would be happy with just the BB, but after a few months of playing the BB and the LP Modern, I just had to get the LP Custom with Slim Taper neck. The Slim Taper neck is just so much more comfortable to play on for me and I want to keep the Joe BB, since I think it may be worth something in the future giving it to my Son at some point.

 

[truckermde]

Gotta get me a Custom!!

HNGD

 

[Midnight Blues]

I'm an ebony Custom guy all the way! "While I love bursts too, ebony Customs are still my favorite.

If you'll please indulge me for a moment, I'll date myself here. I'm as big (if not the biggest) Peter Frampton fan there is. Back in '71, I bought Humble Pie's "Humble Pie Performance Rockin' The Fillmore" when it was released. It's still my all-time favorite live album and I still listen to it all the time, even after 50 years. Well, it will be 50 years in May.

Anyway, listening to Frampton, his playing style (which to me is still unique) along with his tone and the pictures of him with that Custom all over the album, well, I just fell in love with it. It was Frampton that inspired me to play guitar right then and there. He's still my overall favorite guitarist and "The Phenix" as he's named it since it was returned, is still my all-time favorite guitar.

In '73, my parents bought me my '72/'54 Limited Edition from a local guitarist (the guy was a FANTASTIC player!). Didn't look like Frampton's; it has P-90s, with the "Staple" in the neck and Tulip machine heads. I wanted (wished) it to look (looked) like Frampton's though. My brother had a two-week (maybe longer?) gig at The Playboy Club in New York City with a band he was with and while he was there, he went to Manny's Music on 48th and bought me a set of gold Grovers like the ones on Frampton's LP. I can still remember how nervous I was as my father and my uncle drilled holes in the headstock to make them fit!

That's as far as I got though and in hindsight, I'm glad I didn't change anything else. It's all original with the exception of the Grovers (I still have the Tulips), the jackplate, which got bent when I dropped it on a cement floor and was replaced by my tech like 40 years later and I refret that I had done a couple of years ago (still have the frets too ).

The JB is a lovely Custom as well! I can certainly see why you'd want to pass that one down. My wife and I don't have any children, but I plan on giving my '72/'54 to our Godson.


Play both of your beauties often and in good health!

 

[cherrysunburst00]

BAD ASS

CONGRATS

I did not realize that SW pleks. Does that mean that you cannot return it?

 

[themightyjaymoe]

I've been enjoying my custom for the last few weeks and I know you'll enjoy yours! Looks great.

 

[TeleDog]

That's a good one you got there. It should be all mahogany with some powerful tail piece, so, my humble suggestion is for you to get some nice pickups that are brighter than the regular buckers. Just saying.

 

[rjwilson37]

Thanks everyone! I am pretty sure If I still wanted to return it, they would let me. I mean the Plek is just a good setup which everyone does when they get there guitar for the most part and you have 30 days to return it if it is not right for you.

I am pretty sure I will love it and keep it for many many years.

 

[rjwilson37]

Midnight Blues... I had actually ordered the Peter Frampton model when they were introduced last year ( or was it the year before), but mine was sent back when they came in at Sweetwater. There was a problem with them and they all had to go back, so I never got one from the first batch they got in like I was supposed to. And after hearing a lot of people having problems with there guitars I ended up canceling the order.

 

[chrisj1602]

That's a good one you got there. It should be all mahogany with some powerful tail piece, so, my humble suggestion is for you to get some nice pickups that are brighter than the regular buckers. Just saying.

I have one of these and don’t think it needs brighter pickups.

 

[musicmaniac]

Sweet love my custom too!

 

[DrBGood]

I have one of these and don’t think it needs brighter pickups.

Those who think they do need one of those.

​

And/or need to learn to play with these a bit more.

 

[rjwilson37]

I have the Probucker 2/3's on my Les Paul Modern and Joe BB, they work very well, you can hear every note/string. No need to change out the pickups, unless you really have a favorite and just have to have them on your LP's. Nothing wrong with that, we all have our favorites for sure. I have the 490R/498T+ on my Gibson LP Studio HP, and think they sound great and have a nice wide tonal range, definitely one of my favorite Gibson Pickups. But... I think the new Burstbucker 2/3's for Gibson are a win over the older Burstbucker and Burstbucker Pro pickups. The Epiphone Probucker 2/3 pickups are also a big win for Epiphone, they are excellent pickups, sound great and have a nice tonal range to them.

 

[Midnight Blues]

Midnight Blues... I had actually ordered the Peter Frampton model when they were introduced last year ( or was it the year before), but mine was sent back when they came in at Sweetwater. There was a problem with them and they all had to go back, so I never got one from the first batch they got in like I was supposed to. And after hearing a lot of people having problems with there guitars I ended up canceling the order.

I seem to recall you mentioning that in another Thread. Did you start one, or was it in another PF related Thread?

 

[rjwilson37]

I actually started a NGD for the Peter Frampton, it was ordered and supposed to be on it's way. Then when I asked why it had not shipped, my Sales Engineer stated they had to send them back. After chatting and reading posts from others that received there guitars, there were wiring problems with the 3 pup config and some other issues. So I ended up just canceling the order. Some people received them and did not have a problem and were very happy, but most were not happy early on. I ended up not following it anymore after a few months, which it took some people several months to finally get a good proper guitar. I like the Aged yellow on the Joe BB better, but still would have loved to get one of the Peter Frampton 3 pup Custom Pro's if it did not have any issues. Wow, how time flies. It was actually back in 2018 that these came out.

Ltd. Ed. Epiphone Peter Frampton Les Paul Custom PRO - YouTube

 

[rjwilson37]

Does anyone know the Wiring of these Inspired By Gibson Epiphone Les Paul Customs?

 

[Midnight Blues]

I actually started a NGD for the Peter Frampton, it was ordered and supposed to be on it's way. Then when I asked why it had not shipped, my Sales Engineer stated they had to send them back. After chatting and reading posts from others that received there guitars, there were wiring problems with the 3 pup config and some other issues. So I ended up just canceling the order. Some people received them and did not have a problem and were very happy, but most were not happy early on. I ended up not following it anymore after a few months, which it took some people several months to finally get a good proper guitar. I like the Aged yellow on the Joe BB better, but still would have loved to get one of the Peter Frampton 3 pup Custom Pro's if it did not have any issues. Wow, how time flies. It was actually back in 2018 that these came out.

Ltd. Ed. Epiphone Peter Frampton Les Paul Custom PRO - YouTube

Hum? Maybe my memory isn't as bad as I think it is?

I actually preferred the white binding vs the yellower one. When I got mine, the binding wasn't quite pure white like Frampton's. I remember taking a knife (or some other sharp object) and scrapping the binding on mine. I wanted to see what it looked like and I only did a very small area. Naturally, the binding on mine is even darker now after all these years.

 

[rjwilson37]

You have the Gibson Frampton, very nice!

I am hoping that they make the Frampton model again with the new headstock and of course the quality is much better now. Hey... I can dream.