Les Paul Standards vs. Customs & Why?

by **Pete Lacis** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:49 pm

As I've been finding myself lately really gravitating to the sound of my VOS 1960 plain top Les Paul Standard, I've become curious as to why folks chose Les Paul Standards over Les Paul Customs and vice-versa.

Through my own observations, I'd say that most organic classic rock stuff (Allmans, Zeppelin, Skynard, Aerosmith, etc) tends to be played on Standards (with Fogarty & Framptom being the exceptions) while more metal tends to be played on Customs (John Sykes, Zakk Wylde, Adam Jones (Tool), Randy Rhodes, etc).

I also realize that there are a few different variations of the Custom including the fact that several were all mahogany (no maple top i.e. Black Beauty I believe) while others sported maple necks instead of mahogany (namely 70's era Customs favored by Wylde & Sykes).

So to that point, what style of Les Paul would you use for which styles of music? I've been thinking about getting a '68 reissue custom (black one at Wildwood), but I really love the organic nature of my VOS Standard and wonder if I would wander away from the tones that I favor by going the Custom route.

Obviously I'd ideally like to try these things side-by-side, but for now I'd love to get the perspective of the folks around here.

by **JDouglee** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:07 pm

YMMV, but the Ebony fingerboard might be a reason for the popularity of the Custom in metal. I have an LE, which is ebony & maple top so i have best of both worlds. Funny thing is, it's great for jazz.

by **guitartech72** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:43 pm

You're going to get a bigger bottom out of a Custom, but it can cross the line quick. I had 2 custom shop '68 reissues out with Guns, basically the 'same' guitar. The low end on the heavier one was too 'wooly' and loose. Almost to the point of being farty. If you're going to go down that route, I'd probably lean towards the lighter end of the spectrum.

I have a 90's Standard, honestly don't really know the specs on it, but it sounds fantastic. I actually just got through playing it a few minutes ago and I forgot how amazingly badass it is. I've got 4 conductor Lollars in there, and a wiring harness from the old 90's Jimmy Page sig model in there. So there are a wide variety of tones to be had. It doesn't seem to suffer from that smallish, mid focused sound that I've heard in some of the newer non Custom models. I can't see wanting more low end from it, and I generally lean towards more 'organic' tones, as well.

Like you said, you're going to be better of just going down and playing through some different ones to see what you think.

by **andergtr** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:26 am

pete...the customs are a little too glitzy for my taste. i'm not a gold hardware fan (i would have ordered the tyler huff classic i have with chrome hardware, but i forgot), and on les pauls it really just doesn't work for me (just my preference).

the customs also have ebony fingerboards, which are noticeably brighter than the standards with rosewood fingerboards, all other things being equal.

that said, les pauls are so inconsistent that i wouldn't rule anything out. the best les paul i play in a store might be a custom, even though as a rule i like the standards better.

i really just like the classic sound of a mahogany/maple-top les paul with a mahogany neck and rosewood board. the pickups gotta be low-output PAF's, too. i just recently put phil c's old antiquitys in my '57 goldtop historic, and i dig that more than the '57 classics that were in it before.

john ou

by **qatcat** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 1:05 am

get another Les Paul standard, Your tone is as good as I've heard so stick with it!!!!

That Warren Haynes model was just sick!!!!!!

by **Bucket68** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:00 am

Were their certain years that Les Pauls really sucked build wise? Put it this way if you had $3000 would you buy a Les Paul or a EVH Wolfgang?

by **andergtr** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 4:21 am

Bucket68 wrote:Were their certain years that Les Pauls really sucked build wise? Put it this way if you had $3000 would you buy a Les Paul or a EVH Wolfgang?

the two guitars are just totally different--one doesn't sound remotely like the other.

john ou

by **FixXxer** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 4:29 am

They both rock. You can play metal just fine, and both can play rock. The customs I own are a bit brighter and thicker. The Lester I have are a little warmer.

Regardless, its like choosing your favorite playmate.

by **47SYD47** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 4:39 am

Well....

As you know I went through probably (17 Owned 30+ Played Les Pauls) over the last 8 months trying to find that ONE...

The Standard is my choice for the following reasons:

1) It is more organic in tone...greasy and chewy...

2) Lighter....The Custom has that binding front and back and they just as a whole seemed to weigh more.

3) Tighter...The Standard I LOVE is very piano like...It's mean and nasty and you can hear every note.

SIDE NOTE: It's not even a Gibson. This guy that collects vintage Les Pauls (3 x 59 LP Burst, 2x 57 Gold Tops, 61',62', etc etc etc) and has been building guitars for 20+ years (For himself) trying to copy them...part for part...built this Les Paul I have. It was a gift to Wildwood for all they've done for him...

The maple on the top was so dense it broke his saw, and the mahogany and Brazillian he'd been saving for 15 yrs....

It's finished in true vintage nitro, exact 59 neck, no truss rod condom, etc, etc

The tone is just NUTS!!! It is so articulate greasy and organic...

For tone: It's a 10++

For Looks: Plain Jane...maybe even ugly. the horn is mis-shapen and it's a real work shop looking guitar....I LOVE THAT ABOUT IT.

CUSTOMS:

I went for it and tracked down 77' and 78' Customs to do that Sykes thing.

Than Moved to early 80's Customs, and even had a 71' BBTY.

They have a real beef and can sound muddy and harsh at the same time...

It's weird because that ebony board made it bright and the boat anchor body made it muddy. However, I did like the maple necks....

They balanced some of the mud..

The newer Custom I had (08') actually sounded the best. It's weight relieved as you know and somehow managed to have some of the best attributes of the customs I played.

but at the end of the day I went with the Standard and Kevin has the custom.

That's my two cents plus a whole lot more...

For what it's worth I have an ESP ADLER SIG (Japanese) it has an ebony board and is neck through with a maple neck....That guitar is REALLY SICK...Definately for metal (It has passive Seymour Duncans in it)..

I traded a beater Jackson for it....pleasant surprise.

by **47SYD47** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 4:40 am

Bucket68 wrote:Were their certain years that Les Pauls really sucked build wise? Put it this way if you had $3000 would you buy a Les Paul or a EVH Wolfgang?

That is yet to be seen....

by **Pete Lacis** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 6:31 am

Interesting....great replies so far guys, keep it up!

To add fuel to the fire, I not sure if you guys are fans of Alice In Chains but....as you may or may not know, they are currently in the studio recording their next album and have been posting video updates to their MySpace blog http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=48972946

If you take a look at the videos, the guitar Jerry Cantrell is playing more often than not is a Les Paul Custom (with the occasional G&L thrown in for good measure). There's actually quite a few LP Customs in those videos....

Thoughts?

by **nikki-k** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 6:37 am

Don't care what music it is, for me it is the Custom. Early 70's please. It was the first I ever played, so maybe it is that "first love" thing. Been through too many finding a couple that are "me."

Standards are a great runner-up for me. Love Les Paul's!

by **TheGrooveking** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:54 am

Out of my 12 Les Pauls, my '78 Wine Red Les Paul Standard has the mojo. Everytime I pick that guitar up I just say "Wow" to myself. But as to Standard versus Custom, no preference to me, it's like vanilla or chocolate, just depends on my mood.

TheGrooveking

by **Ironman** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 9:03 am

I picked up '68 Custom VOS a couple of months ago, awesome Lester! Just as much mojo as my R8. It feels a little slinkier, the neck isn't quite as chunky as the R8, I'd say more along the lines of an R9 so it's still a substantial neck. I love the way it looks with the VOS treatment. Loaded w/'57 Classics, she oozes vintage LP tones. I shopped around for awhile to find a light one, it's 9lbs! Check 'em out!

by **FixXxer** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 6:42 pm

If you guys are looking to find a custom, th e'68 les paul customs are the best things out there at the moment.

Ironman wrote:I picked up '68 Custom VOS a couple of months ago, awesome Lester! Just as much mojo as my R8. It feels a little slinkier, the neck isn't quite as chunky as the R8, I'd say more along the lines of an R9 so it's still a substantial neck. I love the way it looks with the VOS treatment. Loaded w/'57 Classics, she oozes vintage LP tones. I shopped around for awhile to find a light one, it's 9lbs! Check 'em out!