When I was younger, dumber and a whole lot stronger I wanted a Marshall stack. I eventually bought a 100 watt Ampeg VT 22 (combo amp). All of these things are cumbersome and heavier n' HELL! Unless you're playing colosseums or big auditoriums or if you have a person roadie - I'd offer that you don't really need an amp like this. The amp ( the Ampeg) was so powerful that even at low volumes, it'd knock mirrors and framed art off of the walls in my house. Dogs, cats, pigs and chickens would flee en masse. I have settled into a Fender Blues Jr (tweed). This thing is plenty loud enough for a small to medium sized venue and it has reverb. I'm not saying that it's the greatest amp around, but it serves the purpose. A frail old fart like myself can manage it without developing a inguinal hernia!Marshall JTM45, the holy grail of Marshall's?
https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/vintage-vault/1966-marshall-jtm45-amp
HA! I had a young and dumb phase as well. I thought I was going on tour so I got a Peavey Classic stack 50 watt tube head, 410 and a 115. Had 3 Epi LP's and a MIM Strat HSS. The amp setup was a great rig, but like you said , dont really need it, but it was fun and LOUD! Hopefully I am going to replicate that in a little smaller version by getting the Delta blues 115 30 watt and running that with my 410. By the way the Peavey Classic series is a great line of amps. Its all subjective, but I love them.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
@jszfunk This is the Cragslisting in Jacksonville, FL for the 1995 Les Paul Custom:
https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/msg/d/jacksonville-1995-gibson-les-paul/7569079371.html
$1,500.00??? I can't find anything similar anywhere under $3K! If this thing is still listed after Christmas (next Monday), I might have to make an inquiry. I figure that as long as I don't give a credit card number or agree to meet in a dark alley after midnight I might be safe. Anybody want to ride shotgun with me on this?
Dang that is a nice looking LP. I always liked that wine red color...very classy. If I had that type of money and for that price, it would be hard to pass up!!!
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
@jszfunk This is the Cragslisting in Jacksonville, FL for the 1995 Les Paul Custom:
https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/msg/d/jacksonville-1995-gibson-les-paul/7569079371.html
$1,500.00??? I can't find anything similar anywhere under $3K! If this thing is still listed after Christmas (next Monday), I might have to make an inquiry. I figure that as long as I don't give a credit card number or agree to meet in a dark alley after midnight I might be safe. Anybody want to ride shotgun with me on this?
Beautiful guitar! If it has no neck repairs and the neck is straight that is a steal of a deal.
@bill_graham If I remember correctly, the appeals court Judge in California ruled body shapes are so similar though some tiny differences do exist is too subjective to have a clear cut infringement.
So the headstock is the part the Judge focused upon and ruled the headstock can not have the exact shapes of a competing brand.
It seems to me the Paul Reed Smith John Mayer line features bodies that are EXACTLY the same as a Fender Stratocaster but down at the end of the neck is the familiar PAUL REED SMITH Headstock and tuners design.
I feel the body should have noticable body shape differences.
@bill_graham Here is a good Strat sound. But the pickups don't look stock.
I love a good Les Paul best but almost as much I like those hot Stratocaster solos on YouTube. Well I like real fine guitar solos no matter what the make of the guitar happens to be.
I just happened to notice Les Pauls and Stratocasters and SG's, Teles and ES-335s because of the Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, B B King, Country bands and Jimi Hendrix mostly. I've never been a huge country music fan but had to take some dates.
Good sounding Strat
@jszfunk It is a beautiful guitar. I never thought the Gold Top was the best looking Les Paul. Duane Allman didn't either. He traded for a beautiful Sunburst but moved the pickups to the Sunburst.
I first saw the ABB in early 1970. In 1969 when the Allman Brothers Band began Duane Allman was playing a Stratocaster as he did at Muscle Shoals. But for the ABB, when he ran across a GoldTop for sale he loved that fat tone in the bridge position.
But Duane continued to play that Stratocaster when he sat in with Delany, Bonnie and Friends because Delany really loved that Strat. Soon Duane would play his Les Paul and let Delany play the Strat. And good old Duane then decided to give the Strat to his close friend. It became Delaney's number one.
I know you are a Jimmy Page fan. Both times I saw Led Zeppelin, Page played a beautiful cherry/sunburst LP.
I've had two big Page fans tell me they loved Jimmy playing a Telecaster. I ran across this the other day!!
https://youtube.com/shorts/hi2ZLUZwekI?feature=share
I know you are a Jimmy Page fan. Both times I saw Led Zeppelin, Page played a beautiful cherry/sunburst LP.
I've had two big Page fans tell me they loved Jimmy playing a Telecaster. I ran across this the other day!!
Didn't Page get his number 1 59' LP from Joe Walsh?
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
@jszfunk Yes Jimmy Page was a Tele player in the Yardbirds and still one when Led Zeppelin formed. But the heavy loud sound Led Zeppelin was evolving into found Page initially getting different louder amp heads and speakers but Page began to feel the twang of Telecaster being amplified to that level was not the tone he needed.
Joe Walsh had opened for the Yardbirds and he and Jimmy became friends and liked each other. When the James Gang opened for Led Zeppelin, Page discussed his situation with Walsh who told him you need a Les Paul. Les Pauls were not that popular in Europe in the 1960's so Walsh said Jimmy needed the Les Paul he had more that Joe did so Joe gave Jimmy his 1959 Les Paul. Joe used another guitar the next night and Jimmy liked what he was getting so Walsh said "Keep it".
Later Joe gave his other Les Paul to Pete Townsend of the Who.
I assume Walsh got another Les Paul somewhere. He has a nice white LP now and a sunburst LP I've seen him use on slide in recent years but in the Eagles, Walsh didn't play a Les Paul much. I bet Joe has several good Les Pauls now.
Joe Walsh is a millionaire many times over since he joined the Eagles and has a big guitar collection and it said he uses Strats often in recent years but has most everything in his collection.
I know you are a Jimmy Page fan. Both times I saw Led Zeppelin, Page played a beautiful cherry/sunburst LP.
I've had two big Page fans tell me they loved Jimmy playing a Telecaster. I ran across this the other day!!
Didn't Page get his number 1 59' LP from Joe Walsh?
Yes he did. In this interview Joe says he gave it to him. In other interviews I read Joe claimed he sold it to Page for $1500.
Photo of Page's #1
There was a music store in NJ back in the 1970's/ 80's that specialized in vintage used guitars. They used to send out Flyers each month and I collected some of them as it was interesting to see how cheap those vintage guitars were back then compared to today. Here is a copy of a pix of pages from a 1978 flyer. You could buy a 1959/60 Les Pauls for $3500 back in 1978 at Guitar Trader. I imagine back in 1969 they were even cheaper.
Photo of Page's #1
> https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/752453#:~:text=%22Number%20One%22%20Les%20Paul%20Standard%20ca.&text=Jimmy%20Page%20purchased%20this%20instrument,down%20to%20a%20thinner%20profile. <
There was a music store in NJ back in the 1970's/ 80's that specialized in vintage used guitars. They used to send out Flyers each month and I collected some of them as it was interesting to see how cheap those vintage guitars were back then compared to today. Here is a copy of a pix of pages from a 1978 flyer. You could buy a 1959/60 Les Pauls for $3500 back in 1978 at Guitar Trader. I imagine back in 1969 they were even cheaper.
Thanks for sharing that price list from 78'....pretty cool to check that out.
What really caught my eye in the page photo were those two large cabinets behind him. I never knew Rickenbacker made cab's and amps. Upon further investigation found this.
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-4996528
In the picture from the link above with Page and his 59' it looks like there is a Vox head sitting on top of them. It sounds like those cabs had 2-15's and a horn in them.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
@bill_graham Joe Walsh was very generous with his guitar gifts to Pete and Jimmy. He also gave Pete an orange Gretsch that was used on Whos Next:
https://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/guitar/gretsch.html
Yes in the interview I read Joe said he gave the Les Paul to Page. But $1500.00 ain't bad for a guitar that was used on huge selling albums and major concerts for years.
Back in the day those vintage Gibson's and fenders were just considered used guitars and sold for incredibly low prices. If we had only known back then nd had money to invest!
Here are prices for Fenders and Gibsons 4 years later in 1982. Prices for Les Paul's increased 2X in just 4 years but Fender preCBS Strats were about what a new US made Strat cost now.
Gibsons
Guitar Trader was one of the first to try to create a 1959 Historic Les Paul even before Gibson figured it out players wanted copies of the old 1950's Les Paul's. They contracted Gibson to build them to their specs. This was before Gibson had a custom shop. They would even load them with 1950's PAF pickups if the buyer wanted. They did not end up making that many so they go for good money now.
Nice article on the Guitar Trader 59 reissues
https://lespaulforum.com/homesite/slubarticle/vgarticle.html
Article on several other Music stores who tried to create Les Paul reissues and Gibsons first attempt
https://lespaulforum.com/homesite/slubarticle/59reissues/59reissuearticle.html
https://lespaulforum.com/homesite/slubarticle/8393reissues/83to9359reissues.html
@bill_graham I've often said, "I wish I had a time machine and about $10K in 1965 currency!".
Funny story: I've just returned from the grocery store. I was wearing a Muscle Shoals Sound sweatshirt - an older man (late 7os - early 80s) approached me and started talking about his guitar - one that he's had since 1961. Told me he had a 1961 Gibson ES 335 in pristine condition that he paid $400.00 (I think that's what he said) back in those days. He said it's been appraised at over $30K. I actually asked him what I'd have to do to get into his final will and testament! He chuckled and walked away.
(From the ad in the thread above)"Special Pre-Production Price - $1,500" for a Les Paul Standard.
$1,500.00 doesn't sound like a lot of money now, but in 1959 a new Ford cost between $2-4K. In the current economy new car prices start at around $20k. Can you imagine paying that much for a new guitar? I bet that $1,500.00 was a good percentage of a blue collar salary in 1959!
Yeah the average salary back in 1959 for men was $5200 so $1500 back in was several monthes salary back then and I think real Gibson Les Paul sold for around $300 with the case in 1959.
That $1500 price in the ad was for the 1982 Guitar Trader 1959 Historic reissue loaded with original PAF buckers. Considering a real 1959 Les Paul from Guitar Trader cost $7500 in 1982 that reissue was a good deal I guess.
Still not cheap as a 1982 Les Paul cost around $1000 back in the day so you were paying a $500 premium but the quality was better as Guitar Trader picked the tops and had special hardware made for them I believe.
@bill_graham I misread - thought that was a vintage ad from '59. Thanks for settin' me straight!
I remember seeing my parents watch Les Paul and Mary Ford on TV and I didn't know what kind of guitar I was seeing on that TV show but I remembered the shape when I heard about Les Paul guitars being the guitar Les and Mary played.
The guitar wasn't a good seller in the 1950's. Gibson decided it needed a redesign in 1961 and I've seen pictures of Les and Mary with the new look Les Paul. But in short order Les Paul contacted Gibson and told them that was not the guitar he agreed to have his name on and to take his name off of the redesign which Gibson reluctantly did and they called it an SG after Les Paul's name was removed.
I think the Les Paul took off when guys like Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Keith Richards began using Les Pauls. Clapton, Beck and Richards did not stay with Les Pauls but by that time they were very popular and other players such as Duane, Dickey, Joe Walsh and others were using Les Pauls.
@bill_graham SRV was a great player. Did you get to see him?
https://youtube.com/shorts/oT76oUW-kfg?feature=share
I remember seeing my parents watch Les Paul and Mary Ford on TV and I didn't know what kind of guitar I was seeing on that TV show but I remembered the shape when I heard about Les Paul guitars being the guitar Les and Mary played.
The guitar wasn't a good seller in the 1950's. Gibson decided it needed a redesign in 1961 and I've seen pictures of Les and Mary with the new look Les Paul. But in short order Les Paul contacted Gibson and told them that was not the guitar he agreed to have his name on and to take his name off of the redesign which Gibson reluctantly did and they called it an SG after Les Paul's name was removed.
I think the Les Paul took off when guys like Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Keith Richards began using Les Pauls. Clapton, Beck and Richards did not stay with Les Pauls but by that time they were very popular and other players such as Duane, Dickey, Joe Walsh and others.
@bill_graham SRV was a great player. Did you get to see him?
Stevie Ray was an amazing guitar player and was just scratching the surface of his talent when he died in the helicopter crash as he was finally sober.
I was lucky enough to have seen SRV open for Joe Cocker in 1990 on the Fourth of July at Lake Compounce in Connecticut. SRV died just over 5 weeks later on August 27th. RIP Stevie
I went with a group of a half a dozen friends who wanted to see Joe Cocker, as they did not really know SRV's music, but I really went to see SRV's set as I was a big fan with Cocker being a bonus for me. Cocker's set was good but Vaughn stole the show that hot summer night for me.
It was a sweltering hot humid day that 4th with temps in the high 90's and finally started to cool off a little by the time SRV hit the stage.
They must have been coheadliners as SRV played over an hour and a half and was amazing. Not a beer run break song in his whole set IMHO.
Here is his setlist from July 4, 1990
- Collins' Shuffle
- The House Is Rockin'
- Tightrope
- Pride and Joy
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- Let Me Love You Baby
- Texas Flood
- You'll Be Mine
- I'm Leaving You (Commit a Crime)
- Wall of Denial
- Riviera Paradise
- Superstition
- Cold Shot
- Couldn't Stand the Weather
- Collins' Shuffle
- Crossfire
- Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
@bill_graham Here is a very good SRV tribute by this young lady who is a big SRV fan.
She isn't playing Warren's stolen guitar. Red headstock but different wood on the neck. Alan Paul said Warren conducted an indepth search with guitar shops, music stores and pawn shops with no luck. Warren's guitar was stolen right off the stage!!
Speaking of SRV here is some info on the gear he used in his career. He used preCBS Fender Stratocasters and guitars he cobbled together from different Fender parts. He also used unusually heavy 13 Gauge (0.13) string on his guitar as most Strats came with 9 gauge (0.09). I can't imagine trying to bend those 13 gauge strings.
He used a lot of different amps in his career but seemed to favor Fender Vibroverb amps late in his career.
https://prosoundhq.com/sound-like-stevie-ray-vaughan-gear-amp-settings-effects/
https://equipboard.com/pros/stevie-ray-vaughan
Of course Fender made a SRV signature guitar in 1992. 2004 Fender Custom shop relic'd versions are now go for $40-50K+ used on Reverb
Here is some info on the Custom Shop model
https://guitar.com/guides/essential-guide/guitar-legends-stevie-ray-vaughan/
Fender Stratocaster ‘Number 1’
Stevie Ray sometimes referred to his main ‘first wife’/‘Number 1’ Strat as “a 59” (as that was the date written on the rear of the pickups) but it was, in fact, a hybrid built with a 1963 body and a late 1962 rosewood (curved fingerboard) neck, which Fender’s Custom Shop replicated it precisely with the SRV Signature Stratocaster model from 1992.
The replica was a work of considerable effort, with master builder Larry Brooks experimenting with over 6000 windings on the pickups and the polarity of the middle pickup reversed to eliminate hum. For just over £2,000, you can still buy it: from 2019 it came in a relic’d version, too. It has all the particulars of SRV’s own model, including that left-handed upside-down vibrato.
Stevie Ray had adopted it in homage to Hendrix and, although it allowed him to operate the trem with his elbow, this is possibly a detail most players can forego! But even vintage versions of the Custom Shop signature are now collectable: we recently saw a relic’d 2004 Number 1 handcrafted by Master Builder John Cruz listed at over £50,000!
@bill_graham I've read about those heavy strings before. His brother once said nobody wants to play Stevie's main guitar. The strings are so heavy it's unplayable for most players.
Albert and B B. King were big fans and very supportive. I love the blues but I'm not an expert on it. SRV must of had something they really liked. Emotion and feeling from within is a big part of being a great blues player.
@robertdee I know a guy who actually got to play (or pick up and sample) one of SRV's guitars. He said that the strings were HUGE! He also said that the action was so high that if you found a similar guitar for sale you'd never buy it because you'd think that it was way out of set-up. It sure worked for Stevie, though!
This might be kinda long for some to watch , but its interesting. Once you open that page on YouTube he has it laid out below the video where you can click on the time mark to get to the technique you want to watch.
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Premier Guitar magazine top 10 guitars for 2022. Not a Gibson on the list
2021 list has a Gibson and Epiphone in the Honorable Mention list
@bill_graham Wow.a few of those makes I've never heard of before.
If I were so good I could play on stage in a good band, I wouldn't want to play a guitar with an obvious Strat body including PRS and Ibanez, two famous makes, because it looks like you have one of those twin cylinder motorcycles that's by Honda or Kawasaki with that familiar sound and it's not a Harley - Davidson.
I would want Fender in the headstock. If I played a PRS or Ibanez, it would be a model with its own body design.
I would likey play a Les Paul or SG with Epiphone on the head stock. That is like driving a Mercury. Everybody knows it's a Ford product.
Since a Les Paul and SG are as good as any guitar on that list and perhaps better than some, maybe the price is why there isn't a Gibson on the list.
