Jack Gilvey
08-25-2006, 11:42 AM
I've been looking for a "Les Paul-like" guitar for quite a while now to round out the Fenders. I've always been something of a humbucker guy at heart, and my last one was a 61' SG RI that I loved, but that had that lasagna-neck that couldn't quite keep stable. In my search, I tried pretty much everything...Schecter, Dean, Ibanez, you-name-it. Jeez, forget pics and specs, I've even been to Rondo a few times. Impressive for the money, but nothing I'd want to own in the end. I even placed an impulse order for a Carvin that appeared on their in-stock page, but the salesman called me back to tell me it had actually been sold. And I owned a Les Paul vintage mahogany (MF exclusive) for a bit before returning it. Played a bunch of Les Paul Standards/Classics at GC. Didn't grab me, not for ~$2000.
So, I decided to go stop playing around and bought the guitar pictured below, a Gibson Custom Historic VOS '57 Goldtop, or R7 for short. Ordered it with full return privileges after a few discussions with the dealer who sent me lots of pics. Wanted a goldtop for decades, never able to justify it with merely wanting one. I actually expected to return it, almost hoping that I'd realize that the expense wasn't worth it.
No such luck.
Best guitar I've ever played by a long shot. Tone, feel, balance...it's all there and perfect. This is the guitar I play when daydreaming. The Custom stuff is apparently built in a separate area/building from the USA product, and the better woods, longer neck tenon, Plek process on the frets, and whatever else they do add up to an amazing instrument. I wish it'd been cheaper, sure, and I know I could have gotten 10 of something else for the price. That's ok. I'd rather have just one like this. I even like the stock Burstbucker pups, which get panned on the LP Forum. I think this one's staying pure stock.
My Fenders are both MIM, so I really don't shop by price. But this one actually seems a bargain given what the Standards go for, not to mention PRS, etc.
http://home.comcast.net/~tgilvey/IMG_1262.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~tgilvey/IMG_1211.JPG
So, I decided to go stop playing around and bought the guitar pictured below, a Gibson Custom Historic VOS '57 Goldtop, or R7 for short. Ordered it with full return privileges after a few discussions with the dealer who sent me lots of pics. Wanted a goldtop for decades, never able to justify it with merely wanting one. I actually expected to return it, almost hoping that I'd realize that the expense wasn't worth it.
No such luck.
Best guitar I've ever played by a long shot. Tone, feel, balance...it's all there and perfect. This is the guitar I play when daydreaming. The Custom stuff is apparently built in a separate area/building from the USA product, and the better woods, longer neck tenon, Plek process on the frets, and whatever else they do add up to an amazing instrument. I wish it'd been cheaper, sure, and I know I could have gotten 10 of something else for the price. That's ok. I'd rather have just one like this. I even like the stock Burstbucker pups, which get panned on the LP Forum. I think this one's staying pure stock.
My Fenders are both MIM, so I really don't shop by price. But this one actually seems a bargain given what the Standards go for, not to mention PRS, etc.
http://home.comcast.net/~tgilvey/IMG_1262.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~tgilvey/IMG_1211.JPG