Which Gibson LP Custom model - is the closest ever match to an original 1959 Burst?

[JPP-1]

At the risk of bursting everyone's bubble, I asked Edwin this SPECIFIC question when Tom and I were down there this week. He said while they had a very small supply of "Honduras" mahogany in 2007, the vast majority of it was Figi mahogany, the exact same stuff they are using today.
So, unless you were one of the very lucky few who got Honduras(and you'll never know because there was no record kept), what is on your 2007 is exactly what is on the guitars they are making today.:jim

People with this "Honduran" mahogany fetish are really funny. I betcha the biggest proclaimers of how good their "honduran" mahogany 07 Historic sounds probably have a Les Paul made out of that "crappy" fiji mahogany. Despite the fact that its the exact same species as the honduran mahogany which isn't all grown in Honduras to begin with. Maybe I should see if the maple syrup from a maple tree in Canada tastes different from a maple tree in vermont. Lmfao. I'm glad to here the Fiji mahogany hasn't dampned Mr. Wittrock's enjoyment of his true historic CCs.

Btw, while I could be mistaken, I think 2007 is the only year Gibson even mentioned "Honduran" mahogany so I would love to know your source with regards to 2003 Historics and Honduran mahogany. Unless your talking about Honduran mahogany grown somewhere else like Fiji.

I do agree that the quality of rosewood fingerboards at least form a visual view point appear to have declined some.

Bottom line, with the possible exception of the 2003 braz board historics, (though many of those "real deal" braz fretboards look like stump wood ) the closest you are coming to a burst from Gibson are the true historics and the CCs with true historic specs.

I've owned a bunch of historics over the years and feel tonally, the 2013 and later historics get me closest to what I am looking for in a Les Paul. YMMV. So far my True Historic may be the best guitar I have played. But it is one guitar. I certainly haven't played sufficient quantities of every historic year to make any sort of accurate assessment that one year is better than another but then again, I'm not sure anyone has. Besides we are talking about guitars not wine.

In my humble opinion you get the closest with a 2003 Braz board Historic or with a 2007 Madagascar board Historic. The '03 will have Honduras mahogany from South America with the real-deal BRW, while the '07 will have the real-deal Honduran mahogany with MRW (which can be almost identical to Braz).

Don't get fooled with the marketing name "True Historic". I would only recommend one instead of the above examples, if you are really anal about small period-correct details, glue and plastic materials. THs are incredible instruments but only the maple top is made from the same wood as the originals - you should be aware of this fact if you share an orthodox view about the importance of authentic wood materials.

If a small run of True Historics made of Honduran mahogany and Madagascar RW (don't need to be BRW) would exist, that would be the absolute king of post-'50s Les Pauls in my opinion. The milestone of post-2013 changes combined with the incredible '07 wood materials, imagine that! No one would have a problem with the True Historic hyperbol if Gibson would release such a beast of an instrument (and a lot less would turn to Replicas). A contemporary Les Paul with such features could finally compete with the originals in every way and it would be the birth of a new legend for the future generations.

 

[JPP-1]

If a small run of True Historics made of Honduran mahogany and Madagascar RW (don't need to be BRW) would exist, that would be the absolute king of post-'50s Les Pauls in my opinion. The milestone of post-2013 changes combined with the incredible '07 wood materials, imagine that! No one would have a problem with the True Historic hyperbol if Gibson would release such a beast of an instrument (and a lot less would turn to Replicas). A contemporary Les Paul with such features could finally compete with the originals in every way and it would be the birth of a new legend for the future generations.

I think it would great too. Certain LP afficianados could cue up to spend 10k or 15k to buy one. After a quick blues doodle they would hurt themselves getting to their net device to proclaim to the world that these Super Historics are the greatest most amazing guitars ever. Of course they couldn't prove it mind you but hey it's the net. Then they could thumb their nose at lesser historics and bring much angst to those neurotics not fortunate enough to buy a Super Historic. The best part, though, the clincher for me is when Gibson says, Yeah it's a honduran mahogany from Fiji.

 

[renderit]

I think it would great too. Certain LP afficianados could cue up to spend 10k or 15k to buy one. After a quick blues doodle they would hurt themselves getting to their net device to proclaim to the world that these Super Historics are the greatest most amazing guitars ever. Of course they couldn't prove it mind you but hey it's the net. Then they could thumb their nose at lesser historics and bring much angst to those neurotics not fortunate enough to buy a Super Historic. The best part, though, the clincher for me is when Gibson says, Yeah it's a honduran mahogany from Fiji.

Do you actually sit in front of a mirror and read these things to yourself? Do you lay in bed at night and convince yourself that if you were the Ruler of the World there would be a constant "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" flowing from your lips to "learn 'em all"? Do you then have dreams about going to school in your underoos? Just curious dude. Because in my dreams we are all laughing about your showing up to school in your underoos...And before you axe, yes, I am posting in mine!

 

[clearmudd]

A original 1959 Les Paul Custom.

It is a Custom model isn't?

 

[JPP-1]

Not sure what your problem is or what nanny nanny boo boo even means. And I walk into class naked in my dreams.

I also don't understand what it is specifically you take issue with. Articulate what you want to say rather than cryptically making fun of someone as this would be more productive and consistent with what we are trying to do on this forum.

I didn't make fun of Guitar Magic, I simply think his posts which seem to obsess about some sort of magic mahogany are a product of everything that is wrong with internet forums. It's like baseless gossip that keeps going. If Magic went to many guitar stores and was able to pick out Les Pauls based on origin of mahogany, I'd still be highly skeptical but at least I could sympathize with what he's trying to do. Based on his posts it seems he has no personal experience that would support the idea that Honduran mahogany from Honduras is tonally superior, I guess this is why he posted questions about the loudness of 50s mahogany.

Now my reasons for responding to Guitar Magic are as follows.

1. I remember being a newbie to Les Paul guitars, amps etc., and I found hyperbole especially about things such as this to be unproductive and took me on a more circuitous route to where I am now. Very happy with the gear I own. I hope Guitar Magic or any newbie reading these forums finds the Les Paul that speaks to him that is why if I can dissuade him from obsessing over this mahogany thing and instead use his ears and play a variety of Historic Les Pauls, find the one that looks great, sounds great and maybe one he can get a good deal on, that in the end he will be a lot happier sooner.

2. People are free to do what they want with their old guitar and their money, with that said, I think destroying a perfectly good Les Paul Jr. by putting a maple cap on it and routing it for humbuckers is just taking away a vintage period guitar for really no good reason. thats my opinion.

3. I think the historic Les Pauls Gibson has put out are for the most part excellent. The recent construction and pickup improvements show that the custom shop at least under Edwin was listening. Frankly, in the real world, not nanny boo boo land, if you can't seek out a great historic and get it done tonally, all the magic wood in the world won't help you.

4. Bursts were made from 1958 to 1960 in Kalamazoo Michigan. They have been played or most of them have been played for close to 60 years. the nitro had hardened, the wood being organic has probably changed to some degree. Possibly the PAF magnets and windings have subtlety changes as well. These particular series of guitars are associated with Jimmy, Duane, Peter, Eric, the Reverend, etc. Therefore, i'm not sure how Gibson sourcing real mahogany from certified mahogany farms in Honduras as opposed to Fiji brings a historic any closer to a Burst.

So that's my reasoning. I would appreciate you explaining your reasoning to your rather cryptic underoo rant.

Do you actually sit in front of a mirror and read these things to yourself? Do you lay in bed at night and convince yourself that if you were the Ruler of the World there would be a constant "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" flowing from your lips to "learn 'em all"? Do you then have dreams about going to school in your underoos? Just curious dude. Because in my dreams we are all laughing about your showing up to school in your underoos...And before you axe, yes, I am posting in mine!

 

[renderit]

Ya know, I was just having fun and thought we were past this and could joke around a bit, but since you got all butt hurt...You were the one who posted the "let's IMAGINE in a perfect world how idiots would line up to buy something and we could all dash their dreams with revelations and then laugh at them". Truly the blatherings of an 8 year old don't you think? I really was just hoping you'd laugh, but I think you are displaying a problem here. But pardon me, I concede the floor to the true expert. You. The tiara is in the mail ! Neah neah!

 

[JPP-1]

Ya know, I was just having fun and thought we were past this and could joke around a bit, but since you got all butt hurt...You were the one who posted the "let's IMAGINE in a perfect world how idiots would line up to buy something and we could all dash their dreams with revelations and then laugh at them". Truly the blatherings of an 8 year old don't you think? I really was just hoping you'd laugh, but I think you are displaying a problem here. But pardon me, I concede the floor to the true expert. You. The tiara is in the mail ! Neah neah!

I wasn't butt hurt. Lol More perplexed than anything. I respectfully listed my reasons to respond. Did you even bother to read them?

Because if you did I don't see how you got out of it that I have a zest for dashing dreams, and laughing at the crestfallen. c'mon Renderit, you're not serious are you? I think you're smarter than that.

What should be clear is that I was poking fun at this obsessive factless nonsense stemming from this compulsion to somehow validify that this guitar is tonally superior to that guitar.

With that said, if some blowhard decided he was going to disparage every other historic owner because his Super Historic is made with magic woods and that person had an Emperors new clothes moment it wouldn't be the worst thing. But we all know that's not happening nor am I encouraging that it does. Rather I was talking about a hypothetical to illustrate how absurd and unproductive I find some of this obsessiveness. You either agree, don't agree or don't care. So again what is your issue with my post.

 

[renderit]

foreheadslap (as opposed to facepalm)! Nevermind. Carry on. Whatever. Mail me back the tiara. I am currently eating anchovies so I can wait "with baited breath" for the next post.
Note to self: Sometimes humor is not Good Humor because the guy that drives the ice-cream-truck is highly suspect. And ooglie don't show moving dots...
Here. I am a millennial wannabe!:hee:salude:hank:laugh2::##:rofl:bigal:teeth:dh:bday:

 

[clearmudd]

BAD humor, I'm GOOD at........GOOD humor is for the Ice Cream truck.

Renderit and Big Al are good people it's the evil computer that makes them bad. :spabout

 

[renderit]

BAD humor, I'm GOOD at........GOOD humor is for the Ice Cream truck.

Renderit and Big Al are good people it's the evil computer that makes them bad. :spabout

We're not BAD, we are DRAWN bad...

 

[clearmudd]

We're not BAD, we are DRAWN bad...

That would be 'da truth!

 

[EvilC]

Why the hangup on the "closest ever match......" to vintage Les Paul specs? Are you buying a guitar to play or look at?

FWIW my best sounding and playing Custom Shop Les Paul is a 2004 Gary Rossington model that has none of the recent "upgrades" or vintage correct appointments, like glue and truss rod. It does have a nice Eastern maple top, Madagascar RW fingerboard, and Honduran mahogany body. For my money, I want a Les Paul that plays and sounds great. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake.

I was going to say the Rossington too. There’s a Gibson dealer in London who says the same: “the closest thing to a ‘Burst Gibson have made since…”. ????

 

[bluesky636]

I was going to say the Rossington too. There’s a Gibson dealer in London who says the same: “the closest thing to a ‘Burst Gibson have made since…”. ????

First post is in a 7 year old necrothread. Congratulations.

 

[EvilC]

First post is in a 7 year old necrothread. Congratulations.

Nice

 

[GlassSnuff]

I think it's nice to see new people read the old stuff.

Collectively, we worked hard to get to the truth of certain matters and I hate to see it all forgotten.

 

[jb_abides]

Let's encourage good contributions.

Better meaningful necro-thread resurrections than LPF remaining a necropolis!

 

[renderit]

I agree.

I also want my old fonts back...

 

[DvnLesPaul]

Plus, we have 2018 Brazilians now to add to the argument

 

[garywright]

I agree with what Howard Johnson says

 

[jb_abides]

Plus, we have 2018 Brazilians now to add to the argument

And the new Murphy ones. And the 'to be installed' Collector PAF. And....

It never ends, closest is still close, no cigar, right? No old growth or other arguments.

And on it goes!