HISTORIC or Original 1970s LES PAUL CUSTOM? Advice + Sound Comparison!
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- Опубликовано: 30 май 2019
- Today the Current Historic Les Paul Customs are basically the same price (2nd hand) as an early to mid 70s Les Paul Custom, but they are very different. In this clip I compare a 1973 Gibson Les Paul Custom to a 2010 Gibson Les Paul 1957 Custom Reissue. I play both through a 1973 Fender Vibrolux Reverb.
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The 73 to my ears is the winner. 2010 although in some parts sounded good but overall didn't have that organic sound of the 73. Great video as always 👍
I'm so happy 70's LPs are still so cheap. They sound amazing; custom with eben fingerboard have bright thin sound, yet T-tops have well enough punch to produce the humbucker sound, when needed. Truly versatile guitars. I'm not a vintage-freak, but on LP-models, the old age feels just right!
Well..in 1978 I think it was, my friend bought a new gold hardware black Les Paul Custom at Manny’s on 48th Street in New York City.Back then all the good brands were 45% off msrp. It cost him new $358 including tx. Around that time mid 70s Johnny Marr bought his ES335 Guitar inspired him to write some great songs the first day.
@@safarygirl That is strange.. I have -78 Custom too, but it produced no good songs for me..
Have a great day, sir!
Johan. Another great video. Straight in to the amp just as it should be. Love them both!
Thanks for this Johan, great info and a joy to experience such great guitars played the way I like.
I have a 81 Les Paul Custom and I Love the Sound with TIm Shaw Humbuckers , It Sounds AMAZING !!!!!
Well done Johan! Love Both! Thanks for using the Fender! Be Well and have a great weekend!
Thanks brother, you too!
Great video again Johan. I’m a bit biased in my choice ( the ‘73) as I have a ‘73 lefty Deluxe Goldtop that now has Classic 57s. They are heavy indeed, but they are great players!
So many factors to consider. Sometimes just the feel and tone of a guitar makes it feel easier or encourages me more to play differently, harder or slinkier, bending strings etc. That can be a big influence on an overall interpretation of how an instrument plays. Great video!!!
Johan, You make every guitar sound wonderful. Love your channel. I worked at the Gibson Custom Shop for several years. I've buffed/wired/set up/repaired and QC'D many a guitar. Thousands, i'm sure, And it is still a mystery why they can have the same electronics/same weight/strings/finish and so on and one will feel "Stiff" and another loose and more playable. One sterile and the next warm and resonate. Anyway, keep up the good work. And lets hear those two through a JCM800!!
I've got an early 1970 Custom Fretless Wonder. I love it! I am happy I didn't by a reissue instead of the real deal.
I've recently spent time with a 60th Anniversary '59 reissue i wanted to purchase. I own a 73 Les Paul Custom. I now realize i own a far superior guitar. Why people knock the Nolin period guitars is beyond me - unless mine is simply a good one. In fact I'll rephrase that... my '73 is an awesome guitar!
2011 studio here. My guitar is superb, but after 10 years im convinced that it is just a very good unit, i played many studios stds and customs, little to no real competitors.
Ive owned a 73 LP Custom (October '73 YOM), for 44 years and had many other Les Pauls since. The '73 is a superb intrument!
Haha! Lol! Ive just realised im replying to my own comment! I guess it was 2 years ago..
Clearly your subscribers are the winners here :). They both sound great through that Fender!!
Thanks Andy, yeah that’s an awesome amp!
@Johan Segeborn string tension - nice observation, glad you mentioned it. I believe THIS IS WHY - judging from the same experience with 2 guitars i got recently. Played Epi LP Studio for about a month and Ibanez AR420 (LP style double cut, check it out, beautiful) after that. I couldn't help myself but Ibanez (otherwise awesome) felt so sturdy and hard and same strings felt too "sharp" on my fingers. They also have different neck shape and thickness (D vs C) I blamed the strings first ... BUT Epi fretwire is thicker, wider but flatter so strings and fingers get closer to the wood. My fingers "feel" the wood below, touch it, and therefore naturally don't press the strings any harder (contrary to high frets on Ibanez). That's really it! Bending was harder on Ibanez too, but after some fretwork on Ibanez and similar setup on both guitars, Ibanez is actually easier to bend now - I have well polished fretwire (car cream) and now with fingers gliding above the wood on a shiny polished lubricated frets its so so buttery smooth to bend. Bend all day long !!! Haha :) HOPE IT HELPS
The ‘73 is amazing, great comparison liked em both! Love your channel, cheers!
Great video, as always!
Funny thing about the necks: a friend of mine has 2 70s customs (same pickups etc), one is 75, the other one 77 or 78. The 75 one has a maple neck, the later one mahogany (yep, im still wondering, too). They both sound awesome, but very different. And YES, they both play "hard", not as lose and easy as one might think when you only got to know recent models... I always thought it´s just my imagination :D
The "feel' of greater resistance when playing may be down to a steep break angle over the bridge on the '73 or the stop tailpiece being lower. It's hard to tell from the pictures. Both sound good, most of which is down to you being a great player. Love your demos, please keep them coming.
Many thanks for the comparison! Definitely worth the time spent. The original one sounds deeper in lows / low-mids. It can be clearly heard starting at 4:31 and then starting at 6:13. I don't know whether it is due to the wood, electronics, or both. If possible, please record part 2 with more sound samples. P.S. Marshall stacks look damn convincing, congrats!
At 9:32 it is clearly heard again that the original one emits more lows / low mids (making the overall sound "uniform"), while the reissue sounds flatter (hence, highlighting these "prickly" mids). Based on the sound I'd go for the original one.
The 73 is the winner for me. The 2010 sounds more choked. Great demo as always :-)
If we compare the new Gibson les paul studio and these old guitar where are we then?
@@hranislavdragutinovic3388 collectible values for vintage
Hey Johan, the difference in feel can be a few things. Firstly, the T-tops have A5 magnets which create a much stronger pull on the strings than the A2 magnets that the Burstbuckers have. Then there is the neck angle - how steep or shallow it is relative to the body. And then the frets; if the 2010 has higher frets the strings will fel a lot more slinky and easy to bend. There are other factors like the break angle of the strings behind the bridge due to the tailpiece height too. Thanks for your great videos.
The weight and density will affect the string tension. I blocked my Strat tremolo cavity with wood and filled the springs with pieces of a dead patch cable to stop the metallic ringing. The extra weight makes the strings vibrate tighter and allows for a slightly lower action.
When I am looking at buying a guitar, the sound is the most important thing. Then the playability, and least important is the looks. I have gone shopping for a 59' LP Standard Custom Shop guitar a couple of times. It is amazing to me that the unplugged acoustic sound is the main indicator to me of how it is going to sound. I have 2004 and 2014 versions and tried out about 5 guitars each time. Each time the one that sounded acoustically the best also sounded the best when plugged in. It may sound funny, but I think it would have been useful to include a couple of unplugged samples of each guitar. For me, '73 sounded quite a bit better. Great video and I love your playing!
Yea man, that 73 is just breathtaking
excellent video! I'm pulling the trigger on picking up a 75 wine red lpc and was curious about how it compared with the r7. I prefer the 73 in this video.
The stiffness is mainly the A5 magnets in the '73 creating stronger pull on the strings than the A2 magnets in the 2010 pickups. I've experimented with this swapping pickups in and out of the same guitar. Makes a huge diff.
Johan my friend, I love all things Les Paul... especially the black beauty. I bought the epi version of the 1955...real Gibson P90s. I got a heck of deal in it...cool antique vibe and case. I've got guitars that are worth more than 20times what I paid but honestly that EPI is hands down the very absolute best guitar I've ever played. I've had for 2 months and on 7th set of strings. I pair it with my 65 deluxe reissue with the alnico Jensen....I cannot put it down and let's face it, we all love the black beauties of any year. My friend has a 78 that's an absolute dream...great video my friend!
Thanks my friend! I’m gonna look for one of those!
I will say this, the R7 def has more of a mid forward sound whereas the 73 seems to be a bit more relaxed in the mids and even across all frequencies. Also, in regards to the string feel difference I’ve had the same experience with my R6 and R7. The R6 has a slinkier feel with the same gauge strings but it also has narrow tall frets vs the med jumbo on the R7. I also think it has a bit less of a break angle on the neck so both of those will definitely make them feel a lot different. As always, great video and thank you, Johan!
The T Top pickups have it all over the Burstbuckers. I agree with some of the other commenters that the tension difference probably comes down to setup, break angle over the bridge and fret height. Both guitars sounded good, but I think the '73's pickups are better. I used to think I needed hot pickups to get that sound we search for in our heads, but I'm loving my Explorer with the Alnico II Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups. You have got to try those out sometime. Love, love, love them. Great video as always. God bless and rock on!
If you’re going for vintage tones you actually want the exact opposite of hot pickups. Everyone has it in their mind that the iconic Les Pauls from the heyday of ‘57-‘60 were really hot and drove the amps hard. In reality PAFs were very low output and many times they never read over 8k. In fact the majority of them actually had a higher output neck than bridge (stands to reason, as they were originally jazz guitars). It’s not uncommon to find a reading of 8.1k and 7.4k for the neck and bridge, respectively. Those old tones were achieved with an amp turned up all the way and pickups that had incredible amounts of clarity and dynamics which was achieved via a fairly low output. The higher the output the less it’s going to sound right...
Thanks J, Yeah some of it may be setup.
@@Dagger_323 I could not agree more. My favorite sounding guitars usually have the lowest output pickups. Rock on bro! 🎸😎
Johan. I have a 72 Custom ,Black with the white binding & chrome hardware. I have owned it since 73 & has been my main guitar since those days. It is a heavy guitar but i.m used to it. It sounds as great as it did back then & i cost me 500.00 from my teacher. I do believe it came with the pickup covers that said Gibson engraved on them but he took them off & straight chrome one were put on. Today i understand why he did that as they seen to be rare to come across as original. All these years it needed a few switch replacements but nothing else. Growing up in the 60's & 70's i just got used to heavier strings & now i can play super slinkys & the like. .010' & .011s are what i use on it. I like the way both of these sound but the 73 would be my choice. I also own a 76 Custom & a 74 Walnut SG Standard & a 2016 Midtown Deluxe which for some reason they no longer make. I normally run them through a 63 Fender Concert amp & a 73 Pro Reverb. In my younger days it was a 1971 Marshall Super Lead. Good review of both of these & i believe Gibson even though still making some questionable decisions are back on track to regaining their reputation. I love Fenders but have always gravitated to Gibson's. Thanks for sharing this review & if you or anyone care to hear my two favorite toys here;s the links & feel free to leave any comments . It's always cool to hear others guitars & their thoughts on them. These are audio & one is from 87 & the other new with our band . I have photos of both forthe clips. Enjoy those beloved Gibsons & the older the better. ruclips.net/video/RHj04fFTrZI/видео.html & our take on the classic Messin With The Kid.. ruclips.net/video/lJelsuT1UxI/видео.html&feature=em-comments Have a great day ..
Great video as alway. I was thinking today of an idea for a future video if it interests you. I remember seeing a Premier Guitar rig rundown of Johnny Winter where he says his settings on his Music Man 4x10 combo are volume 10, bass 0, middle 0, treble 10. That sounds crazy to me but I'd love to hear what that sounds like as I love Johnny Winter's tone. I can't think of very many people other than you who could crank an amp like that and record it. I'm not sure if you have any Music Man amps floating around but if you do please consider giving Johnny's settings a whirl for a video. Just an idea. Cheers!
Hi Johan, the plastic rings that you see in the tailpiece of the 73 are not because of any mod. In the early 70s Gibson used those goof rings sometimes in order to hide imperfections in the finish and routing both in the tailpiece and around rhe pickups in the LP deluxes.
Cool video!!
Both sound good, but surprisingly, the '73 was a bit nicer. Pick ups are definitely hotter than the '57 RI! It drove the amp quite a bit harder than the '10 model!
No argue, GREAT RESPECT! Have a nice weekend!!!
Z.
You have a great one too my friend!
My theory on the stiffness revolves around the break angle between the bridge and the stop tail. Raise the stop tail and it will feel slinky. Better yet, deck the stop tail, but top wrap it. I feel the decked stop tail increases resonance and the top wrap changes the break angle producing a slinkier feel.
Great vid man. String tension - I think it can only be down to action and frets. My guess is the 2010 has higher frets and a lower action and the 70's probably has dressed frets, quite flat and low.
@ Stevekellymusic official: “Fretless Wonders” Very wide and low.
From what i have read it has to do with the neck tenon- how far the neck joins into the body. The 57 historic and originals have short tenons while the 70s have longer tenons and that affects the string tension
Johan Segeborn is THE MAAN🏅! One of our favourite guitar players in the world! He among the greats inspired us to get the amps and guitars we use in the band live and in the studio (Marshall Jcm900, Elmwood Custom + SG or Epiphone Les Paul!) Now we have a killer tone! If you want to check us out and listen to our live and studio rig we are on RUclips and Spotify. Give some love! Share the music! We will always enjoy your videos and be thankful for what you have shared, Johan. Lots of love and keep on inspiring! Samu and Sin In The Flesh 😄🤘🤘
Thanks my friend! I’m gonna check your videos out!
@@JohanSegeborn thanks Johan! It means the world to us! :) I think you would most enjoy this album. open.spotify.com/album/71ChWbI3LHHqUKNTi79nxk?si=VtDp2wqvSFmtGJ_KIXUWOQ Good night!
ruclips.net/video/X1Kn3ldaMeA/видео.html Wtf guys is this you? It's killer!! 👌
That is my son! Please don't encourage him to buy more guitars!
@@robertogarcia6991 haha don't take him seriously he's as hooked as I am!
Great comparison! I definitely prefer the sound of the 1973 one, meatier! About the perceived stiffness on it, i can only think that the Nashville TOM/ stop bar mod created a sharper break angle of the strings, resulting in more tension( the more the stop bar is flush to the top of the body, the more is a perceived tension of the strings), to have a more loose feel all you have to do is to raise the stop bar with the adjustment screws on the studs.Cheers!
I’m here for the soft spoken croc wearing tribesman....
There will be a lot that today actually ;-)
Dear Johan:I have a wine red 1973..with DiMarzios..the pick ups are old Super Distortion...mine weighs in at 9.0 pounds American weight..they have more bass to them...maybe that 2010 is weight relieved...mines. A real ebony and rosewood..lol..it needs to retire...yours sounds good..I'm not sure if all customs had a 17 degree at the headstock..my money would be on the 1973. Good job!!!!!
Great video Johan!! No doubt that they both sound great. However my personal opinion is that the 73 sounds a little thicker which is to be expected. Thicker is better to me on a Les Paul because if I want a thinner sound, I will just play one of my Strats. I just bought a 73 Custom in immaculate condition for $6,000.00. It sounds and feels incredible. I can't understand for the life of me why some people look down upon early 70"s Les Pauls. Mine sounds and feel great!. It's true that the tension does feels a little tighter but a guitar that makes you work for its affection will only make you a better player in the end! A word of advice: If you want or are thinking of buying a vintage Les Paul but can't afford to mortgage your house to get one, then I would consider snatching up an early 70's Standard or Custom in good shape now at a lower price. Because some day soon, people are going to start realizing that these are actually really great guitars and not as bad as some people claim, therefore, the prices are going to go up. Some of the Custom shop's new guitar's are the same price or higher and are not necessarily better. I have mine, so I am happy!
@Johan Segeborn I’ve also noticed that some vintage instruments have that characteristic you mention on this video, they seem to be harder to bend or less precise. What I’ve found is that the fret wear and its resultar shape (far beyond fretboard radius) and the neck stiffness has a lot to do. If the neck bends or curves a little bit when you bend a string, it will result in that difficulty feeling. In the Strats I’ve seen this phenomenon very few ocassions, none the less in this kind of guitars regularly the problem seem to be caused because of tremolo bar springs getting weakened.
Great comparison. ❗️
I would choose the R7
Oh Black Beauty Bam-A-Lam , Oh Black Beauty Bam-A-Lam............. One of the finest guitars ever made !
Hahaha! Cheers Gary
Interesting how the 1973 just has that 70´s sound, while i dont think the 2010 has that (when you compare them side by side), it sounds surpricingly different. I actually own a black 1973 since almost 30 years, its in similar condition, no lost binding though, but nickel hardware (including pickguard made of metal) humbuckers witout covers, replaced tuners (Grovers) and a big belt buckle rash on the back (clean wood), a genuine nicely reliced guitar, but not by my hand. Got it very cheap in a pawn shop auction :-)
Thank you Johan !
The all Mahogony Les Paul is my all time favorite. I have a studio all Mahogony and it’s my best one. Neck size may be your culprit. Also the break angle on the stoptail if it’s really low to the body vs one that is higher will also change the string tension. Yea I know that everyone says that the tone will be better if the stoptail is on the body. My best sounding and playing guitar is an old studio (all Mahogony). I have a. Bigsby on it and it plays like it has .09s.
This is the only "old vs new" comparisons where I liked the new better. Thanks.
A great example of don't believe everything you read. If you think about the forums of the past. The 70's Les Paul received quiet a bashing. I'm sure each year has its fair share of sloppy craftsmanship but In this case, quiet an amazing sounding 70's Les Paul I'm sure everyone would be more than happy to own. Great stuff man and thanks for posting.
definitely the 2010. much warmer sounding and has a nicer bloom. Having said that, I'm not a fan of Burstbuckers, put a set of Lollar Imperials or Gibson Custombuckers and you have it. A set of bare knuckles would be better also. Great video Johan as always.
The 1973 HAVE the correct lp custom sound that we all remember.. beatiful guitar
As mentioned before. The stringtention may be from the different setups? Neck relief, fret height, string height and of course the nut. When tweaking on guitars I still can get surprised how much little can do to the overall experience.
Nice demo. Clean is the way to compare guitars. I go 73. Thanks
I've found string resistance comes down to where your tailpiece is set relative to the bridge and also how much the neck flexes..Your mileage may vary!I've a modern SG that has quite a bit of give in the neck and an older Strat where the neck is tight but the bridge moves a bit obviously when doing double bends etc..Skipping between guitars is a bit challenging!
Yeah neck flex is my guess too
The older one sounds far better, clearer, crispier, more alive. The 2010 sounds very dulled in the high frequencies. Amazing vid Johan!
Thanks Fabrizio!
Wow ...73!!!❤, amzing tone!
Sweet both great guitars ...the 73 sounds softer and a little more forgiven but would happily take either!
The string tension difference probably comes down to the headstock angle. Greater "break angle" over the nut and saddles reputedly causes tighter string feel. Over-wrapping the tailpiece can reduce the taught feel and so can less string winds around the tuners.
I think there’s definitely something to the “old wood” thing. I also think that in 40-50 years the guitars that are being made today will sound even better than those from the 50’s and 60’s do today. Why? The tighter tolerances and overall consistent manufacturing of today.
I have a 1966 mustang and it shares that “old wood” sonic attribute that is so talked about. It’s a fantastic guitar.
In the 50s the wood was more old growth but the age and use does the job.
@@safarygirl
Yeah, not all of it was old growth as has been observed by people sanding and refinishing old instruments.
I think it’s all about age, once the instrument is completed. What does age do? We can’t really say but many seem to hear it do something positive.
the 2010 was a bit harsher, probably good for old school metal and all that, the 73 sounded so good though even in comparison
Got to admit, I thought these were pretty close, but for me there's something missing in the high frequencies in the 2010 thats just barely audible. They both sound great though.
It appears from the photos that the distance between the bridge and tail piece is shorter on the '73, perhaps that accounts for the feel difference. Also the pitch of the neck and headstock may be different. I believe the headstock pitch was made shallower during the '70s and the neck pitch can vary. Making the '73 feel more like the reissue may be as simple as top wrapping the tail piece.
Great video as always ! Both are good, though I prefer the 73 one for its thicker tone.
Hello friends!
given your incredible knowledge of these tools, can I ask you which product do you use to polish it?
my black beauty of 73. when I pass the damp cloth it immediately becomes dull and hazy gray, it's horrible.
I do not know what to do.
thank you so much!!
sorry my english translated by google
Paolo, Italy
Do they have the same gauge of strings in the same type of strings as in one with a hex core or one with around core I've heard that can make a difference and feel. I'm assuming they're the same gauge strings and that one is in pop wrapped cuz I can make a difference in the field is the set up the same on both guitars? I have the Les Paul that I've had since 1980s got a sixties taper neck and an ebony board and I used to play really light strings on it and then I had a refret a good and I had it set up by somebody who's really outstanding here in Phoenix Billy and I ended up going to 11 and then I ended up going to 12 cuz I'm playing Blues now and the bigger strings I like the tension anyhow a really good setup to make all the difference in the world of the way guitar feels apparently my other guitar pictured above left corner is going to see him very soon B&G guitars in Phoenix Billy use incredible
Could the stop bar make a difference , depending on how far it screwed in ? I also notice that the stop bar is closer to the bridge saddles on the ' 73 , just an idea that this could make string bending 'stiffer' .
Nice video comparison Johan ... my choice would be 1973. The Norlin era Gibsons often get a lot of flack from the critics but a 1975 Deluxe in blue metal flake that I had (also pancake) and a 1979 Standard in Tobacco SB that I still have (one piece body/maple cap), have been great instruments. From memory my 1975 Deluxe was also a tighter string feel compared to my current 1979 Std yet both always strung with 9-42's
I like the warmthness of the 73,but with the bigger pots of the 10,you get a little more high end if you need it.I'd choose both.
I hardly say that one guitar on the same equipment sounds "better" than another, but this time the Gibson 73 sounded better, but it seems harder to play on it ... I don't know;
it's worth remembering that the pickup from one to the other are different, I mean, one is with a cover and another isn't, that can modify the sound.
I usually like pickups without cover.
The tones I found to be surprisingly close when single-note melodies and riffs were being played. When there was more overdrive, I found the '73 had a little more midrange, especially on the power chords.
Yeah the 73 is fuller understand
I like you and your channel because you only give you don't ask for anyting.
Thanks my friend! I’m glad to hear that.
yeah, there's that kind of people who like to get something for nothing
Vladimir I checked your channel. Nice playing.
@@guitarocd9984 thank you!)
I'm not an expert but I've made a few guitars and have serviced & re-built quite a few and I'm quite confident enough to say that the frets being dressed or not wouldn't make such a drastic difference in the string tension like you're describing. Maybe a tiny amount but nothing like feeling like a different scale length. In fact I think I can see the culprit (or most of it) @ 06:00. To me the headstock angle looks significantly shallower or the original 1973 compared to the reissue. 'It feels like a Fender scale length' This makes sense when you think of it like that because Fender headstocks aren't angled back like Gibsons, so the 73 will have less tension going through the nut, meaning that the tuners are taking most of the tension at the head of the guitar. You didn't show photos of the bridge & stop bar but the angle between the stop bar & bridge will also have an effect on the string tension relative to how the headstock angle does, and even though I can't see it I can guess that that is a bit shallower if anything than the reissue.
I own a 2007 Dean Soltero Les Paul type guitar and Dean took Gibsons headstock design and made this guitar better than the Les Paul. The headstock has less of an angle and the strings go through the nut in a much straighter line, and the strings on that guitar feel a bit tighter than on o my Gibson Les Paul.
What I find remarkable is Gibsons con of their 'historic reissue' guitars when this one is so visibly different to an original 1973 guitar. For a start, the headstocks are angled differently. Also they didn't make the neck with the volute which Les Pauls up until the mid 70s had. If they're going to sell overpriced reissues like this, then they should have the exact same specs as the guitar they're reissuing - in every way. What a con. I didn't even know that Gibson changed the specs of their headstock angle at all until this video. I think they should go back to the shallower angle because as I said earlier, more angle means more tension, and stress, on the nut, and the bridge saddles because there's usually a lot of angle between the stop bar & the bridge too, and that's not good for a reliable instrument. 👍
playing with the height of the stop tail can change the string feel - maybe the early model has the stop tail screwed down to the body more? are headstock angles the same?
70’s Gibson Les Pauls are notorious for a few things - one of them being that the scale length was often longer than the targeted 24.75 inches; the 73 you compared here could very well have a scale length closer to 25 inches, which would absolutely explain the difference in tone and feel
do the guitars have the same style of frets? If the older one has flatter frets, it might explain why it’s more resistant
That’s a good point, no they are similar
I'm going to keep my eye out for a 70s custom. I prefer guitars that have a more rigid feel. Too loose is no good for me haha.
I used to have a 74. Heavy, really heavy. As specially when you are playing all night.
The reissue would have Alnico 2 PAF style pickups vs. the Norlin era with Alnico 5 (sure sounds like A5). Used to have a '70 custom :/ But this is why we should all have 2 LP's because each setup has its own character! This is how I justify my guitar collection anyway! Cheers Johan!
Both didn't sound not too dissimilar. But I'd take it down to one having pickup covers. Reading comments it funny how people pick the '73, considering they have laminated bodies which most Gibson affectionate's despise (laminates coming apart, bindings falling off etc). It must have been one they actually put glue on and clamped for long enough!
BTW That riff you were playing towards the start sounds very similar to an Angels song off one of their early albums. It's a nice chord progression
I have a pancake les Paul custom from early 70s. And can confirm that it feels very stiff and it’s heavy af. Other than that it’s the best guitar sound I heard.
Although the pickups have terrible feedback. I wonder if Johan’s 73 also have feedback.
Hi Aris, I have an early 70's Custom too. I experienced the same feedback problem you're writing about. Then I slightly potted the pickups in a beewax+paraffin mix and the problem was solved. I did not hear any difference tone wise. I recommend doing it ;)
The 73 just sounds sweeter, the only word I could think to describe it. However I feel there is more low end coming out of the r7. Would like to hear them cranked through s stack to see what they sound like screaming. I think the sweetness of the 73 may be over powered by the full bottom end of the r7 I’m hearing. Could you hear more bottom in the room with the r7?
Thanks Johan this was a good video I enjoyed it a lot
THANK YOU for doing this through a Twin. Sometimes, it's hard to hear the differences when the amp is all gained up. "They all sound the same through a Marshall. . ." 😂
Can you test SG with strat single-coil pickups? I test that before and it was not that bad. Just remove humbucker and put single-coil in . Could be interesting to see that :)
The vibrolux is wonderful sounding. Wait what's that pedal?
Tuner
I have an original 1973 custom Gibson les Paul , it’s amazing, I’d never waste my money on a reissue, the 2010 sounds like a toneless plank of wood compared to the 1973
I can believe it. My ‘79 was a beast compared to all of my 90’s and modern Gibson’s. People sure do like to trash talk the Norlin era ones though.
It’s a very subtle difference between the two. All I really noticed was that the 73 sounded a little fatter in the lows. I’d go with the vintage one personally, if just for how cool it looks and the worn-in feel, but in terms of sound it’s really splitting hairs!
Thanks AD!
Hi Johan! Awesome playing. Which guitar picks do you use?
Thanks! I used to play the green Dunlop’s until recently, now I play purple 1.14 mm Dunlop’s
i have an 88 custom lite which is amazing. It feels like a custom shop jackson. I also have a 2017 custom which is amazing too. Ive had a few 70s inc an artisan but i cant get on with the low frets.
I am looking for a 70s custom thats been refretted with jumbos at the right price. I think one reason why the 70s seem to have high string tension is 1 the low frets which create drag when bending 2 they often have a deeper neck angle, especially the 3 pickup ones.
I think the reason the 73 is harder to bend the strings might be the tuning pegs. But it shouldn't make much difference because the headstock angle on the 73 is 14 degrees where the 57 style is 17 degrees.
The neck tenon is the factor feom what i have heard- the 57 historic and originals have a short tenon while the 70s have a longer tenon.
That’s a set up thing. The loose vs taught strings. The string tension just needs to be adjusted by loosening the stop bar posts.
I’m afraid you’ll have to elaborate on that one
Hi Johan. Sorry about my question, but do you have a shop? I would like to check the gear! Cheers!
Love the Gothenburg accent ! By the way my 74 anniversary feels quite loose to play. But it is top wound so.....?
What do you mean by ''top wound'' ?
The 1973 Les Paul would be my dream guitar because I was born in 1973 and the Les Paul has always been my favorite I would love to find a left-handed 1973 Gibson Les Paul
Really not a fan of the Burstbucker pickups , well #1 and #2 , have not tried the BB3 ... Just not enough grunt for me
I notice the headstock pitch is different on these also... Wonder if that has something to do with the "tight/loose" feel between the two?
Slinkier string feel on two guitars of the same model with the same string brand and gauges could be due to string action and fret height.
I think the difference you feel in ease of bending has to do with the thickness of the neck. I have 2 Gibson scale guitars with similar action, and the thinner necked one feels easier to bend. I can also play longer with less fatigue on the thinner neck.
I known it's a minuscule difference, but could it be the shorter moment arm created between your thumb and fingers? Simple (body) mechanics?
It seems the intonation-sadles on the 73 are further back than on the R7, could that affect the feel? I've definitely had similiar experience with guitars feeling different tension wise even though they are set up the same.
Don’t think that small scale difference makes that much of a difference, but I’m not sure
I have found that smaller fret size can make a guitar feel tighter or feel like it has a longer scale length. Harder to bend etc. I have also found that a thinner neck feels slightly harder to bend and maybe tighter as well. Although this could all be in my head I do think there might be some truth to it. Does the 73 have smaller frets than the historic? Looks like a thinner neck.
the 1973 does sound massive on its own because of the older wood, but due to the less headstock angle (and perhaps the pickups and the Nashville bridge) the 1973 lacks the more useful midrange that the Historic has. that's why I've chosen a Historic for myself. at 8:04, the Historic sounds like the string action is too low, or the neck bow hasn't been adjusted. superb review nevertheless, thanks Johan!
Thanks! Yeah the action of the 2010 is indeed a bit low
I'd guess the reason the '73 strings feel like they have more tension is because the nut looks smaller. You're taking a wide spacing at the bridge and then bunching them up at the nut before splaying them back out to the tuning keys. The outer strings are effectively being bent in.
Interesting, I’m gonna measure
I had two historics, and several new customs from 1991 through 2000s. I'll take the early 70 LPs any day of the week
Awesome!! Does the 2010 have 300k or 500k pots? I’m digging the 73.✌🏻❤️