You may only keep one guitar...

[Ross6860]

So which one would stay if you could only keep one?

I'll start - My 2001 Les Paul Standard in Heritage Cherry Sunburst.

This was my definitive "bucket list" guitar, in this color. In addition to that, it's one of the last standards that still had a one-piece mahogany back before they went to two-piece backs.

The neck is thick, but not a baseball bat. It's heavy as hell and I don't care.

Of course there's a story. This was posted on Ebay with only one photo, and it wasn't a very good photo. The seller had less than 50 transactions and none of them music related. Claimed it was "near mint". The starting price was very good. I took a real chance and bought it (I was the only bid because of the photo and seller history). He didn't lie. It looked nearly unplayed.

I was 50 years old before I could spring for the bucks for a guitar like this.

I play it the same as my plywood Kramer. Poorly

 

[Jimerson]

My '62 Tele, desert sand finish, (some finish left, haha). My mom got it for me used for my 13th birthday in 1970, maybe a 100 bucks or so. At that time everyone wanted a Les Paul. My friends called me Buck (Owens) or Twangerson, due to it's C/W looks and sound. Didn't even have a case for it for 10 tears or so. I've owned a couple dozen guitars in the last 45 years, but will never sell the old beater. Now I mostly play an old G&L Asat or early sixties Franken-strat.

 

[Yamaki]

I'd have to say I'd keep the rescue Yamaki F-115. It's the one in the middle, between the 00 Martin on the left and the Ovation on the right.

 

[Farmhand]

I'm still happy with my bought-used Martin DXM. Everybody wants to play it and I don't have to worry about humidity or anything.

 

[Northwinds]

I have had a zillion Gibson Les Paul's, Explorer's and Flying V's (as well as several USA BC Rich's, USA Charvels/Jacksons and US Dean's) but all I have now is my '76 Gibson Explorer. I have been thinking of another Les Paul but I would not buy one unless it was 1991 or before

 

[Ross6860]

I have had a zillion Ginson Les Paul's, Explorer's and Flying V's (as well as several USA BC Rich's, USA Charvels/Jacksons and US Dean's) but all I have now is my '76 Gibson Explorer. I have been thinking of another Les Paul but I would not buy one unless it was 1991 or before

Curious, why 1991? Relief holes?

I wouldn't have a Norlin era LP if you gave me one. Well, I would take it and then sell it

My cutoff for the "regular" overpriced Les Pauls is around 2002 or so, when they went to multi-piece bodies.

Of course you can buy a new one-piece LP, for like $5000.

I always said I didn't want a chambered Les Paul, until I got one. I got a sweet deal on a 2011 50's RI Gold Top with P-90s, and a broken headstock. It's chambered, and man is it sweet. Contrary to my likes, it is a two-piece back. I offered $300 and got it (I had to do the repair).

Over the last six years the repair has become quite noticeable by eye, buy barely able to be felt. Lucky it broke above the nut, and was an easy repair. It wears a poor tung oil finish on the back and neck and the stock satin top. The plate is just a cosmetic joke. It covers the break in the headstock veneer. It's a beater that plays easy and sounds great.

The amp is a 1955 Valco. The only year it came with twin Rola oval speakers. It's pretty rare.

 

[freQ(*)Oddio]

I purchased this new around 94, have learned and been hired to play at least a 1000 songs on it in 23 years. she stays.

 

[Mystic]

One acoustic: ca. 1942 Gibson J-45 "Banner" model
One electric: 1962 Gibson SG Special (nb: Polar White, what's left of it) or 1963 Stratocaster (Oly White, what's left of it)

 

[Ross6860]

One acoustic: ca. 1942 Gibson J-45 "Banner" model
One electric: 1962 Gibson SG Special (nb: Polar White, what's left of it) or 1963 Stratocaster (Oly White, what's left of it)

Those are pretty special guitars...

 

[marqueemoon]

I would be quite happy to turn in everything I own for a good Tele. That would cover everything I really need to do.

 

[AstroZon]

Probably my Strat. It's an '89 E series with an ash body. It has a very playable neck and a wide variety of tone. I have a set of Nico's DeeGee pickups in it (= David Gilmour.) I need to open it up again and install a push/pull switch that will allow me to use the neck and bridge pickups together. I also want to change the pots to Bourns. I put them in a cheapo Yamaha Strat copy that I modded, and I really like them - totally different tone taper than CTS.

 

[john111/LZ]

ancient guild S-100
sg junior
levin goliath
old strat

it would be an intractable problem deciding....

 

[Northwinds]

Curious, why 1991? Relief holes?

I wouldn't have a Norlin era LP if you gave me one. Well, I would take it and then sell it

My cutoff for the "regular" overpriced Les Pauls is around 2002 or so, when they went to multi-piece bodies.

Of course you can buy a new one-piece LP, for like $5000.

I always said I didn't want a chambered Les Paul, until I got one. I got a sweet deal on a 2011 50's RI Gold Top with P-90s, and a broken headstock. It's chambered, and man is it sweet. Contrary to my likes, it is a two-piece back. I offered $300 and got it (I had to do the repair).

Over the last six years the repair has become quite noticeable by eye, buy barely able to be felt. Lucky it broke above the nut, and was an easy repair. It wears a poor tung oil finish on the back and neck and the stock satin top. The plate is just a cosmetic joke. It covers the break in the headstock veneer. It's a beater that plays easy and sounds great.

The amp is a 1955 Valco. The only year it came with twin Rola oval speakers. It's pretty rare.

View attachment 969109 View attachment 969110 View attachment 969111 View attachment 969112

My 1991 Standard was not weight relieved, I want nothing to do with weight relieved Les Paul's as it hurts the sound IMO

I prefer the Norlin's over any other era, sure they were heavy but man they could roar. My 1979 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty weighed just over 14lbs

 

[Northwinds]

This Custom Shop Firebird sucked ass, I had it less then 2 weeks

 

[MannyE]

1927 Gibson L4

 

[cosaxi]

My D-18......no question.

 

[Ross6860]

My 1991 Standard was not weight relieved, I want nothing to do with weight relieved Les Paul's as it hurts the sound IMO

I prefer the Norlin's over any other era, sure they were heavy but man they could roar. My 1979 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty weighed just over 14lbs

Different strokes.

It sure looks like a beautiful specimen.

 

[Ross6860]

1927 Gibson L4

The first Gibson I ever touched was an L5. I was buying an amp and the only guitar the guy owned was an L5.

At the time, I'm sure his guitar was worth more than my car. He's like, "Here, go ahead and try it out", and hands me this piece of functional art to play. I was afraid to hold it. I was wearing a button-front shirt and had a belt buckle on. All I could think of is I'm going to scratch this thing and this guy is going to kill me.

He was a pretty cool dude. A jazz player who found his "Holy Grail" amp (a Roland JC if I remember), and was selling what he had. I bought the amp, a near mint Peavey Delta Blues.

 

[BushmasterM4]

My keeper would be my red 80's Fender Lead 1. Have 15 to choose from (Gibson, Fender, G&L, Heartfield, Carvin) and many of those cost 5 times the cost of the vintage Fender Lead 1. But it is just so comfortable and plays and sounds great. Second would be the Gibson Corvus II.

 

[Mystic]

My keeper would be my red 80's Fender Lead 1. Have 15 to choose from (Gibson, Fender, G&L, Heartfield, Carvin) and many of those cost 5 times the cost of the vintage Fender Lead 1. But it is just so comfortable and plays and sounds great. Second would be the Gibson Corvus II.

I once owned a Lead 1 and was pretty happy with it as a player. Eneded up selling (more likely throwing into a trade deal) it in the mid 1990s but recall it sounding really nice into a '54 Fender Deluxe.