My Problem With Les Pauls 🎸Maybach Lester '58 Aged Cherry Lane Review

[@alexbaxter8291]

This is why we love The Guitaristas. Whatever anyone says, when money/product enters the game, the review is going to weighted in one direction and one direction only. Thanks for this Colin.

[@postoffice146]

Getting special discount price also affects the reviewer reviewing it.

[@ryanevans371]

​@@postoffice146So if my local shop gives me a hundred bucks off list just by haggling a little at the counter, and I tell you it's a great guitar, you can't trust that opinion? That's just bizarre.

[@postoffice146]

@@ryanevans371 If the manufacturer gives you a discount, it's the same as if he pays you money for reviewing it.

[@ryanevans371]

​@@postoffice146Cool. But the manufacturer didn't. The shop did.

[@postoffice146]

@@ryanevans371 Ok. I watched it again. It was the shop, not the manufacturer. He said he had it for months to review it before he decided to buy it and was offered a discount. I thought it was the manufacturer.

[@rickenglish8038]

I love your channel. It actually relaxes me.

[@Lomoholga2]

Agreed

[@ApeLikeCreature]

Bingo. Could not agree more.

[@Lomoholga2]

One minute in and I’m sold on this guy. He’s not doing yet another thinly veiled KZbin infomercial like 99% of the gear channels.

[@laurifinlandia]

this channel should be called "zen and the art of guitar critique", that's how wonderfully relaxing and simultaneously informative and entertaining your videos are. thank your for your content. 🙏🏻

[@theguitaristas]

😆🙏

[@ChrisPalmer-tv5ot]

Hi Colin, finding these LP reviews very compelling because I recently bought a Sire Larry Carlton L7 with soapbox P90’s. Caveat I’m not a great player and this was the first time I bought a guitar that was shipped to me without me ever playing it but there are a lot of great reviews out there. My experience was fantastic for $650 (dollars - I’m an old Brit living in US) the guitar blew me away… incredible quality for the price… beautiful look, neck, binding, and perfect setup. The controls are flawless in terms of feel and to my ears… and it sounds awesome to my ears… btw I play I completely clean through a small Marshall class 5 valve amp. I could never justify Maybach or Heritage money on a guitar but I can honestly say my experience with that Sie has been awesome… so much fun to play and incredible value. Anyway… thanks again for your brilliant reviews and I look forward to your conclusions on this LP series. Cheers!

[@WyldMusik]

I got my hands on one of the newer Standard '50s Pauls a few years back, for a long time I considered selling it on because I didn't care for the tone of it, it was always too muddy for my liking, no good if you like a touch of twang much as I do. As a last ditch effort I tried the '50s wiring mod on it, figured it costs nothing to do if you've got a soldering iron, and easily reversed. My expectations were low, I mean how much difference can switching the contact points between the pots and the caps make? My jaw nearly hit the floor and suddenly it was like the voice of an angel! I'm committed to it now, even screwed a Bigsby on it.

[@guitarsnstuff93422]

Been playng The Heritage H 150. I never need anything else. Thats a beauty.

[@jasonswitzer1748]

I just picked up a Heritage H-150 Custom Core. It’s an amazing guitar (it should be for the money). The only thing that I think a guitar like a Gibson Custom Shop has in it are Custombuckers. As for this Maybach… I can’t comment because I’ve never actually played one (or seen one here in the U.S.). But for the price, I’d be looking at some used Gibson Les Paul Standards (or a Heritage H-150 Standard… but I’m from Michigan, so I’m biased).

[@thepostapocalyptictrio4762]

My favorite local shop is a Heritage dealer. They were nice when I played them.

[@dragan4658]

Being realistic and giving your honest professional opinion is doing everything right Colin. This is part of all the reasons that we follow your channel with a passion! Thank you for this.

[@TLDT]

Thank you once again, Colin. Your demo was beautiful and almost brought me to tears. The icing on the cake was at 23:10 how much you seemed to be enjoying the play. Thank you very much for creating this channel.

[@theguitaristas]

😊🙏

[@corcalk]

I owe a Lester '58. Does have audio 500 pots for Tone and linear 500 pots for volume. However, originally also modern wiring with 47 nF caps (which is awkward for a 58' ). I changed that to 50s wiring with 22 nF cap. Now it works. Like this guitar more than my Gibson Les Paul custom shop!

[@deanmccaskill5495]

I’d love to try one. Just bought an R8 last week actually. I love it. I wonder. I have an R9 and (gawd) about 7 Gibson USA LPs. The finish on the custom shops feels different somehow. Is that just my imagination?

[@flashtuinmanman]

Every guitar I’ve ever bought had strings attached 😎

[@theguitaristas]

😆👌

[@Kdschaak]

LOL! Take my upvote and go play your damn guitar. :)

[@carlcarl6032]

@@theguitaristas Try a U.S. ESP Eclipse, an older Japanese Standard Eclipse, or a Japanese Eii Eclipse. Great guitars.

[@Guitar_Fella]

Yeah, but that's nothing to fret about!

[@gramcameron4469]

Me too , but i had to tune the damn thing ...

[@vincenzoerriquenz2356]

In my humble opinion the problem you have with these " single cut models"( so to speak) is mainly related to the type of wiring they are fitted with, the sound that you describe and look for Is strictly connected with the 50' s vintage wiring that Gibson employed, with the hot signal going from the two volumes coupled to the tones, creating a highly Dynamic, responsive and interactive tone from the two pickups, I suspect from the dark, muffled sounds i heard with the pots slightly turned down that this guitar is fitted with a modern wiring( the hot signal going indipendently from the two tones to the two volumes) , it would be worth a try to tweak the wiring to have a whole different guitar in terms of tones, cheers.

[@lloyddinkel9638]

Hello I'm from Kansas and I love your honesty on your reviews. Thank you for doing your show.

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

What a lovely guitar Colin. That is everything you need if you are looking for a Gibson LP style guitar this is all you need without the extra logo hefty price tag. Looks and sounds amazing.

[@hughwilson4911]

I think you hit the nail on the head with the "needs to be cranked" comment Colin. Chris Buck makes some fabulous noises come out of Les Pauls but his attacking style maybe suits them better? The shonky controls aside, that all sounded pretty good to me and I could (and do) spend ages listening to you playing. Even got a looper coming this weekend so I can get more into making some music instead of just playing around. Thanks Colin, we all really appreciate what you do, keep it up chum.

[@MScott-tw9ds]

I’ve got a Maybach Lester 59 and totally agree… the wiring is shoddy and lets down what’s otherwise a fantastic guitar, was wondering if I’d just got a bad one but this is reassuring (in a way!). Mine is in with the Tech for a new wiring loom to be fitted currently. Thanks Colin, please get the pickguard back on there though ;)

[@TheFairway8]

I’ve honestly had no such issues with my Maybach Lester the knobs have a decent resistance and are very very responsive. I’ve had mine for about three or four years I’m not sure if it’s an earlier model maybe later quality control needs to be upped a bit

[@thefaze2908]

Totally honest review as always Colin regardless of price or make, brilliant. That guitar sound we have in our heads is sometimes elusive to find and I guess that is why us guitarists spend so much time and money on different guitars, amps & effects, believing that different kit is going to give us THE sound that we're searching for. Sometimes it does and maybe we should stop searching there & then, but the search never seems to end. I started off many moons ago with a Hondo II Les Paul and loved it, I thought the sound was amazing at the time but soon realised the desire to find a better guitar and sound had only just begun. Since then I have owned and played all sorts of guitars and just enjoyed them for what they are. (A recent surprise was the Vintage V100AFD, for a budget Les Paul guitar it sounds simply phenomenal, they've been around for a while but you might want to check one out). Cheers Andy.

[@francischang]

I definitely appreciate that you buy all your gear and don't receive sponsorship or review free or loaner gear, just like the rest of us people. You should consider making this a bigger part of your brand, it's the thing that makes you the most different from all the other guitar reviewers & shills on KZbin.

[@Chimp_No_1]

Absolutely true !

[@joeymcmanus448]

Honesty and Good morals hardly exists in the real world let alone on the internet, thanks for that and is why i love this channel. I didn't like the sound of it at all, an epiphone for a 3rd of the price would be good enough for me. Loved the video and excited to see the comparison videos. Cheers

[@trevorclarey3336]

Just a little thing I found out about the control knobs on a Les Paul , With the toggle switch in middle position all knobs on 10 just back of the neck volume to about 81/2 , or 9 & listen to the change in tone , great review cheers .

[@thecaveofthedead]

I'm a big Les Paul fan. I enjoy other guitars but I love playing a Les Paul more than anything. So I'll comment from that perspective. Ergonomically LPs are a disaster. I think any honest person knows that. Fat. No upper fret access. Unhinged control layout. To those that love them, that just doesn't matter. They feel amazing on the strap and in your hands (barring a proper boat anchor - I have one and it's just a pain). So the sound... I don't get the appeal of a Les Paul with non PAF types or P90s. Some people like Randy Rhoads did amazing stuff with '70s pickups when really cranked up. But in general you want that very toppy, bitey sound of the '50s humbuckers or the P90s. Both those kinds of pickups sound very good clean and absolutely amazing with drive. You talk about Greeny. That guitar is toppy as hell (listen to the live vid of Oh Well). And PG used to work those volume knobs all night and it sounded like a choir of angels clean and like a spicy devil when he turned up - on cranked Fenders most of the time. You need that kind of pickup. A warm pickup in an LP just doesn't sound good clean - you get that under the duvet sound. And yes. You need '50s wiring or you keep the volumes at 100%. I don't believe anyone wants their highs to drop off as they roll back the volumes. When it comes to this guitar... it's obviously beautifully made. But what I don't get when the price is approaching that of the lowest premium Tokais (I have that plaintop premium Tokai and it is utterly fantastic) is why there are so many unnecessary non-50s features like a Nashville bridge, a three screw truss rod cover, a two piece back? You can get an entry level MIJ Tokai for presumably still less that's got more vintage features than this or an LP standard (one of the big reasons to not go big G about from build quality and price is getting '50s features without having to go custom shop). Oh. I thought the money might be for a flame maple top, but I could see no sign of the flame going down the sides of the pickup cavity so I assume it's veneer - correct me if I'm wrong. Look, for some reason basically no one puts in '50s wiring. I have no idea why. It seems only custom shop historic Gibsons and ESP Navigators have it standard. And Maybach, Gibson, or Tokai - if you want that PAF sound you're almost certainly going to have to buy PAF copies from one of dozens of companies that do it really well. It seems only the guitar companies haven't learned the secret at this stage. I'm not trying to convince you to love Les Pauls though. I think you do or you don't. SGs famously have their own ergonomic problems and a lot of them sound pretty mid-rangey - which I think might be due to more vibration going through such a very thin body (although some do sound the same as Les Pauls, Vs, and Explorers). If you ask me what the perfect guitar is ergonomically and soundwise for a double humbucker vintage design (and I know you aren't but since I'm writing a whole essay...) - that's your 335. Rational control layout (toggle by the knobs where it should be), massive upper fret access. But no neck dive. Not too thin. Comfortable as hell standing or playing on the couch.

[@wlkalong]

I completely agree on the Tokai -especially their nitro finished guitars. I don't think there is a better value on the market and the quality of Japanese made instruments is as good as it gets. I had a three Epiphone Elistists (2 made in the FGN factory and one in the Terada) and they were all immaculate. I also had an Alverez Yairi, basically a custom shop guitar for 1/2 the price and it was astounding. I was forced to sell my collection and will replace the LP and get another Yairi in the next year. I miss my Tak Matsumoto LP and my Yairi every day.

[@Les537]

No way. The LP control layout is perfect. The worst layout belongs to stratocasters with all the knobs, switch and bar getting in the way of your picking hand because of the fact that they put the sideways jack on the body forcing the controls forward into your way. To each their own, but I LOVE LP/SG gibson controls.

[@chrisforever1255]

@@Les537 100% agree! One reason I never get familiar with Strats!

[@johncollins5552]

​@@Les537Love how Jimi played his Strat , upside down and yes I have seen other live videos of him playing other guitars including Gibsons but no LP😂 Still sounded like Jimi though.

[@jw_au]

Love your vids mate… I come for the honesty and stream of consciousness rambling, I dig it

[@lisaferrara8120]

OoooOooHhhhh, can’t wait for the Heritage review. Nice playing, Colin.

[@mattpygmy2167]

Hooray! The Henrys are back! 😅 Like many have said before me, truly love your channel Collin. It is unique amongst the KZbin community, so so chill. Thank you!

[@theguitaristas]

😁👍👍

[@corcalk]

What I forgot; mine does not have the wobbly pots with the pin sticking out, they are not suitable for guitar pots. It puzzles me why Maybach does not perform better here seen the quality build of the rest. Also, in my opinion, fantastic pickups.

[@davidhamilton7780]

Fork deep in LPs... for a guy who claims that he is not a fan, that is a brave performance :) I love the look of the Maybach, and it does sound good... hard to assess the controls from here. Thanks man, have a great weekend.

[@aduralkain]

I love Les Pauls. My nº 1 guitar is my Gibson LP Standard 50s. I bought this same model, Maybach Lester Cherry Lane 58 Aged, from Estudio 54 (wonderful online store and service, I totally recommend!). I've seen online so many rave reviews of this Maybach Lester model, saying it is better than a Gibson Custom, etc, that I thought I had to try it. The guitar looked fantastic and was light for a LP (3,75 kg), but I was underwhelmed by the feel and sound. I sent it back. I definitely prefer my Gibson 50s. I think Gibson guitars are simply amazing, in spite of all the hate they get because of pricing, litigations, or whatever. After I sent back this Maybach I bought a Gibson SG Standard '61, and I'm in love! It's definitely easier to play than my LP. I have been playing it non-stop since it arrived. Looks like it's becoming my new nº1....

[@USWNTfan101]

Great video. I started playing guitar with an Epiphone studio LP and it was good for the price. Served its purpose. But sold it and didn’t have an LP in the collection until this week. I tried out a Heritage standard H-150 in a local shop and couldn’t stop thinking about it. Finally decided to pull the trigger and got it Tuesday. I haven’t been able to put it down. I have never been this obsessed with a guitar. Would love for you to review a Heritage at some point. (Edit: Should have watched the last bit! Excited to see that Heritage review.)

[@spdaltid]

Geez Colin, I was holding my breath on the intro. However, as it turns out, I think we're both a bit too old school - I'd have had to buy the guitar as well. Thanks for keeping the faith.

[@algorithm007ify]

Please check out a Heritage custom core artisan aged..about the same price with "custom shop" specs. :)

[@Darth.Shredder]

Another excellent review that once again highlights your integrity (re: free guitars/paid promos). My favorite line... "A wonderful piece of furniture"... what a great quote! That's what I think about PRS guitars (I owned many since the late 1980's but have no desire now or ever again). As a longtime Les Paul player who knows the struggles, I'd recommend playing them in the classical seated position. Once I started playing V's regularly I got used to playing just about everything in that position. It works wonders with upper fret access and picking technique once you get comfortable with it (at least it did for me). Looking forward to the Heritage review.

[@frankcarter6427]

the sun's finally shining- here comes the summer!!

[@derekclacton]

Looks a beauty but my Epi LP controls work much better, tbh. Great review, as always, Colin 👍 PS pick guard off - of course! 😉

[@McRocking]

@ 3:42 - It arrive next-day with no strings attached, so how were you supposed to check it out when it had no strings?! 🤗

[@RRW276]

Yeah I see what you did there 😉🫰

[@McRocking]

@@RRW276 hehe

[@garypannone7755]

Great review. Nice sounding guitar. But tough decision when a Gibson is just a bit more money. And the SG is so much more comfortable. I think you are right the Les Paul always seems to be slipping away from me when playing. But I like there sound. I like what you said in the beginning, I believe people that get free guitars or payed for a review or both free guitar and paid for a review are swayed. I watched a review and heard something out of one particular you tuber's mouth that does reviews that turned me right off. Someone sent him something to review without telling him they were sending it. He said he usually gets $600.00 for a review like that. Gave it a bad review nothing but bad things to say about the product and company that made it with very little review about 3 Min. of review and said he sent the product back . I love your channel and honesty.

[@jfiery]

Your 1st few sentences summed up my feelings in a fraction of the words. Well done.

[@ChristianParschau]

Hey Col, you know I love your channel. The only thing I am missing is you playing some Punk/Clash tunes ;-)

[@poodleguiderpeyes7388]

Maybach is a brand that I wasn't aware of. Looks like a nice LP. I always enjoy your reviews.

[@johnsolie8683]

Another entertaining video, thanks Colin. Its interesting that you said it felt like you were fighting the guitar. I watched an interview a couple of weeks ago that Warren Haynes did with Rick Beato. He was talking about his guitars, and specifically about LP's, and he mentioned that he enjoyed the feeling of having to fight it. So yeah, that must be a thing.

[@walterppk1989]

I own a Lester 60s slim taper and it's the best guitar I've ever played, better than competing Gibson cs LPS that were 4x the price (eg more resonant).

[@florisvanlingen]

Same mine just looked, felt and sounded better than any 3.000 euro Gibson or 2.500 Eastman

[@TheFairway8]

I’ve owned a Maybach Lester Honeyburst for a few years absolutely love it ,the vibe is first class the build quality and the subtle ageing. The real ace in the hand are the German hand wired Amber pickups so very good. I have a mate who actually owns a custom built Gibson Les Paul he was a bit loathed to admit the Maybach is very close in many respects especially the feel of the pickups. I’ve always said The Maybach is Gibson Custom quality but for Standard prices. I have to admit the knobs on my Maybach are first class with proper resistance and fully responsive If the G on the headstock is not the be all and end all then The Maybach is a really really fine guitar for the money A really great review.

[@charlesflint9048]

I don’t have a Les Paul, but I do have an SG, Tele and a PRS etc. Just now, I was listening to my washing machine end its cycle, and it’s amazing what inspiration you can get from the rhythms of modern appliances.

[@martinclayton7260]

After being a Les Paul player for many years, I now play mainly Fender's, I have a bad back, and I just love how my Strat's, Tele's, and Jaguar's sound. But I also love playing my SG.

[@TheFairway8]

I’ve owned a Maybach Lester Honeyburst for a few years absolutely love it ,the vibe is first class the build quality and the subtle ageing. The real ace in the hand are the German hand wired Amber pickups so very good. I have a mate who actually owns a custom built Gibson Les Paul he was a bit loathed to admit the Maybach is very close in many respects especially the feel of the pickups. I’ve always said The Maybach is Gibson Custom quality but for Standard prices. A really great review.

[@SubutaiTuul]

the Finish on that Heritage was absolutely gorgeous holy wow, shame about the Lesters control pods.. i honestly expected they would be great, especially when everything about them looks so good. great review as always i look forward to the comparisons

[@danmc_2783]

I'd be swapping the tone pots and caps out and wiring it up "50s style" but for sure, you shouldn't have to do that stuff at such a price point. I mean, it's supposed to be a '58, why the hell isn't at least wired in 50s style? That would at least stop all that top end roll off when turning the volume control down

[@florisvanlingen]

The top end roll of here is actually fine since the pickups are very very very bright.

[@danmc_2783]

@@florisvanlingen If you want to roll off the top end, that's what your tone control is for

[@scaredypicker]

Les Pauls are too heavy, their necks are too thick and their sound is too brash and direct for lots of different kinds of music... But even knowing all this stuff, I still love them! I think I'll always need a singlecut Les Paul guitar in my collection. They have a look like no other guitar, and they also have balls like no other guitar. Pure rock n' roll beast.

[@Aspi-Ration]

Nice review as usual. Your channel is my first suscribe. What a feeling when you play, it is so cool to hear you. By the way i remember the epi gold top review, what a guitar! Maybe you could add it in the lester comparison. Your R4 was sounding good too. Thanks for your channel. Cheers from France

[@royrobles7423]

I absolutely love your show....your playing is very nice as well....as always awesome work...sir...

[@mikepj1025]

Just got the new 1959 Epiphone IBG Custom shop Les Paul with the Custombuckers. It’s EVERYTHING I’ve been looking for in a Les Paul for years. The pickups are everything they are cracked up to be. You have to get your hands on one. It’s different than the 1959 outfit from a couple years ago.

[@JRriffin]

He hit the nail on the head. The classic Les Paul tone is straight into a 50 or100 watt tube amp, cranked up. The purest sample of the LP-Marshall tone was Duane and Dickey of the Allman Brothers. They had the P.A.F. quack tone and everyone was chasing that. As the 70's wore on, high gain and distortion pushed the nuances of tone to the background.

[@carlhungus2521]

I just recently got a gibson 50s les paul standard in honey amber which was breathtaking in pictures but such a let down in person . I opened the case and immediately knew it was getting returned which I hate doing. I returned it for a heritage cherry sunburst which is absolutely stunning and not to far off from that one you're holding.

[@jerryshade4333]

When I heard the price the price of the Maybach that was a deal breaker for me. I don’t own a Gibson because of the price of a Gibson. Call me cheap and I will own being cheap. 😂

[@frankcarter6427]

the older I get (mid 60s) the cheaper I get

[@davva360]

It would have to be a fantastic Gibson LP to lay over $2k for me. Just got a Gibson SG standard for $1299! At that price it makes sense to go Gibson.

[@randalljames1975]

$500-$800 epiphones is where it's at I'm telling ya.

[@mikewatkins3533]

I totally agree my friend. It’s about tone, affordability, how they look and so on. I own two Les Paul Ephiphone customs. The one you reviewed last year in ebony. The other is the Matt Heafy custom in ebony I bought last month. Love both of them. Awesome tutorial and cheers 🍺🍺🍺🍺😎🎸

[@Benjohns89]

@@randalljames1975my 2022 epiphone les Paul custom squashed any desire for a Gibson les Paul. I tried a Gibson les Paul at someone’s house and it felt the same. Doesn’t help that I’m more of an SG guy, I still want a Gibson sg 61

[@misterroboto4557]

Much respect for an honest review. You spent the cash. You have an opinion. I love it.

[@Remsterdam]

Totally agree that a guitar in this pricepoint should make the difference, specially in electronics, hardware and pickups. Taking quality shortcuts you are better off with an upgraded Epiphone IBG range imo. It is a gorgeous guitar tho.. Thanks again for the review and the great content Collin!

[@florisvanlingen]

A maybach lester is worlds appart with that range of Epiphones.

[@guitjammin4710]

Hey Colin, You're on to something. IMO, The Stratocaster and SG are far more comfortable to play, generally weigh less than a Les Paul, and sound great in their own way. However, Les Paul's have the mystique since the 1959/60 is the Holy Grail to collectors, probably due to so many of our guitar heroes having played them on stage where they can really shine at louder volumes. All that said, I own a few of each (Strat's, Tele's, Les Paul's and SG's) and enjoy playing them all. It's all fun and rock and roll games.

[@tbone2451]

Les Paul’s do nothing for me. Overpriced, I’ll take a Stratocaster or a Tele every time. And your reviews are outstanding !

[@daviddalziel884]

I would say the same but a while ago I went to a store which had a couple of Strats I was interested in -an American Original 50s ( no longer available) and an American Standard which had lace sensors replacing the original pickups . Loved the lace sensor one then asked to play a 2021 Les Paul 60s Standard that looked great and the sound was stunning so much so I phoned later in the week about it and it was gone . Had to get something and eventually hot a 2019 Classic which is a beauty. Love my Strats but the Gibson was a great price and couldn’t walk away from it .

[@Mr6767Will]

Not really anymore. Fender prices have got so high for the good stuff it's comparable. I paid $2200 last year for a brand new Gibson Les Paul standard 60's. I was looking into getting a good Strat or telecaster and their about $1800 or more.

[@tp5401]

I don't understand. There are expensive and cheap overpriced and bang for buck stats and les Paul's. I have an Epiphone les Paul custom that is an awesome guitar that's dressed to the 9's. $600 doesn't seem overpriced to me. Then you can go buy a multi thousand dollar strat or tele that may very well be overpriced.

[@Les537]

@@tp5401 Fender wins the mid range buyer cause you can get poly finish mexi strats that say STRAT on the head for cheap. With gibson you have to buy one that says "epiphone" which roughly translates to "i wish this were a gibson". If gibson had 2 brains cells they would sell mexi gibson with poly finish and GIBSON on the head for those mid range buyers and double their market value over night. But what the fuck do I know.

[@pauln6803]

​@@Les537 Well the thing is that the Asians can build you whatever you want. The issue is that due to Western snobbery, nobody wants to pay a higher price for the same care and attention that you would expect - but not necessarily get - with a USA guitar. We still expect Japanese manufacturing to be cheaper, despite very high labour and operating costs in Japan. Fender Mexico works because the Fender USA factory is just across the border, meaning that distribution and other cooperative aspects are handled with relative ease, whereas Gibson has production in Nashville, Tennessee and Bozema, Montana.

[@jeremyschuhmann9671]

Linear tone pots with .047 cap is more often seen on vintage Fender Telecasters and lap steels. The linear pot makes all of the filtering action happen over the bottom quarter turn of the pot, and that along with the larger cap makes it easier to get a wah-wah sound (usually referred to as boo-wah amongst lap-steelers) by playing while simultaneously turning the tone knob with your pinky. I guess it might make sense to have that circuit on your bridge pickup if you’re a country or Western Swing player who wants to be able to play Tele licks on a Les Paul. Makes no sense for the neck pickup though, and most Les Paul players would rather have .022 mfd caps and audio taper tone pots, allowing more subtle tone adjustment.

[@paulketchupwitheverything767]

Out of the LP style guitars I'm lucky enough to own, the one I play the most is a Tanglewood TSB-58. I paid £120 for it, second hand. It needed a little bit of attention, but it plays good. I'd be interested to see how a Gordon Smith Graduate 60 compares with the other Lesters. Perhaps an older one, made in Manchester. it's not the only reason to have one, but I like the position of the pick up selector on LPs. It feels easier to flick the switch during an up-stoke while playing rather than move my hand down to a switch along-side other controls.

[@Alex-ce1ol]

I love the aesthetics and sound of a nice Les Paul, but playing one sitting perched on an awkwardly low sofa bed for a couple of years when I lived in a tiny bedsit left me with lasting nerve issues in my right shoulder. To this day I can't play uncontoured guitars without getting tingling and numbness in my right arm. Same issue with Teles. I have a Tele Deluxe but I had an arm contour added to it. Leo really nailed it with the contours on a Strat.

[@robertthomas2117]

I been wanting a H150 for years, looking forward to it, also TEAM PICKGUARD OFF for life

[@khillsy4489]

Stick with what you love ,SG.

[@anthonyfarmer9797]

I'm so glad you said that about expecting alot from a les paul, I feel the same and also started to think that I may be the one who is wrong, maybe I expected "too much", thanks again for your in depth, honest videos

[@samysaab]

I Have the 72 Edelweiss with a 50ies neck profile and love it. Knobs work perfectly fine - so probably yours were loose? However, i had to readjust the bridge a little as it was way to low on the top strings and bring above 14th fret let the notes die out Party quickly. So, although the Setup was far from perfect, i could easily correct it and now i am very happy with this axe.

[@spy7538]

Spot on my man. I wanted a LP so bad. But when I've played them, I'm just not feeling it. I love them and want to own one but I can't do it. Thank you for your honesty.

[@jordanpratt3821]

Man Gary Moores tone during "dont believe a word" on that album is what I call perfect....perfect.

[@TheFairway8]

I’ve owned a Maybach Lester for about six years and can honestly say the pots are perfect, responsive with a precise feel. Mine might be an older model maybe their quality control needs attention regarding the pots

[@Dragon_rls]

Some headstock binding (like Sire guitars, (non compensated plug) ), would have been nice. But to each their own. I think my collection is complete at this time. I'm just here for the excellent entertainment. Thank you Colin. Rock on.👏🎸

[@Saul_HUDSON]

I love your videos Colin ! Try to swap the pots, put some bumblebee cap with a 50 wiring : it's a game changer ! I've done that.

[@danrunnoft6642]

Can hear the wood breathing through that nitro finish?

[@wlkalong]

I thought your problems with the Les Paul was because you're British, but then I remembered there are many highly skilled British guitarists such as Jimmy Paige, who seems to have no issues. So that can't be it.

[@booster1616]

Totally agree about trying to play classical style. Before i started playing like that i went through a few Les Pauls because they felt so uncomfortable and unbalanced. When i changed to playing classical style everything changed, and now i love playing them. Playing that way means the guitar is more or less in the same position as when you're standing up, so that's also a plus in my book.

[@wlkalong]

@Radar-Crew It was a joke. Should have put a /s after it. So many great British guitarists who play LP's and everything else under the sun.

[@placeholder8671]

Yeah Les Paul himself always played his namesake on the left leg like that, not a bad example to follow!

[@El-Scorcho]

I thought it sounded pretty good, but they did do you dirty on the QC on those controls. Plus, some of those components were cheaped out on. Les Pauls and Jazzmasters are my two favorite guitars! I can't get enough of your content on these two models, I would LOVE to see that Heritage next!

[@hankinho175]

I just came to a similar conclusion this week: I am selling my one and only LP-style (my Epiphone Les Paul modern). I just got a standard Epiphone Flying V (same model you made a video about) on a great deal from reverb. I changed the pickguard and put a short maestro vibrola on it, so it has more of a 67' V vibe. The V has the same Pickups that my Epiphone Les Paul modern used to have. I remember not liking the sound of those on my LP, so I changed them to Gibson 57 (N) and 57 plus (B). But honestly... if I now compare the sound of my V (with the stock Epiphone Pickups) to my LP... they sound really close, if not even the V sounding a bit better. Left me quit surprised, actually (important to note is that the positions of both pickups change to about 1cm closer to the middle, when you go from a 58'V style body mounting to the 67'V style Pickguard mounting). I always thought that you got to have a LP-style guitar, but buying that V showed me, that there's nothing really that special to a LP. Don't get me wrong, they sound good, but to me there's just nothing exciting about them.

[@Matt_Barkley]

I think Les Pauls tend to suffer more than other types from what I call unicorn disease. You really have to look through them and play a bunch of them to find one that's really good. Maybe it's just me? I don't know.

[@atonofspiders]

Or maybe the greats really did work hard to pull great sounds out of it and we dismiss that as a collective. I heard a story where Jimmy Page's tech said something yo the effect of "when I play it I sound terrible, but he plays it and led zeppelin happens

[@Matt_Barkley]

@@atonofspiders Some really do sound better than others. That's not limited to just les pauls. You can find a lot of great guitarists with stories about how they found an amazing guitar after trying dozens or more of the same model. You've never played multiple guitars of the same make and found one to just be better than the others?

[@LfunkeyA]

i agree. they're more sensitive to 'finding the one that clicks with you'. but its a great model imo.

[@Matt_Barkley]

@@LfunkeyA They are my 2nd favorite after SG's. I'm still searching for my "perfect" LP, hopefully I find it some day.

[@FuzzWoof]

After working for a big Gibson dealer in the past and playing hundreds of Les Pauls, I have come to the conclusion that they are simultaneously the best and worst guitars in existence. The best ones are some of the best guitars you will ever play, but you really have to dig through an ocean of average and a big pile of awful to find them. Even worse, it doesn't scale with the price, I've played awful Custom Shop Gibsons and incredible Studios. Definitely not guitars to be bought unseen over the internet.

[@activese]

Hi again Colin, It looks amazing indeed, but you nailed it: "It looks great, what a wonderful piece of furniture this guitar is", such a proper well appointed phrase, to describe so many LPs. Not a paid shill, my deep respect and appreciation for your posture. Cheers.

[@RabonVincent-n3u]

I do not want a pre-aged guitar when half the fun is aging the guitar in your own hands until you know it intimately. Even Gibson is making it hard to find non-VOS, unaged R9s without putting in a custom order. Searched for a while and lucked into a great one that sounds great and weighs 8 lbs.-0.0 oz. - spectacular guitar and I'll age it myself, thank you very much. Maybachs look and sound awesome and when they make an unaged Lester 59, I'll find a good one; just like I did with my Eastmans (yes, unaged SB59 and SB57), my R9, my LP Studio and LP Standard.

[@YOUTUBEOBWAYJACOBGASTON0800]

The,intro,jam,is amazing😊😊😊😊

[@theguitaristas]

😊🙏

[@timparker4228]

I appreciate how you use the same rig for all your videos, but outside of filming, have you given the Les Pauls a good trek through the Marshalls to see if you connect with them a bit more? Cheers Colin, have a nice weekend.

[@mortonwilson795]

Great overview (as always) but not sure 'okay' warrants 2,000 quid, or 1,600 for that matter. It seems like it's one of those 'okay if everything is on 10' guitars . . . not a lot of 'play' there and the loss of tops on the neck is a bit sad. Shame this one and the 54 both suffer a bit with the controls. I'd take an Eastman over this any day TBH - looking forward to a back to back with your other single cuts, nice to see the H150 make an appearance, and let's see which one emerges as top of the heap! Cheers. 😅

[@florisvanlingen]

I'd say the Eastman SB59v is comparable to the Maybach, but not better per se. Depends on what you look for. The Maybach's pickups are very bright and wooly whilst the eastmans has more output and less bass. The finish of the eastman was too sticky for my taste.

[@soapboxearth2]

For me, the recipe for a great les paul setup is : Low output PAFs with the neck pickup lowered below the pickup ring. Wired 50s style with .o1uf in the neck and. 02uf cap in the bridge. 550k pots. No muddy neck tones unless you roll off the tone pot. True tele on steroids setup. I also really like the taper of VIpots even though they're severely overpriced. They're supposed to have the exact 50s centralab burst taper. I bought a set of brandonwound 59s with a4 magnets. I'm very very happy

[@albert2395]

Pick guard on! As it's a bit of a babe! Don't want to scratch it too much.😊

[@RNC_GSP_1969]

Colin, to be honest, Maybach has a nice platform there but they went cheap on the electronics. Which, in my opinion, is not what they should have done for a guitar in the $2K + range. I have found that it all comes down to the pickups and electronics. You could purchase a cheaper Epiphone, change out the all of the electronics and pick-ups and have abetter sounding guitar than a $2500 LP Standard for half the price. However, to each is his own. It really about what you like and what feels good to you. I think everyone should like what the play and play what they like. Keep up the good work, love the channel. Cheers!

[@jasonswitzer1748]

What kind of crazy Heritage is that?! The stoptail and bridge don’t look like anything I’ve seen in any guitars they currently sell (unless I missed it). Looking forward to that review!

[@theguitaristas]

It’s an early one from 1995… has Schaller hardware 👍

[@dannoall8427]

That guitar sounds terrific, and it really makes a player out of you, man. Either it's the guitar or you've been practicing furiously lately. Both sounded great! As mentioned in another comment, '50's wiring would make all the difference in the tone 'drop' when the volume is rolled off. Maybe something for a modification video in the future. It's a relatively simple modification, and I've found it is an absolute necessity, for me. Get out your soldering gun, Colin!

[@buzzstankos8532]

I am loving your admission about “Lesters” not really what we expect with a complete wall of SG’s behind you. I think we all know that you are an SG guy…We all want to love a Les Paul - but it never happens does it?

[@standingbadger]

So the Maybach turned out to be only a Maybe. Any plans to upgrade the loom to 50's spec? Really looking forward to the Heritage review!

[@AndrewAHayes]

I would like to see some company do an LP copy with a sensible headstock, maybe flying V style, something with straight strings and not so much of a break angle, I realise the Mayback has less of an angle to the headstock but it still has the D and G string issues. I have a String Butler fitted to one of my Les Paul Studio's and it solved the issue! I had tried all the fixes on YT and although they helped a little they never fully solved them going out of tune.

[@uwedasler425]

I did shoot this one out in a store against the Eastman SB59/v and the Gibson 50s Standard. The Gibson came in dead last (terrible frets, poor binding work, at least 2 Pounds heavier than the other two, muddy pickups without proper string separation and a pretty uncomfortable bridge). Neither the Maybach nor the Eastman had any of those flaws, but in the end I clearly decided for the Eastman (which is a little more expensive in the varnished version). Reasons: - One piece body and neck - Lightest guitar of the three (the Maybach was only slightly heavier) - Ebony fretboard - Proper wiring and pots (e.g. identical friction, pickups usable at settings below 10) - Varnish finish far less sticky than the other two - No effing pickguards or poker chips (and yes, that is a feature!) - While the Amber pickups in the Maybach are some of the best PAF replicas available, they are still PAFs and do reduce the amount of contexts especially the neck pickup can be used in. The Lollar Imperials in the Eastman have far more clarity, but can also sound PAF-like when rolling back the tone. At least I prefer them, and obviously the quality difference with Gibson's garbage Mudbuckers goes through the roof. What did speak for the Maybach was the case (the Eastman case is perfect, it is just not as flashy). Both cases are worlds above Gibson's contemporary plasticky Lifton replicas you are getting when not buying at least a Custom Shop model.

[@florisvanlingen]

I had a simmilar experience. For me the 3.300 euro Gibson came in last. Poor setup, lots of imperfections an fairly heavy. I already have a Gibson so I don't care to buy for the B Brand anymore. The eastman's antique varnish was extremely sticky. After playing it for a minute it felt like if I dipped my hands in syrup. The neckshape on the Eastman was a bit more to my prefference but I liked the Maybach best. The eastman visually has some negatives imo like the headstock shape. The Maybach has THE PAF sound, but I like something with a bit more output so I knew I was going to replace the pickups.

[@spilnerdoa5006]

Thoroughly enjoy the content, Colin! Always looking forward to your next vid. Thank you!

[@jeffberg8015]

Hi Colin, To my ears anyway Les Pauls seem to have a purer 'Hi-Fi' tone, without as much coloration from resonance compared to most other guitar types. I wonder if maybe their heavy solid bodies dampen resonance going to the pickups compared to other guitars. Also, A lot of people like the tone from their amps best when fully cranked to add crunch from the power tube side of the amp to augment the preamp gain. Maybe Les Pauls need that added distortion from a cranked amp to add funkiness to their tone. Anyway, this post is what happens when someone has too much time to wonder about why things are the way they are. Thanks as always for the video and looking forward to the next one.

[@strate63tele]

I think you might be partially right about cranking a Les Paul, but it is apparent that you're more comfortable with SGs. I think, though, the problem with the pots hides the fact that the pickups on the guitar were actually pretty good, as I have heard Amber pickups before, and they're also rather expensive. If you can find one, you should try an American made Hamer Studio Custom, which essentially is a double cutaway Les Paul.

[@Kevin.Hearty]

Thought it sounded good, and a good honest review as always.

[@reubenrozeyt5716]

My highschool teacher once brought his Gibson Les Paul and fender blues breaker amp class to jam. I always loved that 60's Eric Clapton humbucker sound, but the moment I sat down with the Les Paul, I never felt more uncomfortable playing a guitar.

[@JoeWalsh-pm4zf]

They play better if you stand up and play😂

[@reddottx]

Is there really someone who would pay equal amounts for a Maybach or a Gibson? As a home player no one sees what I’m playing so I don’t see the need to pay a premium for a headstock “upgrade”. But there’s no way I’d choose a Maybach at a Gibson price. Looking forward to the Heritage review. Love your channel Colin!

[@brynjones7371]

Great video Colin. Shame that the electrics let it down. Looking forward to next weeks video.

[@arjanhurkmans9190]

I share your point of view. I think I've had about 20+ Lesters in my life, from Epi to Gibson signatures (jimmy Page, joe Perry, Zakk Wylde) and custom shop '59. The only one I have now is a P90 Special. That one I love. SG is it for me.

[@brian.f09]

Would love to see you add the Epiphone IBG 1959 Les Paul Standard to the mix of the Les Pauls comparison video. Love the channel!!

[@LaurentBertin-jb5xd]

The only "wrong" thing you did is not putting back its pick guard 😜, I enjoyed your playing and your review as usual. Those controls are a shame on such a nice looking instrument. I am saving to buy my first expensive guitar, and I would be really annoyed with those one. Anyway, thanks for your work. Can't wait to see that Heritage!! Looking forward for what is next over here. Have a nice day!

[@marksanders2784]

Oooof that Heritage looks amazing, the more I see them, the more I want one over any other LP manufacturer including the big G.

[@nellayema2455]

Nice guitar. You're not doing anything wrong with the controls. It's not you, it's them. Why they chose low-friction pots with that taper for the tone controls is a bit baffling. It could be one of those ideas that looked good on paper, but missed the mark. Also the modern wiring instead of 50's wiring is odd for a '58 replica. I hope you decide to keep it and get it sorted out. In the meantime, whip out one of your beloved SGs and play the heck out of it!

[@geraldhills41]

Bought a PRS custom 22 the volume pot was unusable after a few gigs !