Two ‘59’s and a 60... Gibson Custom Shop Les Pauls Compared

Hey all, in this one I compare my 3 custom shop les pauls and think about whether I need them all and how they are different, or similar, to each other...
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[@BlindTom61]

There's a reason there's a tone knob on those things.

[@TCMx3]

"you don't need that many les Pauls" says man with eight strats

[@JamesOnGuitar]

*5 Strats sadly 😂

[@TCMx3]

@@JamesOnGuitar lol fair but I mostly meant it as a joke about myself. I only own one Les Paul, a collectors choice I've now had for sevenish years. Great guitar but I've never actually felt a need for a second one. I do have a knaggs ssc maybe that counts though

[@scottgeorge6375]

Love that you did such a pro comparison of your 3 beauties. One thing I’ve notice through painstaking efforts and trying to develop a really keen ear is that set up including ABR height makes a MASSIVE difference with resonance and also tone. I’ve been able to bring a seemingly not so resonant Les Paul to one that vibrates beautifully. So what can make selecting one at a store challenging is determining how well set up these Les Paul’s are

[@JimMarshallUK]

Exactly!!! I’m an amateur but I quickly Learned that you get can a kit for setting up. I get home clip the stings, adjust truss rod, pickup height, string height. Then the break angle, after bridge is correct per string height, the tailpiece coming up high enough so the strings don’t touch the bridge. Then EQ the amp, does it sound best on a Tube or Solid state, all the pedals. It takes me about 3 months to know if I like a guitar.

[@rhum66]

Great video, one of the best on YT about LP choice. Nice to see and listen too. Great playing too. Both amps are great, your two rock and the peach' magnatone too.

[@jasonswitzer1748]

I like 59s, but the middle 60 reissue has the prettiest burst. Keep the one you play most often.

[@RByrne]

I have to say the R0 or Peach R9 sounds best here to me. I'm currently trying to decide between the 59 and 60 reissues, but Im leaning towards the 60 V2 VOS. Thanks for the comparison!

[@onehotrocker99]

My favorite guitar is the Les Paul. I have two Standards and one Studio. My favorite of the three is the Studio, believe it or not. The pick ups are a little bit higher output and the frets are lower to allow for lower action. Because of these factors it has become my "island" guitar. Great job on the video, James. You have excellent taste in guitars!

[@pierreg1340]

Wow! Wow!Wow!, 3 very beautiful pieces of art. To me, no craziness in buying 3 Les Paul's if you can afford it because the all sound and play a bit different. You choose one or the other depending on your mood and what you want to play.I am all for that.And creating a collection for ourself is also a very nice thing to do. It creates very good feelings and something we are proud of. It has more to do with the hart than with the brain. Keep on keeping on. By the way, very interesting video that will help me chose my next Les Paul when I can afford it. I just became a subscriber. Thanks

[@Bry-dt8kz]

Man those guitars through that two rock!!! Omg no words to describe that tone!

[@sapelopelo]

I just love this kind of videos of you trying guitars. Love the journey been following you for a while now. I hope your wife is doing well. Big hug

[@graemero5532]

Great video James. If I had to choose, the Number 3/Peach select top is the best sounding & looking to me. It has tht Big Tele thing. I would love to hear it through the Rift with just a bit of spring reverb.

[@madamkirk]

You're a great player and I enjoy your licks a lot. But I feel that you can achieve the sound you're looking for from almost every one of these guitars by using the EQ on the guitar or getting a specific Amp which you like. I say this from experience. The only thing that's actually hard to deal with is a muddy neck pickup ( in my opinion ) such as Burstbuckers. Amp and tone knobs on the guitar can get you closer to the tone you hear in your mind. I definitely like how you started playing the Les Pauls acoustic acoustically first. I also check carefully the weight distribution on the wood from neck to body.

[@markn4526]

Great video! I especially enjoyed watching you compare R9's while at the store. It reminded me of when I was searching for "THE ONE" R9, but I did it over a one year period playing over 2 dozen R9's and upgrading 3 times over that period. I think that the acoustic qualities of an electric guitar is not appreciated enough by players when selecting a great guitar. My favorites in your comparison were between "number one" and "number three" which you ended up taking home with you. I probably would have chosen "number one" because from what I could tell reminds me most of the 2020 M2M R9 in Golden Poppy Burst I that ended up. Acoustically it's very resonant, loud with a lot of width to the sound and sustains nearly forever. Plugged in, it growls yet remains very clear and articulate with crazy sustain and bloom. Even the salesperson I had, who I've known for 30 years, helping me said that it definitely has some kind of mojo going on. As a side note...my salesperson told me that most buyers of guitars like these buy them solely on how they look and barely play them, if at all. For him to have a customer like me who goes thru an extensive comparison process is very unusual.

[@nilsx3020]

I love good Les Paul style guitars, I have an amazing factory aged Gibson R9, plus 3 custom built LP style single cuts from a local German builder, 59 style, 56 style P90, both Brazilian boards / Honduras Mahogany, and a Custom black beauty. I love the variety in them. The 2 pickup, 4 control layout with great woods and pickups etc just does it for me.

[@MG-jw6uy]

Quite a good comparison and the vibration aspect was pretty cool, thanks for the heads up video.

[@brentklein6143]

I really like the one that had custom pickups made for it...very Peter Green sounding 👌

[@j.b.l.tones33]

Adjusting the pickups and pole pieces on the original stock paf's would go a long way. It takes a lot of tinkering and patience, but well worth it. ✌️

[@These_go_to_eleven_1959]

While i was not able to try 9 different ones in a sitting i did have to choose between two really nice R8's a few hours ago. The choices were a 2022 R8 VOS in faded iced tea and a 2016 R8 historic VOS Lemon burst. After going back and forth on both the Historic edged out the other only very slightly. The Lemon burst has a flamed top whereas the iced tea one had really nice horizontal circular grain. To be honest IF my budget would have allowed i would have snagged them both up. Both are under 8.5lbs and have dark boards.This is my first Custom shop Les Paul and i have to admit they are really sweet!

[@hkguitar1984]

Your Anniversary R9 sounds wonderful with your custom wound pickups. Thanks for this content, the LP are always a nice change from the Fender, life needs to be balanced. 👍😉 I have an R9 copy I commissioned to be build for me, it has all Gibson Historic plastics and electronics. I choose an early set of un-potted Burstbucker pickups and wired them permanently out-of-phase. I love how the amount of out-of-phase can be controlled by balancing the volume controls when installed this way.

[@ziggylayneable]

I love your gold SG I have one very similar identical in color gold front and back but it has a Stop Bar tail

[@Gaslight.Guitar]

I love it too but that trem is a dealbreaker for me. Its just not the ideal design. Your stoptail is more my cup of tea. 😅😊

[@tomcarrington4965]

Always love watching you play blues. Any chance you could do a video explaining how you dial in amp, guitar and pedals to find your tone? Where do you start, what do you listen for?

[@russelmurray9268]

Depends on how well you play and how much you are playing in clubs

[@DS-nw4eq]

Yes, keep all of them

[@zenrun2913]

Hey Peach, all those guitars are no longer brand new. They should be listed as store demos and sold at a discount.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

The ones i played for a minute or 2 in the shop? Like any customer who would try a guitar before buying… ? Why should they be listed as store demos? Madness. They make demo videos of all their guitars to go on youtube and their website. And other people who are trying out guitars before buying will have tried them too. They also check over guitars before shipping out. Many shops do demo’s before putting online… welcome to 2023.

[@MrEpic-lf4gn]

@@JamesOnGuitar Hi. What gauge strings are on these guitars? When you played acoustic (19:16), it seemed to me that the strings were quite thin, something like 09-42.

[@keun123]

what's the point if you don't show clean tone without pedals

[@deanmclachlan7082]

Three beautiful guitars, I definitely love the Gibson Les Paul’s 😍

[@mortonwilson795]

Great comparison vid! I have had a 1968 LP Custom since the 70's - my only Gibson. I figured it was time to check out the Standard 1959 style and played a few 2019 Anniversary Custom Shops and (a) was amazed at the brightness, relly nice, almost Tele-ish, and (b) struggled with the thickness of the neck - takes a bit of getting used to! Not in a rush to buy a Custom Shop Standard but if I do I think I'd go for the 60's neck because it's what I've got used to after 50 years! 😀PS - if the checking on the back of the neck is a pain you (or a guitar tech) can take it back to more of a smooth satin finish without damaging things - I would certainly go that route.

[@nutzernutzlich6021]

The Sound of the LP at 12.37 is my absolute favourite one.🥰. Totally different compared to all others. Pur vintage🥰🥰🥰

[@ericjenks9596]

I feel ya. I have 3 strats right now, which is a bit much for me. Beautiful fiesta red 1999 AvRI 1957 with a quartersawn flame maple neck, custom shop heavy relic ‘59 with slab rosewood fretboard and a thin mid 60’s c neck, and a partscaster ‘65 style olympic white. They all sound fantastic, great specs, but it does seem a bit silly to have 3 of what is essentially the same guitar.

[@ashleyjackson8538]

Great collection !! Every Les Paul has little differences . All good for inspiring playing .

[@VaibhavMittalIndia]

I think that R0 sounded the best. Both R9s are in the same ballpark.

[@j.b.l.tones33]

The low end sounds more woody now, and the top end has a sort of sizzle and sparkle. Really liked that middle position sound. ✌️ Hope you and your wife are doing well and all goes well. ❤️ Great video! Good job. ✌️

[@j.b.l.tones33]

* referring to the '59 ☝️

[@jafugels]

Nice comparison! I bought my first R9 this year.

[@reverb508]

Nothing better than a good Les Paul, and you have 3 of them! That 60 is stunning. I have an R8 myself and it’s a lifer. What do you think about LP Customs? I’ve been eyeing a 57 RI for a while.

[@stricknine8623]

What sounds "a bit too ice picky" is always the best guitar in a mix. Also, when playing alone, you can simply just roll back the bridge tone pot to get your taste. If its a bit much, usually a cut back to 8 or 9 on the pot is all that it takes and viola,..perfect.

[@darwinsaye]

Yeah. Some of us could search for years for a new LP that’s clear and articulate like a vintage one rather than muddy like a lot of the modern ones, and then there are people who’ll just pass on them like they’re not a big deal to find. 🤷🏼

[@stricknine8623]

@darwinsaye I have 9 Les Paul Standards. All of mine are very articulate, bell-like tone, that can move into a sizzle, if you want and they absolutely wail on lead lines of single note playing. I run PAF, scatter-wound low output pickups in them, and use Marshall JCM 800 (2203) and 1987X Small-box Plexi amps. For the overwhelming majority of music, you don't need anything else.

[@deanmccaskill5495]

Great vid. I’ve got an R9 looks quite a bit like your 2019. Mine is an 09 or 11 I can never remember. But yeah it’s killer. Then I’ve got way too many Gibson USAs ha ha. I’m looking for an R8 next year. I think I’ll get a Murphy Light maybe

[@nimitz1739]

Beautiful looking guitars

[@meeno_the_man]

Each machine has a soul. And while I recommend only one wife, a sable of fine guitars is bound to keep a man busily intrigued for the rest of his fortunate life.

[@inspiritr8]

Hey man, you look like a friend and I really enjoy watching your videos. Greeting from Tehran.

[@Sams911]

I sold three less Paul standards, and treated myself to a top-of-the-line Les Paul Custom. You can only play one less Paul at a time anyway.

[@michaelgaurnier3108]

I looooooove the color of your first burst!

[@Joltsu]

I really like plain top burst Les Pauls. Guitar store close to me had one, I think it was a R8. Too expensive for me then and now but it still haunts me. One day hopefully.

[@rezakhan8290]

How much your playing has actually improved in las 1 year with all these gears?

[@jaco_h5013]

If i owned them 3 amazing guitars i would never sell any of them i have 3 standards with 3 different sets of pickups ranging from alnico 2,3,4, and 5 all sound amazing in their own way also have recently top wrapped with sets of 11-48 strings and they sound killer 👍

[@jamesdonahue6466]

60's for me! Please and thank you! Also John sounds pretty blinking good on an LP!

[@lovesgibson]

That first one honestly sounds dead on with the real “burst sound”… I was confused when you started to talk about it sounding muddy and not right lol, then you said you had the pickups changed. All three sound good, but to me the first one sounded most accurate with the “burst sound”, which is what most people are going for when they buy the custom shop reissues

[@AlistairAnderson-q1w]

Yes 3 lovely guitars each has it's own character, like your children you can't have a favourite, don't sell, I have a 2008 custom LP58, a 59 60th anniversary and a 2020 R9 custom shop, can't sell, if your first 59 LP came up for sale well I personally like that one.

[@ilmisxx2]

To my ear the R0 is the winner by quite a margin. It has the best and most snappy attack without being harsh and the best note bloom, tone is the most balanced and dynamic. If I had to keep one, it would be that one, even though It would have to sit in the sun for a while to appeal to me visually :D For most people your worst les paul would be the best guitar they have or ever will play in their life, so I guess, you can't lose with either

[@marions.120]

Have to keep them all. One as backup or second, one with a different tuning. They all sound and feel different from the next. ✌️😎🎸🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶

[@john_air]

peach guitar owner in the back =) what is he doing up there lol

[@bogarbill6331]

You need a ‘57 Goldtop!

[@alraymond1618]

Nicely done assessment as always, James.

[@wooddog3000]

I'd keep #3, and sell the other 2. Like you said, don't really need more than 1.

[@Gaslight.Guitar]

All glorious LPs. What case do you use on the road or do they just stay at home at the moment? That Liftons suck 😢

[@frantisca]

Hi James: you'd want to trade the one with the Sunbear pickups against a Masterbuilt Kauer Daylighter, by Doug Kauer himself ?One-off guitar...

[@belo1971]

What pick do you use please ? Love that attack 🥰

[@williamnapolitano1550]

I've got a 2020 58 Les Paul Custom shop with custom buckers. some day do a 58 Comparison. 58,59,60..

[@seraphym6764]

I would sell the 1st R9. And I have to agree. The R0 has the best overall tone.

[@talkychris]

Played 59 & 60 Reissues side by side and honestly couldn't notice any difference in neck profiles. It's tiny. There is a much greater difference between a 57/58 & a 59 neck.

[@JamesOnGuitar]

Maybe you played the v1 of the 1960? That recreates the early ‘60 which was the same as a 59. The v2 and v3 necks are very different. Much slimmer with a different shape

[@sroelit]

If there were two “perfect” Les Pauls, they would be identical. That’s the nature of perfect. It’s the imperfections-the dings, mineral lines, checking, flaws-that set one guitar apart from another. “Glory be to God for dappled things” as the poet would say.

[@IceCreamGuerrilla]

Great video

[@dananthony6258]

Should you get rid of one ? What are you married ? Go get 10 more.

[@nicholasfrancis8590]

Hi James can I win the pedal please your playing is amazing

[@kirkhensley5870]

Don't sell until you can let them gain in value. If you have, I'm sorry I wasn't there to make an offer! Nah. Don't sell. Be like Gollum. They're precious!

[@pperejma]

Sell me that R0 when you’re ready

[@SDVN74]

Ones to many a thousands not enough

[@georgecaplan11]

dont sell you will have instant regret. plus the way Gibson prices keep going up it will be hard to buy back for the same price in the future.

[@skulltula2159]

Considering the amount of gear shown in this video alone, I’m not sure he needs to worry about making every penny count

[@franciscotavres7659]

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[@franciscotavres7659]

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[@franciscotavres7659]

EU TENHO 2 GUITARRA LES PAUL GIBSON UMA PRETA E A OUTRA GUITARRA LES PAUL GIBSON SUNBURST. STANDART E LUNDA TODOS BRASILEIRO TEM UM GUITARRA LES PAUL GIBSON OU UMA GUITARRA USA AMERICA FENDER STRATRO CASTRO

[@chrishenderson9130]

Did you try lowering the bridge pickups a bit?