Hi everyone

I have begun playing the guitar again after a 10 year break. I am getting very very serious about it, and i spend quite a lot of time with my guitar. I play soft/hard Rock and some blues.

At the moment i have a homemade flying-V, which i got from my fathers friend who made it himself. Now this is the same guitar that he used back in the late 70's, and it is actually quite a nice guitar. However practicing with it everyday it's not possible for me to stand with it for several hours a day, and its not really a guitar you can sit with.
Besides that i dont think the guitar sound incredibly good anymore, although i do think some adjustments to the bridge and/or pickups could make it better, however not perfect. I think some new pickups might be needed for that. i dont know. it's just not "clean" anymore in the 13-22 frets. Sometimes i think it sounds like crap, other times it great with a lot of distortion. haha.. Besides that i really want something that's "mine", although i'll never ever get rid of the flying-V.

I am going to San Francisco late summer, and now i am thinking about buying myself a brand new guitar. My all time favorite. The guitar i thought i would never get, is now actually within reach. The Les Paul. A real Gibson.

Since i have become so serious with the guitar playing, i want to buy something really nice. A really fantastic guitar that will go with me into my grave.

So i have been browsing GuitarCenter online shop for the Les Paul and i have found this one.
The 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard Vintage Original Spec Series

Why this one? Well, keep in mind i dont know how it sounds, how it feels or anything yet. But this is the reasons i am currently looking at this one and i am really psyched about this one..

• The flying-V i have, has a really thin neck, so i think that the 50's neck on the les paul really will make a difference.
• The neck has a long tenon, which i honestly think will not only make it more sturdy but will make it sound better because there's just more wood touching the body.
• The BurstBucker pickups. i have heard many people speaking very nice of these pickups.
• Its the original specs used.
• Vintage trapezoid.. aaah.. i love the trapezoids..
• I save almost 2000 USD buying it in the US compared to Denmark and Sweden.
• When i buy something, i might as well buy something really good and solid that will last forever.
• A guitar like this is an investment.. whatever the price on such a guitar you will most likely never loose any money on it.

So i guess my questions are.
Do any of you guys know or have played on this guitar? Is the guitar worth it even though i save around 2000 USD?
Do you have any suggestions on how to try it out in the store?

i probably have more questions but i cant remember at the moment.

Thank you all in advance,
-Zion-

edit: added investment thing to the list..

edit2: btw, do you guys know whether or not GuitarCenter have the guitars at their shops? i mean, im only in San Francisco for at limited time, and would hate it if they had to order it somewhere first.

I would kill for that guitar But I would definatly advise trying out some cheaper gibsons in store because $3400 is a lot of money and in my experience once you pass the $2000 mark guitars don't vary all that much. You'd save almost $1500 by getting this for example. Burstbucker pickups are around $200, so I wouldn't recommend paying all that extra just for the pickups.

So try a few out, and if the you think the more expensive gibson if worth all the extra money then go for it. You'll have yourself a dream guitar

Thank you for your input Moon Boots.

I was actually looking at that one first, but i have been playing a lot on my flying-v and i seriously believe that the thicker 50's rounded neck is more suitable for me. However, i wont know till i actually try it.

Since i've been looking at 58 Custom Vintage model, i am also prepared to pay around that price.

I want that Gibson too

if u can buy 2 gibson.... and send me one! hahahaha!
amazing guitar man!

Wow That guitar is Just Amazing, It has Jimmy Page all over it Wow... Im in you same position man so let me know how that guitar goes A Les Paul to me is like the holy grail I dont have one but one day I will. I'm only 19 and im going to colledge so my cashflow isnt what it needs to be in order for me to buy a Les Paul of that greatness but I'd like a Studio.

Anyway Back on topic I do Agree with MoonBoots to a point, its just that its a Vintage Original Specs, thats enough for me, Theres just something about plaing a Guitar type that Jimmy Page Used, And that slim Neck sounds killer.

But really I cant have a solid oppinion on this guitar since I havent tried it, I think thats useually the deciding factor when buying guitars for me, Try it Then Buy it.

nice man

I said it before, and I'll say it again...Gibson is way too proud of their guitars! 3400 is too much money for what is basically a Les Paul Standard. Get one of those instead for a little over 2000, which, to me, is still too much. Don't buy into the 'original spec' nonsense...it's just a Standard.

Nice guitar man, definitely an investment, it is not a standard Gibson, so the price will get higher. Not much higher but a little higher.

Ivan, you misunderstand what I'm saying. This particular model is a Les Paul Standard. I've owned three of them. What Gibson is doing is marketing a Standard with 1958 specifications, and jacking up the price by over 1200 dollars retail. Go to the Guitar Center website, and look on page 2 of the Gibson guitar section. There is a Les Paul Standard w/50's neck for 2299. It has a 2a figured top, and the 'original spec' guitar has a plain top. These are both Standards. But, for over 1200 dollars less, you can get one with a prettier top, that doesn't happen to be 'original spec'! Don't buy into what Gibson is doing with alot of their 'signature' guitars, unless you are a collector. We only perpetuate the rise in prices of guitars if we are willing to shell out the money. An educated consumer is a smart consumer. I don't support Gibson anymore because of this nonsense. I'm not trying to be a smartass, I'm trying to educate those who don't know, so they don't shell out too much money. Just trying to help...

It's a niceguitar for sure, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra cash over a Standard LP. Check Gibson site I believe last time I checked the Standards came with burstbuckers too. But the 490R and 498T are awesome pickups too... the supreme LP model has 490 R and 498T and are more expensive than the 1958 model LP, go figure... matter of taste I guess.

Make sure you try as many LP models as possible before you decide, that way you will know if it's really worth it.

thank you all for your advice..

Much appreciated

awesome guitar, but if i were you...

ah, heck. i dont know. because if i had that kind of money spare to spend on guitars, im in my bed dreaming still.

I didn't say nothing against your claim man - I agree with you. Didn't know that the price was that much higher. I would never buy such expensive upgraded standard guitar. I only stated that the price of this guitar will rise MORE than the price of a standard Gibson because it is somewhat bound to be a collectors item someday (and considering the price even now as you said! ). I said it will get higher but not MUCH higher. If you put 2+2 you'll know what I mean.

Ivan, as you probably know by now, it's sometimes hard for me to put 2 and 2 together. We're on the same page, my friend.

Well I agree that the VOS series are overpriced, id have to say that they're not the same as the Gibson Les Paul Standards.

First they're made at the Gibson custom shop and are hand made, unlike the standards which are mass produced. They also use higher quality woods, the necks have long neck tenons, I believe that the bodies aren't chambered like the Standards also.

There are a lot of other differences but I those are some of the main ones that I can think of off the top of my head.

no worries man, I sometimes forget how much 2 and 2 is in general. Cheers

Really nice guitar mate. I wanna a gibson!

its a nice guitar.. but im afraid i think gibsons are hype, i would never pay over 2000 for a guitar...

Yeah! Great guitar! ...and I want one too!!