I've been thinking of switching my upload time to 3pm EST instead of between 12-2am EST. The only thing stopping me are comments saying that people like to end their day with this show. Would you be 'for' or 'against' this change? Thank you for your input!
To me I would rather have it late at night because I go to sleep around 2am central time but thats just me but if others wanna end the show at the end of the day you could still upload at an earlier time and they could just watch it at the end of the day but its up to you keep up the great work
I had a "The SG" and it was awesome. Whoever buys this is going to be happy with it, I don't care what anyone say walnut is a nice tonewood. Warm like mahogany but with a little more snap.
I love how some view walnut as inferior to Mahogany but some Gibson acoustics made of walnut that I okayed sounded much better in my opinion than a Mahogany one. Especially the walnut J-45 styles!
I baught mine used in the early 80s at a local guitar shop for 650,- D- Marks, which was a hell of a lot money for me, being 20 years old! It didn't Look too glamourous but it read "Gibson" on the headstock and that was all I desired those days. Today, I'm so happy to have kept it among my collection of much more known guitars which I caught over the years. It still blows me away, whenever I plug it in. It creates nearly every sound and every grade of distortion by not even changing the volume...it's just your picking intensity. Awesome!
I´ve had my 1979 The Paul for over 20 years and I love it, it has a pick guard, normally mounted and I thought it was an original fitting so it came as a surprise to me that it is not! Other than that it is all original and it plays like a dream. According to your valuation it has doubled in monetary terms, which is nice! It also has it´s original case with bright yellow plush interior. Really enjoy your show Trogly, I have learned so much about my guitars. Thanks.
I really like the format of the sound demos on this one, with you standing and playing and the amplifier displayed in the corner. You’ve inspired me to save up and find a The Paul.
Own 1978 model. LOVE this guitar. Rough and rugged. Cigarette burn on the 6th string head stock. Had to replace the padding in the case to remove the cigarette smell. Heavy sound with great lead tones. Feels great plays better. It’s like an early BFG just without the P90.
My '78 has more than one cigarette burn at the headstock and chip at the top. The rest is beaten to hell as well. Had it since '81. Would never sell. It's fantastic.
The guitarist from my old band played a the Paul. That thing was a player’s instrument. We played several hours at least 5x a week and toured the states or Asia at least once a year. They kept going at the same pace long after I went on to a different band. My point is that we were hard on our equipment by shear wear. I remember our other guitarist having to switch guitars out from time to time but the Paul was as much a battle horse as my Fender J-bass. It’s a solid instrument that sounds exactly like you want it to every time.
Love the cutaway on these guitars. Still thinking about acquiring one since our last conversation about the Paul’s, and silverbursts. I think these are absolutely beautiful guitars. And, you can’t go wrong with those pick-ups, providing the wiring is intact. Oh, BTW, i like your late night video release time. But I’m sure I like the rest of the viewing world of UA-cam, I would be fine with a 3:00pm video release time. Thanks Trogs!
I currently play my dad‘s ‘79 The Paul which he doesn‘t use anymore (he got a Les Paul) and I‘m so happy with it. Sure it isn‘t perfect (lots of bruises and a twice broken neck) but it‘s so good playable and the tone that you can get out of it is just amazing. Defenitely recommend buying one if Les Pauls are out of your price range
ZenDriveSeven Good man , don't be tempted ever ! Even if you didn't play your Paul for a long time and you are using something else more ...as soon as it's gone, you will want it back ,I guarantee ! It happened to me twice ,and although I could theoretically replace them with "like for like" 70's guitars but they won't BE those that I owned. Cheers 👍😉🎸🇬🇧
Shaun W Sound advice! And this was my first real guitar that my late Dad bought for me new when I was 14years old. Of all of my guitars this would be the only one I will never part with.
Great video as always . Brought back memories of my early teens ..the music store in town had a glass case for their few expensive guitars , usually a mint 3 or 4 yr old The Paul Deluxe, The Les Paul "all wood",as we called it as kids and a couple of then brand new Heritage guitars. I later bought a '78 Marauder from my driving instructor & played it for 25 years. Damn should not have let her go lol . I agree the body shape is very comfortable.
I have a 1986 The Paul Deluxe with the Gibson harmonica bridge and is Purple!! Still had the clear plastic on the back cavity cover when I bought it in December 1991. Kept it the same way all these years. Never modded.
I just picked one of these up last week. This is one of only two guitars my wife has seen and heard and said “I really like that one, you should keep it”. It is a pretty great ride, certainly worth the $$$
I first came across a The Paul in DJ's Music in Phoenix in 1982. It was the itch I couldn't scratch, and it nagged at me for 30 years, until I *finally* had the money laying around. I found a fella in a retirement community (The VIllages, aka Golf Cart Heaven :) ) near here who was selling his The Paul to finance some customizations on his golf cart. He cut me a good deal ("Because it's Christmas," he said), and at LAST I had my Walnut Wonder! It had had a long and tiring life and at some point it took a dive off a stand onto the floor: the nut was cracked, and the bridge was bent in the middle. I put a GraphTech nut and a new Nashville bridge with GraphTech StringSaver saddles on it. It could probably stand a fret job, but some other time. :P It spends most of its time hanging on the wall as my "go to" noodling guitar nowadays. I love how the thing sounds; it's deep and dark and moody like it absorbed the essence of the blues from all the Bminor licks in dark old nightclubs or somesuch. It is a blues monster. If you don't have one of these, GET ONE. If you have one, do NOT under any circumstances sell it, lest the massive seller's remorse drive you stark raving mad. :)
I think I saw one of these in a pawn shop a couple years ago, or at least something similar, and I honestly thought it might've been fake since it looked nothing like a Les Paul I'd ever seen before. Cool to know this is something Gibson actually did
This guitar from 82 was my first Gibson/les paul. Coming as only having Fenders, getting a traditional les paul was intimidating. I'm used to Fender's weight and thinness when it comes to electric guitars. I also wanted something more mellow sounding. The Paul was the perfect choice for me. Its a true vintage Gibson with a different feel. The t tops in mine are warm and their bite burnt away after the years. The walnut is really soft and the body is beat up. Plays perfectly with no issues. I want another Gibson but I just don't know what to get that will satisfy me like the paul did. The early eighties models to me have a better looking headstock. It's thinner than the one in this video and black, like the traditional Gibson head stock. Thats why I chose it. I spent $760 in 2019 on it
Bought and sold a few of these in the past, quick money makers. $600-$800 usually I pik them up, $1000-$1200 usually what I sell them for. I've parted out a few as well. One of the best les pauls ever made especially for the money. Had a buddy who had the HS refinished in black, looked sharp.
I've just bought one, made on 12th of september 79, the sound is soooo good and it has 'IT'. If You like the music I play/listen, this guitar will be a bless!
I had one I had one, I bought it in seven days when it first came out. I'm 62 years old. It was a nice guitar I wish I had something else at the time but I missed my old one now
I have spent hours on the Internet trying to find out what pick ups originally came with the Gibson “the Paul“ with no success… Voilà! You told me, they are “T tops“; however, I’ve no idea what that means… 490/498? PAFs? Ceramic? Would love to know that answer. I own a 1979, Gibson “the Paul“ for which I paid $330 (USD) at Gruhn’s Guitars in 1983. I have now accrued dozens of guitars (thank you, God) over the years, but he is still one of my favourites. In fact, I don’t own another Les Paul because I have had five back operations and lean more towards the Parker Fly Deluxe and other electrics under 8 lb in weight. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your thorough description. I’ve only now “discovered“ you, but will be following you hence forth. Please let me know the answer about the pick ups if you have the time. Enjoy your walnut gem! Mine has been in the studio for many songs and has been played live on everything from Jimi Hendrix (Strat songs), to 80s and 90s bands‘ songs (back in the fraternity days). God bless you with health and joy. Cheers//Slainte mhaith, Roctor 🇬🇧🏴🇺🇸🏴🎸👨🏼⚕️🎸👨🏼⚕️😊
Bought my 1980 "The Paul" Deluxe Firebrand (and does actual have firebrand Gibson logo) back in 1996, and it had many, many miles on it when I bought it back in Memphis for $550. It continues to be a spectacular axe. Has a custom pick guard and the Grover tuners aren't those trapezoidal ones but rectangular ones.
I have one very similar. All mahogany. No maple cap. No binding. Dot inlays.A Les Paul Special with humbuckers. Bought it brand new in 2003 for 650$ with a gig bag. My only electric. Plays and sounds excellent. Definitely not just a beginners axe. Just an affordable all-around stripped down work horse guitar. A players axe.
I have a 1980 Firebrand the Paul Deluxe my parents bought me for my 15th birthday it's all stock and it is better in a lot of ways then the other Gibson's I have had through the years
I had one of the "Firebrands" finished natural, so it looked a lot like "The Paul" in this video. It really did what I needed it to do until I could get an LP Custom (it was a beautiful '76 Cherry Burst that I would LOVE to have again!). But the Firebrand was mahogany like you said here, and it had a dark sound, but it was a great starter Les Paul for classic rock. By the way, before the Firebrand, I had a '65 Melody Maker that I modified by installing a DiMarzio PAF pickup, a Leo Quan Badass bridge, Grover tuners, sanded the back of the neck down to better fit my hand, and then had the whole thing finished glossy white (looked like the one Joan Jett is normally seen with), but I really learned a lot about playing guitar using that instrument for years. Another guitar I wish I had not sold!!!
I have a 335S too. I like it a lot. These are utilitarian workhorses that sound awesome, and if you get one that plays really well, you can't go wrong. Most of them do play well, but some are just spectacular playing guitars.
I had a 79 Model with the super rare 1-Piece body Great sounding guitar, but would not stay in tune for anything Bought it for $300 in 1986 and sold it for $400 in 1989-92 The worst mod to these guitars is adding the pickguard That was usually done to hide wear.
Good review on this guitar XR 1... I have one of these from 1982 It has held up very very well... It has been a gigged with often was my primary rehearsal guitar... I got a 1976 Les Paul Custom and it became my favorite in about 84 and I didn't know why at the time.. The XR I have shows no seams in the body and 2 seams on the maple cap... Mine is very heavy as well... 10 lbs + I eventually put vintage 57s in and it sound just like a LP Standard.. very open and spanky...You can't tell the difference. I have 2 small sections on the outermost part of the fingerboard that have worn into slight impressions.. I would love to be able to fix them... I have a Custom Shop LP 1956 RI Special that is a plain jane black on the guitar's body and a bound neck with P 90s.. Easily my favorite guitar.. When plug that thing in at volume it feels like a wildcat is about to come through the front of Marshall... My friend has a XR 2 beautiful figuring on top and he took the minis out and routed it and put P 90s in and I think it is the best sounding guitar in his stable and he probably has 15 guitars... He has several $2500 guitars... and I know as much as he would like to think a couple of them sound better than his XR-2, he would probably agree the XR-2 sounds the best.. He has a custom shop Tele and a Gretsch White Falcon, an Anderson Tele and none sound as sweet with that underneath tone in the wayu the LP XR-2 does... Strangely we paid exactly the same price for the guitars in 1982.. Respectively .... $500...
the dots still kill LPs for me, but man it's pretty sick! I actually think something like the studio is still best for me: thick body, no cutaway, block inlays Looks great!!! Do you plan on doing Epiphone models? I know you do a ton of Gibsons, but what about all the Epiphone LPs from back in the day? Might be really cool!
After seeing/hearing Mike Scott of the Waterboys play last night, I am even more impressed with this guitar. This is a sleeper and I better get on before the stampede. Thanks for the great review.
@@paulpiellusch7851 Totally agree. I actually picked one up after my original comment...about a month after the gig I found an '81 Deluxe The Paul Firebrand Deluxe....closer to his Pelham Blue Firebrand Deluxe (which he played as well), but in gloss mahogany. All original including the T-top pickups. It's a keeper.
There's a 335s Firebrand on Craigslist near me right now. Guy's asking $1000 for it. Looks fairly clean, but I can't get past the look. Just too plain. Thanks for sharing Austin. Have a great day!
I have a 1980 Gibson Firebrand "The Paul" Deluxe (10/18/1980) that I got in trade for my old 1965 Fender Mustang in 1980. (my hands had outgrown the neck on the mustang). I will never get rid of the Gibson.
Talking about walnut, you should check out Rickenbacker's 650 models, doesn't matter which one, but the Sierra, Dakota and Colorado are the most accessible of them all. Others are either discontinued or rare to come by and not made out of walnut.
I've just found one in a store near my house, second hand for 650€ I never thought about buying a Les Paul, because the music I like, like Dinosaur Jr, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Etc uses Jaguars, Jazzmasters... Do you think it worth the money? I mean, I dont want to buy something just because the brand..... By the way this JUST the review I needed, this was perfect!!! Thank you very much
When I came to buy my second 'serious' guitar way back in '91 I had my heart set on a strat. My local guitar shop had 2 for sale, the best looking one was a black hardtail, but of course I wanted a strat with a trem. The only other strat was a rather road-worn '79 model in natural wood, which I eventually bought. However, hanging next to the strat was this thing called 'the Paul' which I thought looked very odd and nothing like the pictures of Les Pauls I had drooled over. It was in extremely good condition, better than my strat, but it just didn't meet my specification at the time. If I had another 200 quid on me that day, I would have walked out with them both! I didn't realise until watching this that it could have been the same year as my strat 1979, so I wonder if the hardtail was the same year? Maybe the same guy brought them all in for re-sale ??
Have a ‘79 “The Paul”. It was a replacement because I was broken into and my guitars were stolen (along with most of my clothes, pre-iPhone phone and answer- machine, etc). I was a poor, fledgling songwriter/performer at the time and a sweet, Christian, newlywed couple gave me the money to buy a guitar ! I found a The Paul at a snooty, antique guitar shop for $333! That was >25 yrs ago. God has blessed me with 25+ gtrs presently, but I only ever bought one Les Paul … this one. It weighs just over 7lbs and sounds and plays like a dream. Cannot put a price on a dream gtr! I still call the couple periodically to thank them for their generosity and to hear how much God has blessed them for their faith and love. Last time I checked the “worth” of my Paul it was ~$1,500😁. Very nice “investment”. But, it is NOT for sale 😊. Great piece of kit that continues to serve me quite well … Thank you for your great demo/discussion. 😊 🫶✌️♾️.🎸👨🏼⚕️🎸🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I bought a "The Paul" when they first came out in the late 70's. 78/79? maybe?.. Anyway is was somewhere around 4 hundred bucks new! I played that thing and played it hard for 4 or 5 years, loved it! I liked it better than any Les Pauls of that era, or afterward. That guitar I always pulled out from the underfloor bus storage first and played it most nights at 95% of any gigs , I could kick myself for ever selling it .You talk about an ugly guitar when I got rid of it though,, had worn most all the finish off the neck and where arm rested and under and below the stings at the bridge area, and where there would normally be a pickguard,, If I could find mine I had,, I'd definitely buy it back,.. Loved that neck and fretboard on that Paul! And dang that plain ugly son of gun sounded and played awesome!!
Oh no. I went into a guitar shop and saw a used one of these exact guitars (Gibson the paul) there for $700 and I PASSED. if I would have known they were so awesome I would have sprung for it. like I could have afforded that at the time but still. the only thing I can really remember not liking about it was where the toggle switch was.
Yo listenup. Get a gibson les paul classic mid 90s to early 2000s. It costs around 1200-1600 . And they are so cool cause gibson doesn't make em like this anymore. They look cool now but its a different thing.
I think those look good. I like natural wood. I like the switch placement too. You might keep your ear to the ground regarding the branding iron...Gibson might need to raise money for the future
Hello again, the guitar that I am going to buy carries on the bridge a Bill Lawrence pill (I do not know the exact model) do you know the brand? the rest of the guitar is perfect and all original ... thanks
That is the best weapon for war guitar. I will play that in middle of war if you all fight put me in middle no fighting just play guitar and sing song for peace don't you all miss sounds from old days. Hmm,, good man for guitar he had a guitar respect thank you for intrudusing that instrument sir,, nice
What are your thoughts on the new sg jr. Reissue? It's pretty pricey for a new one, but still less than a good vintage one. the Gary Clark sg seems like a better value with 3 p90s, but the sg jr has a cooler look imo. I'd be interested in your thoughts.
Although it is said that these were made starting in 78, I have a 77. It oddly has a tremelo. I am wondering if it is a prototype. I have owned it since 1980.
I guess I’m a lover of the plain stuff. I prefer this look vs a aaa flamed maple. Trogly, what do you think of the Epiphone custom pro? They make one on solid koa which I find just stunning.
i got a "second" of one of these, no t-tops unfortunately, but vintage seymours that sound great...picked it up for 500 beans...it's still my favorite....the neck pickup is actually a bridge pup flipped around....i'll never sell it
I bought one new in 1979 from either Wedgle's or Bobby's Music in Denver. I still have it...I still love it, but I wish I could remember what it sold for in '79. Any help will be appreciated.
i got one of these for $850 when i was 17. the bridge pickup shit itself and the attempt to revive it was horse shit. i was too attached to the fact it was original t-tops to swap them out and i made the mistake if trading it for a 2018 SG Special because it was 24 fret. the frets are higher than willie and due to an incident it was beheaded.
I couldnt rock it and heres why: My friend Debbie Landry has her own band and plays a Firebrand LP so much that I instantly associate these walnut bodied LPs with her. It's like her signature guitar, lol. If you're ever in southeast Louisiana check out the Debbie Landry Band, she sings some awesome Led Zeppelin covers!
What do you think about Korean/Japanese/Czech Epiphones? Are they worthy against the more expensive Gibsons? I have a chinese made Epiphone LP special 2 and I would like to upgrade sometime. Maximum budget would be $500 at most.
Gibson's designs in the 1970s were amazing, with The Paul as a great example. Any solid-body guitar with a tilt-back headstock, which doesn't also have a volute for reinforcement, is inherently defective. Gibson actually fixed this in the '70s - and then the vintage purists demanded that they go back to the old ways!
It's actually like a Gibson Invader but the Invader has a bolt on neck and was made out of mahogany. BTW the Invader is an excellent guitar. My '83 Invader looks exactly like this guitar but black with the black and white dirty fingers pick ups.
The pickups are worth between $250-$400. If you put covers on them and make them look nice, you could get up to $500 - so yes, that is where a lot of the value comes from on these.
Hey, by the way,, if your thinking, of building your own custom,, walnut, would be a great choice, for a top veneer, mahogany bottom, sound would be excellent,, iv'e done it, used p.a.f.,( gibson hum.,, b's ),, yeah !!!
I would like the upload time moved to 3pm, I think it would give people more time on the initial release to go over the video a couple of times. As for ending their day with the new video? skip one day then start the next day lol. At first I was like, "no way would I recommend this as an intro to the mighty Les Paul" , then I watched the video - yeah OK I agree with you. I love the looks of the guitar but I for some reason just hate the flat tops. That carved top sets the Les Paul apart from a lot of guitars IMO. The one you have here sure is pretty and that solid 335? Wow, I would love that!! I have to say I've never played a Les Paul with the comfort cuts but want to. Another great video!
replys, are correct, walnut has a little more snap, mid, to treble, a little bit heavy, but hey!!,, your gettin great tone!!,, man thats a beauty!!! s.g., must be hot too!!!
The fire tiger seems to just be a les paul custom with a quilted top in a red finish. www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPCQFTGH--gibson-custom-les-paul-custom-quilt-fire-tiger
I've been thinking of switching my upload time to 3pm EST instead of between 12-2am EST. The only thing stopping me are comments saying that people like to end their day with this show. Would you be 'for' or 'against' this change? Thank you for your input!
Suit yourself mate. It's irrelevant in Brisbane, Australia....
To me I would rather have it late at night because I go to sleep around 2am central time but thats just me but if others wanna end the show at the end of the day you could still upload at an earlier time and they could just watch it at the end of the day but its up to you
keep up the great work
Your vids are some of the first I checkout when I wake up. Keep it as is IMHO.
You work so hard on these videos with new ones every day, I think you're doing enough to serve your fan base, do what is best for you.
For me, it's around the end of the night, and so I generally wind down with your videos, then I sleep. So i say keep it how it is.
I had a "The SG" and it was awesome. Whoever buys this is going to be happy with it, I don't care what anyone say walnut is a nice tonewood. Warm like mahogany but with a little more snap.
I love how some view walnut as inferior to Mahogany but some Gibson acoustics made of walnut that I okayed sounded much better in my opinion than a Mahogany one. Especially the walnut J-45 styles!
agreed, walnut is awesome! this guitar with alnico 2 pickups would be so killer!
I baught mine used in the early 80s at a local guitar shop for 650,- D- Marks, which was a hell of a lot money for me, being 20 years old! It didn't Look too glamourous but it read "Gibson" on the headstock and that was all I desired those days. Today, I'm so happy to have kept it among my collection of much more known guitars which I caught over the years. It still blows me away, whenever I plug it in. It creates nearly every sound and every grade of distortion by not even changing the volume...it's just your picking intensity. Awesome!
Can confirm, these guitars are AMAZING! I bought one about two years ago when I moved to Chicago and it's been my number one since!
I´ve had my 1979 The Paul for over 20 years and I love it, it has a pick guard, normally mounted and I thought it was an original fitting so it came as a surprise to me that it is not! Other than that it is all original and it plays like a dream. According to your valuation it has doubled in monetary terms, which is nice! It also has it´s original case with bright yellow plush interior. Really enjoy your show Trogly, I have learned so much about my guitars. Thanks.
I really like the format of the sound demos on this one, with you standing and playing and the amplifier displayed in the corner. You’ve inspired me to save up and find a The Paul.
"If your son or daughter want's a guitar, buy them one of these budget $1000 guitars"
Boy, it must be nice to be rich...
lol here I tough I was alone in that one :p
Well no one said that but any way. Just buy your kid a squire they're nice too.
@@jasonpeck9100 An epiphone is a good choice.
@@MysterD515 an epiphone is a great choice.
Own 1978 model. LOVE this guitar. Rough and rugged. Cigarette burn on the 6th string head stock. Had to replace the padding in the case to remove the cigarette smell. Heavy sound with great lead tones. Feels great plays better. It’s like an early BFG just without the P90.
My '78 has more than one cigarette burn at the headstock and chip at the top. The rest is beaten to hell as well. Had it since '81. Would never sell. It's fantastic.
The guitarist from my old band played a the Paul. That thing was a player’s instrument. We played several hours at least 5x a week and toured the states or Asia at least once a year. They kept going at the same pace long after I went on to a different band.
My point is that we were hard on our equipment by shear wear. I remember our other guitarist having to switch guitars out from time to time but the Paul was as much a battle horse as my Fender J-bass. It’s a solid instrument that sounds exactly like you want it to every time.
Love 'em. Walnut is just fine for a guitar. Can get heavy, but not a big deal.
The 79 TP was the very first Gibson I bought with my own money. I absolutely love TPs. Not my first guitar but my first guitar purchase.
Love the cutaway on these guitars. Still thinking about acquiring one since our last conversation about the Paul’s, and silverbursts. I think these are absolutely beautiful guitars. And, you can’t go wrong with those pick-ups, providing the wiring is intact. Oh, BTW, i like your late night video release time. But I’m sure I like the rest of the viewing world of UA-cam, I would be fine with a 3:00pm video release time. Thanks Trogs!
I currently play my dad‘s ‘79 The Paul which he doesn‘t use anymore (he got a Les Paul) and I‘m so happy with it. Sure it isn‘t perfect (lots of bruises and a twice broken neck) but it‘s so good playable and the tone that you can get out of it is just amazing. Defenitely recommend buying one if Les Pauls are out of your price range
I still have my 1979 The Paul. All stock and still plays and sounds great. Will never part with it.
ZenDriveSeven Good man , don't be tempted ever ! Even if you didn't play your Paul for a long time and you are using something else more ...as soon as it's gone, you will want it back ,I guarantee ! It happened to me twice ,and although I could theoretically replace them with "like for like" 70's guitars but they won't BE those that I owned. Cheers 👍😉🎸🇬🇧
Their value as a guitar outweighs their monetary value. Enjoy it!
Shaun W Sound advice! And this was my first real guitar that my late Dad bought for me new when I was 14years old. Of all of my guitars this would be the only one I will never part with.
Shaun W For sure! I think I have a old video of me playing it on my channel. I’ll try to dig it up.
Shaun W ua-cam.com/video/VgM7aH4V9MA/v-deo.html
Great video as always . Brought back memories of my early teens ..the music store in town had a glass case for their few expensive guitars , usually a mint 3 or 4 yr old The Paul Deluxe, The Les Paul "all wood",as we called it as kids and a couple of then brand new Heritage guitars. I later bought a '78 Marauder from my driving instructor & played it for 25 years. Damn should not have let her go lol . I agree the body shape is very comfortable.
I have a 1986 The Paul Deluxe with the Gibson harmonica bridge and is Purple!! Still had the clear plastic on the back cavity cover when I bought it in December 1991. Kept it the same way all these years. Never modded.
I just picked one of these up last week. This is one of only two guitars my wife has seen and heard and said “I really like that one, you should keep it”. It is a pretty great ride, certainly worth the $$$
I first came across a The Paul in DJ's Music in Phoenix in 1982. It was the itch I couldn't scratch, and it nagged at me for 30 years, until I *finally* had the money laying around. I found a fella in a retirement community (The VIllages, aka Golf Cart Heaven :) ) near here who was selling his The Paul to finance some customizations on his golf cart. He cut me a good deal ("Because it's Christmas," he said), and at LAST I had my Walnut Wonder! It had had a long and tiring life and at some point it took a dive off a stand onto the floor: the nut was cracked, and the bridge was bent in the middle. I put a GraphTech nut and a new Nashville bridge with GraphTech StringSaver saddles on it. It could probably stand a fret job, but some other time. :P It spends most of its time hanging on the wall as my "go to" noodling guitar nowadays. I love how the thing sounds; it's deep and dark and moody like it absorbed the essence of the blues from all the Bminor licks in dark old nightclubs or somesuch. It is a blues monster. If you don't have one of these, GET ONE. If you have one, do NOT under any circumstances sell it, lest the massive seller's remorse drive you stark raving mad. :)
I think I saw one of these in a pawn shop a couple years ago, or at least something similar, and I honestly thought it might've been fake since it looked nothing like a Les Paul I'd ever seen before. Cool to know this is something Gibson actually did
A good friend of mine bought one 20 years ago and at the time l thought exactly the same thing! All these years later this video proves I was wrong!
This guitar from 82 was my first Gibson/les paul. Coming as only having Fenders, getting a traditional les paul was intimidating. I'm used to Fender's weight and thinness when it comes to electric guitars. I also wanted something more mellow sounding. The Paul was the perfect choice for me. Its a true vintage Gibson with a different feel. The t tops in mine are warm and their bite burnt away after the years. The walnut is really soft and the body is beat up. Plays perfectly with no issues. I want another Gibson but I just don't know what to get that will satisfy me like the paul did. The early eighties models to me have a better looking headstock. It's thinner than the one in this video and black, like the traditional Gibson head stock. Thats why I chose it. I spent $760 in 2019 on it
I prefer night uploads, it's almost like a late show. Walnut is a nice looking wood
Bought and sold a few of these in the past, quick money makers. $600-$800 usually I pik them up, $1000-$1200 usually what I sell them for. I've parted out a few as well. One of the best les pauls ever made especially for the money. Had a buddy who had the HS refinished in black, looked sharp.
I've just bought one, made on 12th of september 79, the sound is soooo good and it has 'IT'. If You like the music I play/listen, this guitar will be a bless!
I bought one from Steve's music in Montreal in 1981. It was red. I miss it.
I had one I had one, I bought it in seven days when it first came out. I'm 62 years old. It was a nice guitar I wish I had something else at the time but I missed my old one now
I have spent hours on the Internet trying to find out what pick ups originally came with the Gibson “the Paul“ with no success… Voilà! You told me, they are “T tops“; however, I’ve no idea what that means… 490/498? PAFs? Ceramic? Would love to know that answer.
I own a 1979, Gibson “the Paul“ for which I paid $330 (USD) at Gruhn’s Guitars in 1983. I have now accrued dozens of guitars (thank you, God) over the years, but he is still one of my favourites. In fact, I don’t own another Les Paul because I have had five back operations and lean more towards the Parker Fly Deluxe and other electrics under 8 lb in weight.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your thorough description. I’ve only now “discovered“ you, but will be following you hence forth. Please let me know the answer about the pick ups if you have the time. Enjoy your walnut gem! Mine has been in the studio for many songs and has been played live on everything from Jimi Hendrix (Strat songs), to 80s and 90s bands‘ songs (back in the fraternity days). God bless you with health and joy. Cheers//Slainte mhaith,
Roctor
🇬🇧🏴🇺🇸🏴🎸👨🏼⚕️🎸👨🏼⚕️😊
I got a 97 Stock “The Paul ii” for $400. Id love to see you make a video on one! Cheers
The Interesting Carrot
I have one as well. I love it. It holds it own against any of my les Paul's.
I'd be interested in the guitar
Bought my 1980 "The Paul" Deluxe Firebrand (and does actual have firebrand Gibson logo) back in 1996, and it had many, many miles on it when I bought it back in Memphis for $550. It continues to be a spectacular axe. Has a custom pick guard and the Grover tuners aren't those trapezoidal ones but rectangular ones.
I have one very similar. All mahogany. No maple cap. No binding. Dot inlays.A Les Paul Special with humbuckers. Bought it brand new in 2003 for 650$ with a gig bag. My only electric. Plays and sounds excellent. Definitely not just a beginners axe. Just an affordable all-around stripped down work horse guitar. A players axe.
I have a 1980 Firebrand the Paul Deluxe my parents bought me for my 15th birthday it's all stock and it is better in a lot of ways then the other Gibson's I have had through the years
I had one of the "Firebrands" finished natural, so it looked a lot like "The Paul" in this video. It really did what I needed it to do until I could get an LP Custom (it was a beautiful '76 Cherry Burst that I would LOVE to have again!). But the Firebrand was mahogany like you said here, and it had a dark sound, but it was a great starter Les Paul for classic rock. By the way, before the Firebrand, I had a '65 Melody Maker that I modified by installing a DiMarzio PAF pickup, a Leo Quan Badass bridge, Grover tuners, sanded the back of the neck down to better fit my hand, and then had the whole thing finished glossy white (looked like the one Joan Jett is normally seen with), but I really learned a lot about playing guitar using that instrument for years. Another guitar I wish I had not sold!!!
I agree with Firebrand and The Paul being the best starter. I played a LP Deluxe 1971 from 71 to 12.
I still have an original The Paul. Only had the a new switch installed a few years ago. I wonder how much it would be worth now.
I have a 335S too. I like it a lot. These are utilitarian workhorses that sound awesome, and if you get one that plays really well, you can't go wrong. Most of them do play well, but some are just spectacular playing guitars.
Correction! I bought mine in 1978, when they just came out
I had a 79 Model with the super rare 1-Piece body
Great sounding guitar, but would not stay in tune for anything
Bought it for $300 in 1986 and sold it for $400 in 1989-92
The worst mod to these guitars is adding the pickguard
That was usually done to hide wear.
Good review on this guitar XR 1... I have one of these from 1982 It has held up very very well... It has been a gigged with often was my primary rehearsal guitar... I got a 1976 Les Paul Custom and it became my favorite in about 84 and I didn't know why at the time.. The XR I have shows no seams in the body and 2 seams on the maple cap... Mine is very heavy as well... 10 lbs + I eventually put vintage 57s in and it sound just like a LP Standard.. very open and spanky...You can't tell the difference. I have 2 small sections on the outermost part of the fingerboard that have worn into slight impressions.. I would love to be able to fix them... I have a Custom Shop LP 1956 RI Special that is a plain jane black on the guitar's body and a bound neck with P 90s.. Easily my favorite guitar.. When plug that thing in at volume it feels like a wildcat is about to come through the front of Marshall... My friend has a XR 2 beautiful figuring on top and he took the minis out and routed it and put P 90s in and I think it is the best sounding guitar in his stable and he probably has 15 guitars... He has several $2500 guitars... and I know as much as he would like to think a couple of them sound better than his XR-2, he would probably agree the XR-2 sounds the best.. He has a custom shop Tele and a Gretsch White Falcon, an Anderson Tele and none sound as sweet with that underneath tone in the wayu the LP XR-2 does... Strangely we paid exactly the same price for the guitars in 1982.. Respectively .... $500...
I love how you cover a lot of the Norlin era stuff. How about doing some Flying V's? Or E2 Explorers?
the dots still kill LPs for me, but man it's pretty sick! I actually think something like the studio is still best for me:
thick body, no cutaway, block inlays
Looks great!!! Do you plan on doing Epiphone models? I know you do a ton of Gibsons, but what about all the Epiphone LPs from back in the day? Might be really cool!
After seeing/hearing Mike Scott of the Waterboys play last night, I am even more impressed with this guitar. This is a sleeper and I better get on before the stampede. Thanks for the great review.
This was also a big factor for me buying mine.....hearing Mike Scott play one in 2019. It is a great sounding axe!
@@paulpiellusch7851 Totally agree. I actually picked one up after my original comment...about a month after the gig I found an '81 Deluxe The Paul Firebrand Deluxe....closer to his Pelham Blue Firebrand Deluxe (which he played as well), but in gloss mahogany. All original including the T-top pickups. It's a keeper.
There's a 335s Firebrand on Craigslist near me right now. Guy's asking $1000 for it. Looks fairly clean, but I can't get past the look. Just too plain. Thanks for sharing Austin. Have a great day!
1k isn't too bad for one of those. Talk 'em down to $800 and that's resale territory
Funny thing is these have went up in value quite a bit since this video was made. Now you can find the Paul ii for like $1000, though. (The 90s ones )
I have a 1980 Gibson Firebrand "The Paul" Deluxe (10/18/1980) that I got in trade for my old 1965 Fender Mustang in 1980. (my hands had outgrown the neck on the mustang). I will never get rid of the Gibson.
Talking about walnut, you should check out Rickenbacker's 650 models, doesn't matter which one, but the Sierra, Dakota and Colorado are the most accessible of them all. Others are either discontinued or rare to come by and not made out of walnut.
I just fell in love again, but this time it ain't no person😍
I've just found one in a store near my house, second hand for 650€ I never thought about buying a Les Paul, because the music I like, like Dinosaur Jr, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Etc uses Jaguars, Jazzmasters... Do you think it worth the money? I mean, I dont want to buy something just because the brand..... By the way this JUST the review I needed, this was perfect!!! Thank you very much
When I came to buy my second 'serious' guitar way back in '91 I had my heart set on a strat. My local guitar shop had 2 for sale, the best looking one was a black hardtail, but of course I wanted a strat with a trem. The only other strat was a rather road-worn '79 model in natural wood, which I eventually bought. However, hanging next to the strat was this thing called 'the Paul' which I thought looked very odd and nothing like the pictures of Les Pauls I had drooled over. It was in extremely good condition, better than my strat, but it just didn't meet my specification at the time. If I had another 200 quid on me that day, I would have walked out with them both! I didn't realise until watching this that it could have been the same year as my strat 1979, so I wonder if the hardtail was the same year? Maybe the same guy brought them all in for re-sale ??
Have a ‘79 “The Paul”. It was a replacement because I was broken into and my guitars were stolen (along with most of my clothes, pre-iPhone phone and answer- machine, etc). I was a poor, fledgling songwriter/performer at the time and a sweet, Christian, newlywed couple gave me the money to buy a guitar !
I found a The Paul at a snooty, antique guitar shop for $333! That was >25 yrs ago. God has blessed me with 25+ gtrs presently, but I only ever bought one Les Paul … this one. It weighs just over 7lbs and sounds and plays like a dream. Cannot put a price on a dream gtr!
I still call the couple periodically to thank them for their generosity and to hear how much God has blessed them for their faith and love. Last time I checked the “worth” of my Paul it was ~$1,500😁. Very nice “investment”. But, it is NOT for sale 😊.
Great piece of kit that continues to serve me quite well … Thank you for your great demo/discussion. 😊
🫶✌️♾️.🎸👨🏼⚕️🎸🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Nice one.and I'm a fan of the walnut.in my acoustics also.they have a lift all of their own.nice show!
Paid $350 for mine. Bought it new. Original pickups, no pickguard. Great guitar, See them on Reverb now for $1700. Lol
I bought a "The Paul" when they first came out in the late 70's. 78/79? maybe?.. Anyway is was somewhere around 4 hundred bucks new! I played that thing and played it hard for 4 or 5 years, loved it! I liked it better than any Les Pauls of that era, or afterward. That guitar I always pulled out from the underfloor bus storage first and played it most nights at 95% of any gigs , I could kick myself for ever selling it .You talk about an ugly guitar when I got rid of it though,, had worn most all the finish off the neck and where arm rested and under and below the stings at the bridge area, and where there would normally be a pickguard,, If I could find mine I had,, I'd definitely buy it back,.. Loved that neck and fretboard on that Paul! And dang that plain ugly son of gun sounded and played awesome!!
Oh no. I went into a guitar shop and saw a used one of these exact guitars (Gibson the paul) there for $700 and I PASSED. if I would have known they were so awesome I would have sprung for it. like I could have afforded that at the time but still. the only thing I can really remember not liking about it was where the toggle switch was.
Yo listenup. Get a gibson les paul classic mid 90s to early 2000s. It costs around 1200-1600 . And they are so cool cause gibson doesn't make em like this anymore. They look cool now but its a different thing.
Nice LP, beautiful finish
i have a 79 with original t’s! looks better without pick guard in my opinion. and the pickup switch moved away from where your hand strums is key
I think those look good. I like natural wood. I like the switch placement too. You might keep your ear to the ground regarding the branding iron...Gibson might need to raise money for the future
I paid $200 for mine back in 87. Still have it. Been paralyzed since 95 so I havn't played it since.
Hello again, the guitar that I am going to buy carries on the bridge a Bill Lawrence pill (I do not know the exact model) do you know the brand? the rest of the guitar is perfect and all original ... thanks
That is the best weapon for war guitar. I will play that in middle of war if you all fight put me in middle no fighting just play guitar and sing song for peace don't you all miss sounds from old days. Hmm,, good man for guitar he had a guitar respect thank you for intrudusing that instrument sir,, nice
What are your thoughts on the new sg jr. Reissue? It's pretty pricey for a new one, but still less than a good vintage one. the Gary Clark sg seems like a better value with 3 p90s, but the sg jr has a cooler look imo. I'd be interested in your thoughts.
Although it is said that these were made starting in 78, I have a 77. It oddly has a tremelo. I am wondering if it is a prototype. I have owned it since 1980.
I guess I’m a lover of the plain stuff. I prefer this look vs a aaa flamed maple.
Trogly, what do you think of the Epiphone custom pro? They make one on solid koa which I find just stunning.
Myself I never liked The Paul
As for time either works I'm up @ 2:00am CT and watch your videos to start my day and Thank you for that love the vids
I love the Walnut guitars,great videos
I'm not a massive fan of guitars that look like that usually but its kind of got the same vibe as Zappa's SG which makes me like it more
Very nice! Can't afford it for my collection but very nice!
All true! Have an all original '78 and it IS the balls!!! Rock on Trogly \m/,
dude, you deserve so many more subs, lol, i watch this for entertainment....
i got a "second" of one of these, no t-tops unfortunately, but vintage seymours that sound great...picked it up for 500 beans...it's still my favorite....the neck pickup is actually a bridge pup flipped around....i'll never sell it
That's really nice, I love the body chamfers Les Pauls are so uncomfortable.
Fly By Night! Nice. Didn’t know you were into Rush.
I bought one new in 1979 from either Wedgle's or Bobby's Music in Denver. I still have it...I still love it, but I wish I could remember what it sold for in '79.
Any help will be appreciated.
I read somewhere the original price of these was around $440 US
@@paulpiellusch7851 Thanks. I seem to remember now that I paid around $550 including tax & OHSC, so your answer fits.
My single favorite Gibson model !
Been playing my The Paul all my life and I will never sell it.
Hey I’d love to hear your thoughts on the lower end satin Gibsons. I love my LPJ but I tried another and it was very heavy and dull...
i got one of these for $850 when i was 17. the bridge pickup shit itself and the attempt to revive it was horse shit. i was too attached to the fact it was original t-tops to swap them out and i made the mistake if trading it for a 2018 SG Special because it was 24 fret. the frets are higher than willie and due to an incident it was beheaded.
I couldnt rock it and heres why: My friend Debbie Landry has her own band and plays a Firebrand LP so much that I instantly associate these walnut bodied LPs with her. It's like her signature guitar, lol. If you're ever in southeast Louisiana check out the Debbie Landry Band, she sings some awesome Led Zeppelin covers!
I love these Les Pauls
Would a 1985 Gibson Invader be the same as this just with a bolt-in neck? Looks kinda similar
Walnut > mahogany, IMO, especially if you have a clear finish and no top (mahogany with a maple top is better than plain walnut).
What do you think about Korean/Japanese/Czech Epiphones? Are they worthy against the more expensive Gibsons? I have a chinese made Epiphone LP special 2 and I would like to upgrade sometime. Maximum budget would be $500 at most.
Japanese Epiphones are great, but Czech Epis ? Really ? (the Korean ones are nowhere as good as the vintage or Japanese ones).
julosx There really are Czech Epis but they are very rare.
Gibson's designs in the 1970s were amazing, with The Paul as a great example.
Any solid-body guitar with a tilt-back headstock, which doesn't also have a volute for reinforcement, is inherently defective. Gibson actually fixed this in the '70s - and then the vintage purists demanded that they go back to the old ways!
I'm in luv with this guitar
It's actually like a Gibson Invader but the Invader has a bolt on neck and was made out of mahogany. BTW the Invader is an excellent guitar. My '83 Invader looks exactly like this guitar but black with the black and white dirty fingers pick ups.
I want one of those so bad I can't stand it. But I'm a lefty. Any suggestions?
all walnut guitars be intrigue me for sure its a great wood
Did you ever get your hand on a 58/59/60 burst les paul?
I'm sure eventually someone will loan one to me for the purposes of review, but I don't think I plan on ever buying one
Don't get me wrong I like the looks of les paul guitars but the only ones I'd like are a Joe Perry boneyard or one of the les paul k.m.'s
I had one for many years and wish I still did. Harder to find now.
Are the pickups worth most of the value of these? That's a pretty good deal just for parts.
The pickups are worth between $250-$400. If you put covers on them and make them look nice, you could get up to $500 - so yes, that is where a lot of the value comes from on these.
Bob Markey played one all throughout his incredible career.
Might be cool if someone routed around the body and stuck some binding on one of these.
The cutaway on the front would make that impossible without further modification unfortunately
Hey, by the way,, if your thinking, of building your own custom,, walnut, would be a great choice, for a top veneer, mahogany bottom, sound would be excellent,, iv'e done it, used p.a.f.,( gibson hum.,, b's ),, yeah !!!
The only thing I don't like is wher pickup selector is other than that it nice
I fell in love with this guitar!!!!¡
Odds are that stick was simply a promotional prop, as the real brander would probably be part of a larger machine.
I can still dream haha
I would like the upload time moved to 3pm, I think it would give people more time on the initial release to go over the video a couple of times. As for ending their day with the new video? skip one day then start the next day lol. At first I was like, "no way would I recommend this as an intro to the mighty Les Paul" , then I watched the video - yeah OK I agree with you. I love the looks of the guitar but I for some reason just hate the flat tops. That carved top sets the Les Paul apart from a lot of guitars IMO. The one you have here sure is pretty and that solid 335? Wow, I would love that!! I have to say I've never played a Les Paul with the comfort cuts but want to. Another great video!
replys, are correct, walnut has a little more snap, mid, to treble, a little bit heavy, but hey!!,, your gettin great tone!!,, man thats a beauty!!! s.g., must be hot too!!!
there's no way the head stock was burned with a branding iron. There would be no control. It would burn. More like it was roughly carved and painted.
Hey new sub here. Love ur content. Can u tell me anything about a Gibson fire tiger or blood tiger lp
The fire tiger seems to just be a les paul custom with a quilted top in a red finish. www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPCQFTGH--gibson-custom-les-paul-custom-quilt-fire-tiger
How do you tell if the pickups are original?
Ts on the tops of the bobbins, patent no on the back and date codes