As a long-time guitar player with roots in the Les Paul world, I feel uniquely positioned to offer my perspective on the Gibson Les Paul Standard. My guitar journey began with a Japanese Ibanez LP Custom copy, and later progressed to owning an ’87 Gibson Les Paul Standard. While that Standard eventually made way for a PRS to fund another guitar purchase, my early playing days were significantly shaped by the Les Paul. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to play Les Pauls from various production eras and explore its different iterations, including the SG, Junior, Special, and Studio models. More recently, acquiring a hardtail Axis Sport with MM-90 pickups (in contrast to the EVH version) has further broadened my understanding of guitar design and tone.
The Les Paul, without a doubt, is an archetypal electric guitar. It’s instantly recognizable and embodies a certain classic essence. Its core appeal lies in its three fundamental sound variations, its impressive sustain, and its iconic aesthetic – a design that has remarkably remained consistent for over half a century. For guitarists seeking that quintessential, powerful rock and roll sound, the Les Paul is a guitar that deserves a place in any serious collection at least once in their playing journey.
What truly stood out to me about the Les Paul was its inherent sustain, the comfortable short scale length, and the undeniably heavy, thick tone it produced. These qualities are central to the Les Paul experience and contribute significantly to its legendary status in rock music.
However, my relationship with the Les Paul wasn’t without its drawbacks. I found its tonal palette somewhat limited for my evolving musical tastes. The neck profile, while substantial, felt thicker than my preference, and let’s be honest, the weight of a Les Paul can become a factor during longer playing sessions.
These factors ultimately led to my decision to sell my Les Paul Standard. I transitioned to a PRS, and this was long before PRS guitars became widely associated with any particular genre or player stereotype. The PRS offered a broader range of tones and was undeniably a beautiful instrument. However, it still didn’t quite deliver the pristine clean tones I was after, leading it to primarily reside in its case, perhaps destined for collector’s item status.
My current Axis Sport, equipped with MM90 pickups, strikes a remarkable balance. It effortlessly covers both heavy, driven tones and sparkling clean sounds with equal proficiency. It’s significantly lighter than a Les Paul, a welcome relief for extended play. Moreover, the Axis Sport features the most consistently comfortable neck I’ve encountered on any guitar to date. Tonally, it leans more towards the raw, primal sound of a Les Paul Junior than the more refined Standard. Interestingly, I’ve always been drawn to the Juniors for their unpolished, direct sonic character. The Sport, in a way, embodies a “refined rawness,” which resonates deeply with my preferences.
Regarding build quality, my ’87 Les Paul Standard was adequate, but it came with a pre-existing neck warp that required professional correction. Les Pauls, unfortunately, are also known for their vulnerability to headstock breaks due to the angled design – a common repair, though thankfully one I never personally had to face. While some Gibson aficionados suggest that the 1980s were a low point for Gibson quality, with improvements in recent years, I still find their pricing structure somewhat perplexing. It’s often surprising to see more visually striking figured maple tops on Epiphone models compared to many Gibson Custom Shop offerings. It seems a significant portion of the price tag is attributed to the Gibson legacy and brand name. While acknowledging that Gibson instruments likely involve more hands-on craftsmanship than many bolt-on guitars, I still believe brands like EBMM (Ernie Ball Music Man) surpass Gibson in overall playability, engineering, and wood selection across their product lines.
Is my Axis Sport a Les Paul? Certainly not. Would an EVH or Axis model with humbuckers be closer to the Les Paul sonic territory? Arguably, yes, as they are both designed as hard rock guitars with dual humbucker configurations. However, any Axis model offers considerably more tonal versatility than a Les Paul, not to mention being more budget-friendly and easier on your back. Ultimately, comparing an Axis to a Les Paul is truly an “apples to oranges” situation. The Axis is a brighter sounding, bolt-on, longer scale guitar constructed with lighter woods and often featuring a tremolo system (sometimes locking). Conversely, the Les Paul is a short-scale, fixed neck and bridge instrument with a generally heavier overall tone.
As a final note, somewhat ironically, I recently had the opportunity to purchase a used US-made Les Paul Studio for a very attractive price of $450. However, I ultimately declined, opting to allocate those funds towards a future Ernie Ball Music Man guitar purchase. This decision further underscores my personal preference and evolving guitar journey away from the classic Les Paul Standard, despite my deep appreciation for its historical significance and iconic status.
