Gibson Les Paul Classic

This is a 2002!
Made in the USA!
22 or 24 frets
Same specs as a 1960 standard except for the shitty plastic tuning keys!
I'm thinkin' of changing them to Grovers!
and I would rather have the chrome PAF's or Seymore Duncan Phat Cats (P-94)
it's heritage Cherry Sunburst!
Beautiful guitar!

the treble pickup is HOT!
I'm a big fan of the P-90 sound, but this pickup is really hot!
I play thru a Mesa Boogie f-50 1/12 combo!

I just don't like the plastic tuning keys!
Pickups could've been the chrome 57's or Seymore Duncan Phat cats or p-94's!
I can't stand the fact of the angle of the straphook! It really makes no sense! Straplocks is a must!

GIBSON is the way to go!
Always reliable!
You can pull the guitar outta the case and it'll be in tune!
I can see the plastic tuners breakin' at some point in time!

n/a

15 years of guitar playing!
I own an acoustic and a Mesa Boogie f-50 1/12 amp!

If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else?
yes, this is the second one, exactly the same one!

What do you love about it? It's a Gibson!!!

What do you hate? plastic tuning pegs and the ceramic pickups!

What is your favorite feature? the Heritage Cherry Sunburst finish!

Why did you choose this one? this is one I had gotten rid of years ago and hoped to get another one again! But I was hoping for a Gibson Les Paul Custom in Heritage Cherry Sunburst!

Guitars I'd like to collect someday:
Gibson Les Paul Custom White Finish/Chrome
1968 Gibson Les Paul Custom Natural Finish/Chrome
Gibson Les Paul Custom Heritage Cherry Sunburst/Chrome
Gibson Les Paul Junior TV DC
Gibson Les Paul Junior TV White DC
Gibson SG Custom White finish gold hardware

les paul classic sunburst finish with the cream trim and all the features prominent in the 60's,including the numbers 1960 inscribed in the pick guard(to remind you what year it is, right?). Hot humbuckers and the all the styling cues of the era.excellent finish.comes with a nice hardshell case

This guitar has to be the fullest,most resonant instrument ive ever played,up to par with an original 1960's classic my friend has. doesnt have as much low bite as my esp f-207 with active emg's, but what would?
for a stock guitar, this thing cant be beat.i play mostly black metal, along with some acoustic(days of the new,alice in chains) and it suits all of these fine, although i had to get used to the shorter scale and the higher palm mute position, its actually easier to shred on with the shorter scale.This was the last guitar i played after trying out high end ibanez jem models and neck throughs, and seeing the guitar on the wall i assumed it was just another "old man" reissue,with nothing but blues and slow hand capabilties. i played it for 5 minutes and bought it right there.It may look tame, but it can shred.

guitar came prepped and ready to go...no complaints.didnt have to change a thing on it.no flaws,top looking excellent,the only thing that throws you off is the "aged" inlays and the tuners.higher quality hardware.ive owned alot of jap guitars and fenders, this being my first gibson, im very happy with it

very well built,a bit heavy but thats the trade off for all that tone and sustain.id use it in a gig,probably be a bit careful not to slap it around like my other guitars.alot of weight to be slapping....

ive been playing for about 7 years now,mostly influenced by grunge,barouque music and modern virtuosos.thats said, it fits my needs.i love the sound of it, and the only real downside of it is probably sleeper visual, not very metal looking guitar, but it fits the role when in the right hands.i compared it to high end ibanez and ESP guitars before buying it, and it suprisingly beat the hell out of the others(only thing lacking was the tremolo).id recomend this guitar to anybody who wants to take there music further.there are limits to an instrument, and i will enjoy finding the limit to this one,if there are any.

I recently acquired a 2003 liteburst Les Paul Classic in trade for a 2001 Fender American Deluxe Telecaster and a Fender mexican standard stratocaster and $100.00. I really enjoy playing this beautiful instrument in our five piece rock and roll band. The pickups are HOT, more gain than the noiseless single coils on my 2001 Fender Deluxe American Fat Stratocaster. This guitar is meant to ROCK! Nice slim 60's neck, medium jumbo frets, very easy to coax all sorts of sounds out of it. I frequently get the party started with "trick" guitar bi-dextral finger tapping techniques during our performances.

We play 50 to 75 gigs per year of classic rock and roll. I like the look and feel of this guitar, but the sound is what I like the most, which is pure rock and roll! The neck pickup is woody, buttery, creamy, and thick as a milkshake, perfect for fenderish bluesy, not too distorted soloing. The bridge pickup is flat out down and dirty high gain heaven, perfect for marshallish, steam roller, get out of my way, take no prisoners soloing. Both pickups at once produces nice, airy, clean guitar sound, perfect for rhythm guitar strumming.

I had the guitar for three months now, and I can't find one thing second rate about it. This is the low end Les Paul, but it is a beauty none the less. I've played a few new, higher priced Les Paul Standards and Customs at the music stores, and while these guitars have upgrades like quilted tops, figured tops, more expensive inlays on the neck, different pickups, etc., I like this Les Paul the best.

The Gibson Les Paul has withstood the test of time for over 50 years and will continue to be a part of rock and roll as long as there is rock and roll. This guitar means business, and the business is rock and roll.

If ever needed, parts are available locally here in Florida at most any big name music store.

Been playing continously in various rock and roll ensembles since 1966. A superb rendering of this historic symbol of good ol' American Rock & Roll. All you guys fooling around with $300.00 mexican strats and all hat, no cattle epiphone les pauls should get a second job, or give up one bad habbit (tobacco/alcohol) for a year and buy yourself a real guitar. You won't be sorry!

This les Paul was made in 2002, USA. Light-burst finish with stock ceramic pickups,Mahogany body, Maple top...you know the rest of the features. This guitar has all the features anyone would need to play rock, jazz or whatever.

This guitar fits my style of playing perfectly. I play mostly rock/ Metal and some occasional blues. I am playing throught a Mesa/Boogie DC-10 100Watt combo and it sounds terrific! The pickups are perfect for this guitar, they sound sweet through the Boogie.All you who have said the pickups are too 'Harsh'... you need to do some better research before you pay over $1000 for a guitar. Did you not play the guitar before you purchased it? It probably sounds harsh because you are #1 an amateur guitarist who doesn't know how to use tone controls on your amp(if it has any) and #2 playing through a crappy solid state amp that will never sound good(Try playing a sold state amp live with a band and you will realize what I am talking about- just listen to Metallica's latest CD...the guitars sound incredibly thin and weak...what happened to the Mesa/Boogie days?)! As was mentioned in other postings, this guitar was made to be a hot-sounding, agressive guitar, thus the open coil ceramic pickups. Bottom line- know what you are buying before you buy it!

This guitar was set up pretty good when I got it but I had some minor adjustments made and it plays like a dream. I previosly owned a 1970 Les Paul Deluxe and this one plays just as good. No flaws, just a beautiful Les Paul.

This guitar is a Les Paul, it will withstand live playing as long as you do not treat your guitar like Pete Townshend... The hardware is durable and the strap buttons are Schaller and are reliable...never had any problems. I always use other guitars while playing live for different sounds on different songs but this guitar doesn't need a backup- end of story.

Never had to deal with them, never had any problems.

I have been playing for 20 + years and this guitar is a gem! I have owned a 30-year old Les Paul deluxe before and this one plays just as good and is a well-made guitar. If it were stolen I would have to have another one. It is a quality instrument and is superior to most guitars made today with very few exceptions(but who can afford those guitars anyway??) The only thing I wish this guitar had is another Les Paul classic(Tobacco sunburst)sitting next to it in my music room!

Pretty basic gibson LP mahogany body, mapletop, vintage sunburst. Top doesn't look as good as standard due to less flaming top but it's defenately ok.

With slightly hotter pickups than LP standard it sounds more cutting and slightly brighter, still having that classical LP growling sound. I play old school heavy rock and i use Peavey 5150 EVH head thru 4x12 marshall cabinet, total asskicker for a head i say. The downside of those pickups is that sound loses soul slightly... Again... It's good but not as good as LP standard.

It's gibson. It's well built. It's the mercedes benz of guitars. Top is NOT AAA-mapletop, it's just a good looking mapletop. Factory set-up was ok, but what the hell, what would you except for a 1?K? guitar? It should be set up in the factory.... Gibson strings SUCK so i strongly recommend immediately changing them... Gibson makes good guitars they shouldn't make strings.

Hell..... Gibson=Reliability&customer support

Again.... Gibson know what they do and do it well...

It's good

2003 Les Paul Classic with the usual LP setup; 2 volume, 2 tone, 3 position p/u switch. Heritage cherry sunburst. 496r/500t pickups. I gave it a 10 because it has what is expected in a Les Paul.

I play mostly rock and blues and this guitar is definitely high output. Some people in this forum think that the pickups sound harsh. That's what controls are meant to adjust, both on the guitar and on your amp. I play this guitar through an old Sound X305R tube amp (bet most of you have never heard or seen one- fabulous amp I bought new in 1968), a Peavey Classic 30 tube amp, a Fender eighty-five solid state, and a few others. Absolutely killer sustain and gain.

Finish is excellent. Mr. Gallo was going to keep this one for himself, but I got it. The maple top is nicely bookmatched with some interesting characteristics. The red burst border is very wide, the widest on any Classic that I've seen. There is no orange peel in the finish. Looks great.

Everything looks like it should hold up very well. Les Pauls are solid guitars. I've owned Gibsons since 1967 and have had great luck with them. You should always have a backup when gigging, though I certainly have gigged without one.

This guitar developed a short in the bridge pickup right after purchase. Mr. Gallo tested it and determined that the short was in the pickup itself, probably a bad winding. Gibson sent out a new pickup and the replacement was fine. I have never seen this happen in a Gibson, but there is no such thing as zero-defect manufacturing. The dealer is the key here, and Angelo is the best.

This guitar is exactly what it should be- a high output rock guitar. I own 3 Les Pauls, this Classic, a Class 5, and a Faded Special. All sound different and all sound great. I can't believe what I read in this forum about people buying this guitar and changing the pickups. Why did you buy this guitar? Did you play it before you bought it? Did you buy it from Musician's Friend (Fiend) through the mail thinking it would sound like a 1960 re-issue? It makes me sick to think that a great guitar is being butchered by some ignorant people who didn't do their homework. You should've gone to a reputable dealer and played guitars until you found the sound that you wanted. A reputable dealer will help you to find a guitar that suits your needs, not just make a sale, but the burden is still on you to find the right guitar. DiMarzios and Duncans? You should've bought an ESP or Jackson. No Gibson should be treated that way. I have a 1967 SG Standard that still plays and looks great. I just bought a killer ES-335 from Angelo Gallo. I have an ES-135 and the 3 Les Pauls. I also have 3 Guilds, 1 Schechter, 1 Alvarez, 1 1967 Harmony Sovereign acoustic (original owner), and 1 Ibanez clone bass. I also have 5 amps and numerous effects, old and new. If somebody stole it any of it I'd have to hurt them.

By the way, Barry, who also bought his Classic at Angelo Gallo, are you the SCPD LT., that I met there one day? If so, go to Angelo's and leave a contact number for Lou. I'm on the job too (USCS)

Everyone knows the features. I personally like the configuration of the LP style guitars so I'll rate this high. For the money they charge, it shouldn't bankrupt Gibson to add some features/options like coil splitting, out of phase, etc. You can get that on the new Jimmy Page custom shop guitar but for what they charge, I'd rather make the mods myself.

This guitar has everything you need to create a good tone. The reviews that bash the sound are more likely due to poor technique, bad ears, sorry or improperly set up gear or all of the above. Replacing pups is cheap and easy...why get rid of a guitar (that you presumably liked) just because of the pups? Better yet, why buy a guitar that you know has hot ceramic mag pups and then complain about them? The stock LP Classic is great for rock and (higher octane) blues. I must admit I wasn't 100% happy with the pups. I put a burstbucker pro I in the neck and a SD pearly gates in the bridge. Very happy with the results there.

I bought this used and the action was horrible at the shop. Set up for slide or something. I wouldn't have paid the $$ if it didn't play well. There's just too many great guitars out there to settle so take your time. I have found plenty of LPs that just don't seem right. It has to feel like magic, you know? After a simple set up, this guitar plays great. Honeyburst (non flamed)top. BTW, it looks fantastic with the nickel covered burstbucker and the white pearly gates.

Everything about this guitar is solid. No worries whatsoever.

Have not dealt with Gibson. I'll rate them based on their website though. Nice site with lots of content...links to wiring diagrams is a plus.

I would definitely replace this guitar if stolen or lost. It was my backup (to a 2003 Standard) but after the pickup change it is increasingly difficult to know which one to pick up first. I play in a cover band and we do modern rock stuff. Everything from Rage to Matchbox 20. This guitar allows me to do it all. I'm sure there are other, less expesive guitars that would do the same job. That's for all the LP bashers out there. Make money, spend money. You can't take it with you.

This particular Classic is bullion gold, a finish that was recently discontinued. Thus, the $1400 price tag, down from nearly $1700! Aside from the normal LP Classic stats (496R/500T ceramic pickups, slim-taper neck, aged tuning keys and inlays, arched top, etc.), it came with an original hardshell case. A couple screwdriver/ratchet tools were included, which come in kinda handy. Not a TON of features, but the features on it are excellent ones. I will, however, be installing Schaller strap locks, because it's worth spending $14 to help protect a $1400 investment. I considered putting Grover tuners on it, but after spending some time with the stock tuners, I see no reason to.

Plenty of people complain about the harshness of the hot ceramic pickups, but I personally think they're fantastic. If you're going to be mainly playing country or acoustic/clean stuff, DON'T buy a Les Paul with hot ceramic pickups and then complain about it! This guitar was meant for balls-to-the-wall rock. If that's what you play, then look no further. Crank up the gain! However, I've found that the neck pickup can get deep, resonant clean sounds when necessary. In fact, when I'm working clean I like to use the neck pickup almost exclusively; the bridge pickup is the way to go when you want it dirty.

Surprisingly, the guitar didn't need much of a setup right out of the box. It just needed to be tuned; it was comfortable to play without making any adjustments. However, I did lower the action and lower the pickups a little. The bridge pickup was especially close to the strings, but that was easily fixed. The gold top is flawless and the body binding is great. The neck binding could have used a little more work. There are a few tiny imperfections here and there. Not a big deal, but definitely noticeable close-up. However, everything else is great. Very comfortable.

It's a Gibson. If there's one thing anyone can say about Gibsons, love 'em or hate 'em, it's that they're built to last. You could safely gig without a backup, but it's definitely good to have a backup on hand in case a string breaks or something...but odds are, if you resort to a backup when using this guitar, it's not the fault of the guitar itself. Everything is very solid.

Never dealt with them, though I hear they're great.

I've been playing for a year and a half, never missing a day and probably playing maybe a couple hours a day on average. I also own an Epiphone G-400 that I've upgraded with '57 Classic Pickups and Grover Tuners, and a Fender Highway 1 Strat. This guitar is a ton heavier than the G-400, but not so heavy that it's uncomfortable to play standing up as long as you've got a padded strap. I find it easier to play than the G-400 from the 15th fret down; higher than the 15th fret and the deep double-cutaway on the G-400 really proves its worth. I find it a little tough to solo up really high on the neck on this Paul, but I'll get used to it. It's tough to compare it to the Strat because they're such different guitars...suffice to say I like this guitar more than the Strat. If it were stolen, I probably would't buy another one simply because I'd have to come up with almost $1700 to buy a new Classic, and still over $1000 for a used one! If I had the dough, I'd get another, though I'd probably get a vintage sunburst if I had a choice. And if I found the guy who stole the guitar in the first place, I'd probably smash him over the head with it. The guitar would come out unscathed!

2003 Les Paul Classic , ebony body ,creme colored pick guard with 1960 inscribed ,creme colored bindings, 60s tapered neck ,trapezoid inlays , 496R and 500T pick ups (very hot by the way) .Based on a 1960s standard .Beautiful finsh ,The one minus is the plastic deluxe tuners , but actually I like the way they look so not really a minus

I Play a wide variety of stuff depending on mood , mostly into the Cream era Clapton , Page , Schenker , Priest , Zakk ,Iommi ,just to name a few of the zillions of guitarists I dig .I use a Koch powertone II (check my review of that Amp,its a killah)with a TC electronics G major with a bunch of other pedals thrown in, The Classic sounds extrodinary , some think the stock pick ups are too hot , in my humble opinion , they great I have that exact set up in my 67 reissue V , 76 reissure explorer and explorer pro . Im using a set of hybrid strings , i normally perfer 009s ,but the hybrid the low E ,A ,D are I believes 10s and the high E,B,G are 009s .
The tone is excellent , I notice alot of guys try to nail their favorite players tone, im a firm believer that even if you use their exact gear you may come close but you aint nailing it , The majority of tone comes from your fingers and the way you attack the strings , and how you fret the notes ,in other words the only one nailing claptons tone is clapton ,That said ,Im a gibson man , I have 3 pauls , a 68 Custom , a 2003 Standard , and now this , I love em all ,
The tones are superb , I can wail , I can make her cry like a baby , I can make her growl , or i can make her whisper , chords sound very full , with the pick ups ,she can screetch with the best of them ,
The difference between this and my standard is the standard has burstbuckers on it and the wood is AAA flamed and as a result is 2k
This baby while about 500 dollars cheaper ,is no slouch , she can hold her own

I buy the bulk of my guitars from Angelo Gallos ,here in LI NY , Mr. Gallo does the bulk of my Tech work , and a great job he does.Right now the guitar has the hybrid set , but probably when I go for a set up after a few months Ill probably trade 009s , cause Ive been using 9s since the 70s, just my perference , but as it , I picked the guitar off the rack plugged in and I knew it was a keeper , Im fuzzy as hell when it comes to my guitars , I cant deal with guitar store where the guitars arent set up or badly out of tune , anyway this baby was user friendly from the get go . The main concern I have with any of my guitars is playability first looks second , this one plays and looks great , so Im a happy camper with this one

Ive never had a problem with Gibson Guitars ,I get regular set ups , I would replace the strap locks ,Id never gig without a back up , if shit can go wrong they will lol , Look Im not going to do a Townsend and smash the guitar , so i expect a long and happy relationship ,
Guitars are meant to be played ,so I expect wear and tear but thats ok , it gives the guitar character.

never dealt with gibson , but they make great guitars , for my needs Angelo Gallo is da man

Im 45 , been playing since the 70s , I have approx 13 guitars , Les Paul custom , standard , the classic , 67 V ,76 reissue explorer , explorer pro , ES 335 , tony Iommi SG ESP JH-3 ESP Kh-2 , Fender american fat strat , LTD baritone. gear up the ass , half the crap I dont use . guitars are my vice , I love em , Im using a 120 watt dutch made Koch ,makes almost anything sound great , I switch off every few weeks to keep the guitars in grat playing shape.
Right now if I was to go out and gigs Id bring the Les Paul Classic and 67 reissure V,
The classic more than holds her own , and while expensive ,1450 is alot of money its not the 3plus K a custom is going for or the 2k the standard is ,I definitely will get my moneys worth out of this classic .
And yes if it was nicked as in stolen Id buy another , Les Paul Classic is a winner.
Lastly I was looking at the LTD EC 1000 deluxe which for the money is a helluva nice guitar IMHO ,I especially like the trans amber with the duncans , but the bottom line its a nice guitar , but its not a paul ,and i feel you get what you pay for and nothing in my opinion humble as it is beats a gibson

I have just bought this guitar so I guess that it was made around 2003 ish. I specifically wanted a Gold Top, and thats exactly what I got. I initially wanted a a Gold Top Standard but the shop didnt have one in, but they had a Classic, so I tried it and was knocked out by the tone and power of the pickups, so I am glad that I bought the Classic now. The features are well described below so no need to add anything here. Prior to this I had a 2002 spec Les Paul Standard in Lightburst which was nice but seemed to lack the punch and power I had expected from a LP.

The power and tone from this guitar is just awesome. I have been playing over 30 years and have been forever in search of the elusive Kossoff/early Clapton/Ralphs/Page tone. Well I have finally found it ...now I here you all say yeah we know!! But seriously folks this thing sustains forever. Now I have read here that a lot of people do not like the sound of this guitar and in particular the ceramic pickups but I dont care whether they are alnico or ceramic as long as it sounds good.

I am using this guitar with an Engl 50W head and 1x12 cab with Celestion V30 driver .a nd I can back the volume down and back the tone on the guitar off and I get this sweet thick sustaining tone with bite as well. And the more I turn up the vol pot the more it screams. Its just simply awesome. Great for palm muting as well.

Great quality, setup not bad but then they all need a bit of a tweak when new. I usually polish the frets and rub down the edge of the fingerboard to give it a played-in feel.

No problems here...after all its a Gibson. Although I must say the tuners are total crap and I will get the shop to change them or I will put a warranty claim in to Gibson as they just dont hold tune.

No experience to speak of.

Fantastic.