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The Search For My Lester is Over!
I've always shied away from Historic Les Pauls in the past because they were too expensive for me. I always thought that the extra work and premium materials involved in a Historic was not worth the heftier price tag...but I was wrong. As far as custom shop Gibsons are concerned, you get what you pay for and then some. I recently purchased a 2006, VOS Goldtop Lightback, and have not been able to put it down since I got it. It's really what a joy to look at and play. I'll start with the specs. This Goldtop is a "Vintage Original Spec" which means it has the specs of a real vintage '57 Les Paul. It has a non-weight relieved mahagony body, ABR-1 bridge, holly headstock veneer, and my favorite: the long neck tenon. The finish and hardware are aged to look like a guitar that has been well cared for for over 40 years, similar to Fender's "Closet Classic" series of guitars (but without the dents and finish checking). It looks legit, and it looks great, but the cosmetics are NOT the reasons why I bought this R7. The long tenon really adds to the sustain! Just tap on the headstock and you can feel the axe vibrating all the way to the strap button. My new Paul is super resonant, and when strummed acoustically, you might think it's a semi-hollow body! The VOS series of guitars are also plek'd, which means they are computer analyzed and setup in a way that is virtually humanly impossible. I own a lot of guitars but have never played on that was SO buzz free...I mean really buzz free...you just hear string! The action is low, and bending is a breeze. The Burstbucker pickups are sweet and really bring out the woodiness of the guitar. The Bumblebee reissue caps are great too. I now actually use the tone knobs! The new caps don't rob your high end when you roll down the volume knobs like cheap ceramic disc caps do. These are the real deal. Finally, how does it sound amp'd up? It's the best Les Paul I've owned...or personally heard.
It actually brought my amps to life instead of the other way around! I own a Super Reverb, Bogner Shiva, 1959HW, AC10, and a Les Paul Jr. amp and it rocks them all! It takes a really terrible Les Paul to sound bad in a plexi or Bogner...but have you heard a Les Paul really sound sweet through a small Vox? This one does. I can go from Allman to Zappa with this thing it's really amazing! If you're reading this review, you must be interested in this guitar...go for it! You WILL NOT REGRET IT!
Reviewed by 06R7 on 10/2/2006 who plays Blues, Rock, Pop, Funk.
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How much would YOU pay for the best
My journey to get the 57 Gibson Les Paul goltop Vos started about 2 weeks ago. I had just gotten my Epiphone SG back from the repair shop and I was testing it out to make sure nothing was wrong with it. Happy with the results, I set out on my annualy visit quest in the store to find a guitar that stood above and beyond the standard 'sound'. Each time I came to the store I would always leave unsatisfied, no matter what I picked up and played. Dean, ESP, Jackson, Ibanez, Gibson, even Fender, it didn't matter, I was never hearing that unique difference. I had picked up a 'Studio' Les Paul and was not impressed, at ALL. I had seriously almost given up and would be content it seemed with my epiphone SG with EMG's (81 at bridge & 85 at neck). I saw the 57 goldtop out on the floor, surveyed the price, and laughed knowing it wouldn't sound like the price. I plugged it in, and have never been sooooo happy to be sooooo wrong. I have never, and may never hear such a smooth sound in all my life. It was obvious that it was not just the hardware, but the neck that was the secret to the sound. A little big at first, but in 5 minuets I was used to it. I started off on clean and was hooked, but curious to see if an older guitar could handle sustain, a lot of it. Once again it seemed it was the neck that was the secret, the amount of sustain rocked my world. I bought it 2 weeks later after 3 trips to the store and playing it on every amp in the store. People ask me, "Why would pay $3000 for a guitar?" I simply say, "Because it plays like a million." If your looking for absolute tone, look no further. Hell, I didn't even get into how beautiful it is, and it is gorgeous, but that's not what we should buy a guitar for, but for the sound it produces. A guitar like this provides the tone we all look for, and few of us ever find.
Reviewed by Brian on 5/31/2007 who plays Anything and everything (but mainly rock & metal).
7 people found this review helpful.
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Best Accidental Purchase
I ordered an LP standard and a 56 VOS goldtop. Well the standard was on backorder and a 57 goldtop came intead of the 56. At first I pondered whether to send it back and get my 56 that I ordered. Well the guitar was so amazing and beautiful I couldn't part ways with it. The intonation was just right, has the most perfect action also. I thought there is no way that I could let go of this thing. This is my first Gibson Les Paul, the guitar has so much power, I own an American Strat and Tele and the goldtop is so much more louder and powerful than the fenders. The LP is definitely a little harder to play than the fenders but the sound is puts out is worth it. I would recommend this guitar over a Standard for the difference in price. The craftmanship put into the VOS's is amazing. So I cancelled my Standard order and am now waiting for the 56 Goldtop, theres nothing wrong with having a couple Goldtops I guess.
Reviewed by Scuba on 5/29/2007 who plays Folk, Rock, Neil Young.
4 people found this review helpful.
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What else could a picker want
this guitar is absolutly the best les paul ive ever touched in my life. about a year ago i started looking for a les paul that would play really well, have a great tone and was very diverse and i ended up with one of these bad boys. this guitar looks awesome, plays like butter, has an amazing tone, and sustain for days. you could buy a les paul or you could by the best les paul ever made. u pick which ever one you want but im sticking with the 57 Goldtop VOS. the pickers guitar.
Reviewed by jabizzile on 9/5/2009 who plays blues, country, rock, jazz, bluegrass.
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superb tone
First off, no guitar ever gets a five. There always seems to be another that eqauls or is better. Every luthier is different, as is each piece of wood used to build a guitar. How well it is assembled and brought to the finished product, along with the selected materials used, adds to its chance of being a great instrument.
Looks are nice, but sound quality is everything!!!
A slightly used 57 Gold Top Purchased at GC went home with me after comparing every non-custom shop LP to it. Price seemed to determine higher quality and sound from the non-custom shop LP's. This Gold Top, with its fat early fifties neck, and vintage electronics, one piece back, and long tennon, had warm rich tone, excellent sustain, and was full of chunk that was no comparison to the other LP's I put against it that day in that store. It has a different sound than the newer LP's, but once you realise its the sound that made the Les Paul what it became, you'll be pleased! Very nice LP for being under 4 g's.
Reviewed by frankfurter on 8/2/2007 who plays everything.
1 person found this review helpful.
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