Reviews on a Es Les Paul Bass Electric Bass Guitar 3 Color Sunburst
Our Verdict
Nosotros approve of the colors and are impressed past the attention to detail. Merely mostly we love the quality of piece of work that'due south so apparent here, and the more than-than-a-century of expertise that you can once once more run into in mainline Gibson models, non only top-cease Custom Shop ones.
For
- Bang-up build and finishing.
- Super playability.
- Raunchy stone tones.
- Fair pricing. Includes 4 free Slash picks, too!
Against
- Not anybody will enjoy the fact it's on the heavier side.
Guitar Earth Verdict
We approve of the colors and are impressed by the attention to detail. But by and large we dearest the quality of work that's so apparent here, and the more-than-a-century of expertise that you tin again see in mainline Gibson models, not just peak-terminate Custom Shop ones.
Pros
- +
Groovy build and finishing.
- +
Super playability.
- +
Raunchy rock tones.
- +
Fair pricing. Includes four gratuitous Slash picks, likewise!
Cons
- -
Not everyone will enjoy the fact it'south on the heavier side.
There'due south no doubting Slash's importance in the resurgence of the Les Paul's somewhat flagging fortunes as the '80s nudged towards the '90s. SuperStrats were the electrical guitars of the times and Ibanez was the ascendant brand as far as stone was concerned. But herald 1987'due south chart-topping Appetite For Devastation and the image of Guns N' Roses' top-hatted axeman wielding his flame-elevation Les Paul, and need for the model skyrocketed.
Of course, Gibson and Slash have worked together before, but this latest range is a production of a new regime at the company. We've already seen and heard the '59 and '60 Standards and they left a pretty solid impression. So it was with genuine excitement that we opened four pink-lined tan cases to reveal the multi- colored spoils within.
The guitars come up in four gloss shades: Appetite Outburst (substantially faded 'lemon drop'), November Burst (classic Tobacco Sunburst; our review model), Vermillion Burst (red-to-blackness fade), and Anaconda Outburst (green-to-black). Although nosotros commonly love Gibson's more traditional finishes, the Anaconda Burst'due south vibrant see-through green over figured maple with jet blackness bursting and plasticware is a particularly fetching combination.
The two classic colors are regular Slash models, while the duo of more exotic ones are classed as Limited Editions.
There will be no large surprises when it comes to the models' construction: solid mahogany back and cervix, maple cap (AAA class) and very dark rosewood fingerboard. There's no weight relief to the bodies, and then these are hefty beasts; our November Burst review model pushing 4.3kg. Now, that might sound similar a scary lump to haul around one's neck, but it'south only in recent years that this obsession with weight has really taken agree.
Play whatever Les Paul from the '70s or '80s and it could be anywhere from eight to 10 pounds. In fact, dorsum then a weighty Les Paul was more than or less a rite of passage. It's clearly not something that bothers Slash or he would surely have stipulated weight relief every bit part of the package.
Early GN'R Les Pauls (actually replicas congenital past Kris Derrig and Max Baranet) featured open-pinnacle humbucking pickups. The reissues acquit a pair of similarly naked Custom Burstbucker Alnico IIs: the Limited Editions sporting double-black with matching surrounds, while Appetite Outburst has zebra coils with foam rings, and our November Burst double-black with cream.
For years we've pointed out inconsistencies in quality control, and that seems to be something the new squad is determined to put behind it
Other touches include archetype 'keystone' pegs on Gibson/Schaller tuners, Slash's 'Scully' cartoon on the rear of the headstock, and a truss-rod encompass with the guitarist's signature (at that place's a obviously one in the case, along with the advisable color pickguard, should you prefer a more than regular wait).
At this signal it's probably worth mentioning a noticeable pace upwardly for Gibson. For years we've pointed out inconsistencies in quality control, and that seems to be something the new squad is determined to put behind information technology. Hence the finishing here is superb: information technology's flat and beautifully buffed, with no sinkage or orange peel; binding scraping is flawless and the whole thing looks like it's been put together with genuine care and attending.
What you need to know
1. All the same another 'signature' guitar?
There'due south certainly enough around from big makers such equally Gibson, Fender, Music Homo and PRS, and quite a few from the smaller ones, too, such as Vigier and Fret-King. Only many players like to get involved.
Some, like Steve Lukather with his Music Man 'Luke' models, getting right down to specifics with the designers; others, peradventure like Slash, taking the basic instrument he already uses and tweaking information technology cosmetically with a few suggestions about pickups and so on. In our experience companies frequently accept a bit more care over them, besides, and then when washed correct, we like 'em.
2. Quite heavy, isn't it?
Received wisdom and experience tells us that lighter guitars can exist more resonant and dynamic, and heavier ones more thrusting in the mids - only what many want from their Les Paul. And at iv.3kg (9.46Ib) this 1 is at the upper reaches of 'normal' for an original 1959 Les Paul.
3. Two-and-a-half m is a lot...
Yes, it is. Just compared with what else is out there (and considering what goes into making a Les Paul compared with some more expensive bolt-on-neck guitars), that looks like a fair price for an instrument that wouldn't let you lot down on phase at the Budokan, O2 Arena or Carnegie Hall!
Experience and sounds
The attention to item that's and so conspicuously gone into the finishing carries over to the fretwork and setup. In that location's no sanding marks on the rosewood 'lath or on the celluloid inlays, as in that location often used to be; the frets are all seated, crowned and polished to perfection, and the activity merely as you'd want it - low enough for comfort but with zilch buzzes and rattles.
Slash stipulates a 50s-mode, medium-to-chunky C-profile neck and that's what most of united states seem to prefer these days. Information technology's certainly very similar if non identical to the cervix yous'll observe on the current '50s Standard here with a depth of 22mm at the 1st fret and 25.4mm at the twelfth.
That, forth with the polished medium-colossal frets (approximately 2.28mm wide with a summit of around one.14mm) and perfect setup, ways you can stone - and indeed dejection, pop, indie and even jazz - to your heart'due south content. Of form, the Les Paul'due south limited upper admission still applies, but if information technology was proficient plenty for Jimmy Page, and indeed Slash...
Yous can rock - and indeed blues, popular, indie and even jazz - to your heart's content
Playing through Fender Dejection Junior and Yamaha THR30II amps with a Custom Store '57 Les Paul as our 'control' guitar, it was an interesting match. Conspicuously both exhibited that instantly recognizable Les Paul grunt, just the Slash seemed more feral, less tamed.
Compared with the Goldtop'southward well-nigh 'polite' Custom Bucker pickups it sounded both edgier and honkier: the bridge pickup a bit like having a wah pedal 10 per cent cocked; the neck tone's a trifle fatter, also. The guitar likewise has more credible power, both amps breaking upward just that chip earlier.
Flicking both pickups on the difference was still there but less marked, both exhibiting the same lovely quack but the Slash pushing that a smidgen harder.
It's worth saying that our Goldtop is a featherweight at just 3.68kg (8.1lb) compared with our weightier Slash model, so received wisdom tells u.s. to possibly await a fleck more thrust and less dynamics anyway. Information technology would be an interesting experiment to swap pickups and see what happens. Another day, possibly?
Verdict
At that place can exist few guitarists who don't look to Gibson with a sense of awe. Just think of the artists that take used them to make the music of the past 100 years: Robert Johnson, Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, T-Os Walker, Albert, Freddie and BB King, Chuck Drupe, Clapton, Page, Beck, Townshend, Light-green, Bloomfield, Hendrix, The Stones, Beatles, Mick Ronson, Gary Moore... Slash. Then many more.
And so information technology pains united states when Gibson gets information technology incorrect, as it often has in recent years, and fills united states of america with joy when it hits bullseye, as we feel it has hither. An artist's involvement, particularly one of such significance to the visitor equally Slash, puts pressure on a manufacturer to have extra care, simply from what we've seen so far the new team at Gibson is doing this anyway.
Okay, our particular Les Paul Standard weighs more than some volition like, merely it seems 'not-weight-relieved' was part of the brief. And perhaps it does provide more of the sledgehammer-similar assault for which Slash's music has become then revered.
We love the quality of work that'southward so credible hither, and the more than-than-century of expertise you can run across
Compare the £2,599 of all these finishes (including the Limited Editions) with anything out in that location of similar quality, and they come up off rather well. And don't forget they have the names of three guitar legends on the headstock - Gibson, Les Paul and Slash.
We really tin't mistake them on whatever level except the weight. But hey, it's a chance for a bit of GAS, so just go out and buy yourself a padded three-inch strap from one of the many bright artisan makers currently out at that place. And so plug in and exercise your ain Ambition For Devastation!
Specs
- PRICE: £two,599/$2,999 (inc case)
- ORIGIN: U.s.
- Blazon: Single-cutaway, solidbody electric
- Torso: Mahogany (not weight-relieved) with bound AAA flame maple meridian
- Neck: Mahogany, '50s Vintage profile, glued-in
- Calibration LENGTH: 624mm (24.half dozen")
- NUT/WIDTH: Graph Tech/43.1mm
- FINGERBOARD: Bound rosewood, acrylic crown markers, 305mm (12") radius
- FRETS: 22, medium/jumbo
- HARDWARE: ABR-1 melody-o-matic bridge, aluminum stopbar tailpiece, vintage deluxe tuners due west/ keystone buttons - nickel plated
- STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 52mm
- ELECTRONICS: Two Gibson Custom Burstbucker Alnico Two pickups, two volumes, 2 tones, 3-mode pickup selector
- WEIGHT (KG/LB): 4.3/9.46
- OPTIONS: As well non-limited is the Appetite Burst with open-top zebra pickups in cream rings
- RANGE OPTIONS: Two Express Edition models: in Vermillion Flare-up and Anaconda Burst both with double-black pickups in black rings, also cost £2,599
- LEFT-HANDERS: No
- FINISH: November Flare-up (as reviewed), Appetite Burst - gloss nitro-cellulose
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Source: https://www.guitarworld.com/reviews/gibson-slash-les-paul-standard-review
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