NOt sure which necks the Standards have over the years....but I do know that the new Standards have a PCB board in the control panel as opposed to wiring. They also have a cord lock which people seem to love or hate.
With the Gibson's you really need to try it before buying it. There are great ones and there are okay ones. I have tow and both are outstanding. One is a 2008 Traditional (the Old standard with the 50's neck) the other is an ES-137 which is a rock and roll machine.
Do you research and head over to www.mylespaul.com for all the info you could ever want. There's a wealth of knowledge over there.....
Typically used standards should be in the 1200-1800 range depending on year and condition.
Not much wears out on these so that's not usually a concern. General condition of the instument would be a determining factor though..
Lots of fakes out there so it's buyer beware as well.
Good luck!

 

Couple of Pointers

1.) Avoid ones made in the mid-late 70's.
2.) Check that the truss rod is not broken by removing the truss rod cover. Fakes tend to not have a truss rod (at least the ones I've seen).
3.) The 'Classics' have the thinner neck and hotter pickups. If you like thinner necks - seek out one of those - they're cheaper than Standards, but basically the same guitar.
4.) Don't believe any of the 'Limited Edition' hype - they don't hold their value worth beans and if you every want to sell, you'll take a bath.
5.) Try out a whole bunch - some are dogs. The weight can vary from guitar to guitar as well - make sure you're gonna be comfortable playing it, or you won't play it.

Prices - really depends on the model, year, condition, how badly the seller wants to ditch it and how badly the buyer wants to buy it. Standards can range anywhere from $1200-2000.

 

Avoid ones made int he 60's--other than 1960--:smile:

(meaning after that they switched to the SG shape--and then dropped the name--so if someone tries to sell you, say a 64 Les Paul--don't buy it--:smile

You're probably aware of that--but I couldn't resist.

I would agree with most of vds5000's list--except #1--I've played some nice ones from the mid to late 70's--but be careful and watch out--no matter when it was made.

 

With LP's, make sure you try before you buy. There is so much variety with them from model to model, year to year that buying online is very risky. When buying used, check for damage where the headstock meets the neck, a common place where they snap.

I was in the market recently and first bought a Les Paul Standard Faded. Nice guitar but at the same time, I also found a used Warren Haynes Signature LP locally. Even used, it was still twice the price of the Standard but after trying it, it was four times the guitar of the Standard. The Standard went back and I sold a bunch of stuff to afford the Haynes LP. Absolutely the best out of the box guitar I've ever owned. I wasn't planning on spending that much for an LP but when you find the one, it decides for you.

As much cash as the Custom Shop stuff is, if you can swing it, definitely give them a try. You do see them used on occasion as well.

 

now is a good time to buy used, lots of people are unloading stuff


I agree try the guitar out 1st, & if you don't know a lot about how to make sure the neck is straight etc bring someone who does. beware of cracked necks/headstocks ( although a properly repaired headstock doesn't bother me at all, I have a few & they are solid, great gtrs )

yes, make sure it's not a fake. most cheap fakes are pretty easy to spot...handmade replica's are in another ballpark, if you get one of those you would be lucky

other fantastic guitars are '79-'83 era Tokai love Rocks, you can probably find one for about $1,000

Heritage makes AMAZING quality guitars, handmade, you can find them used for about $1400 & they blow non-custom shop gtrs out of the water IMO. but how important is the headstock/brand to you?

bottom line: if it's a solid gtr it'll last years; with the amount of aftermarket stuff available now you can modify it into your own killer customized LP ( quality pickups & hardware & electronics)

what kind of finish are you after?


also keep an eye out for custom shop reissues, sometimes they will sell for close to the price of a standard & are usually well worth the $

 

For me, I haven't touched a Standard made between 2002 and 2004 that was not excellent. For 2002, Gibson made a real effort at getting their quality sorted out and it seemed to last for a few years before it started being a bit spotty again. In 02' they also started using flamed maple tops on the Standards and you could get your choice of a 50's or 60's neck (50's being more "baseball batish" - which I personally prefer). They changed a few other things too: headstock angle, nickle-plating, etc. come to mind.

I took a chance and bought my 02' Desertburst via Ebay and I got lucky - she's a real gem.

Unless you get real lucky, a really nice one in that date range will run you $1700 - $2100 depending on the top. That Desertburst that just sold, for example, had a real nice-looking top :smile:

 

Les pauls

The lp std. "aa" top models come in 2 neckstyles- 59 & 60 . The `59 being a bit thicker than the `60s. I have been buying electric guitars since 1963. The years to avoid are the 70`s this goes for gibson, fender, martin, etc. Gibsons are prone to headstock breaking.what to pay for a used lp std. --check lots of sites, especially big cities like toronto.--if possible take an old guy like me along ..we know what to look for. Someone mentioned pcb boards & a cordlock. These were on a model called "2008". I just bought & sold a 2008 "aa" top 60`s lp std. It was "normal". The best thing is to take someone with you who has lots of experience in buying gear as it`s getting worse out there for "scams" -fakes & " bad" people. God luck!

 

avoiding 70s LPs is no longer true. But they are getting quite expensive.

1) As far as necks go, are the standards the ones with the "in-between" necks (not baseball bat nor super slim necks)
- the bigger necks are on the Historic line. The 50s neck on a Standard is what I consider an in-between neck. You really have to put in some time to find the right neck for you, don't go with a 5 minute sitdown.

2) Are there any bad years to avoid?
- I don't believe so.

3) Is there anything I should watch out for as in defects or things that commonly get worn out, broken or replaced?
- lots of LPs get modded, for better or for worse. Pots and caps are a common replacement, often pickups too.

4) What could I expect to pay for a used LP Standard.
- there are some deals to be had these days. Too bad our $ is in the tank, or you could score across the border. But, I think it's better to pay a bit more for a guitar you can buy locally that you can test drive.

 

Thanks for all the info guys. I really liked that desert burst that just sold. Too bad the green light didn't come a couple of days earlier. The search is on.

 

1) As far as necks go, are the standards the ones with the "in-between" necks (not baseball bat nor super slim necks).

- As mentioned, the standards with the 50s neck is the in between size.

2) Are there any bad years to avoid?

- 70s Les Pauls are very hit and miss. Try before you buy, and focus on the sound and not just the looks. There's a lot of 'boat anchors' amongst the 70s Les Pauls (very heavy, not good for much beyond weighing you down or bragging how much your guitar weighs).

3) Is there anything I should watch out for as in defects or things that commonly get worn out, broken or replaced?

- Neck/headstock. Inspect the joint closely... many don't actually snap right off, but the joint/neck will crack on one side and not the other (imagine snapping a tree branch that doesn't break all the way through and you'll get the idea). These can be re-glued, and on a good job the seam will be hard to detect. I don't personally have a problem with repaired headstocks, but you can use it to bargain down the price if you're so inclined.

4) What could I expect to pay for a used LP Standard.

- The prices were covered above. Also, keep on the lookout for used Custom Shop guitars.... with some luck you could probably score a used '57 or '58 re-issue (commonly referred to as the R7 or R8) for around the same price as you could score a new upper end production model.

The R7 is a goldtop with humbuckers. The R8 is a plaintop burst (some tops being more plain than others). The R9 is a flame top, but is Gibson's flagship Les Paul and generally goes for premium prices.

Anyway, the most important thing is that you like the guitar you're buying, so play as many as you can and see which guitars speak to you.

 

I've owned 35 Les Pauls along the way so far.

The best value for standards would be something from 1989 into the early 90's. Henry had bought the company and was into improving the basic quality of Les Pauls and for a few years, he did a heck of a job. I owned an '89 goldtop and a '90 sunburst and a buddy had an '89 wine. All 3 were great LP's - the best standards I've owned.

I think since 1996 or 1997 ALL = 100% = every single one = the complete line of Les Paul standards produced have some type of weight relief/chambering to offset the problem of lack of light weight mahogany.

The Les Paul standard is no longer a solid body guitar.

Studios are cool value for a budget LP.

 

I read, from someone who used to work at gibson, that buying a black les paul is not a good idea - apparently they sometimes hide shoddy workmanship/woods under the finish.

We need more lightweight mahogany!

 

Theres a 96 Wine Standard on Toronto Craigslist today for $2000.

 

...The best value for standards would be something from 1989 into the early 90's. Henry had bought the company and was into improving the basic quality of Les Pauls and for a few years, he did a heck of a job. I owned an '89 goldtop and a '90 sunburst and a buddy had an '89 wine. All 3 were great LP's - the best standards I've owned.
...

The absolute best sounding guitar I've ever owned (I've owned over 200-250) was a black '92 Les Paul Standard.

The absolute worst sounding guitar I've ever owned was a '91 cherry sunburst Les Paul Standard.

 

Hey!
Here's how to spot a fake Gibson: http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/CounterfeitGibsons/
It has pictures =D
-AT!

 

I've been looking around at different LP copies as well. Anyone know what a good price is for a Korean made Tokai Love Rock?

 

I've been looking around at different LP copies as well. Anyone know what a good price is for a Korean made Tokai Love Rock?

Try asking over at the Tokai Forum. http://www.tokaiforum.com These guys can tell you everything you need to know about Tokais. I'm a member there as well.