NEW! Original 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard

1958 GIBSON LES PAUL STANDARD BURST This guitar is an original 1958 Gibson Les Paul "sunburst", serial no. 8-5737. I have owned it Since 1981. It has been heavily restored. At the time I acquired it the headstock had been rebuilt, and it had been refinished poorly. Also the control cavity had been modified, with three extra holes put through to the top for extra controls, and the cavity itself had been enlarged. The original PAF pickups were missing. I patched the holes in the top with maple, and restored the wood missing from the control cavity with mahogany. Then I refinished it. Lastly I restored the missing pickups with original PAF's, a very rare set of "reverse" zebra PAF's that were originally in a 1960 es345. That is the condition it is in today, very nicely restored. The guitar is light, weighing 8.4 lbs. The pickups rate 7.8k ohms resistance for the neck, 8.1k for the bridge. The instrument is very resonant, with a very clear, bright, complex treble tone, a smooth and recessive mid tone, and a rich, complex bass. Overall a "scooped" tone acoustically. The instrument is quite loud acoustically, and very sensitive, responding very dynamically and with great liveliness to pick attack. I have compared the guitar to two Gibson historics, a 2001 Murphy, and a 2009 historic. Both of these guitars were considered exceptional instruments among historics. My '58 has a significantly slimmer neck profile than either instrument, particularly than the 2001, which had very pronounced "shoulders". It is lighter than both of these guitars, especially the 2001 guitar. It is significantly louder and more delicately and complexly toned acoustically than either of the historics, brighter and "sweeter". Electronically, it has much more "bloom" in the tone, with a much longer lasting, more nuanced sustain than either historic. Also its response to variations in picking is more sensitive, yielding a broader range of shades of tone depending on how the pick strikes the strings. The 'burst is also more alive feeling, and vibrates in the hands quite a bit more strongly than either historic. Both historics have a thicker somewhat more muddy electronic tone than the 'burst, which has a significantly more "open" tone to it, with an amazing range of upper harmonics in the treble extending way into the supersonic range. The '58 also has a much clearer note separation in complex chords than either historic, even at higher gain. Overall this guitar is an exceptional very lively instrument, and a joy to play.

I have compared the guitar to two Gibson historics, a 2001 Murphy, and a 2009 historic. Both of these guitars were considered exceptional instruments among historics. My '58 has a significantly slimmer neck profile than either instrument, particularly than the 2001, which had very pronounced "shoulders". It is lighter than both of these guitars, especially the 2001 guitar. It is significantly louder and more delicately and complexly toned acoustically than either of the historics, brighter and "sweeter". Electronically, it has much more "bloom" in the tone, with a much longer lasting, more nuanced sustain than either historic. Also its response to variations in picking is more sensitive, yielding a broader range of shades of tone depending on how the pick strikes the strings. The 'burst is also more alive feeling, and vibrates in the hands quite a bit more strongly than either historic. Both historics have a thicker somewhat more muddy electronic tone than the 'burst, which has a significantly more "open" tone to it, with an amazing range of upper harmonics in the treble extending way into the supersonic range. The '58 also has a much clearer note separation in complex chords than either historic, even at higher gain. Overall this guitar is an exceptional very lively instrument, and a joy to play.

Gibson SG 61 Reissue Review

ibson SG 61 Reissue Electric guitar Review:

Gibson SG 61 Reissue Electric Guitar Features:

Mahogany body and neck
Rosewood fretboard
NItrocellulose finish
Gibson Classic '57 humbuckers at the neck and bridge
Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece
Corian nut
1.695" nut width ±.050"
22 frets
24-3/4" scale
Grover Kluson-style green tuning keys
Chrome-plated hardware
2 volume, 2 tone control, 3-way pickup switch
Black top hat knobs with silver inserts
Mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and holly headstock inlay
Figured acrylic trapezoid fingerboard inlays
Antique cream fingerboard binding
Gibson hardshell case

Although currently I have played 2 of these guitars from guitar center and have had nothing but a good experience. Pushing this guitar through a Mesa Boogie Lonestar 2x12 amp, I was able to get more of a vintage tone than I have with the Les Paul Traditionals and Standards. The next has a very wood feeling and although it was a 60s neck like many les pauls it didn't have a thick finish making it very easy to slide up and down on. The finish on the guitar is very sg typical when it comes to first appearance. The feel is a tribute to the nitro finish gibson placed on this guitar with respect the original finsh on gibson sg's from 1961 (they were still call les pauls back then though).

This guitar stands well above the standard and is in most places double the cost as well. Play before you pay as with any guitar, this guitar specifically I found the two different guitars I played had completly different feelings necks when it came to size.

RANK:

1) Shredability - 4.5 Skulls, one of the best necks I have played as well as a very slim easy to manage body.

2) Eye Candy Score - 6 chocolate bars, although a very well put together guitar the finish is very plain and would not require much skill to replicate. The use of nitro did enhance the feel of the guitar.

3) Sensation Sound - Clean Setting: very standard clean tones, I was not impresed on this setting as it still felt and sounded rough no matter the style of playing whether with a pick or finger picking. Overdrive: Very impress with this setting. This guitar was made for rock n roll and put out some very impressive tones. Metal: Can handle for high gains and distortion while keeping the technique value of the guitar. In my opinion this guitar thoroughly replicates the sounds of the 1960s and 70s.

4) Mysterious Appeal - This guitar had more of an appeal than some 3-4 thousand dollar guitars but had the look of an 800 dollar studio. I was smitten by the sound and will thoroughly enjoy this guitar.

How the guitars are made

On the guitar review site I have posted some interesting videos including some gibson reviews of their facility and the process they take in building the guitars. Also see fender reviews and dean reviews to check out the building process for them as well.

Bring on the REVIEWS

Everyone the website is now live and in need of some guitar reviews. The biggest thing that I need is to get some acoustic guitar reviews as I do not have as much access to those as I do electric guitars.

As well anyone who submits a video review of a high end guitar that mentions official guitar buyers guide in the video, whether saying "welcome to official guitar buyers guide" of just mentioning the review is for official guitar buyers guide will suffice.

The website where this will be posted is Official Guitar Buyers Guide