Gibson Les Paul Modern Lite

[L50EF15]

Went into my local Guitar Center yesterday planning on getting some picks and an instrument cable. Wound up getting a(nother) Les Paul.

It’s a new take on a model Gibson trots out from time to time. I had one back in the late 90s when it was called “The Paul SL”, later known as the “Studio Light”. All mahogany body, no maple cap; has a back contour like a Strat. The new version has the 490R/498T pickup combination and a pickguard. The one I bought in ‘97 had 498R/500T pickups and no pickguard.

Fundamentally, this version of the LP is a single cutaway SG, given the construction and light weight. I tried it in the store through an AC15, and it sounded good enough that I pulled the trigger and bought it. Of course, the fact that it was on sale at around $500 below list price made that decision easier.

I should add that while it sounded very good through the Vox, when I got it home and played it through my Jazz 12, it sounded GREAT. I should also add that I rarely go for the stereotypical distorted Les Paul sound. As I told the salesman, I haven’t used distortion in I can’t remember how long. “And this wants to make you do that,” he asked. “No. If a guitar can’t give me a good clean sound, it’s useless to me. This one does. I’ll take it.”

I will leave it with the stock strings for a while, but it will have Chromes .012 on soon enough.

Anyway, here’s a brief clip from last night. I had the treble rolled off here, but I find myself drawn to playing it with the tone wide open. More articulate:

[Cunamara]

Went into my local Guitar Center yesterday planning on getting some picks and an instrument cable. Wound up getting a(nother) Les Paul.

LOL! I think many of us in this forum can relate!

[John A.]

Sounds great, definitely a legit jazz tone.

[Stringswinger]

Congrats on the new Lester! I had a Custom Shop 57 Black Beauty that did not have the maple cap and I never could get a jazz tone I liked with that guitar. It came with Burstbucker 3's and I replaced those with 57 Classics and I still did not like the tone, so I sold it. I wonder if I had chosen the 490R/498T combo, if I would have liked that guitar.

I ended up replacing that guitar with a Custom shop Les Paul Custom w/ Ebony Board. This guitar came with the 490R/498T combo (and it has a maple cap) and I like it very much.

May your new Lester inspire your playing for many years to come.

[L50EF15]

Congrats on the new Lester! I had a Custom Shop 57 Black Beauty that did not have the maple cap and I never could get a jazz tone I liked with that guitar. It came with Burstbucker 3's and I replaced those with 57 Classics and I still did not like the tone, so I sold it. I wonder if I had chosen the 490R/498T combo, if I would have liked that guitar.

I ended up replacing that guitar with a Custom shop Les Paul Custom w/ Ebony Board. This guitar came with the 490R/498T combo (and it has a maple cap) and I like it very much.

May your new Lester inspire your playing for many years to come.

Thanks! This is actually my fourth LP, my other current one being a 2016 1960s Tribute with P90s. Other than The Paul SL, I had a circa 2008 Studio Mahogany that I unfortunately had to sell due to illness. That one was absolutely stunning. Mahogany body and cap, with the Burstbucker Pro pickups. The tone was like the sun: Big, warm, and bright, all at once.

This new one gets into that neighborhood, but, being thinner, isn’t quite as big sounding.

[L50EF15]

I enjoy it more with the Chromes .012-.053. I’m used to the feel; I thought about going to .013-.056, but I will stick to using those on my L50 and my Yamaha flattop.

Here’s a clip from earlier this evening, again through the Jazz 12 and on the neck pickup, but this time with the tone knob on 10:

[powerwagonjohn]

I went into GC to get some strings one time and came home with my 1952 Gibson L-4 w/ deArmond Rhythm Chief. We never know when a guitar will find us! Thanks john