So, I've just got back from visiting my sister and brother in law with the wife and kids - usual format, a spot of lunch, some small talk then disappearing upstairs with him to check out his new "aquisitions".
My brother in law is in the American military, and gets guitars and amps very, VERY cheap from all around the world.
3 LPs, 2 were new (cost about £900 each in the States). One of these was nice, and played really well. Sounded great. The other one I couldn't get on with at all, although it had a beautiful translucent cherry finish - probably the most beautiful guitar I've seen. They both sounded really great, but this second one just felt really hard to play.
But the third... my word! It was a Goldtop Les Paul Deluxe, he thinks from the 1970's. Two small humbuckers, or possibly single coils. This thing had dents, dings, chips, lord knows what all over it, a brass nut, missing scratch plate, replacement Grovers, chunks out of the neck, you name it. But it played like an absolute DREAM! It was clearly a well used machine, and I think well loved. It was set up beautifully, I've never played a guitar with such a low action (except maybe an Ibanez once...), and the tone was amazing - really cutting and powerful. I think that he picked that up for a thousand dollars or something...
I've never been much into LPs, but that Deluxe has totally convinced me that I probably need to have a good look around for the right one...
He had also picked up an old Anniversary Strat, which had one of the chubbiest necks I've ever played. I HATED it after playing the LPs, but after a little noodling, I rolled back the volume a little on the neck PUP and it just sounded soooo good...
Mark.
