kuffer's Music Gear Setup

I doubt anyone needs convincing that ANY Les Paul is an awesome instrument. WHICH Les Paul is probably a tougher choice, and for me, the Classic was the right one.

I suspect all of the current Gibson USA Les Paul models are pretty comparable from a quality and musicality standpoint. We'd all love a Standard but needless to say it's rather expensive. I was able to get the Classic new for nearly $1,000 less than the Standard '60s, and for the few differences there was no way to justify the higher price.

To cover those differences: -Plain maple top: Would I like a flamed top? Sure, but it's far from the most important feature -Push-pull pots: This is arguably an upgrade, though honestly I could take or leave them. If you don't like them you're not obligated to use them. This also means there's a PCB board rather than hand-wiring, but that's getting beyond my ability to tell any difference. -Zebra pickups: Totally a matter of taste, but if you don't like the look then humbucker covers are inexpensive. I did this and it didn't change the sound whatsoever. 9-hole weight relief: It's still PLENTY heavy.

Otherwise both the Classic and Standard '60s have similar finishings: grover tuners, reflector top hats, binding. Both also have Burstbucker 61 pickups and the same neck profile. This was close enough for me and I don't feel like I'm missing out at all on the Les Paul experience.