what's the difference between a Les Paul standard and custom?

MLC2006

besides the colors and trim, what's the difference? I've heard the custom's neck is fatter, true? which can produce a heavier, bluesy sound?

exhausted

more differences now that the custom is built in a different shop.

it used to be mostly cosmetic differences with more bling and an ebony fretboard.

now, i would imagine more select wood, better pickups, things like that. also, the custom is now a 57 custom reissue. choice of neck profiles on the standard. there is a custom shop standard now as well, a 59 and a 60.

http://gibson.com/Products/GibsonElectric/Gibson%20Electric%20Guitars/LesPaul/Standards/Standard/

http://gibsoncustom.com/flash/products/lespauls/573pu/1957Custom3PU.html

J.D.

You can still get a regular old Les Paul Custom. Most of the differences are in the appointments. Block inlays, gold hardware, black plastic, three ply binding, headstock binding...

The run of the mill custom has an ebony fingerboard which some say gives it a bright attack. 490R and 498T Gibson humbuckers are used as opposed to the Burstbuckers in the Standards.

Both great guitars IMHO. Try em both!

ianvomsaal

Well, it depends on which Standard or Custom you're talking about (there are many different kinds). I'm not an old guy, nor an authority on the Gibson Les Paul, but I've been playing professionally for the past 5 years. I currently own 23 guitars, yet I honestly use the LP about 80% of the time for rock work in the studios. I use my Telecasters and my Stratocasters the other 20% - Jimmy Page used a Telecaster to record "Stairway to Heaven," so go figure.

Differences:
-Most Standards have a rosewood fretboard, whereas most Customs have an ebony fretboard.
-Pickups (Most Customs now use 490R & 498T - Standards use many different kinds of pickups, depending on the Standard - I prefer the '57 pickup).
-Sometimes the tuning machines are different (I have Standards with both Grovers and Klulsons - my Customs have grovers).
-Neck profile depends on the Standard or Custom (many Customs have a Rounded '59 style neck, and many Standards have a fat 50's or fast 60's style neck).
-Hardware (Gold or Chrome). It's up to you, I've personally found that gold plating seems to rub off easier.
-Appointments like binding (double or triple), fretboard inlays (block or trapezoid), and headstock inlay (diamond inlays on Customs).
-There is generally not a big difference in body wood (almost all LP's have mahogany bodies) - though many standards have a maple capped top.

**This all Mahogany Body could attribute to the darker sound of Customs, since a maple top adds to the brighter tone of Standards - remember, some Customs do have a maple top, so they will probably sound a bit brighter.**

-I feel as though Gibson can probably get away with using not as perfect (dare I say substandard) mahogany on some of their Customs - Since most Customs are painted with a solid color, and any imperfections (knots and such) will be covered up by paint - whereas many Standards have a transparent burst finish, thus allowing for less flaws in the wood.
-All of my LP's are a different weight (I have a Natural Finished Limited Edition Standard LP with a carved maple top that's the heaviest LP I have ever owned (weighing in at just over 10-lbs, almost 3-lbs heavier than either of my Customs), though I think this can be attributed to the extra coats of nitrocellulose lacquer they use to finish a natural guitar. This Standard has 490R & 498T pickups like the current Customs, yet being a natural maple topped Standard, it's absolutely the darkest sounding Les Paul I own.
-My favorite LP is a AAA top flamed Standard Limited Edition that weighs in around 7.5-lbs.
-I do prefer the Standard myself. I have 4 LP's - 2 Customs (one of them is a '69), and 2 Standards (both limited editions). They all play beautifully, and look spectacular, but I like my Flame Top Standard the best).
Most of the best known players seem to play Standards, but if you're thinking about buying one . . . scrape those pennies together, and then play as many different versions of each guitar as possible - you should make your own decision!
Hope this helps - Cheers . . .

- Ian C.T. vom Saal

brain of c

about seven hundred dollars.

enharmonic

Some customs have a carved mahogany top instead of a carved maple top. IIRC, that's how they came in the 50's.

The custom was originally introduced as a dressed up Les Paul...one that could be played while wearing a tuxedo.

dirtyfrankdahmer

J.D. wrote:

The run of the mill custom has an ebony fingerboard which some say gives it a bright attack. 490R and 498T Gibson humbuckers are used as opposed to the Burstbuckers in the Standards.

Both great guitars IMHO. Try em both!

i used to have a 78 custom that had paf pick ups. what year did they start putting in 490r and 498t pick ups?

dirtyfrankdahmer

MLC2006 wrote:

besides the colors and trim, what's the difference? I've heard the custom's neck is fatter, true? which can produce a heavier, bluesy sound?

not sure about the necks, i have not played one in years. the old customs have a brighter, sharper sound then the standards. the standards are warmer and fatter sounding. either guitar would be good. although i am not a big fan of the burstbuckers for standard blues. that is a rock pick up all the way. very hot pick up. this is just my opinion though. i prefer the paf picks ups, but they are hard to find now and rediculously expensive. i guess it depends if you are playing more traditional blues like bb king or more of a modern southern rock blues like gov't mule i guess. haynes from mule uses the burstbuckers and his sound is awesome.

gimmesometruth27

weight is also a difference. my custom is much heavier than my two standards. it has to be at least 1.5-2.0 lbs heavier. i think the custom just sounds so much thicker than the standards as well. i think that the ebony fretboard is harder and allows for a brighter tone than the rosewood fretboard.