Gibson vs. Gibson
Johnny A. vs. 1958 Les Paul reissue, to be precise.
I never bonded with most Gibson instruments, despite numerous attempts over the years. The more “affordable” US-made Gibsons seemed to suffer for poor quality control. Poor being a very generous understatement—the things that pass Gibson’s QC would have meant a one-way trip to the bandsaw at PRS. A couple examples: the binding on an otherwise nice-looking ES-339 I played yesterday had visible file marks up and down the fretboard binding; a silverburst Les Paul classic had bubbles in the finish on the back of the heel; waaaay to many production Les Pauls have their bridges a good 1/4-5/16 up off the maple top, indicating problems with the neck angle. The list goes on. And on.
Despite this, I have always had a weakness for Les Pauls. They are, after all, a rock icon. I may not be able to play like Jimmy Page, but at least I can have the same guitar (if you believe the marketeers). So I look at places like Mark’s Guitar Loft, Guitar Sale, Route 66, and other vendors who specialize in historic Les Pauls. And I watch eBay. Despite the sluggish economy, the Les Pauls I’m interested in, the historic reissues, have maintained a solid resale value. It’s not unusual to see a nice used ‘59 reissue sell for nearly $4k. Ouch. But I’ve been mentally preparing myself for this stringed sticker-shock. In fact, the reason I sold my amber Yamaha Weddignton was to purchase a very cool “old wood” flametop 1958 Les Paul reissue I found at a local retailer.
But things are never that easy.
I also found NOS Gibson Johnny A. signature model for sale at another local dealer. I’ve seen this guitar before, too, and just can’t get it out of my mind. It’s a handsome guitar, to be sure, in “sunset glow” burst with gold hardware. But it’s not completely over-the-top flame maple. Like the ‘58 LP, you could say it’s “old wood” cool. But it has a neck that feels nearly as big as the ‘58 LP—bigger and rounder than the typical Johnny A. Yeah, this thing exudes cool, and it doesn’t exhibit any of the typical quality control problems I’ve seen in other instruments. Sure, it could use a good setup but that’s easy. But the most important thing is the sound, and the Johnny A excel. It’s 25.5” scale gives it that extra bit of clarity, definition and “percussiveness” reminiscent of P90s. Very, very cool. Search the Les Paul Forum, or The Gear Page, and there’s tons of info, and it’s all good news.
Now I’m wrestling with which one of these great instruments is more deserving of my hard-earned cash and if I’m willing to part with something else from my small collection to make room and free up some cash. Life’s full of tough choices, innit?