Hey all just need some opinion. I am a big fender/strat fan and that is all 3 of my electric guitars that I have are.

So yesterday during the lunch break I went to the local shop in Toronto and spoted this beautifull Gibson LP hanging there amongs the other expensive ones.
I asked the sales person to get it down from the hanger for a "spin".
I plugged it in Hot Rod Deluxe and WOW I was blown away it is a 09 LP Traditional with modified 57 Classic hb pickups. The thing was setup perfectly, on clean channel the clarity was there in all three switch positions even the bridge pickup had spank like a strat with rounder hb tone unbelivable. In the past every LP that I tried sounded "mushy/muffled" on clean channel. After that I switched it on dirty channel and it had that LP Roooooooaaaarrrrrrrrr (sustains forever).

The only drawback was tha it is a heavy bugger and the price of over $2K
I can probably swing it lower since MF online has them for quite cheaper.

The truble is now since my wife is on mat-leave and we have only one salalry and gig side jobs are none, I can afford it only (this is the sinful part) if I sell my AmStd Strat. I am not sure if this is limited edition of LP or what. Plus $CAN is getting on par with $US and we dont pay import tax for US products... tempting.

What to do, what to do.... ideas?

First of all i don't think of it as sinful. Everyone has to have one of each brand. I say go for it. You own two other Fenders and who knows you could be helping someone who wants a used AmStd Strat be able to afford one. Then again you could save alot of money and try out an Epi LP and change out the pups and still be able to keep your Strat.

'Sounds as if you are paying attention to what you want and can do and must do to maintain a balanced life.

The answer will come to you. Do you have a naughty or unnnecessary habit or activity you can give up to diminish the gult and pay back the savings account? Smoking, Starbucks, the local pub, work-lunch lesser cost?

Best of fortune.

Nothing wrong with a Gibson, if you like it buy it...

_________________
Hey, Boy Blue is back!

I just went over to the Gibson site so I could get an idea of what you were talking about. No wonder it caught your eye. The same thing happened to me when I bought my SG Standard earlier this year. My Tele and Strat are still played the most... but, when I play the SG I leave it out for a few days in a row just to look at it!... (I must be nuts, I guess...)

I was lucky, though. I didn't have to trade a good guitar for it. I had an ESP/LTD that I liked when I first bought it... but after awhile... not so much. As for the Epi idea. I don't think it would feel the same. I sure the feel of the guitar in your hands was part of your experience as well, wasn't it?

If you can afford the expense and can bare parting with such a good instrument... and your wife agrees... (you don't want to be in the dog house...) Then you know what you should do.

The Tele, Strat, LP and SG are all iconic guitars... and all worthy additions to anyone's collection.

_________________
"...The final truth is, there is no truth..." - (from "Nice n' Neat" by the Boomtown Rats)

I agree Nevin1985, I was feeling the same untill played more of them and as I actually neverr liked the sound of any LP unless on dirty channel.

This specimen is different .

My 3 strats are different
Squier CV 50' modded to the max = classic tones
Fender MIM Std = CS 69 pickups and US electronics = as late 60's tone
Fender AmStd = This one is dark more modern souds awesome when pushed but not LP.

With these three I can cover a lot of ground but no LP growl here.
In my other post Martian suggested to put Angus Young HB pickup in my mod platform Squier CV 50's to try to get SG tones for heavier stuff.
that is a lot more cost sensitive option that I might try.

We shall see....

Thanks guys for support

Hello Danielhelc,

Les Pauls are nice guitars,
I like em.
Strats are more comfortable
to me.
Get one of each, at the least.

Cheers.

get rid of the wife sell the kid & get the LP

For $2k you can get a nice Heritage LP.

_________________

If you look around on a board like TGP, MyLesPaul, or Harmony Central, you can find some really nice LPs for under $2k; I'd start with TGP or MyLesPaul,very knowledgeable folks there, though I recently picked up my first Gibson LP on Harmony Central for $1300 with case. It's a 2007 Standard Faded; a satin nitro finish to it as opposed to the glossy nitro finish of Standards, but I like it better. It has the same pickups, tuners, etc as the Standards (Burstbucker Pros). The LP Classics have ceramic humbuckers(496R, 500T), hotter than the Burstbuckers.
Here's a photo of it; it's the one on the left, and the color is called Honeyburst.

_________________
Current Gear: Ron Kirn Barnbuster Tele,
Marshall: 1971 SuperLead 100>1997 1960-TV, bunch of pedals
and a 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera coupe named Veronica