too heavy for a les paul?

[RussellChase]

Hi all. Ive seen a really nice les paul 50s standard online in tobbaco burst. Unfortunately i cant try it out as its at guitar guitar in scotland and im based in the south of england.. I had a good chat with a veryhelpfull member of staff who assures me its a very good example ......but. Its 9.7 lbs. Im worried this is too heavy as it seems around the 8 1/2 lbs mark is the prefered weight by those who know .No one seems to have any stock for at least 3 months nearer to home.
Is 9.7 lbs too heavy? Any input would be appreciated.
Stay safe
Russell

 

[artyman]

Have you tried Andertons in Guildford, they are a pretty big setup. Not sure what my LP Standard weighs I just know it's more than my Strats

 

[JPsuff]

8 to 10 lbs. is about right.

I have an Epi LP Custom that weighs in at about 10 lbs. Yes, it's a little on the heavy side but I use a big padded bass strap and it's fine.

 

[Cowboy Bob]

at about 10 lbs.

My '72 LP Custom weighs in at 11Lbs 3oz. I bought it new back then and played for years in top 40 (now classic rock) and country bands.

I used to be 6'4" but now after all those years I am a measly 6'2", you know because of the weight....Oh well you had to be there....

I use a big padded bass strap and it's fine

Absolute must, in my opinion.

 

[JohnHurley]

Yeah i have 2 gibson LPs they are both just barely under 10 pounds. Some go over 10 ... gibson has had a long history of varied weight relief strategies used over 50 years for LP models.

 

[Jalapeno]

Hi all. Ive seen a really nice les paul 50s standard online in tobbaco burst. Unfortunately i cant try it out as its at guitar guitar in scotland and im based in the south of england.. I had a good chat with a veryhelpfull member of staff who assures me its a very good example ......but. Its 9.7 lbs. Im worried this is too heavy as it seems around the 8 1/2 lbs mark is the prefered weight by those who know .No one seems to have any stock for at least 3 months nearer to home.
Is 9.7 lbs too heavy? Any input would be appreciated.
Stay safe
Russell

Russell, mine is 11 lbs. 14 oz. When Frank L. and I compared Les Pauls at the Dallas BGU I thought he was getting a hernia when he picked mine up I also have a 13.5 lb. MusicMan Stingray bass I used to gig with.

I've had a bad back since I was a teenager so I deal with the weight using a 3 inch neoprene bass guitar strap. It spreads out the weight quite well so I can play all night with it. When my back is really sore I have a 4 inch padded leather strap that distributes the weight even more. The 4 incher is not as comfortable as the neoprene strap but it makes the guitar almost feel light (not quite, but my back can tell the difference).

I'm not saying to get the heavy guitar, I'm just saying that this is what I do and maybe it will help.

Eric



new shirt for the Woodstock generation:

 

[JPsuff]

I think that the weight of vintage Gibsons is what makes them the guitars they are.

Gibsons are known for their sustain and I think that sustain, in large part, comes from their mass.
My Epi LP Custom was manufactured in the style of the original LP Custom; all mahogany body, mahogany neck and I said it weighs about 10 lbs. but that's just a guess -- it could be heavier but whatever it really weighs, it's the sustain that blows me away. I swear that I could pluck a note and then go make a sandwich and it would still be ringing when I got back.

I think heavy guitars do that better and ultimately sound better.
When I bought my Fender Deluxe Strat, I intentionally looked for one with some weight and mine weighs a little shy of 9lbs and even unplugged that thing has some ring to it! My PRS has some heft to it and weighs in at a little over 7 lbs. and again I looked for one as heavy as I could find and just like my Fender, I can noodle with it unplugged and still hear every note, chord and bend and they all have great hang-time.
Heavy guitars also seem to have some very subtle overtones that lightweight guitars don't seem to have (or have as much) and that's yet another reason why I tend to favor them.

I understand why many manufacturers went in the "weight-relief" direction -- particularly Gibson because many people want a Les Paul but aren't too keen about having an anvil hanging off their shoulder -- but I also think some tone was sacrificed in the process. In the case of a Gibson (or Epi) Les Paul, if it isn't heavy then it just isn't a Les Paul.
Their weight is just part of their DNA.

To me, a lightweight guitar feels more like a toy than a real instrument and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.
I'm not a "tonewood" person and I know that the pickups, the amp and pedals all contribute to making a "sound", but there's something about mass that seems to make that sound even better.

I dunno.
Maybe I'm right or maybe I'm just nuts, but that's my opinion, for what it's worth.

Cheers!

 

[snarf]

For those LPs, 9 pounds give or take a few ounces seems about average. Taking a quick look at the 50s on one site, they seem to run from 8lb 14oz to an even 10lb 9lb 7oz seems like it's about average. If you look at the more modern ones with their chambering and whatever they do to them, they seem to start at 7lb 14oz and go up to almost 9lb so they seem to be consistently lighter. If you're not stuck on a 50s, if the weight is a concern, I'd look at one of the more modern lines. Personally, I think I'm younger than the average player around here, but I would be going for one of the lighter ones if it plays and sounds good.

 

[CaptainMoto]

How heavy is too heavy?
Only you can answer that.

Some people think heavy LPs is a sign of good tone, others prefer lighter guitars.

I don't believe the weight has much to do with tone because it's been my experience that every guitar has it's own character and weight has little to do with what sounds good to you.
It does have to do with comfort.
Total weight is only one factor, I'd suggest balance is an important factor.
I'd say, have the dealer strap the guitar on and see if it hangs in balance, or does the neck dive.

 

[RussellChase]

Thanks for all your helpfull comments. After 30yrs of wanting a les paul, one is coming tommorow!!

 

[straightblues]

Not to heavy IMHO. Les Pauls in the 70's and 80's were mostly in the 11 pound range. I have a 9 pounder and a 10.5 pounder. Both sound good to me. I personally think heavier Les Pauls sound better to me.

If you are able, I would recommend that you go play a bunch in person. Les Pauls have a wide range of feel and tone. I always like to play a Les Paul before buying. If I can't, I make sure I buy it at a price that will allow meto quickly sell it if it isn't right for me.