Guest pirateflynn Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 Hey you Standard lovers .. please describe the tone for me.
murkat Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 Rock. thick mids. Rock. Chunky thickness with a smooth top end. Rock.
BTMN Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 Sounds enough like for me to consider my '79 my " '59 Les Paul".... That Black Beauty twists me everytime I see it.
bubs_42 Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 The "Les Paul" really doesn't define the Bridge Humbucker sound to me. Its all in the neckbucker that the LP really puts its stamp on "Tone". As for the Standard its a Rock N Roll Machine with great Bridge Tones and which are stated above in an earlier post and the Neck Bucker is a Jazzier Tone that is both articulate and warm. The Standard is like the "Serpent" or a "Siren" of the guitar world. Even the players that have had them and let them go still lust for another knowing all to well the results that will follow. Do you have GAS? If so good luck!
Feynman Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 The Standard is like the "Serpent" or a "Siren" of the guitar world. Even the players that have had them and let them go still lust for another knowing all to well the results that will follow.You got that right! I *STILL* want a Standard after three failed attempts with one.My experience has been one of beautiful thick midrange with a whole lot of ass underneath, all without mud. Ken called 0150 smoky once, and it made me want to hear it. We all know full well how I feel about Devnor's...when he typed "Feynman's Future Standard" I think my heart skipped a beat. Just sounded good...Hell, I bought the LOTT Standard twice, and I want it again.I've not played a Les Paul that seemed able to become that full sounding without also adding a bit of undesired mush to the tone, but I haven't played many Les Pauls. My favorite Les Paul belongs to a good friend of mine, and it sounds wonderful and "right" to me for a Les Paul, but I still would take the LOTT Standard back any day over that one, even knowing that I have to work to deal with that body shape."Siren" sounds about right - I don't even know why I want one - I honestly think the shape is goofy looking. But...but....but....This is interesting thread timing, as just last week I started thinking of how to acquire another.I never learn.
gorch Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 Not only is it the massive solid body that lets it swing, but also its shape. It is in a way balanced so that it ever stays in perfect playing position. The arm of the playing hand receives so much support. It's like playing sitting in a sofa. Very, very ergonomic and comfortable.
Steve Haynie Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 There are certain tones that only a Les Paul can get in the clean to slightly overdriven range. bubs_42 is right that the neck pickup is where the LP takes on its own tonal identity. Using both pickups or just the neck pickup and an amp that is not too gain heavy you will find those LP tones that really stand out. Something about the body thickness and the maple cap make the LP different from other solid body guitars. My Standard sounds good through both pickups, but it has less brightness at lower gain settings than my Les Paul. Maybe it is just a different brightness. The Standard makes me want to crank the amp more, but it could be my inner Scorpions trying to break out.
RoyB Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 While I don't agree the Les Paul sound is the neck because far more classic Paul tones came from the bridge I do think the Standard's bridge is stronger than the Paul. That said I don't really think the Standard sounds like a Les Paul at all. The tone of the Standard really depends on what era you are taking about because the four digits are thicker because they really don't have any maple to speak of and the newer ones (non chambered) are much brighter. Like it was said above the Standard is a pure Rock Machine with mids for days.
Guest pirateflynn Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 Thanks!I've only had a 4 Digit and a mid '90's mahogany Standard. I agree with you guys about the heavy mid thing. The Black Beauty is definitely smoky .. Truth all the way, baby!
BTMN Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 My comment above was fluff. This might be too. With my ears, I hear a certain ring open chords have with a Standard.The old 4 digits really have it. Listen many old recordings with them. Cheap Trick stuff off course, when Rick lets the chords ring out on Surrender, or any of the dvd stuff of Budokan they released a year or so ago. Molly Hatchet had a Hamer ring to my ears also. I would even go so far as to tell you before I saw a No Doubt video I "knew" Tom Dumont was playing a Hamer. That Tone card I post every once in a while works with the Standards even though a Special is pictured on it. Thanks Doc Large!!!! Hollowlead is my favorite. Toggle: Neck, Volumes 10, Tone 0..... YMMV +1........
GuitarDoyle Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 I could be wrong, but they look uncomfortable to play. As if there is no place for you picking arm to rest.
mathman Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 I could be wrong, but they look uncomfortable to play. As if there is no place for you picking arm to rest.I find mine very comfortable to play.
Hackubus Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 They're very comfy to play. The top is perfectly shaped to tuck up against a slight beer belly as well!
mathman Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 They're very comfy to play. The top is perfectly shaped to tuck up against a slight beer belly as well! Gotta wear it low!
Disturber Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 They're very comfy to play. The top is perfectly shaped to tuck up against a slight beer belly as well!A Standard is about 100% more comfortable to play than a Les Paul. I could not believe it, but it's fact. And for access to the higher frets, no comparison. I don't find LP's to be comfortable at all. But a Standard is almost as confy as a Strat - believe it or not. Perfectly balanced. The only downside is that the hardcase is as big as your grandmothers coffin, and that the upper horn gets banged into stuff at times. But I can live with that. It's only rock n' roll...
zorrow Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 They're very comfy to play. The top is perfectly shaped to tuck up against a slight beer belly as well!A Standard is about 100% more comfortable to play than a Les Paul. I could not believe it, but it's fact. And for access to the higher frets, no comparison. I don't find LP's to be comfortable at all. But a Standard is almost as confy as a Strat - believe it or not. Perfectly balanced. The only downside is that the hardcase is as big as your grandmothers coffin, and that the upper horn gets banged into stuff at times. But I can live with that. It's only rock n' roll...+1I won't talk about the sound, because I've never played a USA Standard --only USA and import Explorers, as well as import Standards.But yes, 100% agree: they are waaaay more ergonomic than a Les Paul.The shape seems to attract chicks as well --my wife loves them, as well as several other chicks I know.To me, the only issue with the higher frets is that I cannot do my "butterfly vibrato", but besides that, the shape is just perfect, as there is no other guitar out there so perfectly balanced.
GaryT Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 I thought my Artist Custom 96 Hamer sounded like a Les-Paul closer than any other Hamer I've played. I was actually looking to buy a LP and wound up buying the Artist Custom.That said I've also played a Gibson V for years and while I believe Vs and Explorers both are excellent sounding instruments. Both have a Tone thats diffent from a LP and in in a Good way. My V I always felt like one of the Bluesiest electrics I've ever played. A Explorer I owned and played I believed was a better chord playing guitar than both the V and the LP. And the Bridge just had a intense impact on tubes with the 500-Ceramic gibson pup. Pushed tube combos so hard that harmonics where pretty impressive sounding. That pup actually became a part of my Tone within itself I liked it so much. Then I owned 5oo ceramics in a Classic LPs that I pulled immediatly and didn't like at all.
Feynman Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 Hey - why aren't there very many Hamer Standard videos on YouTube? You Standard owners - come now, cough up some video!
tomteriffic Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 My three Standards all have slightly different tonal "centers", if you will, probably due to the presence/absence of maple/chambering. That said, they all have more mid-range "rip" than most of the Pauls I've been acquainted with. Except Juniors.
JohnnyB Posted September 2, 2009 Posted September 2, 2009 I could be wrong, but they look uncomfortable to play. As if there is no place for you picking arm to rest.Are you kidding? Half the Standard/Explorer's body functions as a full-size armrest--all the way out to your picking arm's elbow!
doody Posted September 3, 2009 Posted September 3, 2009 The best sounding Les Paul I have played was the FM I traded to Zoner who traded it to brooks who sold it while I was broke as a joke. I have moved several guitars and thats the only one I miss.
shredmeister Posted September 3, 2009 Posted September 3, 2009 Hmmmmmm.....be interesting to see how this conversation would take shape over on the Les Paul forum.
mathman Posted September 3, 2009 Posted September 3, 2009 What does it sound like? Like the second picture in Jeff R's post here. Jeff R's Picture
velorush Posted September 3, 2009 Posted September 3, 2009 What does it sound like? Like the second picture in Jeff R's post here. Jeff R's Picture Hysterical! And exactly right - she nailed it!
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