Modern takes on the Les Paul

allenma said:
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This original Gene Baker B1 '59 is a fantastic guitar from the LP recipe. Bought it used, and can't imagine why someone would give it up, I love it. Baker is still making guitars.

I'd love to have an old Hamer, and Jol's new guitars look fantastic. And then there's Heritage...
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That's beautiful.

I've been stealth lusting after this one in my local shop:
https://themusicemporium.com/products/b3-sl-deluxe-mango-ash-vintage-tint-used-2022

But I think of B3 kind of like Collings, excellent quality, but not super modern, more classic.
 
For a more modern LP the 594 singlecut is pretty much it. Or a SC245. Big fat bodies and big necks. Hog and maple sandwich and 2 buckers and 4 knobs. When I went LP hunting I wound up with a PRS after seeing dozens of Gibson’s with finish flaws. How about a DGT? Not a LP but separate volumes and 2 humbuckers.
 
nathan_393 said:
I like the McCarty 594 approach: classic tone, and make the shape more approachable. But I’m not looking for anything in particular so much as I’m just trying to stoke conversation on the topic, which I guess I should have been clearer on.

But I’m also only really aware of PRS in that space, so I’m hoping I’ll learn of approaches and builders I hadn’t considered.
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Fwiw having owned a bunch of les pauls alongside my 594sc, the 594 is gonna feel 90% les paul. The body has depth. The tummy cut actually doing anything will depend on your body and playing position. My 594 wasnt easier to play than my les pauls. It also had a beefier neck (think 2019+ R8, .90 at 1st kinda thing) than some, plus the beefier frets. It was comfortable for sure but switch to an R9 and you’ll notice the differences.

A 594SC will be very well built, sound great (not exactly like a les paul but great) and help you play a certain way. But it will feel a hell of a lot like a les paul, and that may not be for you?

I dont think about mine unless I see a post of a prs though. Les paul customs can have that effect haha.

The ESP Eclipse may be a better suggestion here. They make two versions, regular and full thickness.
 
nathan_393 said:
Interesting that folks are chiming in with ESP and Schecter. My impression of those companies is that they make singlecut guitars for heavy music, and they don't really do the vintage LP with modern bodies thing.

Any love for Knaggs?
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Absolutely love the Knaggs
The price tag umm not so much
I suspect the Schecter solo and ESP ec are going to be closer to the Modern Les Paul
If you want modern single cut another option would be the Tremonti
 
The Music Man Armada was a great attempt at modernizing the Les Paul - thru neck, straight string pull, locking tuners, SS frets, etc. It just didn’t sell well. I think if they had made more traditional tops (no pizza slice), it would have been more successful. Fluff had one refinished in matte black and it looks fabulous!

The Suhr Aura was another one, but I believe MSRP was around $8K.
 
Randalljax said:
I think those are discontinued
You could try the supreme
Which is basically a modern for 2024
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Supreme costs way more and has a carved back like a prs hollowbody. Pretty sure moderns are still produced. L&m definitely has some.
 
I have a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop and a PRS Mark Tremonti Trem Single cut.

Of the 2 guitars, I end up playing the PRS like 99% of the time.
I grew up playing LP's. I love the look of the Goldtop.
I just gravitate to the PRS.
I have owned several PRS's and have enjoyed each one. High quality instruments.
 
LP moderns are definitely still a thing. (I could be wrong. “Definitely” in my mind is not a sure thing in reality.)

Somebody mentioned the DGT, and I love how that thing sounds. I had the privilege of playing one once. Holy smokes that neck was sensational.

Sounded like a vintage LP but felt like its own beast.
 
To me the 594 SC addresses all of the quirks of an LP. The DC is thinner, lighter, shorter, and the upper fret access is a bit better. I have a fantastic LP and both 594‘s. I prefer the SC out of the three.
 
nathan_393 said:
I like the McCarty 594 approach: classic tone, and make the shape more approachable. But I’m not looking for anything in particular so much as I’m just trying to stoke conversation on the topic, which I guess I should have been clearer on.
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Understood.

Are there any music stores near you? From here, it looks like you want two humbuckers and a Gibson scale length. That opens the door to a wide range of guitars, some of which don't even look like a Les Paul. Walk into a store, and start playing with any guitars that fit that description, new or used. You might just fall in love.

I have a DBZ Bolero that I like. It's a smaller, more comfortable body than a Les Paul. If you can get by with just two knobs, it might be worth a try. Not expensive, either.

DBZ Diamond Bolero FM (serial no. W50D0177).IMG_2491.JPG
 
Rex said:
Understood.

Are there any music stores near you? From here, it looks like you want two humbuckers and a Gibson scale length. That opens the door to a wide range of guitars, some of which don't even look like a Les Paul. Walk into a store, and start playing with any guitars that fit that description, new or used. You might just fall in love.

I have a DBZ Bolero that I like. It's a smaller, more comfortable body than a Les Paul. If you can get by with just two knobs, it might be worth a try. Not expensive, either.

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Those are some sexy guitars. Suddenly I think I need one!!! :D
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Rex said:
Understood.

Are there any music stores near you? From here, it looks like you want two humbuckers and a Gibson scale length. That opens the door to a wide range of guitars, some of which don't even look like a Les Paul. Walk into a store, and start playing with any guitars that fit that description, new or used. You might just fall in love.
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There are some stores nearby, but they don’t carry as much of the high-end stuff others have written about here. Would love to try something like your DBZ some day, but I’ve honestly never even heard of the brand.

I do know what I like though! Just curious to learn about all these options. I like learning!
 
nathan_393 said:
There are some stores nearby, but they don’t carry as much of the high-end stuff others have written about here. Would love to try something like your DBZ some day, but I’ve honestly never even heard of the brand.

I do know what I like though! Just curious to learn about all these options. I like learning!
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Looks like they are formerly DBZ, now called Diamond.
 
I loved Les Paul Customs and had three over the years but I didn't like the weight, nor did I like the build quality of the first two.

I bought a used PRS '08 DGT Goldtop, the first year they were made, and it sounds SO much like an old Les Paul. It growls and sings and feels wonderful.

That inspired me to look into their other LP-like guitars and I went after an SC-245, and it's SO comfortable and sounds like a very well-designed LP. Between the two, the DGT is my favorite LP sounding guitar though.

I haven't tried the McCarthy 594, but I'd swap the SC-245 for one if it was good enough. I'll never get rid of the DGT.
 
Dave Merrill said:
I've never seen a one pickup Kenai, interesting.

Also interested in why it's gone...
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I do have a bit of seller's remorse, but like I said in my reply to nathan_393, "I needed to thin the herd and just gelled more with my Suhr Custom Modern. Also, with a single pickup, the Knaggs wasn't as versatile as I'd like. It played really well, weighed 7.2 lbs, and oozed quality."
 
Budda said:
Supreme costs way more and has a carved back like a prs hollowbody. Pretty sure moderns are still produced. L&m definitely has some.
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I was meaning the color he posted , yes they have new models but they are some horrible colours like Rose gold etc.

Th new supreme is a modern its about $1000 more and coms with gold hardware and pickups which sort of stinks IMO but any least you can get one in charcoal burst
 
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