Pictures of the new Les Paul Recording II

[Dave W]

[amptech]

Cool video!

[Granny Gremlin]

Nice vintage API console too.  Gotta run so will have to watch the vid later.

[clankenstein]

very nice.using both outputs is a cool idea,you could re amp the low z signal later if you needed too.

[Grog]

I talked (digitally of course!) with a guy who just bought one of these. He said that the "Decade" control was indeed missing & that the pickups were high impedance, converted to low impedance through the Jensen transformer. He was quite happy with his purchase overall, but it was a totally new redesign that only looks like the original. I'm not seeing anything that states that these are low impedance pickups...............

 http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Recording.aspx

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I talked (digitally of course!) with a guy who just bought one of these. He said that the "Decade" control was indeed missing & that the pickups were high impedance, converted to low impedance through the Jensen transformer. He was quite happy with his purchase overall, but it was a totally new redesign that only looks like the original.

...so instead of recreating the very thing that made the LP Recording models unique, Gibson just builds in a direct box transformer and calls it a day. I'm not surprised.

[Dave W]

I talked (digitally of course!) with a guy who just bought one of these. He said that the "Decade" control was indeed missing & that the pickups were high impedance, converted to low impedance through the Jensen transformer. He was quite happy with his purchase overall, but it was a totally new redesign that only looks like the original. I'm not seeing anything that states that these are low impedance pickups...............

 http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Recording.aspx

The second paragraph makes it clear to me that they aren't low impedance pickups. He's right, it only looks like the original.

...so instead of recreating the very thing that made the LP Recording models unique, Gibson just builds in a direct box transformer and calls it a day. I'm not surprised.

Me neither.

[drbassman]

Sure would be interesting to see a bass version.

[Dave W]

Sure would be interesting to see a bass version.

It would if they were going to do a genuine reissue. I don't see the point of a reissue without low impedance pickups.

[Granny Gremlin]

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but I am.  It's just that they've really gone to some length to not call "redesigns that only look like the original"  reissues; often even using something other than the original model  name (which is why I have no issue with the SG Bass not having an actual mudbucker - this whole thing was amazing business sense on their part). But here, not only did they call this a reissue, but they were sneaky about the pup impedance thing, and stressed the whole 'just like Les' guitar' thing -  I think they squandered something very valuable here.  And for that much money, too (though if you're rich enough to grab one, for 2K more you coulda had Les' actual LoZ pups installed). I don't even wanna see a bass version.

[Basvarken]

Gibson moves in mysterious ways. 
But I'm not going to crucify them until I've actually heard this guitar...

[Grog]

Here are some gut shots from the guy that actually has one..............

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rdonahue/sets/72157639836150523/

[Dave W]

It certainly is complex looking. I wonder if Les would have approved.

[TheRhino]

That's my Les Paul in the flickr set Grog posted. I've never had the chance to play an original so I don't have much to compare this one to. Let me know if you have any questions.

[Granny Gremlin]

Thanks for the pics and welcome.

It certainly is complex looking. I wonder if Les would have approved.

Not as complex as the original - at least neater and easier to follow the circuit without a schem thanks to the board and labelled connectors everywhere (the turret board in the originals is just a rat's nest).  ... and I doubt it.