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My son has been playing for almost 2 years and has accomplished a great deal in that time.

He is 12 and a little small for his age - around 80lbs.

He is playing a pretty crappy Strat copy and it is time for him to upgrade. He wants a Les Paul more than anything, in part because he has good taste but he also likes the feel and tone thickness.

I am concerned that it may be too heavy for him. To a lesser degree, I don't know if a guitar of that value belongs in the hands of a 12-13 year old.

BTW, is a LP Jr smaller, or just scaled back quality / components?

Please post your opinions and possible alternatives. We have already decided not to go Epiphone.

Thanx!

Gibson came out w/ a rad inexpensive LP Junior type axe w/ 1 P90,..can't remember what it's called,...melody maker? Anyhow,..I saw some new ones for less than $500 I think. I'll check next time I'm in the music store.
-AG

Those LP Jr's are nice. That may be a good stand-in until he gets a little more weight on him.

A tr00 LP (custom, studio, etc,) could be his 16th birthday or graduation present, no?

Hell, I'm 46 and I'm not sure a guitar of that value belongs in MY hands.

In the Gibson line, I've seen good press on the LP Junior Faded, which costs about $500 I believe. BUT... that's a double-cutaway flat top with P90's. No carved maple top, no humbuckers.

If I were you, I'd look into the Agile LP knockoffs at Rondo Music. I've read a bunch of good reviews, and they're much more upfront about materials and construction than Epi is. None of that alder/mahogany mystery wood in Agiles. An Agile with a couple o' Duncans in it will give him the look, sound amp; heft of a real Paul. When he's sixteen, if he's still progressing, get him a real LP.

a les paul junior is the same size but without the maple top and it has a p90 for a pickup. there is a flat topped model that has a flame top you might want to look into or even a studio model. have him play a lot of them and pick a good one for him.

a real LP for a 12 y.o.? ... i dont think so ... ... not unless your first name is donald and your last name starts with trump ...

if he wants the look / feel / tone of an LP, i'd do an LP copy, (agile, edwards, tokai, epiphone, etc) and get upgraded electronics and pickups as needed

i'd also take him to a guitar store and put a few different ones in his hands to make sure he's ok with the ergonomic factors (weight, scale length, neck carve, fretboard width, etc) ... he might see something in the shop that catches his eye even more than an LP .. for a smaller kid, an SG maybe?

good luck
t4d

A Les Paul would be definitly a great choice! Your son has very good taste and he knows what he wants I would suggest a nice Les Paul Studio. This is the closest guitar you can get to a higher end model with the same quality as its big brothers. He will not outgrow the Studio as easily as an LP Junior because the styling of the Studio is very close to the high end LP's. The Studio has a carved top and the Junior is flat. Weight wise, the studio is fairly light ( 5-6 lbs.) Besides, you've already decided not to go with an Epiphone and i can see that price is not an issue. I'm sure he would be very happy with the Studio
Originally Posted by tone4daysa real LP for a 12 y.o.? ... i dont think so ... ... not unless your first name is donald and your last name starts with trump ...

if he wants the look / feel / tone of an LP, i'd do an LP copy, (agile, edwards, tokai, epiphone, etc) and get upgraded electronics and pickups as needed

i'd also take him to a guitar store and put a few different ones in his hands to make sure he's ok with the ergonomic factors (weight, scale length, neck carve, fretboard width, etc) ... he might see something in the shop that catches his eye even more than an LP .. for a smaller kid, an SG maybe?

good luck
t4d

We go to the local guitar shop a couple times a month. He's played em all - SG, Fat strats, Jacksons, Dean, Rich... Like I said he has good taste and loves the Pauls.

I've been playing myself for less than a year and just got a Gamp;L tribute for $275. I love it and know that a $1200 isn't going to make a better player of me. He really likes my guitar so I'm trying to suggest that he look at a Gamp;L tribute invader. It's moe of a strat shape, but dual HBs amp; mahogany. If he has to go Gibby, maybe he will go for an SG instead. At least that way he won't get a hernia

Check out a used Hamer Studio. They cost about half of what a new LP would run you, the quality is better, and they are a bit lighter and would be much easier to play for someone his age.

Ryan


Originally Posted by AniMLWe go to the local guitar shop a couple times a month ... Like I said he has good taste and loves the Pauls.

sounds like a plan

and as a dad, i gotta tell ya that i think it is an awesome thing for you two to share an interest in guitar ... very cool indeed as you head into the teenage years ... cool way to keep the communications open ...

good luck
t4d

You want something of higher quality than a Korean Epiphone. But, not expensive as a Gibson.

I suggest the Japan replicas.
Tokai (makes sure it's a japan model. Japan models start with LS or LC, no A or N before it. Ex: LS-85Q is Japan, ALS- 45F is Korean).
Edwards/ESP
Greco
Burny/Fernandes (again Japan made models)
Orville/Orville by Gibson/Epiphone Japan/Epiphone Elitist ( All Fuji Gen Gakki factory made. Don't let the Epi name deter you. Japan Epis overlap in quality with lower Gibsons)

Check Ebay for these.
They are a great alternative.

Also, look for used Dean EVO Premium . Czech Republic crafted. More on par with the USA Deans than the Korean Deans.

Kent

I would look into a Hamer.

If he's insisting on a LP (I can understand) look into a LP Special reissue and replace the crappy P-100's with Duncan P-90's. They're great guitars and won't be too much for him to handle weight-wise.

i think either hamer or dean makes a lp copy with 2 p-90's that's quite a bit cheaper than the gibbos

I'd reccomend a gretsch double jet, but those things are just too big for a 12 year old, the necks on em are huge!

oh, check ebay for some dearmonds, they made good lp copies amp; they're selling for close to nothing!

1 for the LP studio. Still a very nice guitar but scaled down some.

Also, MF has a special on a all mahogany LP that might suit him well...

from : localhost/for that price I'd go for an SG. A nice SG would only be a few $$$ more...

Gibson made a gorgeous Les Paul Jr. Special Plus for a while..it was a flat top single cutaway with a flame maple top, and two humbuckers..and wasn't as heavy as a les paul standard...if you can find one on ebay they aren't too horrible in the price range either ...a bit more than a les paul special, but less than a les paul standard (used)Here's the link I forgot to an ebay auction for one in wine red

I think a Japanese copy would do the job very well. I reccomend the Burny copies. Greater quality than Gibson with more consistency for a much more reasonable price. They age really well also. They don't fall apart and disentigrate like some copy brands lol

I notice everyone's been recommending Hamer but has anyone remembered HamerPlyr's warnings about genital warts and the like?? lol

Anyway, I think you should take your son into the store and have them fit a strap on the guitars so he can see how heavy they feel to him.


Originally Posted by AniMLHe really likes my guitar so I'm trying to suggest that he look at a Gamp;L tribute invader.

Here's an idea:

Give him your Gamp;L, then YOU buy the new Paulie! HA! And if that don't work - I would definetely get him an Epiphone. Put some new pickups in there, maybe some new pots, a new bridge and set of tuners and that baby's all-pro!

(As sarcastic as the statement above sounds, I am honestly 100% serious)

why no epiphone? I love mine...

to keep the weight and cost down i'd say if you want a real gibson and not a knockoff (which could be fine) go with a studio...they are a bit lighter and may be easier for him to play on a strap for long periods of time. either that or talk him into an SG

-Mike