I'm a blue collar guy and I fully expect by the time I retire to have back pains and potentially arthritis and buying a guitar based on weight is a big factor. Another part of this equation is the advent of Internet sales. Since more and more people are buying guitars online without playing them, weight has become a bigger metric in terms of what guitar is desirable since many think a lighter guitar is the better one.
I had an injury that makes my back occasionally hurt. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's painful. 7.5 lbs and lower are great. Had to ditch my 10.5 lb. Les Paul.
Weight has always been a reality. The Early DanElectro ads talked about weight. The Gretsch Jet ads talked about weight. The Les Paul weight was well noted even in my garage band in 1969. We foolishly thought the weight was worth it for the "tone", even when we could not play well enough to matter.
It's amazing how much wood just goes to the dump in NYC because you are not permitted - either by law or union rules or something, I can't remember - to dumpster dive for wood when, say, a law firm redecorates and throws out tons of mahogany, oak, whatever. Much of that wood could and should be recycled into guitars.
A lot of urban guitar wood comes from Street Tree Revival. I've visited and seen the stack of beautiful REJECTS from Taylor. Street trees have a hard life, and that makes for beautiful slabs.
Regarding the weight… it seems like consumers really wanted the heaviest les Pauls but watching all the Gibson collection vids from the last few years it seems like all the pros preferred the tone of the light ones. Even back in the 70s. Now us consumers know this and are searching for that same thing.
I don’t get relics, except my own guitars that I’m using over time. I do get weight if you are out gigging a lot. I don’t get why we aren’t moving away from wood for electrics like original Parker Fly’s.
I love a reliced car.... Rusty.. Falling to pieces...stereo volume control covered in shit... and the leather upholstery checking... all cracked.... Lovely. So when I take it out to a gig/for a drive and it gets fucked up big time I don't have to worry about it....like when people spill beer over the paint work..or drivers reversing into it/drummers leaning their cymbals up against it... . Its called 'mojo', apparently 🤔.. Its great and definitely worth spending that extra grand or... 2 for.. 😉.
I feel like everyone who thinks Nitro belongs on a guitar, needs to experience an instrument that's been properly French Polished, it's like the difference between the mystery meat in a high school cafeteria and a steak at the double eagle... one is legitimately amazing, and the other you just try and convince yourself wasn't terrible in the name of nostalgia... you deserve the double eagle!
@user-jd3vi2pg1g I'd venture a guess that 99.99% of those people have never used a properly French polished instrument. Easy to say Dom and Caviar isn't worth it when you've never tried it, but once you do.... there's no going back... it's night and day, there's no objective reason that anyone would prefer nitro, it offers absolutely no advantages at all over a French polish.
@BarronVonSchnoot what about my comments appear uncalm? What's weird about wanting to engage in a conversation about guitar stuff? Seems weird you came here for any other reason...
@@MayorMcCheese2000 yeah, there is nothing weird about your obsession with French polish. You’re a totally normal guy that writes food analogies comparing guitar finishes, definitely not weird at all. And you type out full paragraphs with ellipses, exclamation points, and insult peoples’ personal preferences. All of which are things that a calm, rational person would do.
All the different strings now. Back in the 80s it was Rotosound for Bass and Super Slinky’s for guitars. Now there are a gazillion different types and brands.
Some other trends that we didn't request: streaky ebony, satin finishes, black and dark stained guitars to hide imperfections (also some sunbursts are for this). I'm not saying it is bad, just a new approach to the market.
Satin finishes shows fingermarks and gets ugly shiny spots everyone after minimal use. I dont mind if my guitars gets beaten up, but with gloss guitars it looks cool and takes time to show wear. But a satin finish is ruined once your pomme frites eating friends wants to try it xD
Depends on the guitar, but I'm a fan of streaky ebony. It sucks how much wood is wasted to get "perfect" ebony fretboards, and the streaks can look better sometimes. I had a black JJN signature with a stripe down the fretboard and it elevated the looks big time. Had to swap it out due to other issues, and I still miss that stripe.
I believe you have to cut 10 ebony trees to have 1 fully Black ebony. 9 of them were left cut down in the woods. I salute having striped ebony. If you have to have Ebony.
Unpopular opinion: People who hate relic'd guitars actually hate the price tag not the aesthetic. If the price was "low enough" then there wouldn't be a talking point, instead just another piece of gear they don't wish to purchase.
Nope. Relics are cheesy. What’s it say about the people who feel the need to pretend their guitar is old and beat up? Its so weird to me that this is a thing.
I personally love the look of vintage guitars (1950's thru 1960's), but it is unlikely I'll ever drop that kind of money on; especially being I am left handed. Few and far between vintage guitars are left handed, and their asking price is insane. If I can get ~75-90% the way to a vintage guitar on 1/5th the price tag, then I would call it a win. But I will die on the hill of it is an issue of price more than aesthetic, because who honestly hates the aesthetic of a vintage guitar to the same degree they hate relic'd ones???
Heavy guitars have always been an issue for me. My best friend got his first Les Paul more than 20 years ago. I had always wanted one and was jealous when he got his. . .until i played it! The moment i picked it up, i changed my mind. It was too damn heavy, period. Its a beauty but every guitar i played after that, i compared to that boat anchor of a guitar. I didn't need a trend to tell me that lighter was better!
@aasotih Don't get me wrong, i loved that LP, and i do still want one some day if im being honest, but it did make me appreciate lighter guitars more. It was way heavier than any of my Strats. But i also have a cheapo Tele copy that i have turned into a killer instrument. Its by far the lightest electric ive ever owned, and it does something unique and wonderful that no guitar ive ever played can do. I can't explain it but it's real, and i think the super light piece of wood must have something to do with it!
I have a condition which causes joint damage and muscle pain. After sporting an 11 lbs guitar for years, I had to be more selective with what I play. Those chambered Les Pauls are great at 8.5 lbs. I have two of them. Most of my other guitars are lighter than that, but I've been playing an 8.5 lbs , swiss cheese, Les Paul Custom.
So can you help me find a factory relic fan fret J45 with Paulownia top Ash back and sides and one of those hard foam cases that kinda splits the difference between a gig bag and a hard case? Sort of the mypillow of guitar cases.
I see you guys got an Alligator reissue. I'm curious how the reissues sound after being fortunate enough to be around the real one. I love the way Alligator sounds, thanks Andy ! Could you Please make a Little demo video of the Reissue
talking about lightweight guitars being more likely to break when they fall... I think there's plenty of Les Paul Owners out there that know that a heavy guitar isn't less likely to break.
I used to stick my nose up at Paulonia, Then I put together a Brad inspired Paulonia body Fender Roasted laminate Maple neck Tele and it's my favorite tele to date. I can do Prince to Native Tongue Poison (Ritchie Kotzen greatest poison guitarist😅) on this thing with some Ed Bickert thrown in.
I bought my Les Paul 4 years ago I wanted a 10 plus pound 50s standard Gold Top I love it’s so manly and sounds so good it does have one check on the lower horn not sure how that happened but oh well it’s not that noticeable. If you want a light weight Les Paul find another brand besides Gibson they use different types of woods. Even my Zakk Wylde Epiphone is heavy AF just a heavy chunk of metal playing wood and that maple neck is amazing mines Korean made not from that “other” country I refuse to buy from.
Seems that Gibson's wood supply is heavier, must be where they source it from? Is Urban wood reclaimed from buildings? Marketing people don't want to say stuff like "trash" or "discarded". Remember, Leo used what was available to him and cheap, it wasn't some decades long thing to find magic woods.
Wow.... nice Jerry guitar back there fellas. Speaking of guitar trends, that Jerry Strat was a test bed for all kinds of 70s guitar trends... No Finish, on board preamp and brass hardware, to name a few....Is that thing for sale?
To be fair though , the gig bag I got with my Gibson SG is amazing quality and I feel safer transporting my guitars in that then a hardcase . I will admit a hardcase is way cooler though . A bit of a guitar fetesh of mine is opening a vintage tweed or brown leather case to reveal the beautiful guitar inside . I'm so sad 😂
Guitars are such a strange product. The whole market is driven by buyers who can barely play guitar. Imagine what bicycles would look like if mostly folks with little or no ability to ride a bike bought multiple bikes to display in their man cave.
The fact that it’s driven by buyers who can barely play is probably a good thing for the industry. Otherwise, guitars would almost all be as expensive as professional orchestral instruments.
That's my secret excuse on my builds - it's not a finishing flaw - it's relic'ed! The concept of tone woods is largely a hangover from acoustic guitars - it has much less impact on an electric. One problem is that the subtle tonal difference in woods, or pickups, or nuts, etc. may mean a lot to a player chasing a particular tone, while being almost un-noticeable to everyone else. In general, there's not much innovation in the guitar industry compared to other industries (automotive, aviation, computers, etc.). So it takes longer to figure out things like "a guitar doesn't have to be heavy". My lightest weight build to date is 2.25 lbs. for a headless tail tuner with a 24 fret neck, single coil bridge pickup, non-locking tuners, and a minimalist spruce body. Paulownia is ultra soft, but not brittle - it will dent rather than break. Cedar is the brittle stuff - snaps like glass. I split the cedar body on an electric 12 string tail tuner clean in half once. And yes - I was able to glue it back together.
Saying lightweight guitars are a new thing is a bit disingenuous as people have been loving Gretsch Duo Jets for decades on being extremely lightweight compared to Gibson's.
For the past 30+ years I've been looking out my back window and staring at this YUGE catalpa tree across the alley in my neighbor's yard, I mean, if a bolt of lightning hit it just the right (or wrong, for me...) way it would flatten my house - and I keep thinkin', man, you could get a LOT of guitars out of that! Cuz catalpa is a lot like maple, right?
Your neighbor has created a living guitar hell and legally an " attractive nuisance" . He should do the right thing and pay you ( in cash or party liquor) to remove and store that nightmare. It's not a hard wood and it is a bit light. Perfect for what folks currently like.
You missed the most helpful trend for builders in the guitar market. That guitarists don't want new designs they want 50's and 60's reissues. So, the guitar companies can cycle through different paint colors and inlay patterns to make their yearly offerings seam new and fresh.
"Polyphia moment" lmfao I love those boys so much. My favorite guitarists to listen to and learn their songs. Truly makes you a better guitarist forcing yourself to learn their incredible compositions. That video is hilarious though.🤣I've had the pleasure to meet those guys and they are so cool and down to earth and actually gave me the time of day even though they were on the move. And my family is definitely like Jonathan's, we all know how to load, clean and shoot our guns and take down an animal for food when we need to. We're just some good ole' Kentucky folks!
Here's one: Artist Model guitars. Who wouldn't feel like a complete fanboy poser playing one of these? (And, no a regular Les Paul is NOT an Artist Model. But a Slash Les Paul IS.)
Jon is right that the 70s ruined us for heavy guitars. Pre internet, I as a 20 year old would avoid heavy guitars. I really wanted a “The Strat” but never held a non boat anchor. 40 years later I still haven’t.
Come on weight was a thing back in the early 90s when I first started shopping at guitar stores. "Watch out for those 70s heavy ash strats. Look out for those Norlin les pauls they might be 13lbs".
Relics? Why buy a guitar that looks worn out that takes away from damaging it yourself lol. The swearing when it falls, scratched, ah the memories. It reminds me of buying jeans with tears or faded.
From the ash-bodied Fenders and the pancake-bodied Gibsons of the '70's, weight has a been a thing for decades. Initially it was just accepted and somehow it was equated to great sustain or tone. Maybe that was because those were the only guitars available in quantity at that time and people just accepted it. Now we are looking back at 60 years of guitar production and evaluating the electric guitar products as a whole and judging them on their relative merits.
I built a guitar out of a soft maple wood, hard maple wood neck. Gotta say... It's light and sounds awesome. Reminds me a lot of Ash I guess. I almost never see it used in bodies!!
I don't like a light guitar, feels like a toy to me. If it's normal that's fine if it's adjusted to be light it's just wrong to me as the player. Example, I expect a Les Paul to be heavy, please don't change it for me.
The truth about relics is that neither i nor anyone else i know has 10 thousand dollars for a 60 year old guitar. And my 20 year old polly finish guitars still look brand new. So unless i buy a reliced guitar, or relic one myself, I'll never get that vibe and feel. The guitar that i did my own relic job on has a "THING" that makes me play it differently. TRUTH!
@@user-jd3vi2pg1g Actually it is. If your in a cover band you're being a poser but your creating the vibe of that band. If you're a guitar company other than Fender or Gibson, but you're making Strats and Les Pauls, you're a poser but your guitars are creating that vibe just the same! Before you criticize, open a dictionary. Creating and vibe is the very definition of being a poser!
@@charlesbolton8471 And being a poser sometimes can be alot of fun. I guess some people are just to cool on their own to try and emulate someone or something else.
@@user-jd3vi2pg1g Alright mr. critical authenticity, im a poser! You got me. Your right, i dont have an old lacquer guitar that ive been banging around for the last thirty years. Im so sorry. All of the guitars that ive ever had are polyurethane and they will always be shiny for ever and ever! So sue me im a poser. But for that matter, anyone who buys a 50 year old guitar for ten thousand dollars, that was naturally worn, is a poser too because their not the one who wore it out! I guess no one from here on out is ever allowed to play worn out guitar again. Thanks for being the kill joy! I guess I'll just be a poser and play my phony guitars, probably a thousand times better than you can, on your totally shiny soulless gloss machines! Have a nice day.
My "adult" back doesn't tolerate 9+ lb guitars or basses any more. I like 7 to 7.5 lb guitars and 8 lb basses. Chamber that bitch if needed. My SG gets more play time than my LP for exactly that reason.
Fender gets over half million orders canceled! Relics are for posers! None of the name brands are worth the $ their asking. Love the vlog hate the crazy prices of what instruments cost. No decent guitar players wife or girl friends can afford these prices.
As the bulk of the buying guitar population grow older - weight will be an issue. Next we old folks will want self playing guitars like self playing pianos 😅. And who knows maybe shag carpeting will come back in style.
Guitars and politics are the worst when it comes to the opinions=truth curse The best guitars/specs/years are whatever gets you to play , enjoy, and not pontificate in some forum over...
@@mohamedtlass3842 sure, when you're 25 it's nothing. But when your back has been supporting you for 50+ years, those extra 2-3 pounds of leverage can add up after a long gig. If you're younger than that, you just won't understand. When I was 18 i did 3 hour gigs and i could feel the dent in my left shoulder from the strap afterwards.
A trend that is in its 28th year of popularity is NOT a “fad”. The very definition of “fad” is something that is short-lived. Fender has been building “Relic” guitars for over a third of the company’s existence, and it isn’t going to stop anytime soon.
@@user-jd3vi2pg1g So does that mean that modeling amps are a fad for posers who can’t afford the real amps? I personally don’t like modeling amps so it must be a fad. Right? That’s the way it works isn’t it? For what it’s worth, modeling amps have existed for about the same amount of time as “Relic” guitars.
@@benlogan430 Exactly. I’ve been a fan “Relics” since they first came out. I’ve never understood why they get so much criticism. I have found that over the years a lot of people have gone from hating them to liking them once they finally played one.
@@charlesbolton8471the difference is modeling amps serve a function for the people that buy them. I’m not a fan myself but they clearly have a purpose. Relics serve no actual purpose beyond pretending to look old.
So the ongoing 'tone wood' argument once again proves we are all just idiots and our opinions are baseless. Perhaps we should argue about strings and the types of metals used. Tone metals anyone?
I'm a blue collar guy and I fully expect by the time I retire to have back pains and potentially arthritis and buying a guitar based on weight is a big factor.
Another part of this equation is the advent of Internet sales. Since more and more people are buying guitars online without playing them, weight has become a bigger metric in terms of what guitar is desirable since many think a lighter guitar is the better one.
I had an injury that makes my back occasionally hurt. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's painful. 7.5 lbs and lower are great. Had to ditch my 10.5 lb. Les Paul.
I still don’t get relic guitars. It’s good for the factory right? They don’t have to worry about actual good paint work. LOL
I thought it would completely eliminate b-stock...
@@JoshMarzolf I don't think any Factory does that and Returns usually end up being sold to a company like the Musical Instrument Corporation.
It's a texture, not unlike burst and figuring of the wood.
Relic Poo Poo soft case cheaper satin finish much cheaper 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
Basically it got easy for cheap guitars to look super nice, so why pay $2000 for a guitar that looks like a $200 guitar with a quilted maple venear.
Weight has always been a reality. The Early DanElectro ads talked about weight. The Gretsch Jet ads talked about weight. The Les Paul weight was well noted even in my garage band in 1969. We foolishly thought the weight was worth it for the "tone", even when we could not play well enough to matter.
I saw Baxter at Sweetwater today when I was there for lessons for my boys
So a light relic is B stock with a higher price tag? Good or bad, hard not to feel like a sucker buying that. Another reason to buy used I guess.
It's amazing how much wood just goes to the dump in NYC because you are not permitted - either by law or union rules or something, I can't remember - to dumpster dive for wood when, say, a law firm redecorates and throws out tons of mahogany, oak, whatever. Much of that wood could and should be recycled into guitars.
The thinline tele is no longer in the back 😪😪😪😪
Got me rolling you called it trash wood in front of Taylor reps. That's amazing 🤣🤣
A lot of urban guitar wood comes from Street Tree Revival. I've visited and seen the stack of beautiful REJECTS from Taylor. Street trees have a hard life, and that makes for beautiful slabs.
Light guitars possess 'tone aire' & far (outweigh) heavy guitars. Also, a hip replacement costs more than a '59 Burst....
I want a guitar on the lighter side, but weight does not effect tone. Plenty of boat anchors sound great. But I don’t want one
Regarding the weight… it seems like consumers really wanted the heaviest les Pauls but watching all the Gibson collection vids from the last few years it seems like all the pros preferred the tone of the light ones. Even back in the 70s. Now us consumers know this and are searching for that same thing.
Thanks Baxter and Jonathan. Taylor's Red Ironbark is another great tonewood.
My pillow comes with boogers and drool crust, just like Jonathan's beard 😂.
😂
I have scoliosis, so light guitars are my favourite.
I don’t get relics, except my own guitars that I’m using over time. I do get weight if you are out gigging a lot. I don’t get why we aren’t moving away from wood for electrics like original Parker Fly’s.
Parker Flys are wood, just with reinforcement.
Not stopping anytime soon.
I love a reliced car.... Rusty.. Falling to pieces...stereo volume control covered in shit... and the leather upholstery checking... all cracked.... Lovely.
So when I take it out to a gig/for a drive and it gets fucked up big time I don't have to worry about it....like when people spill beer over the paint work..or drivers reversing into it/drummers leaning their cymbals up against it... . Its called 'mojo', apparently 🤔.. Its great and definitely worth spending that extra grand or... 2 for.. 😉.
I feel like everyone who thinks Nitro belongs on a guitar, needs to experience an instrument that's been properly French Polished, it's like the difference between the mystery meat in a high school cafeteria and a steak at the double eagle... one is legitimately amazing, and the other you just try and convince yourself wasn't terrible in the name of nostalgia... you deserve the double eagle!
@user-jd3vi2pg1g I'd venture a guess that 99.99% of those people have never used a properly French polished instrument. Easy to say Dom and Caviar isn't worth it when you've never tried it, but once you do.... there's no going back... it's night and day, there's no objective reason that anyone would prefer nitro, it offers absolutely no advantages at all over a French polish.
@@MayorMcCheese2000clam down, weirdo
@BarronVonSchnoot what about my comments appear uncalm? What's weird about wanting to engage in a conversation about guitar stuff? Seems weird you came here for any other reason...
@@MayorMcCheese2000 yeah, there is nothing weird about your obsession with French polish. You’re a totally normal guy that writes food analogies comparing guitar finishes, definitely not weird at all. And you type out full paragraphs with ellipses, exclamation points, and insult peoples’ personal preferences. All of which are things that a calm, rational person would do.
I dated a girl from Quebec once, so I'm familiar with the French Canadian polish.
The foam under the bridge of the Gretsch on the back wall is driving my OCD crazy!
All the different strings now. Back in the 80s it was Rotosound for Bass and Super Slinky’s for guitars. Now there are a gazillion different types and brands.
Some other trends that we didn't request: streaky ebony, satin finishes, black and dark stained guitars to hide imperfections (also some sunbursts are for this). I'm not saying it is bad, just a new approach to the market.
...with price increase as a bonus!
Satin finishes shows fingermarks and gets ugly shiny spots everyone after minimal use.
I dont mind if my guitars gets beaten up, but with gloss guitars it looks cool and takes time to show wear.
But a satin finish is ruined once your pomme frites eating friends wants to try it xD
Fender came up with the Antigua finish to cover up burn marks and binding imperfections
Depends on the guitar, but I'm a fan of streaky ebony. It sucks how much wood is wasted to get "perfect" ebony fretboards, and the streaks can look better sometimes.
I had a black JJN signature with a stripe down the fretboard and it elevated the looks big time. Had to swap it out due to other issues, and I still miss that stripe.
I believe you have to cut 10 ebony trees to have 1 fully Black ebony. 9 of them were left cut down in the woods. I salute having striped ebony. If you have to have Ebony.
You guys should have jammed the Garcia strat and pink Tele together! Who gets what? Love the show. Keep it up 😊
Unpopular opinion: People who hate relic'd guitars actually hate the price tag not the aesthetic. If the price was "low enough" then there wouldn't be a talking point, instead just another piece of gear they don't wish to purchase.
I respectfully disagree. 🙂 I’m just not a fan of the look. I like a shiny, factory-fresh guitar 🙂
The year, 2050. "So, people paid for a beat up guitar?😂😂😂😂"
You have a point. Something about paying more and getting less sets me off 😂
Nope. Relics are cheesy. What’s it say about the people who feel the need to pretend their guitar is old and beat up? Its so weird to me that this is a thing.
I personally love the look of vintage guitars (1950's thru 1960's), but it is unlikely I'll ever drop that kind of money on; especially being I am left handed. Few and far between vintage guitars are left handed, and their asking price is insane. If I can get ~75-90% the way to a vintage guitar on 1/5th the price tag, then I would call it a win. But I will die on the hill of it is an issue of price more than aesthetic, because who honestly hates the aesthetic of a vintage guitar to the same degree they hate relic'd ones???
Heavy guitars have always been an issue for me. My best friend got his first Les Paul more than 20 years ago. I had always wanted one and was jealous when he got his. . .until i played it! The moment i picked it up, i changed my mind. It was too damn heavy, period. Its a beauty but every guitar i played after that, i compared to that boat anchor of a guitar. I didn't need a trend to tell me that lighter was better!
@aasotih Don't get me wrong, i loved that LP, and i do still want one some day if im being honest, but it did make me appreciate lighter guitars more. It was way heavier than any of my Strats. But i also have a cheapo Tele copy that i have turned into a killer instrument. Its by far the lightest electric ive ever owned, and it does something unique and wonderful that no guitar ive ever played can do. I can't explain it but it's real, and i think the super light piece of wood must have something to do with it!
I like polyfoam cases with backpack straps, and for some reason, they are hard to find right now😬
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is that the actual Jerry Garcia alligator behind you guys or a replica? Is that a guitar you can buy now?
I have a condition which causes joint damage and muscle pain. After sporting an 11 lbs guitar for years, I had to be more selective with what I play. Those chambered Les Pauls are great at 8.5 lbs. I have two of them. Most of my other guitars are lighter than that, but I've been playing an 8.5 lbs , swiss cheese, Les Paul Custom.
So can you help me find a factory relic fan fret J45 with Paulownia top Ash back and sides and one of those hard foam cases that kinda splits the difference between a gig bag and a hard case? Sort of the mypillow of guitar cases.
Manufacturer?
Love the Garcia tribute natural strat!
I see you guys got an Alligator reissue. I'm curious how the reissues sound after being fortunate enough to be around the real one. I love the way Alligator sounds, thanks Andy ! Could you Please make a Little demo video of the Reissue
talking about lightweight guitars being more likely to break when they fall... I think there's plenty of Les Paul Owners out there that know that a heavy guitar isn't less likely to break.
pick up a Santa Cruz H-13... it's incredibly light... like a feather... and oh, the tone...
Maybe plywoood, reclaimed wood from old fences, its relic wood
Thanks!
The discussion that starts to veer off the rails- funny, though!
I used to stick my nose up at Paulonia, Then I put together a Brad inspired Paulonia body Fender Roasted laminate Maple neck Tele and it's my favorite tele to date. I can do Prince to Native Tongue Poison (Ritchie Kotzen greatest poison guitarist😅) on this thing with some Ed Bickert thrown in.
I bought my Les Paul 4 years ago I wanted a 10 plus pound 50s standard Gold Top I love it’s so manly and sounds so good it does have one check on the lower horn not sure how that happened but oh well it’s not that noticeable.
If you want a light weight Les Paul find another brand besides Gibson they use different types of woods.
Even my Zakk Wylde Epiphone is heavy AF just a heavy chunk of metal playing wood and that maple neck is amazing mines Korean made not from that “other” country I refuse to buy from.
Relics. A trend that needs to disappear.
Seems that Gibson's wood supply is heavier, must be where they source it from? Is Urban wood reclaimed from buildings? Marketing people don't want to say stuff like "trash" or "discarded".
Remember, Leo used what was available to him and cheap, it wasn't some decades long thing to find magic woods.
The only time I’ve ever noticed the weight of a guitar is when I pick it up, once I sling the strap they all weigh the same
Wow.... nice Jerry guitar back there fellas. Speaking of guitar trends, that Jerry Strat was a test bed for all kinds of 70s guitar trends... No Finish, on board preamp and brass hardware, to name a few....Is that thing for sale?
To be fair though , the gig bag I got with my Gibson SG is amazing quality and I feel safer transporting my guitars in that then a hardcase . I will admit a hardcase is way cooler though . A bit of a guitar fetesh of mine is opening a vintage tweed or brown leather case to reveal the beautiful guitar inside . I'm so sad 😂
I don't mind heavier guitars, but I think the argument is the easier it is to play, the better you'll play it.
My two cents, worth every penny.
Guitars are such a strange product. The whole market is driven by buyers who can barely play guitar.
Imagine what bicycles would look like if mostly folks with little or no ability to ride a bike bought multiple bikes to display in their man cave.
The fact that it’s driven by buyers who can barely play is probably a good thing for the industry. Otherwise, guitars would almost all be as expensive as professional orchestral instruments.
As a player, I like a Zero fret and a scarf-joint. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Love the Alligator Strat.
I want one of them resonators. With a 43 mm nut.
A Paisley Penguin. Why am I not surprised?! 👍🎸👍
Me likey!!!
That's my secret excuse on my builds - it's not a finishing flaw - it's relic'ed! The concept of tone woods is largely a hangover from acoustic guitars - it has much less impact on an electric. One problem is that the subtle tonal difference in woods, or pickups, or nuts, etc. may mean a lot to a player chasing a particular tone, while being almost un-noticeable to everyone else. In general, there's not much innovation in the guitar industry compared to other industries (automotive, aviation, computers, etc.). So it takes longer to figure out things like "a guitar doesn't have to be heavy". My lightest weight build to date is 2.25 lbs. for a headless tail tuner with a 24 fret neck, single coil bridge pickup, non-locking tuners, and a minimalist spruce body. Paulownia is ultra soft, but not brittle - it will dent rather than break. Cedar is the brittle stuff - snaps like glass. I split the cedar body on an electric 12 string tail tuner clean in half once. And yes - I was able to glue it back together.
I refuse to buy a guitar and pay thousands extra for the same guitar that's pre beat up. I just don't understand it.
Saying lightweight guitars are a new thing is a bit disingenuous as people have been loving Gretsch Duo Jets for decades on being extremely lightweight compared to Gibson's.
I need a pig butchered and a crocheted oven mitt for when cooking. I'd like to invite both your families. 😁🤪🤓😎
Urban woods would be a benefit if the prices were lowered accordingly!
For the past 30+ years I've been looking out my back window and staring at this YUGE catalpa tree across the alley in my neighbor's yard, I mean, if a bolt of lightning hit it just the right (or wrong, for me...) way it would flatten my house - and I keep thinkin', man, you could get a LOT of guitars out of that! Cuz catalpa is a lot like maple, right?
Your neighbor has created a living guitar hell and legally an " attractive nuisance" . He should do the right thing and pay you ( in cash or party liquor) to remove and store that nightmare. It's not a hard wood and it is a bit light. Perfect for what folks currently like.
You missed the most helpful trend for builders in the guitar market. That guitarists don't want new designs they want 50's and 60's reissues. So, the guitar companies can cycle through different paint colors and inlay patterns to make their yearly offerings seam new and fresh.
"Polyphia moment" lmfao I love those boys so much. My favorite guitarists to listen to and learn their songs. Truly makes you a better guitarist forcing yourself to learn their incredible compositions. That video is hilarious though.🤣I've had the pleasure to meet those guys and they are so cool and down to earth and actually gave me the time of day even though they were on the move. And my family is definitely like Jonathan's, we all know how to load, clean and shoot our guns and take down an animal for food when we need to. We're just some good ole' Kentucky folks!
Here's one: Artist Model guitars. Who wouldn't feel like a complete fanboy poser playing one of these? (And, no a regular Les Paul is NOT an Artist Model. But a Slash Les Paul IS.)
Jon is right that the 70s ruined us for heavy guitars. Pre internet, I as a 20 year old would avoid heavy guitars. I really wanted a “The Strat” but never held a non boat anchor. 40 years later I still haven’t.
Come on weight was a thing back in the early 90s when I first started shopping at guitar stores. "Watch out for those 70s heavy ash strats. Look out for those Norlin les pauls they might be 13lbs".
Weight became a selling point when the guys who buy 80% of the new guitars (Boomers) got too old to play heavy guitars.
Relics? Why buy a guitar that looks worn out that takes away from damaging it yourself lol. The swearing when it falls, scratched, ah the memories. It reminds me of buying jeans with tears or faded.
From the ash-bodied Fenders and the pancake-bodied Gibsons of the '70's, weight has a been a thing for decades. Initially it was just accepted and somehow it was equated to great sustain or tone. Maybe that was because those were the only guitars available in quantity at that time and people just accepted it. Now we are looking back at 60 years of guitar production and evaluating the electric guitar products as a whole and judging them on their relative merits.
I built a guitar out of a soft maple wood, hard maple wood neck. Gotta say... It's light and sounds awesome. Reminds me a lot of Ash I guess. I almost never see it used in bodies!!
Maple has a bright tonality, it's used by Rickenbacker
WWE Tag Team Champions Baxter and Jonathan.
Baxter should go out as Mike Rotunda (I.R.S) for Halloween, Jonathan can be Honky Tonk man.
I think Hacksaw Jim Duggan is the only choice for Jonathan
I don't like a light guitar, feels like a toy to me. If it's normal that's fine if it's adjusted to be light it's just wrong to me as the player. Example, I expect a Les Paul to be heavy, please don't change it for me.
The truth about relics is that neither i nor anyone else i know has 10 thousand dollars for a 60 year old guitar. And my 20 year old polly finish guitars still look brand new. So unless i buy a reliced guitar, or relic one myself, I'll never get that vibe and feel. The guitar that i did my own relic job on has a "THING" that makes me play it differently. TRUTH!
@@user-jd3vi2pg1g
What’s worse being a “poser” or being a jerk who criticizes someone else for his/her choices just because you don’t like something?
@@user-jd3vi2pg1g Actually it is. If your in a cover band you're being a poser but your creating the vibe of that band. If you're a guitar company other than Fender or Gibson, but you're making Strats and Les Pauls, you're a poser but your guitars are creating that vibe just the same! Before you criticize, open a dictionary. Creating and vibe is the very definition of being a poser!
@@charlesbolton8471 And being a poser sometimes can be alot of fun. I guess some people are just to cool on their own to try and emulate someone or something else.
@@user-jd3vi2pg1g Alright mr. critical authenticity, im a poser! You got me. Your right, i dont have an old lacquer guitar that ive been banging around for the last thirty years. Im so sorry. All of the guitars that ive ever had are polyurethane and they will always be shiny for ever and ever! So sue me im a poser. But for that matter, anyone who buys a 50 year old guitar for ten thousand dollars, that was naturally worn, is a poser too because their not the one who wore it out! I guess no one from here on out is ever allowed to play worn out guitar again. Thanks for being the kill joy! I guess I'll just be a poser and play my phony guitars, probably a thousand times better than you can, on your totally shiny soulless gloss machines! Have a nice day.
Paulownia = Balsa.... PASS!
Hotdog wood
Often used a substitute but is actually twice the density.
My "adult" back doesn't tolerate 9+ lb guitars or basses any more. I like 7 to 7.5 lb guitars and 8 lb basses. Chamber that bitch if needed. My SG gets more play time than my LP for exactly that reason.
Fender gets over half million orders canceled! Relics are for posers! None of the name brands are worth the $ their asking. Love the vlog hate the crazy prices of what instruments cost. No decent guitar players wife or girl friends can afford these prices.
Who cares what the wife gf or hoe wants!
Light guitars are easier to play for longer. Of course everyone wants them lighter. It's not that funny or hard to understand.
You guys gotta get out more.
As the bulk of the buying guitar population grow older - weight will be an issue. Next we old folks will want self playing guitars like self playing pianos 😅. And who knows maybe shag carpeting will come back in style.
There really needs to be a shipping company that only ships guitars. Only in a perfect world.😁
Help me! @3:54 Lol He'll be fine.
A Les Paul should weigh at least 80 pounds. Because toan.
LOL, relics, hah!
All materials have tone. It's the level of lutherie that makes it an instrument.
Guitars and politics are the worst when it comes to the opinions=truth curse
The best guitars/specs/years are
whatever gets you to play , enjoy, and not pontificate in some forum over...
I hate listening to old guys crying about weight. Do some push-ups. Get stronger.
The aches of age aren’t muscular
Yeah and it’s like 2-3 pounds difference held by your entire body if standing
@@mohamedtlass3842 sure, when you're 25 it's nothing. But when your back has been supporting you for 50+ years, those extra 2-3 pounds of leverage can add up after a long gig. If you're younger than that, you just won't understand. When I was 18 i did 3 hour gigs and i could feel the dent in my left shoulder from the strap afterwards.
Noth'in better than heavy girls and heavy guitars!
Tired of skinny lovepreets?
A Fox News dad is a good dad…a Fox News mom is a little sketchier. Lol.
fox news lol
Could Jon’s kid skin Baxters kid?
If necessary.
The relic guitar fad will pass. And they wont hold their value.
A trend that is in its 28th year of popularity is NOT a “fad”. The very definition of “fad” is something that is short-lived. Fender has been building “Relic” guitars for over a third of the company’s existence, and it isn’t going to stop anytime soon.
@@user-jd3vi2pg1g
So does that mean that modeling amps are a fad for posers who can’t afford the real amps?
I personally don’t like modeling amps so it must be a fad. Right? That’s the way it works isn’t it?
For what it’s worth, modeling amps have existed for about the same amount of time as “Relic” guitars.
An argument about personal taste is a waste of time. Forcing other people to have the same taste makes for a small world.
@@benlogan430
Exactly. I’ve been a fan “Relics” since they first came out. I’ve never understood why they get so much criticism. I have found that over the years a lot of people have gone from hating them to liking them once they finally played one.
@@charlesbolton8471the difference is modeling amps serve a function for the people that buy them. I’m not a fan myself but they clearly have a purpose. Relics serve no actual purpose beyond pretending to look old.
The weird right wingy things that randomly come up on this channel…
Ikr, like, elect a rapist?
Have they ever addressed the disappearance of John Cruz Guitars, speaking of which?
Oh so they mentioned a gun and you crapped your panties or bidendiaper?
So the ongoing 'tone wood' argument once again proves we are all just idiots and our opinions are baseless. Perhaps we should argue about strings and the types of metals used. Tone metals anyone?
Jeans with holes !!!
My Pillow
I hate relics !!!