@lawrence1960 There is actually a pretty big difference in the sound. You may LIKE one or the other, but they do sounds different: Classic - more of a typical bright sound with a hint of the Les Paul body to it. Standard 60s - the definite Les Paul gerneral dark low end tone, just a bit brighter than the 50s. A little easier to add some low end to the Classic (especially with all the button setups) than "removing" the dark tone in the Standard (both neck and bridge are quite full and dark) if you want/need to play a variety of tones. With the Standard you are kind of "stuck" with the Les Paul full dark tone... which is simply brilliant, but you're stuck with it.
I just ordered a classic today. Tried a bunch of les pauls over the weekend and it was down to the classic or 60's standard. Both were nice just decided on the easier on the wallet version
I just bought a classic in translucent cherry. Mine is absolutely perfect and much better looking in person than in pictures. I really considered flame top traditional or standard models but I guess I'm bored of the same sunburst flame tops and wanted something different so went for this. All three are great sounding guitars... with very slightly different sounding pickups. I've had less Paul's with BB pros, 490's, and now the 61's. I like them all... the 490's are very warm... but 61's bright and clear. I didn't care for the BB pros much for my style playing... but they are decent too. I don't think you can get a better sounding or playing Les Paul no matter what price you pay. I play a 59 and 60's custom shop a lot too... and this sounds very similar. Interesting about the custom shops is that because the woods used on them is higher quality they are typically as light or lighter than a cheaper weight relieved guitar without having to drill holes. In terms of sound they are really close... the custom shop may be slightly more woody sounding. The classic I got is just as perfectly constructed as any custom shop I've played but I have gotten lucky. I have a couple of expensive PRS guitars too .. which I love but I think you get more for your money with Gibson... considering you can get a standard flame or classic bound USA guitar for half of what you pay for a core PRS. Again I love both but my PRS way overpriced. Oh...in terms of the classics but being hardwired... from my understanding some previous standard models have used the same wiring configuration as they are using on the classics now... because of the switching options it makes more sense... not sure it would impact the tone at all since both great quality electronics...
I LOVE the slim tapered neck. I was playing a classic in Chicago blue at the guitar center this weekend and I fell in love with it if I didn’t just buy an SG I probably would’ve purchased that guitar.
I owned a 50 standard, and I own a classic. I hated how thick the neck was on the 50s, and I have the red classic just like this, it’s my favorite electric I’ve ever owned!! It’s not always about the flame top or anything, but how it’s actually set up and how it sounds as an instrument. I don’t know if they will all be like this, but the classic that I bought is actually perfection.
I thought the classic sounded better than the 60's standard in every department. Much tighter, more crunch. I Liked them "presence" of the sound. Shame about the weight relief. I'd love to hear one that didn't have it. Great video, very informative. Cheers Andy
The Classic sounded better for me and the looks... It's seems to be easier to tame the standard in a mix cause has this thing: more "prominent" the sound by itself than the Standard even though I prefer the guitar mix more "sinky" and not as apparent as most today think it's better, but by itself it seems at first sight to me that the classic version appears more and in the mix I think it's easier to "sink" a prominent guitar in the mix than by using a bunch of plugin or equipment to make it more "lively" if you like.
Best comparison on RU-vid I ve seen so far and very well edited. Your playing is really great too, which helps a lot to really hear the difference in tone. To me the 60s was slightly more satisfying to my ear. I own the 50s Standard in TB and love it. Can hardly put it down because it’s so much fun and I am surprised how comfortable the chunky neck feels. I am more into clean blues sounds where the 50s really shine in my opinion while the 60s is more aggressive and thus better for heavy riffs. The 50s standard has become Number 1 guitar in my collection by far. Totally worth the money but you have to like the chunky neck, that’s for sure.
i cant decide between the classic and 60s standard right now. to me the 60s standard sounds chunkier, which i like more. but it costs 500$ more :( i dont get where the sound difference comes from and wonder if it would be possible to make the classic sound chunkier/like a 60s standard
@@VoiDukkha A lot of it comes down to the weight relief and the way the wood resonates. The classic is an amazing option if you're seeking best bang for buck. The standard is just simply the standard, unless you're getting a custom shop which nowadays is over 6 grand minimum
This is the exact comparison I was looking for, best side by side demo of these two. Honestly, with both using the 61 R/T pickups, I can barely hear a difference, though the standard was maybe a bit warmer, possibly cause of the pickup covers. I got the standard 60’s because I really like the finish mine came in and wanted a guitar with more traditional features but man it’s a tough choice, the classic nearly the same, and more tones for $500 less.
@@judeconig9324 its not necessary, deludes the electronics and kind of defeats the purpose of why you would want Les Paul in the first place. if you want the single coil sound just get a fender
@@penoyer79 How does it defeat the purpose? You still have the HB tones, plus some additional ones too, no-ones took the classic sounds away. And a coil tapped LP is never, ever going to sound remotely like a Fender.
Very well done video and comparison. I liked the sounds and commentary. My humble addition here is if a person has the Classic and wants a beefier sound, simply raise the bass side of the bridge pickup. I suggest only in very small increments and then test. The low resonance will quickly fill in. Happy playing.
It would give it more attack and output, that's for sure. I guess you could equate that to "Beef", or as they say ing France: "Boeuf". Same with any guitar. Would also depend on your picking hand and strings can hit the Poles and give it a squeaky sound. Cheers -Ryan
Recently bought a 2022 Classic but had to return it as the frets were definitely NOT medium-jumbo. A bit more time in the store would have highlighted the fact that string bends above 12th were so difficult because my fingers were dragging on the fingerboard really badly. I tried to live with it for a couple of days but it was just never going to work. So, I took it back and the guys in the shop totally agreed - lots of WTF faces. They had an Unburst 2022 60s Standard which I decided to try for comparison - it was perfect. So perfect in fact that its now in my house.
I have a 2019 gold top classic that I love! The range of tones you can get are just fantastic. Between coil splitting, the out of phase and the bridge pickup quick switch capabilities. A great guitar for that price. I really like the slim taper neck on it as well.
I have a 2019 Classic. Superb guitar. I've had other Classics, Standards and Tributes but the 2019 Classic really is a great guitar. Very heavy through, especially as its weight relieved. Heaviest LP I've owned.
2021 Classic ebony for me. The minuit difference in tone comes from the wiring. I'm thinking about changing to a classic hand wired set up, I don't use my pushpulls. I think the classic would overtake the standard without the PCB board in all aspects. I also prefer the solid color to the flame bursts. Money had no bearing on my choice.
I have the same classic . Love it but the 61 burst bucker in the bridge is really spikey. I tend to play in the middle position with the neck rolled down to thicken the bridge up a lil when i dont wanna adjust my. Amp and pedals. I play it through a marshall jvm wich can be a bright amp so i gotta turn the gain down and darken it u p a lil .love the channel .dude you are a awesome player love the riffs man the best on utube. Your solo work slays man . Keep it heavy. I am gonna lower the bridge pick up in mine and try that.
Such a great video & review with all bases covered (adding the 'Joe Walsh' sound was inspired & something I haven't seen elsewhere, and while I'm not an out and out fan, it definitely worked). Excellent playing & editing too! I went for the Honeyburst Classic and am very happy with it, though the neck on mine doesn't feel as slim as I'd been led to believe (which is a good thing for me). Admittedly the Classic choice was partly for financial reasons but also because of the amount of tone options and that it's really not that different from the Standard 60's. Subscribed now and keep up the great work.
Just came across your channel a couple days ago & subscribed. I have to say that your videos are always high enthusiasm, high energy with great playing!
Awesome video they Classic sounded better or at least super close in all cases, and has more versatility, so (price being no factor for me) I went with the Classic. Thanks for the awesome video.
Thanks for all of those details! You're video was the only one I could find that actually goes into details about exactly the suttle difference in the necks everything. Great video! I have the classic and love it! I'm about to order the Standard 60s one for sure now to add it to the collection.
i ordered the 60's and just love it .... except .... the tuners .... so i changed to the deluxe tuners ... it fit the same bottom holes ... it matches the 50's except the colors they both just KICK a*
I went to the Guitar store to buy the Les Paul Studio, and guitar guy has made me feel less than and that I'm wrong for not to investing into a Les Paul with binding. So, now I'm considering the Classic or Standard. I always wanted a real deal Gibson Les Paul, but didn't have the money until recently. I've always had 2nd tier guitars like Schechter or Epiphone. Thanks for the video.
Man... I have 11 Gibson Les Pauls... they are ALL great! I prefer a bound neck as it feels more comfortable to my hands... but unbound necks aren't uncomfortable! In all honesty I'd play a Studio, Classic, and Standard... maybe annoy that "Guitar Guy" for an hour or two... and get what is comfortable for you. and what you can afford, of course. Studios are great guitars, resale value sucks, but still great guitars! Best of luck! Cheers -Ryan
@@benallmark9671 no there is not. I recently bought a Epiphone Firebird. It absolutely Rocks!. There's something special about actually having a Gibson. As of tonight I now have 2.
Classic doesn't have the metal case on the pickups probably the reason, they should have same pickups. I also prefered the classic on the over driven tones. On the clean tone, the differences in wood will be more noticable.
Awe man, I tried out both and was close, but i bought the Classic and absolutely love it.. its a little bit lighter with weight relief but is still definitely a les paul. The ability to split coils is not really my thing, however, they work well and gets some versatile sounds.
I have a 2023 honeyburst Les Paul Classic thankfully the guitar snobs think it's less of a Les Paul than the standard, yay! I got mine for a bargain price. The classic is a Les Paul standard with extra voicings so what exactly is wrong with that? When did you last hear at strat player say I wish my guitar had a three position switch like they used to be instead of a five position one.
I prefer my Standards over my Classic here... but I've never thought that the Classic was "Lesser". It's a feel and preference kind of thing. I've always been confused over the price difference, to be honest. It makes no sense at all... The classic has 9 Holes drilled into the body for a little bit of weight relief and it has PCB for the push/pulls. That really shouldn't justify THAT MUCH of a price difference. I REALLY hate the snobbery, though. I at one point had that "Snobby-ness"... I'm so grateful that I snapped out of it after a year to two! Cheers -Ryan
great video ! WIsh i had seen a video like this before i bought my first LP classic. I owned the exact same two colours for my 60s and the classic, so i guess i can give some comment on both guitars. The classic while beautiful on its own, sounded slightly thin in my opinion. The split coil sound were not the typical single coil and i couldnt get a satisfying sustain from the guitar. Maybe it was due to the weight relief. I sold the classic and gotten a 60s instead. The 60s is heavier and warmer in tone. Crank that up with a good marshall and the tone just flows buttery and creamy. And most importantly to me, the sustain is significantly better ! Am not going back to any split coil Gibson anytime soon. If you like a more modern feel or sound, classic will satisfy your needs without having to go to the price of Modern LP. If you yearn for a solid classic LP tone, the standard is the one you may want to consider trying. my two cents :)
Gibson uses Coil Tapping. I have never been a fan. Some people like it, though. The Classic, to me, with the 9 hole weight relief was a great guitar... but it did feel slightly off in comparison to the Non-Weight Relieved Les Pauls. But 9 Hole Weight Relief was what they used for years, so it makes sense to have it in the "Classic". Cheers -Ryan
The Standard just seems to have slightly "bigger" sound with distortion, just fuller mid/bass spectrum...Not a massive difference though. I had a Classic a few years back it had the 57 classic pickups. It was definitely brighter than I expected.
The classic has more clarity and bite, especially in high gain you can really hear the voicing come to life as to where the standard 60s got a little muddy in the low end. So is it the modern vs older style wiring and caps, or those nickel plated covers lol… I’m leaning towards the caps and wiring. Versatility of tonal capabilities and sleek neck profile makes the classic an all genre shredder hands down.
Capacitors don’t affect the sound until the Tone Pots are rolled back. If the Tone is set to stun (Full Blast/10) the Capacitors do not come into play. The wiring isn’t really going to affect the sound, either, unless is was 50s wiring… and at that point it would still only be affected when tone and volume are rolled back. Pickup covers can affect the sound minutely. We’re basically looking at amount of Wood here. Cheers -Ryan
Amount of wood… try both in a store and you will hear a difference, acoustically. Same thing translates plugged in. To say that the capacitors change the sound when they aren’t in use doesn’t really make sense. Wiring would only come in to play if it’s a hot shot that is wired directly to the bridge pickup… it would make it hotter. Try it for yourself in a store… grab a weight relieved, non weight relieved, and a satin finished Les Paul… you will hear differences. Cheers -Ryan
Yeah for sure… sometimes they can add a bit of resonance to the sound. That is why I mentioned it as a minute affect on the sound. Not as much as amount of wood and density of wood. I’ve got a Gibson Flying V ‘98 that has the same pickups as my Gibson Les Paul Custom and the wood in the V, even thought it is lighter, is possessed haha. It’s got a TON of Resonance to it. The finish on it was a little lighter as well, which will add resonance. I’ve never been into the “Tone Woods” debate… Im not talking fret board material or anything… but The Sound and Feel of wood makes a hell of a difference! Cheers -Ryan
@@Crypticmaskguitar I actually just got her refinished by Starr Guitars in Winter Park FL. Kip did a sweet 70’s style teardrop silver burst on her and I had a pair of Zebra humbuckers made by Singletone pickups in Orlando. She looks and sounds great!
Both are instruments of bold expression. Honestly they both did things better than the other one. The classic seems to metal better, the standards rock better. I went classic ebony
Hate to say it as I’m on the cusp of ordering a Standard but the Classic sounded better in every clip to my ears. The standard sounded a bit fuller my comparison…not sure if its just the covers?
Classic is around 4.7 kg or 10.4 lbs 60's is around 4-5.5 kg or 9-12 lbs Weight varies as all woods are different. Generally speaking the classic is lighter due to the weight relief.
Nice playing and props on the sound quality! I have a Unburst 60’s. I owned a 2013 studio that didn’t stay in tune at all 😠, for $1,500+ I expected better 🤷🏾♂️. So I gave Gibson another chance and I’m pleased with this one(the weight though 🥺). I’ve always had been a Fender and PRS player. I love my DGT and S2 Thinline 594, the later very light. But nothing beats the Gibson tone.
Thanks for the video . Both guitars are nice . I like the coil split on the Classic but endded up buying a used 2019 60s standard for 1730.00 delivered . The guitar was mint , set up beautifully by previous owner and a joy to play . Coil splitting wasnt a deal breaker as my main gigging guitar is an American elite tele with s1 switching which does everything from jazz to classic rock to country . If I were to play stricktly classic rock sets I would definitly prefer the 60s standard . This guitar has amazing tone and sustain but is a back breaker
You won't miss the coil tapping...it really sucks in Gibson guitars. I bought the classic and love it... but the coil tapping on it is almost useless compared to what's on my PRS guitars...
I kinda liked the Standard sound ever so slightly more. Great playing Ryan. Thanks Also! Which would you say is closer to the Tribute neck carve you just bought? I have the 2021 Tribute also in Tobacco Burst and I was curious about the difference from the Classic.
The Tribute has a rounded neck carve… which is thicker. Closer to the 50s style. The Classic has a slim taper (thinner) and the 60s is slightly thicker than the slim taper. They are all quite comfortable. Cheers -Ryan
To me, the difference is that the Classic has more of a semi-hollow body sound. Which makes sense right? Semi-hollow guitar have always sounded a bit 'sweeter' to my ears and this comparison highlighted that very well. The Standard had a bit more bass and punch to it, where the Classic just sounded smoother and had a 'clicky' quality when plucking the strings. I already had the Classic Ebony. I just like watching these comp videos
I have the classic , I never get the differences by the specs but by your video I can hear some small difference in the clean and light crunch I can hear less definition and a more round sound and less brighter sound in the standard and I do like it more Distorted they do sound the same I don't think it's the weight relief, the difference I guess it's much more coming by capacitors and electronics , I would say I like more the standard on cleans/crunch but classic could come out easily in a mix , innit ? I also would say the only cool future of the classic is the bypass to the straight to the bridge ...I remember when people were telling me to bypass the tones and to go straight to the jack output , that's cool phase and coil split are stupid fancy not useful things for a LP , better to use another guitar to sound like that
Capacitors don’t come into play until the tone pots are dialed back. So if the tone is on 10, like in this video, the capacitors aren’t in use. The electronics here wouldn’t really come into play all that much. Cheers -Ryan
I gotta be honest, if I didn't already have an R8, and was on the market for a Gibson USA Les Paul, I'd probably get the Classic. Sure, it strays a bit from the classic (no pun intended) Les Paul formula with the weight relief and push pull pots, but it's a handsome, traditional-looking LP with some fun features under the hood. The Original Collection model does not justify the markup imo.
Hi, loved the video, I currently have a LP 2017 standard, with weight relief, push pull knobs AAA finish. I am considering another LP,, would you recommend this LP standard you have reviewed or something else.? Your advice would be appreciated. Many thanks
Thanks! You’d really have to try it out. For some the weight isn’t that comfortable. Personally, I prefer non-weight relieved Les Paul’s. otherwise I’d say to look into the classic series. It would be much closer to your Standard. Best of luck! Cheers -Ryan
Many thanks for your advice, Although not. particularly a Slash fan I had been considering a Slash LP. as well. But haven’t had the chance to see one or try one at the moment. That also has a AAA finish
Great video my friend! Best comparison I’ve seen so far...Really wanna get the classic and I wanna put some nickel covers on it but I’m afraid of the size of the cover turning out to be wrong and I don’t know how to apply them.. any idea on what I should do ?
I’ve added covers to 2 of my Gibsons. It’s pretty easy… I think I even have a video on it. I’d recommend buying the Gibson Branded covers. They fit perfectly. It sucks when you order covers and they are off by a hair. Cheers -Ryan
I love the Standard but to me its all about the name. Les Paul Standard. Some folks just want the Standard or "above". The Classic is clearly the better buy. Aside from maybe some weight relief what difference is there other than 500 bucks? The Classic has so many more tonal options. Classics usually have the upgraded locking tuners as well and they both have the inlayed logo as opposed to the silk screen. Hell, my 2018 Studio came with Burstbucker pickups and coil splitting so even at $1600 it has more tone options than the Standard. Sure it has no binding but do I really need to drop a grand so I can have binding and an inlayed headstock logo? Nope.
The Classic has changed quite a bit over the years, similar to how the Standard has changed over the years. The Standard, prior to the current iteration, actually had more tonal options than the Classic. Locking tuners were also on Standards, but with the newer Gibsons they ditched locking tuners aside from “Plus” models. The reason that the Standards are more “Bare Bones” than the classics now is because they are patterned after their Classic 50s and 60s models. Which is what the Classic and Traditionals used to be at one point or the other. Either way they are all great guitars! Cheers -Ryan
Nice! I love both of them lol! But for sure with a slimmer neck, and slightly lighter body, and uncovered pickups…it’s a little brighter than the Standard, for sure! Cheers -Ryan
@@Crypticmaskguitar so now that I've watched the video, what's crazy is I believe the standard in your video is the other LP I tried and they're both awesome. I'm just used to the slimmer neck. It was surprising because I've never picked a Les Paul up off the hanger at a guitar store and really liked it off the hop, so I was (and still am) a little stunned at how good those two sounded. Can't wait to get mine home and plugged into my rig for the full personal experience. Also, I'm really REALLY digging your video style. You get right to the business of things. Definitely happy I subscribed.
Agreed. It is more cost effective to have the PCB... but it doesn't cost them an extra $800 to have someone hand solder. I'm not sure if they use a different stock of wood for their Non-Weight Relieved Les Pauls... but it should cost less for them to NOT route out the 9 holes that are found in the Classic. I have always been confused over that. Cheers -Ryan
Technically… the pickups are the same, however, Pots are different, caps are different, and the Classic has PCB, wheras the Standard is hand soldered. Pickup height and amount of wood would make more difference than covers themselves. I’ve added covers to a Gibson SG Standard Tribute and a Gibson Flying V ‘98… The Tribute sounded a little hotter with no cover, but the Flying V ‘98 sounded brighter/hotter with them. My vote would actually be the 9 hole weight relief over the chunk of the Non-Weight Relief. Cheers -Ryan
@@urgidover I said that because there pots in the classic are through a pcb unlike the standard which is just hand wired. It was unlikely they would sound the same if you add a pcb to one of them.
? PCB is a Printed Circuit Board… it’s legit Point to Point. It’s cheaper to manufacture and install on guitars. There’s no tonal benefit to having a PCB as opposed to Hand Soldering. There’s more of a benefit the other way around, especially if you are using your Tone Pots. PCB is considered very cheap. Maybe I’m misreading what you are saying. But PCB is considered a bad thing. Cheers -Ryan
@@Crypticmaskguitar I agree. What I was saying to clarify, the classic uses a printed circuit board I think to increase the volume when you select the single coils and possibly for the other switching effects. Because of that it will have a different sound output than the standard even though it has the same pickups and essentially the same guitar.
UPDATE: I love the LP Standard 60s. It's become my go to guitar. I couldn't shake the feeling of also wanting a LP Classic. I bought an LP Classic tonight from Sweetwater in Green Ocean Burst (a limited edition Sweetwater exclusive color). Should be in my hands in the next 3 days. The spec sheet says the guitar weighs 10lbs. Are all classics weight relieved or do you have a different LP Classic?
I have 2 Classics… one that is Non-Weight Relieved with P90s and one that is 9 Hole Weight Relieved (The one in this video). Your Classic is 9 Hole Weight Relived, you should be able to see it in the specs. 9 Hole isn’t light, just a bit lighter than Non-Weight Relived. The 10lbs is probably shipping weight, which includes the case, goodies, and box. Congrats on the new Classic! Cheers -Ryan
Standard 60s for sure! I prefer the feel of the added weight and tend to not use the extra features of the Classic. But still LOVE the classic! Cheers -Ryan
I can't find a gibson les paul standard 50s or 60s anywhere. I am able to get my hands on a Classic though. Classic is 2859 CDN and the tribute is 1599. I am trying to justify the extra price tag. I assume I cant go wrong splurging for the classic? It appears there is a lack of high end gibsons around. If you weren't overly concerned with the difference in price would you get the classic over the tribute any day of the week?
If you’re in Canada I’d recommend trying a Stock Transfer from Long and McQuade. There are a few 50s/60s in Western Canada. Usually takes a few days to transfer stock. BUT as far as the Classic and if it is enough to justify the difference: Yes! The 9 Hole Weight Relief is well balanced with weight, rather than super light. The Slim Taper, bound neck is extremely comfortable. You have Push/Pulls for extra coil options, phase, and the bridge full blast mode. And of course Full Nitro, rather than satin. I also own a Tribute… very comfortable guitar as well. BUT I do have to say I tried out 4 and only liked 1. But that’s me. Cheers -Ryan
Nice! That was my original choice of colour… but I was a genius and let my wife pick the colour hahaha! I love the bourbon burst… but letting her pick the colour allowed me to be sneaky and buy a Tribute along with the Standard haha! Cheers -Ryan
