Whether it was delisted or sold, if it was sold, it was a significant mistake. There’s a "good wood" myth circulating, and while I can't confirm its validity, these guitars are far from ordinary. I acquired my 2002 Standard in 2002 when they first launched. Many people don't recall, but it was a major event when Gibson introduced these. By 2003, the magic was gone. The 2002 Standards came with two neck options: the '50s fat and the '60s slim. Mine is a '50s, and it plays like a dream. There's something special about the Burstbuckers they installed that year; perhaps the person winding the pickups was deeply inspired. Whoever set the necks on these guitars seemed guided by an angel's hand. These guitars are perfect. A 2001 Standard is unremarkable, a 2003 Standard is just okay, and a 2004 Standard is not impressive. I once owned a 2004 Class 5, but my 2002 Standard surpassed it in every way. Anyone who plays my 2002 doesn't want to let it go. It's comparable to some of the best guitars ever made. Interestingly, these instruments remain underappreciated. It's not just the Standard from 2002 that's exceptional; a 2002 Classic is phenomenal as well. You can buy one on Reverb with confidence, knowing it will play and sound as great as your favorite records. The pickups on the Classic have more high end and are slightly thinner, but for me, a 2002 Classic delivers the ultimate Appetite tone, better than anything the Custom Shop has produced in the last decade.
I remember looking at them in the 2000-2003 timeframe. They were really expensive back then and out 😂my price range! I ended buying a new PRS Singlecut (which I still have), and then another 2003 245, but neither ever came close to scratching my Les Paul itch. My remaining 2000 spends the vast majority of the time in its case in the closet.
It's my number one, but I'm basically looking for something that plays and sounds the same but with a larger neck... I have a few new guitars that have a larger neck and I find they are more comfortable to play. Maybe I should keep it just in case my tastes change again...
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair personally I wouldn’t sell a guitar like that just for a different neck size. I prefer chunkier necks too, but my favorite guitar at home has a thinner neck. I’m not selling that thing just because of the neck profile. I’d never forgive myself if I did.
You cannot sell that, dude. You've played too many gigs with it. There is too much history there. Those stories are what we play for. Sucks that you have gotten used to a different neck carve. Maybe stop playing those other guitars?! 🤣
You just cannot make sweeping statements like that. They don't hold up. I've owned quite a few PRS (all but one being Core models) and I have a 2000 Singlecut that bought new. Fantastic guitar for sure. Better than my 2019 Les Paul Standard? Nope. And from a quality perspective, they're identical.
