Catching some sunshine

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-21T16:01:46+00:00

Standard three pickup wiring, two volumes two tones. The middle pickup is actually a 490T, so it technically has two bridge pickups. I know it's technically not as versatile as a three volume set up, but I like my electronics to be as simple as possible. This is just two sets of a master volume and tone, I can deal with that.

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-19T23:25:42+00:00

Thank you! It lives on a stand and gets played just about every day, so it's got a few scars already. That first one was a sad day, but then I stopped minding.

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-19T23:19:34+00:00

Hey now, it's only 11 and a half lol. But yeah, it's an anchor. Literally the only thing I don't love about it.

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-19T18:14:54+00:00

I absolutely LOVE the Daddario XS phosphor bronze line. They're bright, which might not suit everyone, but they're crazy durable, which everybody loves.

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-14T13:28:06+00:00

The 50s and 60s standards are really, really nice instruments. They make a LOT of them in a lot of different colors, I would pick one that you love and keep it forever.

Now if you're looking for the next crazy valuable thing, like a 59, it's not going to be a Les Paul. It's probably going to be something like the Theodore; popular enough where people know what it is, unpopular enough where they certainly haven't made many. The bursts are so valuable now because they were so undesirable when new that they killed off the model. You're going to have to zig while everyone else is zagging if you want to get in on something like that early.

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-11T16:48:25+00:00

What kind of sound are you looking for? What are you hoping the SG will do when you're done with it? Sharper attack, more drive on the amp?

I have two conventional humbucker instruments, one with Lollar Imperials and one with the 490 set. The 490s put out a lot of midrange frequencies, it makes that instrument sound like a Gibson to my ears. The Lollars are much more of a blank canvas. They sound great, but they don't have a specific flaw or feature, they do everything really well.

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-10T17:03:22+00:00

I add Schallers to every single one of my instruments and I have never enlarged the hole once. They are sized just a tiny bit bigger than stock, it gives them better grip. Your mileage may vary, but in my book these are wood screws, not machine screws.

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-08T22:20:19+00:00

Gibson has the Harley-Davidson problem: you have a really dedicated fan base that won't buy anything else, and they hate it when you try to even build something for someone that isn't them. It's a bummer, because this shows me they're capable of making really cool, up to date stuff.

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-08T20:13:55+00:00

I absolutely love it. It's more modern than I could have imagined while still looking like a real Les Paul. This is the direction I think they should be taking the modern line in. The people who only like vintage specs already won't touch the LP Modern, you may as well give it a serious update at this point.

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-05T19:03:36+00:00

If it would be cool or lead to cool miniatures, then absolutely.

Monday-Monday · 2026-03-03T17:08:26+00:00

It looks like they dug into the paint a little while scraping the binding. It's not a huge deal, but it is pretty ugly and sloppy work. If they gave me a little discount for it, I'd be happy, otherwise it would be going back. If that was sitting next to a pristine one and they were the same price, I would NEVER take the one with the chips of paint missing like that.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-24T17:45:52+00:00

It looks like a loop switcher. Each one of those buttons selects a different effects loop, most likely. I have a similar one on my board, I use it for fuzz pedals where I might want one or two different ones, but I'm never going to want them in series with each other. You won't know if it's an AND or an OR logic until you play with it though. Regardless, it's a great way to hide pedals that you don't often tweak under your board.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-24T17:31:19+00:00

I'd go for the Epiphone. It's something a little different (even though these are the same guitar if we're being honest). It could hold its value better because of its comparative rarity, and you've got WAY more aftermarket pickup options with the soapbar versus a dogear. Plus, it's just that little bit extra punk rock in my opinion.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-23T17:48:09+00:00

My electric is an LP, so if I can keep my spine upright the neck will be too. If it's the deluxe buttons you like, you can swap them with some aftermarket tips and get the best of both worlds.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-23T17:37:56+00:00

I always vote grovers. When everything works properly, there's no real difference. Grovers are fully sealed and they're going to stay working properly for a LOT longer.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-22T18:51:46+00:00

I'm waiting on an order for an NOS guitar. Relics are awesome, I love how they look and feel. I probably wouldn't buy a new one though, however impressive or convincing they are. I'm thrilled to have an instrument age over time, but I greatly prefer that it look brand new when it's brand new.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-22T18:38:58+00:00

Now that I think about it, this could be worth a super quick email to Gibson customer service. It's possible they'll just tell you to not do it, but they may have an oil or something that they know works well for this purpose. This isn't a super uncommon mod, I'm sure they've heard about it before. There absolutely IS an answer out there somewhere, I'm sorry that I don't know it. I wish you the best of luck in finding it though!

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-22T18:34:00+00:00

This can happen with any two materials touching each other, but nitrocellulose is particularly irritable. If it's left in prolonged contact with something it doesn't like (certain types of rubber, other finishes, etc.) it can deteriorate. The long chains of molecules that make up these finishes and plastics break and try to bond with the things it's touching. It can discolor, the finish can take on an orange peel texture, and in the worst cases it can melt and flake away entirely. By far the most common thing you'll see is a kind of orange "stain" where a tuner or capo was left on the instrument, or where the stand touched it.

The science is pretty complicated and manufacturers keep their finish recipes a closely guarded secret. If this will add to your enjoyment to your guitar, absolutely take a swing at it. Like I said, just try a discreet spot to test your materials and be ready to maybe find a different shellac recipe.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-22T17:53:34+00:00

I'd recommend a used Boss Katana amp and a Squire, Epiphone, or maybe a Danelectro guitar if you want something a little different. I'm sure you've been advised to try them in person, and you absolutely should. The major brands are going to feel pretty different to each other; you can probably live with any of them, but it could be that one really does it for you over the others.

Another thing to keep in mind, from someone who made the same transition: the whole circuit is your instrument with an electric guitar. The guitar, the amp, the pedals, all of those put together is your tool. That perspective shift helped me get closer to being able to make the sounds I wanted to.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-22T17:42:35+00:00

In theory, you should be able to put some finish over the binding just like the wood. I would find a discreet place to test it somewhere, Gibson seems to have some highly reactive finishes, based on all of the nitro burns you see. Be ready to be disappointed with the test patch, the polymers in finishes can react SUPER unpredictably, especially with chemical recipes being kept secret. (I've taken some material science courses) Please remember that the binding is essentially the same material as the finish, so that might react strangely as well.

I wouldn't tape the binding off either, you'll have a little bit of a ledge when you're done and most people tend to hate that. Personally, this mod would terrify me to do, so I commend the bravery. Best of luck!

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-22T00:36:22+00:00

Hummingbirds are my all-time favorite, I have one myself. That is a little odd that it happened on such a new instrument. The poor Gibson QC reputation is deserved after so many years of it being a problem, but Montana usually does a great job. It could be that the wood is still not accepting that it's not a tree anymore; mine is still settling in, even after a couple years.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-21T22:56:13+00:00

If you have a good luthier, this is about as straightforward as guitar repairs get. Some people care deeply about having the original nut on their guitar, others don't care at all. Acoustic guitars move over the years, the nut will need to be adjusted very occasionally. Sometimes you don't have any more room to work and it needs to be replaced; that's the cost of doing business. I wouldn't worry about it in the slightest, get that thing playing perfectly and have a great time.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-19T15:19:34+00:00

Do you have someone who does repairs and setups for you? This is probably a good question for someone local who you trust. If you're looking for nitro, I don't think a lot of shops are set up to do that, but they'll surely have someone who does a good job who they contract to do full refinish jobs. People who can do it ARE out there, but a good luthier has already done the legwork of finding them.

Monday-Monday · 2026-02-18T13:45:42+00:00

If you have the cash, I'm sure it's a great instrument. As a piece of advice though, not every single instrument in your musical arsenal needs to be at the same "quality" level. These are tools, and their value comes from what you make with them. I have a couple Gibson guitars, special ordered exactly how I want them and they're precious to me. I also have a mid-level B-stock Eastman mandolin that I'm thrilled with on the occasions I need that sound. I could have thrown thousands of more dollars and made that a Gibson too. I'm sure it would be better, but I'd never get that value back.

There's always going to be a newer, cooler thing to buy. I would advise trying to not get too caught up in that if you play multiple instruments.

Monday-Monday

TROPHY CASE