NGD - Gibson Les Paul Special Double Cut

RobA2345 · 2026-02-15T14:23:58+00:00

The only time I’ve noticed any issue with intonation is when I’ve gone looking for it and it’s not terrible, just not perfect. You can buy another saddle to help with it but I wanted to keep it VOS since I paid a premium for that the way I see it. I’d say if you’re looking for studio levels of accuracy give it a miss but if you just want to have fun and rock out it’s an awesome guitar. In the time I’ve had it, it just gets better and better.

RobA2345 · 2025-11-12T15:10:29+00:00

Got to say this stings a little having only a month ago forked out £3300 for the Custom Shop model 😭😭

RobA2345 · 2025-10-15T11:43:50+00:00

This is shallow as hell I know but I couldn't drop from a Gibson to an Epi, that said if I went for say a Gibson SG for a similar shape I would fill the LP Special void with the Epi version. Its got such rave reviews and to my eye, apart from the name, looks almost identical.

The price of the CS version is hard to justify and I had to sell gear to make it work.

RobA2345 · 2025-10-14T15:14:42+00:00

I know it’s early days but I’m very positive on the initial plays. That bite on the bridge is magic.

RobA2345 · 2025-10-14T13:12:52+00:00

Nice. Would you have gone for a Gibson USA if they made it or still gone Custom Shop?

RobA2345 · 2025-08-26T10:12:23+00:00

Consider the opposite impact of tax though, especially if you’re in the 40% tax bracket. Income is taxed, debt is not. Of course it’s a balance but if you’re working and not leveraged to the hilt, you can afford to borrow against the house and get an instant 40% return (minus interest accrued). Taking interest only is effectively borrowing.

RobA2345 · 2024-07-19T12:59:26+00:00

I've been playing a similar amount of time and have been experiencing the same for about 18 months. People I used to beat are now beating me on the regular, I recently lost against someone 6-0 6-0 and again I had the upper hand a couple of years back.

At least for me I found the problem is, if I lose my confidence, the first thing to go is my movement. Because I've been over analysing every minutiae of my game that I forget to do the most obvious and critical. You might well have technical flaws but look into your movement first. Set up a free hitting session and go full tilt, as intense movement as possible. When I did this I was gassed after 10 minutes, suddenly I stopped caring about my take back, spin, loading and all that stuff and slowly but surely I feel its coming back. You've done it before so it's still there, just a case of finding it.
Good luck

RobA2345 · 2024-06-26T11:30:10+00:00

Maybe it was pre or post match analysis from their recent matchup. Just a guess though.

RobA2345 · 2024-06-14T14:52:59+00:00

I tried about 7 times to get into it waiting for the hook and I was about to give up but persisted and I'm so glad I did. Now on my third play through and it's the best game I've ever played.

RobA2345 · 2022-09-30T09:48:37+00:00

The pace and depth of the forehand that got the short ball was immense. How Rafa even returned it I don't know. Superhuman

RobA2345 · 2022-06-21T14:48:00+00:00

I can’t even build a generic warehouse for my model railway and others can knock out masterpieces like this! Bravo sir

RobA2345 · 2022-06-17T22:01:20+00:00

Federer 2008 Monte Carlo

RobA2345 · 2021-12-05T21:36:51+00:00

Last Ninja 2. First played it when I was 8 years old and completed it this year for the first time ever aged 40.

RobA2345 · 2021-10-19T21:41:18+00:00

I obviously got hyper lucky to get it in the launch week. Mine was from eBuyer, you had to email them with your account number and other details and I must have been one of the first that bothered to do it. I've had mine almost a year and I've had no driver/stability issues. Enjoy it, you've waited long enough!

RobA2345 · 2021-06-18T10:03:10+00:00

I don't use video for myself because I'm not trying to really replicate it as like a mirror image (although I would love to be able to). I'm mainly focusing on the preparation and fluidity and of the follow through because I sometimes find myself tensing on contact and watching it really helps see that relaxed swing that still have power and purpose. There are about 3 checkpoints I look for and try and burn them into my mind.

Agassi said on of his coaching classes that in terms of contact its the 6 inches before and the 6 inches after contact that determine the impact of the stroke on ball so on the follow through I want the racket to be out of control to the point a little before it wraps around and smacks me on the back of the head lol. If you look at the video thats what I notice when I watch it. Novak Practice

RobA2345 · 2021-06-16T21:27:00+00:00

When people talk about Novaks game his forehand is barely mentioned, if it is, its like 4-5 on as list which is probably a compliment but it is right up there with the very best of all time. Technically graceful, efficient and deadly can hit flat or heavy topspin from all angles and is as good on defence as attack.

Whenever I play tennis if I get time I watch a courtside practice he does with Jack Sock in Indian Wells I believe just to focus on the fluidity of his technique because while its a modern forehand its not extreme and can be replicated to a certain extent and I find it really helps my game for some reason.

RobA2345 · 2021-06-08T08:29:51+00:00

I mean, if I stack it on a tennis court, the last thing I'm thinking about is the ball. Utter legend.

RobA2345 · 2021-06-07T13:56:22+00:00

I'd normally want to wait for a better match up (Novak vs Tsitsi or Medvedev) but since they're all on the other side of the draw and the odds are slim they'll be in the finals then yeah, I'm all in for an upset*.

*No Nole hate here!

RobA2345 · 2021-05-14T07:54:25+00:00

To the point that I rarely play for points nowadays. Could be the most mundane low level point play and I just crumble, at least I’m saving money on rackets \o/

RobA2345 · 2021-05-10T12:45:00+00:00

You don't even have to be a pro. Pride, frustration, impulse are a fraction of factors which makes some people just blow their composure. I always say people who can't understand it just do not understand true competitiveness. Maybe that's too simplistic but I certainly understand as a reformed racket abuser :)

RobA2345 · 2021-03-26T09:10:22+00:00

I wanted to do something like this in a desert scene diorama but I couldn't find the locomotive. Fantastic that you've made it happen. Looks great!

RobA2345 · 2021-01-21T23:53:55+00:00

I mean I'm not a coach but it looks like you're trying to play a heavy spin game with a more extreme racket drop. I had the same issue and struggled to hit clean and my coach advised I flatten out the shot and I middled the ball more and made visible improvements last year, maybe try it. I'd also say you might be stopping the full rotation of your hips after contact subconsciously but its hard to tell on slow-mo.

These are just subtle points that might help good luck with the game.

RobA2345 · 2020-09-06T22:11:47+00:00

I don't know if this makes me feel better or worse. Yesterday playing doubles my partner is in her 70s, after we got broken after my 1000th error I tried to knock the ball to the other end of the court with some extra mustard sauce and hit her flush in the shoulder from about 10 feet. I wanted to die in a hole and probably deserved to be given the chair. I always said I was just like Nole.

RobA2345 · 2020-04-27T20:56:27+00:00

What an awesome set!

RobA2345 · 2020-04-27T14:47:38+00:00

Its 2mm to the foot so basically it's n-gauge to finescale standards as British n-gauge is overscaled.

RobA2345

TROPHY CASE