# The new Les Paul 2015 removable pick guard



## Vinsanitizer




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## SonVolt

I bet those plastic insertion tips won't easily break off.


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## MaxFrames

So if you remove the pickguard, you get three dents in the pickup rings?
Brilliant......


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## HeHasTheJazzHands

That's actually really smart. 

But knowing Gibson, they'll probably charge a ****ton for these separate.


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## SonVolt

MaxFrames said:


> So if you remove the pickguard, you get three dents in the pickup rings?
> Brilliant......




Well you won't easily see them since they'll be facing the floor in most situations. I like this idea personally.


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## Vinsanitizer

Reminds me of the time I was at a band rehearsal showing off my brand new LP Classic 1960 Honey burst. We got half way into the first song and one of the knobs fell clean off and rolled across the floor. They stopped the song and laughed me into humiliation.

That's what that pick guard reminds me of. It's gonna be squeaky, clackety and it's going to get in the way. One good whack and it'll hit the floor. Not only will they hate it and throw it out, they'll have the extra-added pleasure of ripping apart the guitar and replacing the pickup rings as well.


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## Vinsanitizer

SonVolt said:


> Well you won't easily see them since they'll be facing the floor in most situations. I like this idea personally.



Enough to buy a 2015 Les Paul?


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## Cadblaster

As an Engineer who's spent many year's designing plastic parts for manufacturing, all I can say is:
*What a piece of crap*
You spend 2-3K for a guitar, and all they can come up with is a cheap throw-away to save cost and spin it as a "Feature"..........


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## Vinsanitizer

No one will ever notice.






We'll call them the "Missing Teeth" Les Paul model.


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## biggs

Then there's the G-Force tuning system for those that can't tune a guitar that are standard.....YUK!!! Then there's that ridiculous signature. They've completely lost the plot!!!


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## Vinsanitizer




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## Bigmuff

Cadblaster said:


> You spend 2-3K for a guitar, and all they can come up with is a cheap throw-away to save cost and spin it as a "Feature"..........



I thought this was the Gibson motto?



By the way, what does the actual screw screw into?


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## Vinsanitizer

Bigmuff said:


> I thought this was the Gibson motto?
> 
> 
> 
> By the way, what does the actual screw screw into?



A rubber stopper. See pic above.


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## Cadblaster

It's interesting that the very people that can actually afford a new Les Paul, are the one's Gibson is driving away.

Cudo's to Gibson for running it into the ground at light speed.


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## Vinsanitizer

Best I can figure is that after 20 some-odd years of capitalizing on the old vintage appeal, they've realized the market's getting tapped out. I wonder if they're finding that the retiring baby boomers have spent all they're going to spend, and they're starting to hit up the younger generations with modern tech appeal. After all, raising the price only heightens the god-like status of these models, and they're still cheaper than a Historic 1959 Reissue. So the young 'un's will buy the Epi's and the Studios frst, then they'll save up or hit their new credit card for an ungodlike expensive Standard, Traditional, what have you.

As for the Historic Les Pauls, Gibson is straining out the gnats lately by focusing on pitally little "upgrades" like aniline dyes, removing the plastic truss rod tube and all these other tiny things, while continuing to ignore the real work like getting the pickup cover, headstock and body shape more accurate. It feels like they're just trying to keep their heads above water with the Historics, but I might be wrong.


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## Dogs of Doom

SonVolt said:


> Well you won't easily see them since they'll be facing the floor in most situations. I like this idea personally.


All the girls in the front row will see them. They'll be pointing & laughing because your rings have holes in them...


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## SonVolt

Vinsanitizer said:


> Reminds me of the time I was at a band rehearsal showing off my brand new LP Classic 1960 Honey burst. We got half way into the first song and one of the knobs fell clean off and rolled across the floor. They stopped the song and laughed me into humiliation.


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## MartyStrat54

Well I did a little more research and I found out that the two rear tines on the pick guard are actually an extension of the rear humbucker. The tines have a small but powerful neodymium magnet encapsulated in them. Around the magnet is 400 turns of micro fine oxygen free copper wire. There is an electrical connection in the pickup ring. In essence, by attaching the pick guard you get a 6db hotter bridge pickup. Clever huh? Way to go Gibson. 

Oh and the front tine in the pickguard? It puts the neck coils out of phase. There's a small built in switch in the neck pickup ring.


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## Vinsanitizer

MartyStrat54 said:


> Well I did a little more research and I found out that the two rear tines on the pick guard are actually an extension of the rear humbucker. The tines have a small but powerful neodymium magnet encapsulated in them. Around the magnet is 400 turns of micro fine oxygen free copper wire. There is an electrical connection in the pickup ring. In essence, by attaching the pick guard you get a 6db hotter bridge pickup. Clever huh? Way to go Gibson.
> 
> Oh and the front tine in the pickguard? It puts the neck coils out of phase.



Yes - I read that same article.


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## BlackSG91

I think Henry J is losing his marbles. Those plastic inserts are bound to break off sooner or later. Why would you need to take off the pickguard so quickly, unless yoo are a bi-polar KitTEH? There's only two God-damn screws that hold onto an LP pickguard. A Strat has 11 pickguard screws, but originally had 8, while a Telecaster has 8 pickguard screws compared to the original Tele with 5 slotted screws. A full bat-wing pickguard on a Gibson SG also has 11 screws...so screw Henry's idea of this because he knows the good ship Gibson is sinking, and it's sinking fast in my books.










*;>)/*


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## Vinsanitizer

Which looks worse: two holes in the body with the screws replaced, or a Les Paul with three missing teeth?

They had the _Fretless Wonder_, now we have the _Toothless Wonder_.

Les Paul Toothless Wonder®
Les Paul Toothless®
Les Paul Dentist®
Les Paul Buck Tooth®
Les Paul Snaggletooth®
Les Paul Triple Gape®
Les Paul Chambered Rings®
Les Paul Snap-O-Guard®
Les Paul SnapGuard®
Les Paul Drug Smuggler®
Les Paul SwapGuard®
Les Paul MagiGuard®
Les Paul Cheap®


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## Bigmuff

MartyStrat54 said:


> Well I did a little more research and I found out that the two rear tines on the pick guard are actually an extension of the rear humbucker. The tines have a small but powerful neodymium magnet encapsulated in them. Around the magnet is 400 turns of micro fine oxygen free copper wire. There is an electrical connection in the pickup ring. In essence, by attaching the pick guard you get a 6db hotter bridge pickup. Clever huh? Way to go Gibson.
> 
> Oh and the front tine in the pickguard? It puts the neck coils out of phase. There's a small built in switch in the neck pickup ring.



That's actually pretty clever. Can't say I'd use it, because I'm old-fashioned, I guess, but it's a neat trick. Unless the pickguard flaps around or falls off...

This guitar is more than meets the eye!


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## scat7s

id rip that thing off in 10 minutes. one good upstroke 'catch' with a finger tip and if it doesn't snap completely off, it'd be standing straight up vertical-like. 

I wonder if its the same technology used in unbreakable combs?


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## BlackSG91

scat7s said:


> id rip that thing off in 10 minutes. one good upstroke 'catch' with a finger tip and if it doesn't snap completely off, it'd be standing straight up vertical-like.
> 
> I wonder if its the same technology used in unbreakable combs?



This is what the new removable pickguard will look like in ten years time.










*;>)/*


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## Vinsanitizer

BlackSG91 said:


> This is what the new removable pickguard will look like in ten years time.



 Good one!


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## DirtySteve

BlackSG91 said:


> This is what the new removable pickguard will look like in ten years time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *;>)/*




[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwcBaG-S7UA]Sgt Schultz - Nothing - YouTube[/ame]

It says "forbidden" when I clink the link in Vin's post


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## duncan11

Vinsanitizer said:


>



yup 



Vinsanitizer said:


> Best I can figure is that after 20 some-odd years of capitalizing on the old vintage appeal, they've realized the market's getting tapped out. I wonder if they're finding that the retiring baby boomers have spent all they're going to spend, and they're starting to hit up the younger generations with modern tech appeal. After all, raising the price only heightens the god-like status of these models, and they're still cheaper than a Historic 1959 Reissue. So the young 'un's will buy the Epi's and the Studios frst, then they'll save up or hit their new credit card for an ungodlike expensive Standard, Traditional, what have you.
> 
> As for the Historic Les Pauls, Gibson is straining out the gnats lately by focusing on pitally little "upgrades" like aniline dyes, removing the plastic truss rod tube and all these other tiny things, while continuing to ignore the real work like getting the pickup cover, headstock and body shape more accurate. It feels like they're just trying to keep their heads above water with the Historics, but I might be wrong.



+1 on the pickup covers being wrong. if bare knuckle and ox4 can do it, they certainly can or should be able to. dont get me started on top carves either.....



Dogs of Doom said:


> All the girls in the front row will see them. They'll be pointing & laughing because your rings have holes in them...



of course! they will cease throwing their panties at you which will then make many an aspiring guitarist lose interest, quit the band, stop playing altogether...all from a damn removable pickguard!



MartyStrat54 said:


> Well I did a little more research and I found out that the two rear tines on the pick guard are actually an extension of the rear humbucker. The tines have a small but powerful neodymium magnet encapsulated in them. Around the magnet is 400 turns of micro fine oxygen free copper wire. There is an electrical connection in the pickup ring. In essence, by attaching the pick guard you get a 6db hotter bridge pickup. Clever huh? Way to go Gibson.
> 
> Oh and the front tine in the pickguard? It puts the neck coils out of phase. There's a small built in switch in the neck pickup ring.



who at gibson do you know? That was like double secret probation info that only Henry and 2 others knew, and were keeping it from the custom shop....



BlackSG91 said:


> This is what the new removable pickguard will look like in ten years time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> a 403 access forbidden url spalshpage??


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## scat7s

MartyStrat54 said:


> Well I did a little more research and I found out that the two rear tines on the pick guard are actually an extension of the rear humbucker. The tines have a small but powerful neodymium magnet encapsulated in them. Around the magnet is 400 turns of micro fine oxygen free copper wire. There is an electrical connection in the pickup ring. In essence, by attaching the pick guard you get a 6db hotter bridge pickup. Clever huh? Way to go Gibson.
> 
> Oh and the front tine in the pickguard? It puts the neck coils out of phase. There's a small built in switch in the neck pickup ring.


 


youre kidding right?


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## Vinsanitizer

scat7s said:


> youre kidding right?



No, he's totally serious. It's all true.

*NOT!!!*


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## scat7s

you guys are silly.


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## BlackSG91

MartyStrat54 said:


> Well I did a little more research and I found out that the two rear tines on the pick guard are actually an extension of the rear humbucker. The tines have a small but powerful neodymium magnet encapsulated in them. Around the magnet is 400 turns of micro fine oxygen free copper wire. There is an electrical connection in the pickup ring. In essence, by attaching the pick guard you get a 6db hotter bridge pickup. Clever huh? Way to go Gibson.
> 
> Oh and the front tine in the pickguard? It puts the neck coils out of phase. There's a small built in switch in the neck pickup ring.



Marty, you must be smoking some real good shit! Send me up some of that stuff and I can send you a money order in advance if needed...PM me if you're interested, for sure, etc., etc., etc...





*;>)/*


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## Far Rider

Pickguards on LP's look like afterthoughts anyway. 

My Epi's went into the trash before I played a single note.


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## TwinACStacks

A Les Paul without a Pickguard is like a woman without TITS.

There. I said it....

 TWIN


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## Vinsanitizer

Far Rider said:


> *Pickguards on LP's look like afterthoughts* anyway.
> 
> My Epi's went into the trash before I played a single note.



Tell that to Chevy:






See grasshopper, the 1950's was the era of the rocket, of splitting the atom and the advent of the Space Age. Everything looked like the future in the 50's and 60's. 
And America, indeed, had a future.

Like these:






And this:






And these:






And yes, clocks:






Even George Jetson had a rocket fin:






So as you can see, the Les Paul pick guard is a historical and mighty image of the time of it's origin, not a mere after thought. Without that infamous pickguard, I'm afraid the Gibson Les Paul is simply just another guitar.
Wouldn't you agree?


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## Cadblaster

TwinACStacks said:


> A Les Paul without a Pickguard is like a woman without TITS.
> 
> There. I said it....
> 
> TWIN


 
+1


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## johnemac

TwinACStacks said:


> A Les Paul without a Pickguard is like a woman without TITS.
> 
> There. I said it....
> 
> TWIN



No, a Les Paul without a pickguard is like a woman without a top on, which is exactly what you want to see.


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## Vinsanitizer

johnemac said:


> No, a Les Paul without a pickguard is like woman without a top on, which is exactly what you want to see.



[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uHBFiAnpZs]Lumbergh Disagree - YouTube[/ame]


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## johnemac

Vinsanitizer said:


> Lumbergh Disagree - YouTube



You don't like naked titties?

Actually, I think it depends on the Les Paul which I prefer. Half of mine sport a pickguard while the other half do not.

I'm curious to know how sales will be 2015's. I'm still trying to figure out who the target market would be for these.


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## Vinsanitizer

johnemac said:


> You don't like naked titties?
> 
> Actually, I think it depends on the Les Paul which I prefer. Half of mine sport a pickguard while the other half do not.
> 
> *I'm curious to know how sales will be 2015's. I'm still trying to figure out who the target market would be for these.*



You and me the two both of us. I feel sales might lag for a while at first until at least mid to late '15, because it's probably going to shock people a bit who haven't yet heard the news about Gibson's decision to turn the Les Paul into the new "Non-Les Paul".


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## Far Rider

Vinsanitizer said:


> Tell that to Chevy:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> See grasshopper, the 1950's was the era of the rocket, of splitting the atom and the advent of the Space Age. Everything looked like the future in the 50's and 60's.
> And America, indeed, had a future.
> 
> Like these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And these:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And yes, clocks:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even George Jetson had a rocket fin:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So as you can see, the Les Paul pick guard is a historical and mighty image of the time of it's origin, not a mere after thought. Without that infamous pickguard, I'm afraid the Gibson Les Paul is simply just another guitar.
> Wouldn't you agree?



Even in 1959 is STILL looks like an afterthought. 

Sorry, I'm spoiled by these beauties...






Now THAT"S how you incorporate a pickguard.


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## SonVolt

Les Paul pick-guards distract from the beauty of the instrument. It's not 1950 anymore, hopefully you don't have pastel colored kitchen appliances and shag carpet either. Design improves with time and losing the pick-guard is most certainly a design improvement.


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## Jaymz E

RIP Gibson


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## SonVolt

jaymz elas said:


> RIP Gibson




Hello ESP


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## chucho

johnemac said:


> No, a Les Paul without a pickguard is like a woman without a top on, which is exactly what you want to see.



...couldn't have said it better myself!

Take it OFF! ...take it ALL off!
Woohoo


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## Vinsanitizer

SonVolt said:


> Les Paul pick-guards distract from the beauty of the instrument. It's not 1950 anymore, hopefully you don't have pastel colored kitchen appliances and shag carpet either. Design improves with time and losing the pick-guard is most certainly a design improvement.



OMG - you and Micky both. Like deer sliding across a football field-sized ice rink, unable to understand where you are.


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## Vinsanitizer

SonVolt said:


> Hello ESP



Which is perfectly fine. I might even buy one myself someday. But just don't call it a Gibson Les Paul.


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## Vinsanitizer

jaymz elas said:


> RIP Gibson



_1902 - 2014_
"112 years of making it at least look good."


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## SonVolt

Vinsanitizer said:


> Which is perfectly fine. I might even buy one myself someday. But just don't call it a Gibson Les Paul.




It's a Les Paul in the sense that Surh or Tom Anderson is a "Strat".


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## TwinACStacks

johnemac said:


> No, a Les Paul without a pickguard is like a woman without a top on, which is exactly what you want to see.



 Actually I'd rather see her Ass. Does it have a removable Control cavity cover, WITH microencapsulated tangs????


You F*cking guys are just plain weird. Trust me on this one, TWIN Knows weird....


 TWIN


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## klaatutooyou

MaxFrames said:


> So if you remove the pickguard, you get three dents in the pickup rings?
> Brilliant......






kinda like adding disc brakes to vintage muscle cars .

its called progress .


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## Wiseblood

Just make all LPs without pick guards. If someone wants one the store can have their tech put one on in 2 seconds.

They can even sell it as an upsell and offer different color options.


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## Vinsanitizer

Wiseblood said:


> *Just make all LPs without pick guards...*


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## TwinACStacks

I'm pretty much betting that everyone who says they don't like a pickguard on a Les Paul is under 50 years of age.

Snot-nosed Punks....

 TWIN


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## drgordonfreeman

TwinACStacks said:


> I'm pretty much betting that everyone who says they don't like a pickguard on a Les Paul is under 50 years of age.
> 
> Snot-nosed Punks....
> 
> TWIN




I'm 74, and I don't like pickguards on Les Pauls...


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## Vinsanitizer

Well, with Gibson going under by 2016, the pickguard really won't matter anyway.
Until then, enjoy your new $3,200 Gibson Les Paul 2015's with their bucktooth pickup rings, brass zero fret, battery-powered tuners, candy-colored finishes, flat frets, and holy host of other trendy gadgets.
At least, hopefully, some of you will actually be in tune for a change.


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## Vinsanitizer

TwinACStacks said:


> I'm pretty much betting that everyone who says they don't like a pickguard on a Les Paul is under 50 years of age.
> 
> Snot-nosed Punks....
> 
> TWIN



They're just jelly because we got to see all the good bands.


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## SonVolt

What's wrong with the brass zero fret?


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## Far Rider

TwinACStacks said:


> I'm pretty much betting that everyone who says they don't like a pickguard on a Les Paul is under 50 years of age.
> 
> Snot-nosed Punks....
> 
> TWIN



I'm 59. And I have good taste.


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## Vinsanitizer

SonVolt said:


> What's wrong with the brass zero fret?



I was going to 'splain it to you, but I suddenly realized: OMG, you're totally going to buy a 2015 Les Paul next year. Mark my words - by this time next year you will own a new 2015 Les Paul with all the changes. It will be in your house and you will be posting pics of it here and elsewhere on the Internets.

EVERYONE: SonVolt's thinking about buying the new 2015 Les Paul Transectomy next year!.


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## SonVolt

The only additional Les Paul I would buy is a Custom with an Ebony board. So, what's wrong with the zero fret?


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## Vinsanitizer

You are buying the Les Paul Transectomy model.




A zero fret does not belong on a Les Paul any more than the other changes being made. We've already been over this before.


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## SonVolt

Stop trying to make "transectomy" happen, it's not going to happen.


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## Vinsanitizer

SonVolt said:


> Stop trying to make "transectomy" happen, it's not going to happen.



Very well then, you may also choose from any of the following:

Les Paul Toothless Wonder®
Les Paul Toothless®
Les Paul Dentist®
Les Paul Buck Tooth®
Les Paul Snaggletooth®
Les Paul Triple Gape®
Les Paul Chambered Rings®
Les Paul Snap-O-Guard®
Les Paul SnapGuard®
Les Paul Drug Smuggler®


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## Vinsanitizer

So when do you think you'll be taking the plunge, sometime in late Spring maybe?


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## Vinsanitizer

I'm sorry SV, I'm just picking on you 'cause I like you.


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## SonVolt

Vinsanitizer said:


> Very well then, you may also choose from any of the following:
> 
> 
> Les Paul Dentist®



No, no no. That's the Paul Reed Smith model.


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## Rocker Coda

SonVolt said:


> I bet those plastic insertion tips won't easily break off.



I have the answer to that. Thanks


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## Rocker Coda

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> That's actually really smart.
> 
> But knowing Gibson, they'll probably charge a ****ton for these separate.


There's a cheaper version and better than Gibson version. Please check it out here....


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## Rocker Coda

Rocker Coda said:


> There's a cheaper version and better than Gibson version. Please check it out here....


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## Rocker Coda

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> That's actually really smart.
> 
> But knowing Gibson, they'll probably charge a ****ton for these separate.


Here's the cheaper solution and better than Gibson's version. Please check it out here:


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## Rocker Coda

Vinsanitizer said:


> Vinsanitizer said:
> 
> 
> 
> here's a cheaper and better than Gibson's version: Please check it out here.
Click to expand...


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## DaDoc

SonVolt said:


> I bet those plastic insertion tips won't easily break off.



That's the first thing that came to mind when I saw it..

The old-style pickguards can be removed in about a minute, with two tiny screws to take out..Big deal! I wonder how many of those new ones will have one or two of those inserts broken off and rattling around inside the pickup rings within a couple of years?

A chintzy solution to a problem that didn't exist in the first place! Like the saying goes, If it ain't broke don't be trying to fix it.


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## Crikey

that removable pick guard says' cheap as f%&k". sorry. had to be very clear. agree with other MFers descriptions. chintzy being one... obviously no guitar players in Gibson's marketing team.... just sayin


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## Mitchell Pearrow

@Rocker Coda 


To the forum


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