What makes a great Les Paul? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 17, 2026 · 1H 8M

What makes a great Les Paul?

from Dipped In Tone · host Dipped in Tone

Don't forget to like, subscribe and leave us a comment! The three of us finally get into something that's been on the calendar for a while: what actually makes a good Les Paul. Zach brings out all his Les Pauls, Rhett has his R9, and Addison shows off the 2007 Studio Faded he's had since he was 15. We talk about what to listen and feel for when you're shopping — weight, acoustic resonance, how the D and G strings behave, and why the nut is almost always the reason your Les Paul won't stay in tune. Plus PAF pickup obsession, the case for unpotted pickups, top wrapping, tone woods, and why the inconsistency of Gibsons is a feature, not a bug. Hot take this week from Nicholas: flame tops and figured maple are ugly, and matching headstocks make a guitar look cheap. We're split. Rig dip goes to Matt, who spent his life working in music stores and trading his way up to a rig that might be the most expensive we've ever seen. 1964 SG, 1957 Strat, 1964 ES-335, 1952 Telecaster, two Two-Rocks, a Friedman, and a pedal board with too much gain? Thanks so much to the sponsor of today's episode, Sweetwater! Make sure to check out all the gear we use here and more: https://www.sweetwater.com/shop/dipped-in-tone/ Check out our website & merch: https://www.dippedintone.com Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/dippedintone Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/dippedintone Dipped In Tone is: Rhett Shull  https://www.rhettshull.com Zach Broyles / Mythos Pedals  https://mythospedals.com & https://highvoltageguitars.com Produced & Edited by Addison! https://www.instagram.com/addisonsauvan 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:49 Addison’s Update 00:01:23 Check out Nick Loux and the High Life 00:02:32 Zach’s Update 00:06:00 3D Print Talk 00:07:36 Rhett’s Update 00:09:23 Graham’s First Guitar lessons 00:12:02 Thanks to today’s sponsor, Sweetwater! 00:13:30 Thanks to all our Patrons! 00:13:53 Hot Take  00:20:07Main Topic - Les Pauls  00:23:12 The wand finds the wizard  00:24:13 Addison’s first guitar  00:28:13 What Rhett looks for in a Les Paul  00:30:20 What Zach looks for in a Les Paul  00:32:54 RE Tuning Stability (a proper nut slot and setup)  00:36:30 Pickups  00:38:50 WOOD AFFECTS TONE DOG  00:43:17 Anything with P90s  00:47:50 The differences add up  00:50:23 Top Wrapping  00:52:02 What to look for in your first Les Paul  00:57:02 Rig Dip  01:08:05 Thanks again Sweetwater  01:08:20 And a big thanks to our Patrons!

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What makes a great Les Paul?

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