japan-LP DELUXE

hi folks out there! as a japanese-les paul-junkie my collection features a few standards and customs with full size-humbuckers from all the well known brands. they?re all fantastic instruments. now my interests are growing into the other PU-directions. here are the typical ?56 goldtop-models with P-90 PUs, easy to find in all possible conditions on the market. but does anybody know something about a deluxe-model? i?ve seen a picture in a greco-catalog with an EG -x- deluxe goldtop long ago. for sure a hard to find guitar! but i do love the darker sunburst-colors much more and now i?m looking for a ?burst with P-90s. the PU-cavity also fits the mini-humbuckers. this seems to be the only way leading to a japanese deluxe sunburst-model. edwards maybe has one in their production-line but i prefer the vintage-models.

If my old site is still up there are a few crappy pictures of my Aria pro II Deluxe. Only one I've ever seen.
http://home.earthlink.net/~glopresti/id3.html

hell yeah! that?s exactly what i?m looking for!!! thank you for the pic and the link with the other great guitars! now i know: there are some deluxes out there! great news! thanx again, the hunt has begun!

10 month later:
I?ve been successful! 2 times!
I?d like to show you my non-full size-humbucker -Lesters:

Had no chance to find a japanese LP Deluxe, so here is my 1972-Original!:

http://s533.photobucket.com/albums/ee336/mojoburst/?action=view&current=LESPAUL-collectionRalfSchefferJu-4.jpg

Another incredible sounding Les Paul-model! Rare! 100% pure TONE!:

http://s533.photobucket.com/albums/ee336/mojoburst/?action=view&current=LESPAUL-collectionRalfSchefferJuni2.jpg

Excellent!
I had two early '70s LP Deluxe, one was a sunburst just like your beauty and one was a deep dark burgundy/wine color. Should have kept 'um!
I really liked the way they played and the mini humbuckers sound is unique.
I have a vintage 3 wire Dimarzio dualsound I was going to add to the middle of my Aria deluxe and make a Pete Townshend model, but I just didn't have the heart (or the woodworking skills/tools) to route its guts out. It's a fine guitar the way it is, and it's really like the old ones I had.

Enjoy yours.

Hey Loudmouse,
what?s up with your Aria pro II LP Deluxe? That must be an awesome guitar! You posted a link in dec. 16th ?07 with pics of your great collection. The few pics of your Aria LP Deluxe-model made me crazy! I did some research and noticed that this must be a really rare or unique guitar . All seemed to be original. Couldn?t find any informations ?bout that model. Or was it a 'Fata morgana'? Do you have some more pics of that beautyful babe?
My Aria pro II LS-600 P, mij 1980, is a superb sounding Lester with the ultimate P-90?s-Tone! Sweet jazzy bell-tone, crunchy lead- to fat pumping riffs - no problem!! Shows nearly no wear and the original plastic-film is on the cavity-covers. Fret edge binding, ebony fretboard, a solid 2pc-mapletop on a pancake mahogany body, 3pc-mapleneck, all like the 'Norlin-Era'-Gibbos! Usually the 600-series came with a 3pc-top. Its hard to find some informations ?bout my P-90 -model. Seems to be a rare one too! If you have some further informations please let me know.

That Aria is **** Deluxe! One of my favorites.

I couldn't find much information about them but I think it's a 1977-1978 LD-700 LPD. It's very much like the early '70s LP Deluxes that I owned with the pancake body and 3 piece neck. But the Aria has fret edge binding and a slightly smaller headstock than the Gibson version and also a 2 piece top instead of 3.

I'll post some new pictures when I get a chance.

Hi MIJ-Lovers,
I had the great opportunity to check out a fantastic GRECO Super Real EG-500 Deluxe Goldtop from 1980 (THANX Oli!)! A Guitar-buddy asked to set-up this guitar and to install a set of new pots. This model is a wonderful replica of the famous 1969 LP Deluxe Goldtop by Gibson. 2pc-mahogany body, 1pc-mahogany neck (medium size) with fret edge binding, , nicely dark rosewood fretboard, small headstock, thick maple top, very nice goldtop-finish, thin poly-coat and a set of excellent sounding mini-humbuckers. The guitars shows natural patina on the nickel-hardware and on the PU-covers, the clear-coat & binding is nicely ambered. Thats pure MOJO! Compared to my 1972 Gibson LP Deluxe the Greco sounds a bit smoother. The playability is KILLER and its a Goddess in jazzy, blues-to-classic rock or ?70s punk-rock-tunes!







!!! PLEASE SHOW YOUR MIJ-DELUXE MODELS !!!

I've never tried a Deluxe. What do they sound like, compared to a LP with full sized HBs or P90s?

Mike

Hi Stratman,
the Deluxe LP?s do have a much more crispy tone, not the heavy bottom of a P-90 or the big punch of a full size humbucker. It?s a bit like a noiseless single coil-tone with a bucket full of 'bollocks'. Listen to the Thin Lizzy Records (Live and dangerous) and you will hear the 'Rock-Tone' of them. The Bridge-PU is a really 'funky'-thin pusher, the neck-version is equipped with lots of bells and whistles with nice and 'round' mids and highs. A Deluxe has the typical Les Paul-sound, but it?s thinner. Like a noiseless high-octane single-coil PU. It?s excellent for moderate amp-settings or bone-dry clean-sounds. Fits great for jazz, blues -to- blues rock or alternative musik. The mini-humbucker is a really underrated pickup. In combination with the massive wood of a Les Paul-guitar it always sounds 'chunky', but straight and clearer than a 'big' humbucker.

Thanks, I must try one, one day. Tokai never made a Deluxe, did they?

The Deluxe were a great guitar...
I can't look at one without instantly thinking of Scott Gorham and the Live and Dangerous footage

Tokai never made a Deluxe-LP! Greco & ARIA pro II did! Forum-member 'Loudmouse' is a proud owner of the absolutely rare Aria pro II-version in cherry sunburst! The Greco Deluxe was available only as Goldtop. Low production-runs! I heard ?bout EG-500 & EG-600-models. A few catalog-pages and ads are in the web. The best way to find one is to check the Yahoo-auctions -pages. You need a guitar-trader like http://www.obsoleteguitars.com/Guitar%20Search.html
for payment & shipping! But there are 2 other ways to play a mij-Deluxe. Buy an ARIA pro II P-90s-Model (only the japanese version with the Gibson-like bridge-posts!!! There are korean models on the market, made of plywood!) and install mini-humbuckers. Aftermarket (Seymour Duncans 'Antiquities') or second hand. The EDWARDS ?56 Goldtop (E-LP-92) is also an excellent guitar to built a Deluxe-version. If you like to play them 'both ways' this is my idea:
1. Clip the wires in the PU-cavities
2. Install cable-connectors in the PU-cavities
3. Install cable-connectors on each PU-set (P-90s & mini-hums)
4. Mark the cable-connectors with different colors (don?t confound the wires!) 'red' for the HOT one, black for the GROUND in the cavities and PU-side with felt-markers or electrical tape
5. Drill 2 mini-holes for the mounting-plates of the mini-humbuckers in the PU-cavities
Now you can change the PU-models only by loosen the strings. All you need is a screwdriver!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

mojoburst said:

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Click to expand...

Sounds like a lot of work! But thanks for the info., I appreciate it.

8)

Listen to this video my friends... total Deluxe heaven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5NlLzGXrbI

Brian Robertson (the one on the left) is using a Deluxe together with a Wem Copicat echo pedal for boosting the signal, Scott Gorham (right, long hair) a Deluxe with a Colorsound Overdriver, MXR Phase 90. Both guitarists use Plexi's of course.

Good to see my old mate Gary Mooron getting slagged off in the comments section for that vid.

:lol:

mojoburst said:

hi folks out there! as a japanese-les paul-junkie my collection features a few standards and customs with full size-humbuckers from all the well known brands. they?re all fantastic instruments. now my interests are growing into the other PU-directions. here are the typical ?56 goldtop-models with P-90 PUs, easy to find in all possible conditions on the market. but does anybody know something about a deluxe-model? i?ve seen a picture in a greco-catalog with an EG -x- deluxe goldtop long ago. for sure a hard to find guitar! but i do love the darker sunburst-colors much more and now i?m looking for a ?burst with P-90s. the PU-cavity also fits the mini-humbuckers. this seems to be the only way leading to a japanese deluxe sunburst-model. edwards maybe has one in their production-line but i prefer the vintage-models.

Click to expand...

I have an Greco Deluxe Goldtop and a EG800 goldtop with P90.
Let me know if you are interested.

They don't!
I guess you can clearly see a Hiwatt 100 head behind Robertson, or maybe that's Phil's amp.......LOUD

YOGA64 said:

They don't!
I guess you can clearly see a Hiwatt 100 head behind Robertson, or maybe that's Phil's amp.......LOUD

Click to expand...

That DR103 is Phil's. Take a look on the other vids, you can clearly see Lynott adjusting the tone control on the Hiwatt. On the far left you can spot a Marshall for mr. Robertson. Amazing sound Robertson gets, doesn't he.

And he was 19 at the time !

A Aria-Guitar collector found this pic of the Goldtop-Version of an ARIA pro II Les Paul Deluxe in the 1976-catalog:


Have you ever seen this rare Guitar or you own one of thislease SHOW SOME PICS and tell the story!!!!