Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Electric Guitar 

Comments about Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Electric Guitar:

This is a wonderful guitar, beautiful sound, a top shelf instrument and very comfortable to play. After owning this guitar, I bought another exactly like it and I own over 30 very nice guitars. I am not a collector and play approx 7 different guitars per week.

Comments about Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Electric Guitar:

It would be a perfect 10 except for the elctronics. From a strictly playability point, this isn't as easy to play as my SG, but the weight, resonance and balance make this my preferred Gibson.
I've had mine for several months now. It is my first LP after having been a Strat player for 30 years. The access to the fretboard is excellent and the ribcage contour is much appreciated. Really good weight. I have not sorted out using the second "Life-o-Sound" jack yet, but I'm getting the hang of mixing the two magnetic and one piezo pickups. With the split coil option, this is just a very versitile guitar. The only thing I'd change is maybe the pickups - to 57's or burstbuckers. The volume pots are not so great - when you're in the middle toggle you should be able to smoothly adjust each pickup volume, but it requires a certain amount of volume on both pickups for the middle switch to work at all. I don't think that's the way it should be, but it's really not a problem for me.

Floyd Rose trem is a great feature. I didn't think I cared, but now that I know how to use it I can't do without. The FR design is just perfect - the arm can be right there without being in your way and it swings out easily. Never had one of those before either and now I'm trying to figure out how to get one on my Strat.

I'd get another one of these, and if I see one available used for a good price I'll get it in a heartbeat beofre they stop making them.
Electronics not so great. Kills me that Gibson has such poor quality control.

Comments about Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Electric Guitar:

Like I said above. This is the nicest Les Paul I have ever owned and I have owned some beauties. Everything about this guitar is a guitar lover's dream. This axe delivers class Les Paul tones. Dont let anyone especially the so called purist cork sniffers on the Gear pages deceive you into thinking that a Floyd Rose equipped Lester is somehow impure or less than a standard bridge in tone. Nothing could be further from the truth. I AB'd my Les Paul Custom against this guitar and they both have equal luscious warm Gibson tone.
This is the most beautiful guitar I have ever owned and I have owned many Les Pauls and currently have 6 in my collection. This guitar has a lot of thought and craftmanship that went into it. The quartersawn mahogany neck, one piece mahogany back and high quality figured maple top combine to deliver a warm yet biting tone with lots of depth. Features? This guitar does it all from coil splitting to full humbucker and even realistic acoustic tones from the Ghost Piezo FR bridge. Then of course the belly scarf and the routing at the heal of the neck joint are very nice features of this guitar. Tones can be blended either humbucker with single coil or humbucker with Piezo acoustic or single coil with piezo pickup. Each level can be individually set as the piezo is controlled by the bridge pickup's tone knob and each humbucker's volume controls are push/pull for coil splitting.
This guitar screams Quality. I am a Quality Professional and understand Quality when I see it. This guitar is the highest quality instrument I have ever played. The fret work is impeccable with all rounded edges. The frets are dressed with the Gibson Plek system which does an incredible job and delivers a fret job that makes lower action set ups possible. The Floyd Rose/Graphtec Piezo bridge is awesome quality and will last for years. The figured maple top is beautiful and the woods are the highest quality. The top on my guitar is ViceRoy brown and is highly figured with a near perfect bookmatch. The pictures do not do this guitar justice. Gibson Custom Shop quality through and through...made in the USA baby!
This guitar is expensive and took a good chunk out of my checking account. Let me tell ya...it was worth every penny. This guitar is great value for the money. However, a more realistic price for what you actually get would be $2500-$2900. I obviously paid for the Alex Lifeson name and for the experience of owning and playing a guitar designed by Alex. You could argue price points but all and all the $3999 that this axe sells for is worth it.

Comments about Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Electric Guitar:

I am very pleased with this one and in fact I am looking at getting a axcess custom.
A bit pricey but a great deal can be had on a gently used one .
I bought this used from MF about 2 months ago. First off I got a great deal,and the way they graded the useage on this guitar was very generous to the buyer. This guitar had a few very minor flaws and in fact probably only one of them is noticeable at all . As for the Guitar it is awesome the fit and finish are very hi quality and it is very comfortable .From the thinner body and contour to the neck joint and the neck profile it is all there. The flame top on mine is beautiful with full flame from edge to edge. The tone is great I like the sound of this over my studio and my classic and my brothers classic antique.The floyd bridge stays in tune well and is at a comfortable position to rest your palm on. The coil tapping feature is fabulous and opens up a whole new world of sound . One of my favorites is the neck pu in single coil with the piezo mixed in at half volume . This produces a very nice clean acoustic chimey sound. The bridge pu in hum mode is classic LP very nice . For those who say a LP with a floyd lacks sustain think again and try this one out. The only two things I would like better is if the floyd was not flaoting,I may look into blocking it but the piezo wires are in the way. Also I wish Gibson could come up with a better finish for the back of the neck. The back of the neck gets sticky (all LP do this ) maybe a flat finish on the back of the neck would help this .
Like I said fit and finsh are great but could be better. Like where the binding meets the body could be dressed better. The joint can be felt with my finger as well as the neck to body joint.
MF rules. Great deal and free overnight shipping on this one sealed the deal.

Comments about Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Electric Guitar:

True work of art.... I have number 30 off the line. have been life long Alex fan but It does not matter if his name is on this, it still is one awesome guitar! yes you pay more for it but I got mine at a good price for the particular one I got. this is my first Les and I'm 42 now, and I can clearly see what I have been missing! what an awakening! The intonation is so spot on that I wan't to junk my other guitars now! from the sound to playability for me is truly a factor for inspiration......don't pay more for other customs this is all you will need in a Gibson I bet.....I really can't say to much about this instrument! Thanks for a premo rock guitar Gibson, just start putting stainless frets on all your high end guitars so we really can get the best guitars off the line from you.
of course to expensive like all Guitars

Comments about Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Electric Guitar:

This is a wonderful guitar and if you can afford it, it's a must own. I am already looking to buy another in Crimson. I used to think a Floyd Rose on a Les Paul was sacrilegious but this has proved me wrong. It's everything thrown into one guitar with awesome tone to boot!
The neck is so welcoming on this that it is the easiest Les Paul I've ever played and I currently have a 58 reissue, Trad Pro and a Beano. Wonderful sculpting and flame make this instantly attractive and the ability to split the coils give you ultimate diversity in playing. The piezo added gives that Lifeson sound that instantly brings smiles.
Wonderful fit and finish. My wife is not a guitar player but she is amazed at it's beauty. It's solidly built with great weight to it so it feels like a true Les Paul.
With the Les Paul Axcess standard retailing a little less than this one is offered at, you get a lot of upgrades for the extra money. The addition of the piezo, splitting pick-ups, custom shop quality and the Life-o-sound jack make this an easy sell.

Comments about Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Electric Guitar:

I'm a Lifelong Lifeson fan, if Alex says it is good I instantly believe him, the Les Paul has such a chunky, detailed sound, I have tried it against the PRSs and the MusicMans and other dual Hbucker axes and it always comes out ahead. The Floyd Rose is a no brainer, I have a Kahler on my 80's Explorer and it is very tempermental, could be its age, I had it installed in 83. Lifeson has done as much or more to pioneer rock & Roll with his Gibson's than anyone, I was completely stoked when he put down his PRS. PRS is a Lexus and a real man wants a musclecar. Bravo Alex!

Comments about Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess Electric Guitar:

I just got my Signed #36 from MF and I can't stop playing it. It is by far the most awesome sounding, easiest playing Les Paul I have ever played and now have!The sound that comes out of this thing is amazing. The notes ring clear and sustain for ever, even if you play it un-plugged.The acoustic sound that the Graph Tech Floyd Rose puts out is beautiful and when you combine it with the magnetic pickups it turns it into a FIre Breathing Beast when you run it through your Gain Channel. When you play it clean it sounds like you're in heaven.WOW is all I can say...Thank You Alex for envisioning and Gibson for bringing this guitar to life. This is basically what I have been wanting to be able to do with my guitars all my life.