"New 2002 Les Paul Standards sell for about $1600-1700 and Les Paul Classics sell for $1400. Les Paul Studios sell for about $1000"
like i said...i was using round numbers for examples sake.
"Or you could buy a new Heritate 150 for the same price as that used Les Paul, which it plays cirlce around. "
so whats a used heritage go for...$500?...so why would you want to pay $1000 for a guitar thats gonna be worth maybe $500 bucks when you get home with it.
in a nut shell:
brand new= suggested retail price
used= way under suggested retail price
some examples of used guitars that i have purchased:
1966 fender strat for $150
1960 gretch country gentleman with a blonde finish...traded a jap SG copy that i had less than $200 in for it
1973
gibson les paul custom for $100 (it need a new nut and one of the pickups was dead...easy fix)
bottom line....the guitars gonna last a lifetime anyway so don't pay too much for it.
the only thing your gonna get out of a brand new one is a warranty. you need a warranty on a new one cause it may have some shoddy work from the factory. a used one is already broke in and has stood the test of time.