Les Paul question

[JACKSONFREAK]

If im not mistaken. I believe the new traditional LP's are not wait relieved. The idea of it was to make the les paul more consistant in weight from one to the other. Which be hard to do if they drill all with the same number and size of holes. They would all be lighter but still not the same relatively. The stds are weight relieved however. But both the std and trad are plecked. For better playability without fret noise.
Gil

[El Chiguete]

But that weight relieved on the Cloud 9 it's allmost making it in to a hallowed body guitar no?

[DonP]

If im not mistaken. I believe the new traditional LP's are not wait relieved. The idea of it was to make the les paul more consistant in weight from one to the other. Which be hard to do if they drill all with the same number and size of holes. They would all be lighter but still not the same relatively. The stds are weight relieved however. But both the std and trad are plecked. For better playability without fret noise.
Gil

Gil,

Traditionals are weight relieved. This is "traditional" to how Les Pauls have been since the mid 80s.

New 2008 Standards are chambered. This is an attempt to make the new Standard a "hot rod" with lots of modern features.

Historics are about the only Gibson these days not on a diet.

[DonP]

But that weight relieved on the Cloud 9 it's allmost making it in to a hallowed body guitar no?

Cloud 9's are not weight relieved - they are chambered.

And not just the Cloud 9 - any chambered LP.

Which is why I say you won't get a traditional Les Paul tone from a chambered body. It might sound good (like a 335?), but it won't sound like a real solid 1959 LP.

[dogueboy]

I am on the hunt for a Les Paul right now and this information has been great in helping me know more of what I am looking for.Great thread.

[metalchurch79]

Can anyone make a list of the chambered models. Please include year and model#

A list on the weight relieved LesPauls' would be nice also.
I'd like to make a list that way I have all of the info when looking for a LesPaul, which I hope to own one soon.

Thanks
Joe

[DonP]

Joe (and anyone else interested in LP's),

This really should be taken to the LesPaulForum. There are many current threads of there on chambering, or search for past threads. The funny thing is when chambering first came out, it was only only the highest price models (Class 5, Elegant, Cloud 9).

Please do your homework before you buy. I didn't research my first LP (a Classic Premium Plus) as well as I should have and have some small regrets on the model I got. I like everything about this 1996 except for two things - the headstock says "Les Paul Classic" instead of "Les Paul Model", and the binding in the cutaway is thick instead of thin (like on the 1950's LPs). LP Classics from 1990 - 1992 had the correct features I wanted, so I should have bought a 1992 Classic Plus (Premium Plus models didn't come out until 1994).


My next LP was an impulse buy-it-now on ebay whch I got extremely lucky with. It's a 2002 LP Std. that says Les Paul Model and has the thin binding, but I don't like the inlays or the fretboard. I prefer pointier inlays and a reddish hue fretboard.


Then I found this special run of Historics that first came out in late 2002. I loved the tone and price, but I didn't like the inlays or fretboards they came with at the time. I held off until December 2004 - two years, until Gibson got it right. Love everything about this, but sort of wish it had a fancier top.


By the time I was purchasing my 4th LP, I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted a Norlin Custom (Norlin owned Gibson from the 1968 - 1986 era), with a solid body and a maple neck. Pancake bodies were from 1969 - 1976 so I needed to avoid those. Maple necks were from 1976 - 1982. So I needed an LP Custom from 1977 - 1982. I bought this, a 1977 custom:


Then I asked myself why am I buying LP's (very expensive) when I loved Jacksons in my teens, and didn't have any. So I've been on a Jackson kick ever since (much cheaper), but I still love my Gibsons. At my apartment in Nashville where I stay 5 days a week, I have two axes - my 2002 Std. and my Bengal SL2H.

[Endrik]

Some chambering and weight relief holes on Les Pauls. Search for this on the Les Paul Forum... the topic has been covered quite a bit.
http://www.lespaulforum.com/finalframes/frameset.htm

what a stupid thing to do to a guitar, specially to Les Paul, the best sounding guitar ever

[metalchurch79]

DonP, thanks for your time and insight on this, I really appreciate it. Perhaps I should take this question over to the Gibson forum, at first I didnt realize how dense this subject was. I though it would be more cut and dry.
Thanks for taking the time to post your guitars also, they backed up what you were explaining. I like that Historic in the 3rd pic. It looks classy and has that played in look that I like. They are all very nice however. Looks like I have quite a bit to look into before I buy, cause it is a costly guitar like you said.
Thanks again,
Joe

[ulijdavid]

Endrik,
Where did you get the 3d model? I would love to get the IGES, DXF, PRT, SLA, etc. file for it if. Please PM me if you have the actual file.

[metalchurch79]

Endrik,
Where did you get the 3d model? I would love to get the IGES, DXF, PRT, SLA, etc. file for it if. Please PM me if you have the actual file.

ToeJam posted it ask him.

[DonP]

DonP, thanks for your time and insight on this, I really appreciate it. Perhaps I should take this question over to the Gibson forum, at first I didnt realize how dense this subject was. I though it would be more cut and dry.
Thanks for taking the time to post your guitars also, they backed up what you were explaining. I like that Historic in the 3rd pic. It looks classy and has that played in look that I like. They are all very nice however. Looks like I have quite a bit to look into before I buy, cause it is a costly guitar like you said.
Thanks again,
Joe

Not a problem.

The Historic in the 3rd pic is the infamous "Guitar Center" run of R0's (commonly called G0's). They (and some other Historics of that time) had a "special" treatment called Custom Authentic to make them look slightly aged. The new term is VOS, Vintage Old Stock. The G0's are typically a fabulous sounding guitar, that many say come very close to a real 1950's LP. They say the plain top with Eastern hard maple has a better tone that the fancier flame tops with softer Western maple.

I've "enhanced" this guitar with 550K CTS Pots (the guitar sounded great but I wanted just a little more high-end and output), real 50's Bumble Bee caps and 50's wiring, so that if you were to look in the control cavity, it would look exactly like a 1950's LP.

On the outside, I've put on a pigtail (brand) aluminum tailpiece and steel studs and a few other dress ups. This guitar is without a doubt my #1 for tone. The only reason I don't have it in Tennesse is that I'd be afraid of it being stolen. I'm in a very safe apartment 3 flights up, but you never know, the landlord company could come it to change the furnace air filter and swipe my axe.

See you on the LPF.

[DonP]

what a stupid thing to do to a guitar, specially to Les Paul, the best sounding guitar ever

Maybe so, but I wouldn't "dis" any Les Paul for what's inside. Grab it and play it. If it sounds great, then what's the problem?

[toejam]

Endrik,
Where did you get the 3d model? I would love to get the IGES, DXF, PRT, SLA, etc. file for it if. Please PM me if you have the actual file.

I found it on the Les Paul Forum. Do a search over there.

[toejam]

Maybe so, but I wouldn't "dis" any Les Paul for what's inside. Grab it and play it. If it sounds great, then what's the problem?

Exactly. Some people like the lighter weight. The Jackson Mark Morton model is also chambered (though it's neck-thru compared to a set neck) and sounds amazing.