The 2011 LP Traditional (Standard?) Faded Mega-Thread

[PJS_Les]

My buddy Max in SF picked up a gorgeous weight-relieved (not chambered) '05 Tobacco Burst Standard Faded and was going to list it after putting a few upgrades in and polishing the top. He sent me a pic and I immediately asked (begged) him to sell it to me. He agreed.

I'm going to sell my '07 American Standard Tele and my '78 Fender Musicmaster to fund this purchase - well, really just to square it with the wife, who's tired of tripping over guitar cases - but I don't play those nearly as much as my main '99 Strat anyway.

Pics below from Max. I'll update the thread when I have it in hand. In the meantime, enjoy!

[drew365]

That's a beauty. You're going to love it. Hopefully you have at least one more Tele so you aren't too deprived.

[colchar]

Originally Posted by PJS_Les

My buddy Max in SF picked up a gorgeous weight-relieved (not chambered) '05 Tobacco Burst Standard Faded and was going to list it after putting a few upgrades in and polishing the top. He sent me a pic and I immediately asked (begged) him to sell it to me. He agreed.

I'm going to sell my '07 American Standard Tele and my '78 Fender Musicmaster to fund this purchase - well, really just to square it with the wife, who's tired of tripping over guitar cases - but I don't play those nearly as much as my main '99 Strat anyway.

Pics below from Max. I'll update the thread when I have it in hand. In the meantime, enjoy!

That is a sweet ass top

At times I wish mine was less yellowish and more like that one. But at other times I realize just how vintage mine looks and I get over it for a while.

[PaulStratJackson]

Nice...you can just feel that resonant woody goodness oozing out of those unrestricted pores...

[colchar]

Originally Posted by PaulStratJackson

Nice...you can just feel that resonant woody goodness oozing out of those unrestricted pores...

That is definitely one of the great benefits of these guitars.

[PJS_Les]

Another shot, this time strung up. He did a quick set-up for me and it's in the mail today.

Can't wait to get my hands on it...

Hey, does anyone around here use SoundCloud? I'd love to exchange riffs and sounds, just for grins.

SoundCloud

My riffs on SoundCloud

[PJS_Les]

Originally Posted by colchar

That is definitely one of the great benefits of these guitars.

I'm always struck by the difference in tone between the Standard / Traditional Fadeds and the other Les Pauls. The Fadeds are just warmer, and producing notes just seems more responsive. A tighter feedback loop between player and instrument, if you will.

[PJS_Les]

Originally Posted by drew365

That's a beauty. You're going to love it. Hopefully you have at least one more Tele so you aren't too deprived.

Yep, got an '02 Tele American Std, good rosewood neck, Fender SCN pickups. Love me that twang.

[colchar]

Originally Posted by PJS_Les

I'm always struck by the difference in tone between the Standard / Traditional Fadeds and the other Les Pauls. The Fadeds are just warmer, and producing notes just seems more responsive. A tighter feedback loop between player and instrument, if you will.

Warmer is an excellent way to describe it. That is one of the things I love about mine, especially after I swapped out the Burstbucker Pros and put in a set of Burstbucker 1&2s as I find those pickups to be more airy, woody, and earthy (sorry, but that is the best way I can think of to describe them). When you combine pickups with those qualities and a guitar that is warmer, the results are amazing.

When my tech adjusted mine the other day (I had removed the cover from the bridge pickup to make it look more Page-like and had switched back from .11s to .10s so it needed a tweak to get rid of fret buzz) he played it for a good half hour afterwards and, although he was playing it through a Vox Pathfinder (ironically enough one that I used to own) he was getting all kinds of Zeppelin-like tones out of it. Another salesman who I am buddies with was sitting there and he said "now just imagine that guitar with the RAH pedal that we've been talking about" (there is a pedal designed to give the tones that Page got at the famous Royal Albert Hall performances which he and I have been talking about since it was released). I am seriously considering grabbing that pedal now as the combination of it, my guitar, and my Vox AC15 will absolutely nail Page tones.

[OldBenKenobi]

Originally Posted by PJS_Les

Another shot, this time strung up. He did a quick set-up for me and it's in the mail today.

Can't wait to get my hands on it...

Hey, does anyone around here use SoundCloud? I'd love to exchange riffs and sounds, just for grins.

SoundCloud

My riffs on SoundCloud

Oh man

That is a raunchy looking mofo.

[PJS_Les]

The Tobacco burst arrived, but I had to travel for business and was only able to strum it for a few minutes. Didn't even get a chance to plug it in.

First impressions, it plays similar to my '08 Standard Faded, but the neck is a bit slimmer, which makes sense since it's a 60's profile. It doesn't seem to have seen heavy use, but there is some buckle rash. It's not too bad.

The biggest issue for me is that the neck feels a bit tacky from the previous owner's body oil, but I think I can fix that with some Virtuoso cleaner and polish. The neck finish itself is not worn down, it actually feels sealed up by body oils instead of worn, if that makes sense.

I'm also going to hit the frets with some Gorgomite, which polishes the frets as well as conditions the fretboard.

My intention is to keep this one as stock as possible, at least until I start craving some new sounds from it.

I'll drop some riffs into SoundCloud and post here, as well as get some more pics posted.

[PJS_Les]

Oh and the previous owner was obviously a smoker, so it'll take a few weeks to air out the case and guitar...

[joedonner2001]

Originally Posted by PJS_Les

Hot damn - that is nice. I'm still looking for one.

You guys perhaps know what years these were chambered as opposed to weight-relieved? I can't really seem to find a definitive answer about that.

There's one in the UK up North - a 2005 tobacco burst, and the owner says it's not chambered. Last time I emailed Gibson about a 2008 one on Ebay UK they said this: "Unfortunately, we cannot check only from serial if the guitar is chambered or not, but normally from the production year (2008) I should say the guitar is chambered."

So I'm a bit confused over when they would have been chambered and when not.

[colchar]

Originally Posted by joedonner2001

Hot damn - that is nice. I'm still looking for one.

You guys perhaps know what years these were chambered as opposed to weight-relieved? I can't really seem to find a definitive answer about that.

There's one in the UK up North - a 2005 tobacco burst, and the owner says it's not chambered. Last time I emailed Gibson about a 2008 one on Ebay UK they said this: "Unfortunately, we cannot check only from serial if the guitar is chambered or not, but normally from the production year (2008) I should say the guitar is chambered."

So I'm a bit confused over when they would have been chambered and when not.

I cannot speak with any degree of authority about any produced before 2010-2011 but I can say definitively that those ones, the ones most recently produced, were weight relieved (mine weighs just over 10lbs).

[joedonner2001]

Well, at the top of this page, PJS_Les says his 2005 isn't chambered, which gives me hope. Perhaps the early ones weren't, and then around 2008 they were, and then the later ones again weren't.

I have another question: This 2005 I mentioned apparently has a 60's profile neck. I wonder if anyone here owns Les Pauls with both 50's and 60's necks and can give me an opinion about what they think about the difference? I know that's probably beating a dead horse, but it may help.

I had an SG Custom with a 60's slim taper neck a few years ago, but all I can say is that I think I remember the neck to feel "flatter" than the R7 and R8 I have at the moment.

[littlejon]

My New Faded
Bought it about a month ago but just took pics




I still have Gas???
what the hell??

[joedonner2001]

Originally Posted by littlejon

I still have Gas???
what the hell??

NIce guitar! The GAS becomes a permanent feature for most of us, I think. When I bought my historic Custom I was sure it would be the only guitar I ever needed. Then I got the R8. Lately I'm lusting after a Faded. And an SG Custom. And an SG '61 reissue.

[colchar]

Originally Posted by joedonner2001

NIce guitar! The GAS becomes a permanent feature for most of us, I think. When I bought my historic Custom I was sure it would be the only guitar I ever needed. Then I got the R8. Lately I'm lusting after a Faded. And an SG Custom. And an SG '61 reissue.

The only thing I can say for sure is that I have the only Les Paul I will ever own unless my arthritis gets really bad and I realize that I need to switch to a much thicker neck. But barring a medical issue like that, I am set for life with regards to Les Pauls. There are, however, GAS pains for an ES-335, and a SG Standard, and a Tele.

[joedonner2001]

Originally Posted by colchar

...and a Tele.

Ah, yes - I wouldn't mind having a Tele. Was a bit of an LA Guns fan back in the day, and once read their lead guitarist saying how he liked Teles.

Tele added to my GAS list.

[PJS_Les]

Originally Posted by joedonner2001

Hot damn - that is nice. I'm still looking for one.

You guys perhaps know what years these were chambered as opposed to weight-relieved? I can't really seem to find a definitive answer about that.

There's one in the UK up North - a 2005 tobacco burst, and the owner says it's not chambered. Last time I emailed Gibson about a 2008 one on Ebay UK they said this: "Unfortunately, we cannot check only from serial if the guitar is chambered or not, but normally from the production year (2008) I should say the guitar is chambered."

So I'm a bit confused over when they would have been chambered and when not.

My understanding is that Gibson weight-relieved the first year of the Standard Faded (2005), then switched to chambered for 2006-2008. Knowing Gibson, they probably didn't have a clean break in their production run.

A good rule of thumb is that weight-relieved Fadeds will range from a bit over 8 pounds to 9+ pounds. Chambereds range from as low as 6 1/2 pounds to just under 8 pounds.

Or you could just take it to your local radiologist and have it x-rayed. :-p

[PJS_Les]

Originally Posted by colchar

There are, however, GAS pains for an ES-335, and a SG Standard, and a Tele.

I picked up an ES-137 on eBay for wayyy less than retail. They're running around 1400-1700 USD on eBay now, vs. 2300 for new.

I played one in the local GC, really liked the 335 feel, but with a single cutaway and a slightly thicker depth than a 335. If you get a chance, check one out.

With that said, most come stock with the Gibson 490R/498T, which sound to me like cheap Chinese imitation pickups. Nothing a bit of customization wouldn't cure though.

I also bought a set of Elixir flat wounds - haven't played flats in years - and will see if that gives me the tone I want.

[colchar]

Originally Posted by PJS_Les

My understanding is that Gibson weight-relieved the first year of the Standard Faded (2005), then switched to chambered for 2006-2008. Knowing Gibson, they probably didn't have a clean break in their production run.

A good rule of thumb is that weight-relieved Fadeds will range from a bit over 8 pounds to 9+ pounds. Chambereds range from as low as 6 1/2 pounds to just under 8 pounds.

Or you could just take it to your local radiologist and have it x-rayed. :-p

The 2011s (some of which were actually stamped in late 2010) were definitely weight relieved.

[number27]

Hi guys !
here is my 2007 Les Paul standard faded.
SD Pearly Gates and Page wiring, homemade relic hardware and polished top. I'm very happy to own such a beautiful guitar, and it sound and plays even better than it looks ! i ve been threw other LP but i might have found the one with this one (ok i don't speak good english but you see what i mean ;o)
sorry cellphone pics, i don't have camera.

[Thunder Dump]

^^^^^

[number27]

oops mistake sorry double post

[joedonner2001]

number27 - that is one damn good looking guitar right there.

wow!

[Jeffguy]

Originally Posted by number27

Hi guys !
here is my 2007 Les Paul standard faded.
SD Pearly Gates and Page wiring, homemade relic hardware and polished top. I'm very happy to own such a beautiful guitar, and it sound and plays even better than it looks ! i ve been threw other LP but i might have found the one with this one (ok i don't speak good english but you see what i mean ;o)
sorry cellphone pics, i don't have camera.

Wow dude that's bad ass!!

[colchar]

Photos like that make me consider polishing mine!

[drew365]

Originally Posted by colchar

Photos like that make me consider polishing mine!

I agree, but there's an old mojo that the satin faded look has, that I don't want to lose. My Virtuoso is still sitting on the shelf, waiting to get used on my Guild some day.

[colchar]

Originally Posted by drew365

I agree, but there's an old mojo that the satin faded look has, that I don't want to lose.

And that is exactly what has been stopping me!