Traditional Opinions

[Jon Rambo]

What's everyone think about the Traditionals? Does the Plek machine they're using now make a difference?
I played one today at GC and am now returning the robot I bought to Sam Ash. I still play my Classic more than the robot so I figured I'd rather have that money go towards something really nice. I like the finishes on the Traditionals too. The robot's cool but I don't really like the big tuners and it just seems too fragile. I'd already complained about some stuff to Sam Ash and they have a 45 day return period.

So, lets hear those opinions on the Traditionals. With the Plus-Top of course

[claricSTi]

Traditionals are great guitars, the plek machine does a pretty good job of setting them up, definitely better than the previous set ups that came out of the factory. There also seems to be some gorgeous plus tops out there. If you decide not go with a plus-top then I would consider the trad pro as well. They are a damn good price now and that satin neck and coil splitting make them a really good buy

[R9.]

Good guitars.
Try a search (titles only), this has been discussed a million times already.

[jerryo]

Traditionals rule...

Traditional Pros are awesome also ....they are like the Trads little brother or something.

I cannot put either of them down for long before i pick one of them up and start riffing

[FennRx]

traditional good, standard bad.

[Last]

Having both guitars, IMHO the Trad Plus blows the Trad Pro away in fit/finish.

The Trad Pro blows away the Trad Plus in features.

Not to say you can't find a nicely finished Trad Pro just that you have to really look around for one whereas the Trad Plus seems to be tons more consistent.

[theebony]

Hi,
I posted about the traditional I bought last week.
I own some classic Les'es, and definately was not in the market for a new one.

I am not going down the trad vs stndard line, you cant win that, just let me say that the one I bought I bought for the simple reason that is it plays as good as any I have ever picked up, feels like my old ones(neck slightly different of course)and the sound, I thought I bought a freak.

I havent put it down, so impressed by this guitar, It has all the tone you would ever want, set up magic out of the box, I just changed the strings from 10's to 9's.

(not being condescending to anyone, but take time to learn how Les Pauls pickups- tone- volume knobs work and the way to get all 3 selections to work for you, this will open up all the tones you want)

These guitars are bloody rippers.

[baiff]

Love my Trad+. Plek is nice and top is great. I prefer the 57 pups over the Burstbuckers and I had no need for coil tap as in the Pros. You can find these at a fair price used. I got mine for $1650.00(tax included) for a 2008 Iced Tea. Only a couple of scuff marks that were easily removed. If you go to GC or Sam Ash and tell them you are looking for one at a certain price they will call you if they get anything in.

[Green]

Originally Posted by theebony

Hi,
(not being condescending to anyone, but take time to learn how Les Pauls pickups- tone- volume knobs work and the way to get all 3 selections to work for you, this will open up all the tones you want)

hi,
I bought my first LP last week. Where can I find informations about the use of the selector and especially the central position to get a mix of the 2 pickups anf then create specific tones ?

[Jon Rambo]

Originally Posted by Green

hi,
I bought my first LP last week. Where can I find informations about the use of the selector and especially the central position to get a mix of the 2 pickups anf then create specific tones ?

Im not sure but try out your neck pup vol at about 7.5 -8. I love it on most LPs.

[xguitardevilx]

I have tried and tried and tried trads over the past year and I just can't bond with them. The only thing I can honestly say I liked was the coil tapping on the trad pro. Another thing that bothers me about them is that they say it's supposed to be like the 80's-90's LP's, but I own a '96 LP and they don't play or sound like mine at all.

[theebony]

Here is a good guide I found, I didnt write this one but it saves me alot of typing and sums things up very well, its an excellent starting point.

Pay Particular attention to setting up your amp for the neck pickup, this has always been my rule of thumb, you will see why.

First, your volume controls not just your loudness, but also your level of distortion (‘gain’ or ‘overdrive’). If your guitar has modern wiring, lowering the volume will also reduce the available treble, as if you’d turned the tone down too. If you have 1950s wiring this effect is far less prominent.

Secondly, your tone control not only cuts your treble, it also reduces the amount of ‘space’ your guitar seems to take up in the mix. Turning your tone down can effectively pull you ‘back’ into the mix.

Enough basics. Here’s some pointers.

EQ Your Amp for the Neck
Most of the time you’ve probably set up your amp for a good tone from the bridge. Try this instead and see what happens.

1. Turn all your volumes and tones up to 10.
2. Select the neck pick up.
3. Adjust your amp so you get a good soloing tone for that pickup.
4. Switch to bridge. This will be too bright. Ice-pick through ear territory.
5. Tame bridge with tone control, until you’ve got a good soloing tone.

You now have your ‘boost’ sounds. Now turn the bridge vol down (about 75-80%), until you’ve got a good crunching rhythm sound. If you have modern wiring you may need to turn up the tone a little at this stage. You could now play the rhythm on the bridge, and switch to the neck for the solo.

Solo on Bridge, cleans on Neck
Turn up your bridge tone and vol. That’s your solo sound (ice pick and all). Turn your neck vol down to about 50%. If your amp is any good, that should be nearly clean. If you’ve got 1950s wiring, it won’t be muddy either. You may now play the intro to Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You on the neck pick up. Switch to bridge for the signature lick. Back to neck, or turn down bridge to 50-60%.

If your amp is good, it should be sensitive enough to clean up when you turn down, and also to clean up if you back off with your right hand an pick gently. Use both these effects to control your tone.

Middle positions Middle

Leave your bridge in its rhythm setting, then switch to middle. Now turn down the neck to nearly nothing, then slowly turn it back up (to about 50%). Somewhere across this range you’ll hear three fairly distinct tones. It’ll start out sounding like the bridge on its own. Next, it will fill out (i.e. get some extra bass), and it might do this quite suddenly. This is a really useful sound for soloing, because it basically sounds like the bridge pickup, but it’s fuller and meatier without being in any way muddy. As you keep turning up the neck vol it will start to sound more like both pick ups. This can be sort of nasal, but quite good.

Once you get both pick ups to the same vol (~ 75%) you’ve got the classic middle sound. Many people find this a bit muddy, but if you EQd the amp for your neck pick up, you should be OK.

I hope that helps.

[Green]

thanks a lot
all that is very interesting, I'll try tonight !

[LPV]

Originally Posted by FennRx

traditional good, standard bad.

Prove... ah, screw it.

[LPV]

If you want to blend in, this is the guitar for you.

[FennRx]

Originally Posted by LPV

Prove... ah, screw it.

[LPV]

Originally Posted by FennRx

[Boleskinehouse]

They all suck, get an Historic.

[Green]

they suck too
get a PRS

[Last]

Originally Posted by LPV

If you want to blend in, this is the guitar for you.

Man we're all rock starz!

We don't wanna blend in.......anywhere!

[Boleskinehouse]

Originally Posted by Green

they suck too
get a PRS

You can keep those too.

[Jon Rambo]

Originally Posted by LPV

If you want to blend in, this is the guitar for you.

Not quite sure what exactly this is supposed to mean? That a lot of ppl have them? If that's the case you might as well not buy a LP at all. And the best way not to blend in is with your playing.

[LPV]

Originally Posted by Jon Rambo

Not quite sure what exactly this is supposed to mean?

What this means is that it can't cut thru a mix. I a/b'd a bunch with a few new standards for 2 hours and walked out with the standard. The trad is at its best right where it gets played by most people who own them here at MLP, at home alone. "Wow, that sounds so fat !" spank, spank, whack, whack.

And that opinion is worth what you paid for it.

[xguitardevilx]

Originally Posted by LPV

What this means is that it can't cut thru a mix. I a/b'd a bunch with a few new standards for 2 hours and walked out with the standard. The trad is at its best right where it gets played by most people who own them here at MLP, at home alone. "Wow, that sounds so fat !" spank, spank, whack, whack.

And that opinion is worth what you paid for it.

Exactly. Well said.

[FennRx]

Originally Posted by LPV

What this means is that it can't cut thru a mix. I a/b'd a bunch with a few new standards for 2 hours and walked out with the standard. The trad is at its best right where it gets played by most people who own them here at MLP, at home alone. "Wow, that sounds so fat !" spank, spank, whack, whack.

And that opinion is worth what you paid for it.

so youre saying that every les paul from 1983 to 2006 couldnt cut thru the mix?

to the OP, if you dont mind the chambering, i would look for a used Standard Faded....they are fantastic. i liked mine more than any other non-Custom Shop Les Paul I have played. i sold it to fund my Custom Shop GAS, but i really miss it now.

and despite them being ugly and hated on this forum, the BFG is an excellent sounding guitar. kinda wish i hadnt sold it to DJ.....

[Last]

I've been looking @ the Standard Fadeds myself.

Trying to locate an '05 with a 60's style neck that isn't priced above a Trad Pro.

Not an easy task.

Oh & one that isn't thrashed either.

[PINKBITS]

Originally Posted by LPV

What this means is that it can't cut thru a mix. I a/b'd a bunch with a few new standards for 2 hours and walked out with the standard. The trad is at its best right where it gets played by most people who own them here at MLP, at home alone. "Wow, that sounds so fat !" spank, spank, whack, whack.

And that opinion is worth what you paid for it.

I was going to ignore your post however your immense level of fail did not permit me to do so

To say the Traditional "can't" cut thru a mix is ridiculous. Do you know what amps, settings, pedals etc we are using?, No.

Then you have issue of the general modding which many of us do. Pots, caps, pickups.

I'm not saying the Tradtional is better than the Standard or vice versa. It's what works for you that is the best. However to post what you did was just....................dumb. Sorry

[PINKBITS]

Originally Posted by xguitardevilx

Exactly. Well said.

All aboard the idiot train

[Boleskinehouse]

Originally Posted by Boleskinehouse

They all suck, get an Historic.

[PINKBITS]

Originally Posted by Boleskinehouse

Any excuse for you to use your new little friend Boles

You should just sig him and be done with it