Do I understand this weight relief/chambering/solid body thing correctly?

[Kamen_Kaiju]

I know weight relived means a few holes drilled in the body. And Chambered is basically like a sealed hollow body (with thicker walls), and solid,...obviously is solid.

So the regular production runs are chambered, the traditionals are weight relieved, and the historic re-issues are solid?

So if a guitar ad says "traditional", like the traditional pro or plus, this means it's weight relieved.

But if it's just a Standard, then it's chambered?

The only thing I seem to grasp clearly is that the historics are solid, lol.

I'm flipping through a ton of ads looking at Gibson Les Pauls, but few of them seem to list if they're chambered or not. Mostly all the ads just seem to push that the guitars are plek'd and not really going into any detail about the actual guitar.

So is the Trad Pro or Plus chambered or weight relieved?

edit: thanks for your time in checking out this question.

 

[EvanPC]

I think you're right in that Trad models get "traditional weight relief" which is swiss cheese holes, and not chambering.

 

[72BlackBeauty]

I think your absolutely right,my trad pro is weight relieved and is still heavy as hell

 

[River]

Sounds right to me, Malk.

Now, how does it affect your decisions?

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

I would prefer weight relieved to chambering. I'm just trying to figure out which ones are weight relieved.

the ads and online info can be a bit confusing, and sometimes downright contradictory.

So the Trad Pro is relieved, does this mean the Trad Plus is as well?

I don't mind weight, I kind of prefer it actually. My Agiles were 10lbs, my Epi is probably around 8lbs. I like that when I do vibrato with my LP, the guitar doesn't move.

On my Strats when I bend or do vibrato, I lift and move the whole guitar. The LP is stable, so I want that same feel in the Gibson I choose.

(yes, I have made up my mind to join the Gibson club. I finally got a new job and there's really only one personal item I'd like to get for myself, and that is a nice guitar! )

 

[EvanPC]

As I understand it, all current models after 2006 (?) are chambered, minus Trads and Historics, or whatever.

You could try the used market if what you want is not a Trad but you don't want a chambered guitar. Not sure about Standards and the like that were produced before 06, but I know my Studio's is "weight relieved" and not chambered.

 

[dcmey]

I would prefer weight relieved to chambering. I'm just trying to figure out which ones are weight relieved.

the ads and online info can be a bit confusing, and sometimes downright contradictory.

So the Trad Pro is relieved, does this mean the Trad Plus is as well?

I don't mind weight, I kind of prefer it actually. My Agiles were 10lbs, my Epi is probably around 8lbs. I like that when I do vibrato with my LP, the guitar doesn't move.

On my Strats when I bend or do vibrato, I lift and move the whole guitar. The LP is stable, so I want that same feel in the Gibson I choose.

(yes, I have made up my mind to join the Gibson club. I finally got a new job and there's really only one personal item I'd like to get for myself, and that is a nice guitar! )

I would advise trying as many guitars as you can and buy the one that speaks to you. In my opinion go into buying open minded wether the guitar is chambered or weight reliefed. Good luck in finding the right one.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

I would advise trying as many guitars as you can and buy the one that speaks to you. In my opinion go into buying open minded wether the guitar is chambered or weight reliefed. Good luck in finding the right one.

oh I've tried a bunch, but I buy online most of the time so I can't try the guitar I end up buying.

Strats and LP's all tend to feel about the same to me. They feel like guitars. I'm more concerned with finding one with the specs I like.

I just want to make sure I'm understanding what's going on inside the guitar.

Sounds like a Pro or Plus is the way to go for me though.

(I'd like to get a studio as a 'beater' for around the house and rehearsals. I know they're chambered and maple boards these days, but I found one I really like. I have a thing for Orange/Black guitars, so this is just...*drooool*)

Since I only plan on buying one other GLP as a 'nice' one, I want to make sure I choose well and am informed about the specs. Sounds like a Pro or Plus is what I'm looking for though.

I still want the Bonamassa Epiphone as well,..lol. GAS is a bitch.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[Tim Plains]

Traditional refers to traditional swiss cheese holes. Did you read the Les Paul 101 thread here? The first post should explain what's what.

 

[Lipinhu]

The Bonamassa studio is pretty good too. Non chambered, but swiss cheese.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

Traditional refers to traditional swiss cheese holes. Did you read the Les Paul 101 thread here? The first post should explain what's what.

yes.

confirmation doesn't hurt when there's multiple conflicting reports however.

 

[Olds442]

also check the member classifieds!

 

[mgenet]

...So...

how do they sound?

 

[Tim Plains]

confirmation doesn't hurt when there's multiple conflicting reports however.

What conflicting reports?

 

[mgenet]

What conflicting reports?

Maybe he means 'conflicting opinions'?

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

some sites say a certain LP has a maple top, then another site says it has a mahogany top.

Same with the weight relief/chambering thing.

I was just looking to confirm that the traditionals are indeed not chambered and that this applied to the trad plus and not just the trad pro. That's why it's annoying when I'm looking at a site or catalog that instead of telling me about the guitar, wastes the paragraph of text telling me it's plek'd.

thanks for the help, to those who helped. I do not wish to debate what site said what or what guitar is better. I was merely looking for confirmation. Since I trust River and a few others on the site I was hoping they'd weigh in, which they did.

So thanks again.

 

[Actinic]

You need to read through this entire thread:

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/gibson-les-pauls/1450-weight-relieve-vs-chambered.html

The fit & finish and the pickups are more important considerations than the weight. Now that the holidays are approaching there are a lot of sellers offering mint condition custom shop Les Pauls, some for under four grand (admittedly that seems like a lot of money, but prices are better today than they were last year, at least from the buyer's perspective). Shoot, for another grand, you can get vintage LP's of the Junior variety. Just state that you are open to PM's from dealers on MLP. Maybe they can offer you a great deal.

 

[Luckynumber3]

I think your absolutely right,my trad pro is weight relieved and is still heavy as hell

My trad pro feels really light (never weighed it though) but I did play a "boat anchor" trad pro once- that thing was heavy!

oh I've tried a bunch, but I buy online most of the time so I can't try the guitar I end up buying.

Strats and LP's all tend to feel about the same to me. They feel like guitars. I'm more concerned with finding one with the specs I like.

I just want to make sure I'm understanding what's going on inside the guitar.

Sounds like a Pro or Plus is the way to go for me though.

(I'd like to get a studio as a 'beater' for around the house and rehearsals. I know they're chambered and maple boards these days, but I found one I really like. I have a thing for Orange/Black guitars, so this is just...*drooool*)

Since I only plan on buying one other GLP as a 'nice' one, I want to make sure I choose well and am informed about the specs. Sounds like a Pro or Plus is what I'm looking for though.

I still want the Bonamassa Epiphone as well,..lol. GAS is a bitch.

Thanks for all the input.

I dunno about the pros pickups but I like the rest of the guitar.

Personally I think this whole chambering, swiss cheese, etc. thing is a bunch of bs- I wouldn't not buy a guitar because it had either. Imo, chambering can make the guitar actually sound better (depends on what you are looking for) as ive seen in some vids, but eve then, im not sure if it actually changes the sound a whole lot.

 

[72BlackBeauty]

My trad pro feels really light (never weighed it though) but I did play a "boat anchor" trad pro once- that thing was heavy!



I dunno about the pros pickups but I like the rest of the guitar.

Personally I think this whole chambering, swiss cheese, etc. thing is a bunch of bs- I wouldn't not buy a guitar because it had either. Imo, chambering can make the guitar actually sound better (depends on what you are looking for) as ive seen in some vids, but eve then, im not sure if it actually changes the sound a whole lot.

I have a norlin 72 black beauty,which is solid,my trad pro with p-90s,and I had a studio,chambered and the studio was agreat axe but it sounded more akin to a 335 with the sound holes blocked being old school i couldnt get used to it

 

[nauc]

its pointless to try and figure out Gibson. go play as many as you can, buy what you like the most