2013 LP Traditionals...

[Jared Purdy]

I was reading some encouraging news on the Gibson site regarding the new 2013 Traditional. It was encouraging because I never understood or grasped their desire, need, want, what ever, to drill weight relief holes into the body of that guitar. I mean it's not done on a CS, and if the Traditional is to remain traditional, then weight relief hole are going in the wrong direction. So it is reassuring that they have stopped, because I use to have a Traditional, and I wnat to get another one, even more so now that the weight relief is a thing of the past. However, I was talking to a sales rep at a local guitar shop today and he was lamenting Gibsons' recent shenanigans with respect to using two laminated 5 mill fret banks instead of the standard single, solid 10 mill blank, though he didn't know on which guitars this was happening. Anyone verify this?

 

[mysquaredontfit]

Some guitars with rosewood boards are listed on the Gibson site as having multi-ply fretboards. I personally don't know why or why not this is a bad thing, but I've read it on there so they are definitely open about it.

 

[Thiago]

Well, also other than the swiss-cheese holes, the former traditionals have short tennon if I remember correctly and for me this is more important to sound than the holes.
I want to get a 2013 Trad too but I wanna check this first.
In the end all that matters is sound and playability but if they still have short tennons I'll stick to the weight relieved Standards.
Cheers!

 

[budg]

I know the 2012 Gibsons supposedly have lamanated rosewood boards where there is a rosewood board. I have one and it too is a nonissue. Not really sure about the 2013s.

 

[Jared Purdy]

Well, also other than the swiss-cheese holes, the former traditionals have short tennon if I remember correctly and for me this is more important to sound than the holes.
I want to get a 2013 Trad too but I wanna check this first.
In the end all that matters is sound and playability but if they still have short tennons I'll stick to the weight relieved Standards.
Cheers!

The length of the tenon is not mentioned nor is the composition of the fret board, in terms of whether it is single piece or laminate. I think a call to Gibson would answer these questions quicker unless we've got access to a shop floor person?! I'm going to call in the morning. I'd like to get another in the new year - I miss her.

 

[Powerguitars]

Any news? I am very interested in buying a new traditional in Chicago blue.

 

[Jared Purdy]

Any news? I am very interested in buying a new traditional in Chicago blue.

Yup, I called them. ALL current Gibsons (including CS models) have a laminate (2 ply, rosewood fret board, composed of two, 5mm blanks glued together). The CSR who I spoke with said that the Lacey Act dispute had been settled to which I asked if that meant that they would go back to solid, one piece 10mm blanks? He didn't know. What I do know is that if you buy a Gibson after 2012 it will be automatically devalued if Gibson starts to use solid,10mm banks again. Just imagine that if you go out and buy a $6500 CS!! How do you spell OUCH!!!
Another thing I learned during that brief conversation is that some Tradtionals (and Standards) have solid, one piece backs, and others have two, three, or four piece backs. Shop wisely? The 2013 models have been released, though I don't know what states or stores have them. I know they are not in Toronto, Canada, Gibson's largest market in the great white north, and the Canadian distributor has not received any yet, though I think that is because they want to get rid of their 2012 stock first. I am going to order a 2013 and ask them to bring in two so that I have something to compare: a cherry burst and the new honey burst.

Edit: I forgot to ask them about the length of the tenon. I would not expect that to have changed if it is not mentioned, as it is clearly a plus to have a long one, and they want us to know the pluses, not the minuses (is 2 ply fret board mentioned? NOT! Therefore, it's a minus)

 

[Powerguitars]

Ouch indeed! It seems that a used reissue is the only way to go for a Les Paul with real traditional values! Better start saving and scanning the web for a good example!

 

[Dino Velvet]

Gibson has been weight relieving all LP's since 1982. Except CS guitars.
I don't believe the 2013 will be non weight relieved because the 2012 trads ran 9-11.5 lbs. Have not seen an actual 2013 trad yet, so we'll have to wait.

 

[Krzyates]

This thread makes my head hurt.........
If you want a true non-weight relieved Les Paul, get one. It's gonna cost you but the option still exists out there. Maybe Gibson should just stop using the word "Traditional". Fear mongering and guitars don't mix well either. A Les Paul inspires me if it weighs 7 lbs or 11 lbs.

 

[Jared Purdy]

Gibson has been weight relieving all LP's since 1982. Except CS guitars.
I don't believe the 2013 will be non weight relieved because the 2012 trads ran 9-11.5 lbs. Have not seen an actual 2013 trad yet, so we'll have to wait.

The Traditional is no longer weight relieved, I was told by a CSR at Gibson, and it is spelt out on the Gibson web site. They have no reason to lie, it would be very easy to find out, a simple ultrasound would reveal it.

 

[Chadd]

Maybe Gibson should just stop using the word "Traditional".

It was the existing standard when they made the last round of modifcations to the standards. They had to call it something, traditional wasn't a bad choice. If you want a guitar built to more exacting historical specs, that's what the Reissues are for.

 

[Latearrival]

It was the existing standard when they made the last round of modifcations to the standards. They had to call it something, traditional wasn't a bad choice.

Surely it would have made more sense to rename the guitar they modified?

 

[Jared Purdy]

The Traditional is more traditional than the Standard, by a long shot. The Standard needs to be renamed, and the Traditional needs to remain as it is - "traditional".

 

[andersplaya]

Thumb cutters with speed knobs, nooooo! Oh well I guess alot of people will put bonnet knobs on these. The Trad was based on 80s +90s Stds, which have weight relief, so in that respect the "swiss cheese" is spot on specs wise. Years ago, when I was told that all Stds now had this,I hated the idea and though "no more LPs, PRS frm now on". Well my '11 Trad is an absolute tone machine, and no "Les Paul neck"! All the best (lightest) mahogany goes to the CS, so I'd expect '13s to weigh closer to 70's than 50s LPs. I'll stick with pre '13s myself.

 

[Jared Purdy]

I'm going to order a 2013 and see what it looks like, feels like, sounds like. The store I do most of my business with is owned by the Canadian distributor for Gibso Canada and they have a great, no hassle policy: you order it, you don't like it, no problem. I played a really nice 2012 the other day, great top, felt like the Traditional that I use to have. The 2010 that I had was sweet, perfect actually, and I really kick myself for selling it. Won't make that mistake again. There's no reason why the 2013s won't stack up to previous years. But, Gibson needs to buck up and maintain some continuity with these guitars. The Traditional, the way I see it, is a budget CS, which is fine by me.

 

[Justin_Case]

Sweetwater and Wildwood have stock and photos of the 2013s. Yes no weight relief or chambering.

 

[Dino Velvet]

Great looking guitars at Wildwood. I think I would want one with a 2013 serial number so there's no hassle if you sell it down the road. Nine lbs is an excellent weight, can't wait to try one of these.

 

[andersplaya]

Yeh, the Trad is and will still be my fav non CS LP. Who knows, the next one that stands out (after trying many), may be a '12 or a'13. I've found that the guitars I've bought "on impulse" after trying them out become the keepers more than the ones where I've been obsessive about the exact spec. Didn't read the spec sheet on my Drop Top (S/H, dusty+rusty at the time) till I got home!

 

[Justin_Case]

Great looking guitars at Wildwood. I think I would want one with a 2013 serial number so there's no hassle if you sell it down the road. Nine lbs is an excellent weight, can't wait to try one of these.

Kinda cool to the the 2012 build serial number with the 2013 model stamp