Les Paul traditionals are Not weight relieved

[JC64]

As requested by a senior member, I've copied my post from Les Paul 101 thread to a new one.



"Originally Posted by R9.
Rather than keep sending people to Gibson Forums, I figured I'd post this here. Maybe with some luck, this will become a sticky.
This post mainly applies to newer Les Pauls. Nowadays, there are two types of Les Pauls - Gibson USA and Gibson Custom Shop.

Gibson USA
Weight-relief started around 1982/1983. Every Gibson USA Les Paul between 1982 - 2007 is weight-relieved. They do not have solid-body construction. Weight-relief is also known as "swiss cheese holes" and refers to the nine holes drilled out of the body in order to reduce the weight of the guitar.

Chambering officially began for 2007 but the late 2006s are also chambered. Any Les Paul made after October 2006 maybe or likely is chambered. Every 2007 and newer Gibson USA Les Paul is chambered, except for the Les Paul Traditional. The Les Paul Traditional has swiss cheese holes. Chambering is essentially hollowing out the body. Again, this is in order to reduce the weight of the guitar."



The 2013 traditional guitars do not have swiss cheese holes according to a Gibson rep in this review video I found yesterday.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOCu4AH49Nk"]Gibson Les Paul Traditional 2013 Electric Guitar Demo - Sweetwater Sound - YouTube[/ame]

In addition, here is the current product description on AMS :

The Gibson Les Paul Traditional 2013 Electric Guitar is for players who love the classic Les Pauls of the 50s and 60s. The Les Paul Traditional features a Mahogany body with a beautiful AA figured Maple top and no weight relief for players who want the tone and feel of a solid body. 57 Classic and 57 Classic Plus humbuckers with orange drop capacitors stay true to vintage Gibson Les Paul tone!

Gibson Les Paul Traditional 2013 Electric Guitar Specifications

• Mahogany Body with AA figured maple Top
• Late ‘50s Round Mahogany Neck
• Bound Rosewood Fingerboard
• 57 Classic and 57 Classic Plus Humbuckers with orange drop capacitors
• Includes Hardshell Case

Anyway, wanted to share this with those who may be interested. Fyi I just ordered the Heritage Cherry Sunburst tonight.

 

[timgman]

Xray

 

[Gmal]

As of 2013 they are not weight relieved. Anything 2012 or earlier has the swiss cheese holes AFAIK.

 

[JC64]

As of 2013 they are not weight relieved. Anything 2012 or earlier has the swiss cheese holes AFAIK.

Yes, just edited my post and stuck that in there, thanks.

 

[wallym]

Yes, but they have a short tenon.

Don't they???

 

[The Wedge]

Yes, but they have a short tenon.

Don't they???

yes

 

[Dino Velvet]

This is all pretty much common knowledge for anybody that's owned Gibson LP's for any length of time.

 

[freddairy]

I thought it was a cool feature when I bought my 2013 Traditional that it was one of the first Les Paul USA models to have no weight relief. It comes in at a nice 8.6lbs too so maybe Gibson got a batch of lighter wood? I dunno does the chambering or swiss cheese holes change the tone? With humbuckers any Gibson style guitar is going to sound like a Gibson compared to the Fenders I'm used too.

Like I said it's a cool feature that it's supposedly solid through and through. But the true reason I bought my 2013 Traditional was due to it's honkin' fat neck. That's the one spec new to the USA line for 2013 that I'm excited about that was previously only available through the Custom Shop.

My hope is Gibson doesn't discontinue this model and no hype builds around the fact that its a solid body with a Custom Shop-like fat neck for a nice USA series price. I don't want this model turning into the next Standard Faded where I can't pick up a used one for less than the new price.

 

[JC64]

I thought it was a cool feature when I bought my 2013 Traditional that it was one of the first Les Paul USA models to have no weight relief. It comes in at a nice 8.6lbs too so maybe Gibson got a batch of lighter wood? I dunno does the chambering or swiss cheese holes change the tone? With humbuckers any Gibson style guitar is going to sound like a Gibson compared to the Fenders I'm used too.

Like I said it's a cool feature that it's supposedly solid through and through. But the true reason I bought my 2013 Traditional was due to it's honkin' fat neck. That's the one spec new to the USA line for 2013 that I'm excited about that was previously only available through the Custom Shop.

My hope is Gibson doesn't discontinue this model and no hype builds around the fact that its a solid body with a Custom Shop-like fat neck for a nice USA series price. I don't want this model turning into the next Standard Faded where I can't pick up a used one for less than the new price.

They won't discontinue it, they will sell a lot of them since there hasn't been a solid body Les Paul since 1982 with the exception of custom shop.

Read up here, http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/gibson-les-pauls/50210-gibson-les-paul-101-a.html

It is why I posted the info.

 

[jlb32]

It's cool that they are completely solid for 2013 but IMO tonally you would never know the difference between completely solid and the 9 holes. To me it's more of Gibson using it as a selling point because it sounds pleasing to consumers.

 

[JC64]

It's cool that they are completely solid for 2013 but IMO tonally you would never know the difference between completely solid and the 9 holes. To me it's more of Gibson using it as a selling point because it sounds pleasing to consumers.

Well it's a step in the right direction toward better tone IMO if you consider the fact that the best sounding Les Pauls were the late 50's solid body guitars.

 

[Mexicanbreed]

Interesting. I always learn new things on these boards.

 

[JC64]

A couple more videos I found.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOLOZJehUC8]Gibson Les Paul Traditional 2013 - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PFZ2AXDlBQ]zZounds.com: Gibson 2013 Les Paul Traditional Electric Guitar - YouTube[/ame]

 

[GibsonMarshallGuy]

It's cool that they are completely solid for 2013 but IMO tonally you would never know the difference between completely solid and the 9 holes. To me it's more of Gibson using it as a selling point because it sounds pleasing to consumers.

I have a 2013 along with other weight relieved Les Paul's. the 13' sounds great but so does my other LP's. The biggest difference is that the 13' has a huge neck, definitely what some would call a "baseball bat" profile. I love that, and no other standard production model offers that...

Being that my 13 is solid, well it's a nice addition and a dream come true for me. I always wanted a solid body Les Paul.

 

[bridge500t]

When i bought my 2012 as compared to a 2013 that i compared it to at the same store, the 2012 sounded and played better. I think it comes down to the specific guitar, nothing more or less.

 

[The Archer]

When i bought my 2012 as compared to a 2013 that i compared it to at the same store, the 2012 sounded and played better. I think it comes down to the specific guitar, nothing more or less.

Stop saying things that make sense...before you know it there wont be any new threads

 

[Latearrival]

It's cool that they are completely solid for 2013 but IMO tonally you would never know the difference between completely solid and the 9 holes. To me it's more of Gibson using it as a selling point because it sounds pleasing to consumers.

And not before time! I am pretty sure that there will be virtually no tone difference between completely solid and "swiss-cheesed" (unlike the almost completely hollow 2008 chambered models) - as the holes are well away from the bridge, pick-ups and solid wood in the centre.

But a lot of people (myself included) like the idea of a solid guitar, not one with chunks of wood removed from the inside!

 

[freddairy]

They won't discontinue it, they will sell a lot of them since there hasn't been a solid body Les Paul since 1982 with the exception of custom shop.

Read up here, http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/gibson-les-pauls/50210-gibson-les-paul-101-a.html

It is why I posted the info.

I may be a newbie here but I understand the history of Gibson somewhat. My stating them discontinuing the 2013 styled Traditional has nothing to do with them being successful or unsuccessful. Gibson discontinued the Standard Faded and that model would sell right now. Just look at what they go for used on eBay. I've got an old Les Paul Studio Gem that is a fine guitar that I think should never have been discontinued. I'm sure there's a crowd out there that would snap those up too if Gibson started making them again. Just look at the changes to the Standard over the past 10 years.

 

[freddairy]

I have a 2013 along with other weight relieved Les Paul's. the 13' sounds great but so does my other LP's. The biggest difference is that the 13' has a huge neck, definitely what some would call a "baseball bat" profile. I love that, and no other standard production model offers that...

Being that my 13 is solid, well it's a nice addition and a dream come true for me. I always wanted a solid body Les Paul.

I totally agree with you. I sound like a broken record but that neck profile is the total selling point on these guitars for me. They could be fully chambered and I wouldn't care. As long as it's got the fat neck I'm happy and that's because I'm inspired to pick it up play, practice, hell even learn new songs. I've finally found a neck on a guitar that I don't want to put down.

Now I know this probably makes absolutely no tonal difference to us humans. But I'm thinking back to when I was Martin shopping and I kept hearing the fat neck models helped transfer the tone better. I think that's what it was. It was something cork sniffy like that and maybe did make some difference on a acoustic instrument. Maybe there is something acoustically different behind having the solid body and baseball neck. Don't get me wrong whatever difference that makes flies out the window when you plug in and step in with your favorite band at the local bar.

 

[SLewis]

Well it's a step in the right direction toward better tone IMO if you consider the fact that the best sounding Les Pauls were the late 50's solid body guitars.

I don't consider it a fact that the best sounding Les Pauls were from the late 50's.

Another guy hoodwinked by myth and aura.

Great guitars are made every day.

.