Let's talk weight

[dvir]

Hey!
It's a known thing that les pauls are heavy guitars, but they have many different weights.
mine is about 9.05lbs, I was wondering what are you considering light les paul? what is average and what's heavy. now, I know reissues will have a lighter wood, and chambered will be lighter, so despite that fact.

 

[endial]

Anything under 9.05 lbs.

 

[Cjsinla]

To me, 8.5 lbs would be very light. My lightest is a Trad that weighs almost 9 lbs exactly. The 82 GT in my avatar weighs almost 10 lbs.

 

[GuitarRUSH]

The diametric quality I look for in women, from what I look for in a Les Paul: the heavier the better.


A Les Paul under 9.5 lbs. just feels... off.

 

[paco1976]

Long story short: light is light, heavy is heavy. And a Les Paul is supposed to be heavy.

 

[grayd8]

If someone thinks even a 10lb Les Paul is too heavy, they need to sacrifice an hour of playing time a day and go to the gym. The life you save could be your own.

 

[politenessman]

my 2011 trad '60 is traditional weight relieved, and weigh 10lbs 4 ounces. it doesnt seem heavy. my billie joe is around 6lbs 12ounces and that feels very light, like its going to float away.

 

[Platte City Paul]

I'll have to weigh my '94 when I get it out of the shop.
My 08 Traditional weighs 9 lbs 14 oz.
I had an 08 Standard (chambered) that weighed 7 lbs 13 oz.
I looked at an ES Les Paul the other day. It weighed just under 4 lbs according to the sales guy.
I also looked at a '15 Traditional, and it was HEAVY - probably 11 or more.

 

[Phil W]

A Les Paul under 9.5 lbs. just feels... off.

A 1959 Burst and 59 reissues are invariably less than 9.5lb and do not feel 'off'.

 

[SlyStrat]

9.0 is my max.

 

[stratcpo]

2015 Studio=8.0lbs. ENJOY!!!

 

[charveldan]

Saying a Les Paul is too heavy is like saying a Ferrari is too fast ...

 

[azzapeel]

There is no right or wrong weight,,,,, just what you like. I have a 10 lb classic custom, and a 7 lb 2 oz studio 60s mahogany satin. Both are tone monsters.

 

[Raymond Lin]

9.0 is my max.

That was my "requirement" when I set out to buy mine, but then I saw this...played it, I could not walk away over 9 ounces !

 

[cybermgk]

If someone thinks even a 10lb Les Paul is too heavy, they need to sacrifice an hour of playing time a day and go to the gym. The life you save could be your own.

You MUST be young.

Try having the same 'mileage' I have on my body, the injuries I've had to my knees and back, and see if you sing the same tune. ANd, I was a national class athlete up into my middle thirties (ergo the mileage), and still go to the gym. And yes, anything over high 8 lb range is too heavy for me.

 

[DanL]

Anyone who thinks that heavier Les Pauls inherently have better tone have been drinking the kool-aid for too long. My Axcess is 7lb 11oz and blows the doors off any other Les Paul I've owned, including an R8. Weight of the wood has nothing to do with improved tone, in fact, choice mahogany is always lighter and heavy ones typically haven't been dried completely.

But to answer the question, light is under 8lbs, medium is 8-10lbs and heavy is 10+lbs. Had a 91 that fell through the cracks as far as weight relief and weighed over 12lbs. I sold it to a guy who thought heavier was better, but I made damn sure not to play my Axcess with him around or he wouldn't have seen that it's a complete myth and probably wouldn't have forked over the $1900 for a majestic solid body Gibson USA Les Paul.

 

[ARandall]

Weight is irrelevant to tone. And given a lot of people play in a vast range of music styles, tone is also in the eye of the (be)holder.

My lightest LP is about 8lbs 1oz, is also solid and is fitted with heavy Grover tuners. My heaviest is a 10lbs Norlin 'monster'. But both have 'equal' tone for what I want them for.

 

[Gargamel647]

My custom shop LP is over 11lbs. She's the only fat chick that sees my bedroom.

 

[X–Ray]

Both my Strat and Tele are slightly heavier than my two Historics which are non–weight relieved

My experience has been very few (I want to say "never") Les Pauls were "too heavy" given a good guitar strap adjusted at the right height = the guitar's center of gravity is aligned with the body's center of gravity (balance and physics?)



Results may vary and frequently do...

 

[lǎo​wài]

My 2013 Trad checks in at about 9.2 pounds.

Standard is over 10. How much over, I don't know.

I like heavy LPs. Not because more weight = moar toanez, but I simply prefer the feel of a heavy guitar in my hands.

Playing three sets with a weighty guitar does mean a tired, sore back at the end of the night though.