School me on a 2011 Traditional?

[Toogy]

I have a deposit down on one and plan to pick it up tomorrow, 2011 Les Paul Traditional Gold Top!!

What is the scoop on the 2011 Traditionals?

57 Classic Pickups? Classic Plus in the bridge?
Are they weight relieved?
Are the fingerboards rosewood, or something else?

Anything else I should know?

Thanks!

 

[Comanche]

Rosewood fingerboard and they have nine quarter size plugs removed from the body. Even with the wood removed they're still in the nine plus pound range.
I have one. It's a keeper.

 

[stang90gt]

Didn't the 2011 Gibsons use baked maple?? i have a 2011 SG Special that has baked maple and i love it

 

[Jackangus]

Yea, I have a 2011 and its baked maple.

 

[Toogy]

Was baked maple started half way through 2011? It didn't seem like a baked maple board when I test drove it last week.

 

[wrc73]

2011 Trad should have a rosewood fretboard, maybe a two piece rosewood fretboard, but I am not sure of the exact date range for the two piece boards. Should be a great guitar either way, congrats!

 

[foxtrot]

Whether the guitar has a rosewood or baked maple fretboard in 2011 will depend on when it was produced in 2011 (my 2011 Studio Deluxe was made with Rosewood before the switch. My 2012 Traditional Plus has 2 piece Rosewood). Gibson switched to baked maple part way through 2011, not on all Gibson models if I remember correctly, but I'm pretty sure the Traditional switched to baked maple (I remember paying attention to this when looking for my Traditional, as I started looking at used 2011s), and Jackangus said his is baked maple.

Though they can appear similar, you should be able to tell in person when you go to pick it up by looking at the grain and the wood pores. The coloring alone won't tell you much (the Rosewood on my 2012 is so dark others have actually asked if it's Ebony.). You could find the dates (i.e. month really) Gibson switched in 2011 online too and go by the serial number of the guitar.

 

[winexprt]

I own a 2011 Trad Plus. GREAT guitar! Rosewood fingerboard. Traditional weight relief. It came with 57 Classic pickups in both positions.

 

[foxtrot]

Based on a quick search it looks like the raid that effected the switch to Baked Maple took place on 8/24/2011, so if the guitar was built prior to that (based on its serial number) it should be Rosewood (and then back to Rosewood in 2012). Still, pretty easy to tell in person too.

 

[Comanche]

The Traditional came with Rosewood. The Classic had the maple boards in 2011.

 

[tzd]

Baked maple made its way onto some of the Sam Ash Exclusive Traditional 1960 models, but I believe Gibson's main Traditional Plus line kept its rosewood. In fact I think the Traditional Plus line died down after the wood got switch to maple.

 

[foxtrot]

Baked maple made its way onto some of the Sam Ash Exclusive Traditional 1960 models, but I believe Gibson's main Traditional Plus line kept its rosewood. In fact I think the Traditional Plus line died down after the wood got switch to maple.

This sounds right and close to what I remember, as I was thinking about picking up one of their 2011 1960 Traditionals at the time. Did the Traditional Pros switch to baked maple too or stay Rosewood?

 

[Comanche]

This sounds right and close to what I remember, as I was thinking about picking up one of their 2011 1960 Traditionals at the time. Did the Traditional Pros switch to baked maple too or stay Rosewood?

Traditional Pro = rosewood.

 

[tzd]

This sounds right and close to what I remember, as I was thinking about picking up one of their 2011 1960 Traditionals at the time. Did the Traditional Pros switch to baked maple too or stay Rosewood?

Traditional Pros managed to stay rosewood. Mainly because like the Gibson Traditional Plus, they stopped making the Trad Pro I when rosewood got depleted in the second half of 2011, and then they started making the Trad Pro II after they settled the case in late 2012.

 

[Comanche]

The Lester is a Traditional Plus GC exclusive. It has the push pull knobs to splt the humbuckers.

 

[uwmcscott]

I have a 2011 studio deluxe 50s and it also has rosewood even though the specs said maple. That year apparently just depends on when it was made.

 

[Toogy]

It has a rosewood board! It was made on May 2nd, 2011. And it rocks!!

 

[smurph1]

It has a rosewood board! It was made on May 2nd, 2011. And it rocks!!

that's a beauty!! Looks almost brand new!! Congratulations!!

 

[Toogy]

It does! there is one small blemish on the back, but other than that it really does look brand new! Couldn't be happier! Love the weight on it, it's not a back breaker, but it definitely feels more substantial than the standard faded I used to own.

 

[wrc73]

Very nice, congrats!