Traditional or a Traditional Pro?

[chef42974]

Would you rather have a Traditional or a Traditional Pro both brand new?

Traditional Pro: The new Gibson Les Paul Standard Traditional Pro may take design and visual cues from Les Pauls of the 80's and 90's, but it delivers a fat, snarling tone that vintage purists love. Featuring Burstbucker 3 and '57 Classic pickups with coil-splitting, Grover locking tuners, and Gibson top hat knobs, the Traditional Pro also sports a non-chambered mahogany body with a high-gloss finished maple cap, while the back, sides, and '60's-style neck have a smooth satin finish that feels great and lets the wood resonate fully.


Traditional: You wanted it. Well you got it. With all the fat, sweet snarling sound that you expect from a Les Paul tone, the Gibson Les Paul Traditional is an electric guitar that has all the traditional features you expect from a Les Paul. Mahogany body and set neck and a pair of Gibson's awesome '57 Classic humbucker pickups. Gibson is pleased to announce that the Les Paul Traditional is the first model to use the revolutionary Plek system.

Im not buying a new one, I have a Pro already. I was just wondering what people would choose and why?

 

[MaliBoo]

If you want coil taps, take PRO, if you want pure Les Paul take traditional. Its that simple.

 

[heybulldog]

How about Traditional PLUS ?

 

[HRC]

I prefer the Traditional over the Traditional Pro but they're both nice.

The Classic 57's fit my style and I really never cared for the sound of a coil split humbucker like the Pro has so it wouldn't be of much use to me.

 

[Lipinhu]

I'm expecting a traditional pro tomorrow...

Why??? All in all its a traditional with some details that i considered as a plus over her sister...
Grover tuners, 500k volume pots (300k on the traditional), the bb3 on the bridge (considering that the 57 plus is an overwound pickup)...
The coil tap is not a plus feature to me, but if it came I can live with that.
Now, the look... for all the Traditionals i tried, they all sound similar and good, but didn't like the tops... despite being flamed they looked cheap. The honey burst was yellow, no burst at all and the heritage cherry looked like math paper.

I like plain tops too, and considering the specs and price... I pulled the trigger on a traditional pro, but i could have had one the above mentioned traditionals for quite the same price, just didn't like them.

 

[6stringer]

I went with the Pro for the 60's neck profile & coil splitting. Locking Grovers too. The only thing missing was a flame top, but that didn't influence my decision at all. I gotta killer looking burst transition and awesome grain on the one I picked out. Either way, you can't go wrong.

 

[bobarino]

traditional.
i prefer covered pickups and i'm not fond of locking tuners.

 

[6stringer]

i prefer covered pickups.

You and I both. Just added a set of covers to my Trad. Pro yesterday.

 

[bobarino]

You and I both. Just added a set of covers to my Trad. Pro yesterday.

time to update your avatar

 

[Latearrival]

Traditional Plus for the flamed top, and the classic 57 pick-ups, which are the absolute business, as far as I am concerned!

Also prefer the fact that the traditional has a fully polished one piece back (in the case of my 2009 - not sure if new ones still have this), and polished neck. Pros have a matt finish - which saves on labour costs, which is reflected in the price.

Pros have coil taps, (if that is important) and locking tuners.

 

[KenG]

Locking tuners on a non-tremolo guitar are kind of a waste IMO, they were designed to prevent movement in the wraps on a tuning post when a tremolo dive took the tension off by getting rid of the wraps. I went for the Trad because of the 1-piece body (at the tiime) 50's neck, Classic 57 PUs and generally the old look. I also line in Canada and generally can't access the special versions sold at MF or GT.

 

[budg]

Locking tuners on a non-tremolo guitar are kind of a waste IMO, they were designed to prevent movement in the wraps on a tuning post when a tremolo dive took the tension off by getting rid of the wraps. I went for the Trad because of the 1-piece body (at the tiime) 50's neck, Classic 57 PUs and generally the old look. I also line in Canada and generally can't access the special versions sold at MF or GT.

I agree.On a fixed bridge guitar whats the point.Even on a strat unless you do alot of dive bombs , it isnt a big deal.Both my strats have vintage tuners and vintage trems and have yet to see the need for locking tuners.

 

[b3john]

I'd get the Trad Pro, because it comes with the '60s neck and four-wire pickups (for flexibility, you can do a more with them than just coil splits). Locking tuners will also speed up string changes and have more stability with more extreme string bending (i.e. Zep's "Heartbreaker"). Grovers > Kluson.

 

[sibyrpunk]

Trad Pro for the 60's neck. Changed out the BB3 for a Dimarzio 36th PAF, couldn't be happier.Unless I was able to get a real 59'.

 

[KSPaul]

Traditional Plus for the flamed top, and the classic 57 pick-ups, which are the absolute business, as far as I am concerned!

Also prefer the fact that the traditional has a fully polished one piece back (in the case of my 2009 - not sure if new ones still have this), and polished neck. Pros have a matt finish - which saves on labour costs, which is reflected in the price.

Pros have coil taps, (if that is important) and locking tuners.

What he said. For me, gloss back & neck is a must. Too bad Gibson doesn't offer that option for the traditional pro.

I'd have bought a traditional plus by now with a desert burst finish if they only did the burst in a teardrop shape (like the traditional pro in vintage sunburst) rather than rimburst. Although I prefer the look of Grovers over Klusons, the tuners aren't a deal breaker for me like the rimburst finish.

 

[80's Rocker]

I have a trad pro but if I could go back I would probably get a traditional.