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My Search for the 2017 Standard - What is with the tops?


SpawnedX

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Hi Guys,

 

I am new here, but feel this is the best place to post about my search since Gibson employees read here.

 

I am on the search for my first Standard. I have decided it needs to be a 2017 HCSB. Now all the ones I try play amazing. This isn't some rant about poor quality control that we are all so used to rolling our eyes at online. This isn't my first LP either, just my very first Standard, moving up in stages as an excuse to validate my GAS to my wife.

 

However, I feel very frustrated on this search. None of the tops I have personally seen are what I would call AAA tops. Heck I have seen some Traditional Ts with nicer tops than I am seeing on these Standards. I feel like Gibson's wood grading team has no clue what they are doing anymore. It is disheartening, because while they all play amazing, aesthetically they are not doing it for me. Have you guys been noticing the same for this model year?

 

What is going on Gibson?

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However, I feel very frustrated on this search. None of the tops I have personally seen are what I would call AAA tops.

 

AAA is in the eye of the beholder. There is no standard, anybody can call anything a AAA that they want.

 

rct

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AAA is in the eye of the beholder. There is no standard, anybody can call anything a AAA that they want.

 

rct

 

That is only true to an extent, some of these so called AAA tops I am seeing are borderline plain tops, the figuring is almost non-existent.

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Hello and welcome..

 

Well from what I saw of the 2016s... They seem to be putting the nicer (more flamey) tops on the HP models.....

 

But id say, wait.... we are still in 2016, theres another good 8 months of production...... If its your first standard keep looking, take your time.. One will come along that you do like... cos that's the thing with guitars, each one is slightly different.. and don't be afraid to ask shops if they have more stock in the back of the same model....

 

Good luck and come and post pics for us when you find your "one" [thumbup]

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That is only true to an extent, some of these so called AAA tops I am seeing are borderline plain tops, the figuring is almost non-existent.

 

Not arguing but no, it is not to an extent, it just is. Blame Paul Reed and his incessant use of "10 Top" in the 90's. You can call anything you want anything you want. Just keep looking and sooner or later you'll find a nice top, or spend more on a figured top model, I'm sure they've got halfa dozen of them too.

 

rct

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Hello and welcome to the inner core of the guitar lover's world. [thumbup]

 

... It is disheartening, because while they all play amazing, aesthetically they are not doing it for me. ...

To be honest, for me it has always been a good start when a guitar plays amazing. Add a nice tone, and everything crucial is there. When grain, figuring and finish also are what I may have dreamt of, it could be the perfect buy, but I think this is an extra. I prefer transparent or translucent finishes exhibiting the timbers used, but I also have some guitars and basses with solid colours, in most cases due to lack of options. However, I have to admit that all of my Les Paul guitars have transparent finishes and to my taste don't look bad at all.

 

When about my first Les Paul Standard 2012 I bought in mid-2012 brand-new, a quartersawn AAA flame top and Translucent Amber finish have been on top of my imaginary list. Well, in the end I went with a crazy flat-sawn maple top, curly with a touch of quilted looking and some brown streaks. Into the bargain she came at a price already discounted by Gibson despite of being rated as Standard Plus.

 

The main pitfall I think is that tops are rated before finishing, and the final appearance, especially chatoyancy and contrast, will depend a lot on the colour.

 

Finally, checking out different guitars can be both entertaining and educational, in particular when you are not yet positive to burn your money on the candidates. In case a guitar with a second choice look at first glance is convincing you with performance, it could be love! [biggrin]

 

Just my two cents...

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.

Gibson's grading chart, posted on their website a while back, is shown below. The problem is two fold: One, as RCT points out, there's no consistency of grading between manufacturers. And two, Gibson's grading varies greatly from the posted chart below, with some examples of AAA looking like B+ or BB. Just in the pics below of A grades there's some hard to understand differences.

 

I agree with Rabs - keep looking. And I wish you luck finding what your looking for.

 

 

Gibson%20Top%20Grading_zps5kl7s3pz.jpg

 

 

.

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.

Gibson's grading chart, posted on their website a while back, is shown below. The problem is two fold: One, as RCT points out, there's no consistency of grading between manufacturers. And two, Gibson's grading varies greatly from the posted chart below, with some examples of AAA looking like B+ or BB. Just in the pics below of A grades there's some hard to understand differences.

 

I agree with Rabs - keep looking. And I wish you luck finding what your looking for.

 

 

Gibson%20Top%20Grading_zps5kl7s3pz.jpg

 

 

.

 

Thank you for the chart, it actually further cements what is in my mind. I am seeing Standards from 2017 with tops that are equivalent to the B-BB of the chart.

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Guest Farnsbarns

That is only true to an extent, some of these so called AAA tops I am seeing are borderline plain tops, the figuring is almost non-existent.

 

Must sound terrible.

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so you are looking for that "Top in your head" [like people look to get the "sound in their head"] right, but at the end of the day, it's gonna be a compromise, it always is. You may find one with a top that knocks your socks off, but it doesn't play great and perhaps there's some concerning "bumps" on the neck or some other flaw you find..... so what to do then?

 

and Ron is right, there is no standard to the rating, it's up to who ever is deciding what to call it. The pictures shown are good examples, but examples is all they are.

 

to that end here's an 02 Standard that I got second hand in 04, by looking at the scaling / grading pics, what would you recon this would be? (I would say AAA...)

2002LesPaulSmall_zps81ea111f.jpg

 

Wondering... have you thought at all about looking for a mint used one from a few years ago?

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so you are looking for that "Top in your head" [like people look to get the "sound in their head"] right, but at the end of the day, it's gonna be a compromise, it always is. You may find one with a top that knocks your socks off, but it doesn't play great and perhaps there's some concerning "bumps" on the neck or some other flaw you find..... so what to do then?

 

and Ron is right, there is no standard to the rating, it's up to who ever is deciding what to call it. The pictures shown are good examples, but examples is all they are.

 

to that end here's an 02 Standard that I got second hand in 04, by looking at the scaling / grading pics, what would you recon this would be? (I would say AAA...)

2002LesPaulSmall_zps81ea111f.jpg

 

Wondering... have you thought at all about looking for a mint used one from a few years ago?

 

I would call that a AAA.

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Hi Guys,

 

I am new here, but feel this is the best place to post about my search since Gibson employees read here.

 

I am on the search for my first Standard. I have decided it needs to be a 2017 HCSB. Now all the ones I try play amazing. This isn't some rant about poor quality control that we are all so used to rolling our eyes at online. This isn't my first LP either, just my very first Standard, moving up in stages as an excuse to validate my GAS to my wife.

 

However, I feel very frustrated on this search. None of the tops I have personally seen are what I would call AAA tops. Heck I have seen some Traditional Ts with nicer tops than I am seeing on these Standards. I feel like Gibson's wood grading team has no clue what they are doing anymore. It is disheartening, because while they all play amazing, aesthetically they are not doing it for me. Have you guys been noticing the same for this model year?

 

What is going on Gibson?

 

I agree just wait until they make several thousand. here is my BB top which is near AAA. and this one was on sweetwater, seems close to AAA.

 

Yty3VNP.jpg

 

sweetwater out but more coming

S2AcsoA.jpg

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I have just ordered a new 2017 Standard HP... I have high hopes that the AAAA top will be spectacular. Gibson has at least one other good AAAA top out there (see my 2014 Custom-F below), I hope my new Blueberry burst turns out to be another!

 

20160801_213710.jpg

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Hi Guys,

 

I am new here, but feel this is the best place to post about my search since Gibson employees read here.

 

I am on the search for my first Standard. I have decided it needs to be a 2017 HCSB. Now all the ones I try play amazing. This isn't some rant about poor quality control that we are all so used to rolling our eyes at online. This isn't my first LP either, just my very first Standard, moving up in stages as an excuse to validate my GAS to my wife.

 

However, I feel very frustrated on this search. None of the tops I have personally seen are what I would call AAA tops. Heck I have seen some Traditional Ts with nicer tops than I am seeing on these Standards. I feel like Gibson's wood grading team has no clue what they are doing anymore. It is disheartening, because while they all play amazing, aesthetically they are not doing it for me. Have you guys been noticing the same for this model year?

 

What is going on Gibson?

 

Now we are talking.I want this even though mine is perfect,.this is quite stunning Blueberry Burst

57WlfXE.jpg

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