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Sunfist

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Which specs are you looking at?

 

Yes they pretty much all come with a maple top of one kind or another.. there are some that don't and are slab guitars or have mahogany or some other top.. but mostly maple.

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There are experts who can give you the complete run down, but for the moment you've just got me.

 

The only models with just mahogany slab bodies that come to mind are LP Juniors and Melody Makers. The 2015 DC Specials also had no cap.

 

I seem to recall the cap thickness may vary between models?! Not positive though.

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Originally, the Les Paul Custom was a full mahogany body, without the maple cap.

 

I have no idea if they still are. I can't keep track of what Gibson has been doing lately, Gibson probably can't either.

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Here's one without a maple cap I came across this week:

Gibson Limited Edition Mahogany Top Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar - Natural

 

dhdbpvjkwfghtmrbh9rp.jpg

 

 

I don't know much else about it. I though I have heard of 100% solid mahogany Les Pauls (not Jr.) without a cap but I have never seen one. Heck maybe the one I linked to above is actually a slab versus a top. Just because it has binding doesn't necessarily mean it has a top. (I'm not trying to say anything about that actual guitar or its posting because I have no proof that it doesn't have a top. I should look at the grain patterns of the top versus the back to see if they match up or not. Ok, I just looked and it does indeed appear to be a separate mahogany top since the grain of the top is very different than the rear of the body.)

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I don't know much else about it. I though I have heard of 100% solid mahogany Les Pauls (not Jr.) without a cap but I have never seen one. Heck maybe the one I linked to above is actually a slab versus a top. Just because it has binding doesn't necessarily mean it has a top. (I'm not trying to say anything about that actual guitar or its posting because I have no proof that it doesn't have a top. I should look at the grain patterns of the top versus the back to see if they match up or not.)

It still has a cap.. its just a mahogany one (look at the pics of the back, totally different grain).. They have done them in many woods, but they are always limited run models...

 

Theres some studios without caps (ash body I think)..

 

But mostly they do have a cap.. And mostly its maple... mostly :)

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Yeah, you're right, Rabs. I looked closely at the read of the body as compared to the top and it is definitely a top. I have an all-maple Explorer CMT that is like that. The body is maple but has a separate maple top.

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Yeah, you're right, Rabs. I looked closely at the read of the body as compared to the top and it is definitely a top. I have an all-maple Explorer CMT that is like that. The body is maple but has a separate maple top.

They have done some interesting ones

 

Flamed Walnut

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-Standard-Figured-Walnut.aspx

 

Re-claimed sunken Mahogany

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-Sunken-Treasure.aspx

 

Redwood

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-Redwood.aspx

 

Heres an interesting Studio made from Ash with no top

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2016/USA/Les-Paul-Studio-Swamp-Ash.aspx

 

And another ash one

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2017/USA/Les-Paul-Custom-Studio-S-Series.aspx

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Here's one without a maple cap I came across this week:

Gibson Limited Edition Mahogany Top Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar - Natural

 

dhdbpvjkwfghtmrbh9rp.jpg

 

 

I don't know much else about it. I though I have heard of 100% solid mahogany Les Pauls (not Jr.) without a cap but I have never seen one. Heck maybe the one I linked to above is actually a slab versus a top. Just because it has binding doesn't necessarily mean it has a top. (I'm not trying to say anything about that actual guitar or its posting because I have no proof that it doesn't have a top. I should look at the grain patterns of the top versus the back to see if they match up or not. Ok, I just looked and it does indeed appear to be a separate mahogany top since the grain of the top is very different than the rear of the body.)

 

Man that is a stunning looking guitar. Probably a little different tone from the usual Maple cap LP but what a beauty and very reasonable price. Confusing it says it's a Traditional, but description says weight relieved? Anyway sure is nice to look at. I love a natural finish when the wood grain and figure is right. [drool]

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Those are all pretty cool - guess I missed seeing them in 2016 model year. I never understood the sunken wood theory. I have seen other manufacturers make a big deal about wood from a tree that was under water for a long time and reclaimed. But I don' get it - guitar wood is usually kiln dried as part of making the guitar, so what is the advantage of wood that has been soaked for years under water? [confused]

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But I don' get it - guitar wood is usually kiln dried as part of making the guitar, so what is the advantage of wood that has been soaked for years under water? [confused]

 

Good question. I'm wondering if it involves the (micro) "air" spaces within the wood... If the air spaces were saturated with water, that would likely "maintain" the spaces better than air would, over a period of time. Then when that water is dried out of the wood... you get substantial space in the wood for super sonic splendiferance, which I think is a muso-scientific term.

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Those are all pretty cool - guess I missed seeing them in 2016 model year. I never understood the sunken wood theory. I have seen other manufacturers make a big deal about wood from a tree that was under water for a long time and reclaimed. But I don' get it - guitar wood is usually kiln dried as part of making the guitar, so what is the advantage of wood that has been soaked for years under water? [confused]

Well the point I think is to do something different and im always happy when they use old wood..

 

But really its just a marketing thing.. Like I think there was a Fender line where they used wood from an old barn and they talk about it like it was sprinkled with fairy dust or something :) (if anything surely old wood should be cheaper??).. One thing about old wood is its done its aging.. but really that's neither here nor there, just another way to get people to pay more cos so many people think that old wood is better for what ever reason..

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Well the point I think is to do something different and im always happy when they use old wood..

 

But really its just a marketing thing.. Like I think there was a Fender line where they used wood from an old barn and they talk about it like it was sprinkled with fairly dust or something :) (if anything surely old wood should be cheaper??).. One thing about old wood is its done its aging.. but really that's neither here nor there, just another way to get people to pay more cos so many people think that old wood is better for what ever reason..

 

I bet that farmer was none too pleased with Fender.

 

I had my dining room floor boards replaced last year. That wood was incredibly light. It had been weight relieved over many years by skilled woodworm.

 

TBH, wood used on solidbodys appeals (to me) for its texture and appearance. I do prefer a lighter guitar, its true, so long as it still weighs more than the neck!

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I bet that farmer was none too pleased with Fender.

 

I had my dining room floor boards replaced last year. That wood was incredibly light. It had been weight relieved over many years by skilled woodworm.

 

TBH, wood used on solidbodys appeals (to me) for its texture and appearance. I do prefer a lighter guitar, its true, so long as it still weighs more than the neck!

If you are interested

 

http://newatlas.com/fender-reclaimed-wood-guitars/32127/

 

I think the annoying thing for me is that it has to have some kind of story behind it or it wont sell.. If they said, ohh we just came across this load of old wood and decided to use it, no one would buy it.. Yet theres probably tonnes and tonnes of perfectly usable wood just sitting out there doing nothing to eventually rot away or be burned.. And we are killing the forests by cutting down more wood just because that's whats expected...

 

Personally I have used loads of re-claimed wood and my response is just to sell it at a reasonable price. Why should I expect someone to pay more cos I say the wood is amazing and special and when I paid nothing or almost nothing for it...

 

We live in a weird crazy world [rolleyes]

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Think that some famous violins etc are made from woods which were stored in water, possibly Strads and more.... :-k

 

I just watched a program about the present climate. It then went to an examination of Strad violins. Part of the Strads exceptional sound is the fineness of the wood grain. When compared to modern equivalent woods, modern grains are much courser.

 

Apparently in colder climates, wood grows slower. The slow growth results in finer grain. So it was colder 300 years ago in the woods where those woods were choosen for those violins.

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If you are interested

 

http://newatlas.com/fender-reclaimed-wood-guitars/32127/

 

I think the annoying thing for me is that it has to have some kind of story behind it or it wont sell.. If they said, ohh we just came across this load of old wood and decided to use it, no one would buy it.. Yet theres probably tonnes and tonnes of perfectly usable wood just sitting out there doing nothing to eventually rot away or be burned.. And we are killing the forests by cutting down more wood just because that's whats expected...

 

Personally I have used loads of re-claimed wood and my response is just to sell it at a reasonable price. Why should I expect someone to pay more cos I say the wood is amazing and special and when I paid nothing or almost nothing for it...

 

We live in a weird crazy world [rolleyes]

 

I see what you mean. :) Theres a guy selling reconditioned guitars (he fixes up cheap guitars) on ebay who has made a few small bodied guitars too. Now HE can tell a story!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/sam_deek?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

 

His site blog features storys and videos.

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I just watched a program about the present climate. It then went to an examination of Strad violins. Part of the Strads exceptional sound is the fineness of the wood grain. When compared to modern equivalent woods, modern grains are much courser.

 

Apparently in colder climates, wood grows slower. The slow growth results in finer grain. So it was colder 300 years ago in the woods where those woods were choosen for those violins.

 

Very interesting.

 

That time period coincides with the so-called "Little Ice Age" in Europe:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ice_Age

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I just watched a program about the present climate. It then went to an examination of Strad violins. Part of the Strads exceptional sound is the fineness of the wood grain. When compared to modern equivalent woods, modern grains are much courser.

 

Apparently in colder climates, wood grows slower. The slow growth results in finer grain. So it was colder 300 years ago in the woods where those woods were choosen for those violins.

 

Very interesting.

 

That time period coincides with the so-called "Little Ice Age" in Europe:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ice_Age

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