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2012-2014 Standard vs 2013-2014 Traditonal


Paulus Hook

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Hey guys this is my first post and the proud owner of a 2005 studio, 2013 standard, and 2013 traditional and...(once owner of a 2011 classic which i loved but sold). I know there are many threads about which is better between the newer standards and the non weight relieved 2013 traditional, so blah blah mumbo jumbo on that. How about we talk about what we like about both. Being the owner of both and a once skeptical weight relieved and chambered hater, I would have to admit I was wrong. Having the same pickups, string gauge, and setup on both my standard and traditional 57 classic and 500T, sound-wise the standard takes the cake, keep in mind my musical style is hard rock/metal and its thinner neck seems to have a little more edge and brightness to my favor. HOWEVER My favorite, well... the Traditional. The standard i feel is more hi tech and suits my style better, and deserves to have the higher price, but I love my traditional for the way it feels in my hands. So we can argue which is better and I would have to say both parties would be wrong in my experience, being an owner of both. So I want to ask what do you love about each and which is your favorite? I personally feel aside from QC Gibson is making its best sounding guitars in years regardless of all the trashing threads on other forums.

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My vote was both equally, evaluating three Standards of mine and my Traditional 2013.

 

In my case, experiences say that it's just the opposite in tonality with stock pickups and same brand and gauge stainless steel strings. My 2013 Traditional clearly has more edge than all of my three Standards, two Modern Weight Relieved with BB Pros respectively BB 1 & 2, and one Class 5 Weight Relieved with '57 Classics. I got to know lots of these guitars, and they all confirm the impressions I get with mine.

 

My Epiphone LP 1960 Tribute Plus features '60s neck and Gibson USA '57 Classic/'57 Classic Plus like the Gibson Traditionals but with the four conductor wiring providing less cable capacitance and so brighter tone, like those of the BB pickup sets in the Gibson Standards. This Epi LP's tone is very close to that of my MWR Gibson LP Standard 2012 when comparing series circuits provided by both (all pots pushed). The MWR Standard with BB 1 & 2 is slightly brighter, the Custom Shop C 5 WR Standard slightly rounder. In general, '60s necks tend to produce a tone with scalloped mids.

 

All comparisons were done HiFi amped with an acoustic amp and all EQs flat as well as using real and emulated "woofer only" amps from clean to ultra-high gain.

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My vote was both equally, evaluating three Standards of mine and my Traditional 2013.

 

In my case, experiences say that it's just the opposite in tonality with stock pickups and same brand and gauge stainless steel strings. My 2013 Traditional clearly has more edge than all of my three Standards, two Modern Weight Relieved with BB Pros respectively BB 1 & 2, and one Class 5 Weight Relieved with '57 Classics. I got to know lots of these guitars, and they all confirm the impressions I get with mine.

 

My Epiphone LP 1960 Tribute Plus features '60s neck and Gibson USA '57 Classic/'57 Classic Plus like the Gibson Traditionals but with the four conductor wiring providing less cable capacitance and so brighter tone, like those of the BB pickup sets in the Gibson Standards. This Epi LP's tone is very close to that of my MWR Gibson LP Standard 2012 when comparing series circuits provided by both (all pots pushed). The MWR Standard with BB 1 & 2 is slightly brighter, the Custom Shop C 5 WR Standard slightly rounder. In general, '60s necks tend to produce a tone with scalloped mids.

 

All comparisons were done HiFi amped with an acoustic amp and all EQs flat as well as using real and emulated "woofer only" amps from clean to ultra-high gain.

 

Stock vs stock I agree the traditional has more edge, and bite this may have been due to the pickups. I have a 500t in the bridge of both and the standard is much brighter. Could be cuz my tradtional is a hefty 10 pounds while my standard a lil over 8. Plus I played through a normal tube head I don't think a subwoofer is the correct way to compare guitars.

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This really comes down to the same thing that is said every time. It all comes down to what you personally like better, thinner or thicker neck profile, burstbuckers over 57's, pickguard no pickguard. I played 20 or 30 guitars before choosing my traditional, for me the thicker neck was much better in my hand and i also found the 57"s to be a more versatile pickup IMO. as for esthetics I am a pickguard guy, the look without the pickguard just doesn't do it for me.

 

 

Dave

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i went the 2013 myself,,its got a lot of bite ,,i play mostly blues ,,& some country /rock through a fender blues deluxe,,,to me the sound dont get much better ,,,love the feel of the guitar,,,,,,feels more like a "real" les paul from back in the days when the really made guitars

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i went the 2013 myself,,its got a lot of bite ,,i play mostly blues ,,& some country /rock through a fender blues deluxe,,,to me the sound dont get much better ,,,love the feel of the guitar,,,,,,feels more like a "real" les paul from back in the days when the really made guitars

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Indeed !!! My new Les Paul Standaard 2013 gold top sounds incredible :-)

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I'm not really qualified to say which is better because I don't have a Standard but I do have an Epi JB with Burstbuckers and a 2013 Traditional with the 57's...plug either one into my 66' BFDR with a BD2 and Echophonic in front and I'm in heaven...Slightly different flavors of the same great LP sound...so I'd agree about you can't go wrong with either...later.

 

cowboy123

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Stock vs stock I agree the traditional has more edge, and bite this may have been due to the pickups. I have a 500t in the bridge of both and the standard is much brighter. Could be cuz my tradtional is a hefty 10 pounds while my standard a lil over 8. Plus I played through a normal tube head I don't think a subwoofer is the correct way to compare guitars.

It was about woofers, not subwoofers. Next to all electric guitar combo amps and cabinets through eight decades do only feature woofers, no tweeters, in contrary to acoustic amplifiers providing reproduction of the entire audio range. My electric guitar woofers are Electro Voice EVM 12L Series II and various Celestion speakers.

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I'm not really qualified to say which is better because I don't have a Standard but I do have an Epi JB with Burstbuckers and a 2013 Traditional with the 57's...plug either one into my 66' BFDR with a BD2 and Echophonic in front and I'm in heaven...Slightly different flavors of the same great LP sound...so I'd agree about you can't go wrong with either...later.

 

cowboy123

I agree. My Epiphone 1960 Tribute LP is very great. As for tone, with her Gibson USA Classic '57/Classic '57 Plus pickup combo she comes close to the Gibson USA LP Standards, with a slightly different flavour as you suggested.

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It was about woofers, not subwoofers. Next to all electric guitar combo amps and cabinets through eight decades do only feature woofers, no tweeters, in contrary to acoustic amplifiers providing reproduction of the entire audio range. My electric guitar woofers are Electro Voice EVM 12L Series II and various Celestion speakers.

My mistake most people refer to combos and cabinets as having guitar loudspeakers, woofer is an old school term not often used anymore. Most people say woofer meaning sub woofer these days not knowing there is a difference. I guess in your situation it is different that's all. Because in mine with the same 500t in the bridge of both the traditional is much warmer while the standard much brighter.

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It was about woofers, not subwoofers. Next to all electric guitar combo amps and cabinets through eight decades do only feature woofers, no tweeters, in contrary to acoustic amplifiers providing reproduction of the entire audio range. My electric guitar woofers are Electro Voice EVM 12L Series II and various Celestion speakers.

My mistake most people refer to combos and cabinets as having guitar loudspeakers, woofer is an old school term not often used anymore. Most people say woofer meaning sub woofer these days not knowing there is a difference. I guess in your situation it is different that's all. Because in mine with the same 500t in the bridge of both the traditional is much warmer while the standard much brighter.

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the traditional is much warmer while the standard much brighter.

 

This is my experience also. Noticeable and with the same pick-ups, with BB-Pros you just have to like Alnico Vs since its a different animal. IMHO I take this with a grain of salt though. I prefer the warmer LP tone also. But I also play an all maple Gibson which indeed is also bright.

 

Of the three lps I own two above and a Standard Faded with 57s. But, think about this. Out of the three the Standard is the brightest, and the lightest. The Blue Traditional above is the heaviest with solid wood. Its definitely brighter than the Goldtop and close to the Standard. Slightly more complex tone with the caps etc. The did a good job on the solid wood 2013 Traditional.

 

That said, the Traditional II Pro, killer playing and sounding guitar. You all know the same story, you just pick up the one guitar and "bam" its just right there.

 

Check this out, the necks, both Traditional's have 50s necks the Standard a 60. The Blue is noticeably fat and the Faded in noticeably thin. Goldtop is perfect.

 

I find the 10db boost completely usable, the split coils are perfect and probably would sound slightly better if Gibson wired the outside coil instead of the inside when they were split. The wiring and tone capacity on this Traditional is nice. That's aside from being straight up the best sounding LP And its "perfectly" quiet. Don't know how long it will stay that way but I don't sweat that.

 

So what does all this mean? It means, its doesn't matter if its weight relieved, swiss cheese, or solid. It doesn't matter if its 7-3/4lbs, 8-3/4lbs or 9lbs. It doesn't matter if the neck was fatter or faster. It doesn't matter what color it is because I surely wasn't looking for a Goldtop though it did grow on me. It doesn't matter with straight LP electronics or not, at least to me.

 

Oh and I LOVE the Locking Tuners on the LP. That's my "non-bias" view of LPs. Buy the one which feels, plays and sounds the best.

 

One more thing the 57-57+ I like a lot. The BB's 1-2-3 are cool but I prefer Seths over them. The BB-Pros ...I just never cared for Alnico V.

 

So there is a lot of personal preference involved here. Just Saying.

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