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Les Paul Traditional


Mats A

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Yes, the Traditional is non-weight relieved. The tops are two piece maple, onto a solid body. It also has the larger '59 style neck, with a slim neck available soon with upgraded tops and higher dollar value.

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Is the Gibson Les Paul Traditional 2014 still solid and not weight relieved? Is the body Always made of two pieces joined together?

 

Some 2014 bodies are obviously two pieces, mine looks like it might be one but it's really hard to tell on some of them.

 

Here's a pic

14394934770_3483904888.jpg

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Some 2014 bodies are obviously two pieces, mine looks like it might be one but it's really hard to tell on some of them.

 

Here's a pic

14394934770_3483904888.jpg

That looks to be a one piece.

 

There could be some two piece, but I have not seen any myself. But not uncommon.

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That looks to be a one piece.

 

There could be some two piece, but I have not seen any myself. But not uncommon.

 

If it is one piece, it was the luck of the draw. That blue is so dark I couldn't tell what it was from the pics that AMS posted. It almost looks black in regular light. I had to put a very bright light on it for that pic.

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Both my 2014 and 2013 Traditionals have a solid, one piece body.

 

My 2013 has that really straight grain, it looks like one piece but the grain makes it impossible to see if it is two pieces. It doesn't really matter. They are both great sounding and very resonant.

 

14584996515_790b911500.jpg

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When I bought my Traditional 2013, my decision between the last two of these was about one- or two-piece body since everything else was tied, and I went with the one which clearly was one-piece.

 

My 2013 has that really straight grain, it looks like one piece but the grain makes it impossible to see if it is two pieces. It doesn't really matter. They are both great sounding and very resonant.

 

14584996515_790b911500.jpg

At the given resolution it is definitely impossible to say for sure. Sometimes there are variations in toolmarks which might make a one-piece body or neck seem being made of two pieces. It can be hard to tell even while holding the instrument in hand and examining it at different lighting and viewing angles. Due to the optical effects of the finish, actually a polarising filter may be of no help.

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I too wanted a one piece body, and passed on several as well until i found a nice matching top I liked. There are tops in the Traditional line that could be graded higher than some AAA's you just have to look hard for them. I still swear that the 13 & 14 Traditional's are some of if not the best Gibson USA Lester's to be produced in years!

 

IMG_20140410_140356_667_zpsd9e6013e.jpg

 

IMG_20140410_140030_239_zps578f9ebe.jpg

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The best way to see the joins if there are any are too look at the back side of the guitar where the strap pin is.. You should see a line there if its two piece.

 

So here on my Classic you can see its one piece

DSC01822.jpg

 

and on my 2008 Standard you can see that line

DSCN023ded9_zpsb9b61a4f.jpg

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...

There are tops in the Traditional line that could be graded higher than some AAA's you just have to look hard for them. I still swear that the 13 & 14 Traditional's are some of if not the best Gibson USA Lester's to be produced in years!

...

Can confirm that. All of those I tried were fine, not a single dud among them, most of them looked pretty, and some of them drop-dead gorgeous. [thumbup]

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I too wanted a one piece body, and passed on several as well until i found a nice matching top I liked. There are tops in the Traditional line that could be graded higher than some AAA's you just have to look hard for them. I still swear that the 13 & 14 Traditional's are some of if not the best Gibson USA Lester's to be produced in years!

 

+ 1 [thumbup]

12276134586_063d8d42b2.jpg

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2013 Trad, mines Carmel burst and built on 9/11/13. I love the tone and the sustain is beautiful. I love to bend the snot out of the strings and just hang up there. I find however it doesn't stay in tune as well as my tele. Is this normal?

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2013 Trad, mines Carmel burst and built on 9/11/13. I love the tone and the sustain is beautiful. I love to bend the snot out of the strings and just hang up there. I find however it doesn't stay in tune as well as my tele. Is this normal?

They should stay in tune as well as other guitars, but every new guitar will take some time to stabilize.

 

Mine was stamped on April 29th, 2013, I bought her on June 29th, 2013, and on June 29th, 2014 I had to retighten the truss rod nut very slightly. Today I refined the intonation adjustments. When fretted, the G3rd had gone slightly sharp, the E6th slightly flat.

 

Interestingly I had to do the same steps on other Les Paul guitars of mine when they were younger. I also had to refine adjustments on any other guitar models during their first years. I think these slight alterations are normal consequences of breaking-in a guitar and some initial aging.

 

Finally, due to shrinkage of the new finish, the nuts and screws of the machine heads might be in need of careful (!) retightening.

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The bodies on the Traditionals are two piece. Gibson does a great job of matching the pieces in many cases. The first Traditional I owned had a seam exactly down the middle. The 2014 was pieced down the far edge. I could not see the seam from the back and thought I had a one piece back. However, the seam was clearly visible from the end grain. At least they aren't butcher block style like Epiphones.

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Guest Farnsbarns

The best way to see the joins if there are any are too look at the back side of the guitar where the strap pin is.. You should see a line there if its two piece.

 

So here on my Classic you can see its one piece

DSC01822.jpg

 

and on my 2008 Standard you can see that line

DSCN023ded9_zpsb9b61a4f.jpg

 

This is only true if the join is dead centre. Most of them aren't.

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This is only true if the join is dead centre. Most of them aren't.

Really... I didn't know that.. id assume that, that's what they would aim for... Not that its really important one way or another... I actually just went and checked my 60s Tribute studio (for the first time ever) and as you say.. not in the centre at all (even though now I wonder if the strap pin has just not been centred?)

 

DSC_0093_zps2d042fb2.jpg

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Well I can assure you that there are no seams in my body it is a solid piece. I went through several before purchasing mine and seen many that were two piece and many others were a solid piece as well. So yes there are two piece bodies but there are solid one piece bodies as well.

 

In as far as tuning, I have to say that my Traditional stays in tune just fine and tuning pegs are nice and firm not loose at all. Sure strings stretch some and might need a small tweak one way it the other but I haven't had any issues at all in this area either. I went with 9-42's myself.

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The bodies on the Traditionals are two piece. Gibson does a great job of matching the pieces in many cases. The first Traditional I owned had a seam exactly down the middle. The 2014 was pieced down the far edge. I could not see the seam from the back and thought I had a one piece back. However, the seam was clearly visible from the end grain. At least they aren't butcher block style like Epiphones.

 

Not true...mine is a single piece back...this from gibson's site:

 

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Traditional/Body.aspx

 

"Each Les Paul Traditional is made from a figured two-piece Grade-AA maple top attached with ultra-strong Franklin Titebond 50 glue to a solid, one- or two-piece Grade-A mahogany body."

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Not true...mine is a single piece back...this from gibson's site:

 

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Traditional/Body.aspx

 

"Each Les Paul Traditional is made from a figured two-piece Grade-AA maple top attached with ultra-strong Franklin Titebond 50 glue to a solid, one- or two-piece Grade-A mahogany body."

 

It seems to me that Gibson should charge less for the two-piece bodied guitars. But then again, they charge $200.00 more for the 2014 Traditional Flame Top with a AA maple top than the regular Traditional (also with a AA maple top). The only difference is that the Flame Top model has bell knobs (that cost the same as the speed knobs) and it has a '60's neck. I guess it involves more labor cost for the slim neck. Or maybe it's the tail piece and bridge made of Zamac, which is commonly called "Pot Metal." It must cost more because that's what shower knobs and Mattel Hot Wheels are made of. I wish I had held out for one of these instead of getting the cheaper Traditional.

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It seems to me that Gibson should charge less for the two-piece bodied guitars. But then again, they charge $200.00 more for the 2014 Traditional Flame Top with a AA maple top than the regular Traditional (also with a AA maple top). The only difference is that the Flame Top model has bell knobs (that cost the same as the speed knobs) and it has a '60's neck. I guess it involves more labor cost for the slim neck. Or maybe it's the tail piece and bridge made of Zamac, which is commonly called "Pot Metal." It must cost more because that's what shower knobs and Mattel Hot Wheels are made of. I wish I had held out for one of these instead of getting the cheaper Traditional.

 

Hey, there's a labor involved joining those pieces together. I'm surprised they don't charge more for multi-piece bodies. [wink]

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