dpgumby62 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 just wondering about chambered and weight relieved LPs? Is there a difference between the two processes, or are they the same process with different terminology? I gather its all about making the LP a little lighter than it used to be, but does anyone notice a discernable difference in tone and sound between a totally solid LP and one which is chambered/weight relieved? I also gather Custom Shop LPs, particularly the reissue models aren't chambered/weight relieved. True? Also, knobs. (Stop laughing down the back there, this is serious).......... speed knobs, top hat knobs, bonnet knobs, hatbox knobs.... all terms I've heard bandied about in regards to the volume/tone knobs, but can anyone clarify which is what? Some pics would make it all crystal...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Custom.... Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 no there is no diff. and i dont no about the customs they might still be weight releved for the ***** guitarist out there who cant handle a real les paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane1 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Good question. I am not 100% sure but I believe they are different. Chambered is lighter and is more of a hollow body while weight relieved has holes drilled in certain areas of the body (sometimes call swiss cheese) and these are heavier. As for the rest, I have no idea. shane just wondering about chambered and weight relieved LPs? Is there a difference between the two processes' date=' or are they the same process with different terminology? I gather its all about making the LP a little lighter than it used to be, but does anyone notice a discernable difference in tone and sound between a totally solid LP and one which is chambered/weight relieved? I also gather Custom Shop LPs, particularly the reissue models aren't chambered/weight relieved. True? Also, knobs. (Stop laughing down the back there, this is serious).......... speed knobs, top hat knobs, bonnet knobs, hatbox knobs.... all terms I've heard bandied about in regards to the volume/tone knobs, but can anyone clarify which is what? Some pics would make it all crystal...... [/quote'] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 There's a ton of information on this forum and elsewhere on this. The first Les Pauls had one-piece solid backs. Then they started to get heavy, apparently because the supply of light weight mahogany wasn't enough for the production numbers they needed. So in the early eighties they started drilling holes (nine I believe) in the back before putting the top on. In about 2006 or 2007 they started using a CNC router to hog out large amounts of the body on the Gibson USA Standards and that's usually referred to as "chambering." There have been models that were chambered like "chambered reissues" or "cloud 9" or "supreme." Search around and you'll see airport x-ray type pictures of the different kinds. Historic Reissues have a different source or selection of wood so they use lighter pieces, but they still make them with solid one piece backs without any weight relief. Remember it's wood, so there's going to be wide variation. You could have a completely solid Historic that's very light and a weight-relieved regular production Standard that's very heavy. Oh and so I'm not trying to hide my opinion, let me ask this: how can Gibson say that the weight relief chambering is done in a way that it does not affect tone or sustain because it's not near the bridge or tailpiece, and in the same breath (or same page of ad copy on their Web site) say that the process improves the tone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRom Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Exactly right. Weight releived body's have 9 - 10 1" holes drilled. Chambered have whole masses of wood removed. Check out the dark fire pics in the dark fire forum for an example of extreme chambering. http://forums.gibson.com/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=8667 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 no there is no diff. and i dont no about the customs they might still be weight releved for the ***** guitarist out there who cant handle a real les paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Weight relieved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Chambered... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRV-Zeppelin Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Here we go again... I think people should take the time to search for stuff on this forum instead of beating that poor dead horse over and over and over... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esch Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 If you have CDO you would most likely want to beat the dead horse... Anyway my chambered LP is awesome, just as good as my other LPs (but a bit different) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scozz Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Ok, it's pretty simple, weight relieved started around 1982 until mid way thru 2006. Weight relieved = 9 holes in the upper bout of the guitar, (where your right arm rests). Slight weight relief, retains solid body tone. Chambered = large "chambers" rotted out of the mahogany thruout the body. Considerable weight relief, brighter, almost semi-acoustic tones. Chambered started mid to late 2006. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Brew Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Nice xray type shots Axe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Chambered reissues have a serial number beginning with CR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 As you can see Lynard, there's a lot of difference... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpgumby62 Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 Ok, thanks guys, its all clear now. Man, those x-ray shots are both cool and freaky. Didn't realise the chambering was THAT extensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bram Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 There's a clear difference in tone between a chambered and non chambered Les Paul. I have both sort of Les Pauls myself and I've compared a lot of them to hear the real tone differences (through the same set-up/amp settings). A chambered Les Pauls has a more 'woody' tone. It's more acoustic sounding, you'll already notice this unplugged. Great guitars for the purist. Most of them are somewhat 'brighter' sounding than the usual solid Les Paul. There's also a bit more air/room in the tone...that special effect comes from of the chambers. I think it's great, I love my Les Paul Standard Faded for all those reasons. You can't beat it for pure, thick and woody blues tones. A solid Les Paul is more heavy in weight and has a darker/'warmer'/more compressed kind of tone. It has less air/room between the notes, but the notes blend together more naturally which you'll clearly notice when you're playing with distortion; it stays more clear, focused and tight in comparion with a chambered Les Paul (which will drown more in these situations). Those are the reasons why I use one Les Paul for blues/rock (Standard Faded) and one Les Paul for the heavier stuff (88' Standard). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALIEN8 Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 That's funny, when I bought my chambered, I compared to a custom. The chambered held the distortion together much better and clearer, with more bite... I also found the chambered to be warmer, darker sounding. Could be the paint or the pick-ups? It's all so freaking subjective, use YOUR EARS!! Hey AXE, the chambered X-ray looks a little off, some things are missing or edited... Pick-ups, pots, and switches don't show up as white (metal)... doesn't make sense unless they stripped it and left the thru body wire in it... which breaches the wall at one spot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FennRx Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 there is no difference in tone in regads to the chambering. gibson told me so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Hey AXE' date=' the chambered X-ray looks a little off, some things are missing or edited... Pick-ups, pots, and switches don't show up as white (metal)... doesn't make sense unless they stripped it and left the thru body wire in it... which breaches the wall at one spot [/quote'] Damn . Ya got me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iownanlps Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 There's a clear difference in tone between a chambered and non chambered Les Paul. I have both sort of Les Pauls myself and I've compared a lot of them to hear the real tone differences (through the same set-up/amp settings). A chambered Les Pauls has a more 'woody' tone. It's more acoustic sounding' date=' you'll already notice this unplugged. Great guitars for the purist. Most of them are somewhat 'brighter' sounding than the usual solid Les Paul. There's also a bit more air/room in the tone...that special effect comes from of the chambers. I think it's great, I love my Les Paul Standard Faded for all those reasons. You can't beat it for pure, thick and woody blues tones. A solid Les Paul is more heavy in weight and has a darker/'warmer'/more compressed kind of tone. It has less air/room between the notes, but the notes blend together more naturally which you'll clearly notice when you're playing with distortion; it stays more clear, focused and tight in comparion with a chambered Les Paul (which will drown more in these situations). Those are the reasons why I use one Les Paul for blues/rock (Standard Faded) and one Les Paul for the heavier stuff (88' Standard).[/quote'] Odd, my chambered Supreme has greater separation of sound when more gain is applied, it sounds gorgeous when gain is at max, whereas my solid les paul sounds more mushy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bram Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Odd' date=' my chambered Supreme has greater separation of sound when more gain is applied, it sounds gorgeous when gain is at max, whereas my solid les paul sounds more mushy![/quote'] That really depends on the pickups you're using. Many stock Gibson pickups sound really mushy, especially in a solid Les Paul (which has a darker, more compressed sound by nature). My guess is that you're using Burstbucker Pro pickups...they sound pretty great in a chambered Les Paul (especially for distortion/nice and biting), but if you put some killer quality pickups in a solid les Paul you'd clearly hear the differences between 2 great sounding guitars. In the end you'd choose the solid Les Paul over the chambered Les Paul if you like it real heavy and smoking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iownanlps Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 That really depends on the pickups you're using. Many stock Gibson pickups sound really mushy' date=' especially in a solid Les Paul (which has a darker, more compressed sound by nature). My guess is that you're using Burstbucker Pro pickups...they sound pretty great in a chambered Les Paul (especially for distortion/nice and biting), but if you put some killer quality pickups in a solid les Paul you'd clearly hear the differences between 2 great sounding guitars. In the end you'd choose the solid Les Paul over the chambered Les Paul if you like it real heavy and smoking. [/quote'] No, my Supreme was bought new this year and is stock. The sound is beautiful. I think that the pickups are 490/498. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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