DuaLeaD Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I know I should know this...I've had my Supreme for nearly 5 years now, but I seem to have gotten lost in the marketing with all those crazy Les Pauls out there. Despite my searching on the interwebs, I can't find a complete, concise buying guide to the various Les Paul lines. This is what I know (or think I know) Les Paul Supreme - Crem de la crem of the Gibson USA Les Pauls (You pretty much have to go to Custom Shop reissues to get higher quality) Les Paul Custom - Gibson's original high-end Les Paul product line Les Paul Standard - Full on legit standard setting the bar Les Paul Studio - More affordable budget model for Les Pauls but same quality hardware as standards without all the cosmetics Les Paul Junior - Originally a "student" model for entry-level Les Paul price points My questions: 1) But where do the LP Classic, LP Traditional, LP Special, LP Melody Maker come in? 2) Was the LP Classic line canceled and why? 3) What do the terms premium, pro, and premium plus mean? 4) Was the plus just referring to the nicer figured tops or are there other improvements like pickups/electronics? Sorry for sounding like such a noob haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I know I should know this...I've had my Supreme for nearly 5 years now, but I seem to have gotten lost in the marketing with all those crazy Les Pauls out there. Despite my searching on the interwebs, I can't find a complete, concise buying guide to the various Les Paul lines. This is what I know (or think I know) Les Paul Supreme - Crem de la crem of the Gibson USA Les Pauls (You pretty much have to go to Custom Shop reissues to get higher quality) Les Paul Custom - Gibson's original high-end Les Paul product line Les Paul Standard - Full on legit standard setting the bar Les Paul Studio - More affordable budget model for Les Pauls but same quality hardware as standards without all the cosmetics Les Paul Junior - Originally a "student" model for entry-level Les Paul price points My questions: 1) But where do the LP Classic, LP Traditional, LP Special, LP Melody Maker come in? 2) Was the LP Classic line canceled and why? 3) What do the terms premium, pro, and premium plus mean? 4) Was the plus just referring to the nicer figured tops or are there other improvements like pickups/electronics? Sorry for sounding like such a noob haha The LP Classic is still made occasionally. The Classic Plus I think was the last one (im not sure you can include the Classic Custom) http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Classic-Plus.aspx Those with the Traditionals sit just below the Standard price point and are made with features from some of the 50s LPs (60s for the Classics). As far as im concered they are as good as the standards so have never been sure why they are a bit cheaper?? The Melody Maker is much like the Juniors and Specials (I think :)) Premium and Plus does usually refer to the figured tops... And Pro often refers to having extra wiring options like coil taps. The moral of the story.. No one knows why and how they name these things and its often the cause of much confusion about what models have what features. Hope that helps :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Moore Tribute Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 My questions: 1) But where do the LP Classic, LP Traditional, LP Special, LP Melody Maker come in? 2) Was the LP Classic line canceled and why? 3) What do the terms premium, pro, and premium plus mean? 4) Was the plus just referring to the nicer figured tops or are there other improvements like pickups/electronics? 1) The Classic & Traditional are the same quality as a Standard the difference comes from the weight relief, tuners & the hardware (pickups, caps & pots) The Special is generally a Studio with a Gloss Nitro finish, the difference being they use the cheaper fretboards & don't include binding The Melody Maker is the "Cheapest" Les Paul's made by Gibson, a thin slab body with a single pickup they are well made for such a low price 2) No they still make them the current run don't have pickup covers & binding around the headstock 3) These are terms for the Quality of the Maple cap, the better the flame / quilt of the top the more "premium" they become... 4) Yes the Plus referred to a tighter flame top I think thats everything... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuaLeaD Posted October 10, 2012 Author Share Posted October 10, 2012 You touched on another question of mine (and thanks for the info by the way!): "Weight Relief" and "Chambered" are two different things correct? When I bought my 2007 Les Paul Supreme, it was advertised as "chambered" and I can tell when I compare it to other Les Pauls in the shops, it has a more "airy" tonality to it. Almost a slight semi-hollowbody quality which I have fallen in love with. "Weight relief" is just drilling holes with no sonic/acoustic qualities into for the sole purpose of making the guitar lighter correct? Interestingly enough, the lastest descriptions of this claim (and I quote from my Musician's Friend catalog): "optimizes the sonic capabilities of the guitar". I fail to see how this works by just drilling some holes into the body vs real acoustic chambering. The perception I had was that the Les Paul Traditional was a line intended for those who wanted Les Pauls that were made pre-2000s with no weight relief or chambering. Is this not true? Do all models have these features now? And do guitars have more sustain when they are not weight "relieved" or "chambered"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 You touched on another question of mine (and thanks for the info by the way!): "Weight Relief" and "Chambered" are two different things correct? When I bought my 2007 Les Paul Supreme, it was advertised as "chambered" and I can tell when I compare it to other Les Pauls in the shops, it has a more "airy" tonality to it. Almost a slight semi-hollowbody quality which I have fallen in love with. "Weight relief" is just drilling holes with no sonic/acoustic qualities into for the sole purpose of making the guitar lighter correct? Interestingly enough, the lastest descriptions of this claim (and I quote from my Musician's Friend catalog): "optimizes the sonic capabilities of the guitar". I fail to see how this works by just drilling some holes into the body vs real acoustic chambering. The perception I had was that the Les Paul Traditional was a line intended for those who wanted Les Pauls that were made pre-2000s with no weight relief or chambering. Is this not true? Do all models have these features now? And do guitars have more sustain when they are not weight "relieved" or "chambered"? Theres some good info abd pictures about this here http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/weight-relief-gibson-les-paul-guitars-0615-2012.aspx Basically nearly all Les Pauls are either chambered or weight relieved apart from Historic re-issues and maybe some signature models... And they have been that way since the mid 1980s.. And no the Trads are weight relieved http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Traditional-Mahogany-Satin.aspx "The Les Paul Traditional Mahogany Satin is crafted with all the classic ingredients that helped to make this guitar a legend, but with the purity of an all-mahogany body (Grade-A woods used under all but the Satin Ebony finish). The mahogany back is weight relieved with nine strategically placed holes that also enhance the guitar's resonance, and capped with a carved two-piece mahogany top, just like the legendary Les Paul Custom introduced in 1954." And different people will tell you different things.. Some people believe that only a full solid body guitar gives you the sustain that Gibsons are known for.. But most of us will tell you that theres very little difference (at least within human hearing range) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuaLeaD Posted October 11, 2012 Author Share Posted October 11, 2012 And different people will tell you different things.. Some people believe that only a full solid body guitar gives you the sustain that Gibsons are known for.. But most of us will tell you that theres very little difference (at least within human hearing range) Yeah I remember around the time I got my Supreme, there was quite a division on these forums about whether chambering was better or not for tone, but it seems the community has widely accepted chambering/weight relief in recent years. I can honestly say that I am in love with the tone I get and it crushes every Les Paul I've ever played, especially since I put a pair of DiMarzio pickups in (ToneZone for bridge and Air Norton) for neck. The only Les Pauls I've seen come close to the tone are the Les Paul Custom and high end Custom Shop reissues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Yeah I remember around the time I got my Supreme, there was quite a division on these forums about whether chambering was better or not for tone, but it seems the community has widely accepted chambering/weight relief in recent years. I can honestly say that I am in love with the tone I get and it crushes every Les Paul I've ever played, especially since I put a pair of DiMarzio pickups in (ToneZone for bridge and Air Norton) for neck. The only Les Pauls I've seen come close to the tone are the Les Paul Custom and high end Custom Shop reissues. Yeah.. there are still plenty of dissagreements on this subject... The thing is to do the weight releif is actually more work for Gibson. Some argue that they only do it to drive up the cost of having a full solid body which go for somewhere between $8000 - $20,000 (sometimes more for like the Clapton or Page models). However alot of working musicians who have to actually use these live and work hard with them will say that anyone who tells you that having a solid body is better obviously isnt a working musician and should shut up about it lol Personally I love the lighter models. I have a 1960 Classic re-issue which weighs just over 11lbs which I do love to bits, but when im sitting with it on my knee, I know about it... When I use one of my lighter guitars its just easier. And the tone difference as said is so minimal that id say that weight releif is a really good thing. (plus once you plug a guitar in and add gain the tone differences become nothing). All of my Gibsons sound like a Gibson should and at the end of the day its (as usual) all about personal preference. If someone says that they can hear the difference and can afford one then I say good on them :) (it only becomes annoying when someone comes on here and blasts anything that isnt a pure solid body, like it somehow means they are better and everyone else is being somehow conned into a lesser product). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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