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Pictures or It Didn't Happen: Gibson 2016 Guitar Rollout in Nashville


Anderton

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Okay, I'm not above using my connections to get a scoop. At the Nashville TN Gibson showroom, Gibson did an introduction of the 2016 Gibson Memphis and Gibson USA guitars to media, musicians, retailers, and other interested people. This was my first time seeing both the Traditional and High Performance versions of all the guitars in the same place at the same time. In case you didn't know, Gibson USA's guitars are being offered in two versions - so for example you can get a Traditional Standard, or a High-Performance Standard. The traditional is very much like the Les Pauls that have been made over they years, while the High Performance versions include multiple innovations. I played them both and personally, I'd opt for the High Performance versions but I can see where traditionalists will go for the more traditional models.

 

I can't go into a whole lot of details because I'm off to cover AES, but thought you'd like to see some pictures.

 

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Here's pickup guru and master luthier Jim DeCola showing off the 2016 Explorer. The High Performance guitars are the top row, the Traditional models are the lower row.

 

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Another shot of the two lines. These aren't all the guitars, more to come when we have some around here to shoot.

 

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Gibson Memphis's Mike Voltz (you can see the 2016 models in the background) is really into the fine points of wood and construction...his talking about this could have easily veered off into geek-land, but it was fascinating. I learned a lot.

 

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After the presentations of the guitars, it was time to party and let everyone play them. It was definitely not a "don't touch" event but a "please touch, and preferably, play the hell out of 'em" event. If I had to pick three favorites, they would be the new Memphis bass, the High-Performance SG Standard, and the High-Performance Les Paul Standard but I could see different people gravitating to their own favorites. The Memphis guitars got a lot of attention...they probably have Dave Grohl to thank for that smile.png

 

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And of course, it's all about music so there was entertainment with Luther Dickinson and Friends (Colin Linden and Guthrie Trapp) and later on, Kip Moore. Overall I had a great time, playing guitars and talking about guitars with friends...even the food was really good.

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Gibson has beefed up their advertisement. (in time for the Christmas season) I got the Musicians friend catalog the other day and Gibson had like 5 pages of guitars listed when they's normaly have one. Some of the prices were very reasonable too. I still think they list too many Les Paul's however. They're great guitars but when you already have one you'd like to see the other models available. Fender does the same thing. They have 4 pages of Strats and Teles and maybe a half a page of "other" guitars.

 

Epi and Squire usually have a much larger selection to choose from There's something wrong with that picture. You'd think it would be the other way around. I haven't seen anything really new in years either. They revamp the old models like Car manufacturers but even car manufacturers introduce "New" models that are affordable every few years.

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And it's up on Gibson's site. The High Performance line is basically 2015, but with a narrower (but still wide) nut now made of titanium instead of brass, an Axcess-like neck heel, and no more scrawled "Les Paul" logo.

 

2016 HP neck: 1.745" at nut

2015 neck: 1.795" at nut

 

Hmm. Google showed only this:

 

http://geminiguitars.com/HPLP.html

 

 

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There are some other differences with the high-performance versions:

 

  • The neck width is 0.05" wider
  • The nut is indeed titanium, and it's a zero-fret nut; the traditional versions don't have zero-fret nuts and use the TekToid nuts of the 2014 guitars
  • "Fact access" neck heel - it's hard to describe, but it's shaved in a way that makes it easier to reach the highest frets
  • On the Studio and Standard, there's a DIP switch in the pickup cavity that lets you choose, for example, whether a pickup is going to be split or use the tuned coil tap circuit. Basically, you can "customize" the pickup wiring without having to solder. This is based on an idea I had of using jumpers to select different configurations, then Jim DeCola came up with the idea of using a DIP switch. I was thinking that if you were more of a country/Fender person, you could configure the pickups as splits for single coil sounds, if you were into rock you'd leave them alone. You could also do different combinations according to taste, like one pickup set for the tuned coil tap sound.
  • Also the Studio and Standards have one of my circuits in there (pats self on back) that can also be enabled/bypassed with the DIP switch. It optimizes the output when feeding anything digital - interfaces, compressors, whatever - by controlling/reducing the initial pick transient. This is done without batteries or any audible change, in fact you won't hear any change at all if you go into a tube amp because a tube amp does essentially the same thing. The end result is you can drive digital devices with more level, without exceeding the available headroom. This makes a big difference with compressors and sustainers because you don't have that huge transient at the front triggering the compression and giving a big pop. It also improves the signal-to-noise ratio with computer audio interfaces.
  • The wood gets bumped up a notch in terms of figuring.
  • Guitars over $1,500 get a really snazzy and durable aluminum case. (However, all guitars with gig bags have improved gig bags that give more protection)
  • It has the latest version of G FORCE (say what you will, I'm addicted to it). It's functionally the same as last year, but the two BIG changes are string posts that make it much easier to change strings, and a much better feel when tuning manually.
  • Multi-contact output jack. This is an improved version of the dual-contact jack from 2015. It holds the cable more securely and gives multiple points of contact between plug and jack, not just the "v" where the plug tip hits the jack.
  • The wiring is the more robust wiring used in the 2015 models. The main reason for this isn't signal strength (the wires don't carry a lot of current) but you can plug and unplug the internal Quick Connect connectors a gazillion times without pulling the wires out.
  • One of my favorite "little" features: the HP guitars have a new pickup switch with a more positive feel and it's pretty much mechanically noiseless in terms of getting into the guitar sound.
  • Also the inlays are mother of pearl as opposed to acrylic on the Traditional versions.

 

Taking off my Gibson hat and putting on my guitar player hat, I gotta say I really think Gibson got it right. The Traditional models are just want you'd want from a traditional Les Paul, but for those who liked the 2015s, the HP models refine what was great about the 2015s but drops the sketchy stuff, like the extra-wide neck and the Les Paul scrawl on the headstock. I suspect if someone tries out both the traditional and HP models, a lot of people who assumed they'd go for the traditional will be seduced by the HP...that's the one I'd choose.

 

My only disappointment is no basses this year from Gibson USA. However, Memphis has a VERY sweet bass coming up, it's semi-acoustic and sounds great...thick and growly. It's sort of like the Midtown bass in a way, but the feel is fantastic. I'm really impressed with what's upcoming for Memphis 2016, but that's a whole other story. It's both traditional and high-tech in the sense that they've really refined the technology for reproducing what made the "vintage" models special.

 

 

 

 

 

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I like wider necks. Were there only select 2015 models that had the wider necks? I remember when first hearing about this in a press release I was excited as I love "w i d e" necks, only to be disappointed none of the Tribute or Studio models had the wide necks or zero fret. If they Black Friday some of the 2015 with wide necks and are under $600 I might bite this time.

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My only disappointment is no basses this year from Gibson USA. However, Memphis has a VERY sweet bass coming up, it's semi-acoustic and sounds great...thick and growly. It's sort of like the Midtown bass in a way, but the feel is fantastic. I'm really impressed with what's upcoming for Memphis 2016, but that's a whole other story. It's both traditional and high-tech in the sense that they've really refined the technology for reproducing what made the "vintage" models special.

 

 

I was kind of surprised by that too.

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I like wider necks. Were there only select 2015 models that had the wider necks?

 

I thought all of the standard (not Custom Shop) 2015 Gibson USA models had the wider neck. Maybe I am mistaken. idk.gif

 

Personally I'm exactly the opposite - I prefer narrower and slimmer necks because I have short fingers, so I'd be more inclined towards the 2016 Traditional models that feature a SlimTaper neck as opposed to the 2015 models or the 2016 High Performance models, although I do appreciate some of the features the High Performance models have (as per Craig's post / list); but first and foremost, I need the neck to be something I'm comfortable with. Because of the size limitations of my hands, I am pretty picky about that when it comes to my own guitars.

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I like wider necks. Were there only select 2015 models that had the wider necks? I remember when first hearing about this in a press release I was excited as I love "w i d e" necks' date=' only to be disappointed none of the Tribute or Studio models had the wide necks or zero fret. If they Black Friday some of the 2015 with wide necks and are under $600 I might bite this time.[/quote']

 

All the core 2015 models had the wide neck and zero-fret adjustable nut, and like you, I am a fan of both. I was raised on classical guitar, so the neck felt a little like coming home. The Z-FAN was great in conjunction with G FORCE to do open tunings however the brass was an issue in terms of wear. If the nut has wear issues Gibson will send a replacement.

 

The Traditional versions for 2016 do not have the wide neck; the High Performance models split the difference between the 2015 models and the 2016 Traditional line. I suspect once the 2016s hit the stores en masse, you'll be able to find some deals on 2015s if you want the wide neck.

 

 

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Found out another thing about the High Performance models. The frets are lower' date=' polished, rounded, and fret-over-binding. The Traditionals use...well, the traditional frets. [/quote']

 

Aha! This makes total sense. I toured the Memphis factory last month (no pics allowed :( ) and I saw a bunch of fret-over-binding necks. I asked the tour guide about that considering the binding nibs are such a Gibson trademark and he had no idea ( :facepalm: ).

 

I later asked him about the "custom made' badge covering the stoptail hole on the Rich Robinson model and he asked if I was a luthier. :freak: I replied 'most definitely not, I just do the occasional repair.'

 

Thanks for solving that mystery!

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Not exactly a LP but you might be a candidate for an Epiphone Nighthawk:

 

fetch?id=31642307

 

IIRC, papaschtroumpf plays one and is happy with it.

 

Those were popular in the 90s. Sounded on the bright side I recall. I just wanna see / hear a real Paul with a slant hotrails and lil 59.

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