Members turdadactyl Posted August 15, 2008 Members Share Posted August 15, 2008 The title says it all. What was the first year they started this unholy practice? Ok...here's a follow up. What is the lightest weight you can expect from a non-chambered Les Paul? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted August 15, 2008 Members Share Posted August 15, 2008 Can you give me a good explanation of why you think chambering is an "unholy practice" ? and IIRC, they've been at it since the mid 80's.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kherman Posted August 15, 2008 Members Share Posted August 15, 2008 The end of '06 I believe. Now they offer both chambered (Standard '08)and weight relieved (Traditional). Oh, and weight I believe tend to be around the 7lb mark on the chambered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted August 15, 2008 Members Share Posted August 15, 2008 More precise terminology, please: Gibson produces both chambered Les Pauls and Les Pauls with "weight relief" holes. Big difference both in terms of history and purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drawdeep Posted August 15, 2008 Members Share Posted August 15, 2008 More precise terminology, please: Gibson produces both chambered Les Pauls and Les Pauls with "weight relief" holes. Big difference both in terms of history and purpose. Exactly- they have been weight-relieving since the 80's. This involved putting "swiss cheese" holes in the guitar with no rhyme or reason. They started late '06 taking a more logical approach- still removing wood for weight relief, but doing so in a fashion that created designed chambers in the guitar that increased the acoustic resonance. People complain about it all the time, but as someone with a weak back, I support the practice if not doing it is going to result in 13 lb monsters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ~Abstract~ Posted August 15, 2008 Members Share Posted August 15, 2008 He said "chambered"... do you think he really meant "swiss cheese"? He obviously meant "was it 06, 07, or 08? and months would be helpful too." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ~Abstract~ Posted August 15, 2008 Members Share Posted August 15, 2008 There is no "lightest weight"" when dealing with organic mediums. The light end would be mid 7's. You don't want one that light. They're nasty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members balthazarr Posted August 15, 2008 Members Share Posted August 15, 2008 He said "chambered"... do you think he really meant "swiss cheese"? He obviously meant "was it 06, 07, or 08? and months would be helpful too." I think this is on the Gibson site. One man's "chambered"...oh, nevermind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members turdadactyl Posted August 16, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 16, 2008 One man's "chambered"...oh, nevermind. Ha! And to answer the "why do I say it's unholy" question. I've owned A LOT of guitars over the years. I think when you find a Les Paul that you love it's got a lot to do with the resonance of such a heavy piece of SOLID wood. To put chambers in a Les Paul makes it no different than so many other decent guitars out there. If I wanted a Chet Atkins, I'd buy a Chet Atkins. Now if I want to buy a recent LP I have to sit there and check the dating to make sure I'm getting what I'm looking for. Sure, it should mostly be based on my ears, but if I find a deal on ebay I want to be able to snag it and only have to worry about a new setup or new pickups. I don't want to get a guitar only to find out it's HALF a guitar with a LP top on it from a Gibson factory. Of course, to each his own. I just think a LP should be a LP...not a LP with gastric bypass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iansmitchell Posted August 16, 2008 Members Share Posted August 16, 2008 Having played, the Epiphone Les paul ultra II, it's not what'd I'd expect in a 1959 les paul custom or anything. It's a more modern guitar.New gibsons are generally heavier, actually, and the tone is less "round" from the chambering. More traditional, but the sustain, it seems to be all there, unless we're counting milliseconds. If we're doing that, we may as well talk about steel versus nickel or aluminium stop tailpieces, wrapping the strings over the tailpiece, bigsbys, bone or graphite nut, long or short neck tennons, heavier metal tuning keys or traditional plastic keys, roller or tune o matic bridge. If you want unrelieved, get a BFG, an LP:VM, a studio, or a traditional.If you want relieved, then get a standard, a custom, or what have ye. People have been hating weight relieved les pauls a while now.To be honest, that's how the SG came to be, a lighter les paul through thinner body, and double sharp cutaway, and a slimmer neck for balance.Les paul took his name off of that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members strat les sg Posted August 16, 2008 Members Share Posted August 16, 2008 If you want unrelieved, get a BFG, an LP:VM, a studio, or a traditional.If you want relieved, then get a standard, a custom, or what have ye. . I think the Traditional is weight relieved(swiss cheese),was gonna get 1 but just gotta R-58 instead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members q-4000 Posted August 16, 2008 Members Share Posted August 16, 2008 why do people hate the chambering or the "weight relief"? I have had both and dont see much diffrence is it just people like there back to hurt after a show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bigconig Posted August 16, 2008 Members Share Posted August 16, 2008 Having played, the Epiphone Les paul ultra II, it's not what'd I'd expect in a 1959 les paul custom or anything. It's a more modern guitar.New gibsons are generally heavier, actually, and the tone is less "round" from the chambering. More traditional, but the sustain, it seems to be all there, unless we're counting milliseconds. If we're doing that, we may as well talk about steel versus nickel or aluminium stop tailpieces, wrapping the strings over the tailpiece, bigsbys, bone or graphite nut, long or short neck tennons, heavier metal tuning keys or traditional plastic keys, roller or tune o matic bridge.If you want unrelieved, get a BFG, an LP:VM, a studio, or a traditional.If you want relieved, then get a standard, a custom, or what have ye.People have been hating weight relieved les pauls a while now.To be honest, that's how the SG came to be, a lighter les paul through thinner body, and double sharp cutaway, and a slimmer neck for balance.Les paul took his name off of that one. The BFG, VM and Studio are all chambered. The Traditional now has the swiss cheese that all LPs aside from Historics had from the mid 80s till the end of 06. to sum up current production LPs: Historics (aside from C series) are solid, Traditionals have weight relief holes all the rest are chambered. The lightest solid (Historic) LP I've ever seen was around 7 3/4 lbs. I had a weight relieved Classic (swiss cheese) that was 7.8 lbs. Most of the chambreed are 7-8 lbs with some going a bit higher. My advice on picking one? Play a bunch, buy the one you like and can afford- if it sounds and plays nice and is a weight that you like who cares what's inside The thing I want to know is where the hell are all the light Strats- It's getting tough to find one that weighs less then my Les Pauls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members charveldan Posted August 16, 2008 Members Share Posted August 16, 2008 Minus wood=less tone IMHO,I love the heavy feel of my 9.3lb 1960 Les Paul Goldtop,my tone comes:cop: out of my amp in 5lb chunks,if you can't wear a Les Paul as it is you shouldn't Buy one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BobbaFret Posted August 16, 2008 Members Share Posted August 16, 2008 If you want unrelieved, get a BFG, an LP:VM, a studio, or a traditional.If you want relieved, then get a standard, a custom, or what have ye. The Studio's were relieved. They are now chambered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members liamlw Posted January 7, 2009 Members Share Posted January 7, 2009 If you want unrelieved, get a BFG, an LP:VM, a studio, or a traditional.If you want relieved, then get a standard, a custom, or what have ye. bfg's have a huge chunk of wood missing...all the ones you have listed have swiss cheese weight reduction:p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members B Money Posted January 7, 2009 Members Share Posted January 7, 2009 don't let the chambered models scare you, they sound great. I've tried several and they do sound a little different (acousticallyl louder) but I like it. I think it's a myth that you need a back breaking 11 lb monster to sound like a true Les Paul. Try 'em all and let your ears decide, not some internet forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted January 7, 2009 Members Share Posted January 7, 2009 Well personally I want my LP to be built as close to original (50's 60's) specs as possible.....I want full round tone...balanced lows mids and highs... I have no problem with gibson building and people buying chambered guitars...cool if people like that then whatever....I just don't want it. I personally believe that it can't all be internet myth, and that chambering a guitar will create a different sounding animal than one with a solid mahogany body. And from what I've heard the best solid LP's for full balanced sound usually fall in the 8 to 10 pound range..(that jives with mine)..and usually the really heavy old ones don't sound that great....(and that jives with the one really heavy one I played...which sounded like absolute {censored})...Not scientific I admit but so far I haven't heard a logical argument to the contrary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members photon9 Posted January 7, 2009 Members Share Posted January 7, 2009 If you get a wide padded strap your LP will feel a lot lighter. My LP weighs right around say a ton! But I still love it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members smorgdonkey Posted January 7, 2009 Members Share Posted January 7, 2009 Customs are not relieved or chambered if I recall correctly. That's one of the things that defines them...for $5000 there has to be something other than beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dr Vee Posted June 27, 2018 Members Share Posted June 27, 2018 Les Paul's are boat anchors with a guitar strap attached. They take "getting used to".Especially after jamming, rehearsing, or performing with one for over 3 hrs.After 5 hrs you need a massage, chiropractor, or switch to a lighter guitar while standing.But the chambered/weight relieved guitars don't have the sustain or cajones of the solid ones.I've played some from the 50's that were light because Gibson used older wood to begin with that wasn't green.Also they were seasoned by age.An elastic type strap also helps that moves on your shoulder to prevent soreness and arm fatigue.But if you want to play something lighter, pick a different guitar.I've played a Custom for over 33 years, but there are reasons I keep other guitars in the arsenal.Solid wood Les Paul's are the Mac Daddy of Rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted June 27, 2018 Members Share Posted June 27, 2018 The real reason is modern recognition software can analyze thousands of board feet of raw wood in 3 dimensions in a single pass. The stock can then be sorted for minimum flaws / maximum yield; worms in this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted June 27, 2018 Members Share Posted June 27, 2018 The title says it all. What was the first year they started this unholy practice? Ok...here's a follow up. What is the lightest weight you can expect from a non-chambered Les Paul? My 2017 Les Paul Faded has something called Ultra Modern weight relief. It is 8.1 pounds. I do not think there is a lot of weight difference between ultra-modern weight relief & modern weight relief (shown below). Bottom line: Buy a Les Paul w/ either modern or ultra-modern weight relief for the lightest non-chambered weight available. Here is a Gibson chart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted June 29, 2018 Members Share Posted June 29, 2018 I own a Custom Shop Edition Les Paul Studio 1983 - first year of the Studio. The Studios probably started the weight relieved standard and it wasn't as much aimed at a way to cheaply lighten a Les Paul as much as it was simply a way to create a lighter Les Paul that might be more comfortable for gigging guitarists. I own quite a few Les Pauls and it's interesting to hear the different tones based upon the construction. The lightest LP I own is a vintage mahogany that comes in at a ridiculously low weight of 6 pounds 9 ounces, which has plenty of bluesy vibe with its BB Pros, but noticeably lacks the usual dose of sustain from an LP. Compare that to my 57 Les Paul Custom RI with Bigsby weighing in at 10 pounds 8 ounces. My R9 weighs 9 pounds 3. The days of highly porous Brazilian mahogany are over, so you've got to let your ears be your judge on what body construction will suit your tastes. I also own a LP Supreme which has another type of clambering and thereby imparts a bit of a semi-hollow tone which I found make me break into a Chuck Berry riff out of the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted June 29, 2018 Members Share Posted June 29, 2018 "....I own quite a few Les Pauls and it's interesting to hear the different tones based upon the construction. The lightest LP I own is a vintage mahogany that comes in at a ridiculously low weight of 6 pounds 9 ounces' date=' which has plenty of bluesy vibe with its BB Pros, but noticeably lacks the usual dose of sustain from an LP. Compare that to my 57 Les Paul Custom RI with Bigsby weighing in at 10 pounds 8 ounces. My R9 weighs 9 pounds 3...."[/quote'] My Les Paul Special double-cut / P90's weighs the same -- 6 lbs - 9 ounces. LOVE playing that thing. Ergonomically it's the best. Like holding a baby in my arms. No need for weight relief or chambering on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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