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How do you tell if a Les Paul is chambered or not


sfx70

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If it's a production-line Les Paul Standard, Classic or Deluxe made from the late '80's on, it's weight relieved; if it is a 2007 model, it's chambered.

 

I'm not sure about Studios, its only been relatively recently that they even had the same size bodies.

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well if you cant tell by the sound than it doesnt really matter, right?


If they sound like the old ones AND are lighter, it seems like a win-win
:confused:

 

Yes. Absolutely. When it comes to buying guitars, all that matters is that you like its sound and how it feels. That is the golden rule.

 

But the reason they weight-relieve the models is so they can use a cheaper grade of wood. I prefer the Historics with a nice light, resonant piece of wood that doesn't need the relief.

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well some of us happen to like weighty guitars...I prefer a big slice of wood to a piece of swiss cheese

 

 

Which means you need one from the early 80s or before when they didn't use the weight relief holes.

 

I haven't played any 2007 LPs but I have played an earlier version of a chambered LP and it was the best playing 'Paul I every handled. I think you need to let your fingers and ears make the decisions on this.

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If it's a production-line Les Paul Standard, Classic or Deluxe made from the late '80's on, it's weight relieved; if it is a 2007 model, it's chambered.


I'm not sure about Studios, its only been relatively recently that they even had the same size bodies.

 

 

i'm pretty sure my studio is. it sounds kinda hollow and is not nearly as heavy as an 80's standard i played once

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Hmmmm, LP Standard Plus.

http://www.gibson.com/products/gibson/LesPaul/lpsplus.html

A truly refined guitar, the Les Paul Standard Plus fills the void between the Les Paul Standard and the Les Paul Custom. The guitar boasts a great lineup of features, including a carved AA maple bound top, Alnico humbuckers and three great sunburst finishes.

 

Body

Carved AA maple top, Mahogany back

Neck/Profile

Mahogany/Rounded

Fingerboard/Inlay

Rosewood 22 frets/Pearloid trapezoid

Scale/Nut Width

243/4"/111/16

Binding

Single-ply top and fingerboard

Bridge/Tailpiece

Tune-o-matic/Stopbar

Hardware

Chrome

Pickups

490R Alnico magnet humbucker

498T Alnico magnet humbucker

Controls

Two volume, two tone, three-way switch

Strings

Brite Wires .010-.046

 

Standard Premium Plus

 

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/electric_guitars/gibson/les_paul_standard_premium_plus/index.html

 

Les Paul Standard Premium Plus

The pinnacle of Les Paul beauty and performance, the Standard Premium Plus features the new, high performance Burstbucker Pro pickups with Alnico V magnets and a carved AAA maple top that just shimmers.

 

Features: Body.

Top Species: Carved AAA flamed maple

Back Species: Mahogany w/cherry finish (brown on Desert Burst)

Binding: Single-ply top.

 

Neck.

Species: Mahogany

Profile: '50's Rounded

Peghead Pitch: 17

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I see, thanks for the answers... let me ask u another one: how can u tell a Standard Plus from a Standard Premium Plus?

Is it that the Premium Plus only comes with 50s necks?

 

 

Standard plus has a 2a top and premium plus is 3a. Inside the nec k pickup route a premium plus will be marked LPPP, a plus LPP

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X Ray machine

 

hopefully soon .. a portable x ray machine will be available

 

or some sort of x ray glasses :p

 

it appears from the 'list' from the supposed 'custom shop' that the 'mahogany' is sorted by weight first

 

then distributed by weight...lightest goes to the premium historic line and the heaviest to 'B' stock i presume which would be the chambered models?!

 

i doubt if Gibson puts out any guitar that is over 10.6 pounds...thus i conclude this 'B' stock must mean the chambered models where the weight will be reduced

 

if ANYONE thinks this process is part of some tone-shaping technology ...think AGAIN :p

 

i got many guitars that sound like my LP but i would NEVER say they are EQUAL to my LP or that rather than buy me an LP i should get one of those other guitars

 

ppl buy LPs to capture the classic sounds from yesteryear...WHEN LPs were ALL SOLID BODIES

 

to get something approximating it and then saying it is the same is not KOSHER :p

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X Ray machine


hopefully soon .. a portable x ray machine will be available


or some sort of x ray glasses
:p

it appears from the 'list' from the supposed 'custom shop' that the 'mahogany' is sorted by weight first


then distributed by weight...lightest goes to the premium historic line and the heaviest to 'B' stock i presume which would be the chambered models?!


i doubt if Gibson puts out any guitar that is over 10.6 pounds...thus i conclude this 'B' stock must mean the chambered models where the weight will be reduced


if ANYONE thinks this process is part of some tone-shaping technology ...think AGAIN
:p

i got many guitars that sound like my LP but i would NEVER say they are EQUAL to my LP or that rather than buy me an LP i should get one of those other guitars


ppl buy LPs to capture the classic sounds from yesteryear...WHEN LPs were ALL SOLID BODIES


to get something approximating it and then saying it is the same is not KOSHER
:p

 

B is for Black Beauty. They are and always have been extremely heavy.

 

People who want a guitar built like the originals can get a historic. Assuming all people buy LPs because they want something exactly like the original bursts is silly. Gibson's modern LPs have evolved over the years with hundreds of variations. If Gibson makes one you like then cool. If not get something else.

 

There were less than 1600 original bursts made from 58-60. This made being extremely choosy with woods far easier. There is no way, with the sheer volume that Gibson produces, that they could use super light mahogany on all of their LPs. So the good stuff is reserved for the high end models. That means they have the option of producing 12+ lb monsters like they did in the 70s or using some sort of weight relief. The market will decide if they made the right choice or not but I would imagine that they will sell far more of the new 7-8 lb chambered versions than they ever dreamed of during the Norlin years.

 

I've owned all but the originals and I've played one of those frequently. Sure the Historics are the best (as the price indicates), but IMO the new chambered 07s are a close second, better than the swiss cheese ones from the 80s, 90s through 06 (and I loved a bunch of those) and way better than any Norlin I've had.

 

It's simple really, if you are after a LP type guitar, try one- you might be surprised. . .

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