Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

richard parker

New member
My local dealer is listing both 2016 Les Paul Traditional and 2016 Les Paul Standard Traditional. The Standard is £400 more expensive then the Traditional.

What are the differences between these models ?
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

The Traditional has fatter neck, Kluson style tuners and 57 Classic pickups (PAFs alike)
The Standard has 60s asymmetrical neck (2008-2012 alike) BB Pro and is lighter in weight.
Both come with cases.
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

Traditionals from the point I remember were always cheaper than Standards. They are promoted as the modern Les Pauls and have some upgrades like locking tuners and in my opinion better pickups (which in fact are the same price range like 57 Classic but installed also in Reissue series, which makes them "higher ground product" in Gibson way of thinking). Usually they have better class maple tops. Traditional are cheaper way of getting original 50 specs guitar, rather classic one without any upgrades. What is interesting Traditional today are what Standards were through past years before introducing them (maybe except fat necks)
 
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Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

Standards have compound-radius fretboards too, and AAAA tops whereas they use up to AAA for Traditionals. To me Standards feel pretty slick and modern, with maybe a little more of a PRS feel than a traditional Gibson feel. I really like them. I have a 2011 Traditional and it's my favourite guitar (upgraded to JB and Jazz of course) but I've played probably a dozen recent Standards and they've all been ridiculously nice.
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

It actually should be 'Traditional Standard' and 'Standard'. In 2008 when Gibson introduced the '2008 standard' with chambering, many peopke asked for a 'traditional' standard. Get it now? They're supposed to be more in line with how standards were built (traditionally) in the 80s-90s. I've always thought Gibson needed to rename these models the 'Traditional Standard' and the 'Modern standard'. Way less confusing for everyone.

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Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

Standards have a nicer top, compound radius, coil taps, locking tuners, and Burstbucker Pros (hotter output).

Also the weight relief in a standard is different, so it will be a bit lighter.

I just bought a 2016 Traditional and I love it. Its the cheapest way to get something close to a R8/R9 without breaking the bank. Same Kluson tuners, Alnico II 57 Classic pickups, and a hefty neck.

Sweetwater (in the USA), has a Traditional Plaintop which is even cheaper than a Traditional.
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

hi
my local dealer has good price for Gibson standard trad 2016
i can't choose
i don't want the g force
i like the Axcess
i don't know how to choose the pickups
and i want coil split and others

so, a standard hp without the robot tuners

i like warm tones in the neck position
it will be my first Lp standard-trad

i really don't know how these guitars can be sound modern- vintage and what is the best for me
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

Gibson doesn't make what you're looking for right now unless you get the Axcess
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

no
i just want the HP because it's like the Axcess series but without the robot tuners

but i'd prefer a double cutaway

and i don't understand why some people said this guitar is perfect and they change the pickups to SD pickups lol

second, i want to play rock n roll too that's why i don't understand why the Standard or trad
have just a c57+ or bb pro whereas the Custom has a 498t which is much better for rock n roll
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

^^ Because for a lot of buyers, pickups are the least of their concerns. You can change out the stock pickups, flip them on ebay or wherever and not be out much $, if any. Just a little labor to do the swap. I'd never turn down a guitar that I wanted because of the stock pickups. Some may, but a lot of players wont. The latter may especially be true for members of a forum that is owned by a company best know for it's pickups. ;)
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

but i don't know how to change the pickups

what i notice is the 498t can be like a SH4 so good for rock

but they put burstbuckers pro and classic 57+ that's why for the price of the guitar
i don't know
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

but i don't know how to change the pickups

what i notice is the 498t can be like a SH4 so good for rock

but they put burstbuckers pro and classic 57+ that's why for the price of the guitar
i don't know

Sounds like a good reason to learn how to replace the pickups. It's not rocket science. Here's the deal, and it's just my opinion, but ... if you play the guitars and one plays and feels great but has pickups that you don't want and the other one has pickups that you like but doesn't play or feel as good to you, are you really going to buy the "lesser" guitar just because you cant change pickups? If you cant change them and don't want to learn, then have a tech do it, maybe as part of a setup. Turn around and sell the stock pickups to recoup part of the cost. If you like both guitars equally, then problem solved, go with the one that has the pickups you prefer. The point is that it's silly to settle for a guitar just because of the pickups, especially when you are considering an expensive guitar. In the end though, it comes down to being your decision.
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

Changing pickups on the newer Gibsons isn't difficult, but you can either rip the PC board out and replace everything, or solder connectors onto the SD pickups. You can get these connectors from vendors online, or by cutting them off of the Gibson pickups.
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

but i don't know how to change the pickups

what i notice is the 498t can be like a SH4 so good for rock

but they put burstbuckers pro and classic 57+ that's why for the price of the guitar
i don't know

Pickups aren't what changes the price, not by $500 anyway. The wood and finish and additional features do. I'm convinced the different pickups are just to both balance the differences in contruction (solid vs chambered vs weight relieved, 50s neck vs 60s neck) and to make the guitar attractive to certain target users - e.g. a flame cherry burst might have 'closer to PAF' BBs to appeal to a 'vintage' enthusiast, while a solid color or non-traditional color might have 498/490 or even 500/496 'theoretically' for more modern appeal.
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

Gibson does not want to create a LP with sh2 sh4

maybe the sh4 sounds not blues enough for them
 
Re: Gibson 2016 Traditional vs Standard.

do you think the dc resistance is important like 14k for the sh4 or just the millivolts ?

The burstbucker pro has just 8k maximum but they don't say it is for hard rock like the 498t

they just say it's for modern music so ?

the info in millivolts: info you can't always find for every pickups
 
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