Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

[allbutromeo]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Doesn't customs lack the maple top? They are just all mahogany.


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In the 50's yes that was true. Once the Les Paul was reintroduced in the late 60s they began using maple tops on Customs (thus the introduction of the sunburst Custom) then in the mid 70s the specs went all over the place with the pancake bodies and maple necks. Pancake body was gone by the late 70s, but maple necks continued into the early 80s. Currently the standard Custom model uses a maple top and the 50's RI Customs are all mohagany

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Yeah the new customs use a maple top.

In the end, it does just come down to personal taste. If you are really leaning towards a custom but go with the Trad for money issues, then you're not gonna be happy with the Traditional. You may be content, but never happy.

 

[tabeck5]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Comes down to specifications, Trads are typically love/hate, mostly due to the neck, if you like a thick neck go with the traditional. I believe that the custom has the hotter pickups as well.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

More votes for Customs than I expected. Funny thing is, when I see bands at bars and festivals, I almost never see Customs. I guess when it comes down to it, that steep price tag keeps them a dream for almost everybody. Guys want them but swinging that kind of money isn't easy. The old 'Steak appetite on a hamburger budget' thing.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

More votes for Customs than I expected. Funny thing is, when I see bands at bars and festivals, I almost never see Customs. I guess when it comes down to it, that steep price tag keeps them a dream for almost everybody. Guys want them but swinging that kind of money isn't easy. The old 'Steak appetite on a hamburger budget' thing.

It all comes down to the Benjamins

 

[El Supremo]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

New, I'd definitely go Traditional as the Richlite fretboard thing is just plain stupid to me in that price catagory.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Yeah, Im not going to actually vote. Cuz its kind of a stacked issue.. Id LOVE to have a black LP custom. Kinda always been a dream guitar. But Unless I ever score a killer deal on one, the difference isnt worth the extra cost to me.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

New, I'd definitely go Traditional as the Richlite fretboard thing is just plain stupid to me in that price catagory.

Especially when I just bought a $600 Epiphone with an ebony board.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Yeah, Im not going to actually vote. Cuz its kind of a stacked issue.. Id LOVE to have a black LP custom. Kinda always been a dream guitar. But Unless I ever score a killer deal on one, the difference isnt worth the extra cost to me.

Check Fleabay. There are plenty of great deals on LPC's for around the same price as a new Traditional. Silverbursts regularly go for right around $2000.

 

[jmoore5000]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Dont forget how it sounds to your ears. Amp, pickups, etc. That makes a difference. In my Trad the 57/57+ combo sounded kinda blah. I blashphemed and put a het set in there and it went to the next level. It now has a 57/66 combo and it rips. Theres a tone of factors at play.

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[allbutromeo]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

I've never tried the standard Traditional, but I do own a Traditional Pro II and love it. I also have a 1981 Custom, and while I do like how it plays and looks, the maple neck imparts a bight Ness to it that I haven't been able gel with. I have an idea for a set of pickups for it, but since it would be a custom order it will have to wait for my financial situation to allow me some more disposable income. I bought the Custom about 5 years ago and paid around $1400 for it, and have seen some go for less.
Couple of things that didn't get mentioned in the differences of the Custom is depending on year (or maybe always) Customs have a slightly larger headstock than the standard LP, and often have very low-wide frets (part of how it got the fret less wonder nickname)

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

The Fretless Wonder frets are very narrow and not very tall. The wide-flat frets are common on Gibsons of the '70s; they must be perfectly crowned or the guitar will not intonate correctly.

I don't have a Custom, or a Traditional. I have two each of the 1960 Classic, Classic Antique, and Supreme models. I have an Elegant, and then four Historics: an R8, R9 and two G0 plain tops.

My Supremes are closest to the Custom, though they are a bit fancier. These are chambered and feature an arched maple cap on the back and front. Pickups are the same set as the Custom...490r and 498t, and the guitars benefit greatly from a pickup swap. Mine weigh 8.9 and 9.1 lbs. after switching to an aluminum tail piece. Also, the Supreme has a different neck profile than any of my other Gibsons.

So my issues with the Custom are: the weight (too heavy--many run 10+ lbs.), the pickups and the tone. IME, Customs have a tightly focused sustaining tone and I prefer the airier, warmer and more resonant tone of the guitars in the Standard family. Standards for blues; you'll see a lot of guys using stock Customs thru a Marshall for hard rock and metal.

Nor am I fond of the Traditionals I've played. Again....pickups. And I really don't care for the matte finish on the back, or the way they shade the Sunburst on this model. Call me old school; it doesn't look right.

If you're serious about a Paul in this price range, I would definitely look for a used Historic model. The '57 Gold Top and the '58 plaintops can for not much more than a Trad, but they have big, fat necks. If you like a slimmer neck, look for one of the Guitar Center 1960 G0 plaintops. I much prefer the tone, vibe, and feel of the Historic models. They are addictive.

And if that's too rich for you, I would search for 1960 Classic from the years between 1990--'97. Later models have some really ugly inlays, and lesser quality, IMO. Look for one with a Plus or Premium Plus top. Great platform for upgrading the pickups, tail piece, and a pot and cap set. One of mine got Seths, the other Ants, and they have about 90% of the Historic vibe, and fast slim taper necks.

Good luck on your quest!

Bill

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Ok, I've never played with the 50's Custom frets, my 81 had the low flat and yes the intonation was terrible. But by that point it was 30 years old and they were worn enough that I just had them replaced with the standard medium frets

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Especially when I just bought a $600 Epiphone with an ebony board.

Yup! I dont want to open the EPI v Gibson can o worms, but Epi is making some great guits these days and at a great value.. I recently got one of the 1960 Tribute Plus models and I cant stop playing it.. Has Gibson pups (still on the fence with them), orange drop caps, full size pots, locking tuners, 60s neck, supposed to come with epi straplocks, (mine just had the buttons installed, but I wanted my own Dunlops anyhow. Figured top, coil taps.. They run at most about $699. I got mine alot less. Its a great guit..

Check Fleabay. There are plenty of great deals on LPC's for around the same price as a new Traditional. Silverbursts regularly go for right around $2000.

yeah, probably. However, If I get another Gibson LP, Id probably get another Trad Pro (I LOVE mine!!) or if I was going for a pricier one, Id get a used Class 5. Also, I REALLY love black and blue figured tops. they have a new standard I believe that has a black flame top.. OH my!! Or, theres a model they made a few years ago. (I dont know the model name, but it came in chicago blue. the headstock has a crown on it. Marq Torien (sp?) of the Bullet Boys plays one...

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Yup! I dont want to open the EPI v Gibson can o worms, but Epi is making some great guits these days and at a great value.. I recently got one of the 1960 Tribute Plus models and I cant stop playing it.. Has Gibson pups (still on the fence with them), orange drop caps, full size pots, locking tuners, 60s neck, supposed to come with epi straplocks, (mine just had the buttons installed, but I wanted my own Dunlops anyhow. Figured top, coil taps.. They run at most about $699. I got mine alot less. Its a great guit..

I don't either, but I think if you're going to pay the price for a custom, then richlite shouldn't even be considered. Not that richlite isn't nice. It is, but at $4000, I'm sure there's enough profit in there to give players an ebony board.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

The thing about the Richlite...if you were handed two guitars, played them blindfolded, you would not be able to tell the difference between the ebony and the Richlite.

I know its a $4,000 guitar. And I would want the ebony too. But...we are going to have to realize that traditional tonewoods are becoming more and more scarce. Pure black ebony is getting harder and harder to find. And it's not just Gibson who's using Richlite.

I have a new Custom Shop Martin D-28 with a big brown streak in the fingerboard--that would have been unthinkable 30 years ago.

It sucks, but we'd better get used to it.

Bill

 

[El Supremo]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

The thing about the Richlite...if you were handed two guitars, played them blindfolded, you would not be able to tell the difference between the ebony and the Richlite.

I know its a $4,000 guitar. And I would want the ebony too. But...we are going to have to realize that traditional tonewoods are becoming more and more scarce. Pure black ebony is getting harder and harder to find. And it's not just Gibson who's using Richlite.

I have a new Custom Shop Martin D-28 with a big brown streak in the fingerboard--that would have been unthinkable 30 years ago.

It sucks, but we'd better get used to it.

Bill

Agreed, but I'd rather take streaked ebony if that's the feel and tone I wanted. I think Taylor guitars is on the right track with using the visually less perfect ebony and looking for alternative tone woods.
Charging 4k for a cardboard guitar is just beyond my level of comprehension, even if it sounds the same.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Agreed, but I'd rather take streaked ebony if that's the feel and tone I wanted. I think Taylor guitars is on the right track with using the visually less perfect ebony and looking for alternative tone woods.
Charging 4k for a cardboard guitar is just beyond my level of comprehension, even if it sounds the same.

Don't companies ebonize rosewood by dying it black? Couldn't they do the same for ebony?

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Les Paul: Traditional vs. Custom

Don't companies ebonize rosewood by dying it black? Couldn't they do the same for ebony?

Im sure they can. But, as stated above, I have great respect for Taylor for embracing and being honest about less than perfect colored ebony. Instead of trying to mask it. They say, sounds the same, lets use it and be eco friendly..

And also, as stated above. No, Im sure I couldnt tell the diff tween ebony and Richlite (Im 60% deaf or more) And, Id probably willingly buy the guitar knowing its being used, but please dont charge the same as you would for premium materials and give me synthetics..