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Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded?

tubby_cosmos

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Jan 23, 2011
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Is such a guitar still being produced? I didn't see it on the Gibson website when I took a quick look, yet another thread I saw here said they only started making them in 2005. Was it just a short run, then?

Anyways, reviews of the Faded Std seem to be quite positive. Again, I've seen one on craigslist with a decent looking flame top asking for $1250. Sounded reasonable to me, but I thought I'd check here before I spring on anything. Not to mention that the guy is over 50mi from me.

Thoughts?
 

bigtomrodney

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Nov 7, 2009
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1,448
Yeah they were discontinued. Perhaps a little bit too much bang for buck, their controversial clambering and thin finish ended up making them sound great. Easy on the shoulder too! I think my number one guitar would be Historic or vintage but I'd happily have one of these in the collection.
 

Standardfaded

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Oct 13, 2010
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I got one of the last HCS from Larry, its swissed not chambered,would like to get one of the chambereds someday.1250 sounds reasonable to me! Go for it!
 

ch willie

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Jun 7, 2007
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1,114
I"ve had mine since 2007, and I will never part with it. It's a real Standard, a great guitar. $1250 is a steal.
 

Jurius

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Sep 2, 2007
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1,399
50 miles is not very far to check out a guitar. Hell I drive 125 miles 5 days a week just to get to work.

That's a good price for a fine sounding instrument. The finish on my Faded left a lot to be desired but awesome tone.
 

GeeJay

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Sep 11, 2001
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Some folks added a couple of coats of laquer to the finish and have ended up with stunning tops. I friend at work had one and it was really nice, great sound...
 

sonar

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Jan 10, 2003
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I've been a happy Faded owner since 2008 and it's a favorite, right up there with my vintage pieces.

$1250 is a really good price, if it's stock and has a nice top. eBay prices range from $1500-$1850, which is probably $300 more than street.

A great guitar and value @ $1250. Still a great guitar and value for $1500, but I wouldn't pay any more than that.
 

Spoonman

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Feb 17, 2007
Messages
124
I love mine. Some cleaner and polish and it looks really nice. I have a flametop R8 but people always comment on how nice the faded looks.

It has a really bright tone amplified, and a great acoustic resonance unplugged.

P4010062.jpg
 

ch willie

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Jun 7, 2007
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Yours looks great, Spoonman. I've put the virtuoso polish to mine, but I haven't done it well enough to get the sheen that you have. How did you do that?
 

papersoul

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Dec 20, 2003
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A friend of mine has an R7 and a Standard Faded from 2008 and mostly plays his faded. I have tried it and it feels great, very resonant and full sounding, lots of beefy tone, the faded neck feels killer! It is very light and easy on the back! Impressed. He installed Duncans.
 

viper007

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Jul 26, 2007
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1,631
Got mine in 2006 and sold it 2009 to get a historic. Still, it was a great guitar..

 

Leña_Costoso

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Jul 24, 2005
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Sorry... at a buds house today, don't have a picture to post online, but....

My LP Std. (faded) was one of the first out of Nashville. Escaped the factory with the wrong pickups! As was told to me by a former (to be un-named) Gibby employee: "Check your pickups. We did a photoshoot for the faded with Tak Matsumoto pickups in it, since the reverse coil color burstbucker pros hadn't been delivered to us. We screwed up and built about 200 with the Tak Matsumotos by mistake, and about 130 left the factory with the wrong pickups"

As luck would have it - I got one, from Elderly (before they were non-Gibson dealer). Pulled the pickups and they're BB-Tak #1 and BB-Tak #2 marked on the little sticker. Neat. Swiss cheeze chambers. BB-Tak is basically a Burstbucker #1 and #2 with wax potting, but they sound great. Very light when compared to the BB-Pro's that come in the regular and faded Std model. Also did a nitro clear over the faded top. Came out great. I got told that Hank Williams Jr requested several fadeds with gloss tops, which were built for him. Neat factoids.
 

romiso

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Jan 25, 2002
Messages
39
My only LP currently is an '06 Standard Faded. It doesn't get as much play time as my SGs and every once in a while I consider "upgrading" -- right until I plug it in and remember how much I love it.

$1250 if it's in great condition and you like the top sounds like a great deal -- well worth the 50 mile drive -- even more so if the seller is willing to meet you half way!

Here's mine:

2012-01-24_14-35-06_667.jpg
 

papersoul

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Dec 20, 2003
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Sounds like the Standard Fadeds are a great deal but hard to find and I prefer to play before I buy. Since only a small number of fadeds were made, maybe most were good???

I also went and tried some Historics today (LPs) and wasn't that impressed over Standard and Traditional LPs. :)
 

PaulSG

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Dec 10, 2002
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LCPG#103 on the right and my '02 Standard on the left.

The faded has such a nice creamy tone through the BJ.

Blues_Jr_Tweed_005.jpg
 

Edward

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Mar 7, 2006
Messages
1,255
I have an 05 ...love it!
Correct me if I'm wrong, the 05 and many 06s were swiss-cheesed weight relieved, but I remember reading by end of 06 and definitely into 07 they were chambered. Was 07 not the last year?

Edward
 

sonar

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Jan 10, 2003
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I have an 05 ...love it!
Correct me if I'm wrong, the 05 and many 06s were swiss-cheesed weight relieved, but I remember reading by end of 06 and definitely into 07 they were chambered. Was 07 not the last year?

Edward

The Standard Faded was on Gibson's price sheet from 2005-2008.

Although not on the dealer list some 2009's were made.

The body was weight relieved until sometime in mid '06, when replaced with chambering. Gibson had the '09 spec's reverting back to weight relief, but...
Larry Corsa (CV guitars) was able to procure several 09's for the PG mods. He was convinced that at least some of the 09's were in fact chambered and not weight relieved.

50's & 60's profile necks were both available from '05-'07. '08 was available only with 50's profile.

Hope it helps.
 
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