LP models with ABR-1 Bridge?

[jaymz1977]

Hello from Sydney Australia. I hope this finds you well. This is my first post so I hope I have posted in the right section.
As the title suggests, I am hoping to get some information on which models of LP come with ABR bridges. I know the reissues do but are there any others?
I am the owner of a 2004 standard plus that I have done some mods to. I have Faber hardware with conversion posts locking bridge and stop bar, Seymour Duncan custom shop pearly gates pups, Luxe bumble bees and 50's wiring. So yeah I like the vintage thing. It is a great guitar, I really like it, but at the end of the day it has been made as vintage as I can get it. I really want something that was born that way.
I recently bought a Derek Trucks SG and I absolutely love that thing. The main reason is bought was because of the combination of features: abr bridge and slim neck in particular. I love the dummy maestro tail piece too. I ended up putting a batwing pick guard on it because it always looked like something was missing. Being a Angus die hard I guess that's what I'm used to seeing and I really wanted something to replicate his very first SG because I love the early AC/DC more so than the later.
All of this got me wondering if I can get an LP (other than a custom shop or a reissue) that also has an abr bridge, preferably a 60's slim neck and if possible no weight relief. The long neck tenon is probably asking too much for an non reissue or custom shop.

So if anyone more knowledgeable than me has any info on any such models I would really appreciate it. I guess once I have some suggestions I will decide which models I like best based on their features. The most important being the abr bridge.
Cheers

 

[Wattage]

2017 Classic T

 

[jaymz1977]

Thanks for the input.
Im willing to bet that one is chambered, correct me if I'm wrong.
Cheers

 

[Wattage]

Thanks for the input.
Im willing to bet that one is chambered, correct me if I'm wrong.
Cheers

I don't think so, not the one I had here anyway. Would've been pretty heavy to have been chambered. Did have a 70's-ish carve and a bit of a canoe paddle headstock though. It was really nicely made fwiw.

 

[Wattage]

Just looked it up

"Mahogany with 9 hole weight relief"

 

[jaymz1977]

Yeah I looked it up too. That would be acceptable I suppose.
I just saw the Joe B tomato soup burst. Now that looks nice.

 

[mudbone]

2017 Traditional is showing ABR and no weight relief. I cant wait to grab one of these.

 

[jaymz1977]

My only issue with the 2017 models is the binding.
Im not sure if it applies to all models but when I was looking at a 2017 SG standard, the binding looked to me like it was painted with white-out. It looked rubbish.
Is it the same on all 2017 models?
cheers

 

[Wattage]

Classic has a slimmer neck than the Trad

I liked the binding on the Classic thought it was very well done. It has the rolled fretboard edge too, really comfortable. Think the Trad has it as well.

 

[jaymz1977]

Ok. But is it that ghastly white or the traditional cream in colour?

 

[1all's Pub]

Just so everyone is in the know, while the bridges are indeed ABR-1s on the 2017s, there's two things to be aware of:

• They don't sit on ABR-1 posts and/or inserts... they use the Nashville inserts and Nashville conversion posts (like you can buy from Philadelphia Luthier & other luthier suppliers)
• They are the wired version of the ABR-1 (ie, which is historically incorrect, if that's important to you... and can tend to be rattle-prone if history is any judge)

Understand, I'm not bagging on them for these two things (I put a Nashville conversion ABR-1 on both of my 2016 Trads, so I have no problem with them--though I did go the non-wired route for the reasons mentioned above). But if someone is looking to buy a 2017 specifically because they think they are getting a true "old school" ABR-1 bridge on them like back in the day... they're not.

 

[jaymz1977]

Interesting. Thanks for that.

 

[williu]

I have a 2017 Classic T in Cherry Sunburst, and it is just amazing. The best thing about it, for me, is the rolled neck. It's super comfortable, and the binding looks beautiful to my eyes. And it's cream, not "ghastly white" eace2

 

[jaymz1977]

Williu, is the bridge on conversion posts? If so, what type? The Faber style or one of the other manufacturers off-set style?
cheers

 

[jaymz1977]

What do you mean by "rolled neck", too.
Cheers

 

[jaymz1977]

All this research is making my head spin!!
how about gold tops? Does one exist that has an abr, slim taper neck and is non weight relieved?
cheers

 

[1all's Pub]

All this research is making my head spin!!
how about gold tops? Does one exist that has an abr, slim taper neck and is non weight relieved?
cheers

2017 Classic Gold Top almost has you covered. It's got a 60s Slim Taper neck, does have an ABR-1 (wired, on Nashville conversion posts like I mentioned above). However, it has the 9-hole Weight Relief (aka, "Traditional Weight Relief").

 

[Keefoman]

An LP Classic prior to 2004 will have a proper ABR-1 and 60's slim taper neck. But you will have to live with snot green or piss yellow inlays, and not very good hot ceramic pickups. Also swiss cheese weight relieved. They're really nice guitars though, if you find a good one and swap the pups.

 

[jaymz1977]

Thanks for that info.

I had a revelation the other day.
My current 2003 standard plus top was sold to me as having a 60's neck. Gibson always claimed that their records of the serial number said it was a 50's neck. I had forgotten about this.
The other day I got my calipers out and measured it and lo and behold it is a 50's neck.
This opens my choices up a bit because it tells me that the 50's neck is not too big for me like I expected it would be. My original philosophy was that if mine was a 60's then the 50' would be bigger, and probably too big.
This now opens me up to a 59 reissue, where previously I would have only really looked at a 60 reissue, or something of similar specs.

Im starting to lean towards a gold top though. As much as I love the 'burst, they are everywhere. Gold tops are less common. And I really like the look of the pin striped Billy Gibbons gold top (I wouldn't buy one though cos its chambered).

cheers

 

[1all's Pub]

What did it measure out at (1st & 12th frets)?

Reason I ask is, Gibson uses the term "50's neck" pretty liberally and it can be a baseball bat or just barely bigger than a 60s neck depending on year/application.

If you give us the actual measurements of yours we may be able to help better steer you to certain models (and away from others).