2017 Les Paul Traditional Closest To What Historic Year?

I'm not sure Gibson are really sure what guitars are what anymore. That was evident with the Les Paul Junior Special. I'm not sure R8, R9, or R0s were technically called Standards even though they are reissues of standards, though 2017 has seen them use that label once more for those kind of reissues.

If you saw someone playing a Traditional on stage, what would you think it is? Not a Junior, Special, or Custom (or Junior Special), nor a Studio. I would think he or she is playing a Standard, as it has all the Standard appointments. If I got closer and saw the 'Traditional' truss rod cover, I would then realise that it's a Standard that they've not fucked with too badly.

Fender do the same sort of thing as seen on their latest Mustangs, which have no tremolo and so really should be a Duo Sonic, especially with the same switching system as the Sonics (but they've plonked P90s in there instead). It reminds me of when Wrigley's brought out their exciting brand new flavour a few years ago- strawberry! Impressive stuff.

Think of all the many meetings and money that went into all of the above.

It definitely is confusing. Like others said, it's not a reissue. On a reissue Gibson attempts to build the guitar as closely as possible to the way the guitars were built way back when.

The Traditional is built using modern techniques. It's built the way a Standard is built today, but with traditional "themed" appointments, like the ABR bridge, pearloid tuners, aged inlays, etc...

The Traditionals don't target a specific year, but more of an era.