gibson Traditional help required.

Hi guys,

Im currently on the look out for a les paul traditional however I dont have much experience with the models and pickups as I am a fender guy. And there isnt any gibson dealers anywhere close to me:dang

I mainly play blues, cleen with a bit of bite which pickup combination would suit my style best? And which year traditional should i be looking for at picking up thanks all.:salude

I don’t think it really matters. I’ve got a 2009. They’ve got the stock 57 Classic pickups and I love it. I’ve got a friend with an old one. We swapped guitars for a week and honestly, we both thought they sounded the same. I use mine in a band that ranges from 50’s to classic country to blues. It’s really versatile. Good luck

I just wanted to mention that some of the LP traditional's are not full glossy guitars, i.e front/back/sides/neck.
If I recall correctly the traditional pro II's had satin back/sides/neck and only glossy tops.
so if you are shopping online and can't touch the guitar until after the purchase has been made that you should ask the seller about this if it matters to you.

happy shopping,
dj

dju said:

I just wanted to mention that some of the LP traditional's are not full glossy guitars, i.e front/back/sides/neck.
If I recall correctly the traditional pro II's had satin back/sides/neck and only glossy tops.
so if you are shopping online and can't touch the guitar until after the purchase has been made that you should ask the seller about this if it matters to you.

happy shopping,
dj

Click to expand...

The back, sides and neck of my 2014 Traditional Pro II are satin. This is not a thin finish where you can feel the grain like the faded guitars. The neck got shiny on it's own. I polished the back and sides. I actually like the finish on the neck and prefer it over full gloss. Even after getting shiny from playing, it feels nicer than the full gloss finish on the neck of my ES-335.

Mine has a so called '50s neck. It's not as large as you'd expect a '50s neck to be but it's nice and round and feels great. The pickups in mine were replaced with Duncan Alnico Pro IIs when I bought it so I can't comment on the original pickups. I put Seth Lovers in it and play classic rock and blues with it.

What’s your budget? I bought a 2019 two weeks ago and can’t put it down, but I’ve been saving for a new one for a few years. It was pricey, but I waited until I could swing it.

The newer models have Burstbucker pups (not sure what year that became the standard). I have a 2012 Classic Custom with 57s, and to my ears, the Burstbuckers have bit more clarity and a slight bump in the upper mids. I like the Burstbuckers for that clean to slightly overdriven sound you mentioned. Not that you can’t get it with the 57s, but I prefer the Burstbuckers. Totally different guitars I know, but I have read similar comparisons of the pickups.

I recently picked up a used 2017 at the Tampa GC. It's a very glossy Heritage cherry burst. The quality of the construction is excellent but the setup seemed to have been the factory setup, including the original .009 ~ .046 strings. I did a quick truss rod tweak, put on new strings, and lowered the ABR1 bridge. The 2017's are plek'd and the final setup is as good as any guitar gets. The stop tailpiece is aluminum and acoustically this example is bright. This one is non-weight relieved and weighs in at a manly 9.5 pounds. The upside is sustain that lasts as all the strings ring out loud and proud. As far as pickups, they are low-wind alnico 2 burstbucker 1 and 2. They are remarkably chimey and when played with some OD you'll really appreciate the string separation and sustain. If you can get a 2017 used you will not be disappointed.