Les Paul Preference: Classic, Trad., Std.?

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MistaGuitah
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The reason I still buy Les Laul Classics is because they're a little cheaper. They Classics I used to own had fairly hot ceramic pickups called Dirty Fingers, but it looks like the newer ones come with Alnico V Burstbuckers. As far as I know, they're weight-relieved like the Traditionals, while the Standard is not weight-relieved. Between the Classic and Traditional, it kind of boils down to whether you want a figured maple cap or plain maple. Personally, I'd rather save the money and get a classic. I can always sort through several and find one with an attractive top.

I've seen some people say they got a Traditional because they didn't like the 61 Burstbuckers, but turn right around and say the first thing they did was replace the pickups. I'm pretty experienced with pickups and can say with a reasonable degree of qualification that the 61 Burstbuckers are just as good as the others. In fact, they seem like a great choice since the pots are push/pull for coil-tapping and their slightly brighter edge lends well to that.

Which of the 3 do you prefer and why?
 
MistaGuitah said:
The reason I still buy Les Laul Classics is because they're a little cheaper. They Classics I used to own had fairly hot ceramic pickups called Dirty Fingers, but it looks like the newer ones come with Alnico V Burstbuckers. As far as I know, they're weight-relieved like the Traditionals, while the Standard is not weight-relieved. Between the Classic and Traditional, it kind of boils down to whether you want a figured maple cap or plain maple. Personally, I'd rather save the money and get a classic. I can always sort through several and find one with an attractive top.

I've seen some people say they got a Traditional because they didn't like the 61 Burstbuckers, but turn right around and say the first thing they did was replace the pickups. I'm pretty experienced with pickups and can say with a reasonable degree of qualification that the 61 Burstbuckers are just as good as the others. In fact, they seem like a great choice since the pots are push/pull for coil-tapping and their slightly brighter edge lends well to that.

Which of the 3 do you prefer and why?
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AFAIK, the Classics never came with Dirty Fingers from the factory. It was the 500T/496R combo. Which are also ceramic. I've had Classics, Standards, Traditionals and Customs from the regular production line. I still have my Classic. It's a 1996. I prefer the slim taper neck so that is one of the reasons I keep it. That and the fact that it's good and broken in and feels like home to me. Ceramic pickups are long gone though. My second favorite have been the Traditionals. They're usually a little on the heavy side though.
 
jtgainor said:
Which ever has a fat neck.
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I used to prefer that because my hands are kind of big and I used to hang my thumb over the top, but now I tend to keep my thumb mostly at the middle of the guitar neck and don't usually hang my thumb over unless it's to do certain chords, so the 60's taper necks work very well.
 
Findthetone1 said:
AFAIK, the Classics never came with Dirty Fingers from the factory. It was the 500T/496R combo. Which are also ceramic. I've had Classics, Standards, Traditionals and Customs from the regular production line. I still have my Classic. It's a 1996. I prefer the slim taper neck so that is one of the reasons I keep it. That and the fact that it's good and broken in and feels like home to me. Ceramic pickups are long gone though. My second favorite have been the Traditionals. They're usually a little on the heavy side though.
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I don't know about 1996 but I bought a couple new around maybe 2008 or 2010 and think they came with Dirty Fingers. If not, I don't know what they were but they were definitely ceramic and a hotter than my Traditionals and Standards.
 
MistaGuitah said:
I don't know about 1996 but I bought a couple new around maybe 2008 or 2010 and think they came with Dirty Fingers. If not, I don't know what they were but they were definitely ceramic and a hotter than my Traditionals and Standards.
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Hmmm. The newer Dirty Finger actually say it in the bobbins. I like ceramics sometimes but not for an all around pickup. My Classic has older Godwood pickups in it.
 
MistaGuitah said:
Oh man, I love the Wagner pickups. Another favorite is David Allen P51 Mustangs.
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Yeah. The Godwoods have been in there forever. They cover a lot of ground. Never tried DA pickups. Have to look into them.
 
I feel like lighter Les Pauls do not balance well, and have disliked a lot of the heavily chambered LPs I've played. The newer Classics I think have that, so I would stay away unless I could play it first.

Otherwise, I generally like what Gibson is making lately. Just either be able to see if first or have a return policy. Mostly they are great, but you'll occasionally run into a head scratching problem like a nut cut so low the notes don't ring out etc.
 
I know nothing about the newer Classics. The older 1960 Classic was one of the better deals for a Les Paul you could get.

Well made, some even had really good tops. The only bad thing was the aged inlays which eventually they stopped putting those on there. I played two 1960 Classics for a long time until I got a Standard. At present as much as I love the look of my Classic that I kept, I just can't deal with the slim taper anymore. I need something a little beefier and my Standard has the best feeling neck I've tried on a Les Paul. Not even sure what neck it is, tad smaller than the baseball bat 59 and definitely not slim taper.

All of mine came with the 500T/496R combo which that is a great combo.
 
I remember some years back between 2008-2012 when Gibson faced some controversy regarding rosewood, so they started making Les Paul Classics with roasted maple fretboards. I bought one and really liked it. I don't remember the other specs or if it was just a pick of the litter but it was one of the best Les Paul's I've owned.
 
MistaGuitah said:
The reason I still buy Les Laul Classics is because they're a little cheaper. They Classics I used to own had fairly hot ceramic pickups called Dirty Fingers, but it looks like the newer ones come with Alnico V Burstbuckers. As far as I know, they're weight-relieved like the Traditionals, while the Standard is not weight-relieved. Between the Classic and Traditional, it kind of boils down to whether you want a figured maple cap or plain maple. Personally, I'd rather save the money and get a classic. I can always sort through several and find one with an attractive top.
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Standards (non-CS) have been weight relieved for 40 years, same for Customs. I can't remember if Classics had on-and-off years of weight relief.
Traditionals have had certain years of weight relief, and some years of non-relieved (true "solid" bodies).
 
jtgainor said:
Which ever has a fat neck.
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Agreed—kinda pisses me off that Gibson makes you spend $3500+ to get a substantial neck. But being pissed off doesn’t get me a fat neck so I laid down the Benjamins lol
 
According to this article, the only time you could get a Les Paul after '83 without weight relief was on the Traditional between 2013 and 2015. I have no clue myself, I looked up this article because I just started digging LP's after 30 years and am really clueless about the differences between the models, this thread made it seem like a good time to find out.

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/art...n_standard_studio_junior_and_other_lps-105449
 
There have been some limited run guitars without weight relief. The Player Plus series which I think was just made for 2018 is not weight relieved. I have one of the Les Paul Signature Player Plus models and it makes my Explorer feel like a strat in comparison. I had to buy one of those thick, wide straps to keep it from digging into my shoulder so much.

Great guitars if you can find one, I think they weren’t a huge hit due to having richlite boards and maybe some people don’t like satin finishes, although I’d rather have richlite than streaky ebony or brown rosewood on a guitar that needs the fretboard BLACK. They had normal hand soldered electronics, full binding, “50’s round” neck profile whatever that is, cryogenically frozen frets (????) and pretty sure they were plekd.

Only thing I didn’t like about it was the Burstbucker Pro pickups. Those had to go and fast.
 
People also gravitated to the Trad because it wasn't weight relieved.

Some people don't want a Swiss cheese LP.
 
MistaGuitah said:
I remember some years back between 2008-2012 when Gibson faced some controversy regarding rosewood, so they started making Les Paul Classics with roasted maple fretboards. I bought one and really liked it. I don't remember the other specs or if it was just a pick of the litter but it was one of the best Les Paul's I've owned.
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I’m not sure it was roasted maple, they had a lot of guitars with richlite fretboards around that time.
 
Standard. I love the 60s assemetrical neck and compound radius.

Weight relieved. Sounds and plays like a dream.
 
I have a 2019 Standard and is not weight-relieved and sounds awesome. Not a flaw in the entire guitar. Stays in tune, sounds great, feels great with a 60s neck, etc.

My "go to" guitar is a 2013 Classic I got in a trade. Thought it was a Standard but plate had been swapped, etc. I should have known with thr greenish inlays, lol. But it is my fun guitar. Weight-relieved, covered with stickers, Motor City 2nd Degree Black Belts in it and don't mind if it gets dinged up.

I have played the newer Classics and they are solid! Really liked the ones I've played. I don't think I'd like Traditionals so stay away from those.
 
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