 |
A gigging man's Les Paul with '60s slim-tapered neck and coil-split humbuckers. |
Taking design and visual cues from the Les Pauls of the '80s and '90s, the Les Paul Traditional Pro features BurstBucker 3 and '57 Classic pickups with coil-splitting, '60s neck profile, Grover locking tuners, antique binding, period-correct pickguard, vintage Gibson top hat knobs, and the revolutionary Plek set up.
With all the fat, sweet, snarling Les Paul tone that purists love, the new Gibson Les Paul Standard Traditional Pro sports a non-chambered
mahogany body with a thick maple cap for the perfect blend of warmth and clarity. The top is finished in high-gloss lacquer, while the back, sides, and neck have a smooth satin finish that feels great and lets the wood resonate fully. Each Les Paul Traditional also comes with Gibson USA's standard black snakeskin case.
Period-Correct Pickguard
The creme-colored pickguard has been a Les Paul staple dating back to the models of the late 1950s and the early 1960s. Many players, however, removed the pickguard from their Les Pauls to show off the beauty of the flame maple tops, moving Gibson to stop installing the pickguard altogether. During the 1980s and 1990s, Gibson began reinstalling the pickguard in the factory, and the Les Pauls from this era once again arrived in stores bearing the classic, creme-colored pickguard. The Les Paul Traditional comes equipped with a period-correct pickguard, designed to protect the maple top.
Pickups: Neck - '57 Classic; Bridge - BurstBucker 3
Among the qualities that make Gibson's original "Patent Applied For" humbucking pickups so unique are the subtle variations between coil windings. For the first few years of their productions—1955 to 1961—Gibson's PAF humbuckers were wound using imprecise machines, resulting in pickups with slightly different output and tone. The BurstBucker 3 and '57 Classic Plus pickups are the result of Gibson drive to capture and recreate this characteristic. Introduced in 1992, the '57 Classic provides warm, full tone with a balanced response, packing that classic Gibson PAF humbucker crunch, inspired by those original PAFs that received a few extra turns of wire. Both are made by Gibson to the exact same specs as the original PAFs, including Alnico II magnets, nickel-plated pole pieces, nickel slugs, maple spacers, and vintage-style, two-conductor braided wiring. Gibson added poly-coated wiring, which improves consistency by eliminating thick or thin spots on the wiring, and wax potting, which removes all internal air space and any chance of microphonic feedback. Both pickups offer coil-splitting for single-coil sounds via push/pull switching in the volume controls.
Revolutionary Plek Set Up
The Les Paul Traditional is the first model from Gibson USA to utilize the revolutionary Plek machine in setting up the guitar. The Plek is a German-made, computer-controlled machine that carefully measures each fret, along with the fingerboard height under each string, and then automatically dresses each fret, virtually eliminating string buzz and greatly improving the overall playability of the guitar. This pioneering process does in minutes what it takes a luthier several hours—sometimes even days—to accomplish. Every fret is accurately aligned, and the guitar is properly intonated, leaving the instrument "Plek'd" and amazingly playable.
Antique Binding
To see the process of putting the binding on the Les Paul Traditional is to really appreciate the effort and attention that Gibson puts into each instrument. A lone craftsman will carefully glue and fit two pieces of binding around the entire body of a Les Paul. He then winds a single, very long piece of narrow cloth around the entire body until the entire surface is nearly covered. The body is then hung to dry for a full 24 hours before it is unwrapped and moved into the next phase of production. It has been done the same way for over 100 years. Some question the value of adding binding, but Gibson believes it is a fundamental part of our rich guitar-making history. The binding adds elegance to the Les Paul Standard, and helps protect the edges of the body. The neck binding is installed over the fret ends, which eliminates sharp fret edges and provides for a smooth neck and easier playability.
Gibson Les Paul Standard Traditional Pro Electric Guitar Features:
- Body Style: Non-chambered
- Top: Carved maple
- Back: Mahogany
- Neck: Set mahogany
- Neck Profile: '60s
- Headstock: Angled
- Scale length: 24-3/4"
- Fingerboard: Bound Rosewood
- No. of frets: 22
- Nut width: 1.69"
- Inlays: Trapezoid
- Binding: Antique
- Bridge: Tune-O-Matic with stopbar tailpiece
- Tuners: Locking Grover
- Hardware: Chrome
- Bridge pickup: potted BurstBucker 3 humbucker with coil-splitting
- Neck Pickup: '57 Classic with coil-splitting
- Electronics: 2 volume with push/pull coil-splitting, 2 tone, 3-way toggle pickup selector
- Knobs: Vintage Gibson top hats
- Pickguard: Period-correct
- Case: Hardshell
- Other: Plek Set-up
Gibson Les Paul Standard Traditional Pro Electric Guitar Includes:
Own a Les Paul that has features of both vintage and and modern styles.
Gibson Les Paul Standard Traditional Pro Electric Guitar
Write A Review
Average of 27 User Ratings
Overall
Quality
Features
Value
Customer Reviews
Overall
Quality
Features
Value
Les Paul Traditional Pro
Posted by JT from WI on Nov 6, 2009
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Active
Reviewer's Play Style: Metal, Rock, blues
I received this guitar a couple of weeks ago and love it. The sounds it can achieve are outstanding. I bought the ebony version hoping to avoid any flaws and was disappointed in the guitar at first. There were noticible scratches in the sides and excessive glue at the neck joint. Nothing major but certainly not top QC work from Gibson. Then I plugged it in. I bought a Gibson for the sound and have never owned a guitar I did not scratch along the way. The Traditional Pro Rocks.
Overall
Quality
Features
Value
AWESOME GUITAR
Posted by BLUEBLOODRED from Dago on Oct 11, 2009
Experience w/product: I have heard about it
Reviewer's Background: active musician
Reviewer's Play Style: blues, metal, hard rock
I own a Custom shop silverburst les paul custom, and I have four les paul standards. I've paid well over 3800 for a few of my guitars. When I saw this guitar, I had to check it out. We ordered one last night, and we are eagerly awaiting our new toy. I wish, some of my other standards came hot rodded like this one. Burstbucker 3, 57 classic, non chambered, 60's neck, and split coils? This is a perfect les paul, in every aspect! Great job, and great job on the price. Any les paul under two grand is a steal!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially for this one. Get it now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall
Quality
Features
Value
great valuegreat resale
Posted by pacman from atlanta on Oct 9, 2009
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: 20 years
Reviewer's Play Style: rnr
I own this guitar, and have no complaints, the pups growl at you. fit and finish, A OK .If you are a guitar player I highly suggest you play the axe that made history, you might not make it to stardom, but wtf you only live once, and it is what it is a Les Paul. I love mine and I'm 48 years old, look for me in your nearest hall... not no matter who you are,except those dinks whose daddy buys them anything they want, I do suggest playing this axe. I now own one after seeing Jimmy page play one live.
Overall
Quality
Features
Value
Nut Problem
Posted by Ace from SF on Sep 27, 2009
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: active rocker
Reviewer's Play Style: rock
I just bought this guitar and had to return it because the nut was bad and I have heard this story before. I hope when the new one comes in, it will rock...
Overall
Quality
Features
Value
Find the right one!
Posted by JimmyPageJunior from Syracuse, NY on Sep 26, 2009
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Weekend Gigging Pro
Reviewer's Play Style: ROCK, original, Zeppelin
Update to my prior review-after playing a dozen of this model, I finally found one that spoke to me. I looked at 3 more today- one had a bad nut cut and was going to be sent back to the factory, another had wicked low action but to the point of string twang like I've been finding on a lot of these, but finally an ebony one that was HEAVY, had tight action (a bit high, but okay) and sang! The quality/sound/tone of the Gibsons varies so much it's scary. You've got to either play the lottery and order one blind or better yet LOOK until you find that "one-out-of-ten" that was made by the best worker on the line with a good piece of wood. The differences in weight, tone, and playability vary wildly from piece to piece with these! Lotsa crappy wood from Gibsons during the 90s and a lot of necks are falling apart from those years, compressing due to soft green wood that was often used. These guitars can be a great deal-I am rating the best of a batch here and not the rest, but if you search thru them, it might be the gold nugget in there somewhere... They are getting better, but still waisting a lot of time on junk wood and rushed mistakes. Find a good one and buy it! After a long frustrating search, I finally did.
View more product reviews »
If you would like to write a review, please see our product review guidelines.
Gibson Les Paul Standard Traditional Pro Electric Guitar
Read 27 Reviews
Experience The Musician's Friend Advantage
Shop With Confidence - enjoy the protection of the Musician's Friend Advantage before and after the sale!
We'll Beat Any Price!
We'll beat any verifiable advertised price before or after the sale. Call 800-391-8762 for an unbeatable price quote.
45-Day Lowest Price Guarantee
If you find a lower advertised price within 45 days of your purchase, we'll refund the difference after verification. Some products are excluded. 45-Day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee & No-Hassle Return Policy
If you are not completely satisfied with any product, return it for a full refund of the product purchase price, full credit, or exchange of your choice – no hassles! Stringed instruments priced at $1999 or more have a special policy. On-Time Delivery Guarantee
If you don't get your gear on time, shipping is free and you get 20% off your next order. Details »Help & Support
Questions or comments? Email or call us at 800-391-8762.
This Item Ships Free!
- retailerId
- 2cd1722b
- view
-
- productId
- 581715
|
Gift Center | Catalog Quick Order | 
Canada
