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2008-2019 standards.. confusing times

BlueGuitar!

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2019
Messages
74
Thought I'd clear some things up for those with questions about this confusing and ever-changing era of Gibson 'USA' Les Paul Standards. Here goes (and always open to corrections)

2008-2016 Les Paul Standards have long neck tenons and asymmetrical necks.. 2012-2019(first half?) slimmer than 2008-2011

2008-2011 are chambered and have special 'puzzle' locking long neck tenon (best amongst the chambereds! IMO)

2012-2016 'wagon wheel' modern weight relief

2017-2019(first half) have ultra-modern weight relief which is same as modern but no long tenon and also have asymmetrical necks

2012-2019(first half) have compound 10-16 radius, all years 2008 and after PLEKed

2014-2015 have min-Etune and 2015 has wider fretboard and brass nut (gets notched, later titanium better), 2014 have no nibs and anniv 12th inlay, 2015 has pearl inlays, no nibs, "les paul 100", and hologram

2019(second half?) go back to vintage as possible without stepping on Custom Shop's toes.. solid backs.. no compound radius or asymmetrical neck carves.. hand-wired 500k audio pots but on a control plate.. no long neck tenon.. no push-in bushing tuners.. abr-1 but with nashville-style bushings/anchors (cheaters! Lol).. lightweight tailpiece.. potted lower-wind pups (bb1 and bb2 in 50s, 61r/61t in 60s)

Of note... from 2013 to 2019 you could get a Traditional with no weight relief, with the exception of 2016 (although Sweetwater and maybe others put out some exclusive solid-back models)

Crazy times.. but as they say variety is the spice of life
 

dixiethedog

Member
Joined
May 24, 2016
Messages
31
When I started out with my passion for Les Pauls back in the late 70s, here in the UK the choice was either a Deluxe, a Standard, or a Custom. Life was a lot easier back then. The wonderful explanation of all of the Standards above has my brain frizzled. But I love them all. I think.
 

BlueGuitar!

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2019
Messages
74
Yea I really didn't mind all of the variations. Even when they did the min-E-tunes there was still the Traditionals. Variety is the spice of life.. as they say. Also.. compound radius fretboards are cool
 

Bedroom Thrasher

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Joined
Dec 23, 2021
Messages
13
2019(second half?) go back to vintage as possible without stepping on Custom Shop's toes.. solid backs.. no compound radius or asymmetrical neck carves.. hand-wired 500k audio pots but on a control plate.. no long neck tenon.. no push-in bushing tuners.. abr-1 but with nashville-style bushings/anchors (cheaters! Lol).. lightweight tailpiece.. potted lower-wind pups (bb1 and bb2 in 50s, 61r/61t in 60s)

Gibson website says Burstbucker pickups are unpotted?
 

BlueGuitar!

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2019
Messages
74
Some of the earlier ones were unpotted, especially from the custom shop. Definitely all Gibson USA bb's are potted by 2019
 

BlueGuitar!

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2019
Messages
74
Great point. I'd assume it's correct that the BB's in their aftermarket "pickup shop" are unpotted, as advertised. But I can guarantee to you that the ones going in the Les Paul Standard 50's are potted (which is what my spec list was referencing). I recently picked out a bit of extra wax showing between the open-coil bobbins of my Standard faded 50's. And Here is a thread of someone who took off the covers of their gloss Standard 50's and confirmed them to be potted.

The pages for both the gloss and faded Standard 50's don't mention anything about potting but it's good to know you can get unpotted burstbuckers separate from a production guitar.
 

Coach T.

New member
Joined
Jun 20, 2020
Messages
1
Thought I'd clear some things up for those with questions about this confusing and ever-changing era of Gibson 'USA' Les Paul Standards. Here goes (and always open to corrections)

2019(second half?) go back to vintage as possible without stepping on Custom Shop's toes.. solid backs.. no compound radius or asymmetrical neck carves.. hand-wired 500k audio pots but on a control plate..
Most of this is correct but there’s no control plate on the ‘50s Standard. Hand wired free in the cavity. I’ve got two of them.
8AA8BD76-143B-4C19-9695-2015CF1446F6.jpeg
 

PayDay

Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
Messages
45
I have a 2014 Les Paul Standard Plus:
  • AAAA Flamed Top
  • 120th Anniversary Inlay on the 12th
  • Grover Locking Tuners (no robotic tuner)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • 2 Volume (push/pull), 2 Tone (push/pull), Coil splitting, Phase Changing and Pure Bypass
IMHO - This model is one of the best I've played. Robotic tuners, to me are just madness and unsightly and let's just not mention 2015 shall we? :D
 
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