The Gibson Les Paul and ES-335 models sound different from one another due to the differences in body type. Gibson are well-known for using chambering in their guitars from around the 80s onwards. 1950's Style Les Paul: Thickness at Fret 1: 2.26 cm / .900 inch: Thickness at Fret 12: 2.54 cm / 1.0 inch: Other Materials: Average Weight:.453592 kg / 1.25 lbs : Peg Head: Type: 50's Profile LP: Inlay: Pearl: Peg Head Binding: None: Logo: "Gibson" Silkscreen: "Les Paul" Headstock Angle: 17 Degrees: Tonal, Resonant, and/or Technical Effect: Holly Head Veneer : Neck Fit: Joint Angle: In this article, we compare the SG Standard with the Les Paul Studio(instead of its standard model in order to keep the same price range). It should be no surprise that this guitar weighs significantly more than the typical guitar. As you can see, there is quite a lot of overlap between different types of guitars. Some electric guitars use chambering as a way to reduce the weight of a guitar (also called weight relief). If you pick up two identical guitars and they feel different in weight, it’s likely due to the type of wood. Les Pauls became heavy in the early 70's when it became impossible/uneconomical to buy the better quality, lighter mahogany in pieces large enough for a … So you may wonder whether the weight of a guitar has an impact on tone. 1957 Les Paul Junior Reissue. While those are extreme examples, the shape and size of a guitar’s body can make a big difference to a guitar’s weight. People who hate les pauls often make the point that they're too heavy. The extra weight of another neck and the larger body size makes this a beast to play while standing up. Average Weight:.453592 kg / 1.25 lbs : Peg Head: Type: 1959 Les Paul Custom Historic Holly Head Veneer: Inlay: Les Paul Custom Pearl: Peg Head Binding: 5 Ply WBWBW: Logo: "Gibson" Open O and B: Silkscreen: Headstock Angle: 17 Degrees: Tonal, Resonant, and/or Technical Effect: Diamond Shaped Pearl Inlays-Les Paul Custom : Neck Fit: Joint Angle: 4 Degrees Their weights? Perhaps in the dark ages of boat-anchor guitars we just needed to give a positive slant to our struggle to strap on such beasts, but today’s player is well aware that the misguided “weight = tone” equation of … The heavy weight of a Les Paul is due to the thick body design and the use of mahogany for the body. Weight: Weight Relief: None: Average Weight (body only): 2.95 kg / 6.5 lbs average : Materials Used: Glue: Hand Applied Hide Glue : Tonal, Resonant, and/or Technical Effect: Hand selected backs for lightweight : Body Contour: Carve: Original 1959 Les Paul 1978 GIBSON LES PAUL Double Cutaway VINTAGE Black Neck Repair Relic 48054 Very limited run of 100 units per color. Heavier guitars and lighter guitars do tend to sound different but don’t concern yourself whether the difference in tone is caused by the weight of the guitar. 1983-today Les Paul Customs ( including LPCs from Custom Shop ) 1983-autumn 2006 Les Paul Standards, Classics and Studios; Les Paul Traditional models ( except most of 2013-2015 models ) Gibson resumed to apply Traditional Weight Relief system in regular production in spring of 2012, and this process countinues until today. As you saw earlier, there can be large differences in weight in the same type of guitar, so weighing your guitar is better than relying on averages. $3,799.00. Original Features / Details: Another great Faded - the best natural sounding Les Pauls Gibson has ever made! You don’t need to buy a special scale to weight guitars and a typical digital bathroom scale will work fine. The below guitar weight chart compares the above guitars so you can see how they stack up. You are most likely to see one made alder or swamp ash, which makes it fairly lightweight. If you’ve ever picked up some Balsa wood and were shocked at how light it was, you know that the type of wood makes a big difference in weight. An important aspect of a guitar’s weight is how solid the body is. As explained above, the weight of a guitar impacts tone to an extent, sustain, and comfort. But it doesn’t take long to find a lightweight guitar with far better sustain than a Les Paul if you look for one. But it would be a mistake to only look at the weight of the guitar to decide on these points. Add a pair of superbly accurate Custom Bucker pickups, re-created from precise study and measurement of original PAFs, and that legendary Burst tone is all there. When compared to the other types of guitars below, it should be obvious how much heavier a Les Paul can be. They look identical to a solid-body Les Paul but feel significantly lighter. Wildwood just got some more 2019 Les Paul Moderns in with the "ultra-modern weight relief." The weight of a type of wood can vary depending on growing conditions and location, so keep this in mind when considering wood type. Yes, and remember there are large holes drilled in that body to get the weight that low. A typical Ibanez JEM or RG style guitar weighs between 7.5 – 8.5 lbs (3.4 – 3.8 kg). Just remember that lighter guitars tend to feel more comfortable while playing. If you want to ship your electric guitar or take it on a plane, you probably want to have a decent idea on how much it weighs. 9.5 lbs, 9.0 lbs, 9.0 lbs, 8.8 lbs. They made some other model similar to the Les Paul but they had different model names. The Chambered/Modern Weight Relieved may sound a bit more hollow when played acoustically. Copyright © 2020 Gibson Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. Some Les Pauls have cavities routed into the body to provide some weight relief. That question causes more debates and arguments among guitarists than anything else. While the PRS can be just as heavy as a typical Les Paul, the contoured body style makes it feel more comfortable to play. Once upon a time, players would marvel over a Les Paul that weighed 10 lbs, 11 lbs, even close to 12 lbs and exclaim how such a heavy guitar “must sustain for days!”. Take a look at the below Ibanez S Series and Gibson Les Paul to get an idea how much of a difference the thickness can make: It should be no surprise that the slim and contoured Ibanez feels ridiculously light compared to the thick and bulky Les Paul. As an example, if you weigh yourself and you are 160 lbs (72.5 kg) and while holding your guitar you are 167 lbs (75.7 kg), then your guitar weighs 7 lbs (3.2 kg). Many hollow-body guitars are large in size, but fairly light thanks to the hollow body. While many guitarists think that tone is the most important point to focus on when buying a guitar, many others would argue that playability is more important. Does this company have any quality control standards? Following the resurgence of the Les Paul in the late 60s, thanks to the popularity of artists such as Eric Clapton, Gibson reintroduced the single cut shape in 1968 using the 1956 guitar as a model. Find a guitar that feels comfortable to play and you’ll play it more often. What a joke. $3,799.00. Just like strats, teles have been built with a variety of woods over the years. There are heavy-duty soft cases available that provide decent padding which will weigh around 2 lbs (0.9 kg). The above chart shows that while the average weight of an electric guitar is 8 lbs (3.6 kg), the average doesn’t really mean anything. If you play a Les Paul then pick up a Stratocaster, it will be obvious how much lighter and more comfortable it will feel. Let’s look at the typical weight of different types of electric guitars, why the weight matters, and other important details you need to know about an electric guitar’s weight. A typical guitar strap is about 2″ wide (5 cm). There are other reasons that contribute to sustain, but the weight of the guitar plays an important role. If you end up with a heavy guitar, buy a suitable guitar strap as explained later. You simply can't get closer to the real thing... than the real thing. The heavy weight of a Les Paul is due to the thick body design and the use of mahogany for the body. Around the 1980’s – 2000’s Gibson started releasing chambered models which allowed them to shave off 2-3 pounds, while still preserving its signature tone. To answer this question, you need to remember that the main difference in weight between electric guitars is the type of wood used. If you’re considering traveling with your guitar or shipping it, you should also consider the weight of packaging or your case. Both guitars have a mahogany body and two humbuckers. There are plenty of guitarists who love heavy guitars, so there is no right or wrong choice when it comes to comfort. Some guitars are built with a solid slab of wood, while others have hollowed sections. Weight: 9-12 pounds (4.1-5.4 kg) 8 pounds (3.6 kg) Sound. The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952. A Gibson Les Paul will typically weigh anywhere from 9-12 pounds (4.1 kg – 5.4kg) depending on the model. The weight of an electric guitar case can vary depending on the thickness of the shell and the materials used on the inside. A typical Gibson SG weighs around 6 lbs (2.7 kg). A Strandberg Boden weighs around 5 lbs (2.3 kg). The Standard Historic 1960 Standard Les Paul from Gibson Custom delivers the tone, looks and feel of the original ’60, slim neck Les Paul. The alternative is to use a soft bag and use bubble wrap to give your guitar extra protection. A semi-hollow body guitar has large sections of the guitar hollowed out as shown below: As you might imagine, hollowing out the body not only changes the way the guitar sounds, but it also significantly reduces the weight. While the large body makes it look like it should be heavier than 8 lbs, it is a semi-hollow guitar. There is no general rule that says heavy guitars are better or light guitars are better. Gibson hand selects the solid backs for their Historic range to try and keep them in the 9-10 lbs. If you strum the open strings on several types of electric guitars and listen to how long they ring, you will notice that heavier guitars tend to ring out longer. The weight of an electric guitar plays a massive role in overall comfort. The wood used in RGs can vary as there are a lot of different woods used across RG models. You can tell if a guitar is a semi-hollow body if it has ‘F-holes’ on the face of the body. Tonal, Resonant, and/or Technical Effect: Holly head veneer has been re-tooled, reproducing the original thinner specification of the late 1950's, 4.28498 cm / 1.687" @ nut, Understanding these factors will help you better understand the guitars you are buying or own. If you have a narrow guitar strap, the weight of a heavy guitar will dig into your shoulder and can easily cause pain over time. The type of wood used for the fretboard does impact weight, but it is insignificant compared to the type of wood used in the guitar body and neck. A hollow-body guitar is completely hollow on the inside apart from structural supports under the bridge and neck. But you forget about the weight when you play it and hear how good it can sound. While they are both Gibson Les Pauls, one may be significantly lighter than the other depending on whether the guitar body has been chambered or not. The Original Collection The Modern Collection The Artist Collection The Slash Collection Gibson Custom Shop Shop By Body Style Les Paul Models SG Models ES-Style Models Basses Designer Models If the first thing you notice when you pick up a guitar at a shop is how heavy it is, think about whether you’re happy for all of that weight to be held by your shoulder. Hey guys, a local guitar shop has a les paul classic from 2002. The weight of a guitar does play a part in the overall sustain you hear. When looking through these examples, remember that the type of wood used does play a big role in the weight of a guitar. If you get a wide guitar strap made of thick leather or padded at the shoulder, you might be surprised by how comfortable a heavy guitar suddenly becomes. The weight can vary as strats are often built using various woods including alder, ash, basswood, mahogany, and more. Some of these reasons may be important to you, while others may not be important. The weight of a guitar can vary significantly. Check out this wide guitar strap (link to Amazon for different options) for a good example of what to look for if you have a heavy guitar. Denser woods impacts the resonance of your strings and can cause them to ring out longer. Unless you want to get pulled into the ‘tonewood’ debate, I recommend you avoid thinking about it completely. But when you look as players like Jimmy Page, he had a les paul (the one he got from Joe Walsh) you never hear him complain that it's too … There are wide straps available between 3 and 4″ (7.6 – 10 cm) which can significantly improve the comfort of any guitar on your shoulder. They were selecting lightweight woods. While shipping a guitar with a hard case may push your shipping costs up, it does provide the best protection for your guitar. A solid body guitar uses a solid slab of wood or a few solid slabs glued together. This is an extreme example of cutting the weight down by removing the headstock, having a small and contoured body, and heavily chambering the body. Even in the same type of guitar, there can be a significant variance in weight due to the type of wood used. Good Les Pauls from that period are around about 8.5lb and they were fairly consistent. These chambers reduce the weight of a guitar as well as change the way the guitar resonates. Explore The Les Paul Collections. Wonder how solid any Les Paul is really! A super-heavy electric guitar can give you shoulder pain when playing standing up, while a lightweight guitar won’t cause any discomfort. There are countless YouTube comparisons, heated Reddit arguments and forum threads that go on forever trying to answer that question. Here is a video comparison between the 2 models as well. So does the type of wood used in a guitar affect tone? Sometimes this is done to change the sound of the guitar, while other times it is done purely for weight relief. Produced in very limited numbers, the True Historic 1957 Les Paul Goldtop employs appointments reproduced with molecular-level analysis of original vintage plastics, a double-carved and hand-sanded top and neck, hand wet-sanded finish, hand-filed rolled fingerboard binding and more to deliver an obsessively detailed recreation of an original ’57 Goldtop. You won’t be able to tell if a Les Paul has been chambered by looking at it, but you will definitely notice when you pick one up. Until they switched to the chambered LP's last year, a "light" Les Paul is consider around the 9 lbs. This is partly why Les Paul guitars are well-known for their great sustain. Take a look at the below guitars and think about which one is the heaviest and which one is the lightest: It should be no surprise that the Strandberg (headless guitar on the right) is the lightest (by far) and the double-neck guitar on the left is the heaviest. For example, it is generally believed that heavier guitars have better sustain. What You Need to Know, Stand on the scale again while holding your guitar and weigh yourself, The difference between the two measurements is the weight of your guitar. Here are the most common types of wood used in electric guitars ranked by weight: As you can see, there can be a massive difference between types of wood, but also within the same type of wood. If you have a new Les Paul Standard (2012) then you have this type of weight relief. You can use this method to also weigh your guitar case or packaged guitar before you ship it. A typical hardshell guitar case weighs between 8 – 10 lbs (3.6 – 4.5 kg). We all must surely love goldtop Gibsons so why not gawp at this genuine and full spec 1968 Gibson Les Paul Standard. New 2015 True Historic Specs Create a Stunningly Authentic 1959 Les Paul Reissue. You got the toggle switch cavity, the neck fit cavity, the cable cavity, the pickup cavities and the control cavity. Guitar Gear Finder is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, or Amazon.de, Body Type (Solid, Semi-Hollow, Chambering), Examples of Electric Guitar Weight and Dimensions, Guide to Travel Guitars and Accessories here, Should You Buy a New or Used Guitar? Back in the 1950’s-1960’s Gibson Les Paul’s weighed roughly 12 pounds. The point to remember is that your decision shouldn’t really be “should I get a heavy or light guitar?”. 5.6896 cm / 2.24" @ end of board, Large: 2.921 cm x 1.7018 cm / 1.150" x .670", Small: 3.937 cm x .6096 cm / 1.550 x .240", True Historic, Wet-Sanded, Thin Lacquer Finish, True Historic Process To Preserve Soft Neck Binding Profile and Body Binding Ledge, Murphy Aged, True Historic, Wet-Sanded, Thin Lacquer Finish, 6.6294 cm x 1.7272 cm x .9525 cm / 2.61 x.68 x .375", 6.35 cm x 1.27 cm x .3175 cm / 2.5 x .5 x .125", Reissue Kluson Deluxe Green Keys, Single Band, Zinc Surrounded by a die casting alloy for casting flow, Custom Shop True Historic Certificate of Authenticity in Binder, Extra Black Plastic Treble/Rhythm Switch Cover Plate. Explore Custom Shop. The Les Paul has a solid body design, whereas the ES-335 is a semi-hollow body electric guitar. Here's an in-depth comparison between the PRS Custom 24 and Gibson Les Paul. Gibson’s Wide World of Weight Relief. These elliptical shapes allow Gibson to take more material out of the body while also preventing any potential feedback issues created by full-on chambering. The below figures are averages and can vary if the type of guitar offers models using different woods. Typical electric guitars can weigh anywhere from 6 to 10+ lbs (2.7 – 4.5 kg) depending on the type of wood used and shape of the body.