The faded series isn't for everyone - but I'm pretty happy with the Les Paul version! 🟢For sale on My Website: www.troglysguitarshow.com 🔴Reverb: reverb.com/shop/troglys?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly ❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/
I'm glad Gibson brought these back, i'm the owner of a 2008 Les Paul faded standard and as part of the "cult" that loves these here is what i've learned over the years of discussions and from forums, granted i haven't seen anyone at gibson confirm these but its interesting. They were designed to be a "budget" 59 re-issue, something the USA factory could make that had certain things similar to the custom shop. we seen this and see this continued on the new ones with the era correct thin binding. the 2008s had "Burstbucker Pros" which at the time were being used on custom shop guitars and at the time were claimed to be the closest to the original PAF. the 2005-2008s had their dyes and nitro finish hand rubbed and was designed to have that "VOS" feel (sadly the new ones seem to be sprayed which loses some of that "hands on" specialness). The AA top was from what i understand a design choice because the original 59 tops varied but most weren't super flamed but rather plain with some flame figuring mixed in. and the slightly dulled colour was to show how the original dye reacted back in 59. the one design choice i never understood was the weight relieving. that's the one thing that lets these down imo, but if you can get your hands on one from 2005-2008 they are hidden gems! my experience comes from the 2008 run and it is my favourite and best playing guitar i have played and i'm currently sitting at about 30 in my collection with several different les pauls. After that gibson kind of tarnished the faded series making them spec'd down versions that were pretty much tributes.
The original Standard Faded series (2005-2008) did not have any wood filler applied, hence it's resonance level. That's why Larry Corsa chose this model to do his Peter Green modifications. He also got rid of the electronics, pickups and hardware, putting in his own "Manalishi" pickups and Faber hardware. Huge upgrades in sound were the result.
@@davidcohen2047 I was a big LP guy about 10 years ago and remember thinking those Corsa Faded would be the ones to get. I had an Edwards MIJ e-lp-98 copy with full jonesyblues jimmy page wiring that blew most USA Standards out the water for under half the cost. Recently been more into PRS and just got my first US model a CE24 semi hollow 😍 thin nitro finish from factory, and satin neck. I know PRS is love/hate for a lot of people but we should all be able to admit that trem system is on the money
I did the polish thing on my tribute along with a little exposing of the maple top. A bit more of a cost reduction should be in order for the standards. Love my tribute.
Breathing guitars vs All Sealed and Glossed. Recently moved from Arizona ‘very little humidity’, to Ohio ‘too humid’. My Sealed Glossed guitars didn’t mind the move. My Breathing guitars hated soaking in all the extra humidity in Ohio and I had to do a significant amount of setup on all of the Breathers. Keep this in mind the next time you receive a guitar and the action is not quite as nice as a seller describes, the action may have been perfect when it left the seller but fret out and buzz once the guitar adapts to it’s new environment. A Sealed and Glossed guitar is way more stable vs a Breather.
I have a hunch that Gibson has a strategy when releasing a "new" model, they make more of them with nicer flame tops to generate interest, then as time goes on they make less and less of them with the super nice tops. So if you like a nice flame top, get one now!!! Me personally, I'd go with the standard and see if I could find a dealer that is willing to come down a bit on price.
@@rocknrollresignation93 i just got a brand new 60’s standard stamped jan 10 2022. super flamed top. and the 1960 les pauls notoriously had plain tops. i don’t think there’s any legitimate evidence to support that, and mine is proof.
I don't keep an eye on these things much, but I remember a few years back when the current Les Paul models were introduced, I wanted one so bad so I kept watching them on Sweetwater and the tops were really flamey. Even on the 50s where they were supposed to be more plain. But on the past few weeks, I began looking at them on Sweetwater again, and the tops look awful! Even the ones that actually say AAA flame top and you are paying a premium look insanely plain for the money. So yeah, I think you are right!
I've been feeling this way about weights as well, but it could be total coincidence. I kind of noticed more of the LP standards and Slash models getting above the 10lb mark the longer they were out. I have zero scientific evidence.
@@ArmanBaig From what I know on the topic, the 1960 Les Paul was not notorious for having a plain top. By 1958 Gibson realized people really liked flame tops and started making more of them in 1959 (note that I said “more” of them, not all of them). This trend continued into 1960. So in a sense, your 60’s standard with a flame top is in keeping with a 1960 Les Paul. Certainly more so than a 1958 with a flame top. As for my hunch, I still think Gibson has a strategy as to how they use wood in their factory and that it is not just random. Figuring out what may random and what is not is part of the fun imho.
I don't like the fact that the area where you rest your forearm, or any area you wiped down just a touch too hard, become a permanent blemish on the finish in no time at all. They're also harder to clean, plus they look and feel grungier when dirty because they're more porous. It takes so much effort to keep it looking even and all you're doing is turning it into a poorly hand-polished, unavoidably uneven gloss top in the end. It can't be helped. I'm going to call satin finishes a scam, that's right I said it.
My two biggest gripes with these is the price and the natural finish on the back. Any Gibson that has a sunburst top needs to have the transparent red mahogany back/neck imo. These are really cool guitars otherwise. But I think they should be priced more around $1699. I own a 2004 SG faded red with the ebony fretboard and I absolutely love it- for some reason it has a chunky R8 type neck. It’s been my favorite humbucker guitar for the last year- and the more I’ve played it the more I’ve bonded to it. I don’t like the looks that much but the playability and tones are great. I much prefer the SG standards looks- but my SG faded is super comfortable, so I’ll ride with it until I find myself a standard that has a similar feel and a chunky R8 type neck- which I know is gonna be next to impossible without getting a custom shop 64 reissue or one of those custom shop SG’s with the 1959 LP neck in em.
I personally love natural backs, on all finishes. Looks more high end to me. It looks "easy" just spraying the rest of the guitar the same red as the outer burst. I just hate satin. That's my red flag.
There's the cherry and bourbon bursts with a bit of red in the border, they need cherry backs. But the tobacco bursts with no red in the border the natural walnut back looks god.
I bought a 2018 tribute a few weeks ago and absolutely love the satin neck feel. Love the stripped down look. Hoping to get a high gloss standard in the future.
Save up for a historic if you’re already near the budget for a standard. I used to have a 2018 goldtop tribute which was amazing. You really aren’t missing out when compared to a standard. If you want a noticeable “upgrade” save up for a custom shop used/new. I didn’t notice any improvements from my tribute to standard, if anything I missed the weight of my tribute compared to a USA standard. Custom shop weights are a big advantage
I'd be interested to try a tribute with a maple neck to compare with more traditional mahogany necked Gibsons. I think I am more relaxed about carrying maple necked guitars around in gig bags and on public transport.
That’s the one I played on the Gibson tour bus with Tish and Snooky Bellomo in Manhattan!! I love it dude! So they’re super expensive now? Did you say they brought it back? I think the one I played was chambered because it was light af. (Referring to the Honeyburst).
love the weight relief in mine. I also have a LP 2018 Classic Player Plus in blue and its a hecking tank. This limited is so light I love it. Working on throwing a Duncan 59 in the neck and a Duncan Custom in the bridge :)
Good point about how easily its nicked due to type of finish, Not sure you are getting a precise weight when your scales are sitting cattycornered on a non flat non solid surface.
I think the cool things about satin finishes is how unique they become. It shows how a person plays. I have a 2005 Epiphone Dot Studio in Satin and it has really cool polished spots. Would love one of these just for that same effect.
That honeyburst top looks great. I polished up a Les Paul tribute top after it was starting to shine through being used and it looked so much better. The top really stands out when you polish it
@@cechichan you sand it with extremely fine wet sandpaper, 2000 grit and above basically. It works best on nitro finishes and truoil/linseed oil finishes. I did that to my custom built guitar’s neck because it was way too glossy and it wouldn’t feel as comfortable to play. I sanded it and now it’s semi gloss, it feels like a charm to play! If your guitar has a poly finish then I’m guessing it’ll take more time to sand since the coating is a lot thicker generally and more resistant of a material in general.
Trogly, if you do the method of winding string or cloth under the knobs then pulling them off you won't damage the top of the guitar. If you're using a pry tool you'll probably do damage. I've seen people used a strip of leather so the tool don't touch the top but why use a pry tool at all when the string method works? Especially on a new guitar, old guitar's knobs can be a bitch to get off no matter what you do lol. Cheers
Yeah the whole tone wood debate has been highly suspect in general. Basic knowledge of electronics and how wax potting works really debunks it. That's the entire reason guitar manufacturers said they began wax potting pickups way back in the 60's. To remove feedback from the guitar. Modern pickups are designed to focus on the magnetic field produced around the vibrations of the metal strings. Very little change happens from the body on electric guitars, aside from sustain. And I've had people argue with me on that, but if body tone actually was picked up by electronics, I'd absolutely hate my Gibson Les Paul. It sounds nasally unplugged. Horrible wood tones. But through an amp..... sooooo good. That alone proves to me wax potting removes any effects of wood type, finish type etc.
I had a faded Les Paul standard from the previous run that was great however the problem I had was the way the binding was scraped. With the high gloss finish it covers up the inconsistencies in the scraping. But on the satin finish I could really feel the transition between the mahogany neck and the binding when I played. This became the reason I sold it.
When you kicked in the distortion it just did it for me. Man there’s no guitar that sounds like a Paul. Just a killer guitar, and that growl with overdrive just does something to me. What amp are you using?
i had not bought a gibson for about 20 years. Ive been super picky about finishes, especially necks. satin and slim taper was what I wanted the most out of a modern les paul without going full custom shop. This was about as close as I was going to get to a standard. I hated the factory pickups, replaced with SD custom shops and this guitar has quickly become one of the nicest and inspiring to play! All i wished was the 50s honey burst as a choice with the 60s config.
Been waiting on this one!! I grabbed a 50s Faded last week. Beautiful top, great weight (8lb6oz), plays/sounds great. Sweetwater hooked me up with a little bit of a discount. I am pretty disappointed in the binding work on mine. Other than general scrapes, scratches, sloppiness in it, it was scraped just a little too hard over most of the binding, causing a sharp ridge of wood poking out wherever binding meets wood. Not a big deal over the body, but kind of obnoxious on the neck. I’ll probably end up keeping it because I love everything else about it and it doesn’t bother me THAT much while playing, but I’m wondering if others have encountered this… Thanks for the review and demo!
I'd also like to add that the finish, the nut, the fretwork, etc were all outstanding...as was the setup (not sure who to thank on that one). I'm not just here to complain. I just think maybe my binding lady was having a day...
There is a product named "Stock Glaze". My father used on rifle stocks and the results are stunning. He even used on violins that were hundreds of years old and again especially on the violin flame maple back "Stock Glaze" makes the flame pop.
I have an 05 faded honey burst with added Middle pick up and buffed to a gloss and it looks so great. Really has a vintage look, kind of like what a vos should look like. Amazing guitar. Also the originals had a more red colored back not the natural like these
I bought that 50’s standard from you and I absolutely love it! Thanks Trog. Super fast shipping too, ordered on a Wednesday and was at my house Friday!
If it wasn't for the natural back, this could be Slash's "Jessica" LP, which I am so looking forward to coming out. I might just have to grab myself one of those.
I don't understand why playing it would have the same effect as polishing it. I guess if you rest your arm on the body while playing, it maybe would. But I don't play like that. The way I play, my arm seldom contacts the guitar body. Am I alone in this?
I buffed my '54 reissue and it looks stunning!!!. it came VOS so I don't know the difference but ebony shines up incredibly. the guitars sounded great and you; as usual, had great advise to customize each guitar to it's owner. Very refreshing, keep the great work 👍🎸
Nice job on the video, maybe your best yet! Good idea to polish it and like you said if you dont youll get glossy spots where your arm and hands or whatever touches the body. They save alot of labor not having to level the finish a final time and buffing to a high gloss. Satin and eggshell nitro has stearates added which is talcum powder. This makes the finish softer so it will scuff and wear off easily especially eggshell. The stearates make the reflected light diffuse. If you use gloss nitro the amount of reflection has to do with the thickness of the finish and the purity or formulation- if its too thin it doesnt reflect as much as a little thicker but if its not dead level youll see defects in the finish and any irregularities of the carving on the top which will be amplified. Good job- I didnt expect you would know about what happens if you dont buff the flat or satin nitro out. It should save alot more money than they discount- remember the factory makes about half + or - of what it retails for. Buffing to a perfect gloss takes skilled labor and alot of extra time. Ive sprayed at least 1000 gallons of nitro since the late 70s- I would have sprayed alot more but I went in a different direction around 20 years ago. Final comment- pretty well informed video and not so technical it goes over most peoples heads! Thanks- its great to see someone not spreading average BS
I have a 2003 SG Faded in red with the ebony fretboard and dot markings-one of my absolute favorite guitars. I must admit, as some others have mentioned, it doesn't have great looks but it wears in nice (I have some natural relicing going on from the years of use that looks sick). The pickups sound fantastic and the guitar is so resonant. Really an all-round amazing guitar I was able to pick for only $450 (which now feels like daylight robbery!).
by the looks of it the satin finish is the same as the tribute series, color coat without clearcoat and unbuffed. in my opinion it would be nice if they used a satin clearcoat on top. also not having pickup covers and a pickguard which are roughly €60/70 in retail.. seeing they cost about the same as the gloss version over here in the netherlands with some shops having them about €100 cheaper than the gloss version and wiith ome shops they are the same price as the gloss verion, it is too expensive in my opinion.. i like both my lp 50s std and my lp tribute but the tribute seems to nick,ding and dent by just looking at it the wrong way.. especially around the edges you can start to see where the finish is wearing off and it doesnt look that great.. but the tribute costs less than half these new faded models do so on the tribute its less of an issue to me what im also curious to know, is the 50's wired 50's style or modern? my LP 50s std came wired modern style which was dissapointing but easily fixed with a soldering iron
Glad you mentioned the worst point I found. I had one satin les paul. It was truly ridiculous. There's a big difference between satin and essentially unfinished. This thing would dent just by looking at it. Of course, the usual fan boys were droning 'they're supposed to look used' when people were complaining - er....no. After only six months of usual use, this thing looked like I'd thrown it down a set of concrete stairs. Pick strums = gauges out of the top. Resting it on the floor = new dent each time from the weight only. Rest against amp = pressure dent in neck. For me, they're an excuse to cheap out (again) by just scimping on the finishing process in the knowledge they'll get lapped up and the Headcore fans will run interference as usual. By comparison a PRS satin I still have has had way more use and has very minor damage. Yes it's satin, but it's hard satin.
Exactly! I have a faded and it does legitimately feel great and sound great but it does so at the considerable cost of durability and ugly dings and scratches. My Faded is an open pore finish not a satin finish. The only reason that I got it was because it was an affordable way into an LP. There is nothing wrong with the faded but given the finish on a guitar is a bin part of the labor/cost of a guitar, what essentially is a low/no finish guitar should be substantially cheaper, as they were when they first came out. Instead all you get is a modest discount from a LP or SG standard for a guitar that is more prone to not just showing wear and tear but more prone picking up actual structural wear and tear. Just my two cents.
I prefer the faded models purely because they made a honeyburst LP. It's my favourite finish and I always wondered why they never made the gloss standard in it.
Greetings and Salutations Austin! One of the main advantages with the satin finish is that it requires less maintenance, or is a low maintenance finish, and if you are willing to put in the elbow grease it will shine right up. Both of your examples have beautiful tops and they sound great. I don’t think I have ever seen the flame maple tops before with the satin finish, but I just picked up my Epiphone Prophecy Les Paul and it has a satin finish also of a flame maple olive burst, and I like the idea that it too may shine up on the top like yours, however, it likely would not be as spectacular, both of yours have really nice tops. Where do you get your Virtuoso guitar polish from? Could you please provide a link, thank you! Thank you for posting these videos! Please have an excellent and awesome day! ☀️✨🎸
Hey Austin, I was just wondering if you'd ever consider reviewing a Heritage H-150 because it's something I'm considering to buy in the future? Thanks a million man!
I bought a Tribute recently. Within 3 months it has started to relic. I’m normally a Fender guy but this Tribute is fantastic. It’s the first Gibson I’ve bought out of 30 or so guitars. I’ve hammered it , it’s great to play. I do like the relic look it has taken on, it’s even got crackling on it too but that’s probably due to me keeping it in my lounge room with an open fireplace (it’s been very cold in my part of Australia). Anyway, love your show mate. I watch it every morning before work. 👍
I used Virtuoso polish and did this to my 2018 GC satin, and I didn’t feel bad at all. The neck had already glossed up and the arm and pick hand finger tip planting area also did. Now a nice even semi gloss that feels amazing.
In contrast to the mid 2000s faded models, this one seems to have grain filler: Your polished top looks bit more "even surface" than what I remember from the older series. However, the polished ones (even yours) look very different from true gloss (or VOS for that matter). From the ones I have seen, polishing the top of a faded will never look like the clear-coated original surface. Even from a distance, they are easy to identify, as the surface is "bumpy", and this also accents the flames in a "plastic-like" way. By the way, as far as I remember, Larry Corsa preferred the chambered guitars over the Swiss-cheese ones, for more articulate overtones...
yes they used grain filler which the Sg series does not have ,, you could easily spray MoHawk gloss nitro on it for a more historic look ,, alot of potential for a historic project ,, amber nitro would make all the binding look really aged and the Gibson logo would be an age amber color hmmmm!!!!
In very happy with my faded Les Paul Special DC. For giggles, I hit it with some Mother's Metal Polish and it did two things - it's shined up, but it also got material into the generous open pores, so there's some wax in there. I also hit the back of the neck with Scotch Brite and wore off the finish to where you can see some maple. Lastly, I did some further aging where there corners are, like my forearm. So that's just raw mahogany that's now a little rounded. None of this matters to me whatsoever. I still love the guitar, and any dings, scratches, or dents just add character to a guitar already oozing of character for me. It's set up beautifully. "Mississippi Queen" is a perfect way to exploit it's character. They're also climbing in value - mine, maybe not as quickly. Lol
If I'm going to spend several Grand on a brand new guitar I want to look like no one's ever touched it looked at it or breathed on it.. I love the way the Relic guitars look I just wouldn't buy one for myself I don't think
I started shopping for a modern, but didn't want to put up the Dough. So I bought an Epi worn. I fell in love with the satin finish, and ultimately bought a Les Paul Trad Pro V for the modern neck and switching, and that amazing satin finish. I feel like I got the best player guitar on the market. The only question I have, is how to get the neck back to satin.
The guitars I’ve refinished in nitro have buffed up beautifully using auto polishing supplies. A 4” pad on a mini swirl remover by adams makes them look like factory finished guitars.
I have one of the SG's with the Ebony and Crescent Moon inlays. Grabbed it from a pawnshop for next to nothing because it wasn't putting out any sound. I cleaned the pots and electronics and that was all she needed. It's a player for sure and shows. Due to the condition it wouldn't fetch a high premium but that doesn't matter as I don't ever an on selling it. A very very cool guitar that plays fantastically and sounds insane.
I have a 2011 1960 classic, honeyburst and is satin. I dont mind, its a great guitar, looks and sounds great too. I run it thru a Marshall origin 20H and its great.
I really like this. Thinking about removing the pickup covers and pick guard on my 50s Les Paul Standard. I was lucky enough to snag a really really beautiful tobacco burst top on my 11 plus pound 50s. It looks AMAZING!!
I recently picked up the Epiphone “ Green “ guitar tribute. The 50’s specs it’s a beautiful satin finish beautiful and plays and sounds great. It’s a bit pricey at $800. It comes with a very cool brown case w pink interior. This greenie is a very cool tribute
i can save not only 300 bucks but 1300 getting somehthing else from some other more competitive brands, just saying, times are hard and wood costs alot these days.
Be careful when buffing! You suggest 5/6/7 polished. I polished with virtuoso on a 2008 standard faded 4 times... ended up seeing finish being rubbed off, despite doing so light-handedly. Loved that guitar but that mistake did ruin it for me in the end - just reminded me of how disappointed I was the polish attempt.
Man, after all the gibson prosecute people online it made me not like them anymore, but your channel brought the love back, not for the company, but the admiration for the guitars they make
The vibrola thing comes from the modern Gibson's emphasis on 50s and 60s instruments. In the 60s the SG Specials and Juniors were meant to be the cheap one, snd they still got the vibrola, sometimes they even have the blingy cover.
Back when there used to be 'blow out' sales in Octoberish time frame, I bought a couple of 60s Tributes, for REAL cheap. I then had a local shop that works in Nitro, put a full gloss Nitro coat on them. Along with fret dressing, I still came out at the same cost as the Tributes originally retailed, and less than a Gloss studio of the time. Ended up with two real affordable, beautiful guitars. Had to sell one during some hard times, but got all of my cost back and a little more.
another great review. You can use a piece of string or even a piece of an old t shirt to slide under the knob and work the knob off up and off. No risk of damaging anything.
The old ones didn't have grain filler in the mahogany though, right? Edit: Googled it, and yes the 2005 models did not have grain filler like these have. The open pores was one thing that was supposedly help it "breathe" and be more resonant.
a friend from me has a early 2000 faded with a beautiful top he refinished the top and the headstock vineer in a beautiful burst made of little old and throw bareknuckles paf in it its a beast
Had a Les Paul Tribute Honeyburst that had a satin finish and I loved it. Now I have a LP Studio Faded Cherry which is satinish and I love that one too!
7 years ago, you: “I love satin finish” I like the idea of a rub on or light satin finish. A thick clear that’s satin makes less sense but still looks good to me.
There was a faded series Les Paul before 2005. I own a Les Paul Special with Humbuckers in Faded Cherry. I bought it at Guitar Center in 2002 for around $800. Shout out to grandma Margie for making that purchase happen.
HOW DO THEY DECIDE on using LIGHTWEIGHT or FULL WEIGHT tailpieces? Does it just depend on how HEAVY the guitar itself is, and they use lightweight on heavier guitars, and full weight on heavier guitars?
Hi Trogly, could you ever talk about the 2017/2018 Gibson Les Paul "Faded" or "T-Faded" series? My dad bought a Cherry one back in 2018 when we travelled to the States and it was difficult to me to figure out what model it was and I'm still not sure how to call them, I think they're based on the Tribute series, but even more stripped down. Here in Argentina it is very difficult to afford... almost enything lol, that's because we love that guitar and it's like gold to us. I say this because just by coincidence that guitar was just what my dad was looking for aesthetically (cherry red, satin finish, all black plastics and dot inlays) and it turned out to be the cheapest, and with the price there's another thing I don't understand; We got it for 1 grand, but my dad said it was a little more expensive, it may've been because we paid in cash (again, because of our economy, credit card purchases end up costing way more than they should) but I have the theory that my dad showed the man in the store a screenshot of their website of the 2017 model and they didn't have one, so they offered us the "little better but basically the same guitar" model (2018 model, I think the only difference between the two was gigbag vs. Soft Case) at the price of the 2017 one, but that's just what I think, I don't remember quite well, if you know anything about this series maybe I can confirm my theory P.D. Thanks for what you do, I owe you about 90% of my guitar knowledge!
I don't know about the acoustics. I get that 500$-off is a good amount of money, but if I'm financially prepared to spend 3500-4000$ on a guitar those 500$ aren't going to be the thing that pushes me to buy. 500$ off a 1500-2000$ guitar is much more significant given the level of investment and finacial position you have to be in to spend for each. The J-35 seems really cool though