Gibson LP Weight

i_b_tulloch

I’m thinking about getting a Gibson LP Custom. Always liked the vintage white Randy Rhoads one. The last LP CS I had was a R9.  I hadn’t played a LP for a while and was used with fender strats and Teles, so I couldn’t get over how heavy the R9 was in comparison. I practise a lot standing up and I couldn’t play it for very long. It was a great looking, sounding and playing guitar though. Before this happened to me I never really understood why folk go on about light guitars - I do now! 

So with this in mind I have been considering going to the Gibson CS and speccing up a dream LP, and getting it as light as possible. This would be through a combination of light wood and/or the most modern weight relief methods.

If I go this route, what is a realistic weight I could expect? I have heard of LP around 8lbs, but they seem rare.

There is a 74 CS for sale now that I like but it’s 4.5kg (9lb 15). I think this would be too heavy though. Maybe that’s just what you get with a LP though.

jeztone2

9lbs 15 is average. I gig a 1983 Yamaha SG1000. That’s 11lbs. 

fretfinder

The Cloud 9 Les Paul reissues can be as light as 7lb I think, or not much more. There are a few R9s and R8s about that weigh around 8lbs but they’re not common. 

tony99

someone on here just bought a lovely LP custom which was weight relieved from GG, there was a thread about it n stuff

clarkefan

jeztone2 said:

9lbs 15 is average. I gig a 1983 Yamaha SG1000. That’s 11lbs. 

Those things are absolutely atrocious, is your spine made of titanium?

Ditto the LP Customs from the 70s/early 80s. My first proper LP was an 81 Custom, I had a back problem a couple of days after getting it.
 
We're all different I suppose.  How John Sykes bonded so much with his 70s Custom amazes me, I saw him play that thing in the early 80s, he was er thin in those days.

sixwheeltyrrel

So with this in mind I have been considering going to the Gibson CS and speccing up a dream LP, and getting it as light as possible. This would be through a combination of light wood and/or the most modern weight relief methods

They probably only offer mahogany with weight relief which will almost certainly be exactly what you're after.  Basswood or Ash would be lighter but   probably imbalanced with a mahogany neck.

p90fool

I really really really don't get why a ten pound guitar is such a problem unless you're seriously ill. 

If you have a medical issue fine, but come on, I'm 55 and jump around like twat for three hours every night and don't even notice the weight of my Les Paul. 

The difference between a heavy guitar and a light guitar seems to be about the same weight as a box of teabags. It's not only silly and irrelevant, it even affects resale values. 

I'm (almost) sure that internet guitar forums are not made up entirely of octogenarian cancer patients, so why the pointless obsession?

sixwheeltyrrel

The difference between a heavy guitar and a light guitar seems to be about the same weight as a box of teabags. 

I couldn't agree more.

I'm not a Les Paul guy but I can't imagine myself turning down a guitar I was otherwise happy with based on it being a little on the hefty side.

p.s. not suggesting that this shouldn't  be a primary determinant for some.

i_b_tulloch

I just weighed my LP standard and it was 4.242Kg, actually heavier than I thought. The thing is it doesn’t feel too heavy when I pick it up and play. I’m starting to think it was more the R9 was a damn heavy guitar, as I really noticed the weight when I picked it up and played. Be interesting to know how much heavier it was as it was very noticeable to me, when I hadn’t given weight much thought before.

I’m starting to think maybe the 4.5Kg guitar wouldn’t be that bad.

Gerz6558

Just get a nice extra wide strap that distributes the weight across your shoulder a bit better and don't worry about it.

FelineGuitars

This is the reason that I make my Feline Lions in a more controlled weight range usually 

Typically a singlecut like this weighs in between 7.5lb - 9lb

I feel if made right you don't lack/miss the full oomph that the heavier ones have , but you do get a more versatile sounding guitar and less of a one trick pony.

A lot of the late 50s LPs were in the 8lb-9lb range range and they sound great too

sweepy

Part of the Les Paul Custom sound is in the not inconsiderable heft and maple neck with ebony board whereas a good LP Standard  sits @ the 8lb mark

p90fool

sweepy said:

Part of the Les Paul Custom sound is in the not inconsiderable heft and maple neck with ebony board whereas a good LP Standard  sits @ the 8lb mark

That's very, very light for a LP Standard, from any era. 

skippy76

I picked up one of the Chambered Gibson Custom Shop 58s recently, weighs in at 7 pounds 4 ounces. 

Nice and light to jam with and sounds great in the mix, can’t tell the difference between this and my full fat CS 2017 58.

OilCityPickups

To me, for live use at least, if a guitar is uncomfortable due to excessive weight, it doesn't matter how good it sounds, I simply won't 'bond' with it and want to play it. Back in the eighties I had a couple of different Norlin era LPs that sounded fantastic ... however I ditched them pretty quickly to start using a much lighter LP Special, as they were simply painful on stage. Peoples physiques differ ... I'm a skinny built bugger who has never gone over about 11 stone, and so heavy guitars feel 'wrong'. Until we got our Oil City demo Les Paul Studio, I thought no chambered/weight relieved LP could cut the mustard with sustain and 'tone'. I now feel otherwise ...

Danielsguitars

p90fool said:

sweepy said:

Part of the Les Paul Custom sound is in the not inconsiderable heft and maple neck with ebony board whereas a good LP Standard  sits @ the 8lb mark

That's very, very light for a LP Standard, from any era. 

I agree 8lb is not common or even if it's possible, from what I've picked up I'd say an average is around 9lb but there's some real boat anchors too, one magazine had a 54 goldtop at 10lb I think, there's a 60 custom at 12lb and there's plenty more

I think it's a myth that they're all lightweight personally

Danielsguitars

OilCityPickups said:

To me, for live use at least, if a guitar is uncomfortable due to excessive weight, it doesn't matter how good it sounds, I simply won't 'bond' with it and want to play it. Back in the eighties I had a couple of different Norlin era LPs that sounded fantastic ... however I ditched them pretty quickly to start using a much lighter LP Special, as they were simply painful on stage. Peoples physiques differ ... I'm a skinny built bugger who has never gone over about 11 stone, and so heavy guitars feel 'wrong'. Until we got our Oil City demo Les Paul Studio, I thought no chambered/weight relieved LP could cut the mustard with sustain and 'tone'. I now feel otherwise ...

When I built my semi chambered LP it surprised the hell out of me, sounds huge and lost nothing imo, it's under 8lb, I'd put it up against any solid body I've built and I've got a few kicking about now to compare with

Les Paul specials are bloody fantastic and one of my favourites 

fretmeister

p90fool said:

I really really really don't get why a ten pound guitar is such a problem unless you're seriously ill. 

If you have a medical issue fine, but come on, I'm 55 and jump around like twat for three hours every night and don't even notice the weight of my Les Paul. 

The difference between a heavy guitar and a light guitar seems to be about the same weight as a box of teabags. It's not only silly and irrelevant, it even affects resale values. 

I'm (almost) sure that internet guitar forums are not made up entirely of octogenarian cancer patients, so why the pointless obsession?

It will get you in the end.

10lb basses are very common, and yet more makers are going the lightweight route and cannot keep up with the demand.

My main bass is 6 3/4 pounds. It sounds massive. So that's 3 bags of sugar less weight than the average Jazz. On a long gig that makes a big difference. That's a fuck load of a bigger difference than a box of teabags.
Don't have to be "seriously ill" to get the benefit. Less wear on backs and shoulders mean less pain as we age. If you are doing 3 hours per night then when it hits you it's going to be a bastard.

richardhomer

I recently played an Elite Heritage 80 which was built for a ‘very’ famous guitar player - and which was recently sold at auction by him. 

I used to own one of these and it was ‘very’ heavy compared to modern Custom Shop Les Pauls - at a guess, slightly over 10lbs. 

The artist-built one was much lighter - clearly Norlin were capable of building light guitars for those famous enough to warrant it.

crunchman

It's not just how they feel on a strap, and what it does to your back and shoulder -although that is a major issue.

I find lighter guitars are normally more responsive, if that's the right word, and they have better playing dynamics.  You have to be careful not to over generalize.  Some lightweight guitars just sound thin and plinky, but if you find the right lightweight guitar made from good woo, there is a responsiveness to the sound that heavier guitars just don't seem to have.

Jock68

It is rare for anyone to be able to tell if a guitar is weight relieved or not.  I have two Les Paul's, same manufacturer same specification ( different colour obviously) and there is a 1lb difference between them.  Both made with Honduran Mahogany, get the one that feels and sounds right, being weight relieved is not a big issue for most of us.