Gibson 2016
NAMM 2016: Gibson's 2015 changes proved controversial among guitarists, but for 2016, the company is offering two choices for all models across the range: Traditional and High Performance.
Traditional spec means manual tuners, regular neck widths, conventional electronics and TekToid nuts are all back on the agenda – not to mention lower prices.
For a small additional outlay, High Performance models offer a wider neck – though not as wide as 2015 models – plus G-Force robot tuning and Full Access neck joints for improved upper-fret access.
Scroll down for the list of differences between the two options, and click through to have a gander at this year's top models…
Traditional
- Historic heel
- TekToid nut
- Original neck width
- Vintage tuners
- Standard toggle switch
- Standard single-contact-point jack
- Traditional hard-wired control harness
- Traditional grade wood selection
- Acrylic inlays
- Traditional hard shell case (selected models only)
High Performance
- Fast Access heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- New soloist's neck width
- Improved G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Dip switch for over 150 rewiring options
- Higher grade wood selection
- Genuine Mother of Pearl inlays
- Fortified aluminium case (selected models only)
Gibson Les Paul Standard 2016 T
- AAA carved plain maple top on mahogany body with modern weight relief
- Mahogany neck
- Burstbucker Pro humbuckers with coil-splits
- Neck and body binding
- Compound-radius rosewood fingerboard
- Grover locking tuners
- TekToid nut
- Original Les Paul case style with enhanced protection
- Finishes: Heritage Cherry Sunburst, Fire Burst, Honey Burst, Trans Amber, Desert Burst, Trans Black, Tea Burst, Blue Mist, Light Burst, Gold Top, Ebony
Gibson Les Paul Standard 2016 HP
$3,149 (US list) / £2,399 (UK list)
As above, except…
- AAAA figured maple top
- Rhythm Pro (neck), Lead Pro (bridge) humbuckers with coil-splits
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- Fortified aluminum case
Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded 2016 T
- Traditional carved maple top over mahogany body with modern weight relief
- Historic original neck width
- Burstbucker Pro humbuckers
- Traditional playing feel
- TekToid nut
- Traditional gigbag
- Finishes: Worn Brown Satin, Worn Cherry, Satin Fireburst, Satin Ebony
Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded 2016 HP
$1,149 (US list) / £899(UK list)
As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- High Performance gigbag
Gibson Les Paul Studio 2016 T
- Carved maple top over mahogany body with modern weight relief
- 490R (neck) and 498T (bridge) humbuckers with coil-splits
- Original Les Paul neck dimensions
- TekToid nut
- Traditional brown hard shell case
- Finishes: Alpine White, Alpine Gold, Ebony, Ebony Gold, Fireburst, Inverness Green, Pelham Blue, Radiant Red, Silver Pearl, Vintage Sunburst, Wine Red, Wine Red Gold
Gibson Les Paul Studio 2016 HP
$1,849 (US list) / £1,399(UK list)
As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- Fortified aluminum case
Gibson Les Paul '60s Tribute 2016 T
- Maple and mahogany body with modern weight relief
- Slim '60s-style neck profile
- Thicker one-piece rosewood fingerboard
- Two vintage-style P-90 pickups
- TekToid nut
- Original 1 11/16” nut width
- Padded gigbag
- Finishes: Satin Honeyburst w/ Dark Back, Satin Ebony w/ Dark Back, Satin Vintage Sunburst w/ Dark Back
Gibson Les Paul '60s Tribute 2016 HP
$1,249 (US list) / £949(UK list)
As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- High Performance gigbag
Gibson Les Paul '50s Tribute 2016 T
- Maple top on mahogany body with modern weight relief
- Mahogany neck with rounded '50s profile
- 490R (neck) and 498T (bridge) humbuckers
- Vintage-style 'green key' tuners
- TekToid nut
- Padded gigbag
- Finishes: Satin Gold Top w/ Dark Back, Satin Honeyburst w/ Dark Back, Satin Ebony, Satin Vintage Sunburst
Gibson Les Paul '50s Tribute 2016 T
$1,249 (US list) / £949(UK list)
- As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- High Performance gigbag
Gibson Les Paul CM 2016 T
- Carved maple top on mahogany body
- Thicker and-oiled rosewood fingerboard
- Classic '61 humbucker
- Traditional 'green key' tuners
- Padded gigbag
- Satin nickel wrapover bridge
- Finish: Satin Ebony
Gibson Les Paul CM 2016 T
$1,049 (US list) / £749(UK list)
As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Supreme grip speed knobs
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- High Performance gigbag
Gibson Les Paul Traditional 2016 T
- AA maple top, solid mahogany back with traditional weight relief
- Gibson '57 Classic humbuckers: '57 Classic (neck), '57 Classic + (bridge)
- Original Les Paul neck width
- TekToid nut
- Traditional brown Les Paul hard shell case
- Traditional inlays
- Finishes: Desert Burst, Heritage Cherry Sunburst, Honey Burst, Iced Tea, Light Burst, Wine Red
Gibson Les Paul Traditional 2016 HP
$2,649 (US list) / £1,999(UK list)
As above, except…
- AAA maple top
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- Fortified aluminum case
Gibson SG Standard 2016 T
- Mahogany body
- Original SG mahogany neck design with 1 11/16” neck width
- 490R (neck) and 498T (bridge) humbuckers
- Period-accurate Black Top Hat knobs
- TekToid nut
- Padded gigbag
- Finishes: Ebony, Heritage Cherry
Gibson SG Standard 2016 HP
$1,549 (US list) / £1,099 (UK list)
As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- High Performance gigbag
Gibson SG Special 2016 T
- Mahogany body
- Original SG mahogany neck design with 1 11/16” neck width
- 495R (neck) and 495T (bridge) mini-humbuckers
- TekToid nut
- Traditional tuners
- Padded gigbag
- Finishes: Satin Cherry, Satin Ebony, Satin Vintage Sunburst
Gibson SG Special 2016 HP
$1,089 (US list) / £799 (UK list)
As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- High Performance gigbag
Gibson SG Standard P-90 2016 T
- Mahogany body
- Original SG mahogany neck design with 1 11/16” neck width
- Vintage-style P-90 pickups
- TekToid nut
- Padded gigbag
- Finish: Heritage Cherry
Gibson SG Standard P-90 2016 HP
$1,549 (US list) / £1,099(UK list)
As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- High Performance gigbag
Gibson SG Faded 2016 T
- Mahogany body
- Original SG mahogany neck design with 1 11/16” neck width
- 490R (neck) and 490T (bridge) humbuckers
- TekToid nut
- Padded gigbag
- Worn satin nitrocellulose finish
- Finishes: Worn Brown, Worn Cherry
Gibson SG Faded 2016 HP
$1,089 (US list) / £799 (UK list)
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- High Performance gigbag
Gibson Firebird V 2016 T
- Classic Firebird V design
- Steinberger Gearless tuning keys
- Neck-through-body construction
- Nine-ply mahogany-walnut neck construction
- Traditional Firebird mini-humbuckers
- TekToid nut
- Padded gigbag
- Finish: Vintage Sunburst
Gibson Firebird V 2016 HP
$1,449 (US list) / £1,049 (UK list)
As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- SlimTaper nine-ply neck-through-body construction
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- High Performance gigbag
Gibson Explorer 2016 T
- Mahogany body
- 496R Hot Ceramic (neck) and 500T Super Ceramic (bridge) humbuckers
- Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece
- Mini Grover tuners
- SlimTaper neck profile
- TekToid nut
- Padded gigbag
- Finishes: Ebony, Cherry
Gibson Explorer 2016 HP
$1,649 (US list) / £1,199 (UK list)
As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- Soloist neck width
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- Fortified aluminum case
Gibson Flying V 2016 T
- Mahogany body
- Original 1 11/16" neck width, SlimTaper profile neck
- Hot 496R (neck) and 500T (bridge) humbuckers
- Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece
- TekToid nut
- Gigbag
- Finishes: Ebony, Wine Red
Gibson Flying V 2016 HP
$1,649 (US list) / £1,199 (UK list)
As above, except…
- Fast Access neck heel
- Adjustable titanium zero fret nut
- SlimTaper neck profile
- Next-Generation Gibson G-Force tuners
- Smooth silent-action toggle switch
- New gold plated multi-contact jack
- Mother of pearl inlays
- High Performance Gibson Hardshell case
