Gibson promises "best year ever" with 2016 electric guitar models

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)

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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