How Bad Are Gibson Studio Les Pauls?

Lopp

Lopp

New member
I'll start with stating I'm not extremely Les Paul savvy and I don't have good access to a music store that carrys them, but I do like their tone.

Therefore, to add some variety to my tone arsenal, I'd like to get a Les Paul. Especially for the warmth of the mahogany body and the shorter neck length. Unfortunately, they appear to be overpriced. Thus, I am considering a Studio and even a Gothic Studio (I love the color).

Does anyone have any comments on the Gothic Studio Les Pauls or even the regular Studios?

Are the differences between the studios and the regulars primarily in the hardware? The pickup doesn't matter because I'll probably slap an EMG-81 into it.

Also, how is the neck thickness on the Gothics? I hate thick necks.

Any other considerations with Studios/Gothics?


Thanks for any comments.
 
I was looking at LesPaul studio's a few months ago and was very interested in the Gothic. They look pretty cool in photos but when I finally saw one in person it looked like shit. The finish shows every single smudge and the whole look is just very cheap IMHO. I would have gotten one if they were around $700 but there was no way I was paying more for that shitty finish.

I ended up getting a regular Studio with a beautiful dark red over wood grain finish and gold hardware for $1000 inc the hard case. It looks amazing and it gets compliments from everyone who sees it. It plays fantastic. To be honest I didn't notice enough of a tone difference in any of the models to warrant the higher costs. It would seem that the finish is the main reason for the higher prices.

I don't recall the neck on the gothic being different from the regular studio's but I could be wrong. Do not buy a Gothic without seeing it first or having the option to return it. I was horribly dissapointed when I finally saw one in person, especially considering they cost more than a regular Studio.
 
another very content LP Studio user here ('94 with dark red finish and chrome hardware). Although I also own a new Les Paul Standard with flames, the Studio is my workhorse and main gigging instrument.

Can't comment on how they're made now in 2002, but my 94 Studio was made of denser wood than the 2001 Standard. About the same body thickness and heavier. I've tested myself over and over in the tone department using all pickup combinations with both guitars and I can't tell the difference.
 
The Goths look like hell...that finish would drive me nuts......a nice wine red studio is the way to go......

Get out and about and play some......then if you've got the balls to go against everything everybody has ever said about buying guitars, go online and order one from a site that has a clear, easy return policy up front.......I have yet to go wrong doing this, but I am also resently referred to as a lucky MF by my friends........

I live out in the sticks, but I can drive to some decent size towns to check out the goods before I order....things like neck size, weight, fret quality etc are things you gotta know before you order without touching...........

I don't have a studio, but I do have a Standard and a '57 Re-issue Goldtop Lp that I ordered from the net.......

I have ordered from and been pleased by:

http://www.aplusguitars.com/Gibson_Guitars.htm

Find the axe you wanna know about, click on "more Info", request a price and you'll be floored at the bargain you'll get back via email.........

But please, please, play some first...don't just order with zero knowledge about what the instrument can or cannot do.....and how it feels......gibs
 
so gibs, still loving that new beast you got from APlus? I'm still in love with mine - the honeymoon's not over yet. showing any fretwear on it yet?
 
I have had a Studio for years. It is wonderfully constructed, and it plays great, as well as any other Les Paul I have played.

Your inclination to change the stock pickups is, to my ears, a wise one. The "490 Alnico" stock pickups in most of the current generation of Les Pauls, including the Studios, are very muddy in the bass and a bit brash in the highs. For those who are using the stock pickups, find someone who has a good set of replacement pickups in their Les Paul and do a side-by-side comparison, and I can guarantee where your next $200-$250 will go. I use Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbuckers, and the difference is night and day.

Good luck,
Kelby.
 
I agree about the Gothic. I do like the ebony fingerboard on the Gothic however. I alos feel that the studio's a great guitars. I remember that the wine red transparent was always the top seller as well. Nice guitar.

Fangar
 
pchorman, frets holding up nicely.......

The guitars sound so different, though....however I find the neck pup on the '57 (57 classic pick ups) muddier than the 490 on my standard......but I still get great sound thanks to knobs and amp tweaking.......the new standards have the Burstbucker pups, which are very very sweet.......I've been thinking of switching out on the Standard......I'm keeping the classics in the '57, though, because the bridge pup is awesome, and I can get around the mud with tone controls on amp and guitar.......gibs
 
I think the Les Paul Studio is great. I've never regreted getting it. It certainly has a wide variety of tones which is perfect for me as I tend to play blues, rock, jazz and fusion. The dark wine red finish is also beautiful. Well it looks good and sounds good.
 
I depends on what you want a Les Paul to sound like.
The studios don`t have a maple top, so they sound a bit darker and miss the bite a "real" Les Paul has.


Amund
 
:D My memory comes and goes as well!.....but I'm also an old fart....*sigh*...I can remember stuff about guitars, but not where I left my car keys......go figure......

matty_boy, I want a junior....those P-90 pick ups are great.....there's been some debate about it, but Keef supposedly played a junior on "Honky Tonk Woman"...and that sound was incredible......gibs
 
Thanks for all the advice!

Not a single terrible comment on the Studios. That's reassuring.

So I went to a shop on Saturday and auditioned a transparent red flame top Studio. Nice color. I played it through a Mesa/Boogie Single Rectifier combo because they didn't have a TriAxis. Good tone, but I've never heard an axe sound bad through the M/B combo. It felt good and played well.

Of note is that I mainly play two ESPs and an Ibanez RG550. I was concerned about the neck radius as some LP's can have a club of a neck. Especially the Joe Perry model, which I can't stand. While the neck was more of a club than my ESPs, I thought it played well. Nice low action. Fun change of pace along with its shorter neck length.

On another note, the D string easily slipped out of the nut while playing. It probably needed some filing. I mentioned it and Gibson quality control probs to the sales guy. He responded that it needed filing but that Gibson QC is good/better. I thought that was funny because we were looking a QC problem right in the face at the time. :p

I also played a PRS CE24. I made sure it had the wide-thin neck. Very different playability. More like my ESPs. Very slightly brighter tone due to the longer neck length. I liked it, but still want the LP.

Any other comments are welcome and eagerly awaited.


Matt
 
The QC is really fine but the setup is a little lacking at a GC. My studio needs a little filing at the bridge. No strings have popped out but they are catching a little even with some graphite on them.
 
if you're also interested in PRS, you should try the Swamp Ash Special, and the McCarty models. Based on your likes about each of the other guitars you tried, you'd love these guitars...

and if you're a real tonehead... McCarty hollowbody
 
I'm not to sure if the Swamp Ash Special, and the McCarty models come with wide thin necks. Also, the price on those may be prohibitive.

I am somewhat of a tone freak, but not the tone that comes from a hollowbody. ;)

I realize nobody seems to like the Goths aside from me, but I wonder if the LP Goths will appreciate in value now that they are supposedly discontinued.

The Goths remind me of the Harley Nightrain. Lotsa black. Black is cool. :cool:
 
My buddy has the LP Gothic and I think it sounds awesome. he did however, replace the bridge pickup with some sort of Seymour Duncan pickup. But even just playing it not plugged in, it sounds and feels similar to my brothers 1999 LP Custom. It is bright, the neck feels comfortable and it's overall weight and styling is pleasingly comfortable. I kinda like the looks of them. I am one of those guys who likes the shiney cool look (I own the SG supreme in emeraldburst), but this beast is an exception.

I know alot of guys who own thee studios, and I personally would get the gothic over the studio.....there's something about them that I hate.....they play and feel different to me. But I've never heard any horror stories about them so it's up to you.
 
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