Supercreep
Lizard People
Sonically is there a major difference?
Outlaws
New member
Yes its real. Stripped down cosmetics. Some of Standards and other higher line models do come with 'Bustbuckers for pickups now, but like anything you got to play it first.
S
songwritten
New member
Studios are cool...but if you're thinking about buying a Studio...just save up and get a standard or classic. For the love of God, go play TONS of Les Pauls at all types of stores. Don't buy one without playing it. They are fairly inconsistent.
daav
Flailing up a storm.
songwritten said:
That is an option, but the diff between a used standard and a used studio is generally about $500-$600, anc consiering studios go for $600-$800, you are often talking about a stuidio being attainable financially and the standards being out of range.
IO totally agree with the "play lots of them" thing.
Last, studio's vary by year, the early nineties studios are generally much nicer than the newer ones. If you can pick up a 90 or 91 studio, it will probabaly make you really happy for around $750 or so.
Daav
N
notCardio
I walk the line
My opinion
Yes, it's a real LP, but yes, it's different than a Standard or Deluxe. Is it all in our heads? No, not all, but a lot of it is. Only you can say whether you'll be happy with one or not. Most guys eventually end up swapping out pickups no matter what they get. We are, by nature, a restless lot. If somebody gave me Duane's LP (one of my holy grails), by the end of the month I'd be contemplating my next purchase. I'd be trying to find Gary Richrath's old '59 (THE holy grail, for me).
Sonically, they're all subtly different from one to the next anyway. Blindfolded, could you tell a difference? Yeah, but I bet you couldn't tell which is which, and the one you like the best might be the Studio. Most of what makes a Studio a Studio is cosmetic. Some people feel that some of those cosmetics make a difference in tone or playability. I think it's as much to do with the difference between one guitar and the next.
But if you're the kind of person whose going to be hung up on whether or not it's a 'real' one, I'd say wait and get a Standard or Deluxe, because you won't be happy until you do.
I wish I had the 2 grand to buy that Aussie Desertburst Studio! That's a beauty!
Yes, it's a real LP, but yes, it's different than a Standard or Deluxe. Is it all in our heads? No, not all, but a lot of it is. Only you can say whether you'll be happy with one or not. Most guys eventually end up swapping out pickups no matter what they get. We are, by nature, a restless lot. If somebody gave me Duane's LP (one of my holy grails), by the end of the month I'd be contemplating my next purchase. I'd be trying to find Gary Richrath's old '59 (THE holy grail, for me).
Sonically, they're all subtly different from one to the next anyway. Blindfolded, could you tell a difference? Yeah, but I bet you couldn't tell which is which, and the one you like the best might be the Studio. Most of what makes a Studio a Studio is cosmetic. Some people feel that some of those cosmetics make a difference in tone or playability. I think it's as much to do with the difference between one guitar and the next.
But if you're the kind of person whose going to be hung up on whether or not it's a 'real' one, I'd say wait and get a Standard or Deluxe, because you won't be happy until you do.
I wish I had the 2 grand to buy that Aussie Desertburst Studio! That's a beauty!
tkingen
Djembes Rock
songwritten said:
Great advice! Take your time, get the right one and you'll keep it for life.
Supercreep
Lizard People
notCardio said:
Not hung up at all on it - I just wanted to make sure it wasn't the "squier" of gibsons.
ez_willis
.
Dude, with minor modifications, Squiers fucking rock.
For the life of me, I can't figure out why people bash them.
For the life of me, I can't figure out why people bash them.
H
hungovermorning
Dr. Caveman.
ez_willis said:
Go play a bad one
I need to get on a soapbox really quick and remind everyone that good wood counts. It makes a large tonal and playability differences. While it's true that you can get a useable guitar if you swap out a couple parts on a Squier, but put those same parts in a guitar made with top shelf wood, woah mama... IMO that's why all of those killer 70s and 80s lawsuit guitars from Japan were such a threat, the Japanese paid up for the good wood and they played and sounded like it! I've got a Greco Thunderbird and a Burny Firebird VII that I would not trade for any Gibson after about 1967. They play and sound that good and I think a large part is the wood. *gets off the lovely mahagony soapbox made with non genetically modified wood properly allowed natural drying time*
T
toad
New member
Sure Studios are real Pauls.....
As others have mentioned the main differences are cosmetic. They're called "Studio" because they took the cosmetics off the Standard since working studio musicians don't need the pretty "frills" such as binding, curly tops, etc. The quality of the wood, electronics, and craftsmanship should be the same (but, again, the less visibly stunning wood is used on the Studios).
The Gibson equivilant of Squire would be Epiphone...
As others have mentioned the main differences are cosmetic. They're called "Studio" because they took the cosmetics off the Standard since working studio musicians don't need the pretty "frills" such as binding, curly tops, etc. The quality of the wood, electronics, and craftsmanship should be the same (but, again, the less visibly stunning wood is used on the Studios).
The Gibson equivilant of Squire would be Epiphone...
N
notCardio
I walk the line
As far as cosmetics
while generally true, if you saw that DesertBurst that one of our Aussie friends here has, you'd think twice about that, too. It's freakin' gorgeous.
And if it turns out it was a Kiwi, sorry. You guys all sound alike to me.
while generally true, if you saw that DesertBurst that one of our Aussie friends here has, you'd think twice about that, too. It's freakin' gorgeous.
And if it turns out it was a Kiwi, sorry. You guys all sound alike to me.
amra
Well-known member
ez_willis said:
Well, for one most of them are made of plywood...
ez_willis
.
amra said:
Plywood huh?
M
mrface2112
Well-known member
i'd say that Epis are Gibson's equivalent of Fender's Mexican guitars. and i'd say the gibson equivalent of the squier line would be the G-400, G-100, etc.toad said:
but that's really just splitting hairs. there are good ones and bad ones no matter what range you're looking at.
cheers,
wade
Last edited:
M
mrface2112
Well-known member
yep. sometimes they call it "laminated wood".....but it's plywood. i guarantee that if you were to saw a squier body in half you'd see the plies (laminations).ez_willis said:
and they're "lesser" woods as well. basswood, agathis (whatever the hell that is) and poplar just aren't on the same level in terms of being quality tonewoods that ash and alder are.
then there's the necks, the fretwork (or lack thereof), the electronics, the hardware and the overall workmanship (or again, lack thereof).
i've yet to play a squier (affinity, etc) that the frets felt good on--they all overhang and are jagged/sharp. this is true for the epiphone G series as well, and many of the "plain" epiphones as well. sure it's not hard to dress the frets yourself after the fact, but a good dressing job takes time and frankly it's not something i really enjoy doing.
so sure you can find a decent playing and sounding squier......but by the time you fix the problems (and replace the electronics and hardware) you've more than doubled the money you dropped into the thing in the first place.......so why not just buy a used 80's one?
cheers,
wade
ez_willis
.
mrface2112 said:
Actually, I paid $100 for one, shielded it, stuck a $50 SD Humbucker in it and it sounds and plays real nice.
I'm not hung up on labels though, so Fender/Squier/Willis is all the same to me.
Armistice
Son of Yoda
notCardio said:while generally true, if you saw that DesertBurst that one of our Aussie friends here has, you'd think twice about that, too. It's freakin' gorgeous.
And if it turns out it was a Kiwi, sorry. You guys all sound alike to me.
That would be Ausrock... I came close to buying that thing... it is indeed a beautiful axe...
Flangerhans
Dodecahedronic member
I have a cheap chinese Tele, the affinity model. I can assure you that this guitar is not made of plywood, nor is it made of inferior wood of any sort. In fact, it's really not far short of any instrument I've ever played or owned, and I've been known to play or own some damn fine guitars over the last 30 years. The electronics are not the best, but the pickup plate is actually thicker and better made than the Fender original. There are zillions of these out there, and none that I've fiddled with have been poor instruments at all. Yes, the strings don't go through the body, yes there is no skunk stripe, but the cheapo is not an inferior guitar at all. Price, brand name, and prejudice do not dictate quality in this case.
Of course, I feel that if you are not capable of setting up a guitar to your liking, you really ought not to be playing one, and should find a less challenging hobby.
Of course, I feel that if you are not capable of setting up a guitar to your liking, you really ought not to be playing one, and should find a less challenging hobby.
Last edited:
Supercreep
Lizard People
Flangerhans said:
It's not a matter of not being capable. It's a matter of time. Besides raising a family, practicing drums, keyboards, guitar, singing, and learning how to use all this outboard and in the box crap I haven't taken the time to learn how to set up a guitar properly. I'm sure I'll get around to it. In the meantime, I've an album to record.
My hobby is challenging enough, thanks.
N
notCardio
I walk the line
I've got a Squire Affinity Tele
that the store did a setup on before I got it for free. I had already played it, and it was fretting out in one place. I asked their tech if he thought it was fixable or worth fixing. He said that they'll do free setups on anything they sell, and that it would take care of it. He set it up, the buzz was not only gone, but I would put the playability of this neck up against any guitar, period, regardless of price.
Does the hardware and electronics need upgraded? Sure, but look at all the guys buying LPs or Strats and Teles and almost immediately swapping out pickups, pickguards, etc. It's just in our nature to want to customize.
I can do that and get exactly what I want, but starting out with a base that cost me $150 instead of $800.
that the store did a setup on before I got it for free. I had already played it, and it was fretting out in one place. I asked their tech if he thought it was fixable or worth fixing. He said that they'll do free setups on anything they sell, and that it would take care of it. He set it up, the buzz was not only gone, but I would put the playability of this neck up against any guitar, period, regardless of price.
Does the hardware and electronics need upgraded? Sure, but look at all the guys buying LPs or Strats and Teles and almost immediately swapping out pickups, pickguards, etc. It's just in our nature to want to customize.
I can do that and get exactly what I want, but starting out with a base that cost me $150 instead of $800.