Gibson Les Paul Gothic

Features have been covered, this one is factory stock...

Sounds like a Les Paul. This is not like the mahogany topped cheap studios they are putting out. It actually has a maple cap. BIG difference in sound. I like the pickups, very high output and the same ones they put in just about every lower end USA Gibson. I have a 1960 Classic I like a little better, little more woody tone but this one stays in tune a lot better for some reason. Could be the Grovers, I don't know for sure.

This one has a nice factory setup. My Classic was a DISASTER out of the factory. The nut was cut HORRIBLY!!! How does that happen? Anyway, my luthier sets them up how I like them and this one came just like I like them! I have to say the fret ends are a bit rough, most new Gibsons (LOWER END ONES) are like that and if you don't like getting your hands cut up have a good tech roll the edges for you. It is worth it, equals about 10 years of playing. Finish is funky, kind of a flat color and the more it is handled/played the glossier it gets! Weird but cool, ALL BLACK!! Kind of grows on you but it just needs SOMETHING that isn't black on it. Another issue some people have is that it has no position markers on the board. They are on the side, and I had no problem finding my way around it. Hmm...

Seems solid, tree-trunk neck(make sure you have played a 50's neck Gibbo before you buy one) that is really nice in your hand. Put on strap locks and off you go. Nice and light, loses a pound and a half or more from a regular LP. The only gripe I have is the loss of body mass makes it just a tad neck heavy if you play it low. Not bad but not perfectly balanced either. You kind of find the neck heading south on you. Otherwise a very nice guitar.

Don't know about this. I have an interesting story about their customer service from my brother. He is a bassist in the Twin Cities. He ordered a lower end Gibson 5-string bass from the factory. Had some wiring issues with the active pickups that just couldn't get straightened out. After getting it back from the factory for the second time with the problem STILL unfixed the guy on the other end of the phone line told him he should 'buy something else'. Really, the guy actually said that!! My brother got the guys name and sent a letter to the company President. The guy calls him and says, 'send me the bass back, we'll cover the shipping and we will send you out a brand new, nicer replacement'. A few weeks later he gets the bass, with a nice letter from the Gibson President!! Turns out they sent him a custom shop Les Paul bass, five stringer with a AAAAA top on it. Bartolini custom pickups installed, absolutely killer sunburst finish. Ebony board, MOP inlays, the full treatment. They had made the guitar for LES PAULS BASSIST!!! They had sent him one to match a Standard they made for Les and he didn't like it so he sent it back. THEY GAVE HIM THIS BASS THAT COST 10 GRAND TO REPLACE HIS $1200 ONE!!! Wow, pays to be persistent. That is pretty good customer service.

Anyway, I digress. This guitar is a great value and can be had for around $650 on ebay. Don't think they are available any more, so maybe someone will decide these are the new thing and they will go up in value... or not. I like the lighter weight, and the tradeoff for the tone is minimal at worst. The sound is pretty much classic Les Paul. Gotta love it.

Body: Carved maple top, mahogany back
Neck/Profile: Mahogany, 1959 rounded Les Paul
Bridge/Tailpiece: Tune-o-matic/Stopbar
Hardware: Black chrome
Controls: Two volume and tone, three-way switch

The original Pickups were Rhythm: 490R Alnico magnet humbucker and Treble: 498T Alnico magnet humbucker. I have to say these pickups did sound great. But I just had EMGs 81/85 installed on my Charvel Model 5 and the sound was amazing. So I then opted to do the same with the les paul. What a mistake! I'm not sure what the problem is, but its not a good match, not enough low end as compared to the Charvel.

I have an Epiphone Les Paul with a Seymour Duncan SH-14 Custom 5 pickup Zebra in the bridge position and a Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6n in the neck position, and this has a heck of a lot more low end than the Les Paul with the EMGs, so needless to say I'm not too happy at all with the Gibson at this time. So I'm not sure if the problem is with the actual Gibson guitar itself (the wood) or would switching the pickups help with the sound in the Gibson. If you were to listen to both guitars with out looking at them, the Epiphone would have the edge over the Gibson. Sad to say.

Either way the EMGs are coming out and at least the orginal pickups are going back in.

So far the Charvel Model 5 with the EMGs is the best sounding guitar of the bunch that I have.

Action is great, just had to lower the strings, set the intonation and its all good and easy to play.

The finsih does look really good. Gotta like the Gothic look on these guitars.

From the short amount of time that I've had this guitar, it seems reliable. With the right pickups to get that exact sound, it would be one of the main guitars that I use to play.

No Opinion

I've been playing over 20 years, my friends and I jam weekly, so anytime changing guitars and one of them is not up to par, we can all notice it really fast.

Other Gear
Mesa Boogie Single Rect-o-verb Head with 4x12 Carvin Cabinets (top and bottom). Trace Elliot Tramp Tube, Charvel Model 5, Epiphone Les Paul Standard and a Kramer Focus 6000.

If it was lost or stolen I would get something else, either go for the top Gibson Les Paul (no more studio versions) or an ESP Eclipse 2.

I love the features. Usa made.

This is a metal axe. I have owned a prs, i do own a Jakson and now this. This kicks ass. I play death and black metal. This was made for it, and it sound heavier then my jackson (japan made). Lp works great for metal, bands like In Flames, Gorgoroth, Windir, Enslaved, Sentenced and so on uses lp's. I have never played a better guitar, and i probably never will, this is the only one for me.

All good!

I think its pretty durable.

Im a happy man. Im soon going to run this guitar with a ENGL fireball.

Since the specs are listed by other I won't repeat them. Not sure of year model. Standard les paul features. The finish is okay, nothing great it would look cooler in like a gloss black like a schecter.

I bought it used and the previous owner swapped the pickups out with an emg 81/85 set. I play mostly metal/hard rock. I play it through a Marshall 100vr with a Marshall 1960 4 x 12 cab. The guitar sounds very crunchy with a nice low end on the bridge p/u. I like the sterileness of the emg pickups because it fits my amp settings perfectly. This guitar can make pretty much the same sound as a lp standard. The sound is different than my Jackson that I play.....but it is still a good sound. I haven't played too many les pauls but the sound doesn't totally blow me away.

Had no problems with fit and finish.

The strap buttons are horrible.....I am sure you could play live with this guitar constantly.

never dealt with them.

I have been playing for 8 years. I own a Jackson DR-3 with emg 81's, an Ibanez AX7221(which sucks), a schecter c5 (which sucks), and a hamer eclipse. I have a boss mt-2, a boss phaser, crybaby pedal, and a danelectro delay. If I lost it, I would probably buy another one, but I would also maybe look for something a little better.

'2000 Gothic LP
per Gibson'sweb site:
Body
Carved Maple Top, Mahogany Back
Neck/Profile
Mahogany, 1959 Rounded Les Paul
Fingerboard/Inlay
Ebony, 22 frets, Moon-and-Star Inlay at 12th Fret
Scale/Nut Width
243/4"/1 11/16"
Bridge/Tailpiece
Tune-O-Matic/Stopbar
Hardware
Black Chrome
Pickups
Rhythm: 490R Alnico Magnet Humbucker
Treble: 498T Alnico Magnet Humbucker
Controls
Two Volume and Tone, Three-Way Switch

I play hard rock and metal, great sound outta the 'pups.
The neck is an absolute LOG. It's huge! It's a '59 LP profile so if you like a big neck, this is for you!(Hey it was Randy Rhoads' favorite neck and that guy could play a little-LOL.)
I run her through either a Mesa Boogie Studio 22 or a Crate GFX 212 for death metal sounds.
Typical creamy Les Paul sounds on clean amp settings, nice heavy Distortion with gobbs of sustain for paint peeling metal..
I like the typical barrage of tone possibilities from all Les Pauls.. this low budget version is no exception..

I bought her used and it was set up horrible(Not Gibson's fought, it was the ass-clown who originally owned it who never heard of a set-up.
I'm a guitar tech so it plays amazing like all my guitars do when I get done with them.
I'm noticing some paint cracks and clear-coat checking as well.. Dissapointing for a 4 year old guitar and Gibson should do better.

Gibson's are generlly built like tanks.. They haven't been around for over 50 years cus they are junk.. It's a frickin Les Paul for God's sake!-Nuff said..

See above remarks for the lousy finsh.. I'm 36 years old so the whole "Gothic" look obviously wasn't made to target my demographic of guitar player. However, If you buff the body with some polishing compound it buffs out to a real nice black gloss so it doesn't look so cheesy..

What Moron would ever gig without a back-up?

Gibson is very friendly and they try to help best they can.. Problem is they aren't the most guitar-educated fellows on the planet- considering they work for one of the largest guitar companies on the palnet.

I'vebeen playing for almost 20 years
I'd give it a 7 overall.
It was a cheap way to buy a Les Paul.. If you want a Les Paul for it's palyability and sound, then all the low budget studio series are just fine. Don't get caught up in paying for exotic tops and expensive frills that really do not effect what the guitar is meant to do: play and sound well..
I hate the cheasy finish, I hate the lack of fret markers.
I love the sound, playabilty and the ebony board..
I have bought/trades/sold well over 600 guitars.. I have played them all..As for Les Pauls, I have owned 4 studios, a Jimmy Page signature, an early 70's custom, a classic and 3 or 4 japanese law-suit Les Pauls. At any range, most Gibsons are very consistant players. Your ear might like different pickups for different tones but most people are either strat players or LP players. They all play like Les Pauls at any price range.

It basically sounds and plays like a Les Paul should. I hate the lack of fret markers, the plain looks leave a little to be desired and a 4 year old guitar should not have laquer checking and paint cracks already.

This is a 2001, Les Paul Studio Gothic. See the other reviews for all of the details. 2 humbuckering pickups (490 and 498) Maple top and Mahogany body and neck. Typical Les Paul. This had a small headstock crack. Professional repaired. You can see the hair line, just under Mr. Gibson, but you can not feel it. I got it with a gig bag.

I play a varity of music (blues, rock, jazz). It's a Les Paul and you can use it for any style of music. Very rich sound out of the humbuckers. I am a Gibson freak, so I really like this one.

The set up was by a professional luther who fixed the crack. I put on a set of new strings and have only had to make a slight tuning. The grovers are great. The pickups are adjusted fine (not to close and not to far. The finish seems like it will last. A very good satin Black finish w/ the black hardware.

I believe this guitar will hold up to anything. The name a lone stands for quality. But always take a back up if you gig.

Customer support has been great in the past. They have been helpfully to me prior to and after each purchase. I have a steady inside person I email to get any infor or help I need.

I have been playing for over 35 years and own other makes and models of guitars, amps and gear. I would buy another Gothic Les Paul. This might be a little hard, Gibson has discontinued making these Gothic guitars. I am looking forward to finding an SG Gothic model to match.

I dont have this guitar but I thought I would point out to all of the people getting pissed about 'ebony' fretboards- please read this article and do some research:

http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Articles/Guitars_Wood_And_Tone/

Some ebony woods do in fact have brown streaks. It's still ebony kids... so be happy with your kicks and rock on. Don't let any whiners rain on your parade ;)

Gibson Les Paul Studio Gothic, I believe some of the other reviews sum up the standard body features. The Gothics have a great weight to them not Les Paul Custom heavy but not PRS light to me this guitar is a good go between. At a great price... Set neck gives great tone/sustain to the tune-o-matic bridge and grover tuners 14:1 ratio on the "stock" guitar in addition to the Gibson Hum. pickups. The Gothics come with a Gibson hardshell case. The ebony fret board with the moon and star inla is awesome!

Guitar sounds good very full rich low end. Also have a rih full tone from the neck position very full.The distorted sound of the guitar is best described as consistent...very even and brutal if you choose... no complaints in that department Gibson has made another great sounding guitar....that Les Paul sound is alive and well in this piece. The original Gibson pickups were sufficient but I enjoy the EMG 81/85 set so I swapped out the gibsons for those and changed the pickup rings to black metal rings. I also changed the tuners to a grover with a 18:1 rather than the stock 14:1....I also added a TONE PROS bridge system and the guitar is a solid...loud...well heard guitar.

I bought my Gothic used there was a small chip in the paint and and a small paint scratch on the back nothing to bare wood or visible from the front. A few issues I should metion about this guitar that may help others! When I recived the guitar I had a problem with low E slipping both off the fretboard and the bridge....What I have done to cure this issue is first I replaced the entire bridge to the TONE PROS system (not completly needed to fix the slipping though) I do suggest this system it is very nice for the money, then replaced the "bridge slots" with a graphite set that cost around $20.- very much improved...as for the sting -fretboard I used a heavy string to cure my problem (ernie ball 7 string set drop the 10 gauge) that is my quick fix for that. So I am rating this a 6 before and a 9 after fix

I do believe that this guitar will be able to hold in a live situation and come out on top--although i have not played out with it yet. The satin black finish is beautiful but holding over the long run I am unsure about ....as I have had it now for only a few months and it seems fragile and easy to wear( I had a small problem on the back already with the finish but no problems on the front finish).....If you plan on standing with this guitar change the strap buttons for sure....I believe after the upgrades this guitar stands a whole lot better.

n/a

I have been playing for a few years, Having this guitar is great, I love the look and would suggest them to any Gibson or Les Paul style fan. They are a discontinued model and are hard to find. I love everything about the guitar after I did my own personal upgrades...I was a little uneasy about the finish but it is what it sounds like that counts! Just a note to anyone looking for one or a very similar model...look into a ESP LTD Kelly Hayes it has the black satin finish and looks very much like the Gibson Gothc .....Hope that helps!

Not sure of the year, I bought it at Mars Music (yup) in 2000. This guitar has your standard Les Paul Studio features. The pickups are 490R and 498T. The neck is a '59 rounded Les Paul, which is my personal favorite b/c it's fast but still beefy. For cosmetics, the matte black finish, black hardware and lack of fret markers give it a dark no-nonsense look, which is what first appealed to me. Plus as an added bonus there's a spooky picture of Orville Gibson on the back of the headstock. Cool. When I first bought this guitar I thought it was thick and heavy, which it is compared to many guitars. But compared to my Les Paul Customs it feels like a Parker Fly. The Grover tuners are amazing-- this guitar stays in tune better then any I've ever owned. As do most Gibson's, it came with the hard case.

I use this guitar primarilly as my backup for the cover band I'm in. My setup is -- Guitar -> Boss Tuner -> CryBaby 535Q -> DigiTech 2120 -> Marshall EL34 50/50 -> Marshall 1960A Cab. We play everything from Audioslave to Michael Jackson to G-n-R to System of a Down to Zeppelin....You get the point. For this, the Gothic is great b/c it's very versatile. I can get a full, warm rythm sound or a cutting, kick-ass lead sound or a tight crunchy distortion depending on the switch position and the settings on my digitech. The cleans are good too, warm and bluesy in the rythym position or bright and cutting in the treble position. A lot of sound guys are amazed by the tone I can get from it, and while my $3000 Customs have more of a classic Les Paul greatness to them, this one kicks in it's own way. Maybe a little more 'metal' sounding, but still full and impressive. For the price it's incredible. Warning: as with many Les Paul's, EVERY ONE, even the same model, IS DIFFERENT. Be sure to play a few before buying. I have a friend with a Gothic and he hates it.

When I bought the guitar it needed a setup. I don't know if this was Gibson's fault or the store's. After this it was great. Fast action on this style neck. The matte finish is cool, but it wore fast, especially b/c I play live 5-6 nights a week and tend to be a little crazy on stage. It also nicks and scratches easier. There is a little bit of glue showing where the neck meets the body, which I didn't like but put up with since this was the best sounding of the ones that I played. Another complaint I have is that the screws on the hardware are non-painted metal and have corroded over time.

This guitar, as are most Gibson's, is a workhorse. As I said, the finish wears a little, but I put my guitars through the ringer while performing live and this one stands up. Always stays in tune. It's been dropped before and stayed in intonation. Good electronics. Very dependable. I did change to straplocks, which I think is a must. I actually use this as my backup now, but the only reason you would need a backup is in case you break a string.

Never had to deal with them.

I've been playing for almost 10 years now, and now am up to 5-6 gigs a week. I have 9 guitars. This was my first Gibson and now I'm never looking back. I have since bought 2 Customs but I still rock out on this one often. It looks cool, plays easy and sounds great. I've compared it to many other studios and it kills them. The one problem I've heard about with the Goth series is inconsistency from guitar to guitar, but I lucked out I guess and found a great one. If it was stolen, and I could find another good one, I would definately buy it again.

2000 model made in the USA
Les Paul studio specs except the finish and the 12th fret inlay.
490 series pickups. black satin finish. Tune-O-Matic bridge,grover tuners with a SKB Gibson flight case.

This guitar flat out kicks ass. we play everything from metal to wanker shit and it does the job great. I use my Ampeg VL1002 1/2 stack and it sounds killer. next to my wolfgang, this guitar is the shit!

the guitar was perfect when i purchased it!

every thing seems to be solid on this guitar (with one exception.. the small strap buttons). which will be replaced with strap locks.this guitar is plenty good enough to gig without a back up although you would be stupid not to have one in case of string breakage.

n/a

been playing for 17 years I own a peavey wolfgang std. fender strat, gibson les paul black beauty (show piece)I have always wanted a nice les paul that I could gig full time with.. and now I have it!

Black satin finish, moon & star inlay at 12th fret. Black hardware & humbuckers. All wrapped up in a Les Paul, what else could you want. And the best feature is the lack of a tremolo system like on every other guitar out there.

I have owned several guitars through the years (70's Strat, 80's Kramer, Peavey etc.) and have been playing more than 20 years. When I first plugged this thing in, it simply blew me away. I suddenly realized why Les Pauls have been so popular for so many years. The humbuckers are crystal clear on clean and full of balls on distortion. I play it through a Marshall VS65R using either Monster Cables or Goerge L cables. In my opinion, if you own a Les Paul, you need to invest in some good cables to get the most out of your sound.

The action took a little getting used to considering I used to play mostly Kramer's and the neck is much fatter. But this is just a typical Gibson neck. Once you get used to it, your a badass. I have read a few reviewers complain that the finish seems to rub off a bit and it does ever so slightly. Mostly on the fingerboard. This seems to go away with time. But this is basically the only flaw I have found and I don't consider it to be a big deal. But I guess I will have to give it a 9 because it is not perfect.

If this is your first Les Paul like it was mine. You will be very impressed with the way this thing is made. It is solid as a rock and nice and heavy. There is no screw on neck on this fine piece of wood. Can your guitar say that? If you can't count on this guitar then you can't count on anything.

I haven't dealt with support but I have heard of others who say it is excellent. They go out of thier way to solve your problem.

I have played for over 20 years, this is my first Gibson. I am now a "Gibson For Life" guitar player. I love this one so much that I want another Les Paul, maybe even an SG. You can't go wrong with a Gibson. Les Pauls simply put Fender to shame.

2001, 22 fret, typical LP configuration, EMG 81/85-active pickups (installed after I bought it), Grover tuners,

This thing sounds bad-ass!! I run through a Marshall jcm800-50watt, using only an EQ and compressor/gate in the effects loop and it sounds AWESOME! I did replace the original alnico 490's series to the EMG 81/85--that alone made a HUGE difference. It lacks a bit on the low end... gets a little lost in mud there. Mid and high range cuts right through though the EMG's helped clean up the lows. I use drop C tuning. Def has a FULL sound. I have also a POS practice amp that I thought nothing could sound good through, but in the neck position in clean tone it sounds beautiful.

I bought the guitar used. No problems though. It is set up very well. Intonation right on, action exceptional.

I use 12 gauge strings and the low E doesn't work well with the bridge. If you use heavy strings, the E string will easily pop out of the groove and (as I found out on stage)really mess up the tuning. I'm sure there's a way to thicken the size of that space.

There is also an odd "taper" on the ends (top and bottom) of each fret. When your using 1 and 6 it's easy to find yourself fretting the top(or bottom) of the neck! IOW... The string will slide off the board when it hits that tapered area. Annoying to say the least!

I played on stage last night, looking at it now... looks decent. The finish will easily look dirty, but hey, it's a GOTH! The finish seems strong and durable, hardware strong and durable, the pick guard seems a bit flimsy... may want to consider removing.

The neck-side strap peg is totally useless. But that's with every Les Paul. I bought a strap lock to remedy the strap coming off every time I stood in an awkward position. Replace the original peg before you smash the headstock on the floor.

i dunno, not applicable!

I have been playing 16 years. Own a BCRich Mockingbird NJ w/EMG 81/85's not quite as awesome as the LP Goth. Woulda asked the dealer more about using heavier strings, I like to use 14's but new I couldn't go higher that 12 w/o adjusting the t/r.

If it were stolen, I'd cry like a baby then go and buy another!!

I LOVE the way the guitar looks!!! It is soooooo BAD! The markerless frets is so cool, and even better the halfmoon on the 12th makes it!

Don't know why they put "treble/bass" on the pickup switch, in bright white letters??!! tip-- loosen the whole switch assembly and flip arounds the whole plastic disk... The opposite side is plain black! That's a no-brainer!!

I used it on stage last night(for the first time live)... everyone said it sounds awesome/it looks awesome!!! This guitar is awesome!! Minus some oddball flaws, I highly recommend this to any hard rock guy who is looking for that classic 'hard-rock/Marshall' sound!

Body
Carved maple top, mahogany back

Neck/Profile
Mahogany, 1959 rounded Les Paul

Fingerboard/Inlay
Ebony, 22 frets, moon-and-star inlay at 12th fret

Scale/Nut Width
243/4"/111/16"

Binding
None

Bridge/Tailpiece
Tune-o-matic/Stopbar

Hardware
Black chrome

Pickups
Rhythm: 490R Alnico magnet humbucker
Treble: 498T Alnico magnet humbucker

Controls
Two volume and tone, three-way switch

By the way the ebony finger board is usually only found on the gibson customs and the are awesome

Ok first i have to say man the sound that i get is down right great. The style of music i play is a cross between pearl jam meets counting crows. The neck pick up is so warm and cleen running through my marshall avt 150 combo. Then switch to the bridge pick up and dude you have the typical les paul lead tone with out the use of a overdrive foot switch

Great out of the case the only thing i had to do was adjust the hight of the pick ups and the frets took a bit getting used to not as smooth as a STD or custom

Ive droped it, kicked it, knocked it againt other guitars and no damage only to the paint.
I would play with out a back up but i would not risk it you never know

Never had the pleasure

ITS ROCKS \m/

black hard wear grover tuners standard gibson studio pickups which were changed cos they suck
perfect except for the pickups and cheap finish which is easily damaged

i changed the bridge pickup to a dimebucker which made it sound a whole lot better great for that old slayer sound

the fretting isnt the greatest you can feel the edges as you slide yoru hand up the guitar but you get used to it i guess

the finish i know will not last i also changed the stap buttons because the guitar likes to jump out of the strap i recomend a straplock system

if it was stolen or lost i would replace it or switch to esp ec-1000 which i think fairly chalenges this guitar but i do love this guitar and sweat blood to get it i think it would be great if it came with a kahler tremolo

First of all, let me point out that I bought this guitar from a major chain (guess!) the thing was messed up. But unbelievably, it still sounded pretty darn rockin' out of my new Marshall Valvestate 2000 (twin combo). Features...just that Gibson tone...what else do you want? Not infinitely flexible, but very nice....

Stands up to more expensive Gibson guitars at half the price. Still, a bud and I played a custom and MAN there was a difference. But I still love this guitar and wouldn't trade it. Guess I'm not willing to spend 4K on an axe yet...

Well, it doesn't have the "cool factor" of a custom, but I laid out the entire Gibson line in front of a bunch of hot 20 year old women and they ALL picked the gothic, saying it was "hot sexy". So who you trying to impress? The choice was easy for me....

Like I said, the thing was in pretty rough shape when I purchased it from G***** C******. I had to take it to a shop to get it fixed. Fortunately, the harsh damage was covered under warranty ( a filed out nut) but I had to pay 50 bucks for the tune up. It was worth it, I guess.

Well, thier rep was kind of a jerk, but he does good work. I can't say I like getting copped an attitude by the certified repair dude, but as long as he does the job, I'll pay my money and move on. Too bad he was so unfriendly.

I've played guitar for about 20 years and I've always bought really cheap guitars. This was my first major purchase. I find it worthy. If you have the extra cash, buy a custom and have your girlfriend break up with you. It's worth it. But keep in mind that this guitar will keep the woman happy as long as you buy her a ring that costs as much and play it in front of her. Alone. Naked...

2002, USA.

It's an instrument I closely associate with Keith Richards. It doesn't suit my music style at all. That's why I choose it. I tend toward a more brilliant sound (such as Rickenbackers). I was ready for a change and the Les Paul provided that, a rich, almost melancholic sound. Even though I'm characterizing this as a "dark" instrument it is very flexible.

The stripped-down matt black appearance is as no-nonsense as a Steinway concert grand. Unfortunately, the matt finish shows scratch marks right away. Glossy areas appear over time. The guitar looks fabulous in a shop window but deteriorates quickly in the real world. It's just something you'll have to expect.

A reviewer said the Les Paul was "built like a tank." That's the best description I've ever heard. It can take a lot of punishment. This is a heavy instrument, but that reinforces its solid impression. Nice heft and feel. The strap buttons seem fine. I'm confident in them as is. Despite my earlier complaints about a matt finish that won't stay that way, I do not expect the finish to crack or flake and expose what's underneath any time soon. Very dependable.

Never dealt with them.

Been playing on and off for 30 years. The Gibson is currently the only electric I own. Used to have a Stratocaster. Always had problems with it. It didn't feel solid (I suspect this had to do with the bolt-on neck). Am happy with the Les Paul and would certainly replace it with same if I needed to.

I do have one major problem with the Gothic: I tend to play the guitar very hard (although not loud). The first string often gets hung up on the uncovered pickup closest to the bridge. It needs a cover but apparently no one makes them in "Black Chrome." (Guess I'll have to settle for silver.) Presenting a guitar that invites rough treatment but not anticipating an obvious problem when doing so seems a major oversight.

2002(?) Les Paul Studio Gothic, USA made, 22 frets
Solid maple top, mahogany back, 2 volume/2 tone pots, 3-way selector
2 humbuckers, standard Passive Gibsons (490 R, 498 T)
Satin Black finish, eboy fretboard (with some nice chocolate striping), Bridge/stop tailpiece
This guitar has Grover tuners which have an easy-to-use tension knob on the back of each tuner, which seems, along with the stop tailpiece to keep the guitar in tune nicely.
The neck is pretty fat, but not so much that it's hard to play. The scale length is a little shorter than I'm used to (24 3/4, 1 11/16 nut width), but it's good for playing a little faster or being able to reach notes I otherwise couldn't reach.
Honestly, this is a high quality guitar. I've become used to playing custom-built instruments, but this is right up there with it.
It comes with a Gibson case, but I keep it in a Coffin Case.

This guitar has a very clear sound, and is good for playing just about whatever you want to play. The pickups are hot. I run it straight into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe tube amp and just use the distortion that comes standard on that when I want some crunch. The guitar has a very full sound, and sounds great through the tube amp.
I usually play blues and country with some rock and heavy rock thrown it because I like them better. This is a great guitar for that. The sound can be easily tweaked so it is right for any of these. Yeah, it's the player, not the instrument a lot of the time, but I think this is a truely versatile instrument. Leave it to Gibson to give us the Gothic Blues Guitar.

The action on this guitar is
a)nice and low out of the factory, and
b)adjustable.
There were no flaws in craftsmanship that I have yet seen, but I understand that each instrument is different. I adjusted the pickups almost immediately, but I have a feeling that those may have been lowered in Guitar Center. It's hard to say whether the finish was bookmatched properly, as it is buried under the black finish. That looks good, though.
This is a well put-together instrument.

I haven't had a chance to use this guitar live, but it is the one I'd probably use. The finish is thick enough, the hardware is fine, and the strap buttons (while small) are certainly servicable. As I have had no problems to date, I think I can depend on it.
At a gig, I'd either use this one or a custom LP-style guitar I also have (3 HB, Maple top mahogany, 25 1/2" scale length). If I were using that one, though, this would be my backup because I know the LPG is solid.

I haven't done anything to this guitar that would need repairs, honestly. The warranty is good, the setup and quality are good. As I've only had it for a little while, that's about what I can say about it.

I've been playing for about 15 years now. I also own a custom 3 single coil tele, a custom LP-style guitar, an ES-175 and an American Standard Strat (you've got to have a guitar for every-day use, yeah?). I've always had a soft spot for Les Pauls. I like the sound, I like the shape, I like the whole feel of the guitars.
If I had to choose again, I'd pick this guitar again in a heart-beat. I don't let it get away long enough to get lost or stolen.
For the price, it's a great instrument. I've used it to record, and will use it to gig.
I'm still a little iffy about the uncovered pickups. I don't like to see the bare ribbon like that, but it's not loose or anything. If I could find a pair of black chrome picup covers, I'd cover them in a heartbeat.
I'm still thinking about putting in a Black Ice overdrive unit from StewMac, but I think I'll enjoy the clean tone for a while first.
I compared this to other LP guitars. Yeah, I probably would have gone for a 5K top-of-the-line, or something, but I didn't want to shell out that kind of money for a guitar I'd have to keep in a glass case. The LPG costs enough that I'm careful with it, but not so much that I won't play it.
Honestly, I can't complain.

22 frets and a kool finish. Standard Les Paul setup. Hardshell case included. The tuners are better than the usual Les Paul fare. The single fret inlay makes it tough for less experienced players to see what you're doing, but that's a small price to pay for such an instrument. Weighs in at less than an LP Standard, which I thought would be a bad thing...I was wrong.

I play heavily electronic based music (latter-day nine inch nails, Ministry)through a POD 2.0, but I can get full, rich blues tones, spanky disco, brittle Pixies-esque sounds, and slabs of killer nu-metal crunch.
Despite the black-metal aesthetic, this is an instrument with a superior and surprisingly versatile sound with great presence and smooth low-end response.

It was factory perfect. As a matter of fact, I didn't even plug it into an amp before I bought it...it played that well.
I even left the string gauge stock, rather than slapping on a set of .54-.11 strings like I use on my LP Standard. That ebony fretboard is really superb, too.

This guitar can take a lot of abuse from my ham fisted playing.
The finish is sensitive to skin oils, though and tends (at least with me) to get more polished. I like the way it's breaking in though. I like my guitar to look a little used.
A word about straps: I recommend using either a locking strap or one with hard leather ends, rather than soft ones like the Ernie Ball straps.

My dealer usually fields any issues or questions that I have.

Immense playability, an interesting look, and sonic superiority.
At just over a grand, this guitar is a steal compared to the prices on a lot of other Gibson models.
If it were stolen, I would call upon the Dark Powers to avenge me and the land would flow with rivers of blood and fire...sorry, that was the guitar talking.
Hell yeah, I'd get another in heartbeat.
I only wish they made a Gothic Standard or Custom model in addition to this fine guitar.

USA made. Might add that the Grover tuners suprised me at how nice they are; really tunes up and holds it nicely. Came with hard case included. See other solid reviews for details on hardware and specs.

My playing style is all over the map. The sound was a little shocking, I've always played Jacksons (US ones) and the occasional Ibanez or ESP. They always sound clean (even distorted, really) and are extremely malleable with EQ and effects. I was playing the LPG through some studio monitors and a tube preamp (for the first time without effects or EQ) when I realized how amazing the sound is. I went to check what settings I had the gear on and realized it was all on bypass (I was only hearing the naked guitar). It's got beautiful character. The same kind of thing they talk about with an SM58--real sweet spots at some key sound frequencies. I really never thought an electric could sound so good all alone. It suits any style/sound around with the exception of a jangly Strat or Surfcaster.

It came set up perfectly. I'd like to add that I returned a similarly priced Jackson to the same store (guitartrader.com) the same time I bought the LPG. The guitar tech graciously offered to do a full setup on it (I complained about the neck). So guitartrader.com seems to do excellent set-ups and their service is as good as it gets.

No flaws to finish or intonation. One of the 4 pots, however, has a pretty serious drag halfway through its range (the bridge tone pot). The only thing that made the rating a 7 instead of 9.

Seems like the guitar itself is incredibly solid (I guess that's par for Les Pauls). I am glad it's lighter than a Standard or else my own durability would come into play.

The one problem is the wiring seems a little dicey (see the other reviews where this comes up again). I already know I'm going to have to rewire the pickup switch. It's cutting out now and then on the bridge pickup. I'm a little mad about it, but at least it's something I can fix myself for free and it tends to happen to most guitars after being played long enough so it's a little like having a flat on a new car. I'm not happy but it's not that big a deal compared to how nice the rest of it is. I've only had it about 6 months but it feels like it will last as long as I will.

Gibson does have the best warranty in an industry that seems like it's trying to make cheaper and crappier guitars (first the work went to Japan, then Korea, now India!) every year. So the lifetime warranty is simply amazing. I got it at guitartrader.com who were also top of class.

I've been playing for 15 years (guitar, keyboard, vocals, sequencing, writing rock, soundtrack stuff and some light classical composing). I would buy this guitar again. I really like the single fret marker at the 12th. It's not quite as easy to play as a Jackson or an ESP, but at the same time you can bar chords hard and not blue any of the notes, unlike light strings on a Jackson. This lends itself to different playing styles and encourages more aggressive playing (for me anyway).

Though my ESP is the most comfortable guitar in my collection and I turn to my Soloist whenever I'm practicing, I will probably be using the LPG the most when I next sit down to do some recording.

It a 2000 model. 22 frets, made in the USA as all Gibson's are. A tone and volume control for each of the 2 humbucking pickups. It is the basic Les Paul configuration. Finish is satin black. A beautiful color, everything is black execpt for the washer around the toggle switch. Grover non locking tuners. Maple top, mahogany back.
Ebony fret board. No inlays except cool moon and star inlay at the 12th fret, but has fret markers on the top of the fret board. Cool old time picture of orwell gibson on the back of the headstock, right where it meets the fret board. It is a really cool guitar, but i don't see anyone who isn't into heavy rock into it. It included a very nice gibson hardshell case. The humbuckers are the gibson 490R(rhythem), and 498T(treble).

Very high output, almost distorts when on clean. It could play any style, but definatly best suited for hard music. I also own a parker p-38, so these 2 guitars give me a wide varity of sounds. Very little noise, the guitar really sings.

The guitar was set up nice from the factory. The treble pickup is a little close to the strings, but this adds high out put. The only problem I found was that when I took off the pick guard there was some paint chiped off around the top screw. The wiring is the best and neatest I have ever seen. Even the finish in the routing cavities was nice.

It seems pretty realiable. It is a Les Paul which always stand up to years of pounding. I am going to replace the strap buttons with strap locks, but I would do this with any guitar. But, so far it has not fallen off of the strap. I think I could gig without a backup, but I have to bring my p-38 just to get a different tone.

Gibson Lifetime warranty, but never dealt with them. Only giving a ten b/c its the best warranty in the buisness.

If this guitar were lost or stolen I would buy it again. I played the sg gothic also, but this had tons more balls. I also played a les paul jr double cutaway, which was very nice also, but again this had more balls. I also played several of the dean eVo series, and this beats it hands down. You can't beat the original. Gibson knows what they are doing and they build the best, definatly worth the extra couple hundred bucks.

Basically a Les Paul Studio with different cosmetics - flat black finish, no fret markers except fo a 12th fret Moon and Star inlay.
Cam with a Gibson Hardcase. USA made, two pick-ups, 3-way switch, tune-o-matic bridge, etc...you know all this already.
Standard features with a cosmetic tweak. (That's the extra point.)

I play mostly "ethereal pop" with some "Goth Rock" thrown in (ala Sisters of Mercy) through a Laney VC210 amplifier.
The sound is pretty darn good. Although (thanks to the thinner body I guess) it has more cutting power than a Standard Les Paul but can sound thin at times. For what I'm using it for that's ok. A true Les Paul purist probably wouldn't be satisfied though.

This guitar needed a bit of tweaking. Sharp fret ends and the neck bowed after a few months settling in. I expect better considering the cost. Since then (I've had this 7 months) no complaints. The place I purchased the guitar from set it up for me upon request so all that is fixed. Pretty shoddy QC from Gibson with the frets though.
Also, the fretboard doesn't quite fit snug with the rest of the neck. This doesn't affect playability but is annoying cosmetically at this price.
After the tweaking this guitar is a dream to play though.

I have only had this for 7 months and haven't gigged with it live yet. (My gigging days may well be behind me.) That being said it's pretty solid and I would gig without a backup if forced to. (I don't believe in not having a backup.) So far the finish and hardware has lasted. 7 months isn't a fair amount of time to judge though.

Supposedly a lifetime warranty - but I've heard bad things about Gibson. I can't speak from personal experience other than some minor e-mail exchanges which were promptly answered.

I've been playing on and off for 10 years. The only other electric I currently have is a Rickenbacker 370 which the LP Gothic can't compare to.
That being said this LP Gothic is a great guitar. I'm sure you could do as well for less but I'm happy with her.
If it was stolen I'd be upset and would get another one if the quality was better on the one I found. (The only other LP Gothics I've personally seen/played haven't been as well constructed as mine.)
I love this guitar as the idiosyncratic beast it is.
It plays well and sounds great.

This is a brand new 2001 USA Les Paul Studio Gothic. It features 22 awesome frets on a beautiful smooth ebony fretboard (with wicked cool moon and star inlay). It's a mahagony body with a carved maple top with a sexy looking black satin finish. Its heavy, but it SOUNDS heavy too!

The pickups are passive Gibson 490 and 500 pickups, which kick ass, and im used to Seymour Duncans, DiMarzios and sometimes EMGs. It has a stop tailpiece and it stays in tune incredibly, even when you tune it down. The guitar was tuned to drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) at Guitar Center, with just the standard .009-.046 strings, and somehow it stayed in tune perfectly well (and i'm used to using .052-.056 for the low string). Nicely made! I'm not sure of the tuners but they rock, and look cool too. Another cool feature is the picture of Orville Gibson on the back of the headstock, i love it. I also like how the entire guitar (headstock, back of neck, body, back of body, everything) is all painted in the sleek satin black finish, its so killer.

This guitar sounds AWESOME! I mostly play heavy stuff (anything from Sabbath, Ozzy to Type O Negative, to Fear Factory to whatever). This guitar sounds so brutal on the low end, and just as elite on the high end. Pinch harmonics squeal like ive never heard before! I've never played a better playing guitar, and i've gone through numerous USA Jacksons and BC Rich's, and plenty of ESP/Ibanez's. I love this guitar! It looks cool, it sounds cool, it plays great, cant go wrong. The clean sound is tremendous too, especially on the neck pickup. I dislike NOTHING about this sound, and im very picky!

Flawless finish and setup. No complaints whatsoever! It was down-tuned when I went to play it at the store, but I like lower tunings anyway so I didn't care.

I haven't had it for too long so i cant really say this for sure. Knowing Gibson's tradition for quality though, I have no doubts. But to be fair i wont give this a rating for now.

I've been playing for many years.

I've owned dozens of guitars over the years, but right now I only currently own four:

1) the Gibson Les Paul Gothic w/ stock pickups
2) a 2001 Ibanez 7421XL 7-string with 27" scale with (real) DiMarzio's
3) a Custom USA BC Rich BEAST 7-String with a Seymour Duncan Invader
4) a Custom USA BC Rich Ignitor 6-String with Seymour Duncans

This guitar is incredible. I hear not all Gibsons sound the same, even if its the same model, so definitely check out more than one if you're not impressed, but if you do find a good one, wow.. its awesome.

Oh by the way I play through a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head through a Mesa/Boogie Rectifier 4x12.

Let me start by saying, I don't rush into judging. But this guitar kicks butt ! I love the look ( flat black, ebony fret board. black chrome hardware, even the pick guard is all black, NO, 3 layer w/ white. I like the "top hat" knobs, & love the grover
tuners.) The only problem i had from the start was the toggle switch. The plastic cap was cracked & inside a wire had been
tanggled up in the swich. which of corse broke off when tried to un-tanggle it. I was a bit surprized to how thin & weak the
wires & connections were inside. But easly worked out! As for the pickups, Alnico 490r & 498t, I like them. Plenty of out put
not a lot of distortion, feedback, or noise. I've had this guitar for over a year now & i play the hell out of it. As w/ any new
Guitar you have to tweek,& tweek, for a while to get it acustomed to your personal specks. And this Guitar has faired very well
Althow it did need a LOT ! of tweeking !! But on to the paint job...out of the box it is the coolest looking, smoothest paint ever,
BUT...after a year of Playing, it tends to absorb oil. So the nec & points on the face where you rest your arm or palm... become
shiny, & the look starts to take on a poorly wet sanded former gloss look. That i cant seem to fix!! If you get past that & a few bugs, it is a Gibson & a fine insterment!!

I'm a monster!! But i demand quality, I want you to here the chords & notes that are killing you!! And this guitar is great for
that. The bridge pickup: loud & clear, slightly distorted when playing hard on a clean channel. The nec pickup: perfect! great for
fat leads, & sweet ballad'y stuff i.e.(Diary of a madman intro). bolth pickups: good balance of bright & thick tones. there is a
lot variety in sounds you can produce w/ this guitar. The sustaine is Gibson, I play w/ a Crate GX1200, a custom built Eminence driven 4x12, my distortion is Zoom driver 5000 (the best dist. petal ever created) , Zoom multi FX 505, orig. cry baby (Dunlop)
The sound I get when combined w/ the Gothic Les Paul...is for lack of a better word, SICK !! I here a lot of people complaining
about the Alnico pickups, but don't be too fast to ditch'um. I found that after re-wiring the Guitar w/ a heavier guage wire.
It made all the differance in the world. The Alnicos are A+ pickups, so before you go out & $200 bucks on a pair of EMG's of
Duncon's,try wiring the guitar using better wire & the trusted (Pos+ Neg- Grownd) only!! Also check all the factory connections
too. W/ 6 wires comming from each pickup, it's easy to mix something up.

It took a while to get the action the way i like it. But I got it just the same! A lot of tweeking !! It wasn't bad out of box,
but it wasn't great eather. I'm not sure who set the guitar up ( Gibson or Guitar trader.com) but i was impressed w/ the fact
that after being shipped from San Diago, CA. to Philadelphia, PA. It was still in tune. I thaught the Frets were a litte rough
around the edges. Not too bad, The finish was great, was.... It needed work but not enough to complain.

guitar has faired well excaept for the paint (see, Features ). the chrome hardware has held up great. the neck has stayed nice &
straight. I use washers on my strap buttons & have never had a problem. I totally trust this guitar !! It takes a beating & likes
it !! It dosn't seem to dent easly, (not that I've tryed). Just the paint seemed to dissapoint me a bit.

Dealt W/ them once, when the guitar came & the plastic toggle switch knob was cracked. They send me a little kit free, w/
not only the part a needed but also the toggle plate cover, & new washers. Thaught that was nice !! fast shipping, nice guy on
the phone.

I've been playing for 17 years, Gone through dozens of guitars. this one is a keeper !! If your thinking of buying one for your
self i'd say don't hessitate. A good solid Guitar, cool looks, great sound, well wearth the money!!
If you own one need some free tech info. Or are thinking of getting one & have other ?'s feel free to email me.

Either a 2000 or 2001 American Les Paul Gothic. 22 Frets, two tone, two volume controls, all black. The finish is a flat black color that covers the neck. The fretboard is a dark ebony that matches the color of the body exactly. The pickups are exposed 490's and 498's. All black hardware. The tuners are nice, but could be a little better for that price. Has everything I want on a guitar, but the neck has a weird finish on it, so my hand sticks to the neck. I love the moon and star inlay though.

I play hard rock and this does fine. I'm using a Marshall VS 102R, a comptortion, tubescreamer, and boss flanger and super chorus. This sounds BEAUTIFUL on my amp. It sounds rich and full on the clean channel and I don't need the effects to make this baby scream on the overdriven channels. It produces every sound you would expect from two humbuckers, from full and deep to thin and bright. Absolutely beautiful sound.

The finish is great, but it seems like it would scratch very easily. The pickups were pretty much where I wanted them, not too far off. The action was perfect, no string buzz or anything. The frets were nicely filed so they don't cut up your hands. A very sturdy guitar even with the set neck. Only problem is the taping around the pickups wasn't done properly so it sticks up around the edge of the pickups and left tape glue on the actual pickups. I would have expected a little better.

This is definitely a strong guitar. I would bring it to a gig, but I'd be wary of anything sharp that might scratch it or anything that might break the neck. I have straplocks on my guitar so I won't accidently drop it. I can depend on it, nothing has shown the slightest sign of falling apart. As I said, the finish doesn't look that thick and a scratch would be pretty noticeable on this finish. I always bring a backup to a gig just in case something goes wrong like a snapped string, but I have full confidence in this guitar.

No idea. Lifetime Warranty sounds pretty nice though.

Absolutely beautiful. I would have expected a slightly more perfect guitar for $1050, but this thing is pretty perfect as it is. Besides slight asthetic problems, this guitar is absolutely beautiful and perfect. I would buy another Les Paul if something happened to this one, but I might go with the Studio. Only thing is I hate the small trapezoid inlays on the Studio, so that's why I went for the Gothic. I love this guitar (I'd prefer it in a shiny black) go out and buy a Les Paul.

This is just basically a Les Paul Studio with a slick satan black finish and a mad moon and star inlay on the 12th fret. It has 22 frets ,double humbuckers with individual volume and tone controls. It is made of mahogany and maple with an ebony fretboard. The fretboard on this guitar is amazing. It is the best i have ever played. It is so smooth and responsive.

I am currently running this through a 30W marshall amp and the sound is great. It gives a beautiful clean tone and overdrive. The sustain is not quite as good as i would like but you cant get everything

The action was a bit too high but that was easily adjusted. Otherwise it arrived in absolutely perfect condition.

It will not go out of tune. I havent gigged with it yet but it is rock solid. The paint is typically easily scratched so you have to be careful with it. I also had to get strap locks as the strap was slipping off way too easily. However this guitar is built like a tank and you would be hard pushed to seriously damage it

n/a

I love this guitar. If it was stolen i would definetely replace it. It is so sweet to play and the tone is just beaut. It looks absolutely gorgeous. It is quite pricey though so you would really would be needing to love guitars to buy one. Its worth it though if you do.

A normal Les Paul studio only gets 5 but the ebony fretboard, grover tuners and nice big frets on the gothic pushes it to a 6. I assume everyone already knows the basic features of a Les Paul. I also find it outrageous that a case isnt included..1500$ and not even a case???!!!!!!

I play really extreme metal and this will do just fine, changing pickups is just silly unless its EMGs but then you take away some low-end which you want if you want to sound real heavy(Entombed play gibsons with the standard pickups). This guitar is only half as thick as a Standard or Custom which means slightly less bottom and less sustain.

The only flaw I found was that the ebony fretboard isnt completely black att all places, it has slightly lighter areas by the nut. This is probably just this guitar. Everythng else was really good, finish, intonation and the inlay at the 12th fret was flawlessly laid in, no glue around the edges, which is REALLY rare when it comes to gibsons, all other gibsons I have seen had glue around the edges of the inlays.

Gibson are notorious for their small strap buttons, sensitive Nitro-cellulose paint(scrathces easily, cracks with time, melts away if you dont clean your guitar of sweat and fat stains), the black hardware at will probably be rubbed away when your rest your hand against it or atleast loose its glossiness.
The Gothics havent been around long enough to show the faults that show up with time but I dont think they're any better than other gibsons.
I would gig with this without a backup but Id get straplocks because you can move around or you will drop the guitar. A big plus for the quality grover machineheads.

This guitar is too expensive, it is not worth ca15000 SEK(1500 US dollars) a reasonable price for it would be 8-9000 SEK (8-900 USD).
Too expensive, do not buy. You could get 2 decent guitars for this price.

This is basically a Les Paul Studio, except it's very black. Black matte finish, black exposed buckers (490R, 498T), black ebony board with only a 12th fret "moon & star" inlay, black Grover tuners, all black hardware. Has a cool white "ghost" image of Orville Gibson (at least, I think that's who it is?) on the back of the headstock. Too cool. The rest is just Studio features: 59 neck, flat radius, short scale, mahogany body/neck w/maple cap. Came with Gibson gig bag.

Excellent for rock and roll. Feeds back in the good way really well. Drives a tube amp well. Surprisingly, it also "cleans up" pretty nicely, tho it definitely won't be mistaken for a jazz box or anything (I'm not sure you'd be allowed to play jazz on this thing!). I like the matte finish on the back of the neck, cuz it doesn't get sticky like some Gibson glossy necks can.

Really, really good. I know Gibson has taken a hit the last few years on quality. This guit was good to go right off the hanger. That might be attributed to the place I bought it. Frets are smooth and appear to be well-dressed. Intonation, spot on. I'm pleased.

Also, very heavy though it's thinner like a Studio. Wish it had the body mass of a Standard, but you can't have it all. I'm glad it's solid and very heavy though.

I assume Gibson hold up well. Mine's new with warranty, but I honestly don't know what all that includes/excludes.

No idea.

I really dig this axe. Wish it came with the cool Gibson hardshell case, but of course that would add to the price. I'm very pleased.