Gibson Les Paul Studio

I never really understood whether features is a worthwhile critique on a guitar. Are Strats better than Les Paul's cos they have 5 pick-up positions instead of 3? As far as cosmetics go, the Studio doesn't have the binding on the neck and body, and has a thinner maple top, but has the standard LP configuration of 2 humbuckers (same as on the Standard and Custom), 3-way selector and 2 vol/2 tone knobs. Mine's ebony w/ gold hardware, which looks really sweet, particularly now I've spruced the guitar up with a 5-ply LP Custom Pickguard and some LP Standard vol/tone knobs (the gold ones).

Great. I am Jack's total sense of satisfaction. This guitar is slightly lighter than a Standard, so expect the sound to be slightly thinner. It stills sounds like a Les Paul to me, thick, perfectly rounded tone, sounds great dirty and surprisingly lovely clean. I can't stand the multitudes of LP-buyers who say they're playing metal, I would only play metal on an Ibanez. To me, a Les Paul stands for classic rock, and I've been playing all my favourite Pearl Jam songs using this beauty and a Boss OD-3 into a Marshall VS102R.

The pickups are good, neck is slightly louder than the bridge, combination of the two is good for clean sounds but leaves dirty sounds sounding muddy. The finish is worrying - it's absorbs marks easily. The gold hardware won't last I'd imagine - chrome is a better way to go, but it doesn't look as special. Tuners are good, but the G and B strings have a tendency to become flat after a while. Altogether not great.

I don't know. The LP feels solid, but I've heard all sorts of horror stories about them - necks breaking off, gold hardware oxidising; the only thing you do need to do if you are gigging (and as I'm not I've not bothered) is get some straplocks. Other than that, the guitar feels solid. One thing I do not like with this guitar is the nitro-cellulose finish - it gets very grimy.

Great guitar. I can't stop playing it. I am Jack's aching fingers. I'm sure a Standard is superior, but it is also a lot pricier (and heavier). I think the Studio is a good trade off. Hopefully it'll hold together as well as it sounds.

This is an update to my previous review (27 oct 2000). Go there for the specs if you want.

I used this guitar when recording a CD with my band, and the experience made me forget about ever selling this lead-heavy chunk of wood. I could get any sounds I wanted, from sharp and focused bridge pickup lead to warm and jazzy neck pickup velvet.

Takin' care of it myself regularly. Everything's fine.

Very dependable. A tad too heavy (eh, I think I've said this before)

A fabulous-sounding versatile guitar, a tad too heavy for playing live. To do live shows, I use The Hawk and a custom I had made, but for the studio, the Studio is the way to go! Gibson may be a big, screwed-up corporation but I live on the other side of the world and as long as my guitar works fine (and it seems it will forever, cos I ain't gonna subject it to abuse), it's fine with me.

'92 Gibson Les Paul Studio. 22 frets, large trap inlays, whine red finish, 3 way toggle, locking tuners, 70's hard shell case. I bought this guitar off of ebay for 550 thinking I was getting a good deal but when I received the guitar, there were many problems. It originally had a bigsby trem on it but the previous owner replaced it with a stop tail piece. The guitar looks very nice, it was kept in pretty good condition but there's a couple little flaws. On the Gibson logo, the dot above the "i" is connected to the G instead of floating above the i. Also you can see some imperfections in the wood. It's not really the noticable especially to those that dont know much about guitars but gibson could have used another piece of wood. Alot of people are going for Les Pauls from the early 90s and older, well I'd suggest looking for LP's from the 80s. Also DONT pay over 1000 for one, I dont really think Les Pauls are worth it, I mean they were but Gibson's starting to really suck wind on their manufactoring.

I play alot of emo and alittle bit of punk. Mainly just poppy rock. I play it through a Marshall Valvestate (I KNow I know). It really sounds good. When I got it, the pick-ups were really low and it sounded really wimpy, like a tele but I raised them and it sounds alot better. The toggle switch is broken so I havent heard the bridge pick-up. I mean I've played other peoples Les Pauls and Pauls at stores and I really like the bridge. This guitar is really good for harder stuff or metal. After getting it I can see why they were so popular back in the 60s and 70s. Probably not the best clean sounding guitar, but it does good on distortion. I roll back the volume knob to like 5 or 6 to keep it alittle more tame and also reduce feedback. It really is a good sounding guitar but I dont think I need a guitar with so much beef for the music I play. It's not really that bright, not like an SG or anything but you can mess with it and make it sound good. I personally think it sounds better if you turn the volume pot down to 6 or so.

Probably the worst thing about my Les Paul is it's action. When I received it in the mail, it had this bbiigg crack on the headstock but I got it fixed. The previous owner wont pay for anything so he ripped me off, but I guess not that bad. So anyways after getting it fixed, the action was so warped after being shipped then cracked and fixed. I messed around with it alittle bit and it's better but I still need to take it in and get it adjusted. I get BAD fret rattle and the action by the nut SUCKS. I cant even hold an F bar chorde. You can tell that the nut was replaced and the person doing the job did a reeaally bad job at it. theres also a few spots on the fretboard where a note might be alittle sharp or a little flat. Theres just a bunch of little stuff I need to get fixed. one of the reasons I wanted to get a Les paul was because it felt really good. Once I get it set up and maybe the nut replaced it'll be fine but Les Pauls can get screwed up if not taken care of.

The Finish is nice. The guitar is very very good looking. There are some flaws in the wood but no big deal. Also the previous owner put a Les Paul Custom pick-guard and black top hat knobs on it. These little extras kind of give it a little originality but not much, enough to tell mine apart from others. The knobs are also a little noisy..

So the action and feel sucks but the appearance makes up for it (a little bit).

This guitar will last a long time, but like anything else, it needs TLC. Two words, STRAP LOCKS!!! Very very important!! It sucks when you have a big nice fat crack on the headstock. so save yourself the $40 and the grief and the criticism people will give you and spend $15 bucks for strap locks. I've been trying to trade it in and alot of people are skeptical and reluctant to take it because of the crack. It's a very common thing but nobody wants to buy a guitar with a crack (I'm sure theres people that will). I would use this guitar with out a back up. My old guitar was an Ibanez and if you broke a string the whole guitar would go out of tune. I'm not a big fan of floyd rose trems.. Also, with spending this much money on this guitar, hard shell case is nesasary. I have an old one, it does it's job but I'll have to end up getting a new one if I decide to hang on to it. It's kind of cool though because at music stores people ask me "Is that a 70's Les Paul" and stuff like that and I'm just like "nope, it's just a 90's studio." I would also like to say to those on a budget; dont buy this guitar unless you get a really good deal (like 400), just buy a nice epiphone for cheap, like 200 or 300 and put in new pick-ups. Or maybe even look at different companies. See the thing is, is that Fender and Gibson can make crappy guitars and sell them for over 1000 because they are fender and Gibson. I'm NOT saying that all gibsons are bad, it's just that they're waaaay over priced and they do make great guitars, but dont spend the retail price for them. I'm looking at Rickenbackers now. They're American made but they're made reeaally good, some of the nicest guitars I've played. So anyways, it's a nice guitar, but I'm not sure if I want to keep it and spend the extra money on it.

I'm not sure but I'm sure it's gone down hill like their guitars

OK sssooo overall Rating... Gibson Les Paul Studio, pretty good guitar. Versatile but overpriced. If neglected and abused, it WILL have problems. Gibson replacment parts-easy to come across but $5 for a switch cap?! Look for ones made in the 80's or older, if not sure how to tell age, goto gibson website and they have a page on how to read the serial # (very useful knowing how to read them when shopping around). DONT spend over 1000 if buyinh used, or even new!! If not sure, please please play other guitars and do your homework and compare, it's not a little $300 Epi. Also, it's best to buy locally, ebay and other online places are great, but the chances of getting ripped off is alittle scary. There is nothing wrong with Epi's but Gibsons are better but I dont know if they're so much better that you pay twice as much. Buying cheaper guitars online is fine I guess, theres still the risk, but at least the loss is less. Ask ALOT of questions before purchasing and stay away from 3 day auctions!!! they cry out "theres something wrong" so go for longer auctions. ok so that sums it up, thanks for reading and I hope I helped out.

'91 Les Paul Studio, See through wine red, Chrome HW, Ebony fretboard.
Around 1993 or so, Gibson stopped using the Ebony fretboard and opted to go with rosewood. Not bad sounding at all, but I really like the playability of the Ebony fretboard. Usually have to get a much higher end LP to get Ebony if you buy a new one.
The fretboard is also inlayed with the LARGE traps, when gibson changed to rosewood they also reduced the size of the traps.
Tuners are the standard gibson tuners, which look and feel kind of cheesy. WHen I got the guitar I had thought about replacing them with Sperzels or Grovers, but hey if it ain't broke don't fix it. This guitar stays in tune great, why F with it?

I play all types of music with this guitar,it is good for everything.
My main reason for getting this guitar was a fuller sound and shimmering highs which I wasn't getting from my SG. The SG has more edge than this guitar but isn't as solid or full sounding.
I use 50W and 100W JCM 800 Marshall Tube heads with 4x12 cabinets.
Also use a 50W 2x12 combo JCM 800.
No FX, just guitar -> Cable -> AMP.
This guitar came with 490R and 498T pickups in it.
When using the guitar at high volumes with relatively high gain (not metal) the bridge pickup became slightly microphonic and the guitar would feedback excessively, even while playing. (not good feedback)
So, I replaced the bridge 498T with a Gibson Classic Plus '57.
Wow, the feedback was gone and the tone was excellent.
This pickup cost me $125 which is more than a dimarzio or duncan pickup but is worth it. The classic plus is found in only the super high end LPs. Very vintage sound, but also hot and very very clear.
This is the clearest pickup I have ever heard, it makes playing with dynamics that much easier.
I've played some really nice, high end LPs atthe guitar showcase in San Jose CA and can honestly say that this Studio with the '57 Classic Plus and Ebony fretboard compares with the LP Customs and Custom shop reissues. The only real difference is the binding.

Got the guitar used off Ebay for $635.
Has a few nicks and dings, players guitar.
Neck is perfect.
Set up perfectly.
See sound review above for microphonics.

This guitar is over 10 years old with no signs of problems.
With proper maintanence this guitar should last longer than me.
Get strap locks so you don't drop it.
Get a hard case.

n/a

Been playing for 10+ years.
This is my favorite guitar I have owned yet.
I currently play a gibson gothic SG and Ibanez SC420.
I like the other guitars when playing for a long time cause they are so light and comfortable.
For the LP get yourself a long strap, a strap lock, and play the guitar as low as you can. This will make the guitar seem lighter.

2001 Les Paul Studio (Ebony)standard 4 les paul volume controls
with rhythm / treble settings

I play hard rock / classic rock using a cheap gibson amp and occassionally octave effects ... Gibson's Les Paul Studio has an outstanding sound on all settings .. can go anywhere from a mellow soothing sound to a hard rock sound ... to a bass/rhythm sound

problems every now and then with the treble / rhythm switch .. but other than manufactured perfectly

amazing guitar ... will last through anything ... barely have to tune it. .. it can hold its tuning for quite some time ... not good to use a cheap strap on it though .. the guitar is fairly heavy for the typical strap ... very dependable

havent used them yet ... but it is assumed to be guaranteed for life

been playing a few years now. .. used to have an old ibanez but now i thought id indulge in a much finer guitar (Gibson Les Paul Studio)
just wish i had more effects

Les Paul Studio - straight out of the box as far as equipment. Standard 490R and 498T Alnico humbuckers. Mine is finished in the transparent wine red finish which is up to Gibson standards. This one came with the gold hardware, which makes for a beautiful guitar, but I would have preferred the chrome for easier upkeep.

I have only been playing for about 2 years. Most of my playing is country, southern rock and a little blues. My old axe is a Peavy T60 that I bought from a pawnshop for $75. The LP is like playing a totally different instrument. The treble is clear, sweet and has tons of sustain. Switch on both p/us and you have a rich full-bodied sould for playing some souothern rock or honk. This setting also works well for country. The rhythm is soft and mellow. It was quickly apparent that this ax was too much form my little Fender Frontmanand everyone I talked to to said get a tube amp. I got a Crate VC6112 and was in love with the sound for 2 days ( till the amp went south) but Mars Music was reallly cool about replacing it so anotherone is on the way. No kidding, this guitar was made for a tube amp. I know there are some great solid state amps out there, but nuthin' sounds like a LP thru tubes. The only reason I give it a 9 is my playing ability

I bought the guitar at Guitar Center, and John set it up for me. The action was typical Gibson, a little high from the factory. Now, holding and playing this ax is like wearing your favorite pair of jeans. Even my short fat fingers are finding cords and notes that I didn't know were possible. It truly is a pleasure to play. The finish is very slick, very few buff marks in the finish, and the wood grain shows thru the wine red finish jujst enouogh to know its there. Tuning is easy and it has stayed in tune for 3 to 4 days at a time. Thanks to John at GC, the action is so easy. I truly love sitting down and playing now.

Since I havent done any gigs yet, I cant say about live playing. Just wipe it down when you put it away and I think the finish will last for years. Everyone has told me to get a set of strap locks, 'cause LPs are know for comming off the straps. I have a set on order. Although my playing ability didnt warrant $1100 for a new guitar, I bought it with the intentions of this being my guitar for the next decade or so and if stolen, I'd but another one as soon as the insurance check came.

Havent had to deal with them

AS I said before, I've only been playing about 2 years and I am far from a guitar guru, but this guitar fit me and my style of playing. Sounds great, plays easy and the shorter Gibson neck fits me better that some of the Strats and other guitars I tried out. I think if you are looking for a classic guitar in apparence, sound and quality, the LP studio is among the best for the bucks.

Les Paul Studio made in 2000 22 frets made in USA. Black with gold hardware
2 volumes 2 tone potentiometers H/H pickups 498-T, 490-R, passive.Came with a hard case

I play mostly rock and blues and it sounds great, good loud fat sound with lots of sustain. I just love the sound!

It came from the factory with the strings a little high for my personal taste. I've lowered them down but it started to fret a little so I backed up a touch, but it plays great although I'd like to lower the action a touch more. I might have to play with the truss rod to give it more relief but I'll settle for that for the time being.
Pickups were right and all the rest looks great.

I've had it for 6 days so far and It looks like it can take some beating but it's just a guess.

I had one email answered but I asked about arm relief and they've told me they have never heard this term... Can you believe it?
Sounds like smart ass reply to me! I'm not a luthier so ....

I've played for 10 years but only got into guitars 8 months ago. I own a American series Stratocaster that also plays great
If it were lost I'd buy maybe the Gibson Standard so I could get more sofisticated finish.
The sound and playability are the top issues here not to mention the nice looks.
I wish I had a PSR Santana to complete my collection

Y2K LP Studio. Wine Red with Gold

This guitar sounds great. I love the neck PU and the mid position. Adjust the tone pots to taste and you can get tone everywhere you want. I don't care for the bridge PU but I just bought a new amp and hope it gives me better results. I love this guitar but would love it more with PUs that produce a more singing sustain and creamy OD. Hoping my new Blues JR will compliment the stock set up

This was shipped to me sight un seen by Guitar Trader direct from Gibson in Nashville. It was perfect. The only thing I don't like is that the neck gets sticky after an hour or so of playing and it feels like the finish is wearing off

I have been playing for 20 years. If stolen or lost I would buy another one w/o the gold HW. It is a great guitar at a great price. I have a Strat (Jap Squire from the mid 80s) and the LP - really like them both. All that's missing is a Tele.

A Wine Red Les Paul Studio, I think it was made in '97. A true Gibson USA. It contains the basic features of a les paul - 2 volume/tone controls, 3-way switch, 2 humbucking pickups, etc.

Sometimes the sound is great, and sometimes I just can't be satisfied and get the sound I want. I use it with a Fender Princeton '65.
I play classic rock and just started playing jazz. If I use the rhythm pickup with the lowest tone and maximum reverb, I can get a sound which reminds of Pat Metheny, but after all it's not a jazz box.
It sounds pretty okay after all, but everytime I see a les paul standard on televition I remember how good CAN be a sound of a les paul. I think a Standard sounds much better than a studio.

The set up is okay, the pickups moves a bit and the pickups way switch is not installed that good, it can be pretty easily dropped.
The finish was kinda perfect, I guess, it had a pure quality when I bought it.

I feel this guitar can be trusted, after all it's a pure gibson usa.
Basicly the quality is very high, it seems to last very long.

Been playing for 3 years, I own only this guitar and a cheap Yamaha acoustic. If it were stolen I would probably better save more money and buy a Standard, and be much more satisfied. I love the way it looks, the way it sounds (though it's not perfect), I compared it to a standard which I really liked, but cost much, much more..
I wish I had a Les Paul Standard, a PM120 of ibanez (The Pat Metheny Sig. Guitar), And I guess I'll have both of them sooner or later.
Overall this is a good guitar which sounds great and can get you satisfied.

Early 90's with stock AlNiCo pickups, basically a STANDARD, fat neck and all, minus the binding. This particular guitar was ordered from the factory with a AA top (go figure), and is finished in transparent red with gold hardware.

This is an extremely versatile guitar, as it is equally at home playing blues, pop, jazz, and is clean and clear enough for a little Chet through the right amp. It's a great match with a SUPER REVERB and other FENDER combos, but it absolutely smokes thru an AC30. All the great LP sounds are in there, with the middle position rich and smokey, not thin and nasally or muddy as many newer LPs can be. My guitar tech says that they all can sound that good, but proper pickup adjustment is critical. This requires lots of patience and a good ear, but the results are well worth it. This guitar was rather limited before setup, but now can be used to good effect in vitually any playing situation. And this is coming from a guy who has always kept "role guitars", and usually NOT many LPs. I had planned to replace the stock pickups with SETH LOVERs, but now will keep them. While there are certainly better sounding pickups, the difference is more a flavor than a quality thing, and the improvement a subtle rather than drastic difference.

I found the fit and finish to be in line with the rest of the LP line at the time. Everything fits, but the laquer on the top has clouded a little from right arm contact, and will undoubtably get worse. It appears that the previous owner had issues with cleaning and basic care. And when will GIBSON come up with gold plating that doesn't disappear within the first two or three years?

I guess we"ve already covered the cosmetic issues, and the actual performance of the guitar has been flawless. I wouldn't be afraid to use this as my only axe, as long as a FENDER were available for different textures. But as always with an LP, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TYING ONE ON WITHOUT STRAPLOCKS!!

NA

If you want that LP vibe on the (comparative) cheap, this is your guitar. Don't buy one with dot inlays, as they are thinner and cheaply manufactured in my experience.

An ebony black ''91 LP studio with chrome hardware. ebony fretboard blah blah....you should know the rest by know....
I removed the pickguard
(think that it looks better this way)
I also put on a chrome pickup switch ring which goes very well with the hardware.....

This guitar sounds really nice....
But through my early 80's MXR D + into my musicman 130W is where it really shines...... Also sounds nice with most of the effects I've tried it with.......
including phasing, e-bow etc.......

The action was just fine the way the previous owner had it set up....
It has some minor paint chips and there there but nothing serious.......
The pickups are set up just fine......
Considering that this guitar is 10 years old its still playing just fine.....

I added strap locks which in my opinion should be put on any instrument you care about....
The most fragile part on a gibson is the where the neck meets the head....... Thats what they say anyway...
I talked to a guy in a band called Delta 72 or something.....
I think his name was Greg...
He had had a 335 that broke just there..... I spoke to him when they gigged in Gothenburg like half a year ago or something and he was a nice fellow......

I dunno about warranties and stuff.....
But Im a big fan of Gibsons instruments and Ill probbly own more of them in the future.....
Although the prices for them are going up into an almost absurd level here in Sweden.....
Every time the Luthman catalogue
(the swedish distributor) comes out the prices are going up.....
Which is kinda sad........
anyway my next axe will probbly be a DeArmond M-75 or something......
Anyway I think it's sad that gibson makes the epiphone versions of the LP...... those are the kind of toy guitars you either give to your 7 year old kid brother or buy when youre gonna make a video and cant afford to smash real gear in front of the cameras.......
Its kinda funny that I got this guitar for about the price of a new
epiphone silly uncle fucker les paul standard....

I don't like the newer LP studios...
especially the ones who have dot inlays and all that.........
Mine is an early 90's one which is what Ive heard are the best ones.....
If I'd ever lose this one I'd definitly get another Les Paul........
And I'd hire a bunch of local proffessional thaiboxers to beat the living crap out of any uncle fucker who'd try to steal it from me...
If I ever get another LP it's probbly gonna be a Custom......
Preferrably an early 80s silver burst one or something nice and special...... Or a honeyburst standard.......
But there are various other cool guitars that I'd get first.......
A jaguar, an SG....... blah blah

The exact features I was looking for with one volume and tone knob for each humbucker and no whammy bar.

The best sounding guitar I have yet heard, and I have heard many different guitars.
I use it with my Peavey 5150 half stack and it is honestly the best combination I know of. I love my gear.

I have seen numerous low ratings hear in other reviews on Gibson guitars. Mine came with no problems or flaws of any kind. Maybe I got lucky? I changed the strings to Ernie Ball 10's which I prefer.

I had an Ernie Ball Axis guitar before this one. The Axis was awesome but I sold it and bought the Les Paul because the Les Paul was superior in sound. The Les Paul does not seem as indestructable though as the Ernie Ball guitar so I'll give it a rating of 8.

"10" is for fantastic value and that's exactly what this guitar is. I've been playing guitar for almost 4 years and finally am satisfied with my guitar and amplifier. I want an SG Special next. I have read a lot of reviews with comments stating that Gibson does not put out quality instruments, but I disagree. My Les Paul is awesome.

1986 22 Fret, Black w/Nickel Hardware, stock Les Paul Studio guitar. Regular finish, no binding, white pickguard and toggle switch "ring." All standard Les Paul type hardware. I have added strap locks and a hard case.

The Les Paul scream is apparent, especially when utilizing distortion, and the guitar's warm midrange sounds beautiful when played clean. When I first bought this guitar used, I played it through a cheap BOSS amplifier, and the Humbucking pickups put it's bass range crackling and distorting every time. I play alot of styles of music, and have found the guitar to be incredibly versatile tone-wise.

I bought the guitar used, but it's previous owner has taken great pains to ensure it's good condition. The black finish shows fingerprints, but it really works with the white pickguard and switch ring to make this a beautiful instrument. The intonation and frets had been professionally set, making the action the most comfortable I have ever played. As for flaws, the stock tuners are cheap, you need straplocks, and the factory finish can absorb oils, hurting the appearance of the guitar.

Even though this guitar is solidly built, if someone were to drop it on the ground I would personally throw my body down to cushion it's landing. This guitar is way to expensive to drop, and there are too many things that can go wrong as a result of rough handling, as this is a precision instrument. Gibson headstocks are known to break, you can screw with the natural intonation, and you can generally hurt the finish. I could definitely depend on this guitar for live playing, but obviously you should always bring a backup guitar to any performance.

I have never dealt with the company.

Overall, I love the Les Paul Studio. It looks great, plays great, and especially, sounds great. If it were stolen I would be hard-pressed to find another instrument that I can actually afford that would give me the same versatility. Out of the very small number of guitars that i have played, it is my favorite. I guess I never would have purchased the guitar or even experienced it's greatness if not for the extremely cheap price I bought it for. I personally could not think of any guitar that I would want to have more than one from the line of Gibson Les Pauls.

American made in 1995, bought in 1996, solid black finish Les Paul Studio, bought in Britain at a reduced price as "Slightly damaged goods", though I've yet to find ANY imperfections in body or sound. Standard 3-way switch for two humbuckers, with a volume and tone control for each. Mahogany body and maple top and a rosewood fretboard. Standard Gibson pick-guard, machineheads, bridge and tail-piece - all metal is chrome (which ALWAYS looks better with black).

Superb. A true mellow Les Paul sound, with really deep tones when you need them. I tend to play rock music, using Boss pedals and a Laney amp, with it and always get a really full, but still crisp sound. Pick-up switching important in getting the different tones, but I generally tend to stick with the Treble setting, which gives a fantastic wide sound, with the extra emphasis on the top-end.

On purchase the guitar was set-up OK. The set-up action was pretty crap, but it was generally well put together and well made. Though it was meant to be slightly damaged on purchase, I didn't find any flaws in the parts or in building. I love the finish.

The Gibson 'antique' machine-heads are prone to breaking, I've found - I doesn't take to loosen the workings or pull the casing off, so I've had to replace them a few times. But that aside, it's a pretty tough guitar. Yes, it's been dropped a few times and I've had no problems with it, in terms of finish, body or internals. This guitar is built-to-last.

I've needed to have it serviced once, and the Gibson dealer I deal with is fantastic. No problems, really nice bloke and value-for-money, too.

I've been playing this guitar for 5 years new and, after a recent self-servicing, it might as well be new. The sound is just what you'd expect from a Gibson Les Paul - deep, mellow, smooth but still with great bite - and it looks gorgeous. I want another one.

Mahogany body (w/maple top) and neck. Rosewood fretboard.
I wish the tuners were'nt so sensitive...you need steady hands to fine tune her.

Got a beautiful original case for free.

This have to be the main reason for people buying Pauls. I have had a couple of Epiphone LP's, and here is where the difference really counts. I lost my amp somewhere, so I'm using a cheap-O bass amp...sounds great anyway! However, the sound is not that versatile, so this guitar is not for everyone.

Got it used, but in mint condition.
It's black with gold hardware.
It was setup at the store for 10-46 strings, which i like better than the standard 09-46 Les Paul ones.

I'm afraid that the gold platings will wear off! (they usually do)

No idea.

I love this guitar!

this was a newer one, not sure of the exact year. 22 frets. you guys know the specs of this guitar.

NOW: when i first played this guitar a few months ago, i was disgusted at its poor quality and tone. however, when i played it yesterday at sam ash, i was very impressed by the construction and tone. the reason? gibson in their newer model les paul studios has cut down the body size, thinning it down substantially. this was very true of the one i played a few months ago. the one i played yesterday weighed about the same as a les paul standard, and played and sounded like one, very nice. i think this is gibson's saying "oh oh! we're selling great guitars for too little! dumb down the construction, dumb it down!" sort of like how pentium crippled celeron so people would have to buy a real pentium chip. anyhow, don't spend more than $1000 on this guitar. you can find new ones for about 800, and used ones cheaper than that. just remember, if you're going to get this guitar, get one with the thicker and heavier body, it makes all the difference.

2000 Model Studio, Made in the USA, 22 frets, Dual Volume & Tone Controls, Selector switch. Two humbuckers (Alnico 490R Magnet & 498T Magnet), Carved Maple Top, Mahogany Back, Tune-O-Matic/Stopbar Bridge/Tailpiece, Rosewood Neck, Grover Tuners, Ebony Finish, Gold Hardware.

I play metal mostly, and a little hard rock here and there. The amazing thing about this guitar is that you can overdrive your amp volume, switch to your rythym p/u, roll back the tone, and you have an amazing warm sound. Every time I fire the LP up, I get an amazing sound. This guitar will suit whatever kind of music you play.

Bought from a small shop, it was tweaked and set up before I purchased. It plays amazingly now, so even if you get it from the factory with a bad set-up, you can easily change it.

Everything will last you except for one thing: the infamous LES PAUL STRAP BUTTONS!!! I was standing up, and the strap fell off the button, and my beautiful LP fell to the ground, and the headstock got a minor fracture in it. I took it to a tech, and he fixed it right up. It's fine now. I immediately installed staplocks after that unfortunate incident. I suggest you do so if you purchase this guitar. Otherwise, it is solid.

Never dealt with them

I've been playing for a year and a few months, and I've owned a junk yamaha starter, a great ibanez js100, and now, I own this monster. If it were stolen or lost, I would definetely purchase another with no second thought. All I have to say is that if you are considering buying a guitar, this should be the one to get. It is a nearly flawless guitar. It looks and sounds great.

I have no idea what year this thing was made in. Made in the USA of cours. It has a Gibson 498 bridge pickup and a 490 rhythm. The body has mahogany back with a Maple top. Gold Grover tuners and the neck is pretty fat and it tapers a lot. This guitar is like a see-thru red color. The Toggle switch is baddass.

This guitar well suits my musical style.... I have dropped this damn thing to dropped D 1 and a half steps down and it still sounds full. I play british rock, hard rock and metal. It can cover all of those and more. I am playing this guitar through a Marshall AVT 2000 150 watt stereo combo....I like everything about this guitar.

I don't know how this thing was set up from the factory because i got it from a local shop. All i know is that everything is good and i have had no problems out of it so far. There aren't any flaws.

This is a Gibson....C'mon!!!!!!!!....Get some Strap Locks though. I have to give this thing a 9 because of the strap buttons.

never dealt with them before

Damn good guitar for what I play.

2000 model LP studio with the standard LP features. This one is Wine Red with a nice flame on the top. Bookmatching could have been done a little closer on the "matching" part, but a really gorgeous top. The chrome hardware provides a nice contrast. This one has the full size trapezoidal inlays which really give it that classic LP look.

What can you say about the majesty of a really well made, heavy guitar with top notch hardware. The darn thing sings like a siren. Bridge pickup has lots of attack and the neck pickup is sweet and warm. The both on sound is sort of useless IMHO. LP's will always sound kind of dark, so EQ your rhythm channel and lead channel to fill it in where it is needed. That's what EQ is for!

This is where I was most disappointed. Of course I know that set up is a matter of taste, but there is a norm from which it is typical to start from. The intonation was not even close. The nut was very poorly cut. It was so poor that the G string second fret was way, way sharp. I also had to flip the bridge 180 degrees to allow sufficient compensation at the bridge for the low E. Needless to say, after painstaking effort, this guitar is set up right now. I guess that is the best thing about a quality instrument.... that it is capable of being adjusted to that point where it is darn near perfect.

Thing is built like a tank. READ THIS------ GET STRAP LOCKS----GET STRAP LOCKS. Immediately, do not pass go, do not collect $200. The guitar is heavy and the buttons with a slit strap will not cut it. NEVER GIG WITHOUT A BACKUP!

Never dealt with them.

I have been playing for 20+ years. I've owned Pauls before and I will always keep them in my collection. There is always room for other guitar types, especially in the studio. For live sound you could do a whole lot worse than a Les Paul!

My Studio as it turned out was a rare model. It was a 1982 with what is now a rare cherry sunburst. One Gibson dealer said they didn't come like that at all. Guess what, this one did. It also had cream binding on the body only. I thought it may have been a standard with a different name plate but the body was much lighter than a standard. It had the usual features including the rather poor stock Gibson tuners.

The sound was a little chunkier than the Standard I bought later. I had no problems going from rock to standards.

The odd thing about the action was that you could literally bend the hell out of the strings to the point of breaking without a problem. Not like a Standard at all. It had a much easier playability. The sunburst finish was gorgeous.

Once it was set up I had no problems except for it staying in tune thanks to the Gibson tuners.

Been playing for almost 36 years. I traded my Studio for a 1981 Standard with an all natural clear finish. A Gibson rep told me it was worth a lot of bucks because of the birdseye maple top. Probably should have kept it though cuz it was a very playable ax and somewhat easy on the shoulders.

1990 22 Fret, Black w/Nickel Hardware, stock Les Paul Studio guitar. Regular finish, no binding, all standard Les Paul type hardware. I have added strap locks and a hard case which are necessary for any guitar in my opinion.

This guitar holds up it's end of the bargain it all styles of music. I play rock, metal, jazz, and blues. This guitar met all requirements. I've used it with Marshall JCM 800's, 900's, Valvestates, and Artists. Sounds particularly nice in the Artist series. Also, played on Fender twins, Tube Works, and some others. The amp changes the sound slightly but sounds good on just about anything I've thrown at it. Also, sounds good with chorus, phasors, delays, flanges, wahs, and all kinds of effects if used properly. All around great tone and sound.

Standard factory setup I guess. I adjusted the neck, string heighth, and pickups to suit my needs. It did play good in the store or I wouldn't have considered it. It has good electronics, and no fretting problems. The finish did wear considerably over time. I have repainted and refinished. This model has no binding and some cheaper hardware. I guess this can be expected from a more economical series.

To put it simply, other than a few hardware parts (pickup rings, input jack, a couple of tuning pegs), this guitar takes a severe beating and comes out shining. I have played it week in and out for 10+ years with this as my main guitar with no major complaints. It has had what I call normal finish and fret wear, which can be expected. Some extra wear on the finish is probably due to infrequent cleaning on my account. Definitely go with strap locks and a hard case though. I lost one input jack this way. It's been knocked off a six foot stage, thrown down stairs, bashed around in trucks with no more than finish scuffs, broken strings, and knocked out of tune. Other than when I break a string I need no backup. This guitar is a road warrior!!

Never had to deal with the company for warranty.

Everyone should own one of these guitars. I stolen or lost I would get another. Only thing I don't like is the doubling in price. I really didn't understand that. Although I love my Les Paul Standard and my other guitars this is my staple. It has never let me down.

It's a Wine red studio with 2 humbuckers 4 knobs and a switch. No binding. This is the working mans les paul even though it still costs almost $2000.00 new but I'm not stupid enough to buy a gibson new. So I only payed $430.00 on ebay.

I play a lot of alternitive funk blues and classic rock and after putting a seymour duncan 59 in the bridge and flipping the neck pickup upside down like the bridge pickup I was in love. I can get ANY sound I want out of it.

Everything looks and feels great on this guitar.

I've gigged it quite a few times with only a few dents in it. But everybody knows how fragil gibson headstocks are so I try to be a little more careful with it than I am with my other guitars.

I've never dealt with them.

I've benn playing for about 6 years off and on and about a year of that for anywhere from 12 hours a day once it has its hooks in you your done for playing guitar is like being addicted to heroin or something. I'm only 17 so all I do is go to school and play guitar and it where stolen I would definetly buy another one it might take me a while to save enough money but hey only a gibson is good enough. Sorry I just had to work that in somewhere.

the usual 96 nashville version in black with gold(now dull chrome) bits,the best pearloid trapezeoid inlays i"ve seen on a l/paul, bloody heavy but beautiful in its sound and feel(shame about the finish)

a very deep tone even when bright.....sustains like therse no tomorrow,great for driven stuff but try to use a chorus or flanger and its back to my other guitars for the clean and crisper tones.

bought it used.....it looks like a giged les paul(batterd and brused). lots of scratches and dents (but what realy gets me is the sticky neck after a hour or so of playing....aarrrrrggggghhhhh!!!! i hate nitro celulose). as for the gold hardware...don't even go there...but if you want a l/paul you put up with the niggles..also the fretboard looks like ebony but not quite (it could be a maple or a poor quality rosewood painted a mat black).

the only things left after a nuclear war will be cockroaches and les pauls......they are solid well built guitars,made to last. they age well (apart from gold parts and nitro finishes)..the usual straplock and hard case upgrades are strongly advised and yes i would buy another one but shop around for a 93-98 model.

n/a.........used.

i've been playing for 23 years and play anything from shania twain to marilyn manson.i've had the usual strats,jackson,ibanez stuff and nothing is as nice as a played in les paul...everyone should own one at one point.but don't buy it for the name,buy it for what it does.

My guitar was made in the USA in 99 i think. It had Grover tuners the best ones.It is fat necked. I had to buy the case separate.It is a ruby red guitar

It suits my style- ska, rock, heavy metal. I use a fener stage 100 amp, vox wha, boss metal zone, and boss stomp tuner. it has great sounds. The color is great.

evey this was mostly fine when I got it

Yes it will stand live playing. I will use a backup guitar when I gig.

IT IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

This is a 1999 Lefty Les Paul Studio in Black.
It's standard Les Paul features, less the binding, the headstock detail and the trapezoid frets.

For the price its 10/10, it doesnt have binding, who cares...It's a great body to work on and upgrade, (pickups, tuners, straplocks, 4-conducter wiring options) for a great price.

Well, I have long sold the standard pickups that came with it. Terrible pickups, it makes me sick how the guitars feel can be so nice, but the sound is junk. So when I installed new SD '59 neck, and Custom bridge for only $100, i was set with amazing versitility and sound. I will upgrade to rio grande pickups when the price is right.

My setup is great for gigs. Enchanced Strat and Les Paul into a modded Vox wah, GE-7 equalizer, Visual sound jeckyll and hyde OD, Vintage Big Muff, custom made treble boost, and all put into a modded blues deluxe amp (yes i believe modding is the way to make an original sound)

The action sucked when i got it, just fiddle around with the tune-o-matic, do a 12th fret test for harmonics, and you will love the big bends and delicious rock playability. Leave the thumb-over style to strats, you'll just get blisters.

The pickups can be adjusted to taste, no rocket science.
I had to bend my truss rod a bit, but it was fine after that.

The routing is perfect, the cavity is a little woody, but its easy to clean. I had gold hardware, so oxidisation occured, but i sold those pickups and got exposed coil so im fine and dandy.

This guitar is heavy, and strong, and the set neck is great. The finish is thick and the hardware is solid. I'd like to see a tailpiece break. The strap buttons should be replaced, its touch to find good priced gold ones though. (chrome is easy)
I always have backup, a gig with just a Les Paul? please......

Not sure the of the year, maybe '96. Same features as every other sudio listed here. Hate those cheap tuners.

When I first got the guitar it sounded great but now the bridge pick-up us freaking out. But, that's OK I was planning on gettin some Duncans for it.

Don't Know how it came from the factory, I bought it slightly used. It was cool when I got it though.

Very Very Durable. Think Tonka. Never gig without a backup though.

Never had to deal with them.

Overall this is my favorite of all the Les Pauls made. I work in a guitar shop and play all the guitars, Gibsons included and this is my favorite. My only complaint about this guitar is that it's HEAVY!!! Kill's my back sometimes. Up until recently this guitar was my main Axe (Even over my more expensive Joe Perry Les Paul). I just got a Dean Cadillac Select that will be my main Axe for now. If it were stolen I would cry...then go buy another Dean. I love the guitar (we've shared some great times together) but I really love Dean guitars. The Dean's are better quality for a fraction of the price.

2 volume, 2 tone, and a pickup selector. Just right. Factory hardshell case is not only beautiful, but built like a rock. You gotta love the purple fuzz (the interior sickos!).

Sounds great. I play some heavy tunes and lighter stuff and it works very well. It's definately bassy and full, but if you run it through a Fender tube amp, you can really brighten things up. It's actually one of the quietest guitars I've ever played, and even the pickup selector has almost no scratching when switching, which is a huge surprise, considering that ever other Les Paul I've played has had a good deal of it. I guess I lucked out.

Great factory set up. The wine red finish is one of the most beautiful that I have ever seen. I really wasn't expecting it to be so gorgeous, and you can even see the grain through it.

I just got it, so I'm not too sure. It feels fragile despite it's massive 10 ton body, but that's the price you pay, though.

N/A

$765 new for a Studio in perfect mint condition is a steal, especially with the rare wine red finish. I am very fortunate to have found it.

Got it new. You know the deal. The only thing out of the ordinary is it has 3/4 trapazoid inlays. I beleive most Studios have those cheap looking dots.

I play metal, with a small (VERY small) punk influence. The only thing it's lacking in is the pickups. Not hot enough. I'm gonna replace 'em with Seymour Duncans. Other than that, the tone is great. Good sustain, nice deep bottom end. Once the pickups are changed, I give it a 9.

The controls are ever so slightly noisy. Also, the switch is screwed up (getting that fixed when I replace the pickups). One of the tone pots was also screwed up, but I had that fixed already. The action was great, low and comfy. But over all, the qc sucked. It's a great guitar, and the mistakes are covered by the warranty, but the point is there shouldn't be any mistakes in the first place.

GET STRAP LOCKS IF YOU BUY ONE OF THESE THINGS. As long as it's not abused, it'll hold up just fine. But strap locks are a must. I've had it for a few months, and I've chipped 2 VERY small pieces of paint off of it, but nothing major. It's pretty dependable. I would never gig without a backup, regardless of the guitar I was using.

Got the tone pot fixed up no problem curtesy the lifetime warranty.

I love the neck, really fast and comfy. If it were stolen, I definately would get another. Best guitar I've ever owned. Been playing 2 years.

My baby is an American made Gibson Les Paul Studio. It's a dark transparent green, double cutaway with 24 frets with tone so sweet I gave up candy. I also got a nice hardshell case. I don't really remember what it's made of aside from the maple I see through the finish, I've always paid more attention to tone and feel.

My other guitar (a Strat) sounds nice for blues, but I also need a heavy, chunky Metallica sound and a rich Santana sound, as well as the versatility I now have when I play songs with a mellow verse and a rippin' chorus. I play it through my Fender Princetown chorus which sounds good, but a Marshall will soon be on it's way. My beef is that some strings REALLY make it sound like crap, so I have to be picky.

I knew when I played it for the first time that I would be mine.
Now it's officially mine; I put a small dent in it. oops.
The only thing I never liked about Les Pauls were the single cutaway (it looks real nice, but doesn't work with the way I play). It also looks so sweet with the double

Although I haven't really beat it up yet, I think it's a pretty fragile guitar. The bridge pick-up doesn't always "pick-up" but I'm still covered by the warranty. I'll let you know about the rest in a few years, I've only had it for a few months.

1 year warranty, a bit longer on some of the workmanship

I think I've pretty much covered this part. I love this guitar.

I have a 2001 studio in ebony. I won't waste my time with the features because it has the everthing the same as the other ones on this page. The only thing I will say that this guitar is really beautifull if you are into pretty simple cosmetic features. It is a very clean looking and not overdone guitar.

I play everything from blues to punk to AC/DC and Van Halen rock styles. This guitar can do it all. I play through a Fender Blues Junior amp and a Digitech RP-7 floor processor. Leave it clean and you get a great smooth full tone. Hook it up to a good tube distortion and you can get a great scream from it. This guitar suits me perfect for what I play which is just about anything.

I'm traditionally a Fender player. I have an American Strat, so it took a little while to get used to the different set up on a Gibson. The action was a little higher and a rosewood fingerboard was also new to me. However, after a couple days, I decided I wouldn't be picking the Strat up much anymore. I love the setup, the neck is really fast and I really enjoy the feel of the higher actioned strings. I feel like I'm in much more control on the fretboard. Everything was in really good condition on the guitar. It was fretted flawlessly and everything fit perfectly. The Grover tuners are great!! They never go out of tune .

I haven't had this guitar too long, but so far it looks like a rock solid axe. It has really beefy hardware and a great finnish. The only thing that is a must are straplocks. Don't strap this thing on without them. The strap buttons are way to small to be safe if you are gonna be moving while this guitar is on your shoulder. I'd say the $15 are a good investment in protecting it.

I haven't had to deal with them about this guitar, but I did e-mail them to ask them some questions and they answered back in less than a day with my needed info.

I've been playing for about 5 years and this is the best guitar I've played in my opinion. I love my Strat but it just doesn't compare to this guitar. If it were lost I would definetly buy a new one as soon as possible. I looked at a lot of guitars when buying this one, mainly other Gibsons. I looked at the gothic LP but the finnish was just too ugly. It really is a disapointment in person after seeing how cool it looks in pictures. Contrary to that the studio's actually look a lot better in person then they do in pictures. I also played the standard LP. The studio sounds and plays the exact same as the standard. About the only difference is the bound body and fingerboard, and some different colors. Myself, I like the simple looks of the studio better than the standard. If you really want a durable, great sounding/playing, and versatile guitar go try this one at a shop somewhere. You'll like it!!

This is a really cool guitar. It has the features that all Les Pauls do (Mahogany body and neck, maple top, rosewood fingerboard), except for body binding, wich isn't really necesary. It is basically the same thing as a Les Paul Standard. It has a beautiful transparent wine red finsh(wich is no longer available in new models), and gold hardware. It has Gibson Deluxe tuners,Tune-o-matic bridge, and a black pickguard. The neck is a '59 rounded style. It is not as fast as a 60's slim taper, but it has more stability. This Guitar has all that you'd expect from a Les Paul.

This is where Les Pauls kick some ass. This thing screams. I play this guitar through a 120 watt Crate GFX 212. I play any thing from Creedence to Skynyrd to AC/DC to Creed to God knows where. This guitar does all that stuff. I especially like using my bridge pickup with lots of mid on my amp, wich gives me that Early Angus Young sound. The bottom line is that Les Pauls have the best tone and always will. The tone of this thing is truly amazing.

After i adjusted everything, this guitar had great action, and the neck fits me perfectly. The finish, as I stated above, is awesome. The only scratches are the tiny little lines from polishing that you can only see under intense light.(all finishes have them). I know that the finish on the neck will wear a little over time, because Gibson uses Nitrocellulose Laquer, wich is dissolved by Human sweat. The gold finish on the hardware will wear off the edges soon, wich always happens, but hell, if you spend over one grand on a guitar, you should be willing to buy new pickup covers and bridges for it in the future. I give it a nine, because of the type of Laquer.

This thing is about as reliable as it gets, and very durable. I would use it without a backup, because my only back up is a p.o.s. Squier.

This is my final statement: This is a hell of a guitar, like all Les Pauls. A Gibson Les Paul Studio is just to cool to not own.

Submitted, for your approval is a 1991 Gibson Les Paul Studio model.
This is a USA-made solid body guitar, made of mahogany, with a maple cap. It is essentially a Standard model, except it lacks binding on the neck, and on the body. It's stock Les Paul electronics, with the exception of the '57 Classic I installed in the Bridge position. This particular example is finished in Wine Red, with gold hardware, and features a figured top.(Though not bookmatched. The neck is of medium size, and has a ebony fretboard, and trapezoid inlays. It came with a deluxe Gibson case, and the only other modification is a gold Dunlop Strap-loc system.

I mainly play Blues/Rock. This guitar is ideal for this kind of music, although it is suited for most styles. It has a classic hum-bucker tone, which can play cleanly, or be accomodate a variety of over-driven tones. The only problem, sonically that I have had with this guitar, was the stock 498-T pickup. It was rather microphonic, and prone to squealing at more-than-moderate volumes. This situation was rectified by replacing it with a '57 Classic pickup. It provided more output, and is by far more rich sounding, with smoother harmonics.

I got this guitar at a Nashville Guitar Show, from a dealer as N.O.S.,
in 1997. It truly was in new condition. It was as good of a bargain as was at the show, with the action nice and low, and the neck straight as an arrow. I did little more than change strings, and adjust the pickups. All this, and a figured top, too. I basically wanted a newer Les Paul, to play out with, so I didn't have to tote my vintage ones around. This guitar more than fit the bill.

I've had this guitar for almost four years now, and I've grown quite attached to it. It's made almost every gig I've played since then, and the only time it laid down on me was a particularly hot, humid December gig, when the neck went out of whack. Always carry a spare, I say. Anyway, a quick adjust of the truss rod the next day, and I was back in business.
The gold hardware is the best-looking, but also the highest maintenance that there is. You MUST keep it wiped down, or it will not last. End of story.
The finish, likewise, must be kept clean. It doesn't need to be polished, nearly as much as it must be kept wiped down. It will last a very long time if you do. This is true of any guitar.
The strap-lock system is a must for my guitars, especially Les Paul-style models. Better safe than sorry.

I've never had to contact Gibson about this guitar, and as I didn't actually buy it new, I never had to deal with them, warranty-wise.

I've been playing guitar since the mid-seventies. My first guitar was a Les Paul Jr. I own several guitars, and this is one of three Les Pauls I currently play. I also have a Charvel Strat, a Fender Tele Deluxe, and a B.B.King Lucille. This is the only one of all these guitars that seems to make it to every gig. With relatively minor modifications, it is as nice of a sounding, and playing guitar as you'll find, and is also quite attractive. What else can you ask for in a guitar?

Honduran class AAA mohagany body & neck
Maple top, ebony fret board
grover tuners, dot inlays, stop tailpiece, les paul '57 reissue hb pickups - you know the specs, it's a LES PAUL!!!

I play in a band that is a mismash between the Beatles, Black Sabbath, Super Furry Animals, and some Pantera thrown in for good measure. This guitar rocks. Used to use a distortion pedal with my old ibanez, but this baby doesn't need it. Most often run through a Marshall combo of some sort - sounded best through a JCM 2000 and Marshall straight cab (1x12?) at the rehearsal studio.

I was playing her through my MT2 for awhlie (a deed which makes many recoil in horror, I'm sure) because we play pretty heavy distortion and lots of clean parts as well. Because most of the heads in our rehearsal studio are Marshalls, I dropped the MT2 (if you've never heard a les paul/marshall combo in person before let me just say arrraaaaaauuuuughh.. seeeeexxxxyyy... ) and just played with a remote switch. Then one day we found ourselves in a studio which had no switch. After a couple of songs, playing the clean parts distorted just wasn't doing it for me. On the lead channel, I just turned the neck pickup down until the distortion disappeared. Suddenly I didn't need a switch - at the bridge, I had awesome ugly dirty nasty distorted sounds, and at the neck a sweet clean sound. I love this guitar. Now I'm using my wah more - I don't need my MT2 anymore!! I LOVE this guitar

This is one sexy guitar. I'm in love, really. She's got the totally black shiny (nitro-cellulose finish) body with an ebony fretboard and all silver hardware. soooo sexy. Everything was perfect except that it was originally setup for 9s - I play 11s. Some adjustment (including filing the bridge pieces down) and she's perfect. Everything about this guitar is sexy. Did I mention I love this guitar?

This is a Les Paul - if you could pick any guitar to gig without a backup, this would be it. All of the hardware will last, but I am definitely replacing the strap buttons with some straplocks - apparently the headstock is known to break if dropped - probably because the guitar is a little on the heavy side - mohogany man!

The finish is what brings it down to a 9. I'm a greasy bastard when I get hot, and if I don't polish the guitar right after playing, the finish seems to retain some of my sweat - or at least it's really hard to get out!

Haven't had to use it

I've been playing now for a 6 years off and on. I have a Washburn acoustic and an Ibanez RG450 at home. I first bought an Epiphone Les Paul Standard, because I have heard lots of good things. Of course the jokes came (oh it'll be a Gibson when it grows up - thanks junior) but it looked sexy and I liked the way it sounded and played. After two practices the pickup switch died. When I went back in, we had a week before our first gig - I wanted to have the guitar I would be playing at the gig to practice with - would take 2 days to fix the epiphone. So I sighed and tried out a real Les Paul (I had avoided that because I knew I would want one and I couldn't really afford it). Tried my baby first, an SG, and then another studio with a thinner body. She attracted me right away - melted in my hands and the sound made me all horny, but the price tag.. played the SG and I loved the crunch and the look, but couldn't get the clean sound I was looking for out of it. The thin bodied studio didn't have the rich sound that my baby did... I had to have her. Bought her, got the 11s put on, and no looking back ever since. I know my Ibanez is jealous (and so are the women in my life) but she's gorgeous - shes a screamer too

dot inlays,grover tuners,gold hardware,black
a nice case would be sweet to be included instead of the stupid gig bag which i will never use

this guitar is amazing, it screams,
i run through a Fender Stage 160,with Boss Metel Zone(which i might add is also amazing),it is awesome it feels great, nice weight to it,it feels like a real guitar,my friend has a the paul sl and it is tiny compared to mine and the sound on mine is rich and not sloppy,very full sound
i play all kinds of music styles and it conforms to all of them with a flick of a switch or a turn of a knob

les pauls are very simple to use and they sound amazing

the factory set up is fine no need to change
on the back of my headstock on the serial # they missed filling in
some of the numbers with paint but i really don't care
other than that it is perfect

this guitar will last way beyond me
no need for back up with this puppy unless you break a string
this will last forever very solid guitar
i would like to get a good strap lock though

never dealt with them but i am sure they are good at what they do

I have been playing for about three years and i have owned a total of 8 guitars and this guitar beats all of them combined
the only downside to this is that i need to take really good care of this guitar
so i have a crappy tele and series a to take my anger out on HEHE!!

Black finish with gold hardware, made in 1998. I bought it new in Finland in 1998.
Basically, all the same features as the gibson les paul standard, except the body is 1/8 inch thinner and no bindings, no trapetzoidal inlays. My guitar has dot inlays and was equipped with grover tuners.
I got a padded gigbag, No hardshell-case, No straplocks. YOU MUST HAVE HARD-CASE FOR PROTECTION AND STRAPLOCKS, you don't want to drop this baby on the floor! I bought an SKB-56 Les Paul hardshell-case and installed golden Schaller-straplocks.
Very good rating for features, the guitar is very beautiful, I a hardshell case was included and it was strap-lock-ready I would have given it a 10, now i give it a 9.

not excellent because you ha

The sound is awesome, sounds like a Gibson LP Standard. In my opinion, the 1/8 inch thinner body does not affect the sound. I liked the sound at the very first time i played this guitar. A gibson les paul and a tube amp delivers a beautiful sound.

The factory set up was excellent, no complaints here, the action was quite low, just the way I like it. I did not find any errors in the adjustments of the bridge and other hardware or pickups

This guitar will definitely withstand live playing , and it will last a lifetime, if you take care of it properly. I havent had any problem with the gold wearing of the hardware, however, all the hardware is top-quality, as always with gibsons.
The only problem is the black nitrocellulose finish. Every time you touch it you can see fingerprints. You have to clean the finish often with guitar-polish, if you dont, the finish may react with the oils and sweat of your hands and you dont want your guitar look bad after some years.
The strap-buttons were solid, but I replaced them with golden Schaller strap-locks.
I can depend on it, but I think it is wisely to have a back-up, because it doesn't exist unbreakable strings.

Never dealt with the company, I can't give any opinion.

I have been playing for some years now, and I like this guitar a lot.
I play mostly rock, and I like les pauls. I did not have the money to buy an Gibson LP standard, and I dont mind if my guitar doesn't have bindings and trapetzoidal inlays,the guitar is beautiful anyway with its carved top, black finish and gold hardware!
I compared it with some gibson copies like Epiphone LP standard and Tokai love rock models, many of those sounded good, but the did not have the same real, authentic les paul sound.
Summary: 10 points, very good sounding, beautiful guitar!

made in usa, probably 80s.this one has dot inlays, and nice red finish. im not gonna bother mentioning the other features.

sounds great. i play mostly hard rock and punk rock, (with a bit of metal, blues, classic rock, and rockabilly sometimes). i like this guitar best for punk and rock and heavy stuff. its got the usual fat sound that a les paul gets. i play it through a marshall jcm 800 and a few pedals. i like the pickups. they're not that hot but they drive an amp pretty good. not noisy at all.

nice finish, nice comfortable neck. really good quality hardware. i would be nice to have trapazoid inlays but other studios do.....

seems really solid. finish is thick. it is reliable and dependable. i haven't had any problems yet. ive had it for about a year. i would definately gig with it.

don't know.

i think this is one of the best sounding, best quality guitars you can get for the money. some lp's sound better than others. This one sounds really good. doesnt look as nice as other lp's but thats why it's cheaper. i definately recommend this guitar. ive been playing for a few years i cant remember exactly. i currently own this Gibson Les Paul Studio, Fender jagmaster (made in japan not the new ones), fender telecaster, hagstrom viking, marshall jcm 800, vox wah, ibanez tubescreamer, boss MT-2.

If you don't know what a Les Paul is, then you probably don't play guitar. Read no further. The Les Paul Studio has a Rosewood fretboard instead of Ebony. When you are used to seeing Les Pauls with a Black fretboard, the Rosewood looks awkward. The Body is Mahogany (A few pieces glued together). The Tuners are cheap.

Clean sound has little life to it. Do not buy this guitar unless you are going through a very loud Marshall that you plan on playing with the Gain on 10 all the time (and with a ton of effects like a stupid ring modulator). The tone has an emphasized midrange. The guitar sounds good distorted, but it doesn't sound that much better (or better at all) than any other guitar with a Humbucking pickup.

The action on every one I played was quite bad. Some of the frets did not work. The guitar was horrible to tune - I am not sure why this is. Cheap tuners, bad design, who knows. The guitar was not comfortable to play at all. It is heavy, but not as bad as the LP Custom - UGH!

Haven't thrown it against a wall yet. But I'll get back to you on that

Never called

Someone at this certain guitar store told me that the Studio was a LP Standard without all the Cosmetic refinements. I thought I could get the (famous) LP sound without shelling out an extra $800 for a nice paint job and some white binding (and inlays). Stupid me.

The Les Paul when it first came out was a great guitar. Les Paul's are no longer made. There is a company called Gibson that makes Les Paul Copies. They say "Les Paul" on the headstock. It is not the same guitar...

USA gibson les paul, made recently, so its got a rosewood fretboard instead of the older ebony ones (unfortunately). 22 frets, carved top, standard LP controls, 2 volume, 2 tone, H/H, 3way pickup selector. i think its a mahogay body, but look at other review, cus i aint sure. Tun-o-matic bridge. i got it with a free gibson gig bag, hardly atiquite for the instrument, but its worth about 6o quid,

This is a heavy rock, or metal guitar, which is wat i play. Others say its good for blues, but i dont know. i use it with a marshall valvestate 100w amp, a boss dd-3 delay, a boss chorus, a toneworks 104ds (which rocks apart from that cursed noise gate!!)
, and a cry baby. This guitar offers the fattest sound available. This suites me, but maybe not u.

This guitar was perfect from the factory, nice crisp action. I havent had to touch anything, although i may lower the action slightly, to suit my playing style. THis guitar wasperfect, it hadnt one scratch, even though it had been siting out in the shop.

This guitar is built like a tank. It is very heavy, and i feel confident that if i dropped it off the stage, i could pick it up again and keep playing. THe hardwares finish is somewat suspect though. Mine is gold, andi think it will tarnish in time. THe guitar's finish is a problem. I banged the head very lightly off a wall, and it chiped, and now it is gradualy peeling away, very annoying!!. I think that with time this guitar will start to look a bit tacky, but so wat, itll still be a great instument.The strap butons are way to small, i purchased a locking strap, so i dont look like a knob wen my guitar falls off wen im playing.
i would feelvery confident giging without a bacup, it keeps its tuning very well, and is built very solidly.

NO experiece, although i would imagine that Gibson would be very good.

Ive been playing for about 4 yrs, and i also own a yamaha pacifica (great guitars for the money). I play through a crapy amp at home, but often through a great PA, and this guitar sounds great. I use Boss and korg effects. This guitar sounds great through them. if this guitar wer stolen, i would hurt the thief, and then make him give me 700 quid. With this i would buy a les pauil gothic, cus they look well cool.

This was a HELL of a find! It's an older LP Studio (has dot inlays, not trapezoid) but it still fucking destroys! Same features as all the others, blood red/red wine colour. fucking sweet!

ok, this thing is fatter than hell. loads of sustain and tone! I play Black Metal ala Emperor/Satyricon/Dimmu Borgir/Arcturus/Mayhem (yes it's a big mix of all of these bands!) so it's like fast intricate brutal metal with added touches of classical guitars for all you who are unenlightened! All i can say is JESUS TAP-DANCING CHRIST! I fucking fly on this thing, I have honestly NEVER played faster than I did on this badboy. I use a Line6 AX2 so i get any and every tone I want from it. Never agian will I badmouth a Studio!

like i said never played faster. I did buy it used so it had some minor cosmetic damage, but MEH! scratches give it character!

only had it for about a week, but it's a beast :)

N/a

hhhmmm lets see i picked this up for roughly $800 (less than $500 for you Yankee types!) and this is a goddamn steal! I will never make fun of the Studio LP's any more! Hell it's practically a LP standard without the back-breaking weight! Of course this fucker has tone chambers in it so that makes up for the loss of wood/density. All you need to know is that it fucking kills my Ibanez RG550! It's faster, fatter and more fun to play than the RG! I'm actually getting rid of the Ibanez and going for a LP Gothic or SG Gothic next!

Your basic Les Paul design, so of course it rocks. 2 very nice PAF pickups, vintage tuning pegs, chrome hardware, trapezoid inlays on the fretboard, and all the other usual Gibson trappings. A beautiful guitar, and a huge step up for me (my other axe is a modified Epiphone SG).

I play in an indie rock band, a genre that seems to lend itself more to the Fender Jazzmaster tone than anything else. However, this guitar gives a beautiful, warm and smooth sound which appeals to me far more than the single-coil skronk. My old guitar has a Gibson PAF pickup in it, but it doesn't matter--the Les Paul's tone destroys--the wood and construction make a HUGE difference, so don't fool yourself into believing that a new pickup will make a cruddy guitar sound like a Gibson. I use a 1976 Marshall JMP (50 watt), which has an incredibly abrasive sound if pushed too hard, and the Les Paul's smooth pickups even that problem out immensely. One thing, though, that must be changed is my distortion pedal, a Vox Valve-Tone. It is an A-B pedal, so it doesn't colour the clean sound of the amp, but it is way too dirty to be effective for me. A Klon Centaur is in the cards for me (once the $300 U.S. is somehow accounted for).

I have not played a Les Paul Standard, so I'm not too sure how this less expensive (but still really pricey new) guitar compares. I do know, however, that this guitar I have is a dream. My fingers literally fell like they are dancing across the fretboard, notes sliding into one another with little or no effort. I'm not a virtuouso, but I have coaxed some beautiful runs that I attribute entirely to the feel of this guitar. A lovely wine red/burgundy finish rounds it out. Everything seems to be in order with it (I purchased it used), with the glaring exception of the strap buttons--this guitar is SO HEAVY that you absolutely need a strap-lock system to play in a live setting (especially if you like to rock out like me).

We shall see whether this guitar will stand the test of time, but I am sure it will make me proud. I treat my guitar with a huge amount of care, and this will certainly factor in to it's longevity. One problem, which ALL Gibsons have, is the extremely weak point where the neck is joined to the headstock. When playing a Gibson, be darn sure that the head is nowhere near any immobile, hard objects, as the slightest hit can snap the head off (or so I've heard).

Never dealt with the company, nor do I plan to.

A beautiful guitar,even though I think I paid a little too much for it. Those seeking the quality of a Gibson, which, I'm sorry to say, is FAR superior to a Fender, but don't want to spend upwards of two grand on a Standard, should seek out a Studio. Just remember to get a strap-lock system and watch where the headstock goes, and you will be in the realm of heavenly tone.

1995, U.S.A. made Les Paul. Basic Les Paul layout. This is the stripped down version with the same body width, neck shape and pickups as a standard. Does not have the neck binding, body binding, or a figured top. I liked the Les Paul body shape, but hate binding on the neck and body. This guitar gave me all the tone without the fancy stuff. I'll give it an 10 for features, because it has everything I need.

I play hard rock, classic rock, and some metal. Think STP, AIC, TOOL, LedZep. This guitar in stock form was not a good fit with the stock pickups. I swapped out the bridge 498t for a RIO GRANDE BBQ and it gave me the overwound PAF tone I was looking for. The tone really came to life after I changed pickup. The stock bridge pickup was just to hot and overdrives even clean amps. This maybe good for some people, but not to my taste. The neck pickup is OK for slide and some leads, but I will probably ge a RIO GRANDE Genuine Texas for the neck. Guitar has the thick, solid midrange you would expect from a Les Paul. Overall rating before pickup switch-->6. After-->10!

I bought the guitar used so action was not factory original. I had to set the guitar up to my taste(heavy-ass strings). The finish was perfect. Very dark wine red stain with chrome hardware. Very mean looking(in a good way!) Overall rating for fit,fin,action 10!

These guitars are notorious for being heavy and solid. This one weighs around 9lbs. 3ounc. You could knock down trees with this thing if you were so inclined! Very solid dependable package. I know the necks are easy to break, but I am very careful with all my guitars. Overall, a 10!

Never needed to use.

I have been playing for 5 years and have had many nice guitars. I was previously playing a PRS McCarty through a Marshall JCM900 2X12. I had to sell the PRS and was looking for a worthy replacement that would not cost an arm and a leg. I knew what sound I wanted and the Studio with the BBQ Bucker is the ticket for that sound. It cleans up real nice, and can throw squealing harmonics effortlessly. The bridge gives you a grat low-end chunk for rhythm, which was important to me. I would highly recommend these guitars to any one looking for a solidly built, low cost tone machine. The pickups are a personal preference, some will like them/some will immediatly swap them! I just wish I could afford to buy another Studio to install some RIO GRANDE Bastard single coils in. A guy can dream, can't he?

Les Paul Studio 1999 with same features as the standard ... 498r 490t humbuckers, 22 frets with trapezoid inlays, 3-way selector switch. Finished in black. Beautiful guitar.

Sounds awesome ... you get what you expect from a Les Paul

Setup was perfect. Finish was perfect. What I would expect for that price.

I think this guitar will outlive me. Feels sturdy and reliable. Make sure to replace the strack buttons tho! I haven't gigged with it yet but I think it should be reliable (as long as a string doesn't snap)

Haven't had to use it.

I've been playing for 8 years.. I own a Jackson Kelly as well... The Studio has now become my new main axe for studio and live work. I would definitely get another one if it was stolen! You get what you pay for, and if you're gonna pay $1500 you might as well get a USA made quality guitar.

Les Paul Studio with same features as the standard except no maple top which makes it a little lighter, 498r 490t humbuckers, 22 frets with trapezoid inlays, 3-way selector switch. Finished in black, replaced hardware with gibson authentic creme colored hardware

Growls like a bat out of hell . I use a fender deville with a half stack, always with the bright switch. also always use a boss blues driver that has an extremely creamy tone sounds like a champ! 2 tones and two volumes allow for a wide variety of tones. with my set up I can make it scream or growl

It plays like a million bucks. Bought used, Had to raise the pickups and the bridge slightly. Neck and frets in good shape, g tuning peg seems a little loose but I can deal with it. Their is a also a crack in the finish on the back which is only noticable when in the right light, but thats it

I beat the hell out of this guitar but I also take good care of it, imagine that! HAve lock straps that definitly are needed. Very dependable so far, would last a lifetime, except for finish would become dull but who cares. I never use a backup, this axe could withstand a atomic bomb

Never dealt with em, but I think it sucks that their warranty is non transferable if I ever did need repair work

I've played for 3 years. I currently don't have anymore axes, but hell, I don't need another. I would cry if someone stole it. My girlfriend says I love it more than her. When I first got it I had a 24 hour grin . I used to have an epiphone lespaul sg copy that did't even compare. At worst I wish it was a different color, but thats not a big deal, I would however give it up for a les paul dc if i absolutely had to. Gibsons are a bit pricey, but hey you only live once, and it ill last a lifetime. I justify it as a life long investment rather than a dollar figure. Can you tell I like GIbsons?

USA made black 1999 Studio, with pearl dots on rosewood fingerboard and Grover
tuners. 3 way toggle, 2 volumes, 2 tone pots, 490R/498T Alnico
humbuckers. Well, it's a pity they replaced the block inlays with
dots - it looks cheaper now, but at the same time it gained sort of
"modern essential" appearance, and it differs from the rest... Uh,
isn't it good. I wrote an email to Gibson asking whether they make
chambers in Studio body, as someone wrote here. The answer was that
they make circular "gaps" in all Les Pauls for &quote& WEIGHT RELIEF
&quote&.

It has rosewood fingerboard, so the overall sound lost a bit of
presence and some of the harmonics that make it sound "open" (ebony
is a harder sort of timbre), but it's not that noticeable. In
addition, good rosewood f/board contributes for a rounder tone, so,
as a matter of fact, one cannot consider this to be a drawback, I
believe.
Generally, a very Les Paul sound. Both pickups accentuate bass to
lower midrange, thus sounding fat and solid, but seem to have a bit
of a "high frequency roll-off", just enough to make guitar sound
warm, not dull. Neck pu is smooth and watery, very round and deep,
sounds awesome clean / dry, or with a dab of chorus, if you want.
Changing your picking hand position opens a lot of new possibilities too. Step on the channle switch and it gets "mouthy' - it talks. Switching to the middle position (both pu) gives you round, a bit "scooped" due to phase cancelations tone, great and bell-like clean, great also if you play complex chords with fairly intense distortion.
Bridge pu is not Fender bright and not twangy, but suitable even for country and again, very round, despite the fact it's a BRIDGE pu. Distorted, it rocks!
It's got density, definition and enough presence in all positions and in all circumstances. The other side of this is that it may get muddy at times (especially if your amp is bass heavy - cause it's a bass heavy guitar), and does not cut thru the mix very well... Anyway, it does not CUT THRU too good, but always sits in the mix perfectly.
I did an A/B comparison with a 1989 Les Paul Std recently - well, that Std had a bit brighter tone (ebony), the same sustain, same weight, and a bit "stiffer" feel to the tone. That's all I could notice... Uh, crappy tuners and cool sunburst top on Std.
Gripes: scratchy tone pots, scratchy pu selector. WHY? I paid USD 1170 for it! Come on, guys, it was supposed to be new... Nitro cellulose finish looks great but a bitch to be kept clean > you have to wipe it constantly.

Was set great from the day one. The flaws - scratchy pots, creeky selector.

I don't know - I own it for 6 months only.

Good. They always answer, and do it promptly.

Generally, this guitar has a good chance to be a MODERN Les Paul - something Gibson failes to achieve. It's got ALL the essential features of a les Paul, ie The Tone, The Looks, and the Weight. The latter - well, this guitar anchors you to the stage and makes you feel like a "Big Rock God" ;)) A great choice for a modern rock/ indie / alternative band. I really don't care for a Std LPs anymore, I would upgrade for a LP Classic Plus may be, but only for its looks, and because I would be sooo cool, owing one... I am completely satisfied with this guitar's tone, looks and feel. IMHO, it's got way more advantages then flaws, if any, so.. Remember, a good player can blow your mind using a hardwood Strat copy (duh), and a lousy one won't survive even with a $ 10 000 rig.
The price I paid ($1170)... well... uh, I don't care. I like the guitar. End of story.

Black with chrome hardware. Nice inlay. Two Humbuckers, two volume and two tone controls, and a three way toggle switch. 21 frets. Tun-O-Matic bridge. Came with a gig bag in '91. I had to replace the tuners(one of the plastic knobs broke)
with some old grovers, which are very smooth. Bought a SKB case for it, and it has been indestructible ever since.
Switch between this guitar, a strat, and a Parker. The Les Paul is a log, and you'll play differently on it than the others.
The controls offer a wide array of sounds if you run through a responsive amplifier, and uses a combination of pick and fingers.

It suits me! I play fingerstyle nylon stringed guitar, and the round tones of both instruments attract me.
I'll either use it with a Laney Acoustic/electric amp when I use the classical (a cedar topped Sakurai) or with an old '67 Twin.
The sound is rich, yet sometimes a little thin on the first string when I use a pick for jazz stuff. I usually roll the tone back when that occurs.
For rock, it has the classic hard rock sound when run through an overdriven amp. From Page to Fripp to Frisell. I like to use volume pedals and slides to emulate pedal steel guitars, too.
You can imply twang, if you start off with a dark sound and then switch to the treble pickup.

The action was always nice. For one show, someone set it up for me beforehand. What a treat! It played like butter.
I fiddle with the pickup heights when I feel that I need more of one thing or another, so I forget how it originally came.
The top is split into three sections, which doesn't give me the option of sanding the top down to the wood. Why do that? Curiosity?
Because the guitar could be "none more black"?
The frets have wear after ten years. The finish has worn down, due to sweat. Rub your guitars down after you use them!
There is some separation between the fretboard and the paint on the neck. That's the only finish flaw I didn't have anything to do with.

I've used it for rock and jazz music. There have been some problems with the wiring shorting out inside the guitar. Taping up loose ends and resoldering some suspect connections help. The 3-way switch has come loose, my fault for not tightening it.
Chrome hardware is the way to go for me. It hasn't aged a bit.
I've used it for years, slung it around at rock shows, and now I cradle it at jazz gigs. I feel remorse for some of the gashes I put in it.
I sit when I play now. It's that heavy. But I'm not Kane Roberts, and that's my choice.

I dunno. Never really needed to call them. I wanted more substantial
tuners then the tuners that came with it, so I didn't ask the company to replace them.

I've been playing for 14 years now.
If it were stolen, I might try out a Parker fly( with PAFs or Pearly Gates installed), mostly because it weighs about 3 pounds.
The tone is great, the weight I hate!(I'm sure they go hand in hand!)
I'm considering putting a piezo Tun-O-Matic on it, and blending the two sounds together. Piezo alone is wierd, but the blend is compelling.
Most people seem to know what Les Pauls can do. Two neat guitarists who have used Gibsons are Bill Frisell and John Abercrombie. They stretch the boundaries a little bit.

Well its like most people are used to. Single cutaway, 4 knobs, 3-way toggle, phat neck, two humbuckers. Of course the mahogany neck and body, with the maple top to add to that. This one happened to be a 91' model, that I picked up over Ebay. The guy happened to upgrade the tuners, so it made my experience tuning this thing much easier. The tuners look like those green vintage ones, but they actually tune!! Also this guitar features full sized trapazoid inlays, like the ones on the Standard. I also have a Standard, but the inlays on this Studio out shine them by far. Also it came in a sinister black paint job, with chrome hardware. Everything other than the tuners, and the strap locks were standard. The only difference between this guitar and my standard is binding, and a nicer finish

Well I have Dimarzio pickups in my Explorer, and they have better high gain power rock type of sound, but these pickups happen to be pretty good for stock. They give that phat warm LP sound to perfection. The downfall is that they just don't have that really high gain sound, because they feedback with more gain. My primary distortion that I use with it is a Sansamp GT-2, which does sound great with it. Within the next year or two, I am going to replace my Crate combo, with ethier a Marshall or a Carvin, so this thing will sing then

Bar none this is the best setup Les Paul, I have ever touched. The guy who I bought this from, must have had it setup by a great tech. Out of the box the action was perfect, the guitar felt great, the neck was straight as an arrow, and their was not one dead spot on the neck. Their is normal wear on it, some belt buckle wear, but everything else seems like it is brand new. For nearly a ten year old guitar, it was perfect. The toggle didn't make a sound, the hardware is pristine, and everything was right

If i had to gig right now, this would probably be my number one. My Explorer would then be my number two, and I am selling my Standard. The fact is that these Studio's are made to be road dogs. Their is no pretty finish to destroy, and this guitar is more solid then a brick. With the solidity, the guitar is still light, because it has a little less body mass than a bulky standard.

I have talked to Gibson a few times, and I will probably contact them regarded some facts on this guitar, when I come around to it. Its really not under warrenty anymore, since it is close to 10 years old, but its rock solid, and if I have a problem I will get it fixed

Well I have been playing 6 years, and I am just shocked out how good this gutiar is for the price I paid, i really did get a bargain. I was in the market for a Les Paul, and I was going to go for the one with the best price, and the best look. I bought this one totally blind, through looking at some pictures, and I was pleasently surprised by this guitar. If you are a student with a limit amount of money to spend on a guitar, don't buy an Epiphone, by a Gibson Les Paul Studio on the used market. It is the best buy you could get! For the money you could spend on a Epi Les Paul Standard, you could have bought the guitar that I think is one of the best I have ever played

My LP was made in`97 ;22 frets solid body(mahogany\maple top)mah.neck,2 humbuckers(490R\498T)2volume 2tone ,bla bla ,
black finish w.chrome hardware,old style kluson tuners.I bought my axe
w, gig bag but now I have case.

I play jazz, blues,fusion even hard rock and i don`t have to complain
about how that black bitch reacts to my pickin`styles. I got even some
nice jazzy sounds (neck pu. tone a bit turn off) so I can say I LIKE IT

After truss rod setting , action ,intonation blablabla PERFECT

Gibson is 1`st

Very versatile instrument ,(mainly for rock) sounds great in good hands ,perfect for those who need a simple and affordable yet refined (still a GIBSON) solid body el.guitar. I have to give 9 because gibson prices still to high for certain people`s wallet

It's a 96, wine red, gold hardware les paul made in USA maple top mahogany body baisic les paul. Unlike the new ones, it has a full body thickness and full trapazoid inlays. It's a les paul standard without the binding for almost half the price. an extra 800-900 dollars for a peice of plastic and a truss rod cover that says standard? go figure.

This guitar has a great tone for what I like to play, Rock. It has every from searing, soulful lead tones to full sounding warm sounding rythm tones, really warm.

I got it used and it was set up for 9 gauge strings so I had to ajust it a bit for 10's everything else was great. exept I wish it didn;t have gold hardware because its wearing down.

everything will last exept for that gold wearing problem. Would gig with it without backup

don't know have never had a problem

I tried many other guitars and this one was the best for me I have been playing a couple of years and love this guitar

Fair enough but nought special for the price

It's good but for 700 pouds I would expect more

average

had it just a couple of years and its more battered than a fish in harry ramsdems

a complete con, just bought for the name for this price I could by 3 and a half de-armond jet stars (my other main guitar) which is just as good if not better. cuts into you chest sitting down and is too heavy standing up a complete waste of money.

I have just one thing to say. The studio has a chambered, thinner body and no binding. I had to say this as no-one else has mentioned this. All this means is that the studio is thinner, lighter and has slightly(barely) less sustain (it's also cheaper). I think the standard should cost as much as the studio and the studio should cost aroung 800 bucks new instead of 1700 bucks. Gibson is just using the name to get more money out of poor people like me. So the studio aint the same thing as the standard but it's pretty damn close. All the same fetures, 2 tone 2 volume, 3 way pickup selector (it's a les paul). Another misconception people have is that the fretboards change the tone of the instrument. The fret board makes absolutely NO difference in tone.

The studios sound is basically the same as a standards. Almost the same tone, I usualy find the studios have a slightly darker tone, a little less sustain. Other than that it's what you come to expect from a les paul.

Gibson factory set ups are a hell of a lot better than most of fenders factory setup, but acton and that are someones personal preferance. Mine was almost perfect for me. A little tweaking and it became the best guitar I ever played. Everyone knows about gibson finishes, they look good but don't last, a mark off for that.

It's a TANK. No other words can describe such a hefty instrument. everything will out last us all except the headstock.

Gibson replied to all of my questions within 2 HOURS!!!!! It was great, they were very friendly too.

A great GUITAR