Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany

Real les Pauls have a maple top added to a Mahogany body giving it added brightness. This Vintage LP is all Mahogany--sounds awesome but a little dark. Sounds like a cross between a Les Paul and an SG. Still a screamer!

Like the other reviews however I absolutely recommend
you replace the strap buttons with normal size or locking, as this its
only flaw--you'll hate yourself after reading this and then have the
guitar go crashing to the floor.

Make the choice in confidence. After playing every guitar I could get
my hands on, including Les Paul Standards, and reading all the
reviews, I settled on this Gibson Vintage Mahogany LP. Great neck
response and feedback, especially playing loud thru my old tube Super
Champ! Tunes perfectly, great action, has kick *** humbuckers, and in
some ways I actually like it better than the Les Paul Standard: The
neck is thick like a 50's neck, but slightly narrower. The frets are
thin/medium and round, not fat and ground down flat-- sterilizes the
sound a little.

2008 Les Paul Vintage Mahogany, mahogany body and top, chambered for weight relief. Modded by Andy Brauer of North Hollywood.

Andy Brauer mods turn the stock LP Vintage Mahogany into absolutely one of the best Les Pauls you can get, as follows:

1. Replace Burstbuckers with Sheptone AB Custom humbuckers
2. Replace bridge and tailpiece with TonePros bridge and tailpiece.
3. Replace tuners with TonePros Kluson tuners
4. Upgrade capacitors with bumblebee caps

Cost of the above upgrades adds $700 to the cost of the guitar, when you factor in the labor.

I also recommend getting a high end instrument cable like the Evidence Audio Melody cable, it makes all the above mods significantly more noticeable. I also had Andy add coil-tapping for single coil operation.

Yes, the stock LP Vintage Mahogany is quite a guitar, and quite a value. But when you consider that the mods above bring your total investment to about $1,500, and you've got the best-sounding Les Paul west of the Pecos, that's quite something. This guitar simply sings like the world's best opera singer.

Oh, and get a Bonnie Blue pedal while you're at it. Icing on the cake.

Everything is top notch on this guitar. The neck is something to die for. You may want to compare different models in the store, I cherry picked my guitar from about 3 or 4 guitars, and thought the neck on the one I wound up choosing was the pick of the litter.

So far, so good.

Haven't needed any customer support.

The Les Paul is still my choice as best guitar ever designed. Strats, Teles, SGs and other kinds take a backseat, in my opinion. This Les Paul will not disappoint.

I now own 2 (1 worn cherry, 1 worn brown. Mahogany body and top provide warm sounds. Regardless of what some people say a nito lacquer finish sounds better than a gloss paint finish. The finish that is on this guitar allows more vibration of the sound through the body. These have Alnico V Burstbucker Pro pickups. These are the same pickups that are in the LP Standard which continues to shape rock so why not own a similar guitar for less than a 3rd of the price. The main differences are a 59' neck compared to an asymetrical neck and the Standard has a maple top instead of mahogany. These are the only 2 things that would make tonal difference.

Made in the USA for under $1000 is awesome. 59' neck is thicker than the Les Pauls im used to but it has a great feel to it.

Why pay more for binding when binding has absolutely NO effect to the sound of a guitar. Call Gibson, theyll even tell you the same thing.

This guitar sounds amazing! Fat tones with the ability to get dirty sounds from it. I play hardcore rock and this guitar screams while maintaining note clarity. I played this guitar side by side with a normal studio (490R/498T pickups) and the Vintage Mahogany won hands down.

I play through a Peavey Valveking head and Crate cab with Celestions. The tone is amazing, mesa guys compliment my sound all the time. You can make any guitar sound bad on the wrong amp setting sbut when used right this guitar runs with the best of them.

My 2 LP VM were set up great and no complaints whatsoever on the neck or finish. Great guitars!

Havent had the first one over a year a but its 3 years old and holding up great. Gibson makes guitars to last.

Great customer support from what Ive experienced. Ive only called to ask questions though.

Buy it, as long as you have some since on how to set an amp then this guitar will not let you down. If they came out with a 3rd model of this id buy it in a heartbeat!

Nothing bad to say about the guitar, Im in love with my Les Pauls!

All features are as stock, including the pickups which are perfect and hot. No need to change to anything else!

I play blues and blues-rock as well as some southern rock (I am in my mid 40's and grew-up south of Jacksonville Florida,so what do you expect?)so it fits my style perfectly. Playing thru my Rockman x-100's till I get another amp. the downturn in the economy hit my gitar and amp collection hard. The tone is awesome, deep and rich compared to my late Fenders.

The finish (what little there is) is perfect as is the set-up. I won't have to do anything to this guitar other than restring on the regular intervals. Still don't know if I'm supposed to oil it's finish with anything though, guess I'll call Gibson about that.

Seems solid.

I'll see when I contact Gibson with my inquiry about finish care.

Started playing 40 years ago and haven't gotten much better in that time! I have insured it for more than replacement cost as I would need to replace it immediately with the same guitar. It to me is like Linus and his blanket, when I am at work I think about getting home and playing. (I'm like a junkie!)
I bought this off craigslist when I had a reversal of fortune. When the economy went south I sold my Strat and my Tele as well as all my amp collection. Now I'm wondering if I've been playing the wrong brand, It feels and sounds that good! I sold my Martin D-28 during this time and got a Taylor in trade. I'm convinced I was playing the wrong brand there!

My Les Paul vintage Mahogany is an 06 with the darker brown finish as opposed to the cherry finish. I played it with the burstbucker pros in it for 2 years and then replaced them with a Seymour duncan alnico 2 pro in the neck and a Gibson P-94 in the bridge. The old pickups didnt break or short out i just wanted a change. The neck is super thick and beefy. Mine came intonated from the factory and I have never had one problem with anything. No cold solders or tuning problems. For 800 it has all great features that are work horses for the les paul enthusiast.

I have a vast musical style varying from delta blues to guns n roses to metallica and this guitar suits them all very well. I run it through a marshall jcm 900 and carvin v3 and it just screams. The harmonics pop out of it and has a wide range of natural dynamics. The Rhythm pick up is a bit bassy from the factory but the trebel and both of them mixed sounds super full and thick and crunchy. The body resonates really well.

When i recieved it from the factory it was intonated perfectly and the action was great. I dont like my action super low so i dont think it would be "shred" ready but for hard rock and blues it was a great string height that I so much as set my other LP's up to match it. Everything was set up perfect with the bridge and saddles. The fit was great. Nothing was flawed. The only thing is after playing it live for 3 plus years of 2-3 gigs a week the finish has come off on the top of the neck (because of my thumb ring) and the finish on the back (from belt buckles) and under the trebel pickup (where i plant my pinky)

This guitar is a straight up work horse ready for anything. I have beat it up and used it on tour many times. The hardware is still as solid as the day it was made. Again the finish wore off in some places but that goes with most guitars after the amount of use that this guitar has been through. I can depend on this guitar more than any other I own. I have a premium plus les paul, a slash signature les paul, a duesenberg, and a fender strat and this is my first choice when I can only bring one guitar.

I have never had to call Gibson because I have never had a problem with it!

If lost I would definetly buy another one. Its a total beast and a definet add for anyone especially if you are a touring or gigging musician. Now im going to go back to playing it.

Others have mentioned but notable features - 59 rounded neck, BB Pro pickups and a satin finish.

Fantastic! For the price - just perfect. I bought one of these some time ago and immediately loved it. BB Pros really sing, can get very bright but very musicial. I play through a Mesa Boogie Roadster and the amp itself has loads of tone and the LP matches it nicely. Recently I purchased another one at a steal of a price and swapped the pickups for some P-94s and I am very pleased with the result! Curious why Gibson doesn't make more guitars with P-90s these days...

Finish - very nice. I like the satin feel especially the necks. No drips anywhere, very nice all around.
Action - always needs slightly adjusted, I mean we are dealing with preference here... adjusted the pickups to my liking and I was happy.

I have gigged with my first one numerous times, no issues what-so-ever. Play it at band practice (and otherwise) regularly. Gibsons hold up and don't let you done when you find one that fits you.

I have dealt with Gibsons Customer Service a few times, questions about wiring, models and etc... all emails answered quickly. I am pleased with them.

I have been playing about 14 years now and I love the setup I am using, which is rare for some. I liked the original guitar so much I bought a second so that should tell you that I like it quite a bit! For the price you can't go wrong.

This is my first solid-body guitar--so I'm not sure what features are standard to most rockers! :-) Seriously, the neck feels great--the access up the neck bast the 15th fret is good. The standard Les Paul shape is cool. The Mahogany looks good with the simple "oil stain" rather than the hard clear finish. I'm still struggling with the tune-o-matic bridge. I've spent an hour and a half trying to get the strings in tune at the 12th fret (with the harmonic). I view that more as a problem with the vendor from whom I purchased the guitar (Guitar Center)--or the "class of vendor" (drop-ship unopened cartons from the factory or warehouse vendors, as opposed to full service vendors [like Elderly Instruments] who do the initial set up before shipping an instrument).

WOW! Sounds great even through my little Behringer amp!

It looks sweet. Fit and finish fine. No loose knobs. But the bridge had not been set up for the strings installed at the factory.

I think that this will do well as a gig guitar. It would be an alternative for me since I'm usually playing bass or acoustic guitar. Got it more to fool around with and record with.

Standard Gibson Warranty.

I'm very well pleased with this as my first solid-body electric!

Your typical Les Paul deal with the difference of a mahogany top. Mine is red, four-piece back. Being a working man's guitar, it could actually have simplified controls down to one volume & one tone. Having BurstBuckers on this model easily makes it a pro's back-up (if not main) guitar.

The BurstBuckers produce nice, well defined vintage sound. The mahogany top, chambered body and a satin finish contribute to a warm, open tone, more on the darker side of the spectrum, compared to the LP Standard. Loads of sustain, plenty of character. This guitar just sings with the right amp. I play it via Gibson & Fender tube amps and it sounds great through both breeds. It works best for blues and classic rock, but it can also handle jazz and hard rock with ease. Could be a bit too dark through certain amps.

Mine was fine, but I had to go through a few to find it. The setup was within the specs.

Seems well-built. Had it for over a year, played a lot of gigs and jam sessions with it. Been on the road including flights - all is fine so far. The trhee-way switch started mulfunctioning after some time, but the problem was easily fixed by some cleaning and adjusting.

My prior experience with Gibson was fine.

I have been playing for over 20 years, useing and owning a variety of guitars and amps. Compared to a Les Paul Standard or a Studio, this guitar sounds darker and looks (and is a lot) cheaper, but certainly can get one through a gig with ease. It certainly sounds richer and deeper than an SG. They need to be hand-picked and listened to before a purchase as they all sound different. Mine was second or third I have tried. It works nicely both in studio and on stage. It simply radiates warmth. It was complimented numerous times for its tone by professional musicians and audience.

AD: The round warmth of a carved mahogany top on a mahogany back first debuted in the famous 1957 Custom Black Beauty. Now Gibson brings this fabulous wood combo back with the added vintage edge of Gibson's Alnico V BurstBucker Pro humbuckers. Designed especially for the new Gibson Les Paul Standards, these pickups provide pure tone lovers with stunning humbucking tone on their electric guitars. A '59 rounded Les Paul mahogany neck with rosewood fretboard and trapezoid inlays is fast yet substantial.

I don't know what these guys are complaining about - This guitar is a great deal! It features $250 worth of Burstbucker pickups which some more expensive models do not even have. There is no need to ever change pickups, as these are the same ones in the new 2008 Standards, which sell for $2600. There is no maple top which contributes to its slightly deeper sound (it is actually great sounding) and it is very light compared to other boat anchor Les Pauls and it is very comfortable to carry around. This is weight relieved and may contribute to it's nice sound and sustain. Test one out and see. The true sound of a Les Paul is more a function of it's 24.75" length than it's thickness, so if it is slightly thinner than more expensive models it makes up for it with its light weight. I think this is the best deal out there on a Les Paul. If it can be found on sale for $200 off regular price, (like I got mine on Labor Day Weekend at GC) then it is a steal! Maybe your complaints about the fit and finish contributed to it's lower pricing - thanks! It has trapezoidal inlays in the rosewood neck and the tuners are fine, it has a nice black pick guard and the worn brown is by far the best color (no offense to the faded cherry owners). The finish is hand rubbed (not sprayed lacquer) so you can probably just rub it down with Tung Oil or Minwax Antique oil finish. Scratches in a lacquered surface will always show and are not easily fixed, in this case it doesn't really matter, just rub on some scratch cover, or you can even sand and repair with some simple stain and oil finish. Mahogany is a fairly hard wood, so it shouldn't dent that easily, but you probably just need to go a little easier on this guitar because it has no protective shell. No decorative bindings and the only decoration besides the inlays is the word "Studio" on the Truss rod cover. The stitched Gibson Case for the Worn Brown has the white plush interior, the faded cherry guitar has black I believe.

Sorry, but this model sounds much better than some higher LP models! A-B them and see for yourself! it probably will be discontinued soon, as it is too good a deal! FYI: Paint and lacquer does not improve the sound of a guitar. Great pickups!

Found a new one, still in the box, and on sale to boot, bought it, then took it straight to my luthier, clean bill of health right off the line! Everything was adjusted properly. The luthier was even impressed with it!

It's a Gibson, you know the deal, get strap locks immediately as you do not want to drop them unless you wish to have the neck repaired. The finish will wear, but anyone can hand rub these, especially the Worn Brown as this is a common stain. What you give up in durability you make up in sound quality.

Salesman wanted me to pay $70 extra for an extended warranty, no thanks! The limited lifetime warranty from Gibson, or just take it to your local luthier. You can actually call Gibson and get a customer support rep who will speak to you for some time if necessary. I have had good experience with Gibson.

Gear: Gibson 1991 SG Junior with an Iommi pickup, Fender Hway 1 Strat with custom 69 pickups, Ibanez RG270DX with Iommi/bridge, Fender SCN/mid, Gibson Angus Young/neck, Dean Dime O Flame, Fender American Standard 1997 Telecaster, Black Pearl custom made MacPherson Guitarworks Acoustic, Dr Z Maz Jr., Marshall DSL50/1960BV, Marshall AVT 50H/Custom Cab - Rock and Metal - If I had the cash to spend I would have probably gotten a new 2008 Standard, but this one is a reasonably priced winner.

2007 made in USA (of course)
"Burstbuckers"
All Mahogany
"Satin" finish
no case (Guitar Center special)

The 2007 vintage mahogany was engineered with body chambers (hollowed out) that not only make it very light, but actually improve resonance.

"Burstbucker" pickups sound even better than vintage

...all together, this guitar sounds fantastic

This guitar is put together perfectly. CNC (computer) routing fits all the parts together tighter than a glove.

Mine has no anomalies (flaws) in any of the wood and the bookmatching is flawless.

What I unpleasantly discovered are little nicks Gibson put on it to artificially make it look vintage (relic). If I wanted a relic, I would have bought the the full job.

But the main reason I'm marking this area way down is the thickness of the body is about 25% less than a standard Les Paul - therefore, to the experienced, it doesn't look or feel like a real Les Paul.

other than the traditional headstock worry, it's built to last

don't know (sold it)

I would rather pay a little extra for a standard thickness body (the feather weight doesn't bother me near as much) - even though it's sounds exceptional, the LP feel isn't there and isn't I guitar I want to own.

Don't waste your time on this guitar. Buy the the next level up - you'll be happier.

This is a Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany, made in the USA. It has a 22 frets and a rosewood fingerboard. The is neck is flat and relatively fat -- I believe this is the "50s profile" neck.

The body is made of three pieces of wood and has a carved top cap, all mahogany. The finish is matte brown natural and the grain of the wood is visible. It is very minimal and elegant and looks especially great with the chrome and black hardware.

This guitar is noticeably lighter than the other Les Pauls I tried, almost as light as an SG. I have heard, but not confirmed, that the body pieces under the cap haven been routered out to reduce the weight. Oddly, there is no information about this model available on Gibson's website.

The guitar has two pickups, a three way selector switch, and separate tone and volume controls for each pickup. It has the standard tune-o-matic bridge and "green key" tuners.

It also came with a nice hardshell case. All in all, it is a good configuration: nothing exotic, but all the bases are covered.

This guitar has a great tone. I was looking for an guitar with a fixed bridge and two humbucking pickups. The Les Paul is the gold standard for that sound and this guitar delivers it. I have read that the pickups on this guitar are the BurstBuckers that are normally used on the higher-end Les Pauls. They do sound good. My other guitar is a G&L ASAT with single coil pickups, and this is much quieter. Compared to that the Les Paul has slightly reduced treble, but much more mid-range output.

Here is where it gets dicey. I tried at least six models at the store and all of them had significant flaws. I saw at least one of these problems on each of the guitars I tried (and also on Studios and a Special as well).

1. Neck -- misaligned, not a flush fit with the body or twisted.
2. Nut problems -- chips, blobs of glue not wiped off, open string buzzing.
3. Fret problems -- frets not seated properly, crappy job of gluing the fretboard onto the neck.

The quality of the wood is not as high as high as I would have liked on an instrument of this price. In particular, the rosewood on the fretboard feels cheap compared to other guitars I have owned or played. The pieces of the body wood are not bookmatched, but since they are only visible from the back of the guitar and the front has a cap, this isn't a major issue.

The manufacturing on these guitars is clearly hit or miss. The model I ultimately purchased had a nut that was cut too low, and chipped around the D string, so that the string often came out of its groove (I discovered this after getting home with it). There was some open string buzzing. The pickup selector switch was also not properly screwed in and was basically rattling around in its socket.

On the positive side, I did make sure that the guitar I bought had a straight neck, good frets and a solid neck joint. I have since had a local luthier replace the nut and set up the guitar and it is at the level of quality that Gibson should have produced.

I am skeptical about the tuners, since they look and feel rather cheap. I'll wait until I have had more time with the guitar to evaluate how well they hold up and decide whether or not to replace them. But no serious problems yet.

Otherwise the instrument seems very solid. There really aren't any moving parts. The neck is glued in and the joint seems very solid. Because the finish is so simple, I imagine it could be prone to scratches.

I haven't had reason to interact with Gibson, so I have no basis on which to rate their support. The instrument does come with a lifetime warranty.

Overall, this is a good guitar. I feel that I got a top-notch Les Paul with a uncommon look at a very respectable price, even after the cost of the repairs. I recommend this model with the caveat that they have quality problems. You will need to evaluate several guitars and the one you select will probably not be perfect off the shelf. Expect to replace the nut and pay to have the guitar setup professionally. But if you just make sure that the basics on the instrument are solid (straight neck, good flush fit with the body, no fret/fretboard problems) then you will be all right in the long run. I absolutely do *not* recommend buying this guitar over the internet or sight unseen.

I am an amateur player, who has been playing off and on for about 20 years. I have always played Fender and G&L guitars. A friend recently loaned me a Les Paul to try out, and it clearly made an impression. I really like the wider, flatter neck and shorter scale length of the Les Paul, as well as the humbucking pickups. Anyone who has only played guitars cut from the Fender mold owes it to themselves to check one of these instruments. There are certainly nicer Fenders you could get for the price, but the design principles of the Les Paul make it stand out, for me at least.

I would rate this as a 6 as purchased, but in its current form will give it an 8.

I recently re-aquainted myself with the Electric Guitar (after a 25 year hiatus) I was looking at a few different models and ran into this one. Made in USA, April 2007. All I did was play it un-plugged and knew it was a keeper. I have a friend who has LP Studio (2006) and I have fooled around with his, other than the finish( personel taste) I think the LP VM is a bettor axe, at least I prefer the BBUCKERS to the 490/498. I think the reduction in weight comes from the finish as well as the mahogany cap (not maple) on this model. I think the body may be chambered. The neck although the larger 50's style is fine for me and I would classify my hands as average-wide.

I love the sound of this guitar, I only play througha samll 30 Watt Marshall, but it does the job quite comfortably. Good for Rock, Blues and does have a "older" or shoud I say "Vintage Voicing" I fooled around in Open G with a slide and may not got back to A-440.
Very cool

I have had no problems at all. The frets could have had a little more attention paid to them before sending this one dowen the line, but all in all no worries for me. Set up was solid right off the shelf. I do not have any tuning problems, although I may only play on average of 1-2 hours per day. Hard Shell Case is great (white plush) would have prefereed the grey plush but hey no WHINING for the $ paid. Neck seams are really non-noticable. All in All pretty solid job here.

No comment on the live playing, the world isn't ready for that at this time. Hardware, although the basic Gibson variety is solid and should last, I did switch out the strap buttons to locking ones.
The finish is thin and will probaly wear but I like this and like anything else of any value, practice "easy love" and one should be rewarded. I would think this would be very dependable as guitars go.

Only for questions concerning this model (via email). I always did receive a reply and my experiences could be classified as positive

Overall "its all good" No complaints at all. Makes we want to get back going and I have pretty much caught up to where I was 25 years ago, although a little more mellow, I had played for about 7 years at that point in my life. I was leaning towards a Telecaster since I had originally played on an Gibson SG in the past and wanted to change up a lttle. As mentioned earlier I had made my mind up and was heading into the local shop to buy when I spotted this one, strummed it and fretted it unplugged and the rest as they say is history.

This guitar doesn't have any 'features' unless you count its lack of features a feature, which I do in the case of the finish since the satin finish is not gummy compared to the lacquer finish. It also is lighter and lets the wood breathe more. I like the speed knobs better than the tophats so I guess that is a feature worth noting as well. The pickups are the Burstbucker Pros, same as in the LP standard (as of 2008). Case is nice too.

Sounds good for rock, hard rock, blues, jazz, pretty much whatever. LPs were made for jazz but get that sustain and crunch for rock. Works great with Boss Blues Driver pedal and some Fender reverb. It's pretty sweet.

I mail ordered this one so I didn't have the luxury of seeing it in person. Set up is flawless. My frets are not too sharp as some have said. I would add some graphite to the nut to ease the tuning but that's about it.

This is a sturdy guitar. Lighter than a regular studio but that's from the thin satin finish I would imagine. Hardware seems fine. Should last for a long time.

Never dealt with them.

Overall this is a great buy. Sounds like it should and if you hear a good LP, then you know what this should sound like. It makes you want to go home and play music. You know, the kind of music where you pretend to be your favorite guitar hero. And it's inexpensive compared to the fancy LPs. Go get two.

Most of the features have already been covered pretty well here so we'll skip this.

I play a little bit of everything but mostly rock and some harder edged stuff. I've been running this through my Boogie studio 22+. The pickups sound pretty nice but have a warmer tone then I'm used to. I like to use a lot of pinch harmonics in my playing which these burst-buckers to not translate well. Thats OK though, I have other guitars for that. Over all they sound very smooth have a definite 70's sound to them. Nice definition when playing chords but they tend to feed back at higher volumes. If you're looking a for pickups with bite then these are not for you.

Let me start by saying I had no intentions on buying a les paul but a friend who works at GC gave me a deal I couldn't refuse (bought at $400 per) so I actually picked 2 up that day. I later sold the other one for $650 to off set the cost of the first. Other wise I wouldn't of paid the asking price of 900. That being said....

This is where this Gibson really drops the ball. I spent about 2 hours choosing between the 9 identical guitars in stock that day. Not one of them was set up properly. All had poor intonation and most had very high action. Most of them seemed to need a truss rod adjustment. Half of them had very poor fret work in the form of sharp edges/hangers.
Just know that if you buy one of these you'll be visiting your luther for a proper setup and maybe more. Mine had to adjust the truss, set the intonation and file 3 frets. He also had to do some work on the nut to fix a binding issue. In the end he was able to set the action very low with almost no buzzing. This cost me $80. On top of this a week later the pickup selector switch started making popping noises when used. When I opened up the back the culprit was shoddy soldering. An easy fix but annoying never the less.

Another problem I have with this guitar is the fact that gibson is putting jumbo frets on them. When I fret chords I use a fairly firm grip. This combined with the tall frets makes everything go sharp. Some players have a lighter touch, but for me this is a serious issue. This can be fixed but thats going to cost me more money

The tuning pegs are less then desirable. Mine came with the gibson deluxe kluson style machines with those ugly green tinted plastic keys. They are worthless unless you like re-tuning every other song. I had them replaced with grover rotomatic locking tuners and this has fixed the problem. Add another $50 for those.

I do like the simple mahogany finish. Its no frills and I dont have to worry about dings and the occasional bump here and there. Over all I think the action fit and finish from the factory were shameful. If Ibanez can deliver an axe ready to play out of the box then why cant Gibson?

I dont play out much anymore but if I did I'm sure it would hold up well. Its basic design and simple finish should holdup well over time. The hardware is what it is. A basic tail piece and standard bridge.

The stock strap buttons have been replaced with shaller strap locks but then again all my guitars have them and I feel this is a must have item on any axe.

Didnt deal with them.

I've been playing 24 years and have owned enough guitars over the years that I've lost count.
This was my first les paul because frankly I have always felt that for the money that they were over-rated. If someone stole it I'd report it to my insurance and buy something different.

Again I bought two of these at a discount and sold one to off-set the cost of the first. When all was said and done I'm out about $300 which would be a fair price for this guitar in my opinion. For the retail price of $900 I think this guitar is over WAY over rated. The set up and quality control from Gibson is down right shameful. In this case you're paying for the name and not the product. If you buy one of these you had better plan on dropping more money into it to get it to play as it should.

My ultimate recommendation would look at other Asian brands and get a hell of a lot more bang for your buck.

Bought Dec. 2007. Standard Les Paul features. Two volume, two tone knobs, and three-way pickup switch. The wood used seems rather nice, and my neck feels and looks great. I played a few of these at GC though, and the one I bought was the only one I liked, at all. The fit/finish is good, and the pickups and hardware make this guitar look really cool on stage. The case is WAY nice for this price range. I got one with white fur on the inside.

I play primarily Hill Country Blues and some Rock and Jazz. I'm givin' this guitar a 7, but it's an easy 8-9 through the right amp and cab. That's the biggest drawback I've found with this tool. It only sounds really good into the right amp and cab. It's got a darker tone with huge bass and sharp highs. I've got a decent collection of amps built up, and if I go LP-THD Bivalve (w/6L6's)-Epiphone Valve jr cab, it absolutely rocks! Very easy Duane Allman @ the fillmore tones, and with a couple knob twists you can get some awesome clean sounds on the edge of break-up ala Deluxe. The pickups are pretty hot too, so if you crank the amp there's plenty of Sabbath, ZZ-top, AC/DC in the same setup. I would imagine this guitar would perform well with some of the super-high gain outfits as well with its ample bass, harmonics, and resonance. However, it sounds like muddy crap through my '67 Princeton and Blues Jr., no matter what cab I'm runnin'. The bass and mids are just always muddy through those amps and the treble is harsh and piercing. My Deville does just a little better, but even the Bivalve into a V30 loaded Marshall 4x12 cab doesn't work that well. This is the only one of the 20 or so electric guitars I've owned that's been this finiky about amp and cab selection. The classic tones are in there though, no doubt, and if you get a good one, they play great! I particularly like mine because the last three digits of the serial # are 666!!!

I reset everything myself. It wasn't too far off to begin with though. I think the instrument itself is well built and seems like it will last a lifetime if cared for.

All things considered, it's well worth the price tag. The case is great, the quality and craftsmanship are there, and you can nail the classic LP sounds with the right setup. I'd give it a 9 if it worked equally well through all my amps.

High quality USA made Gibson Les Paul Studio. Quite a bit lighter than most other Les Pauls I've played probably due to the chambering. Even lighter than my Ash Fender strat. Fat 50's style neck with pearloid aged trapezoidial inlays. Vintage Gibson Deluxe tuning machines. Many people complain that these machines do not stay in tune however with the proper set-up, proper string winding technique and a little graphitall on the nut and this guitar stays in tune remarkably well. Mine is the brown finish. Extremely thin nitrocellulose finish with no binding. Very hard to tell where the pieces are glued together. Nice chrome hardware with 2 Burstbucker Pro humbuckers. The guitar was purchsed new but they couldn't find the case that went with it so mine came with a used but good condition Gibson USA hardshell case with a shroud. This knocked quite a bit off the final price.

Out of the 12 guitars I own, this has quickly become my go to guitar. It fits all styles of music I play which is Rock, Metal, Blues, some Jazz/Fusion. I play this guitar through a Soldano Hot Rod 50 head with a matching 4 x 12 cab with Celestion v-30's through a Rocktron Intellifex and BBE Sonic Maximizer and a Vox AD30VT. This thing smokes once properly dialed in. The Burstbucker's sound meaty and full and are extremely sensitive to tonal changes with the volume and tone knobs. The Burstbuckers are some of the most balanced humbuckers I have heard.

Intonation was way off from the factory. You could practically walk under the strings. Pickups were adjusted well enough that I didn't mind waiting a month to get it to my tech so he could work his Mojo on it(Thanks Rob @ The Custom Shop ATX). The nut was cut a little weird but everything else including the tone controls was real solid. I had to pick through 4 different ones to find "The One". You really have to go try these out at a store then pick best one you can find then set it up properly since the QC consistency is all over the place with these models.

Yes this guitar can withstand live playing. Just take care of it like you would any other guitar and use some common sense. This is a tried and true Gibson and these instruments are built to last. The finish will probably wear off after awhile since it's so thin and is much more susceptible to dings. The hardware is high quality but the toggle switch is a little loosey goosey. I may swap out the switch if it gives me any problems. The strap buttons are too small but with straplocks that was an easy fix. I never gig without a backup since I'm a firm believer that anything can happen and usually does at the worst times.

Haven't dealt with Gibson except to send in my registration info. Lifetime warranty but void if you modify anything on it(gotta read the fine print heh). I don't forsee having to contact them for anything anyway.

I have been playing for over twenty years and have 11 other guitars. If this was stolen I would buy another one in a heartbeat. Most of my other guitars are getting a well deserved break while this one will take the spotlight for awhile. I really wasn't much in the market for a new guitar but this deal came to me at the perfect time so I jumped on it and I have no regrets. I considered an epiphone les paul but once I factored in the guitar, a case and probably a pickup swap I would have spent more on that than getting a real Gibson Les Paul, something that was high quality, American made, without any major mods and a hardshell case to boot.

Cherry Mahoganey. Says "Studio" but it' sold as a "Vintage". Kind of weird. I can't seem to find it on the Gibson page either. I guess they don't want to admit they make such an excellent low priced LP Studio. Hard to believe the standard finish would add so much to the price? (standard Studio with finish is $1199 and these are just $899). Screaming deal considering you get a nice case as well. I don't know enough about tuners and everything else so I won't pass judgement here but they do seem to turn smooth and change the tension at a predicable rate.

Locking case included which really makes this a screaming deal (especially if you have to keep little kids fingers off). Grand daughter already asked what the combo was. She doesn't realize she is exactly what the lock is there for.

I don't know about others but it did take some knob adjustments to get the pickups even and sounding smooth. With both volumes set to 10 the bridge pickup was extemely hotter than the neck pickup. It was so hot it made my Vox Ad15 buzz. Nothing makes it buzz except this pickup. I had to set the bridge down to 4 to equal the neck, that's hot. Tone wise I set the neck to a 4 and the bridge to a 6 which so far seems about right. Any brighter and it would be too tinty. I know it all depends on the amp settings and your ear that day but that's what it's at now. When I first got this Vintage I still liked the warm sound of my Epi Standard more. After adjustment the Vintage kills it. I like the strings it came with as well. The 3rd string always sounds a bit like a banjo when new but on the Vintage it warmed up real fast and now sounds great! I am certainly happy with the sound now. I'd say there are probably better sounding LP out there so I'll rate it in line with them and knock it down a notch.

I went through several to find one with the best action, fit, and finish. Some had buzzes here and there but the one I got has none. I checked the first, 5th, 12th, and last fret on all strings and no buzzes were found. Most other Vintages had a buzz here and there so you it is certainly buyer beware.

Because of the natural wood finish you get what you get when you go for the best action but I was not let down too much with the wood design. It has a two piece back but the second piece is on about an inch or so off by the horn. I would not have noticed but I read the comments on this board about that so I checked. The front has an "eye" or knot on the big open area but it's not extremely bad. I figure it's the price I had to pay to save the money over the finished Studios. Hopefully nothing will ever get spilled on this "nude" finish.

I noticed some comments on the sharpness of the frets and can say mine are execellent. They are rounded on the ends and must have been sanded to meet the edge just right, no sharp edges at all. I was prepared to walk away if I didn't find a good one but GC had about 6 out in this color stain (I didn't like the darker stain as much but might have choosen one if none of the red ones were good).

When I was first looking at guitars I tried a nude wood like this but didn't like it. After playing that epi I realized I needed this nude finish to help me slide better and more accurately. I did like the slide on a finished Studio but it had other issues so I walked. I noticed not all nudes let my hand glide as well as this one but on the most part they were better than the finished (I checked the expensive GLP Standards which also gave me problems sliding).

The itination (sp?) was perfect on all but 2 strings and those are so close I may never bother.

I won't rate just on the near perfect copy I picked. My rating will reflect more of what I saw as a general rating over all the copies I checked and how much setup this thing required. I would consider my self a super newbie. I can't play yet but I'm 47 and with the help of the internet I understand everything about them and how they should be setup, play, and sound.

Let's hope if something ever does spill on this or it gets wet from dampness or rain the finish wards it off, but I doubt it. It did come with a very nice case which an epi does not. That's like $150 off the price if it came without and you had to buy. I'll have to knock it a few points because it's not finished but in all fairness, I got a GREAT Gibson for an EXCELLENT price so this really isn't meant to knock their attempt.

I've heard they are nice folk but I never contacted them (I should call them to see if this bridge pickup is abnormally hot or if the neck is just weak but I doubt I will).

Overall this is an excellent guitar for the money. I just started playing (Dec '07) but I'm 47 with a lot of time on my hands to figure out what I want quickly (that epi was the first but I could never get the hang of sliding my hands down it's neck for some reason. They would always stick even after it was rubbed with baby power several times). I also certainly enjoy the Gibson name over Epiphone. My favorite features have to be how it feels in my hands and how it sounds and price (did I mention you get a free case as well!). At this price point I think you'd be hard press to find something that plays as well and can do most music types well. Thank you Gibson for making such a great instrument that doesn't require an extreme fiscal devotion!

Features are just the same as on any Gibson les Paul...No Problems found...

That's were this guitar performs hands down...worth every cent I paid for it!

Mine looks great! It took Gibson 4 guitars to get it right, but you see Gibson DID get it right! Unlike over companies out there Gibson USA Stands behind their product!

Built like a Tank and I'd Gig alone with this guitar anytime...but first the Nut needs to be replaced with that of a Bone material...then the guitar won't float in and out of tune...(minor issue for my guitar Luthier)

Gibson is the best...it took them 4 guitars to get me a Cherry! But they DID get me a cherry...A real quality guitar!

Great in all areas! Tone is excellent too! Neck is Big and frets are large and level! Great Guitar!

All Mahogany body with satin nitrocellulose finish in cherry. Wood grain really comes through and is very durable. Has the burstbucker pro pickups which put this guitar in another class based on its price point. Came with a good quality case. Typical Les Paul Studio setup for neck, tuners and controls.

The sound is really big and warm for a guitar in this price range. The burstbucker pro pickups are tempered by the all mahogany body. Excellent for hard rock (AC/DC) and blues. Feels like a cross between a Les Paul standard sound and an SG. Seems best with a high gain amp. I have a Mesa Express 5:25 and this guitar really lights it on fire. The pickups can easily push it into overdrive, but also have sensitivity. Gets feedback easily in the high gain settings, but the good kind - not microphonic. Tried it with my '59 Baseman reissue, but it didn't sound as good as with the Mesa. A tad more muddy in the mids. I was looking for a lower priced guitar I can travel around with and tried several in the $500 range including PRS SE models as well as an Epiphone Les Paul Ultra. The Gibson was a couple of hundred dollars more, but the sound was way above the class of the others.

The guitar came set-up well from the factory, but a later setup (intonation) improved the sound. Action was low - how I like it, and plays fast and easy. The cherry finish on the body really shows off the wood grain and is really good looking although you can see the seems, but this doesn't bother me. I would have preferred natural finished wood on the headstock instead of the black plastic looking veneer. Fit and finish were very good - no visible flaws.

This guitar looks and feels like it can take a beating. I bumped the body several times and no apparent dings due to the thin natural finish. It feels very solid if not on the heavy side, but no heavier than other Les Pauls I've tried.

No experience yet with Gibson customer service.

I've been playing for a few years now mainly with rock and blues. I'm overall please with the Gibson and I didn't regret spring for a Les Paul Custom I had been gawking over; the vintage mahogany provided the sound I was looking for and the durability at a great price point. In addtion, I have a Eric Johnson strat and a PRS CE Maple top (most recent purchase), along with a Breedlove focus on the accoustic side. I had an American Deluxe HSS strat, which I traded for the EJ model. I play these though a "59 baseman reissue and a Mesa Express 5:25. I have a roland AC60 for the Breedlove. I love each guitar for its own sound, but of the electrics my favorite is the PRS.

VM Les Paul, bought it new` in 2005, worn cherry finish, mahogany body/cap, 2 vol, 2 tone, 2 Gibson Burstbucker Pro Humbuckers. The only real differnce between this and a regular Studio model are the humbuckers, and the finish, which is a satin finish. I read another review which stated it had a chambered body...when did they start making 'em with chambered bodies? Mine is heavy as hell. But that's the way I like it. I replaced the tuners at one point, with Grovers, which I realize now are just clones of the Gibson tuners that were on it when I got it. So now, I'm getting some of the new Grover Rotomatics with 18:1 gear ratio.

After playing this, and then playing a Les Paul Standard at Guitar Center with the same amp, no less (Vox AD15), the sound is almost identical. No two guitars will ever sound exactly alike, however. It suuits my musical style, I play a lot of Page/Frehley pentatonics and 70's style proto-metal. This guitar is perfect for that stuff. At the moment, I'm between amplifiers...waiting for my new Roland Cube to arrive (15w version...I'm mainly a bedroom player). In the past, I've played it through Marshalls, Line 6, and Vox amps and it sounds pretty damn good. Nice and crunchy, but a "cleaner" sounding crunch, a lot clearer than any other pickup I've played. The BB Pros tend to get a bit shrill at times, but it's not really a problem. It isn't noisy at all, if you have a good cable like a Monster, and if the outlet you're using is fairly new. The wiring in my house is very old, so it's not gonna be 100% quiet. Still, it's do-able.

I will say one thing about this guitar...the frets are a tad sharp when you first pick it up. It does take some getting used to. Not a problem for me because I've played it for so long. There were no problems from the start, but after about seven months of play, I needed to have it professionally set up. I was noticing very audible buzzing on the low E, 9th and 10th frets, as well as a few other areas. After having proper setups done a few times after that, I can say that the pickups are pretty much rght where I want them as far as height is concerned. One of the peaople that worked on it pointed out that lately Gibson has been using cheap imported switches rather than the Switchcrafts they'd previously been using. I may replace that at some point. Also, the tuners are definitely going to need replacing. I can't be playing wide bends and have the strings slipping out of tune. I'd say definitely buy new tuners right away with this thing.

I'm a bedroom player, so this thing probably won't be seeing any live action any time soon. If it did, I'd use a backup. You just never know what can happen to your stuff in a public setting. But I think this guitar would last. I'm not gonna try and smash it, or drag it around like a caveman, throw it across the stage like a javelin. I take care of my stuff because I want it to serve me well in the long run. The finish may be a slight issue, being a satin finish. It doesn't take much to ding up the paint, which is why I probably wouldn't use it live anyway. But overall, a very heavy, sturdy guitar that's great for playing rock.

They're usually pretty good.

I've been playing for nearly 15 years. At the moment, the only other piece of gear I own is a Marshall MG15, which I'm returning to MF in a day or two. My Cube 15 should be arriving at the beginning of next week. I'm looking forward to hearing what this guitar will sound like through the overdrive setting on the Cube (which is basically the famous Boss yellow-box super overdrive technology built into the amp). I used to have a lot of other gear, which I sold due to limited room space, and financial reasons. But I've had this guitar nearly 2 and a half years and I plan on keeping it. I love the weight, sound, and feel of it. The inlays look more like aged pearl than on other VM's I've seen. They have a slightly "yellowed" look, depending on the light. I'd like to think mine was unique because of this, like someone made a mistake at the factory or something, but I'm sure there are others out there like it. One thing I wish it had were better tuners, but like I said, that's not far off into the future. I've tried other guitars like strats, cheaper Les Pauls and even a Dean Cadillac, but I just couldn't get used to those. When I'd play this, and then play my Cadillac, the difference was like night and day. It was like getting out of a Humvee and then jumping onto a moped. The Gibson is a much more solid, confidence inspiring instrument. It's also pretty cool to be able to copy the tone of people like Jimmy Page and Ace Frehley. When Frehley got his first Gibson Les Paul, it had P.A.F's. It wasn't until after the first KISS album and tour that he switched to Dimarzio DP100's. Those are great pickups, too! But Good old Gibson P.A.F's are what he used to get that classic sound on that first record. It still sounds great 34 years later. Burstbucker Pro's are simply the next step in the evolution of the P.A.F. and I'm glad I have them in such a relatively low priced guitar.

These burstbucker pro pickups sound like the tone in my head.

Play through an epiphone valve junior head with a 2x12 laney cab. I don't even plug in my tube screamer or any effects. I don't need them, because nothing sounds better than the guitar's unadorned sound.

I bought it used on craigslist. It was good to go.

A friend broke the neck, but that happens a lot with les pauls. I've broken the headstock on my epiphone les paul twice. It's the price you pay for the tone and sustain.

After friend broke the headstock, I called Gibson (awesome 24-hour customer service stocked with knowledagle caring personel) and they recommended Broken Neck Guitars in Boston. Broken Neck's Peter fixed my guitar up good as new, set it up with new strings and now it sings so sweet.

My best musical purchase. Coupled with Epiphone's Valve Junior Head, a decent cab, My rig rivals my real estate for best purchase of life. I love this guitar. If I had the loot, I'd buy 10 of these and 10 Epi valve jr. heads and sit on them for an investment.

Pretty basic, mahogany body (laminate), mahogany top, mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, mother of toilet seat block inlays, 50's profile (rounded) neck, Kluson banjo tuners, Stop tailpiece and bridge, very thin nitro finish, chambered body, two burstbucker pro pickups, lots of grain to be felt on the neck and body. Two volume and two tone controls, 3 way pickup selector switch. USA made, very simple guitar but then that's the way I like them.

I play rock and rock oriented blues music, nothing heavy, I use this guitar with a few different 1x12 combo amps depending on the gig I'm playing, ranging in wattage from 15 to 50 watts (tube). The guitar has a typical les paul sound with some extra shimmer or acoustic vibe due to the chambered body. It's clean tones are good, neck pickup is full and beefy, bridge pickup is fine - I don't use it for clean tones and haven't on any other les paul I've played. Middle switch selection is very nice sounding as well. For crunch and lead tones the bridge pickup is very nice sounding, will do the typical Les Paul crunch ala Gary Moore, Slash, Page, Warren Haynes very well, sounds like a damn les paul. In higher gain amp settings the pickups do feedback some, not unusual as the burstbuckers are higher output pickups than standard PAF style pups, but then I knew that when I tried out the guitar. Overall, this guitar sounds just like a les paul, sounds very similar to my R7, perhaps not as complex and has some "dead spots" on the neck where notes don't sustain long but then all guitars have these issues, that's why you've got to hunt to find the good ones.

The sound of this guitar at the price I paid is what sold me, it's a fine guitar for the money and sounded better than any of the imports I tried, and I tried them all. There were a few guitars I tried that sounded better at twice the price, but they didn't sound that much better.

Let me premise this by saying I only paid $650 for this guitar -

now for my observations:

Intonation - I dont' think Gibson did anything other than slap the tailpiece, bridge and strings on this guitar, stuck in the box and shipped it. I bought the guitar for GC so you know it received no special treatment once they received it, so if you don't know how to check and intonate a guitar you'll most likely need to have tech set it up (or tell the store to do it before you pay for the guitar) once you buy it to get the most out of the guitar.

Frets - I tried about a dozen of these out before I bought one and I picked the one with the best balance of all factors, the frets on mine are quite nice and the action is perfect, on others I tried the frets were rough on the edges and the action buzzed at standard string height.

Pickup Height - totally off on each guitar I tried out, the pups were way too close to the strings. Easily remedied with my pen knife while trying out each guitar - I should have charged GC for my services...

Finish Flaws: none on the one I bought, others I tried had issues, sloppy joint fit, lots of glue filler in the block inlays, nuts not finished off properly, bent tuners, dents and dings, again you need to try them out before you buy, mail ordering would be a tough way to go with this guitar, so many I tried out had issues. Perhaps much of this had to do with buying from GC - guitars on disply do tend to get abused, the one I bought was new and still in the box but I tried several other new guitars that had similar issues with the finish. I can't give this guitar a high mark for fit and finish due to set up issues I found with every guitar I tried out. I think Gibson should pay extra attention to the guitars with a lower price point as many novice players will buy them not knowing the set up problems are robbing them of a good action and overall tone.

The big selling factors for me on this guitar were it's playability and weight. Once set up this guitar is an excellent player, and it's very light, lighter than my EJ strat, easy to play for hours without shoulder or neck fatigue - not like my R7, it's a log and if it wasn't so damn beautiful I would get rid of it and just play this guitar!!! So, I'm giving this guitar a rating based on all the others I had to try out to get a really good one.

The guitar seems structurally sound, the finish is fine for what the guitar is and I personally like a plainer finished guitar. It does ding a little easier due to the thin nitro finish but then it's going to age nicer/quicker than a poly coated guitar. I hope it wears off in a year! I've been playing guitar in bands for 25+ years and only want to take one guitar - never had a problem, don't think I will with this guitar. I have others but I don't like carrying the damn things around.

who knows, I do my own repairs anyhow.

Great guitar for the money, if you buy one take it tech and spend a little extra to have it set up properly if it needs it, have the store check the intonation for you if you don't know how to do it and make them set it before you write the check! I've been playing for many years and for the most part a guitar is a guitar - I'm going to sound like me no matter what I play, but this guitar does have the les paul vibe at a significanlty reduced price from a standard, it's light and plays very well. For the money it's a great deal. If it were stolen I would definitely hunt down another one. I did compare this guitar to the PRS SE, Micheal Kelley, G&L tributes, Parker PM20 and a host of other imports and FOR ME this guitar sounded and played the best. With some tweaking to get it set up right it sounded fantastic and played even better.

We'll for an inexpensive Gibson USA Les Paul Studio about the only feature missing (I feel) is the rich beautiful finish. So for me this was only a finish decision as build quality, playability and tone where my first considerations. It is a Studio model with the 59 rounded neck, 22 fret, twin Gibson Burstbucker Pro's/Alnico 5 magnet, faded finish (mine is faded cherry), mahogany body and top/cap (most Gibson Les Pauls have a maple top/cap, mahogany all the way around except for the fretboard which is ebony or rosewood, with Gibson vintage style tuners non-locking (green), studio style (clear on black)control knobs 2 volume and 2 tone controls, tune o matic bridge, rounded/carved top, standard Les Paul switch, treble, middle and rythm position, came with a Gibson USA hardshell case made in Canada. I have played a few other Gibson's including a 60's model sg, couple of studio model's and one or two standards. Comparing across this time span along with current production I think this is a great Gibson guitar with plenty of muscle and usable features for the money and it is made in the USA which is important to me. My American dollar helping other Americans to make a living. I rate this guitar an 8 which I think is very high. The reason is compared to the majority of guitars on the market today it has what it takes. It's a guitar that works and works well. Proven design but not flawless.

Personally I have always been a fan of the Les Paul sound. I like the strat, tele sound too and have played & owned the Fender and G&L Strats both, sound great but if you want a LP sound I would buy a LP. Fender is really being competitive with the HSS Stat models with the humbucker in the bridge position and I have played these but to me it does'nt quite reach the LP sound. Though it definitely is very versatile and reaches into the LP arena and maybe there pocketbook too. For me the Gibson Les Paul definitely has its place in tone, sound and music styles. I like to play the LP mostly for rock although I play country music too. I like southern rock, classic rock and grunge/punk rock like Lynrd Skynrd, CCR, Green Day, Bush, BTO, the Steve Miller band, etc. I think it can fit many other music styles also its just mostly known for its rock and roll fame (The LP has been played in many music genres). I am currently using a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 1x12 tube amp for playing. On the clean channel this guitar can produce several useful tones. It can go from a very clean sound to a heavy overdriven sound with no effects. I think this is partly due to the Burstbucker pups. On the overdrive/distortion channel it does not sound as good to me but on the clean channel with or without effects it can have a very powerful LP tone sound. I do not find any more noise through this guitar than the amp already produces on its own which is not to bad on the clean channel. As with most tube amps this guitar sounds best when the amp is cranked up and the tubes are working full throttle. I am going to try a Ibanez TS808 and TS9 with this rig and see what I get. I think it will be good. My guitar can go from a twangy sound on the treble side to a powerful rich full warm chunky sound on the mid and rythm switch settings. It can sound very powerful on the treble side too just depends on your settings and equipment. For me the sustain is awesome. Probably due to the all mahogany body and top with no heavy finish to keep the wood from breathing and vibrating. On most settings that I have used, this guitar sings out and you can hear the notes and harmonics ringing out. It can also be set to a very heavy bass rythmic sound but note and chord clarity is not present. I think for a LP this is a very versatile guitar, personally I think this model would hold its own with any Gibson Les Paul made, maybe not the best but for the money very good. Overall my LP sounds great to me and definitely was what I was looking for in LP tones. I am very please with the sound qualityand tone of my guitar. This guitar does have a slight tendency to feedback with my amp and is the same no matter where the volume or mids is cranked but I kinda of like that. Everyone is different. Best thing to do if you can is to play many models and brands to see what kinda of dynamite you like. No two guitars are the same although they may be very close. Remember most guitars are made of wood and no two pieces of wood are identical even if there from the same tree. If you are serious about playing and tone then buy the best guitar you can afford which may not be the most expensive one.

The setup is ok from the factory. I like the factory action but did notice that the nut needs some filing to get the strings to seat better. The frets are well done but are slightly high and sharp which does not bother me alot, I also play acoustic so when you switch over to the LP it feels great. No fret buzzing with the factory setup. My guitar with a good setup job would probably be excellent. The pickup adjustment is ok for me but then that is kinda a personal thing. I will probably adjust mine sooner or later just to see what it does for sound. I would'nt say this guitar is bookmatched but the matching and wood grain are very nice and not noticable from 2 feet away. Fret fitting is nice. Pup fitting is nice. Neck fit is nice. Tuners work well and stay in tune most of the time. An upgrade in tuners might be in order. Switch and knobs work good. A little noise on the pickup switch when operated. Might need to check electical connections. Output jack solid and tight no noise. Two of my knobs are slightly out of level when you turn them there is a slight wobble although I cannot feel it when I adjust them. The knob action is smooth tight and progressive. The wood is very nice though it is a little rough but then mahogany does not have the smoothest grain. The finish is great exactly what I expected from vintage mahogany. The case is great good fit and functions properly. This guitar is light to me, fits my playing style well, and is comfortable. With time and polishing it will look great. If you want a work of art then this is not your guitar

Yes this guitar will stand up to performing live and it is very well built and durable. For live performing would probably be a good idea to make some upgrades like strap locks, tuners and have it totally checked out electrically and set up but out of the box it would do but if my livelyhood depended on it I would test everything first and I would do that with any brand of guitar, holy grail or not. Good hardware, durable. Strap buttons are solid. The finish is thin and that goes a long way in making this guitar affordable and I am sure that with long playing times the finish will wear. Then it will truly be "vintage". I would think most serious performing musicians would always have a backup no matter how bulletproof there #1 guitar is, you never know what will happen.

I bought this one new and sent the warranty card in so it has the standard Gibson warranty for life. Have not sent it in so I do not know about that. I did call Gibson before I bought this guitar just to get a feel for the company and they were very helpful and answered all my questions. They said if there were any problems (stated in warranty) they would take care of it. This Gibson model was made for a specific retailer and that kind of put me off but when I got the guitar that was laid to rest. I like it and would replace it if necessary.

I have played about 10 years and do not own any other gear at this time. I sold off all my stuff over the years and bought new stuff. Sold a great G&L Strat (stupid). For me this guitar was a great buy. Awesome sound, quality build, playability is very good for me. For an inexpensive version of the Gibson Les Paul I think its a great deal. This is just my review. Lots of guitar players out there and lots of different opinions of gear, sound, tone, and playing styles etc. This guitar hits hits the sweet spot for me.

I don't need to give you the specs because a lot of other people already have. Also if you want the exact specs go to musicians friend or guitar center online.

It has the features of a gibson so it isn't realy high tech or anything but that's what i like about it. I'm gonna give it a 9 because i don't like all of the digital crap anyway. Even though it comes with a (beautiful) hard case i wish it came with a cable, strap, cleaning kit and picks like most fenders do.

Now this guitar is one of the best ever in this field. the nitrocellulose laquer finish really lets the wood reverberate. the mahogany isn't as dark or muddy as you'd expect - it's very nice. The burstbucker pros are wonderful and can get anything from a bluesy deep smooth dark tone to an obliterating distortion to a telecaster- like jangle to a screaming lead. The humbuckers are surprisingly wonderful clean which surprised me as humbucker are known to struggle in that field.

I'd also like to say that the body is weight relieved so it is lighter than a solid chunk of wood. It also gives it a surprsingly loud acoustic sound. I find myself playing it acoustically often! My guitar is about 8 pounds on my bathroom scale.

No problems here. It was all great.

I would almost gig without a backup it is so good but i'd bring a spare if i could in case a string broke (which isn't the guitars fault). The finish will break in real nice on the neck soon too because of the nitro so i'm happy. The only thing is i wish it didn't dent as easy. Mine hasn't yet but i'm kinda afraid it will a little.

Haven't had to deal with them. Don't think i'll need to but gibson is a great company from all of my experience

I play hard rock, some blues, rock, some non-distorted rock, classic rock and a little acoustic and funk and this guitar will handle it all. I know i'm NEVER selling it. I don't regret getting it at all.

Pretty standard classic electric guitar features. Pick-up switch, volume and tone knobs all in good working order and of good quality - I have read some complains about the pick-up switch but mine works fine. The input jack also seems to be good quality - no wiggling around and no noise.

The neck is a little rough but is the perfect thickness. The tuners are okay but not great. The serial number indicates that mine was built in January of 2007.

It sounds great. The pick ups seem pretty hot and are little prone to feedback. When playing with a lot of distortion it sounds really big which based on the price suprised me - I was a little worried when I got it that it would sound like a supporting player but it has a voice like it's much more expensive counterparts - I big growling Les Paul voice. The clean sound is very bight. The guitar does lean a little to the treble side but has decent bottom and does muting really well.

I play blues, metal, punk and like that I can get many different sounds out of this guitar. My main amp is a Peavey Classic 30 (that screams) and I also have a 5150 when I am in a really heavy mood.

I bought mine used. If the way it was set up was from the factory it was pretty bad but I suspect the 15 year old I bought it from messed around with the bridge and tailpiece. I spent about 15 minutes eyeballing it and got the action nice and low with no buzz - so as far as action goes it's very adjustable.

The finish is pretty rough but it is still a very nice looking guitar. Mine is worn brown - i would have preferred the faded cherry but I got a very good deal so I took what I could get. If you want a gorgeous LP you are going to have to shell out the bucks. It would be nice if the back of the neck was a little smoother but that is totally fixable. Also, as documented by many - some of the fret ends are pretty sharp - once again very fixable by the end user.

As I have said - I have not had mine very long but I know a good guitar when I feel it. This is a very good guitar. The neck feels like it is set in stone and the hardware is chrome which I for one think looks far cooler than cheeseball gold and looks good a hell of a lot longer. It is a solid guitar.

Have not needed support.

Okay - the bottom line. This is a Les Paul for the masses and it is still not cheap. It does require a little refinement before it's really "yours" but those are pretty easy refinements. If you are wondering whether you should buy this thing, which granted is not the prettyest guitar in the world or buy and epi Les Paul I offer this opinion: Are you nuts? This guitar blows the Epi away. Be the guy on stage with a great sound rather than the guy backstage trying to screw back in his input jack. This guitar sounds great, feels great (with minimal work), was made in the USA and will last for years. Everytime I look at that headstock and see that honest to God Gibson logo I get a huge smile!