Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany

You know by now. Most all the standard Les Paul features with the exception of a few. No nitro laquer, no binding and a slightly thinner overall thickness. The top is a 2 piece Mahogany in lieu of the usual 2 (or more) piece Maple cap. The tops on all these (and the regular Studio models) are slightly thinner, that's where the overall thinner thing comes from! I have heard some people have actually gotten 1 piece backs on these, but mine is a 3 piece back. really could give half rats @ss less how many pieces it has beacuse the sound is there.

Sounds better to my ears than my beloved '94 Standard. A fuller, darker, smoother sound. I like the frets on the VMs' better than the fat & flat style used on the '90s Standards. I also believe the BB pros are a much more PAF-ish type of sound as opposed to the 490R & 498T used on my Standard (they also use the same setup on the regular Studio models). I've heard many people say the BB pros are shrill or tinny, but I just don't find that to be true. It could been shielded a bit better, but it's no super noisy. If you play super high-gain stuff it may get buzzy, but not for blues, rock & jazz which is what I play. Overall a dark but not murky Les Paul, and it does have good clarity as well (very balanced).

Bought mine used from the original owner, whom I don't believe ever took it in for an adjustment. And seeing as he's mostly an acoustic player, doubt he did much in regards to setting it up. Everything plays just fine. The frets are well seated (and level) but as with most VMs', the fret ends could use a light filing but they aren't ragged.

Take care of it and it will last. Don't drop it, kick it around or dump crap on top of it and you should be fine. The finish is soft due to no laquer, so it will ding without too much effort. Solid harware, good electronics, all's fine.

Been playing for just short of 20 years. Have owned many Les Pauls over the years. Standards'/Deluxes'/Customs'/Juniors'/Specials'/Studios' and a 40th Anniversary. I've had 'em all, not bragging I've just blown alot of money over the years and wasn't smart enough to hold onto any of them. This is as good as some and not as good as others. But given the price point, and that it's considered to be a the bottom of the LP food chain, I think this thing is remarkable. Oddly enough, this is the first stock LP I've owned that I haven't felt the need to swap out the pickups. There really is nothing that I don't like about this guitar, and I have been looking to find fault. The only thing that I would have liked to see on these would be a very thin layer of Nitro. I can't see that it would have raised the price on these all that much. All in all a great "Bang for the Buck" guitar (especially if you find a good used one).

Mahogany body and neck, carved mahogany top, Satin Cherry Finish (not faded, as some would have you believe), two Burstbuckers, "aged" trapezoid inlays on rosewood fretboard, 2 volume, 2 tone knobs, TOM/stop tailpiece, Gibson Deluxe tuners (which I replaced with Grovers), 22 frets

Doesn't sound too much different from LP Standards, I assume because of the Burstbuckers. Sounds a tad darker, due to the mahogany top instead of maple. Burstbuckers are slightly tinny in my opinion, but not so much that I want to change 'em out. I thought briefly about swapping 'em with alnico 2 humbuckers, but I was hesitant because I thought I may lose some top end. Other than that, they have a complex, slightly dark, but harmonicly rich sound. Classic Les Paul sound when overdriven. Decent cleans on the bridge pup, bell like tones on the in between setting and neck setting. I can even get the classic "woman tone" with the neck pup and some overdrive. I read an article in which the author wrote that if Gibson had continued to develop the sound of the humbucker after 1960, the Burtsbucker Pro would have been the result. Being a fan of Joe Perry for the past 21 years, this was a major selling point of this guitar for me, because these come stock in Joe's signature Gibson model. I play basic hard rock (Kiss, Aerosmith, some Guns n Roses, Led Zep), and this guitar is made for that stuff. It's a slightly heavy guitar (after all, it's mahogany), but that's part of the allure of a Les Paul for me. I've also noticed that this guitar has a lot more bass response than the Chinese and Korean made Epiphones. The only thing I don't like (and it's a cheap and easy fix)...the rhythm/treble switch. I took it to a tech because there was a loss of sound when I switched from treble to rhythm, and he told me that mine was the second Gibson he'd seen that week which had a cheap imported switch installed in it. He told me that Gibson usually uses Switchcraft switches, but for some reason they were now using these generic models from other countries. But he fixed the problem (a little dirt) and it works fine now. Keep in mind I've had it for nearly two years, so a little accumulation of dirt is to be expected. But I take care of my stuff.

It was two years ago when I bought it, so my memory is a little foggy about the details, but I remember being pretty satisfied with it right out of the case. I've had it set up a few times since then, and I set the action pretty low. It's easier for me that way. I changed the strings right away when I bought it. Fret edges are a tad (just a tad) rough, but I've gotten used to that and it's not much of a problem now. One change I'm planning on making is putting Grover Rotomatic tuners on it. I mentioned that I replaced the Gibson tunres with Grovers, but the ones I used were the "Keystone" tuners, with the ugly snot green color. They're pretty much replicas of the Gibson tuners that came stock. So I plan on putting rotomatics on there, they seem to be more stable, and better looking.

I don't play out, but I think this thing would get pretty dinged up on the road. Keep in mind, there's no nitrocellulose finish, or whatever Gibson uses on the LP Standards. Mine has a few dings, one from a set of keys being thrown at me while I was playing (I'll let you people use your imaginations on that one). The hardware seems pretty solid, but I'm eventually planning on installing a Tonepros bridge. Strap buttons are solid, if you don't keep unscrewing them and screwing them back into place, like I did. I stripped the wood in the slot in the front. Had to have it repaired. Like most players, I'd never use any guitar without a backup.

I've had it set up/repaired a number of times, and changed the tuners, so I assume I voided the warranty. I've dealt with Gibson before, and they were pretty cool.

I've been playing for over fourteen years and probably owned about ten guitars in that time. Right now this is my only guitar. I do plan on getting another, probably an Elitist LP Standard Plus or Elitist '57 Goldtop. I play it through a Marshall AVT20, A VOX AD15VT, and a Marshall MG15 Zakk Wylde micro stack, my favorite amp at the moment. I don't use any effects whatsoever, except a little reverb every now and then. If it were stolen or lost, I'd probably buy another depending on my financial situation. The only thing I really hate about it is the fact that it goes out of tune pretty easily when I bend strings. But then again, buy better tuners and it's less of a problem. I love the sound, the feel, the sustain, and even the weight of this guitar. Even the fretboard inlays look awesome. they have this cool "aged" look, like on a les paul classic. It adds a bit of charm. I kinda wish it had binding on the neck, and maybe even the headstock, but that's an afterthought. Like I said, I'm a fan of Joe perry, and other players from the same era, like Ace Frehley, Jimmy Page, Paul Kossof, and younger guys like Slash and Zakk Wylde. When I finally had the money to own a real Les Paul (with Burstbuckers no less) I had to get this one. It just made sense.

Instead of writing here about the ???features??? of this guitar, I???m going to focus on what the guitar lacks. Hopefully, this will help somebody decide whether this is the guitar they want.

This guitar is a good guitar, but more importantly, it is the beginning of a great guitar! What I mean by that is that all essential parts of a Les Paul are here, but in unfinished form. If you???re willing to pay good guitar tech a few dollars to fix a couple of problems, you???ll have a guitar that will make your jaw drop (assuming you want that thick-assed Les Paul sound). I believe it???s a super deal -- even after you factor in the extra expense and hassle.

First, electrostatic shielding on the guitar is practically nonexistent. This is not important if you don???t use higher-gain distortion. If you like your distortion, however, you are not going to be happy with the BUZZ. The fix is simple: shield the control cavity and the switch cavity (or hire a tech to do it). Well worth the effort. You can test yours by plugging into a distortion pedal (like a Boss DS-1 or MT2) and cranking up the gain. Completely remove you hands from the guitar and listen to the buzz. Then lick your finger and touch the bridge. Nearly all the buzz that disappeared when you touched the bridge will be gone forever with proper shielding. You could even remove the string ground after shielding if you care to.

Second, the frets are not very well finished and I could not get the action as low as I like it without a lot of buzz.. That???s not to say that the stock action was horrible. It was passable, and for folks who don???t mind having it a tad on the high side, or who don???t mind a bit of fret buzz here and there, it isn???t a problem. For me to be happy, I had the frets leveled (it didn???t take much) and recrowned. Also, the sharp fret ends protruded slightly beyond the edge of the fretboard on mine, so I filed the edges to a slightly rounded profile, like on my American Standard Strat. Nice!

There is more you can do to improve/personalize the guitar, but if you fix these two problems you have a really nice axe.

The Burstbuckers that came on mine are slightly microphonic, which is a great sound to me! It???s the way pickups were in the old days. Another cool thing about microphonic pickups is that you can yell into the pickups and get some really cool sounds out of your amp (leave the distortion on)! These are very nice for certain sounds (like some early Led Zep when plugged into a Marshall). I tried several pickups in the bridge position and settled on the Gibson 498t. I don???t need to get every sound in the world out of this guitar-I just want a couple of excellent sounds. That pickup in this guitar through a Muff through a good clean amp (not the Marshall) through a couple of Governor speakers in a closed back cab and, well, all I can tell you is that I just melt when I hear that sound. But that???s me.

The tuning machines? They???re vintage, right? Am I the only one who likes more control over the tuning? These are fast and they hold your tune, but getting that last little cent or two of in-tune-ness is kinda touchy. I???ll probably replace them at some point.

One more personal touch on mine is that I didn???t like the feel of the back of the neck. It wasn???t smooth. I rubbed it out with wet 600 grit sandpaper until it was nice and smooth. Not it feels very natural and very fast (of course, you have to like the slightly girthy neck, which I do).

Mean, thick, Les Paul drive.

This rating is for the stock guitar.

I think it will last, but who knows?

Called Gibson yesterday with questions about the pickups. The guy who helped me was very good. Did a search through the database and answered all my questions in detail!

This rating reflects that I believe this to be a fairly well made, decently priced American guitar.

Standard Les Paul Features

This is a follow up to a review I did a year ago. Still have the guitar and still love it. This and an EJ strat are my main guitars. I've owned several LP Standards over the last 40 years and this is the only LP I've ever loved. The pups are amazing. The neck is perfect. Sustain to the max. Tone out the ying yang. Oh yeah, this guitar and a good tube amp (tubes are the only way to go in my old old old book)just nails vintage Neil Young. I still prefer a strat for the clean tones, but for down an dirty, garage band rock n roll, this is the axe I've always wanted. All mahogany, all vintage LP tone. For under a grand. I can't see why anyone would spend thousands more for just a pretty finish. Unless your making videos for a label and care about image, and lets face it..none of us are, this is the LP that'll make people say "wow! that guitar sounds great!"

Basically crap finish work and thats what I expected. Spend a few bucks and get it finished/setup. You're still way ahead of the in the value market.

Very reliable, "it's a tank". Lack of finish is a plus in my book, the guitar just resonates wonderfully. Strap buttons suck. Replace them. I gig this without fear of dings, dings are just vibe on this guitar. Oh yeah, I wouldn't go on any gigs without a backup guitar. Even the best guitar can be dropped, spilled on, etc...
I usually bring at least 3 guitars to a gig, this, my EJ strat and an Epi 335 for backup.

Never tried to get it repaired thru Gibson. I've dealt with Gibson many times and while sometimes you get lucky and find someone who cares, most of the time they don't. They get $3000 a guitar while offering lousy service, they have no incentive to improve as long as we keep buying their stuff anyway.

In my 38th year of guitar playing. Besides the LP and EJ strat I've got an Epi 335, '65 Guild CE 100D (ES 175 style), '73 Guild F40 acoustic, Guild JF 65 12 string, Taylor 655 12 string, a beat up mexi-frankenstrat(for those parties that might get out of control!), a Jazz Bass for home recording and some old no name 6 string for camping and such. I play thru either a Cyber Twin SE, Peavey Classic 30 or my little Peavey Classic 20 (best lil 15W tube amp I've ever played thru). The only pedals I use are chorus and od. I really just prefer natural tube od and a good guitar.

This guitar is Frick'n Awesome. Sure it aint all pretty like a standard Les Paul, but it sounds just as good. I really like the satin worn cherry finish. It dosen't really protect the guitar though. But I like the worn look. There aren't alot of features, but what do you expect from an $800 American made Gibson. The fact it is American made is worth the price tag in its self.

This guitar fits me great. I love the Burst Bucker Pros it has. Pinch harmonics just ride right off her. I play all sorts of music, and this guitar suits them all. I run her thru an American made Peavey TransTube Supreme 100 watt head, that is plugged into a Peavey cab. It just sounds so good. I own 12 guitars, 1 of them is a Gibson SG Standard. I like the Gibson far better than any other maker.

Well. Like I said earlier. I love the worn cherry finish. My only beef with this guitar is that it kinda smells like cat pee. I don't know why. I don't even have a cat. It was pretty well set up. It plays pretty smoothly. The controls are a bit stiff, but they will loosen up with time.

This guitar will be a great live guitar. But only if you don't care if it gets banged up, because it gets dents really easily. I like that about the guitar. I like the worn really used look. The finish won't last too long. This is a guitar that you can depend on. The strap buttons were not real secure, so I switched them out for some strap locks. Like I said before, I own 12 guitars, so I would always have a back up. You never know what could happen.

I have never delt with Gibson Customer Support.

I have been playing for 7 years now. I am also a Luthier, I build stringed instuments. So I think I know a good guitar when I see one. Like I said earlier, I own 12 guitars, 2 Gibsons-1 Les Paul, and 1 SG Standard. I also have several substandard guitars. B.C. Rich Warlock. I have several guitars that I have built myself. If my Les Paul were lost or stolen, I would buy it again. I love everything about this guitar except the cat pee smell. I really wish it would have come with binding, but like I said before, what can you expect from an $800 USA made guitar? The fact it is USA made is worth the price tag. This is one of those guitars you will rather love, or hate.

The Les Paul Studio's features are just great...that of a les Paul.

This Studio has some of the best tone I've heard come from a Gibson...no Kiddin!

Just fine...exactly what the guitar promised!

Built like a Tank!

Gibson is fantastic. I had some normal issues with the guitar and they paid the shipping "Both Ways" and gave me a New Guitar in it's place. Thanks Gibson. Another thing...their open 24/24 7 days a week to help you with anything you'll need for your Gibson Guitar...

Best buy I ever made...really! Thanks Gibson! John B. Denton
"Son of the Republic of Texas"

The Burstbucker pickups and the mahogany body are all you need to know about this guitar. Those two qualities are what defines this guitar. Some people complained about the wood grain look, but I fell in love with it. Showing the natural wood grains just seems to do it for me. The color is great, I got the Faded Cherry, but the Worn Brown looks good also. It's not a flashy guitar, and that's what I like.

The only thing I was disappointed with were the clear plastic volume and tone control knobs, I would much rather have preferred the types on the Standard.

One other thing I want to say about this guitar is the weight. I read some reviews on this site about someone complaining that this guitar was too heavy and clunky. This claim is utterly untrue. I am a small person, with a small build, and this guitar was LIGHTER than most others, and was lighter than my previous guitar, an Epiphone Special II. That said, I love the weight on this thing, it feels very natural against my body. It's not clunky at all, and is quite compact.

This is why I got the guitar after reading all the reviews, and I have to say that the sound is PERFECT. Clean, it has a very rich, full sound that resonates well with the mahogany body. Distorted is very full and throaty. Unplugged, the guitar sounds sweet and loud. I play classic rock, and put through a tube amp, produces those great vintage sounds.

If there is only one reason to get this guitar, it's for the sound. Also, the sustain is great, it just feels good to strum those full, long notes.

Here is where most people slam this guitar in review, however I FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT IN THIS CATEGORY.

I ordered mine from Musician's Friend, and straight out of the box, the guitar was set up perfectly. Super-low action with no buzzing, no scratches or marks of any kind, no glue marks near the neck joint, it was immaculate straight from the get-go. Can't complain about the stock strings that came with them, they and the tuners seem to keep everything in tune.

Some people complained that the fret ends were sharp, but I just have to ask, just how sensitive are your hands? They are not as sharp as some of you claim they are, and they are definitely not going to cut you. In fact, I found them very comfortable. The people advocating a full fret job after buying this guitar are ridiculous. I'm betting that their standards are way too high.

Some also complained about the 50's style neck, and how it was too fat or clunky. Now, before I bought this guitar and read about this, I was reluctant to buy this guitar as I have small hands, but I decided to get it anyway. All I have to say is that the neck feels great, and is not that much bigger than most modern necks. In fact, I really can't tell any difference in size. I can play as fast and as well on this neck than on any other. Don't let neck shape deter you.

The only flaw I found was that there was some rattling inside the body, perhaps some wood chips got stuck inside. Reading the other reviews, this seems to be common for this guitar, and I was not surprised. I personally don't mind, as the rattling sound is quiet, and not often.

Hardware is solid, strap buttons are kind of weak, but this guitar will definitely last you a long time.

The only complaint I have with this guitar is that the finish is so thin that it is very easy to ding/scratch this guitar. I dinged this guitar the day I got it, as I accidentally bumped it against a table, leaving a small indentation on the edge. But depending on your philosophy with dings, it may or may not be a good thing.

Never had to deal with Gibson customer support.

This is my second guitar, the first being a starter Epiphone Special II, and I have to say that this guitar is HEAVEN. It looks great, sounds wonderful, and it everything I wanted in a second, better guitar. It's a genuine Gibson Les Paul at a killer price, with the same humbuckers as a normal Studio. You cannot beat this value anywhere else.

I bought this guitar June 15th. Beautiful looks!!! Immediatley changed out the REALLY small strap buttons for locking buttons. June 16th headed to band practice. EVERYONE commented on how beautiful this guitar looks. Minimalistic. Just mahogany wood. Faded cherry. Pretty. Features are minimum. This guitar sells itself. Trust me. I rate it a 9 not becuase of its features BUT because it has what it takes to make a great sound.

Folks....many others have mentioned this.....IT'S all about the tone. This guitar has SO MUCH 'character'. TONE is what you get. Warm, sexy. Nice. Did I mention beautiful? Play live into a Crate acoustic modeling amp. The tone...you just feel like you at home. Comfy. Christian praise & worship, jazz and blues....they all get attention from this guitar. (If this guitar were a female, I would ask her to marry me.....NOT because of her body but because of who she is! How smart she is...how she makes me feel and how she responds to my needs. Get where I am going with this?

Action, fit & finish was great out of the box. Inotation was on. No complaints. Did I mention pretty? She will age with you well.

I play live. Strap buttons...see above. Otherwise solid and will age and build character along with your playing. Seems solid.

No experience yet.

I play 'live' weekly and require high standards and equipment that can take to performing. I also play a Les Paul Custom, Epiphone John Lennon Casino and Alvarez acoustic-electric. Check a few of these vintage mahogany. Find one and buy this guitar. REALLY. But buy it. If you find a good one, you will know it. BUY IT! Be a player and enjoy life! This sound can carry you.

Natural Cherry Mahogany, light "nitro" finish Les Paul Studio. "Vintage"-style Kluson tuners. The "60's" (slimmer than 50's) neck seems a tiny bit thinner than the other 60's necks I have tried, but is quite substantial. Nice hardshell case and truss tool included. Made in USA in '06 or '07. Two "Burstbucker Pro" humbucking pickups. I am pretty sure the whole guitar is made from mahogany. There appears to be a thick chunky mahogany top on a mahogany body with a nice mahogany neck.

This is what it is all about. When trying out a new guitar, I play acoustically to see if it has a "thing". This one is like an acoustic, only louder. It resonates against itself beautifully. Sounds good throughout the neck. Chords played on the upper neck have a very sweet sound, which I find rare. Pickups are balanced and rich whether clean or distorted. This is not a spanky guitar, it has a dark-ish tonality. That said, it represents enough of the spectrum that EQ-ing would probably yield the general tone you are looking for. The pickups have a nice hot output with no noise to speak of.
My favorite part of this Les Paul is that no matter where I play, single notes or chording, it sounds very good indeed.

The setup from the factory was custom made for me. I played a ton of Les Paul guitars at several stores. I played very expensive Gibsons and very cheap Epiphones. I had the cash ready to fork over for a nice Gibson Les Paul Standard, but none that I played were worth the asking price. They all had issues with setup or cosmetics. The best Les Paul I had ever played was actually a cheaper Epiphone at Guitar Center, no buzzing, fat tone, snappy responsive action. I must say I was very frustrated that I couldn't find a Les Paul that blew me away, even when I was playing the higher-end specimens. Then I got my hands on this relatively inexpensive Gibson Vintage Mahogany LP. I could tell right away it was "The One."
The guy at the store told me before I left that the intonation was probably a little out of whack because Gibson's QC is hit-or-miss, and indeed when I scoped it at home the 'high-E' and 'D' strings were just a hair sharp at the 12th fret. Other than that, the factory setup just rocked my world. Play any note, there is no buzz, just big tone. Soft touch or abusive thrash, the guitar will put out what I put in.

The natural mahogany finish looks horrible to me when I see it in catalog pictures, but when it is sitting next to me in the studio it is absolutely gorgeous. In my hands the finish feels smooth and robust. I love that it doesn't show smudges. Though it doesn't have a dazzling maple flame top, this mahogany LP is an outstanding specimen to behold.



Hardware Issues:
1. The pickguard is slightly raised from the body near the bridge pickup, so when it is touched it clicks against the body.
2. Two of the Kluson tuner knobs have a slight ridge on the side which appears to be from a molding process.

I am quite a tough customer, and close inspection of the hardware reveals no other flaws, cosmetic, mechanical or otherwise. Knobs and switch feel very solid. Clearly Gibson has access to top-notch electronic parts stock.

If it weren't for the tiny issues with the tuners and the pickguard, I would give it a 10 here.

Well, as this is just a massive chunk of mahogany, I would say it will withstand abuse as well as a coffee table.

The finish is a light nitrocellulose, which basically looks like no special finish at all. It is a satin-feeling coat on a well-sanded wood surface. This is all fine, it looks great as I mentioned, except that I imagine a few drops or impacts with sharp edges, such as a stage doorway, could cause denting in the wood that a thicker coating might absorb. No worries for me as I never play live, I am exclusively a recording musician.

The strap buttons are a little small, so much that I won't trust them to play it standing up until I get bigger ones, or strap locks installed.

Other than the light finish and the small strap buttons, this thing is built to last through rock and roll abuse. Clearly a very dependable instrument.

I have spoken with Gibson support on the phone regarding some replacement parts for my ES-335. They were quite patient and friendly though not extremely helpful, as I am the second owner of the 335 and not covered under warranty. However, in researching this purchase I did speak to them again and they took plenty of time to explain all the differences between the Epiphones and Gibsons, the various models, the pickups, and indeed the complaints about Gibson's Quality Control. I have also emailed them twice over the past few months and I never did receive a reply. If you need Gibson Support, call them.

I have been playing for 25 years. I own a personal recording studio with gear representing all the usual suspects, Fender and Gibson guitars and basses, modern and vintage synthesizers, recording-quality drum kit, boutique mic preamps, high-end compressors, etc. I make music for television for a living and rely on my equipment and software almost every single day of my life.

The only thing I wish I knew before I bought this guitar is if there is any special care it needs due to the light finish. Will it warp, saturate, or dry out due to climate changes?

If it were stolen or lost I would again set about playing a zillion Les Pauls until I found "The One" again, and I would buy that one, regardless of price. If you are picky, you have probably played several Les Pauls and not been impressed. Trust me, when you find a good one, you will know it right away. Don't let that one get away.

Having played so many Les Pauls, I am lucky that "The One" I have found is going for way less than it is worth. I doubt this will remain the case for very long. Someone is going to pull the plug on this insane value. If you play a bunch of these Vintage Mahogany LPs, you might also get lucky.

I have only written one other review at HC over the years, largely because I am usually too busy to mess with it. However, once I discovered this guitar I felt compelled to help someone else out there who is on the fence about buying one of these. These guitars might be inexpensive right now, but it is not because they are anything less than any other Gibson. Mine is just terrific. If you found a good one, buy it before someone else does, or before they stop selling them so cheaply.

This is a standard featured Les Paul Studio 3-way & 2-Vol. 2-Tone Gibson Electronics & Alnico V BurstBucker Pro Pup's
Vintage Tuners...What More Do you need! Nice Nut and Fret work! This guitar came boxed TIGHTLY SEALED from Nashville to Kansas to my Home and was not opened between Nashville and my Residence. That's a real PLUS! The Guitar's Case is built in Canada and is the Best Quality Case I've ever seen! Thanks Gibson for the Exceptional Quality!!!
THANKS FOR WELL, EVERYTHING!!!

This is where the guitar really shines! The Alnico V Burst Bucker Pro Pup's are some of the best I've ever heard and the sustain is excellent!
The Bridge Position is my Favorite...all positions are exceptional!
By the Way...Don't insult this guitar by the use of effects...Just use a good tube amp with a little tube reverb and your there!
BOY HOWDY ARE YOU THERE!!!

The Faded Finish on this guitar is very nice to the eye and to the touch! Smart idea to use just a thin Nitro coat and let her go...The guitar's tone is heavenly and the sustain, well, TRY ONE OUT AND SEE for yourself...Good Going Gibson!!!

This Gibson guitar is built well, it's a Les Paul. It's quite capable of withstanding the road or anything else you put it through...Built like a tank...Yes Sir!

Gibson has by far met and exceeded every expectation of mine concerning their guitars and I would rate them as friendly and very out going. I had a couple of items (Volume Knobs & Bridge section) I needed to replace on this guitar and I recieved them ASAP via Federal Express. There was ofcourse no-charge to me the owner. Gibsons Guitars' carry a limited lifetime warranty against workmanship and materials and Gibson delivers with their promise, YES SIR!!!

This is a beautiful Instrument and I love it. Something I haven't mentioned in the prior writing is the fact that this Gibson Les Paul Studio has one of the most comfortable '59 RoundBack Necks I've ever played on...It's just like stroking a nice ________ Well, you figure it out! If this guitar were lost or stolen I WOULD CRY!!! Then I would buy another one to replace it...HANDS DOWN!!! This is by far the best value in a guitar I have ever owned.
Thank You Gibson, Doc "The Bluesman"
Sincerely, John B. Denton
Denton, Texas
"Son of the Republic of Texas"

Made in USA Gibson Les Paul. All mahogany with Burstbuckers. Brown. Simple looking but extremely brutal.

I played 2 at Sunset GC, 1 in Pasadena, 2 in Covina, and 1 in Vegas and no similar model compare to the one I found. Compared it to maple tops and the one I found beats the ones costing 3 times more in tonality.

I've tried many Les Pauls before this and the tones did not justify their prices. Speaking of tone, this plain looking Les Paul with the Burstbuckers can go from satin-smooth clean to brutally distorted in 1 second. The Burstbuckers give you that buttery growl and if you are close enough to the amp the sound fills up every cell of your being. It can sound like unleashing 500 Panther tanks on full attack no-mercy mode. Keep it clean and you have the Penthouse centerfold with you by the fireplace. I have not changed the strings and it plays great and it stays in tune. For some mystical reason there is a special connection between me and this particular one I found. I am running it through a Tech 21 GT2 for distortion ( Classic/Calif-mode) with Mogami gold cables in between to a Class-A Crate V32 Palomino (another great stuff). The distortion of the V32 is good but can sound a little raspy. The GT2 acts like an equalizer to even up and bundles up the sound. With the V32 you get a full thick sound.The clean sound of the Burstbuckers can be so alluring and a flick of a switch you enter the ditortion mode of a buttery wallop of every chord or note you play.Unbelievable.

The action, weight, and feel are superb. For $800, I can ignore tiny flaws if any. It is about the TONE,man.

The strap buttons sucked. I replaced them with straplocks for ultimate security. This guitar can withsand live playing for sure.

Guitar Center sales people are extremely nice and helpful.I am sure it goes the same with Gibson.

I also have a American Deluxe Strat Lone Star and retired Mexican Strat with SD SH6 humbys, Taynor CV-80, and a 60-watter Mesa Boogie combo and I am sure this Les Paul will fit in just fine. I thought the Strat could serve as a one trick pony but boy am I wrong. This Les Paul should be licensed when played - it can be brutal.

great standard Les Paul Features...Burst Bucker Pro Alnico V Pup's too! Can't beat it!

This guitar sounds like heaven! The best I've heard in a Humbucker guitar! Fantastic Pup's!

I like the Finish and wood grain feel...down to earth, it's a Nitro Finish too!

SOLID and USEABLE anywhere!

Vincent is the best...excellent customer support!

I'd buy another one!or 2 Ha! The guitar case is fantastic! Great Guitar!

Beautiful guitar, mahogany, carved top, burstbucker pro pups, this thing doesn't have anything extra, pure LP.

Tone monster! I'm a total tone freak, and this has the best tone I've heard. Played it side by side with both an Eric Johnson strat and a 3300 dollar LP custom, and this puppy owns both of their souls. No noise whatsoever, and it sustains for days. I hit the metal muff, palm muted an open power chord and sat it down, went to the bathroom, came back, and it was still going. Clean it actually responds to attack, pick it light and it's super clean, dig in and it responds by driving the tubes (: I'm playing it through an Epi Valve Junior head (amazing by the way), with a "custom" 1x12 cab.

I got lucky here, frets are amazing, pups are great, body is flawless, the nut is perfectly done (better than my explorer by lightyears), action is a little high for my taste, but I like a super low action.

Tank. Only word to describe it. I'm giving it a 9 b/c the strap buttons are a joke. I'll be gigging with this baby all summer, no backup. Amazing.

Haven't had to deal with them. Don't think I will either.

I've been playing seriously now for about 5-6 months. I tend to play blues, almost exclusively. Lot's of improv and soloing (playing by myself :). If this guitar was stolen I'd buy another in a heartbeat, though I definitely can't afford it. I have a Breedlove AC250/CR acoustic (sounds better than any other guitar that wasn't a Breedlove that I've played), an Epi Explorer (selling if you want it), and an Ibanez hollowbody set up for open tunings and slide.

Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany made in the USA in 2006.
Has Worn Brown finish w/ Mahogany body and cap.
Alcino 5 BurstBucker Pro Pickups, the awesome '59 style neck, Tune-O-Matic Bridge, two volume knobs, 2 treble cut knobs, three-way pickup selector switch, truss rod tool, 22-frets, Rosewood fingerboard and a Gibson USA hard-shell case made in Canada.

It is a bare bones LP... no finish, no gloss, no binding, no frills.

This is why you bought the guitar. Not a polite sounding instrument, the Burtbucker Pros and Mahogany body make this a tone monster. Insane sustain. Deep chocolaty sounds. Excels at classic rock and blues, but is still very versatile none the less. Great LP sound.

This is were the VM takes a hit. Gibson is obviously just pounding out these guitars as fast as possible. Its took me a good while to find one that didn't suffer from one or more of the following flaws:
Sharp, poorly filed frets, wood chips rattling around in the chambers, beyond poor set-up (horrible action and intonation). I did manage to find one that was in excellent shape. I recommend you try a whole wack of them before you buy... or you may find yourself sending afew back.

This thing is built like a dump truck.
Solid and reliable. I gig with my VM and trust it, however bringing a back up just in case is always he smart idea...better safe than sorry.

The thin Nitro finish wears very fast. It first becomes very glossy then starts to cut through and wear the wood. This will be either good or bad in people's eyes. If you want a guitar thats going to look mint for a life time... this isnt it.... if you really get off on that used vintage look, you're in for a sweet surpirse. The Vintage Mahogany wears beautifully. I really love the feel of the neck once the nitro is smoothed and begins to wear... it almost feels slick, very cool.

The Strap buttons are insanly small, dare I say; useless. Install strap locks asap or your brand new VM is taking a header off the stage.

I've never had to deal with Gibson directly.

I have been playing off and on for 11 years. I've always wanted a Gibson LP, but like other starving students/artists could never muster the 3 grand needed to purchase a standard. This guitar was a heaven-sent. All the sound and playability of a Standard.... with no flash. Its all go and no show.

The pure sound of this guitar is what Gibson is selling. Worth every penny.

You know the drill on this guitar, all mahogany body, 50's neck, burtbucker pros, nothing drastically fancy but it does the job, theres weight to it none of the ones i tried were much heiver than a Strat.

Wonderful balanced gibsony sound, same pickups as the Les Paul Standard, goes from clean to crunchy with no effects, straight into the amp, sounds much better thru a tube amp but what doesn't. All around great sound fitting for rock, classic rock, alt rock, ugh... even country

This is where things get kinda sad, outa the box everything seemed good and tight, finish was there, its a nice satin finish that you will love if you like the "woody" look, action was good, low with no dead spots, frets were passible, not perfect but passible by all means, mine were nicely filled, BUT, and here comes the but, It is a weight relieved body, meaning there is a hollow spot in the upper body, and if anything ever gets stuck in there, say some wood chips that some gibson builder didn't blow out before glueing the top to the back then you have a gibson marraka/guitar, back to GC this one went for exchange, this kinda thing shouldn't happen, but it did, so be warry if you are buying, you may want to shake yours arounda bit before buying. if it weren't for this grevious ooops id give this a 9

Its a gibson, built to last, would never gig without a backup tho, sorry string breaks do happen. Hardware is the gibson standard chrome seems like it'll last an eternity. Finish is thin and will eventually wear out probly sooner than later, but thats part of the gibson vintage charm i guess, the strap buttons are super small thou, so if you don't want your gibson on the stage floor invest in some strap locks and you'll worry alot less.

Gibson is super good in this category, just make sure your warranty gets in within 15 days of purchase!

Shazam, been playing 8 years and have owned more than my share of stuff, fenders, ibanez's, washburns, schecters, both high and low end stuff, and none of it holds a candle to what this thing can do, the shorter scale, is nice and comfortable to play, this sings and sustains wonderfully, and the pickups can definetly hold thier own against any heavy handed drummer. good deal, not a great one, but a good one for sure.

Gibson Les Paul "Studio" model, Vintage Mahogany - year 2006? - USA
Cherry finish, Mahogany body
2 BurstBucker Pickups
'59 neck
22-frets w/ abalone trapezoid inlay, Rosewood fingerboard
Came w/ Gibson USA hard-shell case.

Musically, this Les Paul blends great with my playing whether it's rock, blues, jazz, country, etc. So it's pretty versatile.

The guitar sounds best when you plug it straight into an amp, cranked up a bit. Nice dynamics. I also use it with an overdrive/chorus/delay setup, which sounds cool.

The pickups have a lot of output, yet each note retains definition. Sounds rich and thick - like a Les Paul, of course - but with more overtones giving it a more chime-like quality. The neck pickup is fantastic - not muddy at all, like on some Les Pauls.

Factory set-up was adequate. The intonation was off, so I had to do some tweaking. But I had a problem with the intonation above the 12th fret, where the top notes sound sharp, especially noticeable when you play octaves. When I compensate for the pitch there by retuning, then the guitar is out of tune in the first position and lower down. I think it's a Gibson design flaw, since every other Les Paul I've owned had similar issues. I sort of ignore it and compensate with my hands when it sounds a little off-pitch.

If you like lightly finished "woody" guitars, then this one's your baby. Very natural looking, low gloss with a nice color (cherry looks great). There were some rough spots on the lower cutout on the body, like someone at the factory didn't buff it out enough.

It's reliable, relatively durable. The light finish seems like it would be more prone to getting dings and scratches, so if you're particularly precious about your guitar then you might like to baby this one on a gig.

Never had to deal with Gibson so...

The Les Paul is a classic design that just dictates what you have to do with the guitar. If you want that Les Paul sound, it's gotta be a Les Paul. When you pick one up and play it, you just know what it is...

The prices for a used Les Paul are in the stratosphere, and the other models currently offered are prohibitively expensive. This Vintage Mahogany Les Paul was relatively a steal.

Basically a Les Paul Studio '59 profile neck, Mahogany body AND cap with downgraded finish (Worn Cherry) and upgraded electronics (Bursbuster Pro pickups)as noted by other reviewers. The finish is stain plus 1-2 mil thick nitro-cellulose. Trapizoid fretboard inlays on a Rosewood fretboard. Chrome hardware and Klueson green tuners. Nice hardshell case included. I'm giving it a 10 because of the Burstbuster Pro pups on a studio model & Hardshell case for the low price (otherwise an 8).

Here is where this Gibson really shines through. This is my 3rd Gibson to own. I've had plenty of LP copies and replicas also. With the combination of Mahogany body, cap, Alnico 5 Burstbuster Pros and the paper-thin nitro-cellulouse laquer, this guitar is TONE HEAVEN. Serious, hardcore buttery tone. More than any guitar I've owned. It just doesn't stop no matter what amp I use. (Marshall Valvestate 4x12 & Line 6 2x12, several Marshall MDF's and Mesa's for reference.) It's right on par with other Les Pauls costing 2 thousand dollars more. It's very responsive and articulate and the whole body resonates when you play it. It's bright, full and throaty with plenty of bass response. Crank up the gain and the sustain just rolls on and on. Wow.

I purchased this Les Paul from GC. They had 3 left. The 2 worn brown ones looked totally abused. I could tell the nuts weren't cut properly and the intonation was off. I guess I got lucky with mine. no flaws at all. Frets were nice, finish was beautiful (really like the worn cherry, photos do NOT do it justice). The finish works well on the neck. Very fast and never gets sticky. Intonation was spot on. action was set at a mid level. Everything was lined up and played quite well. No buzzing, ratteling or noise. The pots roll off very evenly. Tuning pegs seem to be ok so far. Seems this one was properly inspected and set up. Just needed to personalize the action.

Tank. Gibson says if the finish gets shiny, use 0000 steel wool to buff it back to a satin.

Live playing? It's a Gibson, of course it will withstand live playing. Strap buttons are too small. Other than that, it's ready to rock.

Gibson has answered my emails within a day everytime I have a question. So far so good.

Again this particular model really shines. You get a uniquely finished, solid Mahogany, highly upgraded, USA made Gibson Les Paul Studio with a '59 neck profile for $799. This is an insane, insane, insane value. I believe it will only go up in price. It's really an excellent high-level guitar for good players. I did not compare this guitar to others when making a purchase. I was specifically looking for sound (for years). Happened to be this guitar.

I have been playing 31 years, both professionally and as a hobby. My guitars range from a 1951 Gibson ES 150 to a Peavy Wolfgang Standard Deluxe, with everything in between.

Although this is the most affordable carved-top guitar, it has many high-end features. It has Gibson deluxe tuners, which stay in tune very well. The main reason people talk about them detuning easily is that they don't allow the strings to stretch. Once the strings stretch these tuners are great. The neck is a '59 Les Paul neck, which is one of the most sought after necks. I love it. It came with a Gibson hardshell case. It has 22 frets. It has a solid mahogany top and back, as well as neck. The fretboard is rosewood. The rosewood on mine is very nice; it's ssimilar to ebony. It plays much nicer than my last guitar-an Epiphone Les Paul Special. There are 2 tone(treble cut), 2 volume, and a 3-way selector switch. There are 2 Gibson burstbucker pro humbucking pickups(passive), which are amazing-it's what they use on the Standards. The mahogany top is nice-it cuts down on the weight of the guitar(it's much easier to hold than a maple top Les Paul), as well as balancing the bright tone of the burstbucker pros. It has trapezoidal inlays and it comes with a pickguard.

The sound is great! I play a variety of things and it is very versatile.
I use it with a Fender Blues Junior. The neck pickup gets a warm, full, creamy sound and the bridge pickup gets an articulate sound-it sounds similar to Jimmy Page's bridge pickup. The neck pickup also gets a throaty sound when you play up high on the neck with overdrive. This guitar has a huge range of sounds it can make.

The set-up was great-the action was really low with no dead spots or fret buzz. The pickups were adjusted well. The rosewood fretboard is really playable and the frets are smooth. There were no flaws in the set-up.

This guitar seems like it is very tough. It doesn't have a shiny finish like many Les Pauls-it has the natural wood grain. The hardware seems durable. I think that it is definately dependable. However, the strap buttons are small. I will need to replace them. This is not as big a deal as it would be with a maple-top Les Paul because it is lighter but it is still a problem. I dropped it once already(the side of the rosewood fretboard chipped a little bit because it landed on a metal edge but it doesn't affect playability or anything other than the looks -and even then it's not very noticeable. No other damage was done).
I would gig with a backup just in case but I would not expect to have to use it.

I have not needed customer service but it has a lifetime warranty.

I have been taking guitar lessons for about 4 years and I'm lead guitarist in a band. I own an Epiphone Les Paul Special, a Fender Blues Junior amp, and a Fender Frontman 15W amp. My dad owns a Martin DC-15E and a Gibson Blueshawk, which I can play. If this was stolen or lost, I would get it again. The best thing about this guitar is the sound. It is far better than all Epiphones I've tried, the Blueshawk, and many other guitars I tried in stores. I wish that Gibson would put in better strap buttons on their guitars but that is a minor inconvenience. It is also an amazing value. I doubt it will stay this cheap for long.

After several months of playing this guitar, I am updating my earlier review. As stated by another reviewer, this is a Les Paul Studio model with upgraded pickups and downgraded finish. In my opinion, the most important features are the Burstbucker Pro pick ups and the mahogany carved body (3 piece main body, two piece veneer mahogany top).

As noted in all the other reviews, this is, without question, a great sounding guitar. When you crank it up and play, the tone immediately gets your attention. It is the unmistakable, classic Gibson Les Paul sound. Although I have played a lot of good sounding guitars, there are benchmark, classic guitar tones that stand alone and this is one of them. It is a signature sound. I totally agree with another reviewer who said that it has a tonal variety unlike any other guitar I have played or owned. The all mahogany body and Burstbucker Pro pick up formula works really well.

The guitar has tremendous sustain. The pick ups respond to picking dynamics and are clearer when you pick softly and break up nicely when you play hard. Outstanding blues and rock tones. It works for jazz too. With that kind of sound and range, when I first took it out of the box, as bad as the set up was, I could not stop playing the thing. I think the neck pick up is particularly good.

In the way of minor problems, at first, the guitar would not stay in tune. In response, I changed the strings and applied lube to the nut and bridge saddles. End of problem. After several months of regular playing, the guitar stays in tune even after aggressive bends and picking. Other reviewers talked about putting in new machine heads but I would suggest you try new strings and lube first. Another easy fix was the loose, upside down pick up selector switch.

In the way of bigger problems, similar to the experience of many of the other reviewers, the out of the box set up was bad. The action was very high and, in particular, the frets did not seem to have been given any finishing at all. So, you have to be prepared to do, or pay for, a thorough setup. In my case, the frets felt harsh and, in particular, the fret ends were very sharp. I opted to have a full fret job done and it made a huge difference. The overall feel of the neck and the playability improved dramatically.

My guitar was a scratch and dent purchase from a major on-line retailer. With the frets and set up the way they were, I could understand why it was a return. But, the scratch and dent price reduction coupled with an additional 10% off from another promotion resulted in a bottom line of $688.50. That price pretty much offsets most of my complaints.

The guitar has a nearly flat finish. I used super fine steel wool (0000 grade) soaked in gun stock wax (recommended by Ernie Ball for their unfinished guitar necks) to gently buff out the finish. The guitar now has a uniform, super smooth, soft shine. In my opinion, the soft sheen with the red body looks good. The lack of a high gloss finish on the neck is nice. It has a very smooth feel with zero drag on your hand

Structurally, this guitar is as solid as a tank. It also has a really nice hard shell case.

Outstanding. I sent two e-mails to Gibson customer service and in the first one, they replied overnight and in the second one, they replied within the hour. They seem to take service very seriously.

This is a diamond in the rough. Out of the box, the sound is right there but the playability is not. Based on my experience and that of other reviewers, this is a great sounding guitar that will very likely need a thorough set up to be really playable (in my case a complete fret job, refiling the nut, etc). As stated by another reviewer, find a good Gibson dealer or custom shop that you believe in and let them do their magic. Good advice. For me, the $688.50 purchase price made the extra cost of the fret job less of an issue. With the set up and fret job done, it is a nice playing, terrific sounding guitar that I am very happy with. The Burstbucker Pro pick ups are outstanding. Every time I pick this guitar up, it pours out that unmistakable Les Paul sound. I find myself mostly alternating between this guitar and two other classic, signature sound guitars. A USA Stratocaster Standard (an extremely versatile, terrific guitar) and a Fender Classic Player Series Baja Telecaster with a 4 position pick up switch, custom pick ups and the S 1 system (a phenomenal guitar). The Les Paul is right there with its own unique, trademark sound (and now, good playability).

Reading all the other reviews before I bought this guitar helped me a lot. Having all the information in advance led me to believe (correctly) that this was a great sounding guitar that would need some work. As a result, when this came up as a scratch and dent, I immediately jumped on it because I knew what to expect and that the reduced price would probably offset the cost of a professional set up (also correct).

You know the features. some complain that it hasnt got enough of them... this is silly. Its got 2 great humbuckers and 4 knobs... what more could you want? I actually prefer fewer features, since it indicates to me that your money went to high quality craftsmanship and woods and electronics, rather than a smorgesboard of cheaply done tricks to make you think its a better guitar.

Great for a warm, thick vintagey tone. Im coming off of playing a maple fretboard strat, so anything sounds thick compared to that. The tone really is nice though. The mahogany body and rosewood fb couple to give a really resonant warm sound. The control pots all function well: no noise and the guitar sounds good on settings other than with the tone control on ten, but i may later upgrade to sprauge tone caps. to me the "sound" category is why one buys a guitar in the first place, and this one just reeks of it. Good for blues, jazz, rock, country (ugh), or anything where you dont need crazy gain or saturation.

Cant comment on the factory setup since i got mine used. Frets are finished well, i was woried from the lack of binding, but there are no really jaggy fret ends, so its ok. Finish is great, becuae its "worn" you dont have to worry about every little nick the guitar gets, they dont stand out. The worn finish on the neck feels faster to me than the glossy finish on a 2000 dollar paul.

Seems solid as a rock, cant forsee any problems. Hardware is heavy, electronics are american, made from solid wood. Take care of her and she will definately last as long as you.

No warranty, since i got it used.

ive been playing for about 5 years. I play this guitar into a peavy classic 30, with a hemp speaker cone!. I dont know things just sound better through cannabis. I dont usually use effects, maybe an ocassional wah, or proco rat. The guitar sounds great, dollar for dollar probably one of the best guitars you can get. No need to waste money on some glossy finish and fancy binding or some silly tremolo... every aspect of this guitar is made to sound good, rather than looking fancy. If it were lost or stolen i wouldnt have enough money to buy another one, but i would anyway.

Standard Les Paul pickup setup and wiring. Does have the trapezoid fret markers which does make it look like a standard. No binding or
fancy finish, hence the lower cost. MIne is the faded cherry finish with a very nice Gibson USA case. Burstbucker pro pickups. See the gibson website for info on the different pickups. Mahogany back with a separate mahogany top, basically a remake of the 1954 Black Beauty without the paint and binding.

It sounds very good to me, I played a lot of Pauls and it actually sounds better than most of their models, regardless of price. It leans heavily toward vintage tones, so don't expect a metal experience. It is that old Gibson sound that is fat and bright at the same time. A little more snarl in the mids than the other Pauls with alnico 2 pickups, as the burstbucker pros are alnico 5, a major difference. Some might find it a little too honky, but it depends on your pedalboard/amp combination. My setup is as follows - Boss Tuner-Morley Wah-DunlopComp-Boss OD3-Blues Driver-Delay-Chorus-Reverb-Marshall JTM30 clean channel. This amp works for modern rock tones. I also play it straight into a Fender Pro Junior and it is vintage ZZTop "Waiting on The Bus" with this amp, a truly cool blues/rock sound experience. It is very quiet in all situations. I also use a Boss GT-8 for demo work and practice and it really sounds great into this.

I have had this ax for a year and mine was in good shape, I bought it new from Musicians friend. I had to file one fret at the 15th fret on one side. The strings it came with were junk, I put a set of Daddario 10's on it and it made a major improvement. It stays in tune good, but a Paul will never stay in tune like a strat, so don't expect it too; this is simple physics based on scale length. The guitar is pretty in it's own way, but it is not as pretty as the sunburst standards. Mine is light for a Paul at 8.5 pounds, it appears to be only one piece of wood on the back. The light nitro finish is good in that the guitar resonates, this is a major selling point. You would have to play it to understand what this does for a guitar

I replaced the strap buttons with Dunlops. As with all Gibsons don't leave it in a guitar stand or you may get it tipped over by a bar patron or a careless onlooker. The hardware is top notch Gibson parts and I would expect them to last forever. I have gigged with only this axe, but for a paying audience I would have this guitar and my strat and tele too. The finish will wear off sooner than average, but that is a plus to me. Pretty, shiny guitars with a pound of varnish are useless to me.

No experience with this.

I have been playing for 34 years. I own around 12 guitars, 3 fenders, an ibanez, a wolfgang, several acoustics, etc. I can't complain about the playability of this guitar, it is very solid and the tones are pure Gibson. I played a lot of Gibsons and many of them are just too heavy and dead sounding. This guitar sounds very alive and open. If you are in need of a Paul but are not happy with the standards or customs or other studio models, you should at least play one of these. It gives you vintage Paul tones for less money. If you can live with the faded cherry finish its a winner.
Last of all - there is a major difference between this guitar and the Epiphone Les Pauls that I have played. Basically there is no comparison in sound or playability. The Epis are pretty, but they will not sound exactly like a Gibson no matter what you do to them. It's the wood and the one piece neck for starters. That does not mean that all Gibsons are good guitars, some of the Epis do play as good as a lot of the Gibsons. I would recommend playing as many as you can before you buy, or go mail order if they have a return policy. I tried a 1986 Gibson Les Paul 2 weeks ago from a very reputable used dealer in Michigan and it was a beautiful guitar, but it sounded dead compared to the Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany that I own. All in all this guitar is worth the price paid, and that is a great thing in today's world.

Happy Playing!

Standard Les Paul pickup setup and wiring. Does have the trapezoid fret markers which does make it look like a standard. No binding or
fancy finish, hence the lower cost. MIne is the faded cherry finish with a very nice Gibson USA case. Burstbucker pro pickups. See the gibson website for info on the different pickups. Mahogany back with a separate mahogany top, basically a remake of the 1954 Black Beauty without the paint and binding.

It sounds very good to me, I played a lot of Pauls and it actually sounds better than most of their models, regardless of price. It leans heavily toward vintage tones, so don't expect a metal experience. It is that old Gibson sound that is fat and bright at the same time. A little more snarl in the mids than the other Pauls with alnico 2 pickups, as the burstbucker pros are alnico 5, a major difference. Some might find it a little too honky, but it depends on your pedalboard/amp combination. My setup is as follows - Boss Tuner-Morley Wah-DunlopComp-Boss OD3-Blues Driver-Delay-Chorus-Reverb-Marshall JTM30 clean channel. This amp works for modern rock tones. I also play it straight into a Fender Pro Junior and it is vintage ZZTop "Waiting on The Bus" with this amp, a truly cool blues/rock sound experience. It is very quiet in all situations. I also use a Boss GT-8 for demo work and practice and it really sounds great into this.

I have had this ax for a year and mine was in good shape, I bought it new from Musicians friend. I had to file one fret at the 15th fret on one side. The strings it came with were junk, I put a set of Daddario 10's on it and it made a major improvement. It stays in tune good, but a Paul will never stay in tune like a strat, so don't expect it too; this is simple physics based on scale length. The guitar is pretty in it's own way, but it is not as pretty as the sunburst standards. Mine is light for a Paul at 8.5 pounds, it appears to be only one piece of wood on the back. The light nitro finish is good in that the guitar resonates, this is a major selling point. You would have to play it to understand what this does for a guitar

I replaced the strap buttons with Dunlops. As with all Gibsons don't leave it in a guitar stand or you may get it tipped over by a bar patron or a careless onlooker. The hardware is top notch Gibson parts and I would expect them to last forever. I have gigged with only this axe, but for a paying audience I would have this guitar and my strat and tele too. The finish will wear off sooner than average, but that is a plus to me. Pretty, shiny guitars with a pound of varnish are useless to me.

No experience with this.

I have been playing for 34 years. I own around 12 guitars, 3 fenders, an ibanez, a wolfgang, several acoustics, etc. I can't complain about the playability of this guitar, it is very solid and the tones are pure Gibson. I played a lot of Gibsons and many of them are just too heavy and dead sounding. This guitar sounds very alive and open. If you are in need of a Paul but are not happy with the standards or customs or other studio models, you should at least play one of these. It gives you vintage Paul tones for less money. If you can live with the faded cherry finish its a winner.
Last of all - there is a major difference between this guitar and the Epiphone Les Pauls that I have played. Basically there is no comparison in sound or playability. The Epis are pretty, but they will not sound exactly like a Gibson no matter what you do to them. It's the wood and the one piece neck for starters. That does not mean that all Gibsons are good guitars, some of the Epis do play as good as a lot of the Gibsons. I would recommend playing as many as you can before you buy, or go mail order if they have a return policy. I tried a 1986 Gibson Les Paul 2 weeks ago from a very reputable used dealer in Michigan and it was a beautiful guitar, but it sounded dead compared to the Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany that I own. All in all this guitar is worth the price paid, and that is a great thing in today's world.

Happy Playing!

It's been covered ad nauseum by hundreds of reviews. I'll give it a 10 simply because it has all the features a Les Paul has ever had.

Maybe the most amazingly voiced Les Paul I've ever played. The mahogany body and Burstbucker pups create a sparkly clean or throaty roar. This guitar simply rocks. Definately the most versatile LP tonewise.

Well, they are just throwing these things out the door with little or no setup. I got mine from Sweetwater Music. They, unlike Musicians Friend, actually open the box and make sure the guitar is playable. Either way, the fretwork is rough, the pup height is ridiculous, visible glue at neck joints, intonation is off. What you get is a great sounding guitar that needs finished. I don't like that Gibson brazenly doesn't care because people are buying them anyway. Thats not good business in my mind. It still has the Gibson name on it and they should have pride in their flagship model no matter the price they are charging. But hey, it's a bargain basement price on a LP that only needs another $50 put into it for the setup.

A chuck o' mahogany and pickups. It's a tank. The perfect road axe.

I've been playing for almost 37 years now. Owned literally dozens of guitars over the years, currently have 8. I love this guitar. It's the most tonefull LP i've played. I don't even mind the non-existent finish. It just makes the guitar that much more resonant and your not afraid to take it out or get it dinged up. This is the best deal ever on a great sounding Les Paul. If lost or stolen I'd run right out and get another. I've even considered getting another at $799 before they go back up to $1000!

Satin finish, natural mahogany - like a piece of fine furniture. Bought in Nov. 2006. Musicians Friend.com has more info since it was meda for them by Gibson.

The sound of these Burstbucker pros are real nice and vintage-y sounding. Very clean and bright. Very versatile with the mahogany body - kind of like the 57 customs..body resonates well and the neck is beefy. Sound great with tubes or ss amps - have used both. Excellent vintage Les Paul sound.

Well, from the factory this guitar was not setup well. However, not a big deal. Most factory setups are a rush job. The pickup height, intonation, action were all off. Hey, ya gotta set them up the way YOU want anyway! The fret ends were a little sharp - had them sanded by a Gibson dealer(under warranty). Otherwise, finish is nice and all electronics and hardware are fine. Stays in tune fine.

Gibson quality is still decent. Thin nitro finish - comes with a hardcase.

Warranty support excellent.

Overall, I would say that this Les Paul is a great guitar for the price. I'd buy another if needed. I like the feel of the unfinished body and back of neck. Highly recommended.

2006 LP Mahogony with brown satin nitrocellous finish. Carved top, burstbucker PRO pickups, Klungson type tuners, includes hard case

This guitar with the Burstbucker pickup sounds really nice, makes the guitar. Almost any type of music can be had, can overdrive an amp quite easily and still sound clear, for a hummy, though clean, not quite as clear as a good single coil, like a good vintage Strat or Tele PU. Blues, jazz no probs,, metal too,, country maybe. With the mahogony body and thin laquer finish, the body resonates well unplugged and contributes to its wonderful sound plugged in. Strumming a low G power chord with some tube OD sounds like a wah pedal is being used to give added resonance. It just sings, a vocal type sound like in a classical instrument. you have to hear it yourself, but be forwarned, you will buy this guitar once hearing it though the finish may detract you.

QC on this thing is terrible, I mean there is 1 ding on the side of the fretboard and 2 dings on the neck near the joint like someone didn't give a tinkers damn about it. This seems to be a common problem. I wonder if the same idiot handles the guitar after a certain stage in manufacture that causes this. I went back to GC to look, found some guitars having this issue and some do not. Mine was the 826th made that day according to the serial number stamp There is also a ding near the edge on the big curve on top where one rests the guitar on the chest while playing sitting down. At first I did not think this a big deal as I inspected the guitar out of the box at my local GC, it looked like a dark brown spot like a knot or dark spot in the wood, but closer inspection when I got it home reveals someone jabbed, what looks to be, a tool into the wood. You can see the nick with a sliver of bare wood if holding the guitar at a certain angle and light. Damn!! I was and still am trying to decide whether to take this thing back or not! The thing is as part of my inspection , it played REALLY well and was in tune out of the case!,,, Was well setup (1.2mm - 1st string, 2mm - 6th string @17th fret) and had well dressed frets. Reason why I ignored the dark-brown spot in the store, the neck felt WAY better than the ones on the rack, nice and smooth, like my Strat and Tele.

Don't know, like anything else, have to treat it right. IMHO the most robust guitar is a Tele and Strat. I wanted to make one of my Strats "Road Worthy" and not have to worry about putting dings and the like on it. So I decided, to help me get over it, by putting dings on the guitar my self by using a hammer and rapping the guitar. You have to rap quite hard to put a ding onto a Strat or Tele for that matter! The LP does not seem to be as sturdy to me.

don't know but I had a repair on an Epi guitar done under warranty with no hassle

$799.00 is a lot for a guitar , but to be fair, a case is included, so, a Gibson LP case on the GC WEB site is $160.00, the guitar, assuming my mathe is correct, costs $640.00. Ofcourse one cannot purchase this guitar new without the case but I want to make some obervations. An EPI LP with P90's cost $600.00. This is a finished LP with a carved maple or alder greenish color top and Epis VERY fine P90 PUs. When I got this guitar it had no flaws, infact , it was perfect! Finish, setup, Fret dressing and all, perfect. My PRS with Red mahogony Soapbar II which was $500.00 though not a carved body was also perfect. All my Strats and Teles that came from Fender, came with a Perfect finish and fret dressing (setup is another thing with Fender along with standard PUs). This Mahogony LP should be an easy guitar for Gibson to get right, no fancy top or finish. We are only talking about some carefull manufacturing processes here. This model guitar can be built well, the stuff that most purchasers state is wrong IE: nicks, dings and setup probs are inexcusible. If this guitar did not play and sound the way it does, and since its a Gibson (fancy name), I would consider getting my money back, getting something else. I like the elemental finish, don't need anything fancy. I imagine Gibson knows this, it may be these guitars do not pass the muster to get completely finished so on goes the brown stain, who knows? I'm still giving this guitar a 10 overall. Why? It plays and sounds like a gem. So, I got some brown rosewood stain and filled in the nick, can't really tell, its roadworthy now!