LES PAUL STUDIOS

[GuitarDoc]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

I know i'm in the minority with this, but I've just got to say it.

I would take a Studio ANY day over a Standard because of the neck binding. Gibson does the worst neck binding of any guitar I've ever owned. The Studio with no binding is the best thing Gibson has ever done for the playability of a neck.

There I've said it.

Now don't anybody accuse me of not really knowing because I haven't owned a "REAL" Gibson. At least eleven or twelve over the years that I can remember. I have to say that the earlier ones (1960's) were pretty darn good, but the newer ones are crap! (Speaking of quality in general, but neck binding specifically).

If I've gotta have a Gibson, it hasta be without neck binding.

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

I have said this before in numerous posts about the same thing:

A Studio is ALL the Les Paul you NEED. 100% on the vibe, the sound, the feel. What makes an LP an LP is NOT binding, crown inlays, etc...

In fact, you may find some Studios that sound better than Standards or Customs.

Is it a 'standard' ???? No.


But it is 22 frets of 24 3/4 mahogany body, maple top, rosewood board, double humbucker, two volume/tone goodness. And that is what a Les PAul is ALL about!

I agree for the most part but keep in mind that the Studios from 2006-present are all chambered. Having said that, some people may or may not classify them as a LP anymore because of the switch from the traditional weight relief to the chambering. Weight relief was how they were done from 1982ish to mid 2006ish. Also you have to be carful not to confuse the pre 2005 (and part of 2006) Standards that were weight relieved to the newer 08 Standards (from 2008-present) which are chambered and have a bunch of newer features (newly designed long neck tenon, new jack, new tuners, etc). Oh and don't forget the assymetical neck and pcb electronics they added later on.

[hamerfan]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

The lack of neck binding on the Studios is a total deal-breaker for me.

It's 100% superficial and in no way reflects my perception of the quality of the instrument, which is very good, but I cannot help it.

+1

There are Chevrolets which are not Chevys to me!

[ImmortalSix]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

The lack of neck binding on the Studios is a total deal-breaker for me.

It's 100% superficial and in no way reflects my perception of the quality of the instrument, which is very good, but I cannot help it.

It's weird, me too.

I bought an Epiphone over a Studio because (well, really, because the Epiphone was a better guitar) it's better looking / doesn't look incomplete.

Binding on the body and neck is important to me aesthetically.

All that said, the alpine white Studio is the poor man's Custom. It has an ebony board and gold hardware. And since it's white, the lack of binding is more subtle.

[misterwhizzy]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

I agree for the most part but keep in mind that the Studios from 2006-present are all chambered. Having said that, some people may or may not classify them as a LP anymore because of the switch from the traditional weight relief to the chambering. Weight relief was how they were done from 1982ish to mid 2006ish. Also you have to be carful not to confuse the pre 2005 (and part of 2006) Standards that were weight relieved to the newer 08 Standards (from 2008-present) which are chambered and have a bunch of newer features (newly designed long neck tenon, new jack, new tuners, etc). Oh and don't forget the assymetical neck and pcb electronics they added later on.

Aren't religious topics banned?

[mwalluk]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

I agree for the most part but keep in mind that the Studios from 2006-present are all chambered.

Not true. The Studio Deluxe (which was a GC and MF exclusive) is weight relieved. There's one or two others that are as well. But the majority are chambered.

[BEACHBUM]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

Why shouldn't the Studio capture all of that. Minus the cosmetics they are the same guitar, pick ups and all as the Custom. Here's another way to look at it. If you figure that the total weight of the mother of pearl and plastic binding on the Custom comes to about 6 oz it seems that Gibson is charging just under $500 an oz. for it over the price of the Studio. I like binding and inlays as well but I'm not nuts enough to pay that kind of money for them.



Here's another way of looking at it. I had a very well known inlay artist in my area do this 18K gold dove at the side of the neck at the 12th. fret on my Taylor 810. It's hand cut on a compound radius and is a work of art. He charged me $45.00 for it. I'll leave it to you to decide whether the Gibson computer routed inlays that require filler to hide the built in tolerance lines around the stock cut inlays on the Custom are worth the extra $2700.00 you will pay for them over the price of the Studio. Add to that the fact that on some high end models like the ES 137 Gibson doesn't even use real mother of pearl but rather simulated plastic inlays. Perhaps now you can begin to see that the Gibson cosmetics circus amounts to nothing more than a a disgraceful price gouging scam. For that kind of money I'm sure that my guy would do an inlay job that covered every square inch of the guitar depicting the entire history of the universe in mother of pearl, abalone, and gold. But, at the end of the day it wouldn't make my Studio sound or play one bit better and, the huge amount of money you pay for the cosmetics on higher end Gibsons doesn't make them sound or play one bit better either.

[everdrone]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

Id much rather have a nice gibson sg standard

which is what I did, a black almost new one I got for $850

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

Not true. The Studio Deluxe (which was a GC and MF exclusive) is weight relieved. There's one or two others that are as well. But the majority are chambered.

My bad, I'd forgotten about the Studio Deluxes. The regular Studios are all chambered though. Theres also the 50's Tributes (and 60's> but have p90s) which are weight relieved. Gibson has to many Gibson USA Models..... It's pretty rediculous....

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

Aren't religious topics banned?

har har har. I wasn't taking a side I was simply saying that I'd noticed some people being particular and not considering a chambered LP to be a real LP.

[richard parker]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

Thanks for the input folks, there's some seriously nice looking Studios out there. Time to start saving.

[Aceman]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

Chambered schmambered. Listen to the damm thing! If it feels good, and sounds good, it IS good.

I'll tell you why Gibson chambers them - and don't make that "oh no he didn't" face.

It's because they, like me, got tired of all the girly-man pooseys b!tching like they were on the View about how heavy they are.

I love LP's in all their appointments. Studio, Standard, Custom...but if it came down to rocking one - it doesn't matter. And as I have said many times - mahagony, maple pieces, neck mahogany, rosewood, it's a tonally complicated beast. On ANY Les Paul sometimes those things come together to make magic, other times they make crap. The wood doesn't care what model it went into. Play them all, pick the best.

I would never order one online without touching it/hearing it.

[Brow]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

I'm glad this thread came up as I'm currently looking into a Studio or a Studio Tribute to get with some job redundancy money I've recently gotten.

I didn't know there were that many differences between the models, so I'm glad this thread came along

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: LES PAUL STUDIOS

If you ever encounter an Alpine White 1998 model with what is now a crackle glaze finish, leave it where you found it and move onto the next one you find - it will be better, promise...