Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

[TRex]

I tinker and such too much for a PCB wiring, I hate the 2015 wider necks feel, brown plastics, and Gforce seems to not hold tune very well. If Gibson doesn't get out a atleast closer model for me in the 2016 line, I'll be looking at alternatives. (Pre ~2008 studios all dont have maple tops iirc which I want)

Gforce and PCB are fixable things, and the wider neck is only on the 2015, but I rather not have to dump $50+ on tuners, $50+ on wiring stuff, and however much for cream mounting rings and switch thingy on a new guitar right off the bat. All these things where normal on these guitars till recently.

If I can't find a used one I fall in love with, and gibson doesn't fix it in the 2016 lineup, where should I start looking? Budget ~$1400

American made would be best.

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[Chickenwings]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

save up a bit more and look at a nice used standard. Possibly see if you can find one with the slimmer 60s neck

 

[greekdude]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

Ibanez ARZ

 

[AlexR]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

Most studios have maple tops.

Some don't, but its a minority.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

If you don't want a set neck then I would go with a Warmoth Regal. It is exactly in the $1400 budget and they are premium guitars. Plus you can pick the woods you want for the body and neck down to the exact top on the guitar or the exact fretboard on the neck. I ended up selling my Gibsons after owning a few Warmoths. They are made in the USA too.

 

[voggin]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

You should easily be able to get a used standard or traditional for your budget. I got a used studio last year for $400 (granted, that was a hell of a deal, but $600 should be easy).

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

Carvin will make you a dream guitar

*(Sent from my durned phone!)*

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

http://www.prsguitars.com/sestandard245/

Or look at a Carvin. It'll take a bit to get the guitar, but you can get exactly what you want for anywhere from $1100-2000.

 

[voggin]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

Also, Godin has some nice LP-ish stuff (though made in Canada, not US, if that's a thing).

 

[JimmyO]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

Look around for used pre-2013 Les Paul's. The classic was a good model that should be in your price range. Also I've been wanting to try out a Prestige Heritage Standard, Canadian company that get good reviews and uses Seymour Duncan pickups.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

90's Gibson Les Paul Classics are going to be your best alternative. They're pretty much the only Gibson Les Pauls that I own, have ever owned, or will ever own.

 

[TRex]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

Look around for used pre-2013 Les Paul's. The classic was a good model that should be in your price range. Also I've been wanting to try out a Prestige Heritage Standard, Canadian company that get good reviews and uses Seymour Duncan pickups.

Heard about them, but are a bit out of my price range as they all are full of traditional frills like the standards

Also, Godin has some nice LP-ish stuff (though made in Canada, not US, if that's a thing).

I'll see if they have any local dealers

http://www.prsguitars.com/sestandard245/

Or look at a Carvin. It'll take a bit to get the guitar, but you can get exactly what you want for anywhere from $1100-2000.

PRS SE might be fine, I'll look at them

Carvin will make you a dream guitar

*(Sent from my durned phone!)*

I'll look at them, but I remember something turned me off about them

You should easily be able to get a used standard or traditional for your budget. I got a used studio last year for $400 (granted, that was a hell of a deal, but $600 should be easy).

$600 is a decent deal for a studio used, which was why I was looking at them so hard.

If you don't want a set neck then I would go with a Warmoth Regal. It is exactly in the $1400 budget and they are premium guitars. Plus you can pick the woods you want for the body and neck down to the exact top on the guitar or the exact fretboard on the neck. I ended up selling my Gibsons after owning a few Warmoths. They are made in the USA too.

I have heard good things about warmoth, but they are bolt on necks. I would definitely go to them for a strat or Tele, but I rather stick to a traditional setup on my Les Paul.

Most studios have maple tops.

Some don't, but its a minority.

I heard the older ones dont, but I'm unsure.

Ibanez ARZ

25" scale, I imagine that would feel weird to me. I like 24.5". $

save up a bit more and look at a nice used standard. Possibly see if you can find one with the slimmer 60s neck

I would love a standard, but they really seem like they are a bit too much frills and such for a guitar that I will have to replace all the pots, caps, and such asap.

If I saw one going for under $1200, and I had the cash on hand, I probably would try it out.

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[TRex]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

90's Gibson Les Paul Classics are going to be your best alternative. They're pretty much the only Gibson Les Pauls that I own, have ever owned, or will ever own.

I'll take a look at them

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[TRex]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

90's Gibson Les Paul Classics are going to be your best alternative. They're pretty much the only Gibson Les Pauls that I own, have ever owned, or will ever own.

That actually sounds good, I'll look at those

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[Snake Aces]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

I play on 3 bolt-on neck Les Pauls from Warmoth. The differences are subtle.

Don't believe me? Check this out:

Or check this out since the myth is that bolt-on's do not have sustain. Find me a set neck guitar that can sustain as long as my bolt-on Warmoth at the end of this clip:



Again, I used to be a Gibson man myself. Warmoth is, IMO, the best option for an alternative to a Gibson for the money.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

I'd shop around and get yourself a '90's Studio that speaks to you. They tended to be much better made than the ones from the past 10 years or so, IME. As a bonus, you can also get an ebony board simply by buying a white one, at no additional cost on the used market. And you'll also be coming in well under budget, and you can use the "change" to equip the guitar in any way you'd like. As for whether the top is maple or not, I have not heard of large numbers of them NOT being maple. But if the guitar is solid so you can't see...and you like the way it sounds...who cares what the top is?

FWIW, I sold an early '00's Les Paul Studio Plus (wine red flametop with gold hardware) about 8 years ago. At that time, I would have been lucky to have got $700 cash for the thing. (This bummed me out, so I ended up trading it for a camera kit that had an original retail value of about $4,000.) And that's, like I said, a flame top. Used Studios are a killer deal.

 

[Securb]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

save up a bit more and look at a nice used standard. Possibly see if you can find one with the slimmer 60s neck

Some of the Classics have the 60's necks and I have seen them floating around $1300 at times used. They are a beast of a guitar.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

I would love a standard, but they really seem like they are a bit too much frills and such for a guitar that I will have to replace all the pots, caps, and such asap.

is this what your ears tell you when you play one, or information you have gleaned from the internet?
There is more to a guitar than pickups, pots and caps. That stuff is just the icing on the cake and easily swapped out for only a few bucks. Pcb's vs old skool PTP wiring is really not a big deal. Pot values make a difference yes, but electrical current doesn't care if its running thru a wire or a trace.

Play some different axes. Go into some shops and play a bunch of different les pauls unplugged, and see if you still think the only differences are binding and inlays. See if you still think that standards are all "just frills" compared to studios. If so, then go ahead and buy a studio. If not, then you have learned something that the internet can't tell you and that is how different guitars really sound and feel in your hands.

classics are good alternatives too btw

 

[guitarSQUIRELL]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

Don't want to sound CHEAP, but, I recently bought one of Rondo Music's Agile A-2000 used for $220. All mahogany, set neck, rosewood board, LP style body. Neck feels really good and not too thick like I've felt some Epis. My budget was a LOT lower than yours. But I enjoy this guitar.

 

[TRex]

Re: Alternatives to Gibson Les Paul Studio?

I play on 3 bolt-on neck Les Pauls from Warmoth. The differences are subtle.

Don't believe me? Check this out:

Or check this out since the myth is that bolt-on's do not have sustain. Find me a set neck guitar that can sustain as long as my bolt-on Warmoth at the end of this clip:



Again, I used to be a Gibson man myself. Warmoth is, IMO, the best option for an alternative to a Gibson for the money.

It's not that I dislike bolt ons, but it feels strange on a Les Paul

I love me a bolt on strat or RG