Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar, Worn Brown Satin Review
Let me first say I have played for many years, with a band that mostly records, but plays out a handful of times per year. My main gear is a marshall tube combo, some boutique pedals and an early 80's american tele.
I was intrigued by the gibson les paul sound so after along search I bought a used 01 pewter studio. I was drawn to its heft and playability. Something was not right, after months of playing it I realized the pickups were hotter than I wanted. Before I bought this pewter studio, I had tried out a lot of guitars, and played a few worn mahogany les pauls, but I was always repelled by the lack of finish, the frets were rough, the neck was sticky, it was generally not-player friendly like the nicer rare studio was...
but I happened to be in guitar center trading in an amp i din't want when I played a used vintage worn brown les paul and fell in love; the pickups are warm as hell, the neck was shiny and smooth, the frets were perfect; I realized all it needed before was breaking in! I love the guitar, especially the neck pick up, which can be very bassy if you are not careful, but has a sweet singing tone for solos- and is worth the price.
If you want a nice les paul, and you don't want to fork over 2k plus for a standard or goldtop with p90s, skip the studio and go for one of these worn models- they use essentially the same materials, and all the savings come from wood choices associated with cosmetics and extensive finishing.
Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar, Worn Brown Satin Feature
- Traditional Rounded Neck Profile
- 490R and 498T Pickups
- Traditional Mahogany Back and Maple Top
- 22-Fret Rosewood or Ebony Fingerboards
- Chambered Body for Perfect Tone Balance and Weight
Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar, Worn Brown Satin Overview
Introduced nearly 25 years ago as a guitar for the studio musician, the Les Paul Studio has become one of the most desired Les Pauls for its tremendous harmonic and sonic capacities, coveted by musicians from all genres of music.
Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar, Worn Brown Satin Specifications
Some guitar players like the look and feel of a shiny, brand new guitar. Others, however, prefer the look and feel of a timeworn instrument--a guitar, without the sheen, that looks a little used, and has a smooth, worn look to it. For these players, there is the Les Paul Studio Faded from Gibson USA, which lets you see and feel the wood grain's natural beauty. And just like its brother, the Les Paul Studio, the Les Paul Studio Faded offers up breathtaking Les Paul performance in a modern, no-frills package that's sure to please even the most discriminating players.
Pure Les Paul Swagger in a Modern, No-Nonsense Package.
Fast & Comfortable Rounded Neck Profile
Gibson's traditional rounded neck profile, which graces the neck of each Les Paul Studio Faded, is a thicker, rounder profile, emulating the neck shapes of the iconic Les Paul Standards of the late 1950s. Each neck is machined in Gibson's rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. But once the fingerboard gets glued on, the rest--including the final sanding--is done by hand. That means each neck ends up with ever-so-subtle differences that make each one as exceptional--and unique--as the next.
 A thicker, rounder neck profile emulates the neck shapes of the iconic Les Paul Standards of the late 1950s. |
 Gibson Burstbucker pickups and a Tune-O-Matic bridge. |
Gibson's Burstbucker Pro Pickups
Gibson's drive to recapture the magic of the original "Patent Applied For" humbucker pickups of the 1950s culminated with the introduction of the Burstbucker line in the early 1990s. Those Burstbuckers--Types 1, 2, and 3--successfully captured the subtle variations of true, classic humbucker tone with historically "unmatched" bobbin windings and Alnico II magnets. In 2002, Gibson followed up this innovative accomplishment with yet another breakthrough in pickup design--the Burstbucker Pro, designed specifically for the new Les Paul Standards. The Burstbucker Pro features an Alnico V magnet (instead of the Alnico II), which offers slightly higher output and allows preamps to be driven a little harder to achieve a more natural break-up. Like all Burstbuckers, the Burstbucker Pro has asymmetrical coils--true to the original PAFs--which supply a more open sound. The Burstbucker Pro Neck is wound slightly less than the original PAFs, while the Burstbucker Pro Bridge is slightly overwound for increased output. The Burstbucker Pro pickups are also wax potted to allow loud volume pressures with minimal feedback. As with all Gibson pickups, every part is precisely manufactured at Gibson USA in Nashville, Tennessee, insuring tight, seamless fittings, and superior workmanship.
22-Fret Rosewood Fingerboard
Rosewood fingerboards and trapezoid inlays have been a mainstay feature on Les Pauls ever since the model's introduction in the 1950s, and the fingerboards on Gibson's Les Paul Studio Faded are no different. They are constructed from the highest grade rosewood on the planet. Each piece of wood is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson's team of skilled wood experts before it enter the factories to be fitted onto the necks. The resilience of this dense and durable wood makes these fingerboards extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note unparalleled clarity and bite. Additionally, the 12-inch radius of the fingerboard provides smooth note bending capabilities and eliminates "dead" or "choked out" notes. The traditional trapezoid inlays are made of figured acrylic, and offer a classic "pearl" look. They are inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps and doesn't require the use of fillers.
Mahogany Back and Top
There isn't anything more critical than the matching of the Les Paul's mahogany back with its mahogany cap, as well as the regimen involved in selecting the right wood and the formula to dry it out. First, the wood is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson's team of skilled wood experts before it enters the Gibson factories. Inside the Gibson factories, humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees. This ensures that the wood is dried to a level of "equilibrium," where the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, and controls the shrinkage and warping of the wood, in addition to reducing the weight. It also improves the wood's machinability and finishing properties, and adherence to glue. Consistent moisture content means that a Gibson guitar will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.
Chambered Body
There's something about playing a guitar with perfect tone, balance, and weight. One of the ways the expert craftsmen at Gibson USA achieve this equilibrium is by carving carefully mapped-out chambers in the Les Paul's solid mahogany back using a Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) router before the mahogany top is glued on. The positioning of the routes was established after careful examination of the resonant characteristics of the Les Paul. Gibson approached this process with the awareness that every change to the formula would have repercussions on the instrument's sound. So, in addition to relieving the stress on a player's back and shoulder, these lighter Gibson guitars also enhance the tone palette in a manner unique only to these guitars. The results are comfortable, lightweight guitars that are acoustically louder, with increased sustain and resonance.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 20, 2010 20:10:04
