Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Les Paul Studio Bodies, How many pieces are used?


665

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone,

So recently I was looking at the back of my '98 Les Paul Studio and found out something interesting...

 

It is a 1 piece body, the mahogany back is completely made up of one piece of wood rather than several pieces edge glued together to form the back.

 

Is it common to see a 1 piece body or (like my other LP) does Gibson usually use 2 or 3 pieces edge glued together?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello!

 

However, this is not confirmed officially, but what I seriously think is, that they are gluing back together fallen pieces of wood into blanks to route the bodies of Studios.

 

Looking at the side of the body of my Studio, I can see many straight lines - joint lines. But still, the back looks very nice. These small pieces of wood are matched nicely to each other.

 

Best wishes... Bence

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With my 2014 Studio I can also see the same lines; they're not central, so it would suggest that Bence is possibly right in that the offcuts (?) are upcycled for the lower-range models. Not a thing I'm fussed about, to be honest [biggrin]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone,

So recently I was looking at the back of my '98 Les Paul Studio and found out something interesting...

 

It is a 1 piece body, the mahogany back is completely made up of one piece of wood rather than several pieces edge glued together to form the back.

 

Is it common to see a 1 piece body or (like my other LP) does Gibson usually use 2 or 3 pieces edge glued together?

 

I have the Studio Pro and it's one solid piece of mahogany. I've checked it from every angle, unless there's a 1" corner/edge piece I'm missing. You can see where the maple top is joined, but the grain matches along sides and back.

 

That's one of the reasons I returned the Epiphone I had. I was told, with the veneer, there's no telling how many pieces it is and most of it, is scrap from the U.S.factory. I don't know how much of that is truth, sounds plausible, though I'm skeptical about exporting scraps, to be cost effective. Again, I don't know.

 

On the Epi, btw... I couldn't find any dead spots in the wood, the tone was fantastic, only blemish was the cutout and the neck joint, the poly didn't get fully sanded. I just wanted the real deal and was told, one the reasons was the solid body. Glad I scored one, if it's not 100% common.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...

On the Epi, btw... I couldn't find any dead spots in the wood, the tone was fantastic, only blemish was the cutout and the neck joint, the poly didn't get fully sanded. I just wanted the real deal and was told, one the reasons was the solid body. Glad I scored one, if it's not 100% common.

Now this is funny. Epiphone Les Paul guitars have multipiece bodies but are massive. There's no weight relief or chambering except otherwise stated. The wood used for them is of different species which make for lighter timbers.

 

My Epiphone 1960 Les Paul Tribute Plus Outfit in Faded Cherryburst has a five-piece body, maple top, flamed maple veneer on the top and mahogany veneer on the back. It all can clearly be seen through the transparently tinted finish. Among my Gibson Les Paul guitars are three weight-relieved and two massive ones, and I went exclusively with one-pice bodies.

 

As for the contemporary Gibson Les Paul guitars, there are the Gibson USA Traditionals starting with the 2013 model year, the Gibson Custom Shop Historics and most of the reissues which are massive. All the others are weight-relieved since circa 1983 when the nine-hole Traditional Weight Relief started, aka Swiss cheese method. Chambering obviously appeared with the 2008 model year Les Paul Standard. In 2011, they started the Modern Weight Relief aka wheelspoke method with several limited runs and the early model year 2012 Standards made in 2011. At the moment all of the three methods exist.

 

You may refer to this article:

 

http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/weight-relief-gibson-les-paul-guitars-0615-2012.aspx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the Studio Pro and it's one solid piece of mahogany. ...

 

Hello GibsonKramer!

 

You are indeed lucky! Not even Standards and regular Customs have one piece bodies. This feature is usually reserved for Custom Shop models.

 

Cheers... Bence

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...

Among my Gibson Les Paul guitars are three weight-relieved and two massive ones, and I went exclusively with one-pice bodies.

...

Hello GibsonKramer!

 

You are indeed lucky! Not even Standards and regular Customs have one piece bodies. This feature is usually reserved for Custom Shop models.

 

Cheers... Bence

There are lots of them though. Transparent finishes allow for specifically picking them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now this is funny. Epiphone Les Paul guitars have multipiece bodies but are massive. There's no weight relief or chambering except otherwise stated. The wood used for them is of different species which make for lighter timbers.

 

My Epiphone 1960 Les Paul Tribute Plus Outfit in Faded Cherryburst has a five-piece body, maple top, flamed maple veneer on the top and mahogany veneer on the back. It all can clearly be seen through the transparently tinted finish. Among my Gibson Les Paul guitars are three weight-relieved and two massive ones, and I went exclusively with one-pice bodies.

 

As for the contemporary Gibson Les Paul guitars, there are the Gibson USA Traditionals starting with the 2013 model year, the Gibson Custom Shop Historics and most of the reissues which are massive. All the others are weight-relieved since circa 1983 when the nine-hole Traditional Weight Relief started, aka Swiss cheese method. Chambering obviously appeared with the 2008 model year Les Paul Standard. In 2011, they started the Modern Weight Relief aka wheelspoke method with several limited runs and the early model year 2012 Standards made in 2011. At the moment all of the three methods exist.

 

You may refer to this article:

 

http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/weight-relief-gibson-les-paul-guitars-0615-2012.aspx

 

Thanks for sharing the article. I had been noting the different reliefs, as I looked at the different models of Les Paul. I really had no idea there were so many models out these days and had been interested in the reasoning and different reliefs, cut into the bodies. My first impression was just for weight. After reading, I see its more than that. I didn't weigh my Epi, btw... but the Studio Pro weighs in at 8.4 pounds, on a bathroom scale. Heavy enough to give me a sore neck and shoulders after a couple days.

 

Reading my response back, it reads confusing, which guitar I'm talking about and exactly what I meant. I understand the Studio Pro has the Modern Relief and is no longer "solid" as its been somewhat hollowed out. What I meant, that mine appears to be a single block of Mahogany that was routed out. That appeared to be the topic?

 

The Epiphone I bought/traded, was the Standard Plus Top Pro, which obviously is a solid piece of mahogany, though may be more than one piece, glued together. My mistake with choice of words and communicating them.

 

 

Hello GibsonKramer!

 

You are indeed lucky! Not even Standards and regular Customs have one piece bodies. This feature is usually reserved for Custom Shop models.

 

Cheers... Bence

 

Yes, it is indeed a single piece of Mahogany. I've pulled it out of the case several times, when I haven't been playing... just to check again and again, flashlight, different angles, etc. The grain is very easy to see on the back and along the sides, its a bit dark near the back strap button... but if you catch the light right, you can still see the grain. I'm certainly no guitar luthier, but I've worked with wood enough, to recognize stuff that's been planed/joined, glued and clamped. You can only hide so much. You can definitely see where the Maple top is joined. I really had no idea, it was something (single piece, below the Standards and Customs) to look for... so I guess I got lucky?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for sharing the article. I had been noting the different reliefs, as I looked at the different models of Les Paul. I really had no idea there were so many models out these days and had been interested in the reasoning and different reliefs, cut into the bodies. My first impression was just for weight. After reading, I see its more than that. I didn't weigh my Epi, btw... but the Studio Pro weighs in at 8.4 pounds, on a bathroom scale. Heavy enough to give me a sore neck and shoulders after a couple days.

 

Reading my response back, it reads confusing, which guitar I'm talking about and exactly what I meant. I understand the Studio Pro has the Modern Relief and is no longer "solid" as its been somewhat hollowed out. What I meant, that mine appears to be a single block of Mahogany that was routed out. That appeared to be the topic?

 

The Epiphone I bought/traded, was the Standard Plus Top Pro, which obviously is a solid piece of mahogany, though may be more than one piece, glued together. My mistake with choice of words and communicating them.

 

 

 

 

Yes, it is indeed a single piece of Mahogany. I've pulled it out of the case several times, when I haven't been playing... just to check again and again, flashlight, different angles, etc. The grain is very easy to see on the back and along the sides, its a bit dark near the back strap button... but if you catch the light right, you can still see the grain. I'm certainly no guitar luthier, but I've worked with wood enough, to recognize stuff that's been planed/joined, glued and clamped. You can only hide so much. You can definitely see where the Maple top is joined. I really had no idea, it was something (single piece, below the Standards and Customs) to look for... so I guess I got lucky?

Definitely not your mistake, GK. The topics one-, two-, or multipiece as well as solid, massive, semi-hollow have been heavily discussed in the past in lots of web fora, and in fact the boundaries of meaning are diffuse. Think of a chambered body with a top, another one with top and back, and a third body with top and back glued to a classic rib. Then there are Fenders with a single large "bathtub routing" instead of cavities just matching the pickups.

 

The term "solidbody" seemed well defined but has become blurred during the previous approximately three decades. There has also been a topic about weird language regimes around the planet, and that everything seems to change its meaning temporarily. Sadly, insisting on this modern kind of political correctness is causing misconceptions all around the planet.

 

The lightest Les Paul guitars of mine are about 8.4 lbs, one Axcess and one excessively weight relieved model. This would be extremely light for a massive one. The two of my MWR LPs are around 9.5 lbs, same as my non-WR, massive Traditional 2013, due to varying wood densities. My Explorer is about 7.9 lbs which is very light. All of my Telecasters are around 7.5 lbs, my Stratocasters from 6.8 to 8.4 lbs, my SGs from 6.4 to 7.5 lbs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

Sorry for bumping an old thread.

 

 

I've just purchased a used '14 Studio Pro and was amazed that it was a one piece body. I didn't even think of it at the time of purchase but I've been looking it over with a fine tooth comb after getting it home and was shocked. I thought I'd do a google search and this thread came up.

 

 

I own a LP copy that is supposed to rival Gibson in quality, but this Studio Pro has amazing build quality and I'm very impressed with the attention to some of the fine details. The Gibson wins hands down for similar price when brand new. My only gripe about the guitar would be the grade of the rosewood fingerboard. Anyway, I absolutely love the guitar and fully expect it to last my lifetime.

 

 

Mine is quite light at exactly 8lbs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry for bumping an old thread.

 

 

I've just purchased a used '14 Studio Pro and was amazed that it was a one piece body. I didn't even think of it at the time of purchase but I've been looking it over with a fine tooth comb after getting it home and was shocked. I thought I'd do a google search and this thread came up.

 

 

I own a LP copy that is supposed to rival Gibson in quality, but this Studio Pro has amazing build quality and I'm very impressed with the attention to some of the fine details. The Gibson wins hands down for similar price when brand new. My only gripe about the guitar would be the grade of the rosewood fingerboard. Anyway, I absolutely love the guitar and fully expect it to last my lifetime.

 

 

Mine is quite light at exactly 8lbs.

 

It's usually real easy to tell if the back is one piece by looking at the bottom of the body where the end grain shows. You can see the growth rings. And even if the grain on the back is perfectly matched at the joints, you can still easily recognize any joints on the bottom, where the discontinuity in the growth rings will be obvious.

 

One piece blanks are preferred and they tend to be light, which is also good. [thumbup] [thumbup]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, I looked at the bottom very closely and you can't see the grain there as the finish seems to hide the grain. Any multi piece Gibson I've seen from the trads to the LPJ have a centre seam that is very easy to spot. I'm still quite surprised since I'm fully aware that the Studio Pro is a bottom dweller in the chain of Les Paul models. Great axe and what seems to be a D neck profile is really comfortable for my hand. Played and practiced for 4 hours yesterday and no cramping or soreness in my fretting hand today. Amazing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i never cared how many pieces the made my studio pro from, so i never looked until i saw this thread. now that ive looked, it seems to be one pc, but i don't trust my eyes anymore.

it sounds great, and sustains as good as anything i ever had. i'm pretty satisfied.

it's also, at 7.8 lbs - lighter than my strat. pretty unusual for an lp, i suspect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My 1994 Studio Lite MIII has a one piece body except for the cromyte inserts which has it weighing right @ 6.5lbs give or take an oz.

Have a look at the neck pickup cavity, The lighter colored wood is cromyte the darker wood mahogany & the lighter colored wood above the mahogany is the maple top..

NOTE: Pen writing in Pickup cavities T/RED & LPLM 9-26 = Translucent Red Les Paul Lite MIII 9/26/94

This is such a sweet guitar first off it's weight is spectacular & the 9 sounds on tap factory are just amazing...

 

ACEMIII%20III.jpg

ACEMIII%20IIII.jpg

Pickup%20Cavity%20Neck%202.jpg

Pickup%20Cavity%20Bridge.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My 2014 LP Studio Deluxe II is most definitely a 2 piece. There is clearly a line separation and I like the look. Both pieces are remarkable on their own with plenty of flame properties, gives it a distinct 2 tone top finish that compliments the other...haven't seen another like it and am glad it is mine. Perfect no....unique absolutely and a lot of fun to play.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

My 50s Tribute humbucker Goldtop is from the Studio line, through the Tributes are not usually marketed as such. These are weight-relieved, typically so that a less expensive, heavier mahogany can be used. Mine is a darkback, which I erroneously assumed was to conceal a multi-piece body. Mine turned out to have a one-piece, straight-grained, light-weight mahogany slab that got weight-relieved into a 7 pound 3 ounce guitar. It's articulate and less sustainy that most LPs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was on an early electric guitar forum many years back, (2003 / 2004), when a builder from Gibson posted a "must buy" thread for players interested in a Les Paul who wanted a Standard but could only afford a Studio. He told an interesting story that I confirmed through two other sources. During the 2002 model year something went wrong with a wood order at Gibson and the lower grade mahogany and maple used in the Studio version of the Les Paul failed to show up. Because the Studio was a major seller orders came down from the top to use the same grade of wood purchased for the Standard under any 2002 solid color Studio body and the remaining stock of Studio grade wood for the rest. Anyway ..... I started looking for 2002 Gibson Les Paul Studios. They weren't being resold. I couldn't find one anywhere. A number of years later, (maybe 2010 or 2011), I found a 2002 Les Paul Studio on ebay in solid black with gold hardware. I bought it for $750.00, (probably more than it's original purchase price), and waited. It arrived in almost "like new" condition. Other than some minor scratches on the pick guard, (which I replaced with a Gibson Les Paul Custom pick guard), and some minor checking on the gold hardware, it could have been new. A year later I swapped the 490R / 498T pickup set for a Suhr Doug Aldrich pickup set and never looked back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello!

 

This is the back of my first-run Gibson Les Paul Studio 50s Tribute:

 

HPIM5764_zpsvstlgffi.jpg

 

At first glance, it seems like an asymmetrically, but perfectly matched two-piece body. The grain pattern is really beautiful.

 

However, looking at the sides of the guitar will reveal the truth:

 

HPIM5799_zps5bd4qeln.jpg

 

HPIM5800_zpsdruqpqvr.jpg

 

Can You see those straight lines? The body is crafted from many little pieces of fine mahogany. Nothing wrong with - neither it makes difference to the sound quality, nor does it look bad.

 

It's a Studio, an entry-level Gibson: don't expect it to look like a high-dollar Custom Shop model. Still, it is a beauty.

 

Cheers... Bence

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...