Pedro Cardoso Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Dear all, Back in 2011 I had a Gibson Les Paul Studio Worn Brown, which I sold before moving to the UK. Now I am on the market for a new one I would like to have your opinions on this. Please note that I don't care about finishing paint/details, but I do care about build quality. The build quality of my LP Faded wasn't nothing special. I returned the guitar 3 times, and I kept the fourth. 1 - My previous Gibson Les Paul Worn Brown was a Studio, however nowadays it seems that the equivalent one is the LPJ. Is it the same guitar ? To me loosing the Studio inscription on the headstock and being called now LPJ sounds as a downgrade in some sense. 2 - I would like to buy a new guitar, but I am on a tight budjet (at most a Studio). Can you comment on the guitars below please ? a - Gibson Les Paul LPJ 2014 (still can be found on stores) - build quality of this guitar ? b - Gibson Les Paul LPM 2015 - is the extra amount of money worth it ? I guess is the same as LPJ with maple top and a nicer finishing in 2015 (I guess build quality should be similar) c - Gibson Les Paul Studio 2012 to 2015 - again, is it worth to pay more for this one than from a and b ? d - Epiphone Les Paul Studio Standard - how does it compare with a ? Thanks all, Pedro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berd Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Lots to discuss here...First: not all Studio's are the same. 50's neck, 60's neck, solid mahogany, mahogany with maple top, or the solid maple. Then there is the fretboard: rosewood (probably but not all) , inlaid dots or trapezoids. If you play a studio and then an LPJ and you probably wont want the LPJ. I have an Epiphone LP custom (Ace Frehley signature series) and would put it head and shoulders over the Gibson LPJ, and some studios as well. I suggest if you are near a good music shop, call them and explain you are a serious buyer and would like to do the pepsi challenge across the range. Many will make an appointment and have half a dozen to play through. It is all about the feel. $0.02 Dear all, Back in 2011 I had a Gibson Les Paul Studio Worn Brown, which I sold before moving to the UK. Now I am on the market for a new one I would like to have your opinions on this. Please note that I don't care about finishing paint/details, but I do care about build quality. The build quality of my LP Faded wasn't nothing special. I returned the guitar 3 times, and I kept the fourth. 1 - My previous Gibson Les Paul Worn Brown was a Studio, however nowadays it seems that the equivalent one is the LPJ. Is it the same guitar ? To me loosing the Studio inscription on the headstock and being called now LPJ sounds as a downgrade in some sense. 2 - I would like to buy a new guitar, but I am on a tight budjet (at most a Studio). Can you comment on the guitars below please ? a - Gibson Les Paul LPJ 2014 (still can be found on stores) - build quality of this guitar ? b - Gibson Les Paul LPM 2015 - is the extra amount of money worth it ? I guess is the same as LPJ with maple top and a nicer finishing in 2015 (I guess build quality should be similar) c - Gibson Les Paul Studio 2012 to 2015 - again, is it worth to pay more for this one than from a and b ? d - Epiphone Les Paul Studio Standard - how does it compare with a ? Thanks all, Pedro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Epiphone does make some really good signature model Les Pauls. I personally like the Joe Bonamassa. I have a 2014 LPJ that I got for $550, and I feel like I stole it. A really GREAT guitar for the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Cardoso Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 Berd and Ajay, Thanks a lot for your answers. I would prefer a 60's neck over a 50's, because the 50's one is too thick for me, but by the end I can live with that. Regarding the body, I don't really mind if it is chambered. I would prefer inlaid trapezoid to dots. My previous guitar wasn't a Studio, it was a Studio Faded (Worn Brown), which I think is the same as the LPJ nowadays. On the LP Studio Faded the pickups were BurstBucker Pros, which are different from the LPJs. Apart from that I don't really know if there is a big difference between the guitars. http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Studio-Satin.aspx One question that I put always to myself is if a high-end epiphone is better than a low-end Gibson (let's say an LPJ) ? Thanks, Pedro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 1435060783[/url]' post='1669360']Berd and Ajay, Thanks a lot for your answers. I would prefer a 60's neck over a 50's, because the 50's one is too thick for me, but by the end I can live with that. Regarding the body, I don't really mind if it is chambered. I would prefer inlaid trapezoid to dots. My previous guitar wasn't a Studio, it was a Studio Faded (Worn Brown), which I think is the same as the LPJ nowadays. On the LP Studio Faded the pickups were BurstBucker Pros, which are different from the LPJs. Apart from that I don't really know if there is a big difference between the guitars. http://www2.gibson.c...udio-Satin.aspx One question that I put always to myself is if a high-end epiphone is better than a low-end Gibson (let's say an LPJ) ? Thanks, Pedro I'm pretty sure that my 2014 LPJ has a 50's neck, and Gibson calls the pickups '61 Zebras because of the color. Both my Peace and LPJ Les Pauls have the '61 pickups, but they're chrome covered on the Peace. I like the pickups a lot through my measly Roland 40GX. All of the gain and distortion that You could want with no pedal. If You want a great Les Paul for $500 US, I would go with the LPJ. Personally, I really like the satin finish nitrocellulose. For the money You can't go wrong.The LPJ has a mahogany body and non-figured maple cap. The main difference between the 2013 and 2014 LPJ's is the 120th twelfth fret inlay on the '14. Also, the 2014 has trapezoid inlays on a low-priced Les Paul.Also, You were talking about Epiphone quality. I had the Epiphone Les Paul Junior Special, a $129 bolt-on neck Junior. Not only did it sound great, it was SO much fun to pla. I would have no fear buying one of Epiphone's pricier Les Pauls. I haven't owned or played one, but with my experience with the Junior, they are probably great guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Cardoso Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 Hi Ajay, Thanks a lot for your comments. From what you said and from what I saw on the web both 61 zebras and Burstbucker Pros use Alnico V, but I don't know if they sound the same. But as you said that they sound great with distortion, I will give LPJ a try. The neck of the LPJ, LPM and Les Paul Studio are 50's all of them. So, I will try the LPJ 2014 and maybe the Epiphone Les Paul Standard. The Epi costs half the price, but that doesn't mean half the quality :-). thanks, Pedro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenan Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I will try the LPJ 2014 and maybe the Epiphone Les Paul Standard. The Epi costs half the price, but that doesn't mean half the quality :-). thanks, Pedro I would suggest Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top Pro..I have one in Herritage Cherry Burst, finish and AAA Maple Top is of really good quality (I enjoy just looking at it) it sounds and plays great and the price difference from LP Standard is not that much..so my advice is, if you go for Epi, get the Plus Top Pro Model. Not to open a new thread..I was eyeing Gibson LPM 2015..but I was totaly thrown off by the ugly neck color job (and I am NOT estethics queen). Apart from that (which is not a show stopper), what's the LPM like? I assume quite a few folks around here have it? What are the pros and cons? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zentar Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 All Studios are chambered. Fretboard wood varies wildly from rosewood to ebony and other woods. Studios even use a South American wood which is similar to rosewood but appears brighter in color. Rosewood comes from Madagascar and Africa and other places but not South America. PUs vary. Some Studios have hard cases and some have gig bags. Gloss finishes cost more and take more abuse than faded. Tuning keys vary but all keys Ive seen are very high quality. Some studios lack a scratch plate. Studios vary a ton. A Studio is not always just a Studio Some Studios have coil tapping. Some have Etuners. Prices vary fron $600 to $1800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaygl Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 All Studios are chambered. Fretboard wood varies wildly from rosewood to ebony and other woods. Studios even use a South American wood which is similar to rosewood but appears brighter in color. Rosewood comes from Madagascar and Africa and other places but not South America. PUs vary. Some Studios have hard cases and some have gig bags. Gloss finishes cost more and take more abuse than faded. Tuning keys vary but all keys Ive seen are very high quality. Some studios lack a scratch plate. Studios vary a ton. A Studio is not always just a Studio Some Studios have coil tapping. Some have Etuners. Prices vary fron $600 to $1800 All studio's are not chambered. Some have chambering, others modern weight releif. Not sure about traditional weight releif, but I think some of the 90's models had it.....someone chime in on that...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CR9 Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 All Studios are chambered. This is not true. Not all studios are chambered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Fretboard wood varies wildly from rosewood to ebony and other woods. Studios even use a South American wood which is similar to rosewood but appears brighter in color. Rosewood comes from Madagascar and Africa and other places but not South America. uh...no, that just isn't true. Amazon, Brazilian, and Honduran are three I can think of without even thinking. Brazilian rosewood is hot, if you can get it. Honduran is very common and you will probably find it on most American mid priced guitars. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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