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LP Studio: Variants


brians356

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Brand new Les Paul Studios are $799 from the usual outlets. I read older reviews of Studios sold a few years ago that were considerably more expensive. Someone told me the cheaper (newer?) ones have cavity bodies, the more expensive ones are solid and heavier. In particular, there is a 2003/2004 for sale with gold-plated fixtures (and gold PUP covers) and a somewhat glossy translucent wine finish that the owner tells me was one of the better "heavier" ones. (FWIW I don't see any current ones that have the gold-plated fixtures.)

 

As I have not been following LP Studios until now, can someone backfill me on the modern LP Studios sold in the last ten years?

 

Brian

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There are a range of studio's and they all have one thing in common, a fully routed body cavity, this goes back aways in time before 2003. The cheapest ones have a faded finish, this save time and time is money. The more expensive ones have a high grade wood top. More feature like coil splits. But they all are "Chambered". The one you linked to has a better finish. check this out http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/gibson-les-paul-studio-electric-guitar select the different models and see the price changes

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Brand new Les Paul Studios are $799 from the usual outlets. I read older reviews of Studios sold a few years ago that were considerably more expensive. Someone told me the cheaper (newer?) ones have cavity bodies, the more expensive ones are solid and heavier. In particular, there is a 2003/2004 for sale with gold-plated fixtures (and gold PUP covers) and a somewhat glossy translucent wine finish that the owner tells me was one of the better "heavier" ones. (FWIW I don't see any current ones that have the gold-plated fixtures.)

 

As I have not been following LP Studios until now, can someone backfill me on the modern LP Studios sold in the last ten years?

Brian

 

The $799 Studios are some of the faded finishes that come with a gig bag..The prices of LP studios range from the $799 you stated to around $1600..The 2003/2004 might be heavier because it is weight relieved, the newer studios are chambered. Does being heavier make it better??? That's a matter of opinion.

 

Here's some good info on Les Pauls.

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/gibson-les-pauls/50210-gibson-les-paul-101-a.html

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Thanks, guys, exactly what I needed. I love this medium.

 

No, being heavier is not better IMHO. In fact, though I have owned more guitars than I care to admit, I have never owned a LP because I never liked the weight. And actually this particular guitar will be for a friend if I get it. The one I am looking into has highly-figured wood, with the wine finish looks like redwood burl to my eye.

 

Brian

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Thanks, guys, exactly what I needed. I love this medium.

 

No, being heavier is not better IMHO. In fact, though I have owned more guitars than I care to admit, I have never owned a LP because I never liked the weight. And actually this particular guitar will be for a friend if I get it. The one I am looking into has highly-figured wood, with the wine finish looks like redwood burl to my eye.

 

Brian

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DiamodJig,

 

MF doesn't seem to offer just what I am talking about, their "Wine Red w/ Gold" guitar has an opaque finish, and none of the "faded" translucent finishes have gold H/W. The guitar in question has a translucent dark wine finish, not what I would call "faded", and gold H/W. I suppose the gold H/W kind of trumps everything else, as only the more expensive ones have that option, so I guess they have changed or simplified the finish options from nine years back. Also, that 2003 I linked to on GBase is listed for more money than these new low-end ones, so presumably that combo was a premium in 2003.

 

Again, a tip of the tile!

 

Brian

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DiamodJig,

I suppose the gold H/W kind of trumps everything else, as only the more expensive ones have that option, so I guess they have changed or simplified the finish options from nine years back. Also, that 2003 I linked to on GBase is listed for more money than these new low-end ones, so presumably that combo was a premium in 2003.

 

Again, a tip of the tile!

 

Brian

 

The gold hardware wouldn't sway me at all..It looks good untill the gold color starts to wear off. Have you personally seen this 2003? they want more than the cost of a new one with a Lifetime warranty? I'd sure think twice. A 9 yr old LP...Does it need a fret job, are the pots scratchy, is any of the gold color wearing off, what pickups are in it, any neck/headstock cracks, or signs of repair, is it a real Gibson? There are a lot of Chinese copies that are looking pretty good, and they are using serial numbers that look real. If all is OK and as nice as you say it is..Why not go for it?

 

I'm not downgrading this guitar..All I'm saying is, be careful what you buy used.

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RRIDER,

 

>The gold hardware wouldn't sway me at all..It looks good untill the gold color starts to wear off.

 

I don't care a tosser about the gold, it was only a clue as to which variant this was in 2003.

 

>Have you personally seen this 2003?

 

Not yet.

 

>they want more than the cost of a new one with a Lifetime warranty?

 

Now you are confused. I pointed out that the linked-to 2003 on Gbase was not the guitar I am interested in locally, it only looks identical. But since you ask, the reference guitar on Gbase is indeed listed (by a dealer) for more than a brand new entry level Studio. However, it is cheaper than the premium grade Studios. So, assuming the gold H/W was then a feature of the premium versions in 2003, then that Gbase guitar shows at least some depreciation in its price (in today's dollars.)

 

So to sum up, my query was not to ask if I should buy the local guitar, or to ask how reasonable the price might be, it was simply to try to nail down which grade of Studio it was sold as in 2003. I.e. what is it? Since I haven't inspected the guitar yet, this is all just preparatory orientation (never paid any attention to LP Studios until now.)

 

Thanks!

 

Brian

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Brand new Les Paul Studios are $799 from the usual outlets. I read older reviews of Studios sold a few years ago that were considerably more expensive. Someone told me the cheaper (newer?) ones have cavity bodies, the more expensive ones are solid and heavier. In particular, there is a 2003/2004 for sale with gold-plated fixtures (and gold PUP covers) and a somewhat glossy translucent wine finish that the owner tells me was one of the better "heavier" ones. (FWIW I don't see any current ones that have the gold-plated fixtures.)

 

As I have not been following LP Studios until now, can someone backfill me on the modern LP Studios sold in the last ten years?

 

Brian

 

The only downside with chambered body (at least with the way they did it on the 2008-2009 standards) is that the neck kinda falls in your hand when you play standing, and it's annoying.

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Update:

 

I finally inspected the 2003 LP Studio today. It is pretty beat up cosmetically, looks like it has been in a few bar fights or pounded a few tent stakes. It was fairly heavy, and the owner said compared to the newest chambered ones, it is night and day. I plan to stop by G.C. soon to heft a new Studio for comparison. I must say though it was a very playable guitar and had a great feel, even with fairly worn frets.

 

Thanks for the comments, this is about "thirty" for this thread.

 

Brian

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I'm glad you got to play it. Personally, I don't care too much about dings and dents so long as they are honestly acquired, not "reliced"...I have a 2010 LP Studio 50's Tribute P90, and comparing it to my former LP Customs, it is a better player. I 'm almost 65, and I don't mind less weight, either.

Studios can be really great guitars, but there are variations among individuals like on all guitars.

 

Try all of them you can and one will call your name.

 

mark

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You'd have cared about these dings. Part of the headstock face lamination missing, conveniently hidden in the pics, no mention in the description. also the PUPs themselves were beat up, the bobbins. The covers were missing, and he "forgot" to bring them with the guitar, though I had asked for them. How do bobbins get beat up?

 

Brian

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