ultrataco

👍 I like mine except not so much the BB Pro pickups. I was going to get 57 classics but ended up simply (and cheaply) swapping the A5 magnets with A2 magnets and like it much better. I also added brushed nickel bridge, tail and pickup covers just for looks. For comparison, I also have the P90 version in blue.

I've been busy. 🙂 I've done some stuff to the 98 Studio and a bit to the red 2018. (The blue P90 one is still stock, no intentions to modify.) On the the red one : swapped the BB Pro A5 magnets with A2 which I like much better. (I guess that basically makes them BB 1 and 2 ?) added nickel pickup covers, bridge, and tailpiece, all of which I brushed myself with a scotchbrite pad (don't worry they weren't expensive Gibson parts 🙂 ). On the studio: Custom paint job (stain actually) designed by me and done with help+advice of an airbrush artist friend. Not perfect but I think turned out pretty well for a first try. ink-stained fretboard (would have worked better without frets. If I ever get it refretted, I'll redo this) EMG Het set, brushed black chrome black bridge (Gotoh) and tailpiece (don't remember the brand. it was on sale for $5 - yes five - on stewmac) black Gotoh locking tuners 10-52 strings for occasional drop-d fun. 🙂 ebony-looking truss rod cover

I've discovered magnet swapping so I'm going to try that before I replace any pickups. I couldn't decide but they are so cheap I just ordered a couple each of A2, A3, A4, and UOA5.

Thanks. I did mess with the height a little. I may try again but I really don't think that'll do what I want. Thanks. yep I'm keeping both. I wanted a p90 one and a "normal" humbucker one. I too really like the blue, though I haven't been playing it much because I've been messing with the red one. But I love the p90s and the satin ocean blue. I'm putting EMGs ( ) and black hardware on the Studio (and maybe some custom vinyl graphics) to make it my metal Les Paul. So I'll have a p90 one, a metal one, and a classic humbucker one. Ideally I'd love a fourth one with a more traditional burst finish to be my "classic" PAF style one. Then I'd then put some hot passive pickups in the red one so it would be like a hard rock LP between the PAFs and EMGs. But I won't be in the market for another LP for a while. :)

Yeah I was thinking it would cut good in a live band or mix, but to me alone in my little (12x10) guitar room it can be shrill, thin and piercing, at least the high G, B, and E strings. ...I've just read some people saying the Pearly Gates are also really bright, close to the BB pros, so I'm undecided again. I kind of just want the 57s so I'd have Gibson pickups in my Gibson guitar (I may be a fanboi). I'm going to have to just go try some at GC. The slim taper I tried was a 2018 Classic. Blue with P90s, very nice looking. It was in bad bad need of a setup so that didn't help. Not sure if it was the fretboard or the shape. I assumed the shape. I thought the fretboards were all the same.

Maybe it was the particular guitar I tried, but the slim taper neck felt wider than the rounded to me. It could also be the size/shape of my hand and/or how I hold the neck. I dunno. I just know now that I prefer the rounded C profile. :) As far as pickups, I'm still not getting along with these BB Pros very well. I've been obsessively researching pickups for days. It's really hard to choose pickups without actually trying them. I was set on Gibson 57s but now I've pretty much decided on SD Pearly Gates. (I want an ES-339 later and from what I've read the 57 sound is more like what I want from a semi-hollow.) Or I could just save some money and throw in the SD Jazz/JB combo I was going to sell. I had that combo for years in an epiphone LP though so it sounds/feels familiar. But I kinda wanted something a bit more classic rock for this LP. Before I buy anything though, I'm going to go to guitar center again and try out different Gibson pickups. ...I'm starting to understand why people have like 15 of the same kind of guitar. So many options. :blink:

I tried a few Les Pauls at Guitar Center. They all badly needed setups but at least I learned I don't really care for the SlimTaper neck, which is what the new Studios (and other models) have. So... I ordered these from Wildwood. Just got them in today. \:D/ These have the same neck profile as my '98 so they feel pretty good there, and the Wildwood setup is great. Of course they don't have that worn in, 20 years of play feel like the 98 but still nice. The left one is a 2018 Classic Player Plus in Satin Ocean Blue with P90s. The right one is a 2018 Signature Player Plus in Satin Wine Red with BursBucker Pros. The BBs sound pretty bright to me so I may change them for 57s but I'll give them time to grow on me (or not).

Hi. So after playing an epiphone for 10+ years I finally got a real Gibson Les Paul (if you consider a Studio a "real LP"). It's a 1998 (I think) Studio. It's been resurfaced and has some SD pickups in it. I'm not sure which ones but they sound good. will check when I change strings. It feels and sounds way better than the epi and has confirmed that I am indeed a Les Paul guy. \:D/ It's now my favorite guitar (out of 6) Anyway I love it so much that now I want a brand new one (not sure if that makes any sense but it's true :P ), with actual Gibson pickups (and sweet Gibson case of course). I like the SDs in mine and don't want to change them, and just would like a shiny unused brand spanking new Gibson Les Paul of my own. And then later maybe another used one with P90s... Are there major differences between a 1998 Studio and a new one? Like woods, construction, neck profile, etc.? The only one I'm seriously considering right now is the Sweetwater exclusive Studio with Burst Buckers in Smokehouse Burst. I like the look, the pickups, and the price is manageable. My '98 is really nice but I would sure hope and assume a new one plays at least a bit better. It should, for the extra $1100 . I guess I just need to find a guitar shop somewhere with new Les Pauls to try out. I think a nearby Guitar Center is the only place. (I've never been there) But then I fear I will fall in love with a $2800 Standard and have to find some way to get it. Anyway enough rambling, here are pics: