1st Guitar Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 Hi - I own an Epiphone Wildkat but currently looking at buying my first Gibson guitar, a 1996 Gibson Les Paul Studio. I have looking for a 1990-1997 studio models for sometime as my guitar guy tells me those are the years I should be focusing on. He feels those offer the most bang for the Studio models and price. He feels they are great guitars and the same guitar as the Standard those years minus push/pull pots and binding. Any thoughts on this? Also, are all the fretboard during this years ebony? He seemed to believe so but I have seen several for sale saying the are rosewood fretboards. Hopefully some one with more knowledge then me on this can help me out. I really can’t afford to drop a stack of cash on this and make a mistake. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 Hi 1st. What I've seen confirms that their are rosewood fingerboards for Studios of this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 This reverb ad states "Ebony fingerboard up until 1994 when it switched to Rosewood." https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/8384-gibson-les-paul-studio-1996-ebony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Guitar Posted June 20, 2021 Author Share Posted June 20, 2021 Thanks for the quick replies on this. A little disappointed as I hoped the 1996 model had retained the Ebony fretboard. However I dropped some coin and ended up buying this 1996 Gibson Les Paul Studio Guitar. All original except for Grover locking tuners. I will consider restoring the tuners to original. I should have it by Wednesday or Thursday. Got to say, looking forward to it, even though I probably overpaid for it. That said, I will be in gear purchasing lockdown for a while. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Well make sure to post up pictures when you get it. Use a photo hosting site such as Imgur. Good luck. Hope its a great one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Guitar Posted June 21, 2021 Author Share Posted June 21, 2021 2 hours ago, merciful-evans said: Well make sure to post up pictures when you get it. Use a photo hosting site such as Imgur. Good luck. Hope its a great one. Will do. Looking forward to getting it. Should be later this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 (edited) Not just those years, but every Studio is/was supposed to the same as a standard model without all the bling. Now new studios are getting right up there as far as price is concerned too. I always buy used if I can and usually do. Edited June 21, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Guitar Posted June 22, 2021 Author Share Posted June 22, 2021 9 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Not just those years, but every Studio is/was supposed to the same as a standard model without all the bling. Now new studios are getting right up there as far as price is concerned too. I always buy used if I can and usually do. I tend to agree on the buying used logic. I mean I can see the allure of new … opening a box with a brand new shiny toy, sure that’s cool. But of the six guitars that I own currently, 4 electric, 2 acoustic - only one of the acoustics was purchased new. Same for my 2 amps - both used. I have been pretty happy with my used equipment purchases to date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 (edited) 15 minutes ago, 1st Guitar said: I tend to agree on the buying used logic. I mean I can see the allure of new … opening a box with a brand new shiny toy, sure that’s cool. But of the six guitars that I own currently, 4 electric, 2 acoustic - only one of the acoustics was purchased new. Same for my 2 amps - both used. I have been pretty happy with my used equipment purchases to date. Of my 7 acoustic 2 were bought new. One (my 12 string was new) was a gift and was new old stock that sat for years and I mean like 17 years unsold before my wife got it for me. It was a 2001 and she bought it for me in 2018. I always go used if I can, but now used priced on guitars are stupid high. Edited June 22, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Guitar Posted June 23, 2021 Author Share Posted June 23, 2021 It has arrived! Just unpacked but haven’t had a time yet to tune it or plug it in. Probably will jam on it a little bit later tonight. The quick Once over seems pretty clean. Well thoroughly check it out later this evening. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 I used to have a Studio just like that Guitar! You’ll love it! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NighthawkChris Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 Congrats @1st Guitar nice looking Studio LP! Happy NGD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Guitar Posted June 23, 2021 Author Share Posted June 23, 2021 Thanks guys! Now that I’m done at work I can sit dow with it and really go over it and tune it. Looking forward to spending some time and playing it. Thing has some weight to it. So the question becomes … keep the Grover locking tuners that previous owner put on … or go out and get the original Kluson tuners and put them on.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 1 hour ago, 1st Guitar said: Thanks guys! Now that I’m done at work I can sit dow with it and really go over it and tune it. Looking forward to spending some time and playing it. Thing has some weight to it. So the question becomes … keep the Grover locking tuners that previous owner put on … or go out and get the original Kluson tuners and put them on.? I love locking tuners. Congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NighthawkChris Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 4 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I love locking tuners. Congrats Ditto. Locking Grovers are premium tuners IMHO. The Klusons aren’t bad whatsoever, but Grovers are excellent - especially if they are the locking type. I’d enjoy playing it for a while before start thinking about what to change on it. That’s just me… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Guitar Posted June 24, 2021 Author Share Posted June 24, 2021 12 minutes ago, NighthawkChris said: Ditto. Locking Grovers are premium tuners IMHO. The Klusons aren’t bad whatsoever, but Grovers are excellent - especially if they are the locking type. I’d enjoy playing it for a while before start thinking about what to change on it. That’s just me… Yeah, excellent points. Grover locking tuners are nice and playing with it for a while before making any changes is good advice. Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Congrats on that Studio. Love the colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsunburst59 Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) VERY beautiful 1st LP Studio "1st Guitar". I'm 100% with Sgt. Pepper, as I ONLY buy used guitars to add to my guitar collection. About 90% of my guitar/bass collection is used ,and I haven't bought a new guitar since '99. I added my 1st and only LP Studio 2 yrs. ago ,when I scored this in a pawnshops for $286 w/OHSC. My '05 Gibson Black LP Studio https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49307014446_7d22e0cb06_b.jpg Edited June 24, 2021 by Texsunburst59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NighthawkChris Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 @Texsunburst59 I second the motion to buy used. Like you large percentage of my guitars have been bought used. Need to know what your looking for and how to assess if the guitar has issues - like neck problem or something - but generally you can get a much better deal in terms of what you have to pay going used. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Guitar Posted June 24, 2021 Author Share Posted June 24, 2021 1 hour ago, Texsunburst59 said: VERY beautiful 1st LP Studio "1st Guitar". I'm 100% with Sgt. Pepper, as I ONLY buy used guitars to add to my guitar collection. About 90% of my guitar/bass collection is used ,and I haven't bought a new guitar since '99. I added my 1st and only LP Studio 2 yrs. ago ,when I scored this in a pawnshops for $286 w/OHSC. My '05 Gibson Black LP Studio https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49307014446_7d22e0cb06_b.jpg That is a ridiculous good deal for that guitar. Nice find! I wasn’t so lucky finding mine for a price like that 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Guitar Posted June 24, 2021 Author Share Posted June 24, 2021 Sat down with my new (used) toy last night. Tuned it and plugged into my Fender Blues Junior amp. Had to have the volume turned down as people in the house were sleeping. 2 plus hours flew by before I knew it! Wow, this Thing sounded so good and so much fun to play. Looking forward to cranking it up a little bit. I was second guessing dropping the coin on it … but after noodling around on it last night and josesing to get back on it today … zero regrets. I thought my Epiphone Wildkat sounded good (still like that guitar), but this ‘96 Gibson Les Paul Studio almost embarrasses it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Gibson studios are just great. They're like a blue collar working man's guitar. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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