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studio vs. supreme

turtlesg17

By turtlesg17
in Gibson USA


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RichCI

RichCI

Posted
Posted

I didn't place a vote; it's up to you what you want. But, here's my two cents.

 

Just looking at product descriptions, they seem very similar:

 

Studio:

* Carved maple top in Alpine White finish over a mahogany body

* 1959 rounded mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard

* Two Alnico magnet humbuckers - 490R (neck) and 498T (bridge)

 

Supreme:

* Carved AAAA flamed maple top and back in Heritage Cherry Sunburst finish over a chambered mahogany body

* 1950s style rounded mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard and pearl inlays

* Two Alnico magnet humbuckers - 490R (neck) and 498T (bridge)

 

Same pickups, presumably a similar neck shape and then you're left with aesthetics (fancy top wood, binding, etc.).

 

One way to look at it is that one guitar that retails for around $1,300 and another that retails around $2,900-3,400 depending on finish. If you want to look at it from purely a functionality for your dollar standpoint, the Studio seems like the clear choice. But buying a higher end Gibson isn't about just getting a purely functional guitar - you're paying for details like cool looking inlays, multiply binding, figured woods, name brand recognition and "mojo" (a.k.a. "perceived value" in a buyer's head based on nothing tangible).

 

Buy the guitar that will make you the most happy and, if you go for the more expensive one, make sure it's within your means.

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Tim Plains

Tim Plains

Posted
Posted
i made this poll because i was thinking of getting a supreme but than someone told me the studio is better

so i figured i'd ask you guys' date=' here on the gibson forum.[/quote']

This isn't a very good question, turtles. I don't think you can really ask - which model is "better" for two reasons:

 

1. There's no right answer to this question.

 

2. You're asking people to compare a high-end Lester to an entry level Lester. It's like asking, which car is better - a base model Pontiac G5 or a fully loaded & pimped out Cadillac Escalade with 24" rims?

 

The two guitars should sound similar, since they have the same pups. Although, the Supreme's finer wood may influence the tone, but I wouldn't say the Supreme will sound "better" - that's up to your ears to decide. Personally, I would never buy a Supreme because I don't like gold hardware on guitars. I also don't like the fancy logo on the headstock. Studios, you can buy gold or nickel. So, does that make the Studio "better"...no.

 

My favorite guitar right now is my BFG. Why? Because I tend to really wail on that thing O:) More so, than my other guitars. When I'm not playing my BFG, it's always lying out somewhere, sometimes on a stand, sometimes on the floor, sometimes against the wall, and sometimes there's stuff on it. It's great because I always have a guitar that's within arm's reach, and I spend zero time wiping it down afterwards.

 

My Custom, on the other hand, is treated like fine china. It's removed from the case, played, wiped down, then put back in the case...and nobody else is allowed to touch it. This is probably how you would treat a Supreme, because it's a really expensive six-string. Whereas, a Studio will probably be enjoyed more as a playing guitar and not a centre-piece. Any scratch or ding on your Supreme will temporarily be the end of the world...a scratched Studio...meh...who really cares?

 

Would you let a friend play your Supreme? My guess is no. Would you let a friend play your Studio? Yes.

 

If Gibson only offered two LPs - Studio or Supreme - well then, I would most definitely pick a Studio...but since there are many more models in the Les Paul line up, I won't be voting for either.

 

Sorry about the rant...so turtles, which guitar do you think is better?

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turtlesg17

turtlesg17

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thanks a million guys i think I'm going 4 the studio in wine red. thanks again I'm notorious for not exactly being so careful with my axe's so a supreme prbly would have broken my heart.

 

oh and by the way Tim A its turtle SG not turtles

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spitball

spitball

Posted
Posted

Studios were definitely well-made in the early 90's...and possibly still are but I haven't tried a newer one. Wish I never sold my '91 Alpine White Studio. It sounded great and was quite lightweight for a Paul. You may be of a different opinion, but I prefer to get the less visually-assuming, workhorse kind of guitar first. Only after that base is covered might I be interested in splurging on a fancy guitar like a Supreme. I just don't take all the cosmetics too seriously, especially since my playing ain't so pretty!

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Raptor

Raptor

Posted
Posted

You are comparing apples to oranges and polls are not the best way to get information about two models you are thinking about. A poll asks someone to vote, not to state the reasons why they vote. So your results can be skewed by a lot of wrong information, and emotional choice.

The two guitars are nothing alike. The only things they have in common are the pickups and electronics. Tonewise, playability, appearance, weight, pricing, and versatility are all different between these two guitars. I own both.

The Supreme is heavily chambered and does not sound like a traditional Les Paul. No, you cannot say the new Studio is chambered too so they sound the same. They don't. The chambers in the Supreme were purposely designed to alter the tone. They are not for everyone. The chambering makes the pickups sound totally different from the same set in a Studio or Custom. The guitar sounds almost halfway between a 335 and an LP. It is also very bright sounding. The added maple back also adds to the brightness a great deal. It also is very resonant and has more sustain. But, there is nothing wrong with the resonance and sustain on the Studio.

The ebony fretboard will play and feel different from rosewood (only the alpine white Studio gets ebony and rumor is that has been ended, rosewood is the stock Studio fretboard wood). Also the Supreme has a carved back and that makes it thicker than the other LPs.

If you like to mod your guitars then avoid the Supreme. There are no control cavities in the back. You have to remove all the electronics through the jackplate hole, desolder the pickups. Put the new pickup leads through the body and out the jackplate. Solder it all together, then stuff them all back through the jackplate opening and back into place without breaking anything. Not a job for an amateur or tinkerer.

The Supreme will weigh more because it has more wood and the extra maple.

The Studio is a very versatile guitar when it comes to different genres of music. The Supreme will also handle most styles of music without too much difficulty, but the brightness and semi-hollow tone makes it a little less versatile IMO than the Studio. Then you have the appearance and pricing. If you get a Supreme with a figured back as well as front, can you live with your clothes scratching up the finish and wood on the back of the Supreme?

It is pretty natural to want to have the top of the line model, but a lot of people do not realize that the top of the line model may not be the best model for them. Both are excellent guitars, but both are very, very different. You will either like the Supreme or dislike it because of the different tone, so I strongly advise against buying it without playing it. Studios are also great guitars with a good and versatile tone. Neither one is better than the other, they are just different. They sound totally different, and they are made differently. There is a lot more to the Supreme than just eye candy, but there are a lot more appointments on the Supreme. The binding, inlays and the colour of the hardware do not affect the tone.

Only you can decide which one is best for you, and the only way you are going to decide that is to get out and play them both, not by asking on forums. So go out and try as many as you can.

I find it strange that if you can afford a Supreme, then you can afford any of the Gibson USA models, and quite a few of the Custom Shop models. So I wonder why you are only looking at these two models, especially when they are at extreme ends of the price scale?

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Thundergod

Thundergod

Posted
Posted

Exactly what Raptor said... if you can afford the supreme, why dont you take a look at all the other models? maybe a standard or a custom will make it for you (a standard faded did it for me, i find it perfect and like it more than normal standards), or even another model, a SG a V or a firebird... they all sound different and some are really confortable (sg for example).

 

So maybe you should try a lot of guitars and find out the one you like most.

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Bakz

Bakz

Posted
Posted

I voted Studio. Just more of a player's grade instrument. But, for collectability or investment purposes, I'd have to go with the Supreme. I saw two matching rootbeer burst Supremes at the Gibson Showcase in Memphis. They had abalone inlay and consecutive numbers. They were called, "the Brothers." Exceptionally beautiful instruments.

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T50

T50

Posted
Posted

Okay, I'm the only guy who voted for Supreme so far.

 

If your first choice was a Supreme for whatever the reasons were

(and if you can afford it), go for it. Buy what your heart tells you to.

Don't listen to your brain!

If you buy anything else or less, you'll be keep thinking about the

Supreme that you fell in love with. And soon you will end up with 2 LPs:

a Studio & a Supreme.

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