For ten years, the Gibson Les Paul Studio has been my go-to electric guitar. It’s been through countless gigs, rehearsals, and recording sessions. In this review, I’m not going to reiterate the general praise already heaped upon the Les Paul Studio – you can find plenty of that online, including comparisons to its sibling, the Les Paul Standard, and even debates about Les Paul versus Stratocaster. Instead, this is a real-world account, detailing my personal journey with this instrument, from the excitement of buying it new online for £799 to the bittersweet moment of selling it a decade later for £600. Was it the perfect guitar? Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty.
Gig-Ready Right Out of the Box? Maybe Not Quite for the Les Paul Studio
My initial experience with my brand new 2003 Gibson Les Paul Studio wasn’t entirely flawless. Surprisingly, the bridge saddles were incredibly sharp, almost like knife blades. This resulted in my wound strings fraying and breaking far too quickly. Being hesitant to adjust anything immediately on a new guitar, I opted to let the strings naturally wear down the saddles. This process took a good four weeks of regular gigging to resolve itself. Interestingly, my backup guitar at the time, a 2004 Epiphone Les Paul Standard, which cost significantly less, didn’t have this issue. This initial saddle problem was a minor setback, but something to be aware of.
Another aspect that might require some consideration is the neck profile. My Studio came with a substantial ’50s style neck profile and a nitrocellulose finish that initially felt a bit sticky. Players with smaller hands or those accustomed to modern, slimmer necks might find this ’50s profile a bit of a handful. It’s definitely a chunky neck, and the nitro finish, while contributing to the guitar’s vintage vibe, can feel less slick than a glossier finish, especially in warmer conditions.
Les Paul Studio vs. Les Paul Standard: More Than Just a “Light” Version?
It’s a common misconception that the Gibson Les Paul Studio is merely a stripped-down, less expensive version of the Les Paul Standard. While it’s true that the Studio’s body is approximately a quarter of an inch thinner than the Standard, this is arguably the only change that might have a subtle impact on the overall sound. Crucially, the Les Paul Studio retains the core elements that define the Les Paul sound: the same electronics, including the powerful Gibson 490R and 498T pickups, a nitrocellulose finish, and a rounded ’50s mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard. While the Standard offers the option of a slimmer ’60s neck profile, the fundamental components are largely shared.
Cosmetically, there are differences. The Studio models typically feature plainer maple tops compared to the often highly figured tops of Standards. You also won’t find the pearloid Gibson headstock logo or body and neck binding on the Studio. However, the absence of neck binding can be seen as a practical advantage. During that era, Gibson’s binding process sometimes resulted in the binding overlapping the fret ends, which could catch strings during bends. My 2003 Les Paul Studio came in an ebony finish with silver hardware, giving it a sleek, contemporary look. Personally, I didn’t miss the traditional sunburst finish at all. Furthermore, the Studio features speed knobs, which I found to be an upgrade over the standard knobs on my older Epiphone Les Paul Standard.
Gibson Les Paul Studio
Playability: Living Up to the Les Paul Legacy?
The Gibson Les Paul has a long-standing reputation for being a player-friendly guitar. While legendary guitarist Les Paul himself championed its playability, I have a slightly different perspective. For my larger hands, I’ve always found the longer scale length of Fender Stratocasters provides more finger room. Stratocasters also tend to be more comfortable to hold for extended periods due to their body contours.
However, where the Gibson Les Paul Studio truly excels is in its action and string tension. My Studio achieved the lowest buzz-free action of any guitar I’ve owned. The shorter scale length, resulting in lower string tension, combined with light gauge .009 strings, made it almost effortlessly playable. In fact, it was almost too easy. I soon realized that moving to a slightly heavier gauge string (.010s) was necessary to unlock the full tonal potential and improve tuning stability. The slightly thinner body of the Studio also brings its weight closer to that of a Stratocaster, making it a bit more comfortable for longer gigs.
Comparing it again to my Epiphone Les Paul Standard, while the Epiphone came surprisingly close in terms of overall feel, the Gibson Les Paul Studio consistently offered superior fretwork and a generally more refined playing experience. The Gibson simply felt more “slinky” and smoother under the fingers.
The Soundscape of the Gibson Les Paul Studio: From Sweet to Searing
If you’re aiming for iconic Les Paul tones, the Studio delivers. Want to nail the smooth, vocal neck pickup sound of “Brothers in Arms” or the searing bridge pickup in “Sweet Child O’ Mine”? A Gibson Les Paul, especially on the neck pickup, is essential. Nothing else quite captures that broad, flute-like, thick, and warmly overdriven tone.
However, in my experience, while that signature neck pickup “woman tone” is fantastic, about 95% of my playing time on the Les Paul Studio was spent utilizing the Gibson 498T bridge pickup. The neck pickup can be a bit too muddy for overdriven rhythm playing, whereas the bridge pickup is incredibly assertive and cuts through a mix with authority. It’s often said that a Fender Stratocaster cuts through with precision and a carefully sculpted EQ, like a knife, while a Les Paul relies more on raw power, like a tank.
I tend to agree with this analogy, and my preference for the Les Paul’s powerful bridge pickup stems from a desire for a sustaining, almost feedback-laden, singing guitar tone, rather than a pristine, clean signal. The 498T bridge pickup perfectly balances crisp, cutting highs, punchy, woody mids, and a controlled yet deep bass response. It’s an instantly recognizable and satisfying tone that’s easily manipulated and controlled.
The Gibson 490R and 498T pickups were standard across many Gibson models at the time, even appearing in high-end Custom and Supreme models. While many newer models now feature lower output Burstbucker pickups, I never personally considered Burstbuckers an upgrade. The 490R and 498T are, in my opinion, two of the most recorded and influential pickups in history, and remain highly sought after in vintage and used Gibson Les Pauls today.
The sonic nuances of the Gibson Les Paul Studio became even more apparent when I A/B tested it against my upgraded Epiphone Les Paul Standard. While the Epiphone, with its Seymour Duncan ’59 (neck) and JB (bridge) pickups and upgraded switch, was a capable backup, the Gibson Les Paul Studio consistently sounded wider, classier, clearer, cleaner, and more naturally resonant compared to the slightly muddier and less defined Epiphone.
Gibson Les Paul Studio
Versatility: More Flexible Than a Les Paul Standard?
The Gibson Les Paul Studio reveals its versatility when you start working with the guitar’s volume control and your amplifier’s settings. Compared to the Les Paul Standard of that era, which could sometimes feel a bit monolithic and less dynamic, the Studio seemed leaner and more responsive to changes in volume and gain. While it will never match the pristine clean tones of a Fender Stratocaster, the Les Paul Studio is surprisingly adaptable. For live gigs, it can easily cover a wide range of sonic territories without needing to switch guitars. The taper of the volume and tone controls on my Studio was always smooth and predictable, with no sudden jumps in volume or gain and no scratchy pots. At full volume and tone, it might be slightly less thick-sounding than a Les Paul Standard, but this becomes an advantage as you roll back the controls, creating a more usable, lower-output rhythm tone that retains crucial high-frequency clarity.
Durability: Built to Last? A Nitrocellulose Finish Reality Check
The traditional one-piece angled mahogany neck construction of a Les Paul suggests robust durability. And in theory, if properly cared for, a Les Paul should last a lifetime.
However, my experience highlighted a key point about the nitrocellulose finish: it’s not the most durable. After about 4 to 5 years of regular use, the finish began to show signs of wear and tear. While aged nitro finishes on vintage instruments can develop a beautiful “patina,” on my Studio, moisture unfortunately penetrated the finish, causing it to blister and peel, resulting in an unsightly patch of exposed bare wood.
The reality is that nitrocellulose, while contributing to the guitar’s tone and vintage aesthetic, is not a particularly robust or protective finish. Modern polyurethane finishes are significantly more durable.
From Ebony to Natural: An Unintentional Customization
Necessity and a touch of panic led to an unexpected customization of my Les Paul Studio. When the nitro finish began to fail, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Without time to completely disassemble the guitar due to a busy gigging schedule and no backup instrument at that moment, I embarked on a DIY refinishing project. I removed the strings and control knobs and carefully sanded down the damaged finish. During this process, I inadvertently damaged the bridge tone pot, so I disconnected it, which, surprisingly, resulted in a slightly brighter and hotter bridge pickup tone that I actually preferred!
After sanding, I sealed the exposed wood with two coats of Danish oil (ideally it should have been three, but time was limited). I also swapped the black switch tip and pickup rings for cream-colored replacements, and the black speed knobs for amber ones.
The result was a stunning natural wood Gibson Les Paul Studio with customized wiring and a satin finish on the back of the neck, which made it significantly faster and smoother to play than the original sticky nitro finish.
Tuning Stability: The Nitro Finish Factor?
Unfortunately, after removing the nitro finish and applying the Danish oil, tuning stability became an ongoing issue. Perhaps an additional coat of oil would have helped, but without the protective nitro seal, the guitar seemed more susceptible to environmental changes. The wood felt slightly softer, possibly due to moisture absorption, and the guitar drifted out of tune more readily. Furthermore, I began to suspect that the nitro finish itself contributed to the overall tonal character, adding a certain “sheen” and cohesiveness to the sound that was now absent.
The nut also seemed to require more frequent attention. Whether it was sawdust from the refinishing process or some other debris, the nut slots appeared to be causing tuning problems, especially with string bending. Cleaning the nut slots became a regular maintenance task, but the tuning issues persisted.
Gibson Les Paul Studio
Time to Part Ways
Despite my affection for its unique look, comfortable playability, and personalized modifications, as my Gibson Les Paul Studio reached its tenth year, it started showing its age more dramatically. The jack socket became corroded, one of the endpin holes required constant toothpick shims to stay secure, and the control knobs were nearing the point of disintegration. It felt like the entire guitar was gradually falling apart.
More concerningly, I felt the wood was becoming damp and affecting the tone, making it sound muddier. Perhaps it was just my perception, or maybe the magnets in the Gibson 490R and 498T pickups were simply mellowing out after a decade of use.
In a live performance context, minimizing distractions is crucial. Regrettably, my once-reliable Gibson Les Paul Studio had become a source of distractions rather than seamless performance.
Considering a New Gibson Les Paul Studio?
If you’re in the market for a versatile, powerful, and iconic electric guitar, the Gibson Les Paul Studio remains a compelling option. Despite the minor initial setup issue and the nitro finish’s durability limitations, my decade-long experience with the Les Paul Studio was overwhelmingly positive. It’s a guitar that delivers classic Les Paul tones and playability at a more accessible price point than a Standard. If you’re considering adding a Les Paul to your collection, the Studio is definitely worth a serious look.
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