So school me on LP's

[335clone]

I've never had one, and don't really get the differences between Studio, Standard, Custom....

 

[jp_nyc]

The more you spend the better the finish is. If you spend enough to get binding you won’t have to feel Gibson’s sloppy fret ends when you play. Even the custom is likely to need a fret level and a nut job if you want the action low. Oddly the 2016 guitars seem to get heavier as they get more expensive (at least the ones listed on the Wildwood site do) which seems counterintuitive, but hey, it’s Gibson.

 

[DFB]

It is mostly cosmetic. Look into a used Heritage instead.

 

[CBHScott]

Studio: historically, no binding, lesser-quality top wood, maybe multi-piece bodies, "entry-level" Gibson pickups (496/500s and such). Recently, the "entryu-level" Studios have had a satin finish and have been a bit less expensive (current ones go for $799 new).

Standard: Body and neck binding, better-quality top woods, and generally nicer burst finishes. Pickups are '57 Classics IIRC. Hardshell case included. Now they are starting around $2700.

Custom: Double-bound bodies and rectangular inlays, HSC. Going in the mid-upper $3Ks.

The 2015 line was a total diversion (the zero-fret nuts, wider necks, and G-force tuners), as none of the models had satin finishes, with the Studios going for $1249 with HSC. The Guitar Center/MF "VR" version of the Studios released late in the year came with vintage tuners and the regular-width neck for $999.

Not that I am a huge Gibson fanboy, but there has been a lot of hyperbole over the last few years regarding QC. Sure, Henry is a whack-job, and has made some really boneheaded decisions during his reign of terror, and a few years ago there were some pretty widespread QC issues, but Gibson still puts out some great quality guitars, and the QC has been a lot better the last couple of years. Frankly, a LP Studio of fairly recent vintage used can be had for around $600-700, satin or gloss, and if you grab a good one it's a fgreat value. One of the area GCs had a beat-up used 2012 satin Studio for $499, and it played and sounded fantastic. If I had the spare cash I would have taken it home.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

Don't be a headstocksniffer. Buy a Heritage instead.

 

[Guitar Heel]

If nobody else has mentioned that the purchase of a Heritage H150 might be a good option, then I'll just add that.

If I were to buy a Gibson, I'd look for a good deal on a used R8.

 

[ellengtrgrl]

Here we go:

Studio - body is all mahogany, and is the lowest on bling factor. The youngest of the three models (been in production since the mid 80s). Come in many different finishes (some of them natural).

Standard - mahagany body, with the maple cap (on top of the mahogany). This what people think of, when they think of Les Pauls. Many if not most, are sunburst finish, and as of late come with vintage inspired pickups. Goldtops are also technically Standards, since for the first several years of Standard production (1952-1957), they were almost all goldtops.

Custom - body is typically all mahogany, like a Studio, but with much more bling (large-style Gibson headstock, binding, gold plated hardware, etc.). Varieties of this is the model have 3 pickups. Most common finish is black, but there are other finishes (I would LOVE to have an original 1979-early 80s Silverburst Custom). Of all of the 'bucker equipped Les Pauls, the Custom is my favorite. Customs were first made in 1954.

 

[335clone]

Thanks for the info. I have no real desire to buy one, just wondered about the differences.

 

[Pine Apple Slim]

I like Deluxes for the mini hums.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Studio: historically, no binding, lesser-quality top wood, maybe multi-piece bodies, "entry-level" Gibson pickups (496/500s and such). Recently, the "entryu-level" Studios have had a satin finish and have been a bit less expensive (current ones go for $799 new).

Standard: Body and neck binding, better-quality top woods, and generally nicer burst finishes. Pickups are '57 Classics IIRC. Hardshell case included. Now they are starting around $2700.

Custom: Double-bound bodies and rectangular inlays, HSC. Going in the mid-upper $3Ks.

And let's not forget the slab body flat tops. Generally speaking, one pickup (dogear P-90) = LP Junior, and two pickups (soapbar P-90s) = LP Special. Theses never have body binding, sometimes neck binding but more often not. Inlays tend to dots.

 

[Bob411]

Also, Traditional = Real LP.

 

[bsman]

Here we go:

Studio - body is all mahogany, and is the lowest on bling factor. The youngest of the three models (been in production since the mid 80s). Come in many different finishes (some of them natural).

This is incorrect -- many of the studios have a maple cap on a mahogany body.

 

[PunkKitty]

Don't be a headstocksniffer. Buy PK's Heritage instead.

Corrected.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

LP = "Long Play", or record album. Discs of vinyl with music on them. Were called long play once recording technology allowed for more than one song to be recorded per side of the disc.

 

[Grant Gross]

Also, LPs are better after being thrown in a pond.

 

[Guitar Heel]

Also, LPs are better after being thrown in a pond.

Depends on when you apply the bacon

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Also, LPs are better after being thrown in a pond.

Depends on when you apply the bacon

The bacon is to be applied only to the fretboard, while the pond procedure is for the whole guitar.

These things must be done properly.

 

[jaxn slim]

My advice is that the specific model doesn't matter as much as the individual guitar. A great Les Paul is really a thing of beauty, but there are a lot of dogs out there.

 

[wok]

"The LP (long play), or 33 1⁄3 rpm microgroove vinyl record, is a format for phonograph (gramophone) records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry."

 

[ellengtrgrl]

This is incorrect -- many of the studios have a maple cap on a mahogany body.

Hmmm, that I didn't know. Thanks for the correction.