buffoonery's Full Review: Gibson Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar
There have been about a bazillion reviews written about the Gibson Les Paul on epinions, including thirty or forty (or at least it seems that way) by Your Humble Author, so I’m not going to rehash the history of the design of the guitar because you can just click on one my Les Paul reviews below. Instead, I’m going to look at the new 2008 Les Paul Standard, which has some new design elements from Our Pals at Gibson that are worth looking at. Some of you may be surprised.
(Trivia question: Why did they call it the Les Paul Standard back in the 50s. Answer: In 1958, Gibson changed the color on the LP from the Sunburst Gold to a flametop. The “Standard” appellation was given to differentiate these guitars from the earlier Goldtops. Now, for all practical purposes, the “Standard” is the model between the Studio and the more expensive Custom and Reissue models.)
First, the neck, which is mahogany with rosewood fretboard. Gibson claims to have now entered the ergonomic age, and the Standard’s neck is the result. It’s thicker on top (bass), narrower on the bottom, to better fit the design of the hand. Neck width is overall in the middle: in other words, I’ve played LP’s that are chunkier and slower up the neck than this one. Neck sanding is also done by hand, so Gibson says no two necks will be alike, which is a thin excuse for claiming that each guitar is a collector’s item.
Speaking of which, the guitar is equipped with Gibson’s largest ever neck tenon. The new design has the neck fastened on to the body and glued from the top. Gibson claims this provides better stability, sustain and resonance.
For the frets, Gibson now uses a German made “Plek” machine that uses a computer automatically finish the frets and minimize intonation problems and fret buzz. This guitar sounded pretty good on the 22-fret neck, so I guess it worked. The tuners are 18:1 Grovers.
You also get a chambered body, which first of all means that this is lighter than a lot of other LP’s so it’s easier on the back for performance. That’s a good thing. You’ll also get a better, louder acoustic sound but you’ll sacrifice some tonal anger when played electrically. The flametop finish is gorgeous and, as with a guitar of this price and quality, there aren’t any apparent construction or paint defects. The guitar is available in seven colors with nitrocellulose finish.
The bridge is a Tone Pro, which is good. The plug-in jack is a Neutrik locking jack, which may not to be to some people’s taste. I’ve never had a guitar jack pull out in forty years of playing so I don’t know why this is a problem all of a sudden.
No pickguard.
The new Standard is powered by two Burstbucker Pro pickups in the neck and bridge. These are fired up with Alnico V instead of II magnets so you’ll get more output and a darker tone at the cost of some sweetness. These are controlled by the usual three-way switch and dedicated volume and tone controls for each pickup. As with any Les Paul, tone is a matter of individual choice. Play the guitar and, if you don’t like the sound, don’t buy it.
This baby will run you $2500 - $2600 at the big box stores.
I’ve played a lot of Les Pauls and this model sounds pretty much like a Les Paul. The chambered body makes it easier to play and the neck has its virtues. Some guys who have never been weaned off the late 1950’s necks are not going to like the feel of this guitar, and the chambered body with its slightly mellower feel won’t help. For this kind of money, don’t buy it if you don’t like it.
Bottom line, this is another high quality guitar from Gibson. I don’t think I’d add to my collection – I like my 1990 Custom a lot and it doesn’t need replacing. Play it and see if you like the neck, which is a bit idiosyncratic. It’s a little early to tell, but this may hurt collectibility a little if you’re going try to resell this guitar to a hard core Les Paul player.
I’d give it four and a half stars if I could, but it’s certainly not a four star guitar so it gets the five.
Gibson Les Paul Studio Worn Electric Guitar; A no-frills studio guitar with all the tonal characteristics you love in a Les Paul. Get your fill of T...More at American Musical Supply
Gibson Les Paul Studio Worn Electric Guitar; A no-frills studio guitar with all the tonal characteristics you love in a Les Paul. Get your fill of T...More at American Musical Supply
Fantastic prices with ease & c...(Stock status: N/A)
The arrival of the Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar in 1983 offered guitarists all the essential elements of a Les Paul Standard, including a ca...More at Amazon Marketplace
Fantastic prices with ease & c...(Stock status: N/A)
The arrival of the Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar in 1983 offered guitarists all the essential elements of a Les Paul Standard, including a ca...More at Amazon Marketplace
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