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The Gibson Les Paul has long been one of the premier icons in modern Rock music. Stars of every stripe have played the big-ticket Standard and Custom Shop models, but in the early 1980s, Gibson set out to make a more affordable version for the masses. A simple knock-off would not be embraced, though. It had to sound and feel like the real deal, or what's the point? Enter the Les Paul Studio. All the expensive frills have been removed, but all the core features remain. Nearly thirty years later, the Studio is still going strong, which is proof enough Gibson got it right.
Fancy flame tops and body binding sure are purty, but they aren't going to make you sound any better, so Gibson nixed them from the Studio. A solid mahogany body, maple cap, set-neck construction, and Gibson humbucker pickups all contribute to the signature Les Paul tone, and the Studio has those in spades. The adjustable truss rod, Tune-O-Matic bridge, and precision Kluson-style tuning machines let you set it up to perfection, so the feel is as sweet as the tone.
That's not to say only the inexpensive features were kept and the costlier features were cut, though. For example, some of the other budget-priced Gibsons have eliminated the carved maple cap, but that cap is essential to the Les Paul vibe, so it stayed. Similarly, lower priced models are typically sprayed with a urethane finish because it's more economical than nitrocellulose lacquer. A nitro finish helps the wood to breathe, though, so the guitar will sound better and better as time goes by. Gibson chose nitrocellulose for the Studio, ensuring the coveted Les Paul tone remains intact for as long as you play it.
Like some of the highest-end Custom Shop models, the Les Paul Studio has a chambered body. Not only do these precision-tuned chambers improve resonance, they also substantially cut down on the weight. If you're grinding out four or five sets a night on the club circuit, this is especially welcome news.
The Les Paul Studio comes in four different finishes, and I had the opportunity to demo the Ebony model. The deep black shine is very classy, though right up close it was clear the nitro finish was already beginning to break down. This is normal with nitro, and the checking or crazing of the finish is part of what gives vintage Pauls their character. This particular model was starting to demonstrate the "orange-peel" effect that sometimes happens, which really isn't my thing. But, at any kind of distance beyond nose-to-the-cap, it's not noticeable.
Upon looping my head under the strap and settling the Studio on my shoulder, I was pleasantly surprised by the light weight. The balance was right on, and the familiar neck profile felt right at home in my left hand. The frets were dressed nicely, and bending and sliding was a breeze. I noticed no buzzing or fretting out from the factory setup. The intonation seemed right on, but I did notice the higher strings binding slightly when slipping through the nut as I tuned up.
One of my litmus tests for electric guitar is to first play it unplugged for a bit. If it doesn't sound right au-natural, an amp will only make the ugliness louder. Fortunately, the Studio sounded very nice all alone. I could hear the chambers warm up the tone a bit from solid-backed Les Pauls I've played, and the natural sustain seemed to suffer slightly, but nothing really to be concerned about. The bright snap from the Maple cap rang through clearly, backed by plenty of rich resonance.
I experimented with a few boutique tube amps, and was pleased with the variety of tonal options available from the three-way selector and per-pickup volume and tone knobs. Jazz chording over a clean amp setting sounded warm and chimey, and I was able to get a pretty convincing AC/DC sound with the crunch engaged. There was a ton of Blusey fatness on the neck pickup, and rolling back the tone knob effortlessly evoked Clapton's "Woman Tone".
Speaking of the tone knob, I was especially impressed with all of the pickup controls on the Studio. The knobs felt smooth with just the right amount of resistance, and there was no thinning out of the tone when rolling back the volume. The taper for both volume and tone knobs was very useable as well. The slope at the top was nice and steep for quick adjustments, with a noticeable effect throughout the range of travel.
Gibson markets this guitar as the instrument of choice for studio cats, but I found it to be perfectly suited to the gigging musician as well. If you fall into one of the following categories, the Les Paul Studio was made for you:
4.5 out of 5
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