Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag)

zZounds' Take on Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded Electric Guitar

The Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded brings the renowned Les Paul sound - to many players, THE sound of rock and roll - to a price never seen before. With USA construction and an attractive worn aesthetic, the Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded is a keeper.

A Legendary Value

The howling Les Paul sound can be impossible for guitarists to resist--and the Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded comes with an equally irresistible price. Gibson realizes that not every guitarist needs the luxury appointments of the Les Paul Custom--thousands just want the iconic sound and the tremendous harmonic capabilities of the Les Paul. And in the studio or bedroom, you don't necessarily need all of the features that make a guitar tough enough for the road, either. The no-frills Les Paul Studio Faded makes these genuine solid-body electric guitars available at a fraction of the price you'd expect for a Gibson Les Paul--this incredible value has made the studio series some of Gibson's most sought-after electric guitars.

The Essential Elements: All There

The Studio series streamlines the Les Paul back to the essential elements. But they are Gibson guitars, so those elements are still superior: Genuine Gibson humbucker pickups send the Les Paul sound from the strings to your amp. The 22-fret fingerboard is made of high-grade rosewood (the final sanding done by hand) boasting a 12-inch radius that will eliminate dead or choked notes and provide for smooth note bending. The rounded neck emulates the shape of the immortal 1959 Les Paul Standard. The Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded's expertly chambered body both enhances the tone and lightens the overall weight, making it easier to play in the studio all day without breaking your back. Gibson's pioneering Tune-O-Matic bridge keeps each string the perfect distance from the nut, helping the guitar resonate and stay in tune better than a traditional bridge, on which each string ends up being the same length from nut to bridge.

A Timeless Look, and a Style All Its Own

Like that old sweater you just can't bear to part with, or your favorite pair of blue jeans, some guitars just don't feel "right" until they've been broken in. The worn finish on the Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded (Cherry or Brown) helps bring out that vintage vibe right from the start. Strap one on your shoulder and it looks and feels like an old friend. There will still be plenty of opportunities to leave your own impression on this guitar, but the worn-in aesthetic helps you move past that awkward getting-to-know-you phase and straight onto the good times.

Manufacturer's Description for Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded Series Electric Guitar with Gig Bag

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 Traditional Les Paul performance. The Les Paul Studio has long been the choice of studio musicians everywhere, thus the name Studio. Giving your standard Les Paul a a modern, no-frills attitude makes this Gibson a sought after delight with an easy-going price-tag. The Les Paul Studio has become one of the most desired Les Pauls for its tremendous harmonic and sonic capacities, coveted by musicians from all genres of music.

Expanding on their most affordable variation of the most popular Les Paul model, Gibson adds two new finishes. It's the one guitar that has everything you need and nothing you don't. Two high-output Burstbucker Pros are fitted to a powerful mahogany tone machine loaded with high quality hardware and Gibson?s trademark nitro lacquer finish.

Features

- '50s Rounded Neck Profile
- Angled Headstock
- Adjustable Truss Rod
- 22-Fret Rosewood Fingerboard
- Mahogany Back, Maple Top
- Nickel and Silver Alloy Fret Wire
- Trapezoid Inlays
- Set-Neck Construction
- Chambered Body
- Gibson Burstbucker Pro Pickups
- Tune-O-Matic Bridge
- Nitrocellulose Finish

'50s Rounded Neck Profile

No guitar neck profiles are more distinguishable than the neck profiles employed on the Gibson models of today. The more traditional '50s neck profile--found on the Les Paul Studio--is the thicker, rounder profile, emulating the neck shapes of the iconic 1958 and 1959 Les Paul Standards. The neck is machined in Gibson's rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. But once the fingerboard gets glued on, the rest--including the final sanding--is done by hand. That means there are no two necks with the exact same dimensions. So while it still has the basic characteristics of its respective profile, each neck will be slightly different, with a distinct but traditional feel.

Gibson's Burstbucker Pro Pickups

Gibson's drive to recapture the magic of the original Patent Applied For humbucker pickups of the 1950s culminated with the introduction of the Burstbucker line in the early 1990s. Those Burstbuckers-Types 1, 2, and 3-successfully captured the subtle variations of true, classic humbucker tone with historically unmatched bobbin windings and Alnico II magnets. In 2002, Gibson followed up this innovative accomplishment with yet another breakthrough in pickup design-the Burstbucker Pro, designed specifically for the new Les Paul Standards. The Burstbucker Pro features an Alnico V magnet (instead of the Alnico II), which offers slightly higher output and allows preamps to be driven a little harder to achieve a more natural break-up. Like all Burstbuckers, the Burstbucker Pro has asymmetrical coils-true to the original PAFs-which supply a more open sound. The Burstbucker Pro Neck is wound slightly less than the original PAFs, while the Burstbucker Pro Bridge is slightly overwound for increased output. The Burstbucker Pro pickups are also wax potted to allow loud volume pressures with minimal feedback. As with all Gibson pickups, every part is precisely manufactured at Gibson USA in Nashville, Tennessee, insuring tight, seamless fittings, and superior workmanship.

22-Fret Rosewood Fingerboard

Both rosewood and ebony have always graced the fingerboards of the world's finest stringed instruments, including many of today's Gibsons. The fingerboards on Gibson's Les Paul Studios are constructed from the highest grade rosewood and ebony on the planet. Both are personally inspected and qualified by Gibson's team of skilled wood experts before they enter the factories to be fitted onto the neck of the Les Paul Studio. The resilience of these dense and durable woods makes these fingerboards extremely balanced and stable, and gives each chord and note unparalleled clarity and bite. The 12-inch radius of the fingerboard provides smooth note bending capabilities and eliminates "dead" or "choked out" notes, common occurrences on fingerboards with lesser radiuses. The ebony fingerboard is only available on the Les Paul Studios in Classic White or Alpine White. The Rosewood fingerboard is only available on the Studios in Ebony, Wine Red, and Fireburst.

Mahogany Back and Maple Top

There isn't anything more critical than the matching of the Les Paul's mahogany back with its mahogany cap, as well as the regimen involved in selecting the right wood and the formula to dry it out. First, the wood is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson's team of skilled wood experts before it enters the Gibson factories.

Inside the Gibson factories, humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees. This ensures that the wood is dried to a level of equilibrium, where the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, and controls the shrinkage and warping of the wood, in addition to reducing the weight. It also improves the wood's machinability and finishing properties, and adherence to glue. Consistent moisture content means that a Gibson guitar will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.

Chambered Body

There's something about playing a guitar with perfect tone, balance, and weight. One of the ways the expert craftsmen at Gibson USA achieve this equilibrium is by carving carefully mapped-out chambers in the Les Paul's solid mahogany back using a Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) router. The positioning of the routes was established after careful examination of the resonant characteristics of the Les Paul. Gibson approached this process with the awareness that every change to the formula would have repercussions on the instrument's sound. So, in addition to relieving the stress on a player's back and shoulder, these lighter Gibson guitars also enhance the tone palette in a manner unique only to these guitars. The results are comfortable, lightweight guitars that are acoustically louder, with increased sustain and resonance.

zZounds Expert Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded Electric Guitar Review

The Gibson Les Paul is one of the most recognizable guitars on the planet. Top of the line Les Paul models are favored by many high-profile players for their killer tone and luxurious appointments, but the price often prevents the average axe-slinger from acquiring one of their own. In 1983, Gibson unveiled the Studio Series, a stripped-down version of the legendary Les Paul at a more manageable price. You get all the tone and playability of the top dogs, without all the unnecessary frills.

If you're really looking to save a buck, this Les Paul Studio Worn guitar costs even less than the regular Studio models. It still sounds killer and is a dream to play, and the worn satin Cherry or Brown finish make it feel like this guitar already has some stories to tell. That's not to say it comes pre-dinged with simulated wear marks like other manufacturers' throwback models. You'll have to add your own buckle rash and cigarette burns.

The Worn Series Les Pauls don't have the fancy flame finishes, body binding, and exotic fretboards of their upscale cousins, but you're still getting all the same guts, such as a pair of hot humbuckers, set neck construction with adjustable truss rod, three-way pickup selector with a volume and tone control for each pickup, and Gibson's Tune-O-Matic bridge. Once you pick this guitar up, you might not want to put it down, so it's a good thing the Worn Studio includes a chambered body. The chambers reduce the weight but also improve the resonance. Your shoulder will thank you.

Tone Is King

Les Paul Studio Worn guitars include a pair of Burstbucker Pro humbuckers; the same pickups found in the pricier Les Paul Standard. Both pickups feature Alnico V magnets for a hotter signal than some of Gibson's other Alnico II pickups, and the bridge humbucker has some extra windings for even more "oomph". Both of the Burstbuckers are wax potted to cut out feedback when you're cranked way up.

All Hands On Studio

I've played several different Les Paul models, and the feel with this Worn Studio model was right up there with the best of them. I especially appreciated the lighter weight of the chambered body. Normally my back and shoulder would be pleading for mercy after four or five sets at a club gig, but I was able to sail through with no problems. Even with the lighter body weight, the guitar was well-balanced. The headstock wasn't dipping down when I took my left hand off the neck. It stayed right where I expected it to be. It's called a Studio because it was designed for studio musicians, but I think this is a superior gigging axe. The few times I've taken a higher-end instrument out on the road, I was constantly worrying about scratches and dings. Not so with the Studio.

The intonation was right-on, thanks to the Tune-O-Matic bridge and the well-machined tuning pegs. When tuning, I did notice some of the strings binding up a bit when sliding through the nut, but nothing a few strokes of a file couldn't fix. The neck itself felt great, with the same type of profile as the late 50's Les Pauls. It was chunky and substantial in my paw, without feeling like a baseball bat. The frets were fairly well dressed, though I did notice some roughness when sliding my hand along the edges. It didn't interfere with my playing, though. The fretwire is a bit smaller and thinner than some other Les Paul models I've played, but there was plenty of depth for smooth bending and a nice crown for silky sliding. I didn't notice any fretting out or buzzing, and was happy with the setup right out of the box.

Sounds Good To Me

I hooked the Worn Studio up to a few boutique amp heads and out through a single 12-inch cabinet. The tone was a little darker than some other Pauls I have played, probably due to the Mahogany cap. It was clear and full, though. No mud. With a clean tone and the three-way switch set to the bridge pickup, I was able to get plenty of bright snap. As I rolled in some overdrive, the classic Les Paul mojo floated out onto the room. Even when pushing the gain up high, there was plenty of clarity and crispness. I tried detuning and unleashed a few Metal riffs, and still had clean articulation.

Switching to the neck pickup, I was just as impressed with the versatility and tonal range available. Once again, I started off clean with some Jazz chording, and the tone was rich and ringing. I added a bit of grit and switched to some Blues licks. They sounded nice and nasty. Then, I opened the floodgates and checked the high-gain sustain. It was thick and singing, just like you'd expect a Paul to sound in that situation. No complaints there.

When All Is Said And Done

If you're looking for authentic Les Paul tone without the matching price tag, the Worn Studio model is the way to go. It's got all of the important components to play and sound great, without all the flashy extras. After putting it through its paces, I found the wide range of tones available will let you get something useable for virtually any musical genre.

zZounds is an authorized dealer of Gibson products.

Faded Blue Stain and Fade Ebony Stain Specifications

- Body: Mahogany (Chambered)

- Top: Carved Western Maple

- Neck: Mahogany (LP rounded profile)

- Fingerboard: Baked Maple fingerboard for Worn Brown and Worn Cherry. Obeche fingerboard for Blue Stain and Ebony Stain.

- Hardware: Chrome Tone Pros

- Tuners: Grover with vintage-style green keys

- Electronics: Dual Burstbucker Pros

- Case: Gibson 940 Deluxe Gig Bag

Dimensions and Weight in Packaging

Faded Blue Stain

Shipping Weight: 16 lbs

Shipping Dimensions: 8 x 4 x 8 in

Faded Ebony Stain

Shipping Weight: 16 lbs

Shipping Dimensions: 8 x 4 x 8 in

Worn Brown

Shipping Weight: 19 lbs

Shipping Dimensions: 45 x 18 x 7 in

Worn Cherry

Shipping Weight: 20 lbs

Shipping Dimensions: 45 x 18 x 7 in