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First I have to tell a story about my recent experience with Gibson. I received this guitar on a warranty replacement for a defective guitar. The defective guitar was a Gibson Jason Hook M4 Explorer ( read my review for it on this website ). I was afraid that Gibson would not honor their warranty. Gibson offered me this new Les standard with a few others in this price range. They replaced a guitar I paid $1649.00 for with a $2800.00 guitar. That folks is real customer service. Yes the original guitar never should have had the problem but Gibson stood by it it made it right and that is un heard of these days.so I have to give Gibson much respect. Now for the new 2016 Les Paul standard. Gibson got it right this year, no more robot tuners, no more zero fret nut but these are still options if you like them. Guitar was set up perfect out of the box, beautiful finish with absolutely no flaws. It plays like a dream with the coil tap creating many tonal options without losing the classic LP crunch and sound. Grover locking tuners hold tune for days, best tuners available in my opinion. A couple of things that are currently un advertised. Gibson is using a thicker fretboard now that is sanded down with a finer grit giving it a very crisp attack, very smooth feel almost like ebony. As far as I know they still have the weight relief body but I swear it feels heavier than my other weight relief LP which I like . The neck binding comes up over the edge of the frets now which make it much smoother traveling up the neck. The case is old school looking with a fuscia interior that cradles the guitar perfectly. This is an expensive guitar but worth it, remember this is also a good investment. This guttar will be remembered as the year Gibson listened to its customers and got it right again. Well worth the money, amazing guitar. Zzounds is a great place to buy any gear with play as you play with no interest, how do you beat that ? I cannot say enough about Gibsons customer service. Best guitar I have ever owned and I have many. Buy it!

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I was reluctant on buying a Les Paul Standard after the 2015 debacle, but the 2016 models proved once again that Gibson will listen to their customers every once in a while (especially when their sales drop considerably). I bought a Honeyburst 2016 LP Standard Plus Top as soon as I found out they gave you the option to have traditional tuners. When the guitar arrived, it was stunning. Gibson went back to nickel tuner knobs and got rid of the stupid hologram sticker.....and they went back to the older style hard case with the pink plush interior. Completely happy with my purchase! As far as sound.....it sounds like an LP Standard should. Rich and warm with amazing distorted crunchiness.

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Third guitar from Zzounds: 1st was an incredible Jackson Soloist, 5 stars & HUGE bang for the buck. 2nd was a Gibson SGM. Big disappointment. Not defective, but the Indonesian Jackson was hands down better than this "Gibson USA" guitar.I called Zzounds just to express my disappointment. The customer service representative without hesitation said, "Well, box it back up and return it. We will make it right." And they did. Long story, but they worked with me on guitar and case return, refund, and helped me get what I really wanted: A flame top Les Paul Standard again before I die! THIS GUITAR IS AMAZING! Took over a week to get it from the living room to a Marshall, because it looks, smells, plays, vibrates so incredible unplugged it took my breath away! My guitar is pretty much a Slash AFD, but with locking Grovers, Graphtech nut, Tone Pros locking bridge & tailpiece, coil taps, and nicer top than the transparent Amber one SLASH plays! I have played since 1967, built and restored custom guitars for over 25 years, and the folks at Zzounds turned buyers remorse into the ABSOLUTE BEST GUITAR PURCHASE I HAVE EVER MADE! THANK YOU ZZOUNDS, YOU ROCK!

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I have owned many guitars over the last 40 years. Several Gibson's. In the 70's and 80's you didn't dare buy one you didn't play. I remember back then playing 30 different Les Paul's before I could find the one worth buying. It still sticks in my mind as the only way to buy one. This purchase was the most pleasant surprise I have had in a long time. Zzounds return policy was the thing that made me take a chance on this guitar. The guitar arrived 2 days early. Kudos Zzounds. Very well packaged for shipping. I chose the Honey Burst finnish. I don't know if I just got lucky, but I swear it is a perfect book matched flame on the top cap. The burst finnish is flawless. Another huge surprise. Set up out of the box is more than descent. The most amazing thing about the guitar is the sound and tone it has unplugged. It is loud and very acoustic sounding with insane sustain. I knew where it would go when I plugged it in. It did not disappoint me. The sound was all there and then some plugged in. Great buy.Great guitar. Great service by Zzounds. More than beat my expectations. I totally recommend this guitar. Pick ups and electronics are awesome. Everything you would ever want and expect out of Les Paul. The neck is fantastic. The case is way over the top. it seals so tight, it is somewhat difficult to open the case. It's that air tight. An expensive purchase for sure, but well worth the investment. Gibson is for sure on the right track again. You can tell attention to detail is a primary focus on their part to get it right.

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I'll keep this short and sweet. This guitar rocks! I have several Ibanez guitars, esp, shecter, fender. This 2016 LP standard smokes all of them. Sounds killer, the pickup combos are practically endless with the push/pull pickup selection. The neck pickup sounds so killer and chunky through my clean channel on my peavey 6505+. I can't say enough good things about this work of art. The finish is mind boggling perfect, I gasped when I opened the case, it looked like a master craftsman built this guitar. Gibson listened to us about the 2015 models and I waited, initially wanting to buy last year but waited and am so glad I did. The thinner neck is so playable it's silly, just perfect. The fretboard was finished to perfection, no sharp edges anywhere. The Grover locking tuners are just the icing on the cake of this magnificent, musical work of art. I will have many, many years of joy from this guitar and zZounds makes it just too easy to purchase with the 12 monthly payments. So much for short and sweet. Just buy this guitar I guarantee you'll love it!

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I own some very nice guitars. My favorite has been my Fender American Strat Deluxe Aged cherry burst, which I bought from zZounds. Today I just received the 2016 Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus Top t Heritage Cherry Burst. I couldn't be happier. Out of the box it is set up great. I might tweak a couple things, but that's preference. The 60's neck is beautiful. The finish is beautiful. The pickups rock, especially through the Bogner ecstacy. I buy guitars for individual reasons. There are pros and cons to everything. But for a Les Paul, this is fantastic. I might have gotten the HP version for better neck access, but then I would have those robot tuners which I don't like. Definitely get this guitar. Do your research first. Oh yeah, and zZounds rocks! I've spent $1000's here.

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I have been wanting to get my hands on a Les Paul since the 80's. Played many along the yrs and finally have one. I went with the Tea finish and wow! The pictures on the net do not do it justice. The sound is absolutely amazing. This ax has me putting 4 ESP guitars on letgo. Yup the tones range across the spectrum and the action is perfect. Thought it would take a little getting use to since I normally play a ibanez custom with wizard II (my other baby). To my amazement it's very smooth and accommodating to my style and fingers. The order---So I opened up the case the smell of the wood put me in a euphoric high then I noticed paint defects along the neck body. UGH!! Having bad online return issues in the past with other companies my stomach churned. I called zZounds expecting a little hassle despite the top reviews I have read about them. However, to my relief the customer service was absolutely amazing. They had me pick another serial number and booked the shipment! The next day I placed the original ax in the mail. Their was a slight mixup in shipping my product as I should have received it on a Monday. I called Monday evening and asked if I would be getting it the next day and sadly the guy said sorry it's too late. To my amazement I woke the next morning and somehow at 10pm that night zZounds managed to get it in the mail! Superior service! I got my bucket list Guitar, great service and zZounds now has a lifetime customer!

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I've owned several Les Pauls. As always, I am very satisfied with the quality and playability of this guitar. It sounds amazing, which is to be expected. First purchase of an instrument of this caliber over the Internet. No issues whatsoever. Fast shipment and delivered in the expected condition. I will utilize Zzounds for future purchases.

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First I want to say thank you to Gibson for getting back to making guitars the way they used to. This is my forth Gibson Les Paul and by far the best one. There is nothing at all to complain about this guitar. Most of the time when I get a new guitar I take it to my local shop and have my bubby set it up. There was no need to do that with this guitar. Like a lot of guitar players, I was looking for this certain sound. When this guitar arrived I found it. Not sure what it is but it just has that sound. The hardest decision I had to make about getting this guitar was choosing what finish I wanted. If you are considering getting one of these guitars don't hesitate. You will not be disappointed. This was a pretty large purchase so I want to thank zZounds for being there. All my experiences with this company have been wonderful. Oh yeah.....I mostly want to thank my wonderful girlfriend for getting me this beautiful guitar. Thanks babe....your the best.

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I picked Desert Burst, this guitar is beautiful looking, playing, and sounding! I own several guitars and this one went straight to the top. The guys at zZounds always do a great job with orders. A little pricy but you get what you pay for. Only contact with Manufacturer support was questions and got answers easy. Gibson went back to original specs on neck, thanks. Get one of these you will be happy.

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This guitar is outstanding. The flame top is beautiful and the sound is versatile. I am able to go from bright to warm and everywhere in between. I ordered the guitar on a Wednesday afternoon around 2:00 PM and had it at my door Friday morning by 8:30 AM. It is hard to beat the value and service offered by zZounds.

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I currently own a few higher end PRS, and four Fender guitars. I have owned 3 Gibson guitars in the last few years, but have sold or traded all of them.(Had to retune after every song) I really wanted to like them but they just didn't do it for me. After reading some reviews on the 2016 models, I decided to give them another chance.( I figured nothing could compete with my PRS's). I ordered the 2016 Les Paul Standard T, in HoneyBurst. I could not be more pleased. The guitar look's amazing, no issues what so ever. The neck feel's perfect, the pickup's are awesome, and the sustain is incredible. Perfect setup right out of the box. After playing this guitar for a few hours, I told my wife that I think I just played, "THE PERFECT GUITAR". Thank you Gibson for getting it right!!!

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This guitars is everything I wanted and more!!The sound the looks are stunning!!!!Gibson has outdone themselves!!!!I purchased the tea burst and it is the most beautiful guitar I have ever seen!!!!!Also zZounds your professionalism and dedication to your customers is by far the best I have ever delt with. I have purchased 3 guitars from you and you are number 1 !!!!! Thank you!!!!

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I bought this in honey-burst earlier last month and was immediately impressed with the quality and beauty of this instrument. I finally had a chance to use it A LOT last night at a jam session playing QUITE a variety of music. All I can say is "WOW!" It sounded so great and played so easily!! All the other guys were impressed with it to say the least. A gorgeous instrument for sure!!! Now in a family of 19 Guitars I can't decide which is my favorite!! But this will be one of the top ones for sure. zZounds is fantastic to deal with...I have purchased FIVE guitars now from them and have NEVER been disappointed. Not to mention a bass and an amplifier...Fantastic price, fast delivery, and the pay as you play option makes almost anything affordable. Looking forward to playing this baby ALOT!!!!!

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This guitar is very versatile and fits in in most any situation. Everything about this guitar says quality, and once you've spent some quality time playing it, it will inspire you.

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I have been playing 40 years plus. Gibson SG, Gibson L6-S, Fender strat and tele, PRS, Jackson, ESP and love them all. But The 16 LP standard is the 1! the neck is amazing, felt like an old friend. the sustain endless, killer vibrato, the cleans, the distortion, the tonal variations are endless and that Les Paul tone rings like a bell! I never could justify spending so much coin on the Les Paul but since my son now smokes me as a player, I could justify it and could not be happier. Thank you zZounds for making a 40 year dream come true. Without the awesome payment plan you offer my dream guitar would have never happened plus what an awesome Christmas present for my son! F***** awesome!!

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Overall: This guitar is absolutely stunning. I got mine in Honeyburst, and the AAA grade top is thicker and more beautiful than in its photos. The playability and tone is amazing out of the box. Features: The electronics are amazing. The coil split works beautifully, as does the push/pull action. The tone pots offer amazing sonic surprises. The wood quality is amazing, as the guitar will reverberate, unplugged, for well over a minute. Fret work is tight, even and polished. Quality: Craftsmanship is exceptional. No issues in wood quality or fit. Finish is even and flawless. The neck is smooth and very fast. But is fitted perfectly, with no adjustment needed. Electronics are in good working order. The Burstbuckers are a joy to manipulate, as they can cycle through clean jazz tones and fat chunky licks. The intonation is perfect. I can find no point at which intonation is off, at any point of the fret board. Grover tuners are in perfect working order. I have had very little need to re-tune while playing, once the new strings settled in (I changed out the stock strings to NYXL's) Binding is thick and well fitted. Manufacturer support: No need for support. Sound: This beast can play whatever I throw at it. The coil splits work so well that I haven't had to switch to my Tele for Fender style tone. There are so many tonal options, that I haven't felt the need to engage my pedal board, with the exception of delay. Needless to say, I am very comfortable as this baby being my number 1. Ease of use: Neck and fretboard are fast and tight. It is hard to put down. Slim taper allows for fast licks, yet the strings are spaced enough to do clean flat or finger picking. I can do some Hendrix style chord structures easily, which I could only do on Fenders, previously. Hammer ons/pull offs are a dream, as the guitar naturally reverberates and gives tone right back. Value: Very happy with the zZounds price on this guitar. I call it a bargain, compared to the 2018 standard prices. Wow factor: What can I say? It's a Les Paul Standard with a AAA maple top. It's going to steal the show before it is ever plugged in. Once it is plugged in, it is a dream. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Thank you zZounds!

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This is my third Les Paul. My first was a '91 Studio and my second a '99 Special.I wanted my first Standard to have a killer flame top... Well, it's here! I ordered a B stock/Blem model for a substantial discount in 2018 and I am BLOWN away. The compound radius neck is a dream. Electronics were decent, however, I'm not a fan of all the push-pulls or Gibson pickups. After replacing the pickups with Second Degree Black Belts and Bourns pots, this thing is even better. I was worried that it wouldn't have a beautiful figured top after I've seen the inconsistencies in Gibson's top ratings (AA vs AAA) but I am thoroughly amazed. Some are great, play as many as you can, I promise there is a perfect one out there for you!

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Bought a 2018 model originally that had some serious QC issues. zZounds let me ship it back no problem and refunded me the full price. Since I got burned but still wanted a Les Paul I noted the high number of positive reviews for the 2016 model so I decided to go with one of those in Honeyburst. 2 days later it's there and it's beautiful. A new set of strings and it sounds amazing. Several weeks later after having put it though its paces I can say without a doubt it sounds great through both of my amps and recorded. I just can't say enough good things about this guitar. With the prices (and QC unfortunately in my experience) of the newer Gibsons these ones are a steal while you can still get them.

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I just received this ax from zZounds (good group of people to work with) and it's a great machine. I enjoyed playing it and it sounds KILLER! However, the only factors differentiating it from the more affordable Classic Les Paul in terms of craftsmanship and playability, are merely the pots and control knobs. Burstbuckers, Push Pull, Coil Tapping/Splitting in this one, and the regular 57 Classics/Classic+ and normal controls in the more economical Classic. Yet for some invisible reason there's a price difference from $400 to a $1,000 more for the Standard and it doesn't even have rolled edges, matter of fact they're sharp enough to grab one's attention after playing the smooth, rolled edges on the Classics. I find it difficult to understand why a guitar in the $2200 to $3500 price range doesn't have the rolled fretboard edges of a guitar that's half it's price. Very mysterious indeed. Back on point though, the difference in the Standard's and Classic's hardware can resolved with the installation of the Standard's hardware into the Classic with a little elbow grease and cost of around $250 to $300 tops, and once done no one would ever know the difference, mainly because THERE'D BE NO DIFFERENCE. IMHO a price difference of $400 to $1,000 for the same guitar except for $300 worth of hardware, doesn't justify the price gap. Still a good guitar though, however, with the exception of several hundred dollars worth of hardware it's no better qualitatively than the Classic.

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Right out the case, this beautiful guitar shined like a diamond. Then I discovered the rough. The binding on the neck was bulging out between the 3rd and fifth fret. It was like sliding your hand over a speed bump. Another issue was the low E string kept breaking at the bridge after a few minutes of play. Not to mention the slipping of a few of the locking tuners. What happened to Gibson Quality Control? Esp here i come.

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