I purchased the walnut version of this guitar about six months ago. It didn't blow me away sonically, and while it was gorgeous and fun to play, I ended up returning it. I grabbed myself a Taylor 324ce and a Martin 000-17E in the meantime, and while I love those guitars I was haunted by the fact that I no longer had an L-00 in my collection. Thanks to Zzounds I came across this stunning rosewood version of the L-00 Studio and I decided to give this model one more try. I'm so happy I did! This guitar has all of the fun aspects of playing a Gibson acoustic guitar, but where the walnut may occasionally sound flat, the rosewood back and sides lift the sound of this guitar to completely unexpected heights. It is punchy and growly and such a joy to play. I am usually very critical of Gibson for the thick gloss on the necks of their acoustic guitars, but it doesn't impede playability on this one. The action is perfect and your fingers will dance around the fretboard with ease. The pictures of this guitar don't do it any justice, as it is so shimmery and nuanced in person. There are color variations all over, and especially on the fretboard, which gives it so much character and personality. It is truly breathtaking. Plugged in, it has the Gibson sound that no other company can beat. I would argue that this guitar, played through the right acoustic amplifier, is as good as a modern acoustic guitar can sound. Fully recommended.

Sound
Works very well for finger picking… read more and also plays better than most small guitars when it comes to flat picking. It is a small guitar so it's not going to give the depth and thickness of a J-45, but it's impressively loud and deep.

Features
The rosewood changes the entire vibe and sound of this instrument. The walnut version is fun to play and beautiful, but the sound is entirely different and improved with the rosewood. It's entirely worth the extra few hundred dollars to grab this model.

Ease of Use
It's a Gibson so it sounds even better plugged in. It's as solid of an acoustic sound as a guitar can make, when plugged in. The small body no longer impacts or hinders the sound, and it is better than almost all other acoustics I've played.

Quality
It's made extremely well and it has a "small guitar maker" vibe even though it's Gibson. The Bozeman, Montana guitars have that feel and I have always appreciated that. It's also extremely strong and heavy for its size. I dropped it from four feet onto a hardwood floor once and it was unscathed (both electronics and the guitar body).

Value
For $2,000 this guitar is about the same price point as my Martin 000-17E, Taylor 324ce and Breedlove Oregon Myrtlewood Concertina. The only guitar I own that was more expensive was my Breedlove Premier Adirondack/Rosewood Concert guitar. This guitar is better and more fun to play than the Martin and Taylor, and just slightly less interesting to me than the Breedloves. I'm also just a Breedlove fan. As long as the purchaser understands that this is a small body guitar and that it isn't going to fill a large room without amplification, then this is as good of an investment as $2k in a guitar can be.

Manufacturer Support
I have reached out to Gibson for support a couple times and gotten terrible customer service. I don't blame the guitar makers for that, but Gibson is pretty bad at responding to inquiries or providing assistance. That's pretty well known, though.

The Wow Factor
It's Gibson. The Gibson headstock and vibe is highly covetable. When I returned my walnut version I immediately missed seeing the Gibson headstock hanging on my wall. As a Gibson Les Paul owner, I know that they are pure American quality and as fun as instruments get. Gibson essentially sells itself, but guitarists who think that a Gibson acoustic is out of reach from a cost perspective should consider the small body option. Affordable and just as high of quality (better in my personal opinion).

Musical Background:
Professional Musician

Musical Style:
Folk, Punk, Rock, Indie, Blues read less