Is The Gibson Les Paul Studio A REAL Les Paul?

Yes. It is. You’re welcome.

Billy Squier used to play Les Paul Jr's on stage and in the studio. One P90 pickup;but it's the best sounding pickup. No frills Gibson model that screams mojo and plays like butter. Johnny Winter played early Epiphone Coronet models and Reverse Firebirds. All no frills Gibsons that sound like Heaven. Buy a 90s good wood era LP studio. You will not be disappointed.

Letting the opinions of others dissuade you from playing what and how you like, is silly.

i wish they made it with binding on the body only

Ive owned 1 since 91 hangs with all otger gits ive had since .some have gone still have my 91 studio

There is a lot of snobbery in the guitar world, where it comes from who knows but there is always someone prepared to piss on your parade! I always thought there was something wrong with them.

I have a Les Paul Custom Plus, heavy flame maple top, ebony fretboard and mother of pearl that pops like a New Years firework display. I also have a Les Paul Studio, 2002, in the right light it has a bit of flame on the Maple Top, Rosewood fretboard, no mother of pearl. Both have 490R/498T pickups. Both play beautiful, both sound fantastic.

Which gets played most by me?

My Studio. Lighter. Not so precious. Sounds like God.

Go figure.

That's like asking if a Ford Mustang is really a Ford ?!! ( The NEW Mustang 4 door Is Not a REAL mustang, but it's still a FORD).

Gibson is a Marketing Genius.... The smell taking it out of that case ,the smooth feel of the back of the neck,They are all great guitars .If you are a great player any guitar sounds amazing...

If it says Gibson Les Paul on it then yes it is one. A mark VI Volkswagon Golf is still a Golf even if has nothing to do with the MK1 whatsoever.

Basically the studio and the standard are built on the same line same build.then the standard gets binding and fancy flame finish nitro thats the extra cost.and whatever the current pick ups are. Then the studio gets basic paint job.

I have an early 2012 studio faded no push pull pots . And a new ebony studio with gold hardware and push pull pots. They are both great guitars & both les Paul's 100% thank you for the video !

Also, not all Studios are created equal. I've got a 2005 Faded T series, and the T is why I like it. What is unique about this particular Studio is that it has a mohagany top, and it is non-weight relief. It has Burstbucker Pros and no PCB. It's wired old school. It also came with a hardshell case. It's a Standard without the bling.

100% Yes!! My ‘96 studio growls and sounds immense, the best guitar I ever gigged, I’ll never sell it!

Just bought a les Paul studio plus .why I loath binding I like seeing the thickness flame maple top all the way to the edges..I also like the fact it has a AA flame maple top and coil splitting for both pickups.I didn't mind saving over a grand for it..

I've always wanted a Les Paul but knew I would modify it as there are things I'd want to change, so I got a studio and then proceeded to spend a lot of money on changing hardware on it to make it perfect for me - gold EMGs, gotoh locking tulip tuners, tonepros locking bridge and tail piece, different knobs and a black gloss jack plate to match the other new hardware. Probably all in all still cheaper than a standard, but I have both a Les Paul and a guitar that suits what I want, so it's a win win.

something to think about Leslie West played a student guitar for years... Les Paul JR,, he got a real mountain of tone from 1 pickup even!

I own a 2011 Gibson Les Paul Studio and my close playimg friend bought the custom Les Paul and he likes mine better than his! The weight difference really makes a difference when you play for hours, and they soud near the same! If you couldn't see which guitar is playing, it would be hard for even a pro to tell the difference. I love my Studio, it is fantastic! You can have the heavy, pretty one, I will keep mine, it is a work horse, but does it play and sound outstanding? You bet!

The 50s standards also get a long neck tenon

Yep. I have three Studios and a Classic, all from the 90s. The Classic admittingly looks and plays great, but I prefer the somewhat thinner studio. The classic feels too thick somehow... Then again Im also a sucker for Melody Makers which are even thinner... so its just my preferences. They all sound great regardless... I really dislike the customs though with all the useless plastic everywhere..looks like its going to a costume party.. :)

Is a standard les paul worth buying over a studio?

I've always liked the look of the Studio more than the Standard. It's utilitarian and minimalist. It's like a no-nonsense working stiff's Les Paul, which is something that needs to exist. I have a mid 2000s "faded cherry" Studio with the Burstbucker Pros in it. It's easily one of my favorite guitars. I believe the early 90s Studios are the really well regarded ones, but I love mine anyway. The sound and playability are unreal. I'm never selling it.

I had a Studio that sounded better than my Standard. Studios are badass Les Pauls and gig great and jam great..

In 1988, I bought a new wine red Studio and a new Marshall 50 watt Silver Jubilee amp. believe me, it was the real deal. Lacked nothing, did everything. Never looked back. Later put it through a Peavey Stereo Chorus 212 and it still sounded fantastic. The next owner used it for years through a '67 Fender Twin Reverb. Just a flawless sounding Les Paul, and one of the best handling guitars I have ever played.

I know nothing about the later ones.

This is guitar porn! Such beautiful Les Pauls!

I have LP Sudio , Epiphone LP Joe Bonamassa , and Steve Stevens signature models they all are nice guitars. The Epiphones I bought new but the Gibson Studio was used all were similar in cost. Where I begin to wonder is my concern with the Chinise knock offs being sold as genuine Gibsons. My friend ended buying a SG copy and am wondering are there tell tale things to look out for that can identify a genuine LP from a knock off besides price?

Hi everyone, i will get one LP, im thinking about les paul studio 1993 red gold hardware or a les paul classic cherry 2020 upgraded with alnico II instead of zebra...what are you thoughts? Lp studio 1,150€, lp classic 1500. Thanks everyone

I've had three Gibson Les Paul studios and now I have a classic. My first studio was a 2015 studio T satin with BB pro pickups... and it was one of the worst guitars I've ever owned... never stayed in tune...had intonation issues... and looked cheap. I didn't like the BB pro pickups either... though I know they are in standards. I sold it and bought two other studios which were 2022 models I think and they were both night and day better. One smokehouse burst and the other tangerine burst. I never liked either color and I had a chance to buy a classic for just $180 more than I sold my last studio for. My studio was perfectly made as is my classic. I'm not sure one sounds, feels, or is built better than the other... They just sound slightly different because of the pickups used... but both pickups great... just comes down to preference. I have no clue why the classic costs about $700 more other than the binding and coil tapping... maybe those things are expensive to add... but at the end of the day I don't think the classic is worse in any way... just no binding which isn't needed anyway just cosmetic. I honestly think the coil tapping is worthless on my classic anyway compared to coil tapping on my PRS guitars... night and day difference... so not with the added cost. Oh I forgot... you do get a nice hard case with the classic... so I guess if you add that, the binding, and coil tapping then it may justify the higher cost... but again you don't really need those things... and for those who don't the studio is perfect. I wouldn't have bought a classic over a studio if I hadn't gotten such a killer deal... not really worth it otherwise... unless you need a case I guess... and love the look of binding...

My studio sounds just a great as my standard and I can play it on the road and not stress so much about scratching it. It’s a work horse 🤷‍♂️

As a Gibson Les Paul Studio owner, I really appreciate you making this video. I have the Smokehouse burst, and I’m in love with it. When the pick ups are closer to the strings, it can make some awesome metal tones.

I bought my Studio from the Demo Shop with the headstock stamped Mod. It's got a Burstbucker in the neck with a Lead pro at the bridge, push pulls for coil split, in-out phase and a bypass. also Grover keystones. It'll burn the fuckin house down.

I hadn't thought about this till recently, but the studio, or even the tribute are a pretty good deal for a USA made, nitro finished guitar. A lot of indonesian/korean built guitars out there with a poly finish are now reaching into this price range.

I have a studio LP and it plays like a king.

The studio is the "workhorse" of the family, it's got the same pickups as the "Custom" and don't have all the esthetic look features of a "Standard" or "Custom". But it's definitely got the "meat and potatoes" of the les paul family just like its counterparts. If you mean business with no frills grab a studio, and if you are worried about looks grab a Standard or a custom. I personally like these pickups, they have more "bite" than the burstbucker pickups

Love the push/ pull, wouldn’t do it out it.

I have a late 90s Studio, supposedly weight relieved but it still weighs nearly 10 pounds, which is too heavy for me usually. I bought the Studio because I don't give a damn about flame tops, burst finishes and binding, not because I was trying to save money. It has block inlays and I wish it had dots like all my other guitars. Some people just don't like too many embellishments.

I don’t care what no one says I love my studio. Mine is a 04-05 model. Before I bought mine I played Atleast 50 Gibsons. I played classics and standards and other studios before I bought mine. It’s all about the way the guitar feels to u. Mines a desert burst it sounds awesome feels awesome and is a bad ass work horse!!!

Heck yeah, it is the best Gibson out there, it ain't got all the bells and whistles, but it is a workhorse.! Best sound, weighs less, and a dream to play, I dearly love mine, no it ain't for sale !

But is a custom a REAL les paul? For all we know the only true les paul is "the log".

My Studio PLAYS LIKE A DREAM...I've had it for 22 years...LOVE IT!!!!!!

Yes even Epiphone studio Les Paul is a real LP ! If it says Less Paul on it undoubtedly it is a Les Paul . I have a Standard Epiphone and a studio Gibson Les Paul love them both .

I have a 1997 Alpine white (it's yellow now) Studio with ebony fretboard and my bass player says he prefers it over my 2016 Traditional.

Studios usually come with higher output 496T 490R pickups (especially on the bridge) unlike Standards, Classic and Traditionals which come with a more traditional type of pickups like Classic 57, Burstbuckers etc.

The Studios are heavy-rocking machines and i like them for what they are, they are their own thing and they are built with the same quality as any other model that comes out of the factory, they use plek machines for the fretwork etc etc.

Play the hell out of your Studio and don't get distracted by meaningless arguments

My wallet says it's a Les Paul... heck, my wallet even states that the Epiphone is also a Les Paul and I take my wallet's opinion as Bible truth 😅

I’ve had em all from a 1976 custom to a new Custom Shop LP and I’ll put my 1994 Studio Lite up against any of them. Feels amazing and she’s a screamer!

I have one the same that jerry cantrell uses on the would video

Kia ora from New Zealand. Gibson, great guitars full stop.

FYI the jams that you do before & after your reviews are the best!!

As a super happy owner of a very basic smokehouse brown studio LP i thank you for your knowledge and thought process! Your reviews continue to be excellent!