What is it?
Released in 1983, the Studio has always been the gateway to Les Paul: good enough until you can afford the pukka Les Paul StandardAdapted or historical reissue. Over those decades there have been many different flavors, but the Studio has generally been stripped down without, for the most part, any refinements such as fingerboard or body binding.
Although Gibson missed the Studios 40e Birthday, it’s making up for it this year, after it’s already launched Studio Modernthis standard studio, and, a third Studio as we head into 2025 with the Les Paul Studio Session. Let’s have a taste…
(Image credit: Future/Olly Curtis)
Specifications
(Image credit: Future/Olly Curtis)
Price: $1,599/£1,599/€1,799
Made: USA
Type: Single-cutaway, solidbody electric
Body: Two-piece mahogany with carved maple top and state-of-the-art weight relief
Neck: One-piece mahogany, SlimTaper profile, glued in
Test: Cream bonded Indian rosewood, trapezoidal acrylic inlay, 305 mm (12”) radius
Scale length: 24.75”/629mm
Nut/width: Graphic Technology/43.3mm
Ferrets: 22, medium size
Hardware: Nashville tune-o-matic bridge, aluminum stopbar tailpiece, Vintage Deluxe tuners with keystone buttons – chrome/nickel plated
String spacing at bridge: 51.5mm
Electricity: Covered Gibson Burstbucker Pro humbuckers (neck and bridge), 3-way pickup toggle switch, volume and tone for each pickup, each with pull switches on the volume controls for coil-tap
Weight (lb/kg): 8.16/3.71
Options: Les Paul Modern Lite (£1,499), Les Paul Modern Studio (£1,899), Les Paul Studio Session (£TB), Les Paul Classic (£2,399)
Left-handed options: Not this model
Finishing options: Cherry Sunburst (as reviewed), Wine Red, Blueberry Burst, Ebony – glossy nitrocellulose
Case: Gibson soft case
Contact: Gibson
Build quality
(Image credit: Future/Olly Curtis)
Build quality rating: ★★★★½
There’s a bit of ‘another month, another Les Paul’ about this one until I take it out of its very performanceable soft case. This is no Les Paul boat anchor of yesteryear and on the scales it weighs 8.16 pounds – a combination of good wood selection and the state-of-the-art weight relief. Before I had even played a note, it was definitely game-on.
While the weight is attractive, the gloss finish is bright and you can see the well-jointed two-piece mahogany through the cherry red back, while the classic sunburst face covers a center-jointed solid maple top. Overall it is slightly thinner in depth than the standard or Classic.
While there is still no body edge binding, this new Studio features a cream Indian rosewood fingerboard and looks and feels like a more expensive ‘Paul’. Yes, you may feel a little edge where the color has been scraped off, but that doesn’t ruin the fun.
(Image credit: Future/Olly Curtis)
The slightly more expensive look of this studio is combined with the standard Gibson USA Nashville tune-o-matic and lightweight stopbar, plus Burstbucker Pro’s covered humbuckers.
Like the modern strand of the Les Paul series, if you remove the rear cover you will see a very neat PCB mounted control circuit with pull switches on each volume to enable what Gibson calls a ‘coil tap’.
It’s not coil splitting where one coil is dumped: instead, the screw coil is filtered through a capacitor. The Modern Studio has the same function, but also includes pull switches on the tone controls for out-of-phase and direct out (bridge pickup only).
Playability
(Image credit: Future/Olly Curtis)
Playability rating: ★★★★★
Although Gibson neck shapes may vary, this is perfectly fine with its relatively full shoulders, shallow ‘C’ profile
It’s worth reminding ourselves that this is the cheapest Les Paul with a maple top and a gloss finish, only slightly more expensive than the all-mahogany, satin and thinner body Les Paul Modern Lite. In comparison, it feels much more expensive and without any issues in the setup department.
The standard medium frets (the binding forms the fret ends in classic Gibson style) are well finished, as is the nut, and for once we have no tuning issues.
As a Les Paul Classic player, the SlimTaper profile here feels like home to me and while Gibson neck shapes may vary, this is perfectly fine with its relatively full shoulders, shallow ‘C’ profile.
Sounds
(Image credit: Future/Olly Curtis)
Sound rating: ★★★★½
The feeling that the Studio rises above its price level does not disappear when I plug it in.
There is an immediate vibrancy and depth that is typical of the recipe and before you get to the more obvious classic and modern rock riffs, spend some time with a clean amp and you are reminded what a fantastic jazz guitar a good Les Paul is not to mention a huge jangle monster with depth and clarity.
(Image credit: Future/Olly Curtis)
The coil taps don’t exactly sound like single-coil splits, but provide a quite useful lighter and brighter option, especially at the bridge
When you wind the fuse, those thicker and creamier voices are effortless, they don’t sound overheated and with measured DCRs of 8.07k ohms (bridge) and 7.68k (neck) and with Alnico V magnets the Burstbucker Pros sit nicely in the classic camp.
They also come with wax pots, so with heavier gains you shouldn’t have any problems with microphonic side effects.
The coil taps don’t exactly sound like single-coil splits, but, especially at the bridge, they provide a quite usable, lighter and brighter option. I found the neck coil tap a little less useful, but to be honest the overall sound compensates: just a very good sounding Les Paul, regardless of name or price.
(Image credit: Future/Olly Curtis)
Pronunciation
(Image credit: Future/Olly Curtis)
A player’s guitar, and a good one at that.
MusicRadar verdict: What started as an “Oh no, not another Les Paul to review” turned into something completely different. Not only is it the obvious quality for the price, but the excellent set-up, solid tuning and classic Les Paul voice ensure that it is not only well suited for its purpose and ready for gigs, but that some of the ‘real’ new Les Pauls actually look decent. expensive in comparison. A player’s guitar, and a good one at that.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
| Test | Results | Scoring |
|---|---|---|
| Build quality | Tip-top, nicely built, feels luxurious. | ★★★★1/2 |
| Playability | That neck profile just feels so good. | ★★★★★ |
| Sounds | So versatile, again, it sounds like a good Les Paul. | ★★★★1/2 |
| General | Stripped down but still a serious option, priced for the professional. | ★★★★1/2 |
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Practical videos
Guitarist
The New Les Paul Studio – Deep Dive Demo – YouTube
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Andertons
The Gibson Les Paul Studio is back and better than ever! – YouTube
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Guitar Center
NEW 2024 Gibson Les Paul Studio Electric Guitar | Demo with Zach Person – YouTube
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Peach Guitars
Gibson’s Les Paul Studio just got better! – YouTube
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