Opinion on new Gibson LP Studio gloss finish

[Duff]

I am considering a brand new Gibson LP Studio in Wine Red with gold trim or ivory black with gold.

I am assuming these are great guitars and am planning to order one from MF. I had a faded brown SG stolen a couple months ago that was great. Going to go for the LP now possibly but in the painted version with covered pickups.

I have an Epiphone Standard LP plus top with Seymour Duncan pups I put in it: fifty nine in neck and JB in bridge. It sounds great. Should I expect this new Gibson wine red to sound and play better than the modded Epi standard plus top? I would think so.

I want to own a Gibson again and not exceed the 1399 price. The Epi Tribute is less money and the Agile LP 3100's are even less. The Gibson feels really nice and it doesn't feel good to have someone take one away from you.

To confuse matters even more and make this purchase more difficult is the fact that I just bought a 209 dollar Xavier xv500 LP copy with three quarter maple cap and mahogany body and neck from Guitarfetish.com. GFS Crunch Pat pups that sound fabulous, I'm sold on them GFS Crunchy pats.

Has Gibson quality been improving lately? I haven't read too many complaints.

Also several of the SG Gibsons are within my price range liike the Special, Classic,and standard.

Any recent experience with the new LP studios with the painted finishes?

[ZMAN]

I bought the Studio in Fireburst. It is one of the nicer colors I think. The only other color I like is the Wine red. As far as the guitar goes I really like this guitar. The 490/498 combo sound really great on this guitar with the chambered body. Remember the neck on the Studio is a 50s profile and a little fatter than the 60s neck. The Epi Standard will have a slightly thinner neck. No binding on these at all but the hardware is all Gibson. I like the faded LP in Brown because they come with the Burstbucker pickups. I really like the shiny finish though. The Fireburst is really just a 3 color sunburst like the Fender Strats have.
As I have stated before I always get a free set up with all my guitars and I changed the strings to 9.5 D'Addarios, (my favourite). Other than that everything is stock. Oh and don't forget you get a 200 dollar Gibson case with them. Duff, I think you will love the studio!
The wood in the top in the picture looks mismatched, but it is the lighting.
They are very closely matched.


Without flash.

[Plank_Spanker]

I have no issues at all with the quality of my Gibsons. As for the gloss nitro on the Studios, it is done just as nicely as it is on the upper end models and both of my Studios are gorgeous. I really like the wine red finish. The ones I've seen in person have been gorgeous.

The 490R / 498T pickups in the Studio won't sound like the SD '59 / JB you have in your Epi. I played my Studio Plus for several years with the stock set before I changed them out........................I put a Suhr Doug Aldrich set in it and the guitar sounds amazing with them. I'm not saying the 490R / 498T set sounds bad......................the Aldrich set just sounds much better to my ears.

Do yourself a favor - get out and play some Studios before you pull the trigger on the order. Don't go in blind. It's always best to know exactly what to expect.