Gibson Les Paul Studio Pro Plus Electric Guitar  

Where to start..

-Made in the USA!

-Grover machine heads -- speak for themselves

-AA Flame Maple top -- not 'book matched', but still very very striking.. people everywhere love the look.  You will not find a better looking guitar of this quality without dropping a LOT more coin.

-2 peice (chambered) mohogany body -- some of the cheaper studio models ive seen have 3 peices of mohogany glued together for the body, with gaudy glue lines in odd places (not the center).  This guitar has 2 peices of mohognay glued on 1 seem, down the centerline -- and the grain matching is Very good.  It took me a while to even spot the seem

-Made in the USA!

-burst bucker pro bridge + 490r neck pickups, both with coil taps.  Gives you lots of wiggle room when trying to find a tone that suits your style or setlist--versatility is a good thing--i get more tonal variety than any strat I've ever played--and without having to muck with the amp first.

-solid mohogany neck -- no cheesy glue seems, finger joints, etc, just one solid peice of wood.

-Hard case -- not a deal maker but definately a bounus over the entry level LP Studio which only comes with a soft gigbag

- Did I mention its Made in the USA!

Numerous people have told me that a hand made american made LP is likely to have more blemishes and or cosmetic flaws than the assembly line guitars made in china, which does appear to be the situation in my case.

although the overall quality is still quite stellar, fret work is top notch, and the thing looks hot.  there were a few blemishes and cosmetic things I noticed right away.

Foremost of these is a lip or ledge or ridge near the low E and nut on the neck where it meets the fringerboard that is about 2 inches long.  See the photo below.   At first I thought it was a cracked neck, but after I got the Macro lens out I could see it looks more like some file work or some such done while fretting (not drop damage or a crack).. its just a small ridge where the fingerboard and neck Do not meet seemlessly.. there is no gap, just a ridge that i can see and feel,  but it does not affect playablity whatsoever.

The neck (around fret 12) also has a small blemish in the finish.. the outermost nitro finish is still glassy and smooth, but but underneath it looks like a tiny drip (like 2-3 mm) of finger board lacquer (or black paint) ended up on the mohogany neck before the nitro was sprayed on.  -- again, does not affect playability at all.. Doesnt bother me in the slightest, but it does exist.

Lastly when I first unboxed the guitar I found that the pickup selector switch had not been tightened down all the way and the switch wiggled and rotated in its housing.  I used a cotton cloth and a needle-nose pliers to tighten it down properly.   Also, the black knob on the selector switch was only threaded on about one revolution.  It was tight but while playing I could see the exposed threads that should be covered by the knob, had it been threaded on all the way. The black knob was in fact cross threaded onto the switch, again cotton rag and pliers solved the problem.

The last bit with the selector knob was a bit disconcerting -- had they tested it in the factory (like they say they do) they would have noticed the switch was loose.. not a big deal but I was taken a bit aback by that one.  Then again it just needed some tightening, nothing unusable.

Decently good value--perhaps not for everyone.

Compared to the entry level LP Studio you're paying more, but you get better pickups & coil taps on both, grover kidney tuners, and a hard case..

Also unlike the cheaper Studio models the "Pro Plus" is a 2 piece mohogany body (no scrap lumber was harmed in the making of this guitar) and has an awesomely hot flamed maple top.

IMO, great guitar for the price.

When I started looking I wanted to buy the last guitar I'd ever buy (or need to...cant help the GAS sometimes).

Im not a performer and dont plan to be. I'm probaly what most would call and advanced novice and I wanted an instrument that I knew I could grow into as my skills improved over the years.. I didnt want to go guitar shopping every other year to suit my changing abilities. So, I dove into the Gibson pool head first.

Down the road if I happen to get good and want something new or better or even decide to start performing, the gibson will hold its value more than any chinese alternative

I may hit up gibson's warranty group on the fingerboard/neck ridge I mentioned above. Its not a playablity issue, just a cosmetic one so not much to worry about.

Overall I am very happy with my purchase and I would buy it again.

It came needing a setup but otherwise very nice- love the AA flame.

Good quality- I expected a little more polish along the topside of the neck. I agree with other statements- pickups should be hotter- I will probably install another set.

It's got everything you need except a built in tuner.

Like most electric guitars, wire connections are mediocre.  A little solder in all the right places and no more snap crackle and pop (It was minor, but annoying when you're playing favorite songs).  Setup should have been better when I got it, but it wasn't much to bring it in.

It was a great price.  Mine is natural finish with all gold appointments.  People drool over this guitar when I take it out of the case, and it sounds better than it looks.  It'll sustain till the lost cows come home.... I just love that.

Definately worth it.  Easy to play, sounds great, sure is heavy though.  It its right in with the rest of the family, Ovation Std Balladier, 1963 Guild M50, Epiphone 12 string, 1975 Aria classical guitar.  All the guitars have their different purposes and sounds, but the versatility of the Les Paul is everything is cracked up to be.  It's a work horse in EVERY genre!  Bless you Les......thanks!