Gibson Les Paul Studio Dark Limited-Edition Electric Guitar Ebony For Sale (2023 Update)

When I first opened the box what I saw was a work of art, I only hoped it was as great as it looked. I pushed the power button on the G-Foece Tuners and the G string light up red, I picked the G and all ways in tune. I checked it with my Petersen Strobe Tuner, and yes it was spot on. I plugged into a Vox AC30 HW, the notes that came out of the speakers seem to bloom with harmonics I've never heard before. The fit and finish looked like someone went through the Les Paul with a fine tooth comb, I figured the Les Paul being a 2016 would need a set of fresh strings. The instruction for the G-Force Tuners states to do one string at a time, so the G-Force would not need to be recalibrate. So I set up the windup wind down menu on the G-Force unwound the low E. The rewind confused me a bit, usually i cut the string about 1 1/2 past the next tuner, not so with the G-Force only cut the string to the next tuner inline, too much string will cause the G-Force to lock up due to too many winds on the post. When you get to the G-B-E Strings 1 1/2 will work better so the Strings don't slip on the post and cause tuning issues. The 490R & 498T pickups really surprised me. The 490R is very articulate not muddy in any way, if fact I use it more that I've ever used a neck pickup…the middle position is great for Lead or Rhythm, I've heard Jimmy Page uses this position a lot now I understand why. The 498T is very hot 13.7 ohms as opposed to the 7.6 ohms neck. Even though the ohms are far apart they work well together. I set my Neck volume about 6 for a nice clean rhythm sound and the bridge I set at 8-9 so when I want that little more bark it's there. So to sum it all up this Les Paul is all I need to get the tones I need. This is my Desert island Guitar.Huncy Sound Studio

I just bought a nice Candy Apple Deluxe Fender Strat a while back to upgrade to a REAL guitar, so a Les Paul was next on my list of guitars to get…someday down the road. Went to GC and traded in my bass to upgrade to a new one. On the wall I saw this deep cobalt blue Les Paul for under 2K. After 2 weeks I could not resist, said YOLO and ordered it online for store pickup. A wonderful instrument and offers a much different sound in contrast with the Strat, no regrets. I often just stare at it because it is a work of art, looks so nice next to my new strat and bass 🙂Anthony

While I still feel that the lower-end Epiphone Les Paul's (I had a Special II as my first electric) are great for the money, I decided to move up to my first actual Gibson Les Paul. The weight relief is what immediately caught my attention and I find this guitar a lot more comfortable to play. I'm also blown away by how much sustain it has over my previous Epiphone not to mention the overall finish and the ability to split the humbuckers. I went for the Cherry Burst but it wasn't easy to choose as the Midnight in Manhattan (blue) looked just as beautiful.Lloyd

Looks great, sounds great, plays great. One of the nicest gig bags I've ever seen. Came out of the box at the store set up and tuned! Fit and finish were perfect and the wine red just pops under stage lighting…unlike the one that was on display…and this is why I don't buy guitars online! Got it home, changed the strings to the gauge I prefer, lowered the string height a smidge, and checked the intonation which was spot on. Took it to a pro jam out in the valley where it got lots of compliments from the other players for it's sound and looks…it's as nice a Les Paul as I've ever played. If you get one like mine you won't regret it! But go to the GC and pick yours out and save yourself some possible grief. You won't regret that either!Stephen

Looks great, sounds great, plays great. One of the nicest gig bags I've ever seen. Came out of the box at the store set up and tuned! Fit and finish were perfect and the wine red just pops under stage lighting…unlike the one that was on display…and this is why I don't buy guitars online! Got it home, changed the strings to the gauge I prefer, lowered the string height a smidge, and checked the intonation which was spot on. Took it to a pro jam out in the valley where it got lots of compliments from the other players for it's sound and looks…it's as nice a Les Paul as I've ever played. If you get one like mine you won't regret it! But go to the GC and pick yours out and save yourself some possible grief. You won't regret that either!Stephen

I just purchased my sunburst Les Paul studio on 11/20/21. The action is low and incredible. The neck is small which is perfect for me. This Les Paul is very suitable for professionals and young teenagers that are still learning. Playing it comes with ease and requires only a very light touch. It has a lot of the very same qualities that a Standard has. Especially the tone. Wait till you get yours. You won't be the least disappointed at all. It's worth every penny. I give it 5 stars or two thumbs up. 👍 👍Daniel Trimboli

When I first opened the box what I saw was a work of art, I only hoped it was as great as it looked. I pushed the power button on the G-Foece Tuners and the G string light up red, I picked the G and all ways in tune. I checked it with my Petersen Strobe Tuner, and yes it was spot on. I plugged into a Vox AC30 HW, the notes that came out of the speakers seem to bloom with harmonics I've never heard before. The fit and finish looked like someone went through the Les Paul with a fine tooth comb, I figured the Les Paul being a 2016 would need a set of fresh strings. The instruction for the G-Force Tuners states to do one string at a time, so the G-Force would not need to be recalibrate. So I set up the windup wind down menu on the G-Force unwound the low E. The rewind confused me a bit, usually i cut the string about 1 1/2 past the next tuner, not so with the G-Force only cut the string to the next tuner inline, too much string will cause the G-Force to lock up due to too many winds on the post. When you get to the G-B-E Strings 1 1/2 will work better so the Strings don't slip on the post and cause tuning issues. The 490R & 498T pickups really surprised me. The 490R is very articulate not muddy in any way, if fact I use it more that I've ever used a neck pickup…the middle position is great for Lead or Rhythm, I've heard Jimmy Page uses this position a lot now I understand why. The 498T is very hot 13.7 ohms as opposed to the 7.6 ohms neck. Even though the ohms are far apart they work well together. I set my Neck volume about 6 for a nice clean rhythm sound and the bridge I set at 8-9 so when I want that little more bark it's there. So to sum it all up this Les Paul is all I need to get the tones I need. This is my Desert island Guitar.Huncy Sound Studio

I just bought a nice Candy Apple Deluxe Fender Strat a while back to upgrade to a REAL guitar, so a Les Paul was next on my list of guitars to get…someday down the road. Went to GC and traded in my bass to upgrade to a new one. On the wall I saw this deep cobalt blue Les Paul for under 2K. After 2 weeks I could not resist, said YOLO and ordered it online for store pickup. A wonderful instrument and offers a much different sound in contrast with the Strat, no regrets. I often just stare at it because it is a work of art, looks so nice next to my new strat and bass 🙂Anthony

While I still feel that the lower-end Epiphone Les Paul's (I had a Special II as my first electric) are great for the money, I decided to move up to my first actual Gibson Les Paul. The weight relief is what immediately caught my attention and I find this guitar a lot more comfortable to play. I'm also blown away by how much sustain it has over my previous Epiphone not to mention the overall finish and the ability to split the humbuckers. I went for the Cherry Burst but it wasn't easy to choose as the Midnight in Manhattan (blue) looked just as beautiful.Lloyd

Great guitar. I have several gibsons, some nicer Ibanez, and some of the upper end of the epiphone guitars. This guitar worried me before it arrived if it would have a loss of sustain or if it would sound thin due to the thinner body. It doesn’t. Full sound, great pickups, stays in tune perfectly and no neck dive. I’ve played the Gibson custom shop Frampton guitar, Custom shop Bonamassa standard, several other standards etc.. To me, this is more comfortable and I prefer the pickups here to the others. My favorite guitar and I would definitely recommend to anyone. I do wish it came in more colors, I’d buy a couple more if it did.David

I tried to be a Gibson hater for so long, but this guitar really converted me. I’ve always loved the look of Les Pauls but never like the thickness or weight of them (I’ve owned an Epiphone Les Paul which gave me the general body size to expect, at least). Also having a shoulder injury which makes heavy guitars basically a no-go, this ended up being an all-encompassing package for a perfect Les Paul. The weight of mine must be in the lower 8 lb, high 7 lb range (I haven’t gotten to put it on a scale yet, but it feels similar to my guitars that weigh in at those numbers). The thin body feels amazing and doesn’t push my forearm out as much as the traditional thickness of my Epi LP. I was also expecting some neck dive issues, but I don’t experience that with this one. I’m so glad they do the slim taper neck on these as it’s got to be the perfect neck shape, in my opinion. It fills the hand wonderfully yet doesn’t cause my hand to cramp and fatigue like way thicker or way thinner necks. The guitar played pretty amazingly out of the box. I did have to do a slight truss rod adjustment, but the provided Gibson tool makes any adjustments on this guitar a breeze. The 57 Classic +/57 Classic pickups are amazing too. Just the right amount of output with tons of articulation. I needed to back the neck pickup off a tad as it was a bit louder than the bridge right out of the box. Now it’s super even in volume between the selections and it can get so many tones just with the simple 3 way and volume/tone controls. Only real gripe I have about the guitar is that the nut isn’t cut too well for the low E string. It definitely will stay in the slot, but it maybe only has about the bottom 1/3rd of the string resting in it, and it tends to be the highest action of the strings at the lower frets. The guitar still plays like butter and I’m super happy I took a shot with this one. I also don’t have any of the typical tuning woes that most Gibsons seem to be plagued with, so I know the nut is cut pretty well, for the most part. I definitely can see myself playing more Gibsons in the future now, and I’ve already been GASing for some SGs. If they all come out of the box like this, I have no issue buying more whenever the money comes around. I hope they continue with the Lite series as well, because this guitar really gives me the best of both worlds with classic looks and comfortable playability.Ryan

Looks great, sounds great, plays great. One of the nicest gig bags I've ever seen. Came out of the box at the store set up and tuned! Fit and finish were perfect and the wine red just pops under stage lighting…unlike the one that was on display…and this is why I don't buy guitars online! Got it home, changed the strings to the gauge I prefer, lowered the string height a smidge, and checked the intonation which was spot on. Took it to a pro jam out in the valley where it got lots of compliments from the other players for it's sound and looks…it's as nice a Les Paul as I've ever played. If you get one like mine you won't regret it! But go to the GC and pick yours out and save yourself some possible grief. You won't regret that either!Stephen

I bought my first Les Paul in 1974. I was a little concerened about the new "lightend and improved" version but it turned out to be great. Pickups are better. Feels great, plays great and all around great guitar at a good price. Required minimal set up to play really good. I liked it so much, I bought another one 3 weeks later. I love my Strats but right out of the box, they require a lot of work to make them play and stay in tune. Got my first Strat in 72. If I was a kid (I'm in my 60's), I would choose this Les Paul Studio first. Because it is easier to set up and play right out of the box. I love my Strats, but this is a really good guitar.Stephen C

Still a novice player, but decided that I had stuck with it long enough to justify spending a bit more than I had spent on my used Squier Strat. After reading a ton of reviews and watching a bunch of YouTube videos, I chose the LP Studio in Smokehouse Burst. Wow! What an incredible difference. I find it easier to play with a wider fretboard and the sound is just amazing. I'm not sure if I just got a good one or if Gibson has stepped up their QA game as mine does not display the defects described by other reviews here. I have not found any cosmetic or fit/finish flaws. The color also closely resembles the photos with just a slightly darker shade on the burst. It is an absolutely gorgeous instrument and I couldn't be more satisfied with it. I know that Gibson switched over to the soft case rather than the hard one to save costs, but quite frankly, I don't see that they could have saved too much. The soft case is very high quality and with the exception of shipping or air travel, I feel that my guitar is well protected when put away. Although, I doubt that I'll ever be traveling to perform in this lifetime. Thanks Gibson. Great job on a beautiful instrument.ArmchairAstro

Only $300 difference from standard and $500 from modern LP… tough choice. I like flame tops for sure but bored of tobacco burst, honey burst, cherry burst and other plain traditional bursts… so leaned towards something more classic modern and bold… so went with translucent cherry. And my back isn't great so wanted something lighter. The coil tapping is nice to have but isn't great… especially compared to my PRS guitars. I'm not sure why Gibson can't figure this out. Again nice to have but wish Gibson could do a better job with this. Coil tapping quality was the same on my studio. I absolutely love the pickups on this guitar… probably some of best humbuckers ever made because of the extra brightness and clarity. I've sold so many of my guitars with humbuckers and gravitated towards single coil guitars because humbuckers are typically muddy in comparison. These 61's are a game changer for me and got me interested in Gibson LPs again. I love the colors of the LP modern too… but not sure what you're are getting extra for the added $500 other than a carved heal joint which I'll never use… and ultra weight relief… which is good if you have a bad back. But I think the electronics are the same with slightly hotter pickups. I guess boils down to which pickups you prefer and color. I love the classic and modern LP colors… again tough choices…but classic is perfect for me… I really love them all for different reasons though.Thad

What we have here is a great American made Gibson Les Paul for a good price. I bought one a year ago and bought a second as a backup/different tuning for stage use. Not that the guitar requires a backup, but strings break and things happen. The 490 pickups are great all around work horses. While I'd recommend different pickups on a per person/per style situation, these are right in my ball park and do what I want them to (goosed with an OD or boost at times). All of the electronics and hardware are fine. Same with fit/finish and the gig bag (which is also very nice). As I said, I have two of these now. The first is a year old and has been through once a week rehearsals and twice a week gigs. The satin finish on the neck settles in nicely with a bit of playing and sweat. It gets slicker over time, shows age, and feels great. Same with the body as well. As with all satin finished guitars, it wont stay that way. Playability on both were perfect out of the bag. No sharp frets and setup/intonation were just to my liking. Now let's compare these Tributes to a Standard. I won't discuss the chambered body versus non nor the maple versus mahogany necks. You really won't notice the difference other than the weight. More weight does not always equal better tone. Here's the thing, I don't notice a difference in tone between the Tribute and Standard….well, not enough to justify the cost difference. I had my doubts when I ordered my first one that it could stand up to my Standard. But I dug it off the bat. To quell my doubts, I had the other guitarist in my band run it through its paces so that I could stand back and hear. That was the Les Paul tone….I was happy. As such, I ordered a second as they were in my stable to stay. Solid guitars with great tone that I will not cry about when they get dinged or messed with at a gig. Now, the Tributes are thinner than the Standards. And of course no bling such as binding or headstock inlays. Switch washer comes in the bag should you choose to install it. But the tone and playability is what you expect from a Les Paul. I would, and have, recommended these to my friends. Great instrument at a great price. BTW, the included case. This was an incredible surprise as I didn't know what to expect. It's a lether "type" exterior, great padding, pink fuzzy interior, LARGE front pocket, and double backpack straps. It's a VERY nice bag! Accessory kit gets you a picture of your guitar being setup, documents that you will probably not read, a few tools, and as of this posting, a nylon guitar strap. While lower in scale compared to the Standard (what with it's hard case, multi tool, and leather strap), it's still rather cool. All in all, these are my go to guitars for stage and studio right now. I have more expensive guitars, but cost doesn't equal tone or feel.Brandon

Looks great, sounds great, plays great. One of the nicest gig bags I've ever seen. Came out of the box at the store set up and tuned! Fit and finish were perfect and the wine red just pops under stage lighting…unlike the one that was on display…and this is why I don't buy guitars online! Got it home, changed the strings to the gauge I prefer, lowered the string height a smidge, and checked the intonation which was spot on. Took it to a pro jam out in the valley where it got lots of compliments from the other players for it's sound and looks…it's as nice a Les Paul as I've ever played. If you get one like mine you won't regret it! But go to the GC and pick yours out and save yourself some possible grief. You won't regret that either!Stephen

Ich habe mir dieses Gibson Model bei Kirstein gekauft, weil neben dem Koffer ein Gurt, ein Einstellwerkzeug und ein Reinigungstuch dabei waren. Am Anfang wollte ich mir eine günstige Gitarre kaufen, da aber in den Foren manche Musiker nicht mit den Pickups zufrieden waren, entschied ich mich für eine Gibson. Die Tonabnehmer zu wechseln lohnt sich nicht wirklich, besonders wenn man den Wiederverkaufswert berücksichtigt. Bei einem Preis von 1100€ bekommt man eine Gitarre die klanglich mit den weitaus teureren Modellen mithalten kann. An der Gitarre selber konnte ich keine Mängel feststellen. Einziger Punkt war das ich die Oktavreinheit ein- stellen musste. Vom Klang her bekommt das was man erwartet eine Gibson Les Paul.Karl-Heinz

Sehr fein gearbeitete Gitarre mit sehr schönem und breitem Soundspektrum, auch den Response mag ich sehr. Entäuscht bin ich von der Stimmstabilität, nach ein paar Minuten bespielen ist schnell einmal eine Neustimmung notwendig. Da sind meine Gitarren mit Tremoloblock selbst bei intensiver Verwendung stabiler, hier würde ich von der Preislage her und dem prestigeträchtigen Namen mehr erwarten deswegen gibt es nur 3 von 5 …Sigurd

A really nice guitar. It looks good with its translucent red finish and it plays well too. The first thing I did was change the supplied Gibson .010 strings for a set of .009 Ernie Ball super slinkies and this bid cause a bit of a buzz on the bottom E, but a minor adjustment to the bridge cured that. This has resulted in the easiest guitar to play that I have ever used. There is plenty of tonal variation available and the coil taps double your options.davladd-9

I'm not a rich guy but I don't want garbage guitar's. This review is more about American Musical supply than this single guitar. In the past 5 year's I have purchased 15 guitar's from American and every one of them have been really great guitar's. I could never afford to buy these guitar's outright being a disabled Veteran I don't make enough money, so American is for ME a life saver. I no longer think about how bad my life is when I pick up one of these beautiful guitar's and play my worries away.Randy

I have played guitar and bass for 20 years, and I have always had average guitars. I just received this Les Paul in wine red. This is my first high end instrument, and it is flawless. The fretwork, finish, and intonation are immaculate. The gold hardware adds luxury to an already classy instrument. I make it a point to play every guitar I own unplugged to hear it's inherit acoustic properties. The tone is rich and snappy. Plugged into my Blackstar HT 60 2×12, this LP gives me epic tone and sustain. I feel the need to learn every riff off of Elegant Gypsy by Al Di Meola to so this guitar justice. I now know why he, and so many of the greats used Les Paul's. Thanks AMS for helping me afford such a beautiful sounding work of art.El Doctor Boca-Dientes

Love the gold hardware on black. Looks sharp.This guitar is very versatile. Lots of sustain and resonance. The pickups have a very clear and transparent tone. Playability is excellent. Had to adjust the action and truss rod. I also dressed the fretboard to make it darker. To me the darker rosewood fretboard looks more attractive. My only complaint is a little bit of dark paint overspray on the fretboard. Hence I darkened the fretboard. Quality is not as good as my American made PRS but the Gibsons have more vibe and mojo to me.A.Santos

This is my first Gibson guitar purchase. I waited over 5 months for this guitar to arrive. I've had it for a few days now and I'm trying to process how this guitar passed Gibson Quality Assurance. The guitar for the most part sounds amazing, plays pretty good, despite action being higher than I expected. However, the reason for the low rating is craftsmanship is poor, the finish on the back of the guitar is different than what's advertised, and I didn't get the case it was supposed to come with. The fretboard has glue stains all over it, which I know is something that can be cleaned up. But what's most disturbing are the dents on the fretboard and these two hole punches on the 11th fret. I don't even think Epiphones are this bad. The top looks amazing otherwise and the guitar sounds great. I've made inquiries to Musicians Friend, twice. I was promised to receive a call from someone in the Private Reserve department or a supervisor. No one has called back. So I took matters into my own hands and called Gibson. They told me to email photos and they would make an exception to cover shipping costs back to them(thank you, Gibson!). However after I emailed Gibson, I never heard anything back and I'm not sure how they're going to fix the holes on the fretboard. This doesn't seem like something that's fixable. For spending this kind of money, I expected so much better from both parties. If I wanted a used Gibson with a mismatched case, I would've bought one for much less. It's very disturbing nobody from Musicians Friend is taking this matter seriously given the amount of money I've spent on this guitar. Anyone considering purchasing any instrument from Musicians Friend, especially one that is high end, I strongly suggest shopping elsewhere. They don't stand by the products they sell. I'm still holding out hope Gibson is gonna take care of this issue and make this right. Thank you, Musicians Friend for being my "friend" and advocating for me. (sarcasm)gofarkid

Overall: In a word: ******* amazing. No matter the price, you would think a guitar sitting in a warehouse for any length of time would need a setup. Not with this Wine Red Les Paul Custom! The only caveat is it was completely out of tune (to be expected); a little "nut sauce" and it was good as gold. And that lacquer smell still haunts my house! Well worth it…Mere words are not enough to describe the sound and the power with this guitar. It blows away my 2014 Traditional (a nice guitar in its own right); it is not even a comparison. The neck is so much easier to play. Fit and finish are flawless. In closing: save your money, eat Ramen noodles for a year if you must, wear your hole-in-the-crotch jeans for as long as necessary and BUY THIS GUITAR!Jeff

I've owned a few Epiphone Les Pauls and a couple Gibsons and this is absolutely my favorite. The action was rather high but all new guitars should be set up when you get them anyway. After I lowered the action it's been a dream to play. The pickups are very responsive and deliver a great tone as well. I haven't had any issues with it staying in tune. I stretched the strings a bit and tuned it up and it hasn't lost its tuning yet. The satin good top is just beautiful. It has a slight copper color to it in some light but it still looks amazing. The satin finish still lets it shine through. The only flaw I could find was under the pick guard, but any Les Paul with a pick guard will have that mark. The fretboard is pretty nice. There are a couple of spots that look like they were gouged slightly but not where it causes any problems. For me the neck is comfortable and fast. Not too much stiction going on at all. And those knobs! I love reflector knobs. Against the gold top they just make the whole thing pop. I've always been a fan of binding on a guitar but this one doesn't need it. The guitar just stands out so well that it wouldn't even be noticed. Out of all of the more affordable Les Pauls this one really leads the crowd. Such a good guitar that not only sounds great, but looks beautiful as well. Now for my single complaint. Ship these with a case!!! The gig bag is nice, but it really needs a classic looking brown case to round it all out.StephenM

When I first opened the box what I saw was a work of art, I only hoped it was as great as it looked. I pushed the power button on the G-Foece Tuners and the G string light up red, I picked the G and all ways in tune. I checked it with my Petersen Strobe Tuner, and yes it was spot on. I plugged into a Vox AC30 HW, the notes that came out of the speakers seem to bloom with harmonics I've never heard before. The fit and finish looked like someone went through the Les Paul with a fine tooth comb, I figured the Les Paul being a 2016 would need a set of fresh strings. The instruction for the G-Force Tuners states to do one string at a time, so the G-Force would not need to be recalibrate. So I set up the windup wind down menu on the G-Force unwound the low E. The rewind confused me a bit, usually i cut the string about 1 1/2 past the next tuner, not so with the G-Force only cut the string to the next tuner inline, too much string will cause the G-Force to lock up due to too many winds on the post. When you get to the G-B-E Strings 1 1/2 will work better so the Strings don't slip on the post and cause tuning issues. The 490R & 498T pickups really surprised me. The 490R is very articulate not muddy in any way, if fact I use it more that I've ever used a neck pickup…the middle position is great for Lead or Rhythm, I've heard Jimmy Page uses this position a lot now I understand why. The 498T is very hot 13.7 ohms as opposed to the 7.6 ohms neck. Even though the ohms are far apart they work well together. I set my Neck volume about 6 for a nice clean rhythm sound and the bridge I set at 8-9 so when I want that little more bark it's there. So to sum it all up this Les Paul is all I need to get the tones I need. This is my Desert island Guitar.Huncy Sound Studio

After playing for over 40 years, I must admit I am really blown away by the tonality, feel, and general quality of this guitar. The cleans are vibrant yet warm, and the crunchy over driven tones will compete with just about anything when pushed through a classic tube amp. It really is a step way up from any $400 guitar I've recently played; and would highly recommend spending the extra bread. You don't need to get a $2500 Les Paul to crab that classic Gibson tone and vibe. This is really a quality instrument at a good price!twiggypine

Looks great, sounds great, plays great. One of the nicest gig bags I've ever seen. Came out of the box at the store set up and tuned! Fit and finish were perfect and the wine red just pops under stage lighting…unlike the one that was on display…and this is why I don't buy guitars online! Got it home, changed the strings to the gauge I prefer, lowered the string height a smidge, and checked the intonation which was spot on. Took it to a pro jam out in the valley where it got lots of compliments from the other players for it's sound and looks…it's as nice a Les Paul as I've ever played. If you get one like mine you won't regret it! But go to the GC and pick yours out and save yourself some possible grief. You won't regret that either!Stephen

I'm not a rich guy but I don't want garbage guitar's. This review is more about American Musical supply than this single guitar. In the past 5 year's I have purchased 15 guitar's from American and every one of them have been really great guitar's. I could never afford to buy these guitar's outright being a disabled Veteran I don't make enough money, so American is for ME a life saver. I no longer think about how bad my life is when I pick up one of these beautiful guitar's and play my worries away.Randy

I have played guitar and bass for 20 years, and I have always had average guitars. I just received this Les Paul in wine red. This is my first high end instrument, and it is flawless. The fretwork, finish, and intonation are immaculate. The gold hardware adds luxury to an already classy instrument. I make it a point to play every guitar I own unplugged to hear it's inherit acoustic properties. The tone is rich and snappy. Plugged into my Blackstar HT 60 2×12, this LP gives me epic tone and sustain. I feel the need to learn every riff off of Elegant Gypsy by Al Di Meola to so this guitar justice. I now know why he, and so many of the greats used Les Paul's. Thanks AMS for helping me afford such a beautiful sounding work of art.El Doctor Boca-Dientes

Love the gold hardware on black. Looks sharp.This guitar is very versatile. Lots of sustain and resonance. The pickups have a very clear and transparent tone. Playability is excellent. Had to adjust the action and truss rod. I also dressed the fretboard to make it darker. To me the darker rosewood fretboard looks more attractive. My only complaint is a little bit of dark paint overspray on the fretboard. Hence I darkened the fretboard. Quality is not as good as my American made PRS but the Gibsons have more vibe and mojo to me.A.Santos

I got tired of gigging my 200 Gibson ES 335 so bought this as a gig guitar. I like it so much I play it more than any of my guitars. At about 1/3 of the cost of my 335 I get result that are at least as good, A little crispier. My new favoriteChicago Craig

I'm not a rich guy but I don't want garbage guitar's. This review is more about American Musical supply than this single guitar. In the past 5 year's I have purchased 15 guitar's from American and every one of them have been really great guitar's. I could never afford to buy these guitar's outright being a disabled Veteran I don't make enough money, so American is for ME a life saver. I no longer think about how bad my life is when I pick up one of these beautiful guitar's and play my worries away.Randy

I have played guitar and bass for 20 years, and I have always had average guitars. I just received this Les Paul in wine red. This is my first high end instrument, and it is flawless. The fretwork, finish, and intonation are immaculate. The gold hardware adds luxury to an already classy instrument. I make it a point to play every guitar I own unplugged to hear it's inherit acoustic properties. The tone is rich and snappy. Plugged into my Blackstar HT 60 2×12, this LP gives me epic tone and sustain. I feel the need to learn every riff off of Elegant Gypsy by Al Di Meola to so this guitar justice. I now know why he, and so many of the greats used Les Paul's. Thanks AMS for helping me afford such a beautiful sounding work of art.El Doctor Boca-Dientes

Love the gold hardware on black. Looks sharp.This guitar is very versatile. Lots of sustain and resonance. The pickups have a very clear and transparent tone. Playability is excellent. Had to adjust the action and truss rod. I also dressed the fretboard to make it darker. To me the darker rosewood fretboard looks more attractive. My only complaint is a little bit of dark paint overspray on the fretboard. Hence I darkened the fretboard. Quality is not as good as my American made PRS but the Gibsons have more vibe and mojo to me.A.Santos

Excellent quality in finish and hardware, lacks only the binding that makes the higher LP's so expensive. Also, this guitar is chambered so it is much lighter than my old LP (which is why I sold it) yet it does not seem to sacrifice that classic LP sustain…I took it to my guitar tech who very quickly adjusted the neck, bridge and pickups and the tone and playability is excellent! The classic '57 pickup in the neck is great but the jury is still out [for me] on the tail gunner Burstbucker Pro at the bridge…it's a little hot and I'm trying to learn how to work with it. Buyers should know that if you plan to change out pickups this guitar has plug-ins which makes it easier, but more expensive, to make a pickup change. Great value for the money and I am very happy with my purchase.terrilllee

I'll start by saying that I play a lot of different styles and am a MASSIVE Buckethead fan. Before playing this guitar, you have to keep in mind it was designed for Buckethead, who is 6'6". When I first picked it up, it felt gigantic. You don't really get this impression in the online pictures, but the body is more bulbous than a regular Les Paul, and the baritone scale length may take some getting used to if you have small hands. It was a little jarring at first, but thankfully I got used to it pretty quickly. Now its easy for me to play, and its comfortable to stand and sit with. No matter what you play, this guitar plays great, and the jumbo frets give it a unique feel. My only real complaint is that the thick Les Paul neck can make sweep picking difficult. Nevertheless, this is my new favorite guitar, and what steals the deal for me is the tone. The chambered body, wood choices, and long scale length all work together to create an incredible sound. The distorted tone sounds like a mountain exploding and the clean tone sounds like God crying. I have never played a guitar with such a rich, deep, penetrating sound. I have played probably over 100 different guitars in my life and nothing else sounds anything like this monster. If you prefer crunchier, old-school Strat-type sounds, the tone knob can pop out to activate a single-coil pickup. The killswitches are fun, too. The best part is that the guitar sounds exponentially better the louder you crank the amp ;-). In terms of build quality, its very good and solidly put together. It should last multiple lifetimes. I also really like the way it looks; the satin white paint, oversized body, and lack of fretboard markers give it a stark, almost alien look. It definitely looks better in person than online. I should probably mention that it smells like cupcakes. No joke. Yummy. Overall, this is a fantastic, versatile guitar, great for players with larger frames. If you're trying to be the next John Petrucci, there are easier guitars to shred on, but the way it sounds more than makes up for it. Definitely try it out if you get the chance. Its as unique as the artist its named after, and all the better for it.jonathasefci0

Got the guitar as a birthday present for my son. I haven't played seriously in years due to arthritis in my hands, but I noodled around enough to remember how a fine guitar felt. The first Les Paul I played was back in the 1960s, a classic 1954 Black Beauty. This new one plays as well, and the newer technology in the pickups gives it as much or more versatility. The only thing the '54 had this one doesn't is history. For my money, the Gibson Les Paul is the benchmark electric guitar and this rare Caribbean Nights color makes this a terrific value.refeist2010