NGD: 2014 Gibson Les Paul Studio

[jsytsma]

So I have a custom T-Style guitar being built by NyStrum guitars, rendering my current G&L ASAT Classic Tribute a bit redundant, so I am selling it and picked up this girl yesterday. I think between the humbuckers on this, and the 3 single coils on my incoming T-Style guitar, I will have a lot of ground covered

I played through a handful of Gibsons both expensive and not-so-expensive, and this one won out. Partly because the necks on the 2015, as many of you agree, really are terrible. I'm sure I COULD get used to it. But when I am playing open chords (like an open F#m or something where I'm using my thumb) it make it frustratingly difficult on my hand. Who thought it was a good idea?

I've only ever owned an old Epiphone Les Paul and wasn't really too "in tune" with my guitars when I owned it. Can someone answer me a few questions about Les Pauls?

It's currently outfitted with 10s - Is that the norm? Is it like a Telecaster where it needs to be setup every time you have a different string gauge?

 

[rapaul76]

Congrats! I have the ebony one and it's a player. I ended up swapping out the plastics and pickups for my personal taste. The only thing I had to do was widen the nut slots as they seemed to be cut for 9's and the 10's were pinching.

 

[Jo-Jo Beans]

...Partly because the necks on the 2015, as many of you agree, really are terrible. I'm sure I COULD get used to it...

...It's currently outfitted with 10s - Is that the norm? Is it like a Telecaster where it needs to be setup every time you have a different string gauge?

I have a 2015 Les Paul Traditional and I really actually quite like the neck. I don't do a whole lot of thumbing-over like you described, but I occasionally reach around to at least mute the low E and I haven't had any problems. Feel-wise, even with the wider fingerboard and fatter neck of the Traditional, I really enjoy it. It's quite unlike any of my other guitars, but that doesn't bother me.

I have 10s on my Paul. It originally came outfitted with 9s. Since the Gibson scale is 3/4" shorter than Fender, strings will bend a lot easier on Gibsons. 10s will be easy to bend and 9s are outrageously easy to bend, to the point of me over-bending on full bends if I'm not careful. On the other hand, 11s on a Gibson will give you a smooth, creamy feel and will be about as hard to bend as 10s on a Fender.

As far as a new setup when you change string gauge, that's just good practice overall. You'll need to re-intonate the bridge for the new gauge at the very least. Check bridge action as well. Can't hurt to check truss rod as well because of the different tension the heavier/lighter strings will put on the neck.

 

[TheClev]

Do yourself a favor - have someone cut and install a new nut on that Studio (it's not expensive...the service runs about $35 around here). Otherwise, you're likely to have tuning issues. I've owned several, and they all had the same nut problems.

 

[jsytsma]

Do yourself a favor - have someone cut and install a new nut on that Studio (it's not expensive...the service runs about $35 around here). Otherwise, you're likely to have tuning issues. I've owned several, and they all had the same nut problems.

I just may do that. Thanks for the tip.

 

[jsytsma]

I have a 2015 Les Paul Traditional and I really actually quite like the neck. I don't do a whole lot of thumbing-over like you described, but I occasionally reach around to at least mute the low E and I haven't had any problems. Feel-wise, even with the wider fingerboard and fatter neck of the Traditional, I really enjoy it. It's quite unlike any of my other guitars, but that doesn't bother me.

I have 10s on my Paul. It originally came outfitted with 9s. Since the Gibson scale is 3/4" shorter than Fender, strings will bend a lot easier on Gibsons. 10s will be easy to bend and 9s are outrageously easy to bend, to the point of me over-bending on full bends if I'm not careful. On the other hand, 11s on a Gibson will give you a smooth, creamy feel and will be about as hard to bend as 10s on a Fender.

As far as a new setup when you change string gauge, that's just good practice overall. You'll need to re-intonate the bridge for the new gauge at the very least. Check bridge action as well. Can't hurt to check truss rod as well because of the different tension the heavier/lighter strings will put on the neck.

Like I said, with the 2015 models, I probably COULD get used to the neck, but it was just too much compared to the ease of the 2014 neck. Considering switching to 11s on the LP so I can get some heavier tones if need be. I'll see how it feels with my whole rig... Thanks for the input on the setup. Like I said, I've only really ever owned Telecasters so I'm not as acquainted with their bridge/saddles