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1987 Les Paul sunburst Studio Standard

Phoenix Firebird

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Jul 9, 2013
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Been wanting one of these for a long time and I finally fond one that had not been rode hard and put up wet. This one also has an ebony board...added bonus. There not easy to find in nice condition.

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Jackyrhode

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May 2, 2002
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Wow! The only difference between this and a standard is the dot neck and ebony fingerboard?
 

Billy Porter

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Mar 16, 2005
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Now that's sweet.

I think I prefer the dots to Trapezoid or blocks :couch
 

Phoenix Firebird

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Now that's sweet.

I think I prefer the dots to Trapezoid or blocks :couch

ME TOO ESPECIALLY ON A BOUND EBONY BOARD:hank The only other difference is the gold Gibson headstock logo instead of the pearl LOGO like a Standard. Has a killer set of Tim Shaw 'buckers in it too.
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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Wow! The only difference between this and a standard is the dot neck and ebony fingerboard?

I think they had Alder bodies. That one is in remarkable condition. Nice case, too. Check for a 136 or 137 ink prefix on the pickup base along with an inked stamped date. I don't remember the Gibson 59 Pat. App. For, (Shaws) as stock pickups on that model. The Ebony board is a fabulous bonus. Ebony is the best quality fingerboard, IMO. That is a beautiful guitar.
 

Phoenix Firebird

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I think they had Alder bodies. That one is in remarkable condition. Nice case, too. Check for a 136 or 137 ink prefix on the pickup base along with an inked stamped date. I don't remember the Gibson 59 Pat. App. For, (Shaws) as stock pickups on that model. The Ebony board is a fabulous bonus. Ebony is the best quality fingerboard, IMO. That is a beautiful guitar.

Not sure about all of them, but this one definitely has a mahogany body. Has some nice grain in the 3 piece maple top too. It's probably about 8 lbs. Great tone. I need to pop out the pickups and check them for sure, I was under the impression that most all of these 80's Studio Standard's had Shaws. maybe not. Either way it still sounds terrific
 

Big Al

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Not sure about all of them, but this one definitely has a mahogany body. Has some nice grain in the 3 piece maple top too. It's probably about 8 lbs. Great tone. I need to pop out the pickups and check them for sure, I was under the impression that most all of these 80's Studio Standard's had Shaws. maybe not. Either way it still sounds terrific

I know they made a range of those, Standard and Custom? If that has mahogany maybe it's a Custom. I know I saw a bunch back then that had an Alder top or back, I can't remember, but I'm sure it was Alder. That was a goofy time and it's hard to know anything for sure with 80's Gibsons.

I just took a closer look and it has what appears too me to be an Alder top.

Still that is a killer guitar!!!:hank
 

Phoenix Firebird

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I know they made a range of those, Standard and Custom? If that has mahogany maybe it's a Custom. I know I saw a bunch back then that had an Alder top or back, I can't remember, but I'm sure it was Alder. That was a goofy time and it's hard to know anything for sure with 80's Gibsons.

I just took a closer look and it has what appears too me to be an Alder top.

Still that is a killer guitar!!!:hank


No that's maple definitely not alder, I checked with my Gibson guy and he said it had a Mahogany body and three piece Maple top. I have probably owned about 100+ Gibson's in my 30 years of playing and I don't ever remember seeing any with alder tops. Alder was more of a Fender thing. Not saying they didn't do any because I would not doiubt it at all, I've just never seen one. This one does have an ebony fingerboard. I didn't know there was such a thing as a custom studio either. One of my guitar buddies has one of these and his has a mahogany body with a maple top too, his has rosewood board though. In any case you're right it is a killer axe.
 

Big Al

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No that's maple definitely not alder, I checked with my Gibson guy and he said it had a Mahogany body and three piece Maple top. I have probably owned about 100+ Gibson's in my 30 years of playing and I don't ever remember seeing any with alder tops. Alder was more of a Fender thing. Not saying they didn't do any because I would not doiubt it at all, I've just never seen one. This one does have an ebony fingerboard. I didn't know there was such a thing as a custom studio either. One of my guitar buddies has one of these and his has a mahogany body with a maple top too, his has rosewood board though. In any case you're right it is a killer axe.

Great guitar with a killer vibe. But that is Alder not Maple. It was the spec for the bound Studio Series. Gibson only used Eastern Maple on the thre piece tops of the 80's. Alder can look somewhat like Big Leaf Maple and they have a similar density but the long fleck lines and fuzzy grain between the growth ring grain is classic Alder and doesn't look at all like Rock Maple.

Just to confuse things more, they had a Custom Lite with a thinner body. I remember the Rosewood-Ebony Studio's, it carried on like that up into the 90's. I always thought the Ebony ones felt better and I put a premium on them.
 

Chuckie K

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Aug 20, 2009
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Congrats, that looks to be in extremely good condition. I have an '87 Studio Standard and they're fine guitars.
 
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Ryan Givhan

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most alder that i have seen has way more wavy grain lines in it than that top. idk, im leaning towards hog/maple.
 

Big Al

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most alder that i have seen has way more wavy grain lines in it than that top. idk, im leaning towards hog/maple.

Just compare it to any Sunburst Strat with an Alder body. That is definitely Alder. I've refinished enough Fenders. Alder is IMO, an excellent tone wood and produces a very balanced tone. It lacks the dramatic figure or grain of Ash, Maple or Mahogany and has a likelihood of pronounced flecking, but makes up for it in killer tone.

The alder top was a defining feature of the bound Les Paul Studio's. I am absolutely positive that is Alder. Just as much as I'm positive that it is in exceptional condition and plays and sounds as good as it looks.
 

Phoenix Firebird

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Well this one is a three piece top, I dunno, my guy who worked for Gibson says it's a 3 piece maple top, he was in charge of their tech school, but no matter what kinda top it's still a very cool guitar. I just can't get over the ebony board, because I have not seen one of these with an ebony board before. The ones I have seen have rosewood
 

Big Al

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Well this one is a three piece top, I dunno, my guy who worked for Gibson says it's a 3 piece maple top, he was in charge of their tech school, but no matter what kinda top it's still a very cool guitar. I just can't get over the ebony board, because I have not seen one of these with an ebony board before. The ones I have seen have rosewood

They would run out of rosewood and substitute ebony. I've seen a few, they aren't common by any means and I would imagine it raises value and desirability. Who is the guy who was incharge of Gibsons "Tech School"? I was a Gibson authorised warranty Repair Tech, maybe I know him.
 

Phoenix Firebird

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They would run out of rosewood and substitute ebony. I've seen a few, they aren't common by any means and I would imagine it raises value and desirability. Who is the guy who was incharge of Gibsons "Tech School"? I was a Gibson authorised warranty Repair Tech, maybe I know him.

He wasn't in charge of the school he was in charge of the tech students at the warranty school. David Thomas
 

Big Al

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Not the guy I'm thinking of. Is there any wear on that guitar? It looks brand new. An awesome score for you.
 

Phoenix Firebird

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Not the guy I'm thinking of. Is there any wear on that guitar? It looks brand new. An awesome score for you.
There's some really small marks here and there but nothing major, it is fast becoming one of my favorite guitars.
 

cosmitron

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May 16, 2007
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I love it!!! What were the colors available?
I usually keep myself away from anything that's close to clownburst but this one has a warmer peachy tint and the combination of details (yeah those dots makes me crazy) and specs makes her so unique! Was it honeyburst or teaburst I'd die of envy. Needed to get that out of my chest. :D
Any chance you could share some sound samples?
 
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