Tone
I have never been a great fan of Hot (higher output) pickups but I think I have been converted! Whilst checking the setup and pickup heights of a few new guitars I came across a Les Paul Studio in wine red which blew me away! The Studio has 490R (Neck) and 498T (Bridge) pickups which are some of the hottest from Gibson and the tone was great. These beefier pickups kicked my Lonestar's preamp stage just that little bit more giving me more creamy sustain without having to crank the gain on the amp and loose more response on my treble, mids and bass controls. I have experienced these pickups in SG Standards and have really enjoyed the aggressive tone they give you out of the SG's thin mahogany body. These pickups I think really come into their own with a solid LP body which rounds them off and looses some of there aggressiveness and replaces it with sustain.
The other noticeable difference I discovered was the clarity of the clean tone compared to my 1958. The clean was more crisp and precise. Don't take this the wrong way, I will NEVER part with my 1958 but I was definitely pleasantly surprised by the Studio.
Does anyone else have any experience with these pickups and or the Gibson LP Studio??? Would like to hear your opinion
singemonkey
So you're going to get the Studio instead of the '57 Custom? ?
vic
The "traditional" Les Paul Studio affords good value...a no-nonsense guitar. Those are the same PUPs as found on more expensive models (early 2000's Customs for example)
Tone
"So you're going to get the Studio instead of the '57 Custom?"
I finished school this year and will probably have to start looking for a car one of these days so my hopes of owning another Gibson will have to be postponed for sometime ☹ ! I was really taken aback by the guitars tone though.
Another interesting thing I have rediscovered today whilst playing is the role the room your playing in plays on the tone of your rig. This morning I moved my Lonestar from my garage/band room into our study and the sound of my rig changed substantially (and for the better). I think this improvement in sound is due to the fact that the study has far more furniture, curtains and carpets to help absorb sound leaving you with a smoother sound reaching your ears. I'm no acoustics expert but if you ever find yourself getting frustrated with your tone or can't seem to dial in the tone your after, try moving your rig around. It has worked for me (and it's quite interesting to hear the change) ?
