Okay, we’ve covered the players and the history – albeit briefly – now it’s time to actually discuss what is so different about these two guitars. Les Paul Standard vs Les Paul Studio: Differences You’ll often see Jade Puget of Californian punk band AFI, Frank Iero of emo powerhouse My Chemical Romance and Chris Burney of Bowling For Soup using the Studio to entertain the masses at festivals around the world. The stripped-down nature of the Studio seems to speak to the punk sensibilities of many players and has been embraced by this scene with open arms. The Studio may be considered the budget option, but it hasn’t stopped many famous players from using them both on stage and well, in the studio. Modern players such as Grammy award-winning country star Jason Isbell and master of strange noises Tom Morello have also used a Les Paul to achieve many of their genre-defining tones, proving just how versatile this guitar can be. The Les Paul Standard has made its way onto countless records, with guitar heroes such as Jimmy Page, Gary Moore, and Billy Gibbons putting the LP through its paces on some of the biggest songs of all time. When it comes to the players linked to the Les Paul, it would probably be quicker to list the guitarists who haven’t used this famous flame-topped beauty. Les Paul Standard vs Les Paul Studio: Players Since its release in the early '80s, the Studio has been a staple of the Gibson lineup and has been the go-to model for those seeking the classic sound without any of the flashy looks of the Standard. The Studio has gone through many other changes over the years, from switching between ebony and rosewood fingerboards to numerous pickup changes and even a hi-tech robotic variant – sadly a guitar that would be required to pass the Turing Test didn't quite catch on with the vintage-obsessed guitar community, and after a short-lived run, the Studio would go back to it's humble, non-robotic roots. Initially, Gibson opted to go for an ever so slightly thinner alder body but ultimately decided to revert to the tried and tested mahogany and maple combo we all expect from our LPs. The term "studio" refers to the fact that these guitars sounded just like their more premium brothers, and in a studio setting, you'd be hard-pressed to find a sonic difference. The Studio model would debut in '83 and was designed to be an affordable option for those seeking the emblematic LP tone without the hefty price tag. Gibson would later re-introduce the Les Paul in all its single-cut glory in 1968 and has been producing various versions of the Les Paul Standard ever since. Although this new double-cutaway axe would still bear the Les Paul moniker, the guitar would eventually officially become the SG in 1963. In '61, Gibson would make a drastic decision to redesign the LP to what we now think of as the SG, in an effort to keep up with the rising popularity of the futuristic Stratocaster. The next three years would see Gibson stumble onto what many believe to be the winning formula for the Les Paul Standard – the burst! This group of sunburst Les Pauls is among the most sought-after six-strings in the world, with Gibson making countless reissues to help bring a little of their magic to those of us who can't afford to spend upwards of 100K on an original instrument. By 1957 the Les Paul would start to look even more familiar, with PAF humbucking pickups and Tune-O-Matic bridge and tailpiece. While this early '50s LP featured a mahogany body and neck, as well as a maple cap, it did differ slightly, with the addition of a trapeze tailpiece and two "soap bar" P-90 pickups. The original version of the Les Paul to hit guitar store shelves didn't look all that dissimilar to the one we all know and love today.
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