New Les Paul Studios

[jmh151]

I just came back from Guitar Center and played a few new Les Paul studios which have the mystery wood fretboard. The sales tag indicated merely that it was a "hardwood fretboard" , much in the way they describe cheap $100 acoustics to be made of hardwood.

The board had the color of rosewood, but had no pores at all. Not to mention it was extremely dry, your fingers would get stuck while doing string bends. And the guitar couldn't stay in tune at all

I'll pass

[youngthrasher9]

I just came back from Guitar Center and played a few new Les Paul studios which have the mystery wood fretboard. The sales tag indicated merely that it was a "hardwood fretboard" , much in the way they describe cheap $100 acoustics to be made of hardwood.

The board had the color of rosewood, but had no pores at all. Not to mention it was extremely dry, your fingers would get stuck while doing string bends. And the guitar couldn't stay in tune at all

I'll pass

Sounds like a guitar that has had little to no maintenance. I played a Gibson the other day with the mystery fret board wood and it played and sounded fine, it sounds like you played a dud.

[DrNewcenstein]

*Guitar Center* *Not to mention it was extremely dry, your fingers would get stuck while doing string bends. And the guitar couldn't stay in tune at all*

I think I've identified the problem.

[Empty Pockets]

Your ****ty local bigbox retailer didn't set up their guitars?

Where is that Willy Wonka meme when i need it?

[Ball&Chain]

If you go to guitar center expecting anthing other than bad action and rusty, dead strings, you havent been to a guitar center much. I think its probably too much for the best guitars to overcome.

[ArtieToo]

. . . mystery wood fretboard.

Isn't that the new RichLite material? (Aka, kitchen counter-top material.)

From Wiki:

Richlite is a dense material made from partially recycled paper and phenolic resin. Phenolic resin is made of formeldahyde and phenol. Individually, these are potent chemicals, but create a harmless, inert substance when combined. The paper is soaked in phenolic resin, then molded and baked into net shape in a heated form or press.

Originally distributed as a commercial kitchen surface in the 1950s, it has recently been adapted for use in skateboard parks (e.g., "Skatelite"), as well as various other applications, such as residential counters, fiberglass cores and limited architectural applications. Richlite is an alternative to Corian and granite counter tops.

[jmh151]

Isn't that the new RichLite material? (Aka, kitchen counter-top material.)

From Wiki:

according to Gibson's web site, it was baked maple. Which is weird because the Buckethead Les Paul Studio I tried with the baked maple fretboard felt great

[Varg]

according to Gibson's web site, it was baked maple. Which is weird because the Buckethead Les Paul Studio I tried with the baked maple fretboard felt great

I suppose you get different baked maple - I mean, I have a few guitars with rosewood fretboards, and some of them feel and look quite different to others.

[robertkoa]

In one of my rare trips to a Music Store a few months ago I went to check out the EVO Gold Frets on the Les Paul Supreme- loved the Frets, not the Guitar.

Checked out some LP Studios-not too impressed -until I played the Bonamassa Studio-excellent Guitar- don't know if they are all this good but it was very impressive-intonation, tones, tuning stability,resonant,balanced tone-noticed a medium brown wood on fingerboard- felt fine. Grover Tuners.

Are all the Bonamassa Studios excellent ?

[BloodRose]

according to Gibson's web site, it was baked maple. Which is weird because the Buckethead Les Paul Studio I tried with the baked maple fretboard felt great

The Buckethead maple is baked at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Same as it takes to roast a chicken...

The normal baked maple is cooked at 300 degrees for an undisclosed amount of time..

Thus, the difference...

[BloodRose]

I played some of the classic customs and came away impressed with the baked maple. (not impressed as in WOW, this is a spec I PREFER, but impressed as in, this isnt bad really..)

And yes, its hard to judge a guitar in guitar center. Personally, if I were to get a Studio, Id go used. I had a 2003 and a 2006 and both were pretty good. The 03 was alil more substantial sounding, but that could be the individual guitar

[JOLLY]

If you go to guitar center expecting anthing other than bad action and rusty, dead strings, you havent been to a guitar center much.

Yeah, no kidding.

[Mr 9finger]

I thought the new studios had a granadillo fretboard? Still not sure what that is, but I do believe it's real wood and not the richlite stuff.

[OsvyRock]

My question is how the granadillo affects the guitar's sound. Wel all know the wood on the fretboard really changes quite some things in the guitar sound. I have preference for rosewood. I also tried the LP 50's tribute humbucker guitar. It was quite good! No problems with the ''Baked Maple'' (at least with the one I tried).

Any review of the granadillo on the LP Studios!?

[BEACHBUM]

Buy used. It's a wonderful thing not to have to wonder if your fretboard has actually been baked to perfection or if some new employee over cooked it. It's tough enough arguing about rosewood vs. ebony. Imagine the endless future posts we are in for as to whether 30 minute bake time sounds better than 45 minute bake time. Perhaps there could be a dialogue on whether Gibson will be offering custom bakes for those of us who like slow cooked and well done, you know, maybe 90 minutes at 250 degrees.

[robertkoa]

The Buckethead maple is baked at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Same as it takes to roast a chicken...

The normal baked maple is cooked at 300 degrees for an undisclosed amount of time..

Thus, the difference...

Is this why he has the KFC Bucket Hat thing ?

[Jessie's ghost]

Buy used. It's a wonderful thing not to have to wonder if your fretboard has actually been baked to perfection or if some new employee over cooked it. It's tough enough arguing about rosewood vs. ebony. Imagine the endless future posts we are in for as to whether 30 minute bake time sounds better than 45 minute bake time. Perhaps there could be a dialogue on whether Gibson will be offering custom bakes for those of us who like slow cooked and well done, you know, maybe 90 minutes at 250 degrees.

I expect people to start custom baking fretboards for their own builds, then arguing about what kind of fuel or kiln construction makes for a fretboard with the best tone. Can't wait to read those threads.

[innerdreamrecords.co]

I like my wood micro waved...wait that doesn't sound right.

[Varg]

Buy used. It's a wonderful thing not to have to wonder if your fretboard has actually been baked to perfection or if some new employee over cooked it. It's tough enough arguing about rosewood vs. ebony. Imagine the endless future posts we are in for as to whether 30 minute bake time sounds better than 45 minute bake time. Perhaps there could be a dialogue on whether Gibson will be offering custom bakes for those of us who like slow cooked and well done, you know, maybe 90 minutes at 250 degrees.

Excellent. I expect this issue to crop up on the MyLesPaul forum soon enough, along with all their threads about how a set of PIO caps can make Epiphone pickups sound like Duncans.

[ErikH]

Get I get one that is smoked with Mesquite?

I haven't played enough of the new Studios but I have played some and what I did play felt fine. It's a non-issue for me.