Gibson Faded Maple Top Les Paul Studio Guitar Review

Les Pauls are often known for their polished, high gloss looks. They are certainly an eye catcher when sitting on a stand in a room filled with guitars, and they are known for being beautiful pieces of craftsmanship. But this polished look isn't necessarily for everyone. For those not looking for glossed tops or bright colors, Gibson offers the Faded Maple Top Les Paul Studio. Let's take a closer look to see if the unique look is matched with unique quality.

Features: The body of the Faded Maple Les Paul, like most other Gibsons, is made of mahogany wood. This allows for the deep, rich sound that musicians have come to expect from the brand. There is just one finish available, and as you could probably guess it's a faded, natural sunburst style. It comes with a black pickguard and headstock to finish the darker, natural look. The neck of the Faded Maple Les Paul is made of mahogany as well, and is set into the body with a thick, solid joint. The fretboard is made of rosewood, and has twenty two regular sized frets with pearloid trapezoidal inlays. The hardware is a well thought out mix and match, with the tuning heads being classic Gibson plastic, the bridge being chrome, and the control knobs being black plastic. The hardware functions well, and lends itself to the overall look of the Faded Maple Les Paul. Electronically, the guitar has two Alnico humbucker pickups with two volume and two tone control knobs, and a three way selector switch for varied tonal options.

Playability: The Faded Maple Les Paul, though it looks a bit different than its relatives, plays just like them. The body makes for great tone, but is a little thick and heavy. It also impedes a bit on access for the highest frets, which an experienced player could probably deal with easily. Also, the Tune-O-Matic bridge allows for a feature that I personally love, which is easy string action adjustment.

Sound: Alnico humbucker pickups offer a tone that some absolutely love and some think is a little weak. If you're going to be playing almost exclusively hard rock and metal, it is worth investing in some good pedals or swapping the pups out. But for great versatility through cleaner tones, to buzzy rhythm tones, up to heavy distortion tones, the Faded Maple Les Paul fits perfectly.

Overall: For an experienced musician looking to delve into several different genres and wanting a look that is different from others, the Gibson Faded Maple Les Paul is a choice that shouldn't be looked over. It has great tonal versatility and plays well, which are qualities that should be expected from instruments in this price range. You can find the Gibson Faded Maple Top Les Paul Studio in music stores for about $1,200.