I've acquired software to create PCBs, a tank for etching them, miscellaneous tools, and a load of parts are on order for a run of effect units.
I am also hoping to sell some miscellaneous guitar accessories.
Meanwhile I am looking to incorporate and have a website made. I have already purchased a domain and hosting.
I realize how incredibly vague that is, but I don't want to let anything out yet until it is finalized.
I've also censored out a lot of my previous post so if things seem out of context or don't make a whole lot of sense, that is probably why.
Now onto the new guitar!
I purchased a 2008 Les Paul Studio Premium Plus at a local store. It had occurred to me that I didn't own a guitar with humbuckers and that might make testing effects a bit one sided. This is especially true since humbuckers are probably more popular than single coil pickups anymore.
Admittedly I could have bought any number of other guitars that would have satisfied my criteria, but I also wanted something that spoke to me a bit.
I originally started my quest looking for a Les Paul style guitar with a maple cap, humbuckers (no p90's or mini buckers), and a real finish (not a faded or tribute model). The new batch of Studios looked like a good place to start. I wanted to try out the silverburst studio I had seen a few weeks back but by the time I was ready to buy, it had been sold. In the end, I had visited 3 stores and played 3 or 4 different Les Paul Studios.
I found the Les Paul Premium Plus at the last store used but not beat on. Mine has a few small dings in the top and a lot of belt buckle rash on the back but no heavy fret wear and nothing I can't live with.
All of the studios I played sounded pretty good which surprised me. I recall a friend having a studio more than a decade ago and it completely underwhelmed me. That image of the studio stuck with me for a long time and I simply avoided them altogether.
In retrospect, perhaps a good setup was in order as all of my reading indicated that the studios are very close to standards for most years with only a few minor cosmetic differences. Some of those differences are preferences of mine anyway. I was never big on binding.
The newest studios have different pickups than some of the older studios as well as "coil tapped" humbuckers which are activated by push pull volume controls. To my ears, the newer studios are very bright without sounding harsh. This is true even in the neck position. The coil tap sounded good and added an additional sound to an already good sounding guitar.
The newer studios also have speed style knobs while the Premium Plus has bell knobs. Speed knobs are certainly more functional but bell knobs just look great!
The older studios (which includes my Premium Plus) have a 490R neck pickup and a 498T bridge pickup. I thought they were darker all around than the newer studios but that the high end could become a little more harsh if you allowed it. The sound overall embodied what I expected a Les Paul to sound like more so than the newer studio models. Both sounds are good but different enough that it becomes rather easy to tell them apart and to have a preference. In a perfect world, I'd have a newer studio to go with my Premium Plus.
The hardware on the Premium Plus is gold and has covers on the humbuckers which makes me quite happy. I also like that from time and use, the gold color has worn away on the bridge and tailpiece a bit. I think it adds character but I guess it is a warning for those who want the guitar to remain gold forever. I have seen other complaints online about the gold color fading so this is not an unusual occurrence.
Another thing that separates the Premium Plus from other Les Paul Studios is the AAA flame maple. From what I understand, they still offer this option and some come with dyed tops, but mine is the natural top as seen in the pictures below. The top wood is definitely very attractive and even other top end Les Paul Standards don't have AAA grade maple.
One complaint I do have about ALL of the Les Pauls and actually all Gibsons I have played lately (including 3000$+ models is that the paint on the top by the neck always looks terrible. Sometimes it has a nasty texture to it and other times it is missing small patches. I don't know if the problem is in the color coat or the clear coat or maybe both coats, but it detracts from the quality of the finish and in my opinion should never have left the factory looking like that. I think it looks bad on a 500$ guitar...It is inexcusable on a 1500$ guitar.
My last Gibson I owned was a 1998 Les Paul Special with P90's. It was a nice guitar and I picked up a cheap used case. I recall the lock being broken on it. I also recall the lock breaking on my friend's LP special case from the 90's. I was pleasantly surprised that the new cases no longer have that lock on them. What they have done now is put a small hasp on the case so you can use a lock of your own. Personally, I'd go with an Abloy PL-321. I didn't check the size of the hasp, but I'd imagine it should fit and the only way that lock is coming off is with the key or a bolt cutter.
Supposedly the neck shape on the Premium Plus is a 59 shaped neck. I played a bunch of different Gibson necks and from what I read, they are CNC machined into rough shapes and then hand finished creating a unique neck for each instrument. In all, most of the necks felt similar enough to be called a Gibson and none were particularly uncomfortable.
The Premium Plus also supposedly has weight relief routes in the body. It is still heavy when compared to a Swamp Ash Telecaster but weighs just a little less than a normal Les Paul Standard. I can't say it has made the guitar any more resonant but it does keep my back just a little happier.
Another interesting quirk I discovered about this guitar was that Gibson started using circuit boards in the control cavity! When did this start happening? I can see how this would speed up wiring, but I don't like that they used ceramic capacitors nor do I like that replacing a single pot involves removing all of the pots to either service the board or replace them with individual pots. I had been planning on adding the coil tap function that I enjoyed so much on the newer Les Pauls but for now that is going to wait as I don't feel like toying with all of those connectors. I am wondering what is behind curtain number 2 (the switch control cavity) but I haven't been brave enough to look yet.
To complete the review, the Les Paul Studio Premium Plus is a guitar loaded with expensive features on an inexpensive (well compared to a Les Paul Standard anyway) guitar. While I am not totally happy about the circuit board controls or the finish around the neck, these are things I can live with or fix on my own if I am willing to spend the time.
