If you had £800 to drop on a used Les Paul Studio...

Fuengi

...what year(s) would you look for and why?

Jack_

I wouldn't.

You can pick up a Standard or Traditional for £1000, I'd get the extra £200 and do that.

My Trad cost me £650, but we can't all be so lucky.

Some guy on Facebook is selling a black Classic right now for £800.

meltedbuzzbox

Judge a guitar when it's in your hands on it's individual merits.
Internet wisdom on good years for Gibsons is pretty much a load of balls (except 2015 models)

Bellycaster

You'd probably snap the neck

sweepy

I don’t think I’d ever pay more than £600 for a Studio tbh, 

not_the_dj

Bellycaster said:

You'd probably snap the neck

Go for the years with the maple necks then

Fuengi

meltedbuzzbox said:

Judge a guitar when it's in your hands on it's individual merits.
Internet wisdom on good years for Gibsons is pretty much a load of balls (except 2015 models)

This is the problem buying used, you don't have much to compare to unless you buy off a dealer. 

Jack_ said:

I wouldn't.

You can pick up a Standard or Traditional for £1000, I'd get the extra £200 and do that.

My Trad cost me £650, but we can't all be so lucky.

Some guy on Facebook is selling a black Classic right now for £800.

I prefer the workhorse aesthetic of the Studio. Standards are a bit bling for me. 

Fuengi

sweepy said:

I don’t think I’d ever pay more than £600 for a Studio tbh, 

I wouldn't expect to spent it all. Hopefully between £500 - £650 but if I had to go to a dealer to get the right one it might be more. 

I've seen a few mid 90's LPS come up recently.

Teyeplayer

There’s a few sellers starting to do the artificial inflation of price due to age on studios I’ve noticed. Don’t be suckered in by it, a second hand studio is a 500 guitar. However, as had already been said, if you’ve 800 to spend then look for a second hand standard/trad or classic.

Teetonetal

meltedbuzzbox said:

Judge a guitar when it's in your hands on it's individual merits.
Internet wisdom on good years for Gibsons is pretty much a load of balls (except 2015 models)

The comment that proves itself.

The 2015s are also fine if they fit you. the neck is understandably marmite, but I really like it and would have one on both my LPs if possible.

57Deluxe

those 50s and 60s P90 Tribute Gold Tops were nice and had a very short run. The 70s Tribute Gold Top with the mini HBs sounded exceptional...

http://www.pourlesmusiciens.com/media/catalog/product/cache/10/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/g/i/gibson-les-paul-studio-60-tribute-darkback-lpst60tgsch1-4.jpg

http://www.guitarshoptv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Gibson-Les-Paul-Studio-70s-Tribute-Satin-Gold-Top-Dark-Back.jpg

 

Bennyboy-UK

800 quid buys a nice USA Hamer.

Bennyboy-UK

Here’s one... https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F202232748556 

Fretwired

Here's an LP Studio on the forum for £550 ...

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/127436/gibson-les-paul-studio-2004#latest

darthed1981

57Deluxe said:

those 50s and 60s P90 Tribute Gold Tops were nice and had a very short run. The 70s Tribute Gold Top with the mini HBs sounded exceptional...

http://www.pourlesmusiciens.com/media/catalog/product/cache/10/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/g/i/gibson-les-paul-studio-60-tribute-darkback-lpst60tgsch1-4.jpg

http://www.guitarshoptv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Gibson-Les-Paul-Studio-70s-Tribute-Satin-Gold-Top-Dark-Back.jpg

 

Agreed - why they would make something so good for a reasonable price then go "screw it, I'm not making any more" is as good a reason as any to facepalm when anyone says "Gibson".

jeztone2

For £800 I’d grey import a Yamaha SG1000 and have a refret. 

Actually Studios are OK. 

CasperCaster

@CountryDave had a lovely wine red one for sale a while back. Not sure if it sold or not, but he wasn't asking as much as £800 for it!

Bennyboy-UK

1993 Hamer Special FM, factory Black Hardware (as shown on warranty card) - this cost me £550 including OHSC.

 I know it's a bit bling vs an LP Studio, but I'd urge you to try a Hamer rather than spending money on a cheap LP Studio, which is not as good a guitar - unless you must have the name on the headstock.

Fuengi

I'm going to broaden the question and rephrase... which decade would you look at if you were going to buy a used LP Studio and could afford to buy most on the market? 

octatonic

Jack_ said:

I wouldn't.

You can pick up a Standard or Traditional for £1000, I'd get the extra £200 and do that.

This.

Schnozz

Bennyboy-UK said:

1993 Hamer Special FM, factory Black Hardware (as shown on warranty card) - this cost me £550 including OHSC.

 I know it's a bit bling vs an LP Studio, but I'd urge you to try a Hamer rather than spending money on a cheap LP Studio, which is not as good a guitar - unless you must have the name on the headstock.

The voice of reason.

Guitarists really seem to get stuck on the whole Gibson/Fender thing and can't get past it, but as I started as a Bassist, we're always out for the best 'bang for buck'. You don't buy an Instrument to sell it...Otherwise how are you supposed to enjoy it? You end up suffering with a shit factory churned fret job, just so you won't lose £100 in three years time.