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Electric Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011)

Name: Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011)
Brand: Gibson

Gibson · Les Paul Studio 1998 - 2011

Price: 794 EUR – 10.937 EUR

Price history

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Availability: 9/10 (Common)

This Studio generation picked up right after the model's first major update since its 1990 redesign: in 1998, rosewood replaced ebony on most fingerboards, and the color range expanded dramatically. A second, quieter revolution arrived around 2006-2007, when chambering shaved a full pound off the guitar's weight - identifiable by the pickguard switching from beige with gold lettering to black with white.

Where available? Go to the best price – 751 EUR About this instrument

About the Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011)

This production window continues directly from the Studio's 1990 redesign researched alongside it, opening with the model's first significant update since that overhaul: in 1998, Gibson replaced ebony fingerboards with rosewood on most Studio finishes, keeping ebony only on the Alpine White and Classic White options, and dramatically expanded the color range to include Emerald, Pewter, Teal Blue Flip Flop, Fireburst, Cherry Sunburst, and Silverburst alongside the earlier core colors. A second, more consequential change arrived mid-decade: 2006 Studios still shipped unchambered at roughly 8.5 pounds, identifiable by a beige pickguard and gold 'Studio' lettering on the truss rod cover, but chambering - officially introduced for 2007, though some late-2006 examples already carry it - dropped that weight to around 7.5 pounds, paired with a switch to a black pickguard and white lettering that makes the two versions easy to tell apart at a glance. Later examples within this window increasingly carried wax-potted Burstbucker Pro humbuckers rather than the 490R/498T pairing documented for the 1990-1997 generation, in some cases wired through a push-pull coil-splitting control for added tonal range beyond the standard humbucker voice.

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Source: https://reverb.com/item/101352566-gibson-les-paul-studio-1998-2011-ebony

Sound character of the Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011)

The wax-potted Burstbucker Pro pickups found on later examples in this window deliver clarity and articulation with PAF-descended grit, plenty of bite, and swirling overtones that avoid muddiness while keeping characteristic Les Paul thickness. Where fitted, the push-pull coil-split adds a lighter, jangly alternate voice beyond the standard humbucker character, expanding the guitar's range without altering its core tonal identity.

Punchy Full-bodied Midrange-forward Resonant

What owners of the Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011) say

Reviewers treat this generation as a genuine value proposition rather than a compromise instrument, specifically noting that Gibson balanced cost-saving choices (no binding, a plain rather than heavily figured maple top) against real upscale touches (bound rosewood fingerboard, cream pickguard, vintage-style hardware) that earlier Studio generations sometimes lacked. The chambering-era weight reduction draws particular appreciation from players who found earlier, unchambered Les Pauls fatiguing over long sets.

Playability & handling of the Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011)

Reviewers describe a fine factory setup, smooth fretwork, and well-executed binding nibs that give a strong quality impression despite the model's accessible positioning, with a balanced, resonant unplugged tone. The chambering introduced around 2006-2007 meaningfully improved handling for long sessions, cutting roughly a pound off the guitar's weight without changing its fundamental playing feel.

Recommended accessories & strings for the Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011)

Standard 24.75-inch scale takes .010-.046 sets like other Les Pauls in this project. When buying used, checking the pickguard color and lettering is the fastest way to identify a chambered (black pickguard, white lettering, lighter) versus unchambered (beige pickguard, gold lettering, heavier) example without needing to weigh the guitar.

Technical data for the Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011)

Type	Solid-body electric guitar, single cutaway, set neck
Production	Gibson USA, Les Paul Studio series, 1998-2011, built in Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Body	Mahogany with carved maple top, unbound
Fingerboard	Rosewood (most finishes from 1998; ebony retained on Alpine White/Classic White)
Scale length	24.75 in.
Pickups	Later examples: wax-potted Burstbucker Pro humbuckers, some with push-pull coil-split
Weight (pre-chambering)	approx. 8.5 lbs, beige pickguard, gold 'Studio' lettering (through 2006)
Weight (chambered)	approx. 7.5 lbs, black pickguard, white lettering (from ~2006/2007)
Historical note	1998 update replaced ebony with rosewood on most finishes and greatly expanded the color range

Price history for the Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011)

Cheapest seen: 794 EUR · Most expensive seen: 10.937 EUR

Cheapest seen Most expensive seen

The history of the Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011)

This window represents the Studio settling into its long-term modern identity after the foundational 1990 redesign researched alongside it. The 1998 fingerboard and color changes were a genuine refresh rather than a cosmetic tweak, and the 2006-2007 chambering shift addressed the single most consistent criticism of Les Pauls generally - excessive weight - without abandoning the mahogany-and-maple-cap formula that defines the instrument's core tone. Together, these two changes mark the Studio's transition from a 1990s workhorse with a fixed, somewhat heavy spec into a lighter, more color-flexible instrument better suited to the demands of 2000s gigging musicians.

About Gibson as a manufacturer

Built at Gibson's Nashville, Tennessee facility as the continuation of the Studio's accessible, no-binding Les Paul formula, incorporating the 1998 rosewood/color update and the 2006-2007 chambering revision that meaningfully reduced weight within this single production window.

Notable players & recordings featuring the Gibson Les Paul Studio (1998-2011)

See the Les Paul Studio 1990-1997 entry researched alongside this one for the well-documented broader Studio player list (Jerry Cantrell, Noel Gallagher, David Byrne, among others) - no additional endorsement specific to this 1998-2011 window was verified in this research round.