Help identifying this 1992 Studio Natural?

[archdude79]

Any help identifying this 1992 studio? Is it a studio? I just picked it up locally. I know it's a 1992 because of the 8 digit serial #. But did a studio come in a natural finish like this? It's in really good condition and I LOVE playing it! I don't think it's the studio lite or the smart wood series. Do I need to take the neck pickup off to confirm anything?

I'm curious if it's rare and also curious if I could possibly have a lutherie shop stain or burst it (maybe down the road?)

Thanks in advance!

 

[fretout]

IIRC, there were a few SmartWood Series guitars. The one that comes to mind is the series that made Les Paul Studios out of Swamp Ash and Zebrawood. I can state with confidence that your guitar’s top wasn’t made from either of these woods. However…

There was another series called the SmartWood Exotic Studios, and they featured ”sustainable” woods like Curupay, Peroba, Banara, Ambay Guasu, Taperyva Guasu, and Chancharana. Your guitar doesn’t seem to have any of the figuring that matches any of the Smartwoods from Gibson’s Exotic Smartwood ad either (see below)…

Based on how the top appears to be stained a darker shade than the top that is visible from the side of the body (the faux binding strips), I would guess that this guitar was refinished by a previous owner.

Do you have pics of the pickup cavities, control cavity, and a pic under the truss rod cover? These areas may tell a better story of the finish. There’s a real easy way to tell if your guitar is part of the Smartwood Series. If your guitar has this decal on the back of the headstock, it’s part of the Smartwood Series…

…if the decal above is missing, it’s likely a refin. In which case, if you love it, play the hell out of it until it needs to be refin’d again!

 

[Dilver]

Studio Lite came in that color and it looks like it has an Ebony fretboard which was also a feature of the Studio Lite. Someone may have added the pickguard. Pop the bridge pickup out and see if it’s got a label on the back. The Studio Lite came with a 500T bridge pickup and a 496R neck pickup. Also, a Studio Lite has a thinner body thickness at around 1 3/4 inches.

 

[gball]

Looks like a regular Studio to me. At that time ebony was the standard wood for all the Studio fretboards. I don't think this was a standard finish but they do so many special runs you can never be sure.

The Lites came with sealed Gotoh tuners, so you would see the holes left if someone replaced them, they also had black hardware and no pickguard or pickup covers but obviously someone could have added those.

I owned one and it was great guitar - one way to tell for sure if its a Lite is to pop either of the pickups: if its a Lite you can clearly see the "chromite" block down the midde of the guitar under the pickups.

 

[Bobby Mahogany]

I could be wrong but I don't think "faux binding" was out in 1992. ?

Or could it be a Studio faded?
The TRC has been changed to a blank one.
Could be only one of a few changes.

Maybe call the guy who sold it to you and ask of he knows anything about it?

 

[TN WOODMAN]

Reminds me of the RAW POWER version from 2005-2006. That one was a Standard with binding & Grovers. (I’ll say it again -I still prefer Grovers on my Gibsons. Period).

The RAW POWER I played off the rack when they were out was a beast & always put me in the mind of Mick Ronson ‘s sanded down Les Paul.

 

[FingerLakesFan]

I really think it is a Studio Faded.

 

[archdude79]

Thanks so much for the responses! I'll pop off the pickups next time I need to change strings. I actually bought locally from a pawn shop going out of business. The owner had kept back some Gibsons over the years. I got one of the nice brown cases with the pine inside and the cap/cover over the guitar too!