This 2018 Gibson Les Paul Studio in Tobacco Burst delivers the core construction, sustain and twin-humbucker character of a USA-made Les Paul in the more streamlined Studio format.

Its mahogany body with plain maple top features Ultra-Modern weight relief, while the SlimTaper mahogany neck, bound rosewood fingerboard and 24.75" scale provide a comfortable playing platform. Gibson's '57 Classic and '57 Classic+ humbuckers deliver traditional PAF-inspired character, with push-pull coil tapping adding extra tonal flexibility.

This pre-owned example is presented in Good Condition, showing noticeable cosmetic wear consistent with previous use while remaining fully functional. The scratchplate/pickguard is missing. Serial number 180005147. A hardcase is included.

At A Glance

Key Detail	Information
Brand	Gibson
Model	Les Paul Studio
Year	2018
Finish	Tobacco Burst
Condition	Pre-Owned, Good Condition
Serial Number	180005147
Country of Manufacture	USA
Included	Hardcase
Condition Note	Scratchplate / pickguard missing
Main Appeal	USA Les Paul with coil-tappable '57 Classic humbuckers
Best For	Blues, classic rock, hard rock, alternative and studio use

Condition Overview

Good Condition

This Gibson Les Paul Studio is presented in Good Condition.

Under the Fair Deal Music grading system, Good Condition means the guitar displays noticeable cosmetic wear but remains fully functional.

The scratchplate/pickguard is missing, leaving the guitar with a slightly more stripped-back appearance than its original configuration.

What's Included?

✔ Gibson Les Paul Studio Tobacco Burst
✔ Hardcase

✘ Scratchplate / Pickguard Not Included
✘ No Additional Accessories Included

Condition Notes

• Good overall condition
• Noticeable cosmetic wear consistent with previous use
• Scratchplate / pickguard missing
• Hardcase included
• Serial number: 180005147

No other specific faults, repairs or modifications are recorded.

Fair Deal Quality Control Assessment

This pre-owned Gibson Les Paul Studio has been inspected and assessed by the Fair Deal Music team before being offered for sale.

Our checks include:

• '57 Classic neck pickup tested
• '57 Classic+ bridge pickup tested
• Coil-tap functions checked
• 3-way pickup selector tested
• Individual volume controls checked
• Individual tone controls checked
• Output jack tested
• Neck condition assessed
• Rosewood fingerboard inspected
• Frets checked
• Tuning machines assessed
• Tune-O-Matic bridge checked
• Stopbar tailpiece inspected
• Hardware assessed
• General playability checked
• Hardcase checked for basic usability

Service / Setup Work

All pre-owned guitars at Fair Deal Music are checked for setup and general playability before leaving the shop.

Key areas assessed include:

• Action
• Neck relief
• Fret condition
• Intonation
• Tuning stability
• Pickup operation
• Coil-tap operation
• Electronics
• Bridge setup
• Hardware
• General playability

Minor setup movement can naturally occur during transportation as temperature and humidity change.

What Makes The 2018 Gibson Les Paul Studio Special?

The 2018 Les Paul Studio was unusually well appointed for the Studio range, combining a plain maple-topped mahogany body with Ultra-Modern weight relief, a bound rosewood fingerboard and Gibson's highly regarded '57 Classic pickup pairing. It retains the powerful feel and sustain associated with a Les Paul while reducing some of the decorative appointments of higher-priced Standard models.

Its electronics also make it particularly versatile. The '57 Classic neck and hotter '57 Classic+ bridge humbucker provide traditional Gibson warmth and drive, while push-pull coil taps allow brighter, leaner sounds when required.

Key Features & Benefits

'57 Classic & '57 Classic+ Pickups

The neck-position '57 Classic delivers warm, smooth PAF-inspired tones, while the slightly hotter '57 Classic+ bridge pickup adds extra output and definition for rock rhythm and lead playing.

Push-Pull Coil Tapping

Push-pull volume controls allow the humbuckers to be coil tapped, adding brighter and more cutting sounds alongside the traditional full-humbucker voices.

Ultra-Modern Weight Relief

Strategically positioned internal weight-relief chambers reduce overall mass while retaining the fundamental solidbody response and balance associated with a Les Paul.

SlimTaper Mahogany Neck

The SlimTaper profile provides a faster, less substantial feel than Gibson's larger vintage-style neck shapes, making it comfortable for both rhythm and lead work.

Bound Rosewood Fingerboard

Unlike many earlier Studio models, the 2018 version features fingerboard binding, giving the neck a more premium appearance while maintaining the familiar rosewood playing surface.

Comparison Against Popular Alternatives

2018 Les Paul Studio vs Les Paul Standard

The Les Paul Standard adds more traditional cosmetic appointments and, depending on year, different pickup and construction specifications. The Studio concentrates on the essential Les Paul playing and tonal experience while maintaining a more understated appearance.

Les Paul Studio vs Les Paul Tribute

Tribute models generally take the stripped-back concept further with simpler finishes and specifications. The 2018 Studio adds features such as fingerboard binding, '57 Classic pickups and coil-tap switching.

Les Paul Studio vs SG Standard

Both provide Gibson's shorter scale and twin-humbucker format, but the SG has a thinner, lighter body with easier upper-fret access. The Les Paul provides a more substantial physical feel and the added tonal contribution of its maple top.

Who Is It For?

Classic rock players – The '57 Classic pickup pairing works naturally with overdriven valve amplifiers and traditional rock tones.

Blues guitarists – Gibson's shorter scale and warm neck humbucker provide an expressive platform for bends and sustained lead playing.

Hard rock players – The hotter '57 Classic+ bridge pickup offers plenty of output and definition for heavier rhythm and lead sounds.

Studio musicians – Coil tapping extends the tonal range beyond conventional Les Paul humbucker sounds.

Players looking for a USA Gibson – The Studio provides genuine Gibson USA construction without the additional cosmetic appointments of more expensive Les Paul models.

Suitable Genres & Applications

Particularly well suited to:

• Blues
• Blues rock
• Classic rock
• Hard rock
• Alternative
• Indie
• Southern rock
• Pop
• Studio recording
• Live performance
• Rhythm guitar
• Lead guitar
• Overdriven valve amplifiers
• Pedal-based rigs

Why Choose A Les Paul Studio?

The Les Paul Studio was originally designed around a straightforward idea: retain the construction and electronics that matter to the sound and playing experience of a Les Paul while reducing purely decorative elements.

That makes it particularly attractive to working players. You still get the mahogany-and-maple construction, set neck, 24.75" scale, twin humbuckers and familiar four-control electronics, but in a less ornate package.

The 2018 version adds further versatility through its coil-tappable '57 Classic pickups and Ultra-Modern weight relief, making it a particularly practical Studio specification.

Story & Context

Gibson introduced the Les Paul Studio in 1983 as a professional instrument aimed at musicians who wanted Les Paul tone and performance without paying for decorative features that had little impact on sound.

Over the following decades, the model evolved considerably.

For 2018, Gibson gave the Studio a comparatively premium specification, including a bound rosewood fingerboard, SlimTaper neck, Ultra-Modern weight relief and a pair of '57 Classic-series humbuckers with coil-tap switching.

Serial number 180005147 identifies this guitar as a 2018 Gibson USA instrument.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Product Type	Solid Body Electric Guitar
Brand	Gibson
Model	Les Paul Studio
Year	2018
Serial Number	180005147
Country of Manufacture	USA
Finish	Tobacco Burst
Body Shape	Les Paul
Body Material	Mahogany
Top Material	Plain Maple
Weight Relief	Ultra-Modern
Body Binding	None
Neck Material	Mahogany
Neck Construction	Set Neck
Neck Profile	SlimTaper
Fingerboard Material	Rosewood
Fingerboard Binding	White
Fingerboard Radius	12"
Scale Length	24.75"
Number of Frets	22
Fret Type	Medium, Cryogenically Treated
Fingerboard Inlays	Acrylic Trapezoid
Nut Material	Tektoid
Nut Width	1.695"
Pickup Configuration	HH
Neck Pickup	Gibson '57 Classic
Bridge Pickup	Gibson '57 Classic+
Electronics	Passive
Controls	2 Volume, 2 Tone
Additional Switching	Push/Pull Coil Tap on Volume Controls
Pickup Selector	3-Way Toggle
Bridge	Aluminium Tune-O-Matic
Tailpiece	Aluminium Stop Bar
Hardware Finish	Chrome
Tuning Machines	Kidney-Button Tuners
Scratchplate / Pickguard	Missing
Included	Hardcase
Condition	Pre-Owned, Good Condition

Finish Identification Note

The guitar is described here as Tobacco Burst.

Gibson's standard published 2018 Les Paul Studio catalogue listed Vintage Sunburst and Smokehouse Burst as the regular finishes for this model year. The present listing therefore does not make an unsupported claim regarding a specific Gibson factory finish code.

Serial Number Note

Gibson USA used the YYRRRRRRR serial format between 2014 and mid-2019.

Serial number 180005147 therefore identifies this guitar as 2018 production.

Unlike Gibson's earlier YDDDYRRR system, this format does not encode a specific production day.

Power Requirements

No battery or external power supply is required.

The '57 Classic and '57 Classic+ pickups and coil-tap circuitry are passive and connect to an amplifier, pedalboard, modeller or audio interface using a standard 1/4" instrument cable.

Fair Deal Music Verdict

★★★★★ 5/5

This 2018 Gibson Les Paul Studio in Tobacco Burst is a strong player's Les Paul with a particularly useful factory specification.

The combination of '57 Classic pickups, coil taps, Ultra-Modern weight relief and SlimTaper neck gives it considerably more versatility than a basic twin-humbucker guitar while retaining the sustain and feel expected from a USA Gibson Les Paul.

Its Good Condition grading and missing scratchplate mean this is not being presented as a pristine collector example, but for a player looking for a capable USA Les Paul to rehearse, record and gig with regularly, that can make it an especially appealing proposition.

A hardcase is included.

Why Buy Pre-Owned From Fair Deal Music?

Pre-owned guitars should be judged as individual instruments rather than solely by the original factory specification.

Every pre-owned guitar at Fair Deal Music is individually assessed, with significant condition points such as the missing scratchplate on this Les Paul Studio clearly documented before sale.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

Fair Deal Music is Birmingham's largest independent music store, combining a major showroom with nationwide ecommerce and decades of experience buying, selling and part-exchanging new and pre-owned musical equipment.

When you buy from us, you benefit from:

• Family-run independent retailer established in 1987
• Birmingham's largest independent music store
• 6,000+ Trustpilot reviews
• Expert musician-led advice
• Extensive experience with Gibson and pre-owned guitars
• Pre-owned instruments individually assessed
• Clear condition grading
• Secure ordering
• Fast UK delivery
• Large Birmingham showroom
• Friendly support before and after purchase

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Your existing gear could help towards the cost of this Gibson.

Fair Deal Music buys and part-exchanges guitars, basses, amplifiers, effects, keyboards and a wide range of other musical equipment.

Contact our team for a no-obligation valuation and find out what your existing equipment could be worth towards this Gibson Les Paul Studio.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year was this Gibson Les Paul Studio made?

Serial number 180005147 identifies it as a 2018 Gibson USA instrument.

What does Good Condition mean?

Under the Fair Deal Music grading system, Good Condition means the guitar displays noticeable cosmetic wear but remains fully functional.

Is the scratchplate included?

No. The scratchplate/pickguard is missing from this guitar.

Does a missing scratchplate affect how the guitar works?

No. The scratchplate is primarily a protective and cosmetic component and is not required for the guitar or electronics to function.

What pickups does the 2018 Les Paul Studio use?

It uses a Gibson '57 Classic in the neck and '57 Classic+ in the bridge.

Can the pickups be coil tapped?

Yes. The two volume controls have push-pull coil-tap functions, adding brighter single-coil-style sounds to the standard humbucker tones.

Does it have weight relief?

Yes. The 2018 Studio uses Gibson's Ultra-Modern weight relief system.

What is the neck profile like?

It uses Gibson's SlimTaper profile, giving it a relatively streamlined feel compared with larger vintage-style Gibson necks.

Does it have fingerboard binding?

Yes. One of the distinctive features of the 2018 Studio is its bound rosewood fingerboard.

What scale length does it use?

It uses Gibson's traditional 24.75" scale length.

What bridge is fitted?

It uses an aluminium Tune-O-Matic bridge with aluminium stopbar tailpiece.

Does it require a battery?

No. The pickups and electronics are completely passive.

Does it come with a hardcase?

Yes. A hardcase is included.

Is the hardcase original?

No claim is made regarding original factory case status unless separately confirmed. The hardcase currently accompanying the guitar is included in the sale.

Can I request a closer look at the cosmetic condition?

Yes. Our Request a Video Demo service is particularly useful for pre-owned guitars and can provide a closer look at the finish, missing scratchplate area and general condition before purchasing.

Can I part-exchange another guitar against it?

Yes. Fair Deal Music considers trade-ins and part exchanges across a wide range of guitars and other musical equipment. Contact our team for a no-obligation valuation.