Out of curiosity, Hamer Studio (USA o’course) vs. Gibson Les Paul Standard? EDIT to invite Monaco owners into the chat!!

[draelyc]

I know some of y’all have both.  Compare/contrast?

My local GC has a gorgeous 60s Standard that sounds & feels great, but so does my Studio.  Just wondering — are these basically two versions of the same guitar, or are they different enough to justify owning both?

What’re y’all’s thoughts?

My current Hamer family, Studio on the left:

Edited June 16 by draelyc

[RobB]

Nothing sounds like a good LP. 

[BoogieMKIIA]

Because of Humbuckers and wood selection, they are similar. Due to the amount of wood and neck/body connection, I think a Les Paul is thicker sounding. They resonate a bit differently. 

Musically, you can cover a variety of songs in a similar way on each. And you can take each to different places. Need a Venn diagram. And what @RobB said.

if you have money to spend, just get a Les Paul and have both. No need for justification!

 

[draelyc]

33 minutes ago, BoogieMKIIA said:

Because of Humbuckers and wood selection, they are similar. Due to the amount of wood and neck/body connection, I think a Les Paul is thicker sounding. They resonate a bit differently. 

Musically, you can cover a variety of songs in a similar way on each. And you can take each to different places. Need a Venn diagram. And what @RobB said.

if you have money to spend, just get a Les Paul and have both. No need for justification!

 

That would indeed be a perfect world.  But in this world, it’s more likely that I’d have to let the Studio go to pick up an LP.  🤷🏻‍♀️

My first “real” electric guitar was an LP knockoff, a Yamaha Studio Lord.  I’ve thought off & on over the years of stepping up to an actual Paul … but then I got sidetracked by this Hamer thing… 🤣

[Hbom]

2 hours ago, RobB said:

Nothing sounds like a good LP. 

Except maybe a solid piece of mahogany with a thick maple cap.

Edited June 15 by Hbom

[RobB]

1 hour ago, Hbom said:

Except maybe a solid piece of mahogany with a thick maple cap.

Exactly. Like the LP I own. 

[Disturber]

10 hours ago, draelyc said:

I know some of y’all have both.  Compare/contrast?

My local GC has a gorgeous 60s Standard that sounds & feels great, but so does my Studio.  Just wondering — are these basically two versions of the same guitar, or are they different enough to justify owning both?

What’re y’all’s thoughts?

 

 

The old 1970's 4-digits and Sunburst's are the ones I have that will come the closest to an old Les Paul. Old wood together with the old unpotted Dimarzio PAF's will get you about as close as you can get, if you spend time dialing in those Dimarzio's right. I am now talking old bluesy Les Paul tone. Think Peter Green, Jimmy Page, Moore with Greenie on the blues albums etc. Not Zakk Wylde, Slash, John Sykes etc. modern metal LP tones. 

If you are lusting for the vintage tones of a 1950's, 1960's LP but don't want to spend a fortune, then an old Hamer Standard or Sunburst will get you very close at a fraction of the cost. Hard to beat a 1970's Hamer with the original Dimarzio's.

There are so many versions of the  "Les Paul Standard" tone depending on the year of manufacture, pickup selection etc. A newer Hamer Studio with for example the JP/59 combo would definately get you close to a more modern LP sound. Stick a pair of EMG's in a Hamer Studio and rip through a JCM800 with a BOSS SD1 in between and you will get a Zakk Wylde sound. If you put Gibson Dirty Fingers in one then you will probably be able to cop a good John Sykes tone, and with a set of Duncan Slash humbuckers in a Studio through a Silver Jubilee you'll get a good Slash tone.

But there is a difference in feel between a Les Paul and a Hamer Sunburst/Studio/Standard. I have a bunch of Hamer's, because I love everyone of them. But I have only one Les Paul. I had to search for many years to find the right one. But one LP is enough for me. Why would I need more than one. One Hamer can never be enough though, they are to great and to much fun to play. Bring on the Hamer's!

[topekatj]

10 hours ago, Hbom said:

Except maybe a solid piece of mahogany with a thick maple cap.

I’m surprised Gibson hasn’t devised a way to bind all those wood chips into the shape of a guitar body, weight relieve THAT body, slap a neck on, and ….     VOILÀ   Gibson PRESS Paul

[Kerry Marchman]

The biggest difference I've noticed between my Paul and my Studio is the amount of lower mids that the Paul has in comparison.

The Hamer is a little more articulate, and this is with both my Studio with a wraptail, and my Studio with a stop bar.  They are all

different enough that I don't ever think about getting rid of any of them. Of course that's probably just the greedy part of me! I

love me some Hamer's, and that's reason enough for me! Oh, and i have a chambered, a traditional weight relief, and a solid Paul.

They all have the same lower mid bump as compared to my Hamer's. They all sound great in their own way..

Edited June 15 by Kerry Marchman
Added more info.

[django49]

So many made over the years and so much variation. Not all equal. When you find the right "Les Paul", the one (or two) that speak to you, keep it!

[Jim85IROC]

As much of a Hamer fan as I am, I always keep going back to Les Pauls.  I'm not sure if it's the shitty upper fret access, the boomy, mushy lows, the shitty build quality or the awful weight that keeps me coming back for more, but I keep going back to them like a crazy ex girlfriend.

I thought it was the 50s necks, but a few months ago I picked up a 2016 Special Plus with a slim taper neck and I just can't put the thing down.

 

Edited June 15 by Jim85IROC

[tweed]

I've always lusted for that thick Les Paul sound, but the neck heel makes it hard to reach the upper frets. So I instead opted for a  McInturff Carolina. But don't know anyone that has an LP to compare it to. Here's the Carolina in the middle. 

Edited June 15 by tweed

[tbonesullivan]

Honestly, I prefer double cuts. I just do. My first real guitar was a Gibson SG. Even on versions with a a "sculpted" neck heel, the LP is pretty massive at that area. I have some single cut LP style guitars from Heritage, and they sit in the case, while my studios get played.

But, that's just me. If you're gonna switch from a drop dead gorgeous Studio to an LP, it better be a top tier LP in terms of sound and playability.

[Travis]

I love my Hamers. Had more of them over the years than any other brand of guitar. However, I had wanted a Les Paul for decades. Finally got one a few months ago. It’s a 2023 standard 50’s. Solid body/non weight relieved: 9 lbs, 10 oz. 

For me, it wasn’t ever really about the Les Paul “sound” since there have been so many iterations of LP’s, solid/chambered/weight relieved, all sorts of pickups from low output PAFs to higher output offerings. What really is the “typical” Les Paul sound…?

I never actually had a Hamer Studio, but I did have a ‘95 Special FM which is virtually the same just with the thick flat top instead of a carved top. It was a beast of a guitar but sounded and felt very different from a “real” Les Paul.

Here’s mine next to my Talladega. I’m a fan of single cuts…

[hamerican gigolo]

Never been a huge LP or SG fan. I recently bought a '95 Studio & it just does it for me. Belly/double cut. I did swap out the JB. The fit & finish is far superior to the average Gibby & it was cheaper. 

Win, win... 😀

[Travis]

1 hour ago, tweed said:

I've always lusted for that thick Les Paul sound, but the neck heel makes it hard to reach the upper frets. So I instead opted for a  McInturff Carolina. But don't know anyone that has an LP to compare it to. Here's the Carolina in the middle. 

Nice McIntruff and Gififn!  Love that Dolphin, too… 

[Travis]

7 hours ago, django49 said:

So many made over the years and so much variation. Not all equal. When you find the right "Les Paul", the one (or two) that speak to you, keep it!

Look killer. Orcas?

[Cboss]

9 hours ago, topekatj said:

I’m surprised Gibson hasn’t devised a way to bind all those wood chips into the shape of a guitar body, weight relieve THAT body, slap a neck on, and ….    

VOILÀ   Gibson PRESS Paul

It's called an epiphone 

[django49]

Top one is.....Result of a similar conversation with Uncle Greg....."If I love my Hamers but only a Les Paul is a Les Paul, how do I find the right one?" Well, he set the hook with that one and started me spending a lot of time and money. No regrets. The second is also German, but from Frank Hartung. Not necessarily better or worse, but it  has a more distinct "personality". 

A couple of other Orcas are much less "pure" LPs, but have their own special thing going. 

I have said it before, but will again..... my current  Hamer Monaco goldtop with upgraded P90s is a better guitar in some ways than the original '56 Les Paul I had for the best part of 2 decades. Which, of course, I regret letting go because......

[RobB]

1 hour ago, Travis said:

What really is the “typical” Les Paul sound…?

I can’t exactly say, but I know it when l hear/feel it. That’s a badassed Standard you have there. Gibson has really got their shit together as of late. 

Edited June 16 by RobB

[BTMN]

Only thing I can add is I am lucky to enjoy both. I should add that is not a real Les Paul. It’s a Schulte  

Edited June 16 by BTMN

[draelyc]

Gents, thanks so much for all these replies!  This thread turned out to be super helpful, and more than a little educational, for me — much appreciated!

Now let’s complicate things a bit further:  we got any Monaco owners here who can chime in about the similarities/differences between those Hamers & LPs?

 

[BTMN]

Played this in Chicago for a song. Felt thinner than a LP and wider. Sounded great in memory but it was only one song and it was only 3 minutes long.

Diablo175 on my left. He was having a good time on that one. 
😎👍🏁

 

😈

[crunchee]

On 6/15/2025 at 9:23 AM, topekatj said:

I’m surprised Gibson hasn’t devised a way to bind all those wood chips into the shape of a guitar body, weight relieve THAT body, slap a neck on, and ….    

VOILÀ   Gibson PRESS Paul

Gibson actually did make guitars back in the '60's, using MDF:

Kalamazoo KG-1 | Vintage Guitar® magazine

[hamerhead]

I've had both Studios and LPs and they can sound nearly the same with some tweaks. Buy the Les Paul and keep both guitars for a month. Which one are you most likely to grab after the honeymoon phase? 

Sell the other one.