“We love it when Gibson gets it right”: Gibson ES-330 and Les Paul Studio review

Music

Guitar World Verdict

We love it when Gibson gets it right. The ES-330 certainly deserves another shot at the spotlight; it’s just such a usable instrument. It plays like butter and is packed with a fabulous range of recognisable tones. The Studio’s classic big and thick voicing is archetypal Les Paul in anyone’s book, and along with a great weight there’s little to complain about.

Pros

  • +

    Super build quality and attention to detail.

  • +

    Excellent weight and playability.

  • +

    Superb, giggable sounds.

Cons

  • Visually, we miss the body binding on the Studio.

  • At high volume, the ES-330 prone to feedback.

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Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

What are they?

Trying to keep up with Gibson’s avalanche of new releases is becoming a full-time job: blink and you might miss something.

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music Dave Burrluck

Gear Reviews Editor, Guitarist

Dave Burrluck is one of the world’s most experienced guitar journalists, who started writing back in the ’80s for International Musician and Recording World, co-founded The Guitar Magazine and has been the Gear Reviews Editor of Guitarist magazine for the past two decades. Along the way, Dave has been the sole author of The PRS Guitar Book and The Player’s Guide to Guitar Maintenance as well as contributing to numerous other books on the electric guitar. Dave is an active gigging and recording musician and still finds time to make, repair and mod guitars, not least for Guitarist’s The Mod Squad.

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