Les Paul Tribute vs Les Paul Standard...Which Gibson Should You Buy?? 

Which guitar did you guys think sounded the best, Tribute or Standard? Enjoy! Guitar Links: Gibson Tribute - imp.i114863.net/Ke2mgy Gibson Standard - imp.i114863.net/15k7J6

The Tribute has 490R and T pickups which are more of your classic "warm" Gibson tone while the burstbuckers on the standard are a lot different. Swap the pickups between guitars and the tone would travel with them. That's all we're hearing here. The Tribute is 95% of the guitar at less than half the price. It's an incredible deal.

I actually like the warmer tones of the Tribute. It has that really good older warmth sound to it.

I feel like the standard has a lot of flare that is just there to make it look pretty. I love the stripped down look of the tribute.

I guess affordable is relative. I liked sounds of the Tribute.

Put the standard pickups on the tribute and I'm pretty sure the tribute will sound like the standard. Great vid!

I kinda like the warmer tone of the Tribute, and I love the stripped down look.

I just bought the honey burst version like yours. For all the money you save over a standard It would be very easy to upgrade pickups, electronics and tuners and still come out way ahead. All the rest on the more expensive Les Paul's is just eye candy. Thanks 😊 Darrell

I think your comparison was spot on. Significant tone tone differences can be made by raising or lowing the pickups, and raising the pole piece heights will add more treble and clarity. It would be and interesting and instructive video to see if you can get the tone closer by adjusting the pickups as mentioned.

When I was shopping for a Les Paul back in 2013 I tried 8 of them in a store, a few Standards, a Traditional and a couple of Tributes. I went home with a 70's Tribute because it sounded and played the best of the bunch. I still want to get a Standard some day, just because of the iconic looks, but I would have to stumble upon one that sounds at least as good or better than my Tribute, which is still with me after almost 9 years.

I love the stripped back looks of the tribute. In its own way I think it's just as appealing as the standard.

Both sound great but the Tribute is the type of guitar that i'd plan on playing for a few years than trading it out for something else. The Standard would be an heirloom.

I bought the Tribute a few months back when one of the online stores had a discount for members putting them around $980. I like the look of both the Tribute and Standard, but at what the Standard costs, It would likely be treated like an heirloom with me being afraid to play it. If money were no object I would have picked the Standard. As for the sound I might lean slightly towards the Standard, but still very happy with the Tribute.

A $1400 guitar referred to as "cheap". Welcome to the world of Gibson.

I appreciate the inclusion of finger style in this comparison.

Nice comparison, Darrell. I personally could not tell much difference in the tone, certainly not triple the price! One thing that you did not mention, though, was re-sale. A Standard or Custom will be worth much more and might even be collectable in the future. The Tribute, or Studio, probably not so much. IMO.

So glad to see this and the previous two with the tribute. I have a tribute in the same finish. I always enjoy your reviews, and this series made me feel good about that purchase. I had yet to see a 'low end vs standard' for Gibson Les Pauls, and the back to back was great. I always enjoy your videos! Thank you for the good times, good info, and overall good content.

I was surprised by how well that Tribute actually sounded. I've been playing 30 plus years and have turned into a collector. I have 8 Les Paul's including a 2019 Standard 60's unburst, and i do own a 2011 Tribute...but it has p-90's in it. Mine plays extremely smooth after a pro setup and bone nut put in. I paid something like $899 for it new and i love it! I have 2 custom shop lp's as well and they sound incredible...but not over 6k better! Keep up the great work DBG....it is appreciated 👅😁👍

I highly recommend finding a Gibson Les Paul Traditional on the used market from the years 2013-2015…they were spec’d how the 50s standards are now (non weight relieved body, hand soldered pots, nitro finish, binding, upgraded pickups, chunky neck). I got a 2014 model in mint condition for $1500

If you're looking for that classic Les Paul tone without breaking the bank and you don't care about binding, high gloss nitro, etc., the Tribute is one heck of a bargain. Nice comparison Darrell. That Standard is a beauty!

Just picked up the tribute LP today. I love the satin finish made in USA not so candy looking like the other Paul’s on the rack. Mainly like because its a classic vintage version which makes all the sense of having a warmer tone

those tributes look really good. I think the guitar companies have maxed out the "price no object guitar buyer" and decided to offer nice stuff in a more affordable package. Nice offerings under Fender, Squier, Gibson, Epiphone in the lower pricepoints :O

have a tribute p90 goldtop chambered with a roasted maple fretboard. weighs like a strat and is really resonant. Stock pickups were so-so, added kent armstrongs -nice. Stock 3way switch was bad, replaced. Upgraded tuners. Plays great, sounds great. Worth considering.

I really appreciate you man for doing these videos …your spot on with your comparisons

Thanks for the demonstration, insightful and beautiful pictures👍 In my eyes the originality of the look and feel can't be more beautiful anywhere, this is pure vintage, including the creamy warm tone, as you mentioned!

Thanks for doing this. Love the comparison!

Right out the gate the Tribute hanged with the Standard. Very good Demo. Thanks.

Great comparison. I picked up a Tribute as my first Les Paul. Love it. Other than cosmetics, there's not a lot of compromise. The satin finish is amazing on the neck. I do agree that the pickups lack a bit of high-end. Typically that's only a problem when I'm playing through the Spark practice amp which has a lot of bass to it already. Bit of EQ evens things out nicely. Overall a really fun guitar to play.

I bought a tribute a few weeks ago. Been playing 40 years and it rocks out in London blues pubs love it. For me the Tribute does everything I want it to

Thanks a lot for making videos like this which helps us as a musician a lot, big love form Taiwan!

I really like the tones from the Tribute's bridge position in the last clip with hi-gain.

Great video. I had the Tribute for a year+. Sold it and bought a Epi-Slash--don't miss the Tribute at all. Thanks for the comparison.

Great comparison. Love the channel 👍

Nice review! Best I’ve seen out there.

You know what Darrell, I miss the intro with you throwing the guitar to the roof. Other than that awesome review as always 🤟

I’ve owned Tribute and Classic, played Tribute, Classic, Studio, Custom and Standard 50’s and 60’s. Standards are the best for they price. Really. I’ve saved a lot of money when I’ve bought a Tribute, but I didn’t get what I wanted, what the most important for me.

Great comparison video! Thank you

The lack of pickup covers on the Standard would give it a bit more high end or sizzle. The Tribute sounds fine to me.

Great review - I could hear the difference as well...I bought a tribute "Special" with P90 pickups for just under $1000 that sounds excellent - Highly recommend this model for the sound and value.

Good video! Next step: same comparisons with swapped pickups

For me the most important is how it feels. I tried an epiphone and a classic gibson recently and was blown away by the difference in feel. The sound was obviously different, but the gibson was certainly way more pleasant to play:

I really like the plain carved maple top on the Tribute. The natural wood grain is not flashy/gaudy, and original "Bursts" had just that. Not a huge fan of the binding either, so for me it would be the Tribute all day long. Pups and electronics can be easily changed, and that always seems to be an issue with some players regardless of the guitar.

When considering price, that Plek job is $299 from Sweetwater. That puts the guitar in competition with the $1000 guitars. I think its very competitive. Both of those are really nice guitars. I have a Standard and a Special with P90s. They are my 2 favorite guitars.

Short & sweet! That blue burst, though... Just wow.

Hello Darrell, I think the Tribute sounded warmer, but it still sounds great. I do not own a Tribute but I do have a standard, two studio editions, and a custom. I believe Gibson has come a long way in improving their quality and sound. Thank you for your great video.

The standards are beautiful, the tribute is more my kinda guitar. I personally like plain tops, I like the warmer tones from the tribute as well & yeah I wouldn't feel like ide have too baby it.

I like the Tribute, but that's because my guitar is cheaper to, love the videos and your the man who got me into guitar. Keep up the work.

Thanks for the comparison to both Gibsons

Great video!!!

Love all of your reviews! You have been extremely helpful the past couple of years for me. I got my tribute in '20 (during pandemic. ) totally agree on differences in brightness and muddiness. Luckily, I have a spark amp, and eq Is my best friend!! Turn up the high end, and use orange amps. Tribute feels like a dream. I fell in love with the neck and name. If you cannot afford a standard, tribute will work just fine with a modular amp.

Standard sounded better, but I like the satin finish on the tribute better. Just feels the best in my hands.

I've got a Gibson Les Paul Traditional 2011. I'd be more than happy getting an Epiphone Inspired by Gibson from now on.

Both sound great, binding on the neck would be great.

I wonder how Tribute would sound with Standard pickups. It would be very interesting.

I enjoyed the Standard far above the Tribute! It sounds so much more punchier!!

Hi Darrell. Good vid! Please do a studio vs tribute. Thanks

you are simply the best ! the historían of guitars and it is always a pleasure to listen to you !!!

This is awesome thank you. I wonder about Classic vs standard? Thank you,seems noone I know has a classic...

I modded my tribute with 61 burstbuckers and the harness with Jimmy page wiring. It's just amazing

I reckon most of the extra high end sizzle and brightness on the Standard would be attributed to the pickups being uncovered. I uncovered the pups on my LP and I found a similar effect to the overall tone of the guitar

I honestly couldn’t tell the difference. I’ll listen again

I really enjoy your videos Darrell! I recently got a Classic (blemished, paid $1949) and I like it. It was a last ditch effort to like a Les Paul and I think I've got a winner. My last one was a 2015 Classic Rock II. Nice guitar but I never bonded with it and traded it for an American Elite Telecaster. I may try a couple tributes. They can be had for what a studio cost a few years ago.

Good job as always. Thanks

I've had 2 of both, and the standard is definitely made to a higher standard(and I don't just mean added features and binding etc). The Tribute Is a bit rougher and muddy sounding, but still very good.

I got a Les Paul Studio with Burstbuckers from the pawn shop yesterday, I'm very happy with the tone compared to my other humbucking guitars. Compared to a more expensive LP with burstbuckers, I can't really tell the difference in a blind test, so I feel really well off. I can't honestly hear the binding or the neck tenon or the glue. Actually I can hear bridge/tailpiece hardware differences, but I could easily change that. Before there were people doing videos like this, I wouldn't have been able to make an informed decision, so much appreciation for Darrel, thank you!

Not a fair tone comparison, since they both have very different pickup sets. I would guess the Tribute would sound identical to your Standard if you put the same pickups in it. I actually prefer the slightly more mellow vintage sound of the 490's in the Tribute.

Darrell, another good video. How do you feel the tribute vs the epiphone inspired Ltd edition?

I like the warmer tone of the tribute.

Good comparison Darrell. I own a 1992 Les Paul Studio (Wine Red, Ebony Fingerboard, Gold hardware) that is among the best Les Paul I have ever played. Most who play it agree something special about it. Curious if Gibson has found similar magic in the Tribute model. I may seek one out for comparison.

Both great guitars! Nice video. I have a Indio DLX quilted maple top brown l.p. style. It is really nice. Unfortunately a week after I bought mine, Monoprice no longer sells them😐

Thank you Darrell, for the spot on, comparison, now we need o compare the studio and the modern against them, lol. Take care.

I finally got a Tribute after admiring them for a few years. It’s a super fun guitar to play. It doesn’t sound like my other Gibson Les Pauls. The sound reminds me of a Tele. QC is rough, but the Tribute has a vibe and definitely has a solid place in my collection.

I bought a 2017 Tribute right at the end of 2016, and I got it as a bit of a mod platform. Keep in mind that it was a "B stock" from MF, and it only cost about $700 at the time. I have since modded the heck out of it with a softer forearm contour, Axcess style heel joint, and working on a full electronics overhaul. The one thing I thought I would change is one of the things that has stayed the same, and that is the tuners. I know that the Kluson style tuners (branded "Gibson Deluxe") get a bad rep, but these have been working flawlessly for the 5 and a half years I have had the guitar. I still plan on trying an FRX trem on it, but that will have to wait until I can afford one and they are in stock, as they are always sold out when I have the spare cash. This guitar has been passed around to several of my "Gibson hating" friends, and they all love it. I have even had some of my friends that own and/or like Gibsons play it, and they love how it plays. I think that if you want a Gibson on a "budget" or for a heavy mod platform, the Tributes are GREAT! I can't justify almost $3k for a Standard for me, as I like to mod and tinker too much. I think both are great guitars, but if you have to keep a budget, or you don't want to just keep it stock, go for a Tribute. If you want the eye candy, different (not better or worse, just different) pickups, and all of the other appointments of a Standard, and you have the money, get the Standard. Budget, preference, and end goal.

Interesting to hear you say there was a big difference in sound since that didn’t come across to my ears even with headphones. Maybe the RU-vid compression? I know everyone has a different setup and preferences but I often find my tribute to be a bit too bright on the neck pickup. I usually dial back the volume to cut some of that top end. Thanks for doing the comparison!

What I really want to see.. Keep the recording of the Standard - but see if you can match the sound on the tribute using amplifier settings. My opinion, brightness was the biggest difference.

I have a Standard and Tribute. Both great guitars. I hated the 490's in the Trib, so I swapped em for some 57s. Outstanding choice. The guitars sound very different, but both sound/play awesome.

My band started writing more and more songs in a different tuning than our others so I decided to buy another LP to save time tuning. Didn’t have the funds for a standard and got a great deal on a 2016 Tribute. Honestly the differences are so minimal that I hardly notice when I’m playing. If I was to buy a new LP I would go with a tribute in a heart beat.

.. the blue one is just like mine. It's not that I like the blue better it's just that when I had the money it's the only one available .. and I just can't wait 😎. After a while I took out the stock pick ups and installed in DiMarzio PAF 36th Anniversary.

I've put a limit of $850 on any guitar I buy. I'm sure there are some gems out there north of 1000 that are amazing. But the guitars available today in the 250-850 dollar range are so much better than they used to be that the difference is so tiny. Save your money people. Squier, Epiphone, Firefly, Xaviere. etc etc.. To me that's where the best value is. Sure it's nice to have Gibson or Fender on your headstock, but let's be honest.. you mostly just want that name on your headstock because they are the big name brands. Not because they are better.

Bought a Gibson Les Paul Custom, Black, back in 1981 for $550, don't remember what year it was made, wish I had held on to that one.

I liked the warmer fullness of the Tribute's sound better.

I think the biggest deciding factors between lower priced and high end in a Gibson or any other brand will be how much we are satisfied with the lower end models. Playability and tone will always be subjective especially if you set up your guitars to preference or change the pickups. But the biggest factor I believe will always be the bling factor and pride of ownership. There will always be something in a dream guitar that will inspire you to play things that you probably wouldn’t on a guitar that’s less of a “looker” and built cheaper. I’m fortunate enough to own high end guitars and it’s only after acquiring them that I can appreciate and enjoy lower cost guitars that still play,sound, and in many cases look great for a fraction of the price. In fact I just purchased Squier 40th Anniversary Stratocaster that I just used on a video and just love it although out of the box it didn’t play well without a setup. I guess the point I’m trying to make for those who just can’t afford a high end guitar is to know that great guitars in looks and tone can be bought for a great price these days. Just do your homework. Great episode as usual Darrell! Always enjoy these!

i was missin your videos dude

Great Vid! Couldn't you upgrade the pickups on the tribute to get that sizzle? Would it be a good in-between solution?

I own 2 Gibson Les Paul classics and recently bought a Gibson Firebird, I love these beautiful instruments.

Great video and comparison. I got rid of my Standard after getting a particularly good Tribute. I solved the lack of sizzle by adjusting the pickup height and the pole pieces. I don't like binding (feels like plastic to me), so the choice was clear.

The Tribute's finish is so delicate it is almost unbelievable.

I’d add that the two feel completely different to play. I went to a store with budget to get a standard, but also tried some tributes and epiphones. All great guitars, but for me the tribute was the right one. It feels amazing to play and the sound is perfect for the kind of music I write. Also worth saying that I tried 3 tributes, and noticed clear differences between them too, so I recommend going to a shop and playing as many as you can until you find the one.

There seems a difference in tone where the Tribute seemed warmer as you say, but I personally love that satin finish on the body of the Tribute, and flame tops to me are becoming cliché like flamed maple necks and fretboards. I think good EQ will cut the difference down as you say and the headroom on the price difference can allow mods aplenty.

I mainly noticed a slight difference in the bridge when it was in a crunch setting. I gain I didn’t really notice much difference. I feel like if you swap the pick ups they probably sound pretty damn identical. Especially if you’re using a good amp. The main thing comes down to the build quality, the woods and craftsmanship that goes into the standard I suspect.

Both sound great. I'd probably lean toward the tribute. I like maple necks. I'm mainly a strat and Wolfgang man.

The pickups on the two guitars are very different. I say 75% of the differences are due to that...

I'm glad I got a killer deal on my 2020 Tribute at 900 US dollars. It only had a tiny body ding on the upper edge and the back of the neck has a small spot of bare wood where the finish had worn through somehow. Other wise it looked mint. Once setup with my favorite strings and to my liking its been a fantastic instrument.

Thx for the cool comparison, nice guitar licks as well. Any comment about the weight differences? Also did your Tribute come with 10s or 9s? My friend's Tribute came with 9s. If yours had 9s, was the nut cut specially for 9s or 10s? Thank you.

I love the sound of the Tribute. I have a Fifties Tribute and several other Gibsons. I realize the neck is maple while the standard and studio are mahogany, but to me the Tribute has a sound I associate with an SG or a mahogany acoustic. It is hard to describe. Maybe that is because of the lower pickup output. To me it is an old school guitar with an old school sound. I love the sound. It is light weight and has a fantastic neck. I'll guarantee you Angus would pick the Tribute if he had to switch and only had these two from which to pick. You are exactly right about adding bite. I run through a Friedman BE pedal and a slight chorus into a Mesa and a DSL boosting the treble back up and it is the best sound I have ever had. It is extremely articulate when overdriven in this configuration. I'd rather have three Tributes than one Standard any day of the week. My Studio says Black Beauty on the inside of the electronics cavity plate..... hence, they are all from a bunch of parts and they obviously have a bunch of price tags to stick on them as well. Just think how different the conversation would be if they had sold the Tribute for $5,000 each and bragged on the historic accuracy with modern perfections....LOL. Actually the chambering of the Tribute should put it in the category of the Moderns. The only issue I ha.d with mine was the G string sticking a bit, but I widened the back of the nut at the G string, oiled the neck and use string ease and have had no further tuning issue. Great guitar and I appreciate it coming in at ... well, not a low price but a reasonable price. -Something I can't say about the Standard.

Nice comparison. Just one question though, apart from the tone and material, what do you think about the build quality? I know build quality is not Gibson’s advantage, but still curious.

I used to have a studio deluxe and now have a slash standard. There's not much of a difference in sound but the difference in the feel of the instrument is massive. Enough to justify the price difference.

My Studio stands up to my classic. Minus binding it’s a rock machine. Only $699 back in 1994.

Nice review. I always loved the simple look of the Honey tribute but have never owned one. I've owned three studios and I currently have a Gibson Les Paul classic... which I love. I think they're are subtle tone differences but but enough to justify the cost unless you have money to burn. I bought my classic for only $180 more than my studio so I think it was worth the difference just for the hard case... but it doesn't sound better or has better construction construction than my studios... all were great... except for my first studio which was terrible.

bridge high gain in the tribute was solid! both sounds similar.