Gibson Les Paul Studio 2015: Part Two

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This is the second instalment of a three-part series on a Manhattan Midnight Gibson Les Paul Studio 2015. For detailed specs on this guitar, kindly visit the Gibson Legacy Archive.

I'd previously removed the stock Gibson G FORCE™ Tuning System and Zero Fret Adjustable Nut, so the headstock was now bereft of any hardware. After preliminary cleaning, I was able to test-fit the replacement tuners. They dropped in easily without any peghole reaming; so all I had to do was drill holes for the mounting screws and fasten the securing nuts.

Besides this, the Zero Fret Adjustable Nut was dismantled down to the screws, scrubbed as clean as possible, polished with Autosol; and lubed. Polished brass is a thing of beauty, I tell you. The rosewood fretboard was also degrimed and reconditioned with lemon oil, and the frets cleaned and polished. 

I did notice that the covers of the "57 Classic" neck and "57 Plus" bridge humbuckers appeared to be brushed steel [actually satin nickel-plated]; which was quite unlike any of the Gibson pickup covers I'd come across so far. These were relatively easy to clean and polish compared to the rest of the body and hardware.

While removing the black "supreme grip" speed knobs, it became obvious that both volume pots were of the push/pull variety; implying that both pickups could be coil-tapped for single-coil tones. Meanwhile, the broken black ABS output jack plate was replaced with one from StewMac, while the whole body, back of the neck and headstock were cleaned and polished with Gibson Pump Guitar Polish. Once everything was spick and span, the Les Paul was put back together again, strung with Ernie Ball Super Slinkys, tuned; and set up for low action and maximum playability.