Gibson Les Paul Modern Figured SFG

I decided to wait a little over a month before writing this review, as I wanted to spend some proper time with the guitar first.

The first thing I have to mention is the packaging. The Thomann team did an absolutely incredible job. I genuinely had to put in some effort just to get the case out of the box because everything was secured so carefully, and the neck was additionally protected inside the case as I had requested.

I took it to my guitar technician almost immediately after receiving it, and he confirmed that both cosmetically and functionally it was a good example of a modern Gibson. Of course, we found a few slightly uneven lacquer areas and a couple of other tiny details, but nothing serious or particularly unusual for a modern Gibson.

Now, after a little over a month of playing it, I can say that I’m very happy with my choice.

The sound is exactly what I was hoping for. I mainly play 2000s and 2010s alternative rock, and through the Marshall-style amps in my Quad Cortex Mini, this guitar produces a wonderfully rich, full-bodied growl. It’s a very satisfying version of that unmistakable Les Paul sound that made so many people fall in love with these guitars in the first place.

Interestingly, even after more than a month, I still don’t feel like I’ve fully explored all the pickup options.

The additional switching options aren’t traditional coil splits that simply turn the humbuckers into single coils, and I wouldn’t really compare the resulting sounds to P90s either. They have their own distinctly Gibson character.

To be fair, the versatility here is relatively subtle. Switching between the different modes doesn’t radically transform the guitar into a completely different instrument. Instead, the changes seem to reshape certain frequencies and slightly alter the character and response of the pickups.

Maybe these additional options simply aren’t particularly relevant to me or to the kind of music I play on this guitar. Most of the time, I find myself coming back to the regular humbucker settings and that rich, full-bodied sound that makes a Les Paul a Les Paul.

I was also surprised by how quickly I got used to the neck profile. Coming from other guitars, I expected a longer adjustment period, but that wasn’t the case at all. The only thing that took some getting used to was the nitro finish slowing down my left hand slightly, but after a month of playing, this has become a very minor issue.

And finally, this guitar is absolutely stunning. No photo truly captures how the Seafoam Green finish looks in real life.

Overall, after a little over a month of ownership, I’m still extremely happy with the guitar. It’s not perfect, and the additional electronics probably offer more subtle variation than the specifications might initially suggest, but the fundamental things are all there: the sound is huge, the guitar feels great to play, and every time I open the case, I still spend a few seconds just looking at it.

A special thank you to Julian and the Thomann team for the exceptional service, empathy and attention to detail throughout the entire purchase process. The guitar travelled a long way to reach me, and the care that went into making sure it arrived safely was genuinely impressive.