Rain
 My favorite "new" option right now - in theory. I still need to try one of these. 
 
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson-Les-Paul-Traditional-Pro-II--60s-Neck-Electric-Guitar-108261892-i2654156.gc
 
I'd prefer a 50's neck, but, all in all - in theory - this is as close as it gets in that price range.

 




I had a traditional similar to that with a gold top. Best bang for the Gibson buck in my book. No printed circuit cards, no quick connect wiring harness and no damn min E tune. It would give you a foundation that would last for years. I really hope you can snag one. Insert Hitler video here! 

Actually, Julien, a lot of Studios still have the maple cap. Mine has pretty nice tiger striped maple. They used to come with a 498T in the bridge and a 490R in the neck. Last year I put a Pearly Gates in my bridge position. A Classic 57 Plus or an Alnico 2 BB3 are still my favorite pickups, though. Some of the older Studios are even solid wood, not chambered.

I can't imagine what will happen if Rain ever goes into Ed Roman's store there in Vegas!  Ed may be gone, but they still have hundreds of guitars - many of them custom!
 
http://www.edroman.com/
 
 

I've had 3 Gibson LPs.  I still have 2 of them.  My '99 B7 is my favorite, but at 10-9.6 it's a back breaker.  Like the original, it has no maple cap. 
 

 
Looking for something lighter, I picked up an '07 Studio VM (no maple) a couple of years ago.  It had BB Pro pups.  Meh.  Tried 490/498.  Yuch.  It's gone.
 
When I saw what Gibson was doing with the '15s, I picked up a Studio Pro from Sweetwater.  I yanked the PCB and pups, 57 neck and BB Pro bridge.  Hated that set.  I dropped in a set of SD Whole Lotta Humbuckers wired JP style.  Absolutely love it now.
 

 
I think the adjustable zero fret nut is actually a good idea.  I've had zero fret guitars before and they sounded great.  Making them adjustable makes perfect sense to me.  OTOH, Gibson's version has got to be the fugliest thing I've seen done to otherwise nice guitars.
 
I'm prolly LP'd out now.  I also have a PRS SE ZM which is an absolutely incredible $600 guitar.  The stock pups even sound great.
 

craigb
I can't imagine what will happen if Rain ever goes into Ed Roman's store there in Vegas!  Ed may be gone, but they still have hundreds of guitars - many of them custom!
 
http://www.edroman.com/
 
 

We wanted to go when a buddy from Quebec visited us awhile ago - but you had to take an appointment to visit.
http://www.edroman.com/general/By_%20Appointment.htm
 
"One in Northwest Las Vegas the other in Southwest Las Vegas
Both are located about 10 miles from the strip
This was to discourage tire kickers & people who still need permission from the wife to buy."
 
Well, they can just F*** off as far as I'm concerned...
 
Incidentally, having spoke with guitar players from other shows on the strip, they pretty much all seem to agree and avoid that place. Those are guys that buy guitars regularly and have a budget for that. Congrats to Ronan's store on losing their business.

michaelhanson
I've got a Studio Plus, but have always wanted to get back to a Standard.  I had one in the early 80's Vintage Sunburst that I wish I never sold. 
 
As mentioned, the prices are starting to get out of reach on a new LP.  I saw the new thin model advertised and went to a local GC to try it out.  They had to get it down from up high and when they handed it to me, it had the auto tuner on the back of the neck.  I grimaced when I saw that.  How ugly.  Big turn off....I can tune my own guitar.  I've managed to find a way for the last 35 years.  The next thing I noticed was the width of the neck.  They grew.  It was uncomfortably large.  I handed it back without ever plugging it in. 
 
I told the sales guy, if Gibson asks why they are not selling, tell him that as a musician of 35 years, I hate the changes made on one of the worlds most loved instruments.  If I buy something, it will be used. 

Exactly.
 
It's like finding that 61 Cadillac you've dreamed of all your life, looking in and seeing that the counters have been "upgraded" to digital and that the radio replaced by a media hub with color screen and USB ports. 
 
 

Rain

craigb
I can't imagine what will happen if Rain ever goes into Ed Roman's store there in Vegas!  Ed may be gone, but they still have hundreds of guitars - many of them custom!
 
http://www.edroman.com/
 
 

We wanted to go when a buddy from Quebec visited us awhile ago - but you had to take an appointment to visit.
http://www.edroman.com/general/By_%20Appointment.htm
 
"One in Northwest Las Vegas the other in Southwest Las Vegas
Both are located about 10 miles from the strip
This was to discourage tire kickers & people who still need permission from the wife to buy."
 
Well, they can just F*** off as far as I'm concerned...
 
Incidentally, having spoke with guitar players from other shows on the strip, they pretty much all seem to agree and avoid that place. Those are guys that buy guitars regularly and have a budget for that. Congrats to Ronan's store on losing their business.

Yeah, I hear it all changed when Ed passed away a few years ago.  He wasn't a boring guy to say the least!  I had a few interesting talks with him.  Too bad they had to go and ruin the fun, WOW did they have some awesome guitars (most from brands you've never heard of).

Everyone says Cow Town is the place...
http://www.cowtownguitars.com
 
Of course, they had me at 59 Standard... :P

Think twice, buy once. I just played a Music Man guitar that blew my mind, kind of like a Wolfgang.

I want to try a Wolfgang, just for the sake of it. A few friends of mine have them and love them. But then, people rarely hate the stuff they buy, do they? :/