I have the exact white Gibson Studio you are describing with the gold fittings. Mine is secondhand owned and signed by Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols no less. The date of the signature is '96 have not checked the serial number to actually date the guitar however.
All the gold fittings are in mint condition with no speckling or blistering so from my experience there is no problem.
The gold hardware really does give it an upmarket look.
I have never understood why Gibson LP studios are so much cheaper than their phenomenally more expensive LP Standards and customs, personally give me my LP over a white custom and I'll keep the 1000 pounds saved in my bank lol. After all it is still a genuine All American Gibson and it don't come much better than that.
Phil
