At my local GC, you can pick up a cherry-burst Traditional Pro for $1800 (which is less than the on-line prices). For a bound set-neck guitar, this no rip off. Oh, I'd love to own one ...

- '60s slim-tapered neck
- non-chambered mahogany body with a thick maple cap
- Pickups: Neck - '57 Classic; Bridge - BurstBucker 3
- push/pull coil-splitting

_________________
Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

I mentioned it on my post in this thread Hop. Its atrocious mate. The ends of the frets are plastic and connected to the neck binding with a straight edged cut fret inserted in between. Steel vs Plastic? There is only ever one winner!

CC

Yeah, I recall you mentioned that. Thanks!

To add my 2c to this thread, I am in the market for a humbucker loaded guitar.
Im also a brand name hound so wanted a gibson.

I initially tried out a bunch of les pauls and they didnt feel worth the price. they felt big, unrefined and of poor quality. what was worse was the fact that two les pauls of the same model felt completely different, i mean like strat vs tele different.

I know all guitars are slightly different, but i can confidently go into the local music store, pick up any strat and it will feel like a strat. when two LP standards feel completely different, how do you know which one feels like what a standard should feel like?

I then tried some SG's. even worse. the SG special i tried had a horrible feeling neck, rediculously bad paint job and awful frets. it also sounded terrible. I picked up a vintage SG( vintage the brand, not an old one) and for a guitar of about 200 euros, it felt as good as, if not better than the gibson for 1200. still wasnt a good guitar but was 1000 quid cheaper than the Gibson.

Disheartened i was walking home and decided to call into the new place in town ( do mostly cort, with a few Duesenbergs there also). I tried a few and then picked up a Cort Z Custom. Seymour duncan pickups, set neck, mahogany body with quilt maple top. slightly different shape to standard LP but much lighter and it felt awesome. I need that guitar. The one i played is sold now, but they are getting a new one in, and its mine for 750, inc hard case. Check out the z custom on the cort site. its amazing. 3 times the guitar that any of the gibsons i played are.

im turning in my brand snobbery and going for quality from now on. fender are delivering nowdays, which is why i have 1, squire have some great guitars, ( have a CV tele) and i will be adding a Cort Z custom to my list.

The point of my mindless rant is most people will pick up a gibson, see the brand on the headstock, and make themselves beleive that its a great guitar when its overpriced tripe. I say try loads of guitars and pick the one that feels the best in your paws, even it that turns out to be a pink hello kitty squire!

To sum up, gibson are overpriced, with zero quality control. shop around.

She sure is pretty!! I guess you just have to search around and find the right one for you. Just like any other I guess. Thanks!!

A friend of mine has a Les Paul with this goin on and I hate it. He plays pretty rough and ready rock and he is 'no holds barred' when it comes to his playing and I don't think it will be long before he bends the low E big time and chips or wears away the plastic fret ends.

Whats even worse is that he has caught his high E in between the fret and the plastic fret binding thing.

This is a top of the line Gibbo we're talkin here.

It really limits your playing and creativity when you have to continually worry about hurting your axe. Its beyond a joke mate.

CC

[EDIT]: http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electri ... ndard.aspx

Go to the close up of the fret board, you can make it out.

Yah, that's what it looks like is going on but I'm pretty sure they install the frets first making them flush with the edge of the binding rabbet, then install a too-tall binding and finish by routing the excess binding to follow the contour of the fret ends.

_________________

Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Um....

Depends.

Finish wood etc. Standard LP will cost you $2000-2600 American normally. so 1700 pounds isn't that bad at all, about standard.

Just remember Standard...not Studio..studios only run 999-1300 American

_________________
2007 Fender MIM Strat Midnight Wine
1965 Univox HR-2 "Lawsuit" ES-335 Knockoff
Ovation Celebrity Shallow Bowl

I know what you mean, thats what SHOULD be goin on but as I said in above post my friend has caught his high E which reflects the attention to detail goin on at Gibbo these days and you will evetually chip or wear it if you play hard stuff.

Guitars shouldn't be limited in this way.

Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE many Gibson guitars but just not from what I've experienced recently in terms of quality and the prices are terrible.

CC

I guess you should go the route that BigJay did or spend a little more and go the MIJ Epi Elitist route!!!
BigJay, are you or do you think you'll have to change out the pickups to MIA Gibby ones?

I always fancied the Les Paul Ultra from Epiphone.

CC

The price is right ($649) and it looks good!! Also made out of some quality woods and good pups!!
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ ... 2god6BZREA

Niki,
Many people consider the Fadeds the best bang for the buck when it comes to LPs; unfortunately Gibson stopped making them because of that...too much competition for the Standards. I polished mine up with Virtuoso Polish and it is beautiful. Michael just got himself a Classic in Tobacco burst, also has the faded look but once I hit it with Virtuoso, it too will look amazing. His is a special edition...one of 200, with 57 Classics instead the the 490Ts, and the older Gibson Logo on the headstock. Here is my Faded looking spiffy...it's the color I wanted in an LP, honeyburst.

_________________
Current Gear: Ron Kirn Barnbuster Tele,
Marshall: 1971 SuperLead 100>1997 1960-TV, bunch of pedals
and a 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera coupe named Veronica

Its a great deal I think and beautiful to boot!

CC