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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 12:51 am
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Kong wrote:
I dig the Les Paul scale length and humbucker tone. But not the pricetag. I've been on an Epiphone Elitist kick lately. The Elitist Les Pauls and SGs were made in Japan at the Fuji-Gen Factory from 2002 to 2008. The quality rivals the better Gibsons and some would say surpasses them. I picked up these 3 over the past month off Craigs for $1475 total for all 3. My Standard Plus was $650 with case, SG was $450 with case and I snagged a Les Paul Studio for $375 with no case. They are all killer guitars. The prices can get a bit steep on Ebay but if you're dealing locally, you can get them at a pretty steep discount due to the name on the headstock. Here are pics.

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Nice collection there Kong!

Trawling the ebay- I've discovered some worthy MIJ Les Pauls. Particularly this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Edwards-by- ... 0918752842

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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 5:03 am
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I once watched a guy on stage lose a strap button from the upper bout while talking into the mic between songs with both hands on the mic. His Les Paul dropped to the stage floor and landed headstock first. The headstock broke right off.

Yep! happens a lot with set necks, but seriously it's not just something that happens only to Gibsons, any set neck guitar, that has that back angle break at the nut will snap at the headstock if you drop it. It's the weakest point of the entire instrument. If this poor guy had invested 20 bucks in strap locks, and 10 minutes to put them on, that incident would have never happened.

the other house of horrors are guitar stands, and guitars left with the cable plugged in..
there's should be laws against this! :D

I am very fortunate to have a good sampling of both Gibson and Fender guitars in the collection (Les Pauls, SGs, ES Series, Tele, strat.. etc)

Truth is, I love all of them, when you need a Tele, we all know that nothing is going to do but a tele, it's the same for a les paul.. Copies, and imports, sure, they are all fine too, but comparing a 600 dollar Epiphone LP Standard to a USA made one, it's not hard (for me anyway) to feel, and hear the differences right off. Don't get me wrong guys the Epi's and the low budget gibbys are good alternatives too. My son has an Epi LP Standard that he's had for some years now, it's a real nice guitar. My LP standards tho.. are superior, and it's obvious.

as said before, you have to play one to know if it's for you. If it is, you will find a way to justify the cost.

Quality is getting better all around for everyone, Plek neck systems and just improved factory conditions everywhere are helping this all around.

when we start talking price comparisons, we're really not on a level playing field.. then again, I can't see 2k$+ for a fender select... they're gorgeous, but..

the comment about Gibson not making a good sounding pickup, well subjective matters here, a set of classic 57s in the new traditional series are about the best buckers I think I've come across. The Burstbuckers,, eh.. I had a set, I replaced em.. some people absolutely adore them.. so it's really a case per case thing.

on the second hand market, (not speaking in terms of vintage) Gibsons do seem to hold their value for resale tho. So at least you can sort of assume you'll recoup as well as possible if you have to move one and it's in really good shape (with no headstock repairs! Oy!)


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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 5:22 am
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Can't get straplocks to work with mine. It's the angle the one nearest the neck sits at. Dunlop, Schaller and Fender, it tears em apart.
Resorted to using my old trusty Dunlop Click lock strap and screwing it to the guitar

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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 5:29 am
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I've never heard of this before.. Any pics of the issue? I've got schalers on all my electrics except for one that has dunlops. Never had a problem...


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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 5:35 am
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Gibsons have always had a high sticker price. In 1970, I bought a new Gibson EB0 Bass for $350.00. A case wasn't included for the price either.

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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 6:05 am
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This is my 2010 Les Paul Studio, paid 999.99 during one of Long and McQuads Christmas sales. I think it listed for 1300 so 300 of wasn't a bad deal.
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I just recently picked up this Les Paul Traditional in Faded Honeyburst during L&M's Gibson month. Paid 1799 for it, the most expensive guitar I've bought.
Are they worth it? I wouldn't say they are better built then my Fenders or do they sound better. They are just different in looks and sound. To me they are not worth the extra cost over a fender but if you want one you have to pay the price. I've always wanted one or two but I highly doubt I will ever buy another one. Fenders on the other hand I will be buying more of when the time comes.


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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 7:00 am
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Kong wrote:

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Kong, this SG is awesome! I have been looking for one of these for a while. Very cool. 8)

As for the thing with Gibson... I think it's mostly now just hype around the name. I've owned a total of 6 Gibson guitars, currently I have 3. All great players. -Even my SG Special Faded (now sold). I've never had anything from the custom shop; all my guitars were Gibson USA models. I just played a R9 at a guitar show a few weeks ago, honestly, I couldn't figure out why it had a price tag of $5700 (used). I know they build those as close to the original specs as possible, but I couldn't tell any obviously noticeable difference in playability and sound quality between that, and a regular Les Paul Standard. Honestly, I have never spent more than $1300 on a guitar. I wouldn't want to bring some $5000 guitar out at a smokey bar, and lean it up against my amp while I go get a beer. I'd be too nervous to even play it out. I do like that Gibson guitars retain their value though. It's a good investment in an instrument if you ever need to sell it. A few months ago, I actually sold a Les Paul Special for $200 more than I paid for it. I won't buy anything made after 2008 from them now. I don't like the weird wiring circuit board they put in the electronics cavity on the USA models. Quality with the Gibson USA models is very hit or miss as well. Finish flaws, poorly cut nuts, terrible setup from the factory. -That kind of thing. For as much money as they cost, when you buy a new one, it should be perfect. You shouldn't have to take it to your guitar tech, and get a set up.

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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 7:27 am
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KidBlast wrote:
I've never heard of this before.. Any pics of the issue? I've got schalers on all my electrics except for one that has dunlops. Never had a problem...


What, you've never had a straplock come apart before?

Here is a prime example of it happening, at 10:37 in the video. And it happens with any kind of straplock. The problem is the angle at which the strap pin sits at. Wear your guitar low and whack it, it pulls the straplock apart, regardless of who it's made by.


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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 7:50 am
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when is Gibson going to stop charging an arm and a leg for a Les Paul? Probably around the same time people stop paying for it! I'd personally love to see a 'boycot Gibson' movement in the guitar community. That's one tree that needs a good shaking. :?

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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 8:10 am
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Twiz wrote:

Kong, this SG is awesome! I have been looking for one of these for a while. Very cool. 8)

As for the thing with Gibson... I think it's mostly now just hype around the name. I've owned a total of 6 Gibson guitars, currently I have 3. All great players. -Even my SG Special Faded (now sold). I've never had anything from the custom shop; all my guitars were Gibson USA models. I just played a R9 at a guitar show a few weeks ago, honestly, I couldn't figure out why it had a price tag of $5700 (used). I know they build those as close to the original specs as possible, but I couldn't tell any obviously noticeable difference in playability and sound quality between that, and a regular Les Paul Standard. Honestly, I have never spent more than $1300 on a guitar. I wouldn't want to bring some $5000 guitar out at a smokey bar, and lean it up against my amp while I go get a beer. I'd be too nervous to even play it out. I do like that Gibson guitars retain their value though. It's a good investment in an instrument if you ever need to sell it. A few months ago, I actually sold a Les Paul Special for $200 more than I paid for it. I won't buy anything made after 2008 from them now. I don't like the weird wiring circuit board they put in the electronics cavity on the USA models. Quality with the Gibson USA models is very hit or miss as well. Finish flaws, poorly cut nuts, terrible setup from the factory. -That kind of thing. For as much money as they cost, when you buy a new one, it should be perfect. You shouldn't have to take it to your guitar tech, and get a set up.


Thanks Twiz. It is an amazing guitar, just rock solid. I had lined up a deal for a Cherry one but it fell through and I found the black one a few days later. I don't think you can find a better SG period.

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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 10:05 am
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nikininja wrote:
What, you've never had a straplock come apart before?


ya, I see what you mean.. I know about that, but I've never had a problem.

I guess the fact is, nothing is infallible.

Even with strap locks you do need to check the strap pieces are always secure, and the "U" the strap button/pin slides into MUST always be oriented properly.. (the round part of the "U" needs to face the floor.

Also gotta get a screw driver on this strap pins, making sure they're always tight..

thankfully, he caught it! Oy!


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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 2:09 pm
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nikininja wrote:
KidBlast wrote:
I've never heard of this before.. Any pics of the issue? I've got schalers on all my electrics except for one that has dunlops. Never had a problem...


What, you've never had a straplock come apart before?



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Called Dunlop Flush Mount. Works really well.


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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 3:02 pm
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Blertles wrote:
you need to get a std now


:shock:

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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 4:24 pm
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I got lucky on the price, Guitar Center had it for $3400.00 but they were having a 50% off sale during the holidays , so I got it for $1699.00 and they also had a $200.00 off coupon online that made it $1499.00 and I bought a 2 year extended warranty. I didnt like the setup and asked them to set it up and they said it came setup from the factory. They split the cost of a setup with me so I had to pay $15.00 and now I love it. My Strat was the same way, I was on my way to return it because it wouldnt stay in tune and played like crap, my brother said to have it setup and $35.00 later I loved it also, they decked the trem and intonated it and it was a fine guitar after that. As far as paying thru the nose for a vintage guitar, only a fool would pay $7000.00 for a 10 year old Les Paul or a Stratocaster, thats just my opinion. To many super nice brand new guitars out there to blow $7000.00 on a used one


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Post subject: Re: Gibson. What's the deal?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 7:32 pm
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None of the big box stores like to send you off with a free setup. It's a load. I usually go to the Mom & Pop shops when I can. Sam Ash tried pulling that crap on me when I bought my Gibson LP Tribute, I told them it was a deal breaker, then they magically pulled another LP out of "the back" and it was great. The Mom & Pop store I usually deal with not only do the setup, the change the strong gauge if you want free of charge.
It's a shame these guys are so rare.

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