Aside from the setup, it needed nut work, and the luthier also said some of the frets where a little off, but not that bad.

I understand what you are saying about setup as apposed to fret and nut work, but the Les Paul I owned needed nut work as well as fret leveling, and I took it to a good luthier. He said the frets where not that bad so I just had him do the nut work.

I also think a good factory setup is important too. Most people shoping for guitars don't even know what a setup is, but they do know if a guitar is playable or not. Gibson is very inconsistant on their setups. I am making this asumption based on the one's I play at guitar stores, and the couple that I have owned. I have owned more Fenders, and it seems to me that they are more consistant compared to the Gibsons.

I know Setup is a whole different thing, but if you take that much effort in pleking a guitar and then do a poor setup, it could effect how people who don't know what all this stuff meads percieve your products.

Apparently there is some debate about this, whether or not it makes enough of a difference to make it worth the cost, that a competent luthier can do just as good a job, if not better, for a lot less money. It does work, and works well, from what I've read, but not any better than a good tech can do. IMO, it's not worth it. As far as Gibson doing it, maybe the extra expense for Plek'ing is one reason why Gibson's are so overpriced.

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'08 Fender Am. Std. Jazz bass, maple fretboard, charcoal frost metallic finish
'10 Squier VM Jazz bass, maple fretboard, natural finish
Ampeg BA115
'09 MIM standard Strat, maple fretboard, sunburst finish
Fender Super Champ XD

I doubt whether a good or even master luthier could level 21 frets to within a tenth of a millimeter. Infact I'd say it's impossible for a human to do.

Whether that degree of accuracy matters or not is a different matter.

This is just another example of German engineering. It's why they build the best cars in the world. They view this stuff as critical. The German people I've met theres no grey areas. Things are either right or wrong.

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I have a Fender licensed Warmoth fat boatneck with jumbo frets on one of my Strats that was pleked and it is a wonderful neck, fretwork couldn't be better.

I also had an USA Strat neck re-fretted by a local, well known and respected guitar tech with 30+ years of experience and the guitar was unplayable. Made him redo it, and it was worse. He was fired as a result but that neck now sits in a corner as a decoration. I'm a pretty old school guy but sometimes you can't beat technology.

I wouldn't own a newer Gibson. I've had 3 in the last few years that had terrible fretwork and were impossible to intonate properly.

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"Drugs are for people that can't handle reality, Reality is for people that can't handle drugs"

How much does this cost?

-T

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-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield

Nik,
Being of German descent is a curse!!! I am so particular about perfection I will often scrap a project and start over....You will see on my next acoustic build...I will get 3/4 of the way done and totally tear it down and restart for the smallest of imperfections...I think we are hard wired that way..LOL
ABS

ABS

You need some of the British bulldog stubborness in there mate.
No matter how insurmountable the problem, you just bang your head against it till it's beaten or you have a breakdown.

Show us that acoustic mate!

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nik,
new build starts in NOV. I promise lots of pics..and I will take some of that British Bulldog to go with the German perfectionist!!! Man it will be a sweet guitar..who knows it may end up at your door..
ABS

It's only getting in if it's acompanied by the builder and he's open to the idea of getting outside a couple of beers and a big feed.

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Now that gives me an excuse to come back to England!! And my wife will be thrilled because it won't be for Army stuff..
ABS

Where were you stationed in England mate?
I worked on USAF Fairford in 2002. Building new barracks whilst you guys were in Afghanistan. Security was really tight. Searched entering and leaving at gunpoint.
I'd be working away putting up a wall or ceiling, look round and there'd be armed MP's watching me.

I now live in Lincolnshire, quite near USAF Digby and USAF Waddington. Right next door to the University of Evansville.

Theres a lot of American soil in my homeland
Should WW3 ever start Lincolnshire will be utterly obliterated because of all the airforce bases here, from both nations. It was bad enough here during WW2 because of all the munitions factories, Royal airforce bases and the dambusters.

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No no and no

What a coincidence! My house is 10 to 15 minutes from the University of Evansville.




Indiana.

Small bigworld

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No no and no

If I'm not mistaken,one of the all time best guitar luthier/techs in Nashville,Joe Glaser,has a Plek at his shop.
If he thinks it's worth it to own one,well,.....he knows way more than most "techs"...I'd be willing to bet.
YMMV