Are new gibson guitars any good?

[Submarine]

What Pissy said +2
Even the folks at Guitar Center quietly admit that they are just not worth the price.

[CID Vicious]

First post here...gotta say, the User Agreement was funny to read after all the fagginness in this thread 

I have a Gibson Melody Maker reissue. Bought new in '04, whacked a hole in it and put a Duncan Custom SH5 in place of the P90.

Absolutely fantastic playing and sounding guitar. Bridge pickup only, I'd put it up against anything. Play various forms of metal, punk, etc. Even does remarkable cleans. Played this in The Seeds, annd it did that well, too, even though the P90 would cleary be a better genre fit.

The faded finishes aren't unlike the semigloss-over-unfinished-wood that made my Gibson cheap ennough to make an Epi/Agile guy sick: 379, out the door with a good gig bag. No "never got to use my GC employee's discount' story? Still 399 & tax.

There's nothing wrong with the finish unless you want something pretty and expensive for your law firm office.

A guitar drying out faster because of it? Huh? The lack of a clearcoat or grain filler doesn't mean it isn't sealed. They'll outgas at roughly the same rate. And I've yet to hear anyone pining for *wetter* wood in their guitar.

This was done for one reason: reduce labor costs. Instead of cheapening the materials, take loads of hand labor out by skipping the wetsanding/polishing a gloss finish requires.

I know plenty about it - did auto body for a few years.

The MIC, MII, MIM stuff is cheaper with a gloss finish - because they don't pay their workers US wages. I hope Joyo, Artec, etc aren't giving us inexpensive products via suicide netted factories.

[CID Vicious]

That said, the newer '15 stuff is baffling. I could see the zero nut on a niche model, but the whole line?

Fugly logo.

Why replace a tone pot with a toggle switch for coil splitting?

I actually dig the robo tuners. But again, every guitar, including the ones aimed at vintage geeks?

Still? My flametop G400 Deluxe is probably the first Epi to twist my tits like it's American cousin. Flat out fucking great - especially for 199 used with a case.

If you want a Les Paul though...I think it's much the same as the relationship between Chevy's Camaro and Corvette. The former detuned to not threaten the latter's sales. Similarly the Epi LPs have never done it for me once I grokked the goodness of a Gibby. The other models just aren't as iconic...while many agree with me about Epi LPs, I've always heard good things about the G400.

Playing? Buy used. My MM always sounded good unplugged - since I hate noise gates, the 90 wasn't staying long on my new #1, so I auditioned it in the acoustic room. Hot tip for pickup swap addicts.

Plus, Page's LP being so iconic in the Vintage realm...58-70 = 12 years. So IMO a decent guitar of at least that age is going to give you the drier wood you're looking for. Buying new..
especially now...just read the longing in the automotive press about BMW and Honda's declines. Gibson's history isn't the only one looking best in a rear view mirror...

[CID Vicious]

Oh yeah...last thing, I swear...

You think USA Gibsons are an overpriced ripoff? Try Fender.

Case in point: the Fender© Kurt Cobain Signature Jaguar.

WRONG pickups - just like the Jag-Stang!

$1399.

Made. In. China.

I'll take a Faded Flying V, thanks...

[Stonergrunge]

I think I'll add that Agile and Hagstrom make much better Les Pauls for the money.

http://www.rondomusic.com/product4927.html

http://www.hagstromguitars.eu/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=item&item_id=89&category_id=8&Itemid=5

mmmm Hagstrom, interesting... What about this model? I know the pickguard looks weird but the cream finish is quite beautiful:

http://www.hagstromguitars.eu/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=item&item_id=2119&category_id=15&Itemid=7

[Danny G]

Is the Duncan SH5 the Custom 5?

That's a real nice pickup

[CID Vicious]

Standard O.G. ceramic.

I tend to like ceramic pickups. The Duncan Distortion, EMG 81, GFS Bigmouth...big/tight bottom, clear, all the output you could want.

Alnico is cool too, but I ain't allergic to ferrite.

The HB103 Duncan Designed are cool too. Basically a "Distortion Lite" (single thickness) with a ceramic Jazz neck. Really good flavors both.

Been researching pickups lately...can you tell? ;-)

[Danny G]

You should try the Custom 5 if you can get your hands on one. Alnico 5 magnet.

Plenty of horsepower, but more like a PAF in the midst of full-on 'roid rage. Very nice/smooth volume roll-off as well.


Also a big fan of the Rio Grande BBQ. Probably also Alnico 5 magnet. Made my Les Paul sound even more like a Les Paul if that makes sense.

[RAGER]

Un potted T tops ftw!

[Pissy]

I think I'll add that Agile and Hagstrom make much better Les Pauls for the money.

http://www.rondomusic.com/product4927.html

http://www.hagstromguitars.eu/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=item&item_id=89&category_id=8&Itemid=5

mmmm Hagstrom, interesting... What about this model? I know the pickguard looks weird but the cream finish is quite beautiful:

http://www.hagstromguitars.eu/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=item&item_id=2119&category_id=15&Itemid=7

Back when I bought my Hagstrom I looked at a few in a music store in Olympia WA.  The upper end of the line seemed good quality, the lower end not so much.  Specifically the guitars without neck binding seemed to be the line of demarcation.  This has been ten years ago, so who knows if things are different now, but I remember thinking that if I ordered one of the lower end guitars on-line without having picked one up, that I'd be disappointed.

I ended up buying a goldtop Swede.  There are a few things that I think could have been done better, but overall its a good guitar, for the ~$500 I spent on it with a hardshell case.  An additional bonus to buying one the way I did vs. getting a B-Stock off of that auction site, was I was able to register it and get support at one point.  That was a good experience btw.  very responsive.

The discontinued models D2H and D2F were really good guitars and picking one up, reminded me a lot of my '77 SG.  A lot.

[bitter]

I'm not nearly as impressed with my Super Swede as I am with my Agile. The hag's initial cost was higher and needed the electronics upgraded.

[Pissy]

And likely the nut. 

My Agile is a smokin' hot thing too, but I never really bonded with it.  Maybe I should.

[Volume]

I've been considering one of these:


http://www.gibson.com/jp-jp/Divisions/Gibson%20USA/Guitar%20of%20the%20Week/LP-Classic-Custom-Week42/

I always wanted a LP and now they have this baby at my local shop. It's NOS (or whatever), been sitting 10 years in storage. I've tried it out a few times and it's a great guitar.

[RacerX]

Now that's a nice fucking LP.

Beautiful.

[Danny G]

3 Super Distortions? Day-um!!!

[bitter]

Dat Paul...

[RAGER]

I've been considering one of these:


http://www.gibson.com/jp-jp/Divisions/Gibson%20USA/Guitar%20of%20the%20Week/LP-Classic-Custom-Week42/

I always wanted a LP and now they have this baby at my local shop. It's NOS (or whatever), been sitting 10 years in storage. I've tried it out a few times and it's a great guitar.

That is a gottdam beautiful guitar

[dogfood]

buy that fucker.

[mortlock]

yeah..get that.

[Pissy]

I've found a middle pickup humbucker guitar hard to play. The pick always bottoms out on the pickup for me.  I had that Guild S-50 that I got from Apekillman, and it was hard to sell for this reason. Not the reason I wanted to sell it, mind you, but more than one person that looked at it mentioned this.

[Instant Dan]

What pissy said.

I'd never buy a gibby new. I'd just as soon buy an Agile, or even an ESP Viper or whatever the LP is called. Then all the tokais, burneys, etc floating around. I'd be happy to pay Gibson, if the guitars were priced reasonably for the quality... But until they can put a guitar in my hands for Mexican Fender money, with Squire CV quality, They can go pound sand.

The problem is even those lawsuit guitars are now fetching over a grand. Seen a few Burny's and Orville's in ok shape going for the same price as an LP classic from '02.

[CID Vicious]

I don't see the problem people have with Gibson's prices.

The only company I can think of that didn't ho out their name to imported goods besides them is Carvin. And Carvin makes a great guitar...for certain players. Don't like em myself. Build quality sure...feel? Nah.

Gibson = Made in USA. Their line starts at $599 - MIM Fender territory, and MII, MIC, MIK too.

Show me one sub $1000 USA Fender.

Because I can go to pretty much any GC and be able to walk out with my choice of SG, V, or LP body styles, MMs & Juniors too.

I could make you a strat body in any woodshop. Carving and LP's top or setting a neck? Much more difficult = more $$$.

I just picked up an SX SJB75 J bass in appropriate spec (ash, block/bound neck, etc) for $130. Squier CV? $180. Try getting an Epi Tbird Pro used for under $300.

And really? If you'll buy import copies but won't pony up for a Gibby, that's what Epi is for. Live my flametop G400.

People don't foam at the mouthat Sterling/EBMM for selling $8-900 Made In Indonesia instruments. Again, Tbird Pro-IV, $499, laminated thruneck...vs a simple bolt on plain maple neck and one pickup vs two, same country of origin...the sumpler easier CHEAPER instrument is nearly twice ad much. ??!!

Again, Fender is testing the waters with Chinese made Fender branded instruments pushing $1500. They have zero US made instruments under a G. Gibson has a full line...EBMM doesn't either, Heritage, G&L, all basically say "call us when you're spending four figures."

Suhr sells hot rodded Fender design basses for $4000. Pensa-Suhrs were literally built by Warmoth, but finished and assembled by their shop.

And on and on. I don't think Gibson sucks much more than other corporations, and I still like most of their instruments. Just can't afford another one...but I can't afford a Corvette, either, so I guess I should start a GM hate thread. ;-)

[Jake]

Seems like you're keeping the conversation about Gibson's pricing exclusively to their entry-level models, which I find misleading.

Let's take a look at something like a Les Paul Standard, which is historically their (upper?) mid-level instrument.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/gibson-les-paul-standard#pageName=collection-page&N=300066&Nao=0&recsPerPage=20&v=g&Ns=pLH&profileCountryCode=US&profileCurrencyCode=USD

And just for shits and gigs, let's see what a Custom will run you these days:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/gibson-les-paul-custom#pageName=collection-page&N=300065+200835&Nao=0&recsPerPage=20&v=g&Ns=pLH&profileCountryCode=US&profileCurrencyCode=USD

I'm not even going to link anything from the Custom Shop, because I don't want to offend anyone's sensibilities.

[lordfinesse]

Thanks for posting those links Jake. I didn't realize how long it had been since I actually looked at new Gibson guitars in a catalog or website. Holy shit they're pricey these days.

If I had $3500-$4000 dollars to drop on a guitar, it would probably not be on a new Gibson (although I admit I haven't put my hands on one... maybe it's the greatest thing ever?). If it had to be spent on Gibsons, I would probably try to find 2 really nice 1990-era Les Pauls.

[RacerX]

Show me one sub $1000 USA Fender.

1) http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-FEN-0115602-357?src=Y0802G00SRCHCAPN&gclid=CN34sIytssQCFYU-aQodt1MA7g

2) http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-FEN-0115602-357?src=Y0802G00SRCHCAPN&gclid=CN34sIytssQCFYU-aQodt1MA7g