Gibson... Really... Am I too picky... ???

[BenoA]

Just coming back from a local store and saw those two 2016 Gibson LP, both "made in USA"...

Am I too picky but the Gold Top one was 1200$can and the Blue one was over 2000$... You have to add 15% sales tax here. And both had questionable craftsmanship.

Pickup rings were like bent... ??? The Gold Top had a very cheap overall finish. So who's doing the quality control? The sales dude had nothing to say when I showed him the guitars.

I have a cheap LTD Alexi 200 (China) that I got in a trade that has a better overall finish than the Gold Top.

I don't want to start a debate on the country of origin but, sorry, wouldn't pay that price, even for the name on the headstock.

I took these pics very quickly, as the sales dude was not very cooperative. And my cell phone camera is not the best one.

[shreddermon]

Isn't that a "relic'd" option?

[Venomboy]

I have yet to play a Gibson in a guitar store that didn't have flaws and was worth 1/2 of the asking price.

[BenoA]

Isn't that a "relic'd" option?

Funny! :P

[TommyD]

Back a few months ago I was in the Nashville (Thompson Lane) GC and noticed flaws like this on a brand new LP that was tagged at 4799.00. A jagged edge on the binding near the 21st fret,bent pickup rings,and even the fretboard looked like it still had tooling marks in it. I pointed it out to the employee that asked if I needed help,and he didn't act the least bit surprised. He just pulled it off the wall and carried it to the back.

I've actually talked to a few people that live in Nashville and the word is even as bad as you hear Gibson's QC is,that on top of that it's a notoriously bad place to work. Tommy D.

[Tetsuo]

Gibbons price is really all in the name. The good thing about that is the hold value. The studio and specials they have that are nicely priced are pretty good guitars. I have one Les Paul though that is hands down my best sounding guitar. It is pretty well built no major complaints except they dinged the finish pretty good underneath the pick guard which I saw when I removed it. Pretty much for QC you are going to get better from almost any company in a mid level or higher model. I have one killer Lester and that is after owning 30+ of them over the years. I actually had a three pickup les Paul classic I got new for 750 on a close out that was awesome... That middle puck up was annoying aesthetically and functionally.

[Dog Boy]

I stopped thinking of Gibsons as great guitars years ago. Still every once an a while you can find a nice one...not at GC though.

[Hellbat]

My local store got in 3 LP Jr's with the 1 piece bridge/tail-piece. The bridge was not located correctly and none of the bridges could be moved back far enough to intonate properly. Yikes!

[j2379]

I had a custom SG fret end was cut wrong so the nut was located wrong wouldn't intonate properly. If I used a capo on the first fret and did it that way it would get better results but the open strings were always a bit off.

My local store got in 3 LP Jr's with the 1 piece bridge/tail-piece. The bridge was not located correctly and none of the bridges could be moved back far enough to intonate properly. Yikes!

[AAEA]

Only one I ever had I thought was any good was a Les Paul Custom Classic. back when the fretboards were still ebony, I swapped out the pickups for seymour duncan black outs. sounded fucking awesome. I traded it to an artist who was signed with ESP and he gave me 3 ESP standards for it.

[pianoguyy]

Oy!
I have a 2012 that I like. So I am good there.
But I am picking up a 2015 this weekend. It has a wider fret board, 0-fret, and the G Force tuners. I am hoping I don't get a lemon.

[AAEA]

Oy!
I have a 2012 that I like. So I am good there.
But I am picking up a 2015 this weekend. It has a wider fret board, 0-fret, and the G Force tuners. I am hoping I don't get a lemon.

I would get rid of those g-force tuners, they are pretty much garbage. wider neck it a cool thought, played one back to back with a 2016 and couldn't seriously tell the difference but I have big lurch hands.

[rjohnstone]

I was in the market for a new guitar and did a little shopping at several GC stores here.
I have yet to see a single Gibson at any of the GC stores that was worth a damn.
Chambered, lifeless bodies, thin finishes, poor fit on the plastic components and several had badly bowed necks.

I played the 2016 Gold Top and a few Studios. All garbage.

[pianoguyy]

The bowed necks could just be the new Guitar Center setup.
I've complained of that on numerous occasions, about numerous brands, in numerous price ranges.

[xenophobe]

The bowed necks could just be the new Guitar Center setup.
I've complained of that on numerous occasions, about numerous brands, in numerous price ranges.

Gibsons come with a classic setup don't they? That would normally have a noticeable bow compared to shred guitars that are set up mostly flat.