Cheap Les Pauls

[goddamn electric]

Ive been looking at the faded les paul these guys get in for ages now, im just wondering why they are so cheap? i know theres the exchange rate to take into account but it still seems low, I know the standard fadeds usually go for a little less than the standards but even with shipping for a brand new standard faded that price is brilliant. anybody know why they can offer them so low? and has anybody bought anything from these guys before?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gibson-Les-Paul-Standard-Faded-CHERRY-Burst-Guitar-NEW_W0QQitemZ110215110129QQihZ001QQcategoryZ38086QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Cheers

[kevincurtis]

Ive no knowledge of these particular guitars...but you will have to pay import taxes on it, which will add another £150ish to the price. I guess part of it is that the pound is still strong against the dollar, even if falling off against euro...

[grrrpoop]

Well, at $1499 + $135 shipping it's pretty much £830 exactly.

£830 + 3% import duty is £855

£855 + 17.5% VAT is £1005

You can buy the same guitar in the UK for £1099, which makes the savings not really worth the hassle / risk of getting a "bad one" (purely IMHO).

The 60s neck version is £300 more here for some reason, perhaps it's more popular?  If you could get the 60s neck version from that US eBay store for the same price it would be worth the savings but they don't appear to have one.

As for the general question about things being cheaper in the US, they just are.  The UK is regularly overcharged for goods compared to the US simply because they know they can get away with it.

But the import taxes do raise the price a fair bit as well.

[kellar]

That is actually a pretty typical price for a Les Paul faded. In the U.S. they normally go for around $1,500-1,600. $1,499 is a very good price, but a lot of these guys on ebay are trying to beat the prices of the big name online stores. It doesn't surprise me that they have decided to go a bit lower. The exchange rate doesn't really have much to do with it. Despite the weakening exchange rate, prices haven't changed in the states. It has just become more affordable to buy american products overseas. (Can you tell I just took a microeconomics class??)

[Dazza1004]

Coda are doing them at £999 I think. Very nice

[grrrpoop]

Coda are doing them at £999 I think. Very nice

You're right, both neck types for £999.  Not sure what DV247 are doing charging so much more for the 60s model.  :?

Having seen the Faded models up close in person, I can't really say that the finish looks particularly nice.  Hard to describe why but it's very obvious, even from a glance, that the finish is not naturally faded; it looks odd.

Still, how it feels and plays is more important I guess.

[Twinfan]

I played one locally the other week.  Played, felt and sounded really nice.  Wasn't on the shop wall for long as it was gone next time I was in.

The finish is an "acquired taste".....

[gwEm]

I played one locally the other week.  Played, felt and sounded really nice.  Wasn't on the shop wall for long as it was gone next time I was in.

The finish is an "acquired taste".....

it annoys me when people slag off the faded series gibsons, in fact (at least the ones I've tried) they seem to be a good and affordable way to own a gibson. you can always polish up the faded finish to a shine. i honestly think they are good value for the money.

[Henk]

They are definately good value for money(allthough definately not my thing), i had a very pleasant encounter with a Gibson Les Paul Special faded(P90's) though, basically a flat les paul studio with a 60's neck. Very playable guitar for half the price of a faded standard, i think they come in faded cherry, black and yellow. I tried a faded cherry one and it didnt even look half bad i'd say.

[horsehead]

I've got to say  that I prefer the look of them, I like that slightly used look, but then again I'm a fane of relicing. If you want a relic/faded  Les Paul what about the relic Tokai's?

[Dakine]

thats a Canuk site is it not, aka price different than US.

In US those aint rare or costly. Many prefer to buy older used instruments and then the less worried buy the newer cheaper stuff and revolve it it seems.

Save ya money and buy my '91 LP Std. :)

[indysmith]

the look? SURELY not an aquired taste. IT's GORGEOUS - especially when compared to the nasty hi-gloss plastic versions.

[Twinfan]

I played one locally the other week.  Played, felt and sounded really nice.  Wasn't on the shop wall for long as it was gone next time I was in.

The finish is an "acquired taste".....

it annoys me when people slag off the faded series gibsons, in fact (at least the ones I've tried) they seem to be a good and affordable way to own a gibson. you can always polish up the faded finish to a shine. i honestly think they are good value for the money.

Sorry mate - I wasn't dissing them   :oops:

I own a Faded V which I love.  The Faded Les Pauls I'm not so sure about looks wise, each to his own and all that.  The one I played was a great guitar.

[gwEm]

Sorry mate - I wasn't dissing them   :oops:

I own a Faded V which I love.  The Faded Les Pauls I'm not so sure about looks wise, each to his own and all that.  The one I played was a great guitar.

I know you weren't - your post was very positive, I was agreeing :)

It is true though that the 'worn cherry' finish look can be improved with some polishing. i think the all mahogany les paul worn cherry would look quite nice polished up with a 3 ply scratch plate.

[Jonesy76]

Yes you can polish them, but only after you've garin filled them to take the grain out of the wood otherwise they look awful.......like a bad garage finish with a rattle can.

I had a Faded for a long while in the Tobacco burst (which is the only finish option in my book), and it was lovely; but I did get it from the States and it had bucket loads of flame to it.  Don't expect good flame on one from these shores.......Gibson keeps the best flamed ones for the American market for certain.

They're not bad guitars, but for Gods sake check one out in a shop over here first.