is it me or are Gibsons rubbish?

[Ced777]

Now thats what a Les Paul should look like - most of the Gibson 58/59 replica LP's I see have way too much figuring on the maple, they just don't look realistic, but that one does. How much is it if you're buying on in the UK?

With import taxes and shipping: about 4000 euros (on special order, maybe 3000-3500 euros if you buy it directly). Pricier than Gibson itself. But with Gibson you pay the name ALOT. With ESP, all the money go to the guitar.

Sure it's pricey but it's made by real luthiers, in a real Custom Shop (not the Fender or Gibson CS). Woods are high grade, the nitrocellulosic finish is 3 steps over the Gibsons one (very sticky). Seth lover pickups. And so on.

Edwards are good guitars. But they really don't even compare to the Navigator.

[Ratrod]

For 4000 Euros you can have something custom built by a luthier. (call Feline)

[lulusg]

Nope I do not have problems with my Gibsons. It is like saying I had a bad orgasm. :)

[Neemo]

I haven't personally tried a Gibson, so I really can't say with experience. However, I have always wondered what is so special about gibsons, their prices are so over the top that it's not possible to maintain a reasonable price/quality -ratio. Foremost the signature models, they are like 6000 euros! With that price, the guitar should other than play like a dream, turn you into a guitar god, get you a record deal and make you an international music icon. I just can't believe that Gibson could be *that damn good*.

btw. ESP rocks like no other...

ESP SV Standard (yet to be retrofitted with BKP)

[lulusg]

Any signature of the rack, does not have the same stuff as the dude that gives it the name. The marketing machine that is behind is what sells the guitar. I do think that if you have an strong foundation, say a good quality piece of  wood for example, you can just start from there on changing according to your likeness, for instances pot, pickups. I certainly think that we can be flexible when it comes to getting the best possible tone. A little bit from here, and a bit from there. But we have to have a good piece to start with. What we are taking out from the original instrument  is pure funcional cosmetics. It seems that what we do with it afterward call it individuality is what makes it valuable.  :)

[motormouth]

I haven't personally tried a Gibson, so I really can't say with experience. However, I have always wondered what is so special about gibsons, their prices are so over the top that it's not possible to maintain a reasonable price/quality -ratio. Foremost the signature models, they are like 6000 euros! With that price, the guitar should other than play like a dream, turn you into a guitar god, get you a record deal and make you an international music icon. I just can't believe that Gibson could be *that damn good*.

btw. ESP rocks like no other...

ESP SV Standard (yet to be retrofitted with BKP)

   Theres cheaper ones than that!If thats the case,what are you doing here?Looking for better pickups for your ESP,that the sterile Emg could not just reach real?And to prove my point,I was here,For IMPROVEMENTS to my piece of "WOOD"=A Gibson.Pesonal Preference Varies,along with "Improvements".

[motormouth]

what exactly do you mean when you say spec motormouth?

and either way they shouldn't be built to a spec that is so shoddy that when you play them they fall apart in your hands. i know some guy who went to my school years back.he was so rich it hurt.he went over to the states and bought a strat, a custom shop esquire and a standard LP.the fender's were pretty good although the custom shop was a little less playable then you would hope for such a price.
the LP on the other hand was the biggest pile of cr@p i've ever played in my life without exception.he brought it to my house not long after he got it and when i plugged it in nothing happened. he said "oh yeah, sometimes it doesn't work and it just makes that crackling noise for a while" he was only 14 at the time but fairly knowledgeable and particular about his guitars. his dad had a couple of Grestches which were apparently awesome. anyway i opened up the back for him and the wiring was really bad, they were literally hanging by a thread. they'd even used a 250k tone pot for the bass instead of a 500k. it was gibson stuff to. i thought maybe he'd gone second hand for some reason but no straight off the poduction line.

"SPEC",over here,is considered the "industry,or companny STANDARD",MEANING,the company cut everything the Same,reguardless of neck type,Etc,,,,,,.......
  shitety,Yes! I worked for the biggest Chain in the US (Guitar Center),and 9/10 people who bought Gibsons,knew that they Needed Re adjusted,thats the first thing they do HERE.As far as pots,Email gibson,They willl tell you they use 300 k's as standard!You and i know,that would'nt nessesarily be the best.HUGE DIFFERENCE!Funny,you guys are in a great position!The pound is soooo high,with my discount,i could Probably get a NEW LP standard for $1100.00 American?Your cost would be Very low,,,,,,Maybee 700lbs?Bottom line.No epi will ever beat out a Paul.period!

[Neemo]

what exactly do you mean when you say spec motormouth?

and either way they shouldn't be built to a spec that is so shoddy that when you play them they fall apart in your hands. i know some guy who went to my school years back.he was so rich it hurt.he went over to the states and bought a strat, a custom shop esquire and a standard LP.the fender's were pretty good although the custom shop was a little less playable then you would hope for such a price.
the LP on the other hand was the biggest pile of cr@p i've ever played in my life without exception.he brought it to my house not long after he got it and when i plugged it in nothing happened. he said "oh yeah, sometimes it doesn't work and it just makes that crackling noise for a while" he was only 14 at the time but fairly knowledgeable and particular about his guitars. his dad had a couple of Grestches which were apparently awesome. anyway i opened up the back for him and the wiring was really bad, they were literally hanging by a thread. they'd even used a 250k tone pot for the bass instead of a 500k. it was gibson stuff to. i thought maybe he'd gone second hand for some reason but no straight off the poduction line.

"SPEC",over here,is considered the "industry,or companny STANDARD",MEANING,the company cut everything the Same,reguardless of neck type,Etc,,,,,,.......
  shitety,Yes! I worked for the biggest Chain in the US (Guitar Center),and 9/10 people who bought Gibsons,knew that they Needed Re adjusted,thats the first thing they do HERE.As far as pots,Email gibson,They willl tell you they use 300 k's as standard!You and i know,that would'nt nessesarily be the best.HUGE DIFFERENCE!Funny,you guys are in a great position!The pound is soooo high,with my discount,i could Probably get a NEW LP standard for $1100.00 American?Your cost would be Very low,,,,,,Maybee 700lbs?Bottom line.No epi will ever beat out a Paul.period!

Your enthusiasmic speech reminds me of someone... oh yeah, Mussolini.

[Pierre]

what exactly do you mean when you say spec motormouth?

and either way they shouldn't be built to a spec that is so shoddy that when you play them they fall apart in your hands. i know some guy who went to my school years back.he was so rich it hurt.he went over to the states and bought a strat, a custom shop esquire and a standard LP.the fender's were pretty good although the custom shop was a little less playable then you would hope for such a price.
the LP on the other hand was the biggest pile of cr@p i've ever played in my life without exception.he brought it to my house not long after he got it and when i plugged it in nothing happened. he said "oh yeah, sometimes it doesn't work and it just makes that crackling noise for a while" he was only 14 at the time but fairly knowledgeable and particular about his guitars. his dad had a couple of Grestches which were apparently awesome. anyway i opened up the back for him and the wiring was really bad, they were literally hanging by a thread. they'd even used a 250k tone pot for the bass instead of a 500k. it was gibson stuff to. i thought maybe he'd gone second hand for some reason but no straight off the poduction line.

"SPEC",over here,is considered the "industry,or companny STANDARD",MEANING,the company cut everything the Same,reguardless of neck type,Etc,,,,,,.......
  shitety,Yes! I worked for the biggest Chain in the US (Guitar Center),and 9/10 people who bought Gibsons,knew that they Needed Re adjusted,thats the first thing they do HERE.As far as pots,Email gibson,They willl tell you they use 300 k's as standard!You and i know,that would'nt nessesarily be the best.HUGE DIFFERENCE!Funny,you guys are in a great position!The pound is soooo high,with my discount,i could Probably get a NEW LP standard for $1100.00 American?Your cost would be Very low,,,,,,Maybee 700lbs?Bottom line.No epi will ever beat out a Paul.period!

Your enthusiasmic speech reminds me of someone... oh yeah, Mussolini.

Few people would want to ship here, you need to add customs + VAT taxes, it's not good, no matter how high the pound is. Here a LP standard is about 1100 pounds I think.

[Ratrod]

It's not just a setup. All guitars need a setup to your personal preferences. What bugs me is the sloppy craftmanship and the price tag.

[lulusg]

yes, I agree- the price tag is out of hand.  In my opinion,until  the late 70s the Gibson guitars were still made with top quality material and the trend changed in the 80s and 90s and the quality dropped. I've heard  than in Europe the stores don't carry such a large stock of guitars as they do here in the USA- if that's the case, that's a shame since it is very important to try as many guitars as possible in order to find that "one" with potential....My next step is to purchase custom shop guitars. I would like to have  Feline, Legra, Drac and  RSGuitarworks guitars. Merry Christmas!!!

[Ced777]

Nope I do not have problems with my Gibsons. It is like saying I had a bad orgasm. :)

But the Navigator are made by luthier! (on special order if needed, you can choose what you want)  
It's even better than a lot of luthier's work (the nitrocellulosic  finish is hard to do properly, very few luthier can do it correctly... I don't even know if Feline guitar do it... Gibson ones are very sticky. Bad.).

[lulusg]

Thanks C777. If it is good pass it around

[carlaz]

Ultimately, I think if you like how a guitar plays, then it's a good guitar.  I've got a '90 Gibson LP Std, and it's a good guitar. Mind you, I bought it in the States when I lived there, and I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay the extra I'd have to in the UK to get the same guitar!  But hey, I've played plenty of worse guitars, and probably a few better ones (though more expensive ;)). I probably wouldn't buy another Gibson, but I've already got one :).

If you're in the US, you can probably check around and find a used Gibson that plays nice at a reasonable price.  But if you're not in the US, I'd definitely think you can find another make of guitar that will probably get you better quality for the price!