That’s great! Everyone I’ve owned has been great too and they’re my favorite guitar brand but to find those great ones I’ve had to try many underwhelming Gibsons
I purchased my first brand new Les Paul back in 1977 (a Les Paul Deluxe), it was a fantastic guitar (especially for only $585 w/HSC). Since then I've only purchase used/older Les Paul/Gibson. I honestly can't speak to what Gibson USA is currently building. My advise to anyone, keep your eyes open and purchase an older instrument used. As for the Custom Shop instruments, I think it goes without saying that ANY manufacturer's Custom Shop is a safe purchase. As to the high costs of the better instruments, you only get what you pay for. Back in 1976 I spent $400 for a brand new Fender Twin Reverb, that was crazy expensive back then. As costly as that Twin Reverb was, I still have that same amplifier and regularly use it! That $400 cost spread over all these decades of use made that amplifier a good bargain, the same could be said for a Custom Shop guitar that was kept and played over many decades. Just my $.02 Cents, initially spend more and play the long-game.
Owning four Gibson guitars and I’d agree with your point of view, three out of the four I own are older guitars built in the 90s. One has cosmetic QC issues but it’s one of the best playing and sounding guitars I own. For the Les Paul, my approach was playing every one I could get my hands on before buying one. After five years I bought a newer used Les Paul and it’s awesome. Along with your advice on investing in a custom shop I’d say be really patient and the time spent looking for one will pay off.
I think you’re completely miss guided. your analogy really doesn’t work. it’s not that a VOS is twice as good as an assembly line model. It’s twice as expensive because it has one luthier working individually. Labor costs go way up . the second point is almost all Gibsons can be set up to play well, this holds true for any decent Guitar manufacturer . It’s frustrating to me. I think a lot of people believe they can pick up a guitar off the rack and assume it’s perfect for them. It doesn’t work like that . There’s many variables that go into a guitar playing specifically well for you. The obvious ones are string gauge, action and intonation. Until you have a Guitar set up correctly for your individual preference and play it for a while you really have no idea if the guitar is good or not. I think the vast majority of Gibson guitars play just fine. Assuming their owner understands what needs to be done.
I own 7 Gibson guitars. They are 30 yrs to 2 yrs. They all play great, feel great, stay in tune, and sound incredible. This good 'ol boy does not know what he is ranting about
GIbson is a business. The responsibility of a good purchase fall to the buyer. Gibson charges what the market is WILLING to spend. If people stop buying gibsons they will drop prices. It is our fault that standard gibsons go for 3k and custom shops for 6-7k. But something to remember when it comes to reliability issues, you will only hear about an issue, someone who receives a perfectly good guitar will usually not go public about it. Gibson makes MILLIONS of guitars each year and as it has always been, there are bound to be some friday afternoon quality checks... There is a large amount of people complaining about a Gibson product, but compare it to the millions of instruments that make it to their owners without faults, that's a small fraction. And the fact that you can find a lot of imperfect Gibsons in stores is a result of them not being sold, being flawed, the good ones just don't stay in the store long enough. I used to hunt for flawed instruments back in the day, mostly finish or hardware flaws, nothing constructional, waiting for their listing price to drop over time being stuck in the store and not getting sold. You'd be AMAZED at how much of that retail price you see in the website is a dealer's profit. It's alot. And of course official dealers have to list them at specific prices. All in all, yeah, don't buy a gibson AT THE ASKED PRICE. Your odds of getting a bad one are the same as with every other manufacturing process, it is just the price that is high enough to render flaws unacceptable in our minds. Get a deal, the dealers can do it. Use the warranty terms, return a bad instrument or request a fix/replacement. These terms are partially what you paid for. Go to the stores and play the damn things, see and feel which ones are the good ones. Even if you order a perfectly good instrument you may not vibe with it enough. Ask the stores when they expect new deliveries or ask them to give you a call when they have new instruments for sale. Be there to check them out cause the good ones will disappear quickly. And if you find flaws on a guitar, use them as a bargaining opportunity. THATS WHAT THEY DID IN THE 50s, they did not reject a good instrument simply because it had glue squeeze or lacquer overspray or a scratched finish. If the guitar was good they would cut a deal and get a good guitar at a lower price.
Sorry but this is totally off base. I’ve played hundreds of Les Pauls. i’ve had my hands on vintage les pauls from the 70s 80s 90s etc.. I currently own a Les Paul traditional, pro V from 2017 and it’s one of the best guitars I’ve ever played. It comes with locking tuners, and I can play the thing for hours without going out of tune. The only people who complain about quality control with Gibson are people who are buying and selling them for profit. Guys who actually use the instruments on stage touring will scratch the damn things up within the first couple shows. And those quality problems as people call them can be found in plenty of other guitar companies as well, But there isn’t a bandwagon to go after all of them. I suggest doing the smart thing if you’re going to buy a guitar. Play the thing before you buy it. It goes for any brand. Don’t pay attention to price because some of the best less poles I’ve ever played were considered lower end. Because they didn’t have the fancy headstock or insane inlays.
2 things: 1. You are misunderstanding the factors quality and scarcity both affecting prices in different weights. 2. I don't trust a guy's opinión who doesn't know how to string a guitar.
I have two LP Standard 50's from '21-'22 and they are outstanding instruments. My gold top is the best sounding guitar I've ever owned (and I've owned A LOT of guitars.
Same here, I have nothing negative to say about the brand. I own some Fenders, also have a couple of Warmoth’s I assembled and I’ve played tons of brands. I own 5 Gibsons ( 3 SG’s and 2 LP’s ) and each one plays great honestly. Something happened which must’ve pissed in this kids Wheaties.
For people saying "Just get an Epiphone", I have Epiphone and Gibson LPs. You're comparing apples with oranges. They are different. If you prefer Gibson, like me, get a Gibson.
My first real gigging guitar was a Les Paul Epiphone. I finally got up enough money from graduation to get a real Gibson Les Paul. I blew the Epip away!
I actually picked up a used Epiphone 60s standard for $350. It was like brand new. I got it professionally setup and honestly it plays just as good my Les Paul. I am perplexed and completely shocked how good it is.. and when I play live, I do not feel worried about damaging or getting my $3000 Les Paul stolen . I am not sure will ever pay that much for a Les Paul anymore.
Hahaha same man same here. I went Japanese and bought a Fujigen Neo Classic. I've had players and luthiers say it plays and feels better than USA made Gibsons. And I must say, I agree. Even if I didn't own it, I'd have the same opinion. I have enough high end guitars at this point to know the differences. Japan all the way 💯💯💯
I have no idea what this kid is talking about. I have a ‘57 Murphy Lab Gold Top and it’s amazing. But, I also have a regular 50’s Standard and it’s amazing as well. Neither of them have tuning problems. They both sound excellent.
He doesn’t understand marketing. There always has to be a “better and more expensive” version to make guitarists feel the need to upgrade. The standard is as good as it gets. The custom shop stuff is a standard plus aging.
I just bought a SG standard from their demo shop (Reverb) and the guitar is absolutely awesome... I have no qualms or regrets for buying it, even as a demo item.
I own three SG’s and two Les Pauls and I can honestly say each one plays fantastically, they stay in tune and I’m able to get that action nice and low without creating a fret buzz. Don’t know if I just got lucky or what not but I don’t think Gibson deserves the bashing it gets so often.
@@TommySG1it doesn’t deserve it at all. Rock and roll was built on the backs of Gibson and Fender. That should tell you all you need to know right there.
Heritage is a really good alternative. And I’ll be honest, an Epiphone Les Paul is not a bad choice. Especially if you do some upgrades . There are alot of choices
@@JordanSteele I have a Heritage Les Paul style (H150) from 2009. It's way better than a Les Paul I have. I also have a Heritage archtop which is a fantastic guitar. The best cheap Gibson style guitar is an Epiphone from the 1990s made at the Korean Samick factory. You get one of these and put some Gibson Classic 57 pickups in which are great in SG style guitars. You can also replace the bridge which is not that great. Then you have a fantastic guitar at a fraction of the price of a Gibson. I have one of these. It's one of my favorites and I have other guitars at literally ten times what this Epiphone cost me.
As a Epiphone left handed player I have try many Gibson Les Paul lefty and i was very disappointed of feel and playability and sound . Still searching. My Chibson Epiphone « Less Paul Bastard » is a tone beast with Seymour Duncan pickups .
I respectfully disagree. I have several "$3000" Gibsons (and some more expensive) that are great. Maybe I have gotten lucky but I am happy with all of my Les Pauls, Firebirds and 335.
Me too. The first Gibson i ever played was shit. But i never ever held a Gibson from the Custom Shop in my hands that wasnt good. They were all brilliant made guitars. From 3k up to 13k. And i would never ever give away my R8 from 2016.
I have to disagree here. The Custom shop stuff is nice but does not jutify the prices they are. You have to remember the law of diminishing returns when it comes to expensive custom shop guitars. You're talking spending more than double for a Custom shop reissue than for a production line Standard but you will not get anywhere close to it being twice as better as the production model. Usually it's like a 5-10% difference max but even then, you have to ask yourself, is that extra 5% of guitar worth paying more than double for?
I have bought 2 new gibsons in the past 3 years and all of them have been flawless guitars. Lets hearken back to 2015-16, firewood. Gibson has massively improved their quality control since 2019. Every single 2019 + gibson ive played has been flawless.
Sorry but don't agree at all...I own one of the new standard faded 50's and it is such a great guitare. I also own an Epiphone custom pro, which is one of the top epiphone's guitare now a days and the Gibson is way better in terms of quality. Of course a custom shop will be better than the standard ones but not like 50% better, what ever that could mean...the price is like 40 or 50% more expensive but the guitare may be like 10% better that's it...and if you re Lucky maybe less than that. Anyway as an owner of one of those guitars you re talking about I can definitly recommand them as they are great instruments indeed
You do understand in 59 Gibson only made like 1500 hundred les Paul’s total? Gibson makes that in two or three days now. Of course they won’t have the same quality.
All the rich 50yr old Dentists in the comments😂 Look if you’re 20 and a working musician, Gibson is not for you. They’re no longer for the working musician, they’re just a bougie brand.
Depends. If your right handed then your statement isn't true unless you insist on having only new guitars. I've seen sub 1K Studio's out there, and if you're right handed there has got to be several say $1,500 Les Paul Standards. I wouldn't know because I'm left handed.
I've had over 5000 guitars in my hands in my lifetime & have never owned a Gibson. Les Paul's are so unbalanced, if you sit down with one on your right knee it will just slide down & smash on the floor if you don't have a hand holding it. They're too high waisted... I'd rather have a strat any day & if I was going to spend $6,000 I'd get a James Tyler, single coils are more transparent & don't sound like a big mush ball when you play fast or on the low strings. For mahogany guitars if I had get one, the new Paul Reed Smith's they've really been stepping up their game & they're more balanced when you hold them. I worked on 2 new David grissom (whoever that is) PRS's, a $5000 gold top, & the SE $800 version as well... both were better than any new Les Paul I've played... I've even worked on a $12,000 Murphy's lab Les Paul & I've played epiphone's that were just as good... No matter if you buy a standard or a custom shop, both are being made by a CNC machine
Oh wow! I’ve slowly have been looking at some of the PRS guitars. They definitely seem to win on the consistency and quality department. I hear great things about the David Grissom model too
i'll never own a gibson ever again. once you discover japanese brands, you'll never go back. Navigator is the best of the best. Crews Maniac sound as well.
Unless you're a pro playing big gigs and want that Gibson logo to look the part just buy an Inspired by Gibson series Epiphone. They are so good for the money. I've got 3 of em. My 2019 Gibson Studio was a quality control nightmare. It was literally unplayable. I was so disappointed. Only thing I've needed to do to the Epi's is change those nasty factory strings, set the action an replace a faulty switch. They've never made me feel ripped off..
My favorite one is the Satin finished 60’s Gibson Standard they just came out with. You definitely get quality if you buy 2022+ Gibson is doing phenomenal!
In 1959 $300 was a lot of money. That could be 1/2 a year wages. Although gas was fifty cents/ gal. I bought a ‘66 Candy apple red strat for $275 and a ‘65 Super Reverb for $300 in 1970. It seems every one is buying the “Muphry Labs” Gibsons. Many people argue the quality of wood was better in the 50s. A buddy and I took his ‘64 Strat and my ‘95 Strat and did non-empirical test. Our conclusion… they both sounded like Strats. Actually my bridge pickup sounded better- his Strat needs rewound. It’s crazy though to do the math on how much it costs to be a professional that need’s quality tools. Remember… everybody wants paid.
I disagree because I’ve played several R9s and they were dead… I played a 2016 traditional that was phenomenal! As well as an hp from the same year that blew me away… one man’s opinion is respected but it’s not law…
You logic is a bit flawed in my opinion. While I agree Gibsons prices are inflated for the guitar itself, its important to understand that price is built from a combination of factors- the guitar quality, and the brand, being two. Louis Vuitton handbags are a perfect example- the prices are wildly overpriced for the bag itself, but people are willing to pay because of the brand and its status in the world. Gibson also enjoys being a brand with a heritage that allows it to charge a premium for its guitars. That may be frustrating to some, but that's just that way the world works. And like all premium products, the price difference between great and amazing is always an exponential jump in price for only marginal improvements. This is also the case with a standard vs an R9. There is not a huge difference in these guitars but a huge price difference- and this is normal for premium products. That doesn't mean the Standard is 50% of an R9. Its more like 90% of an R9. Because of this I personally think the new standards are a much better value than the R9. But maybe I'm biased because I love my Wildwood 2021 50s standard.
Guitar quality, my ass! Why do Gibson headstocks break at a disproportionately higher rate than every other guitar brand? Why do Gibsons have WELL-DOCUMENTED tuning stability issues that most brands don't? And have you seen Glenn Fricker's review of the *Gibson* Dave Mustaine V (and yes, I do mean Gibson, not Epiphone, Kramer, or any other brand under the Gibson umbrella)? $2800 for a fucked up paint job is a SCAM, along with an accurate representation of Gibson's quality control issues. What Gibson is REALLY charging you for is 2% for the guitar itself, and 98% for the badge on the headstock. You're paying for the Gibson name, end of story.
@dionr1168 Reread it. He’s not saying the guitars are higher quality than their competition. He directly compared it to a luxury handbag, which just also happens to be a trap for those chasing status. Luxury clothes and accessories are hilariously low quality for their prices, it’s an apt comparison.
I don't understand. We are in the year 2023, and there are many ways to go around QC issues, how is a company with the cache of Gibson STILL having QC issues?!?!
I think they’re just trying to sell as many as possible and so qc inevitably lacks. I’m sure there’s some great ones still but it’s a lot of money to take a chance
@bigdaddystinkeye It’s definitely not a myth lmao. You got lucky, Gibson, like every other guitar maker has lemons. However, Gibson just happens to have more lemons than their competition. The majority of their guitars are still good, but the risk is too high for most to consider over less expensive competitors of similar quality.
there will always be certain groups of guitar players and enthusiasts who will hate some guitar make or brand for some reason, not just Gibson. I imagine Gibson is an easy mark for criticism, because they've been around for120yrs, and still manage to sell some 17,000 units worldwide per year, not including profits from EPI and Kramer. The funny thing is that the majority of these "haters" would never say no to owning and playing one for free, and some even go to the ridiculous extent of spending a few hundred bucks on cheap knockoffs that have counterfeit Gibson branding. This doesn't sound like hate as much as just simple resentment. If you hate something, then you usually want nothing to do with it at all. The fact is that all guitar companies, not just Gibson, adjust prices to market demand. In the end, they want to sell the products they make, and they do
They wouldn’t say no to owning one for free because they can sell them for a grand or more, not because they want to play it lmfao. You can walk into any Guitar Center in America and play a Gibson for free, nobody does anymore because there’s just better options for less money. Gibsons have a certain feel, if that’s what you’re after, go ahead, but you’re really just paying for the headstock at the end of the day.
@@watersnortmoment3734 perhaps that's what you would do, but your opinion is certainly no measure of what everyone thinks & does. How do you know what everyone would do if given a Gibson, or what "nobody does anymore" at "any Guitar Center"? You mostly sound naive
@0:38 yadda yadda yadda. The QC stuff has been BAD not just with Gibson, so you're just cherry picking. MANY Strats, particularly the Ultra series, have serious fretboard issues, and they still can't get rid off "stratitis desease."
Buy used...you can get a killer Gibson LP for 2k or under if you wait for the right one to pop up. I have a 2012 Traditional Plus that is easily the best guitar I own and kills any more expensive LP iv'e played yet. Best thing is to be able to play it before buying to weed out any with QC issues, though understandably that can be prohibitive for some.
There’s literally no reason to ever buy a new guitar. Every brand new guitar I’ve bought ends up with some sort of finish flaw or imperfection, even beyond the $1000 mark, so now I buy used no matter what. A small blemish on a used guitar won’t bother anyone, however on a brand new guitar it’s a travesty. It’s cheaper to buy used, you get the same resale value if you get bored of it, the quality is still the same, and 9 times out of 10, you end up with a free setup out of the metaphorical box. Used Gibsons are actually a decent value proposition, but brand new, there’s better options for the price. Same thing with the “new” Epiphones, 1600 for an Epiphone is robbery when an actual used Gibson costs less for a better instrument.
I have worked as a gigging musician my whole life. ( 40+ years) Currently, for the last 3 years my pricey stuff is in storage and I have gigged with a 155$ Grote thinline and a 89$ Grote strat I installed 33$ worth of alnico pickups in. The guitars have worked flawlessly. I never worry about em when I am on break. I never worry when i leave em on stage after soundcheck. I never worry when my cat falls asleep on one. Playing these value priced axes has been a lovely, liberating experience. Highly recommended for peace of mind.
Part of me wonders if when RUclipsrs bash Gibson, they are hoping Gibson will give them a free Les Paul to "change their mind" like they did with Rhett shull lol. Seriously though you find a decent Les Paul, which the many of the classic series are excellent for under $2k and youre good to go. I have a prs that's an excellent guitar but it's not a Les Paul, it can never be. Many guitars are a magical sum of their parts and history. That why vintage Gibson's are the most valuable guitars to own. They are a work of art and originality. Sure there are guitars better in every category, but they'll never be a Les Paul , rant over
I don’t know that I agree w all he said. Yeah, Gibson guitars are ridiculously expensive, and quality control is somewhat lacking for sure. But to say don’t buy a Gibson if it’s not custom shop… idk. Although I am a tele player thru and thru, I have to say, my LP 50s w P90s is the best sounding guitar I ever had. But it’s all subjective to one’s feel and taste. Personally, I think Gibsons would fare much better w younger players if pricing wasn’t such an issue.
I’ve gigged an Epi LP my kids gave me for Father’s Day day in 94. Korean made in the Samick factory. It’s a wonderful guitar. I put Duncan PAFs, set of NOS 59 caps, and switchcraft gear. It’s been all over the country with me ever since. She needs a re-fret, and there’s nobody around me to do it, and to be honest, it’s got so much sentimental value I don’t want to take it out anymore. So, I started looking to get another one. It came down to me refusing to pay over a grand for a Chinese made guitar. So I bought a ‘23 Gibson Studio LP in bourbonburst. It’s a wonderful guitar. I had one little issue with it, which they took care of as soon as I told them. Been gigging it several times a week for a year now.
I bought a Les Paul traditional 2019 for a bargain price at long Mcquade ( brand new old stock) cherry it has all the bell and whistles of a 58. Over 10 pounds. I swictch the trust rod to a blank one. It’s basically a 58 specs with a baseball ball. No stupid push pull etc. It’s stays in tune and I love it. I also bought an Adam jones standard . Plays amazing I love silver burst. And this model actually looks more like the original 1979 than the other out there. Same thing a boat anchors heavy , Grover tuners stays in tuned etc. And my next go to will be a custom shop white tuxedo custom. ❤❤love your video btw 👍🏻🤘🏻
Let them talk, I found a les paul special tribute for 800 bucks and aftet I put an new alum bridge on it I can sound like FreddyvKing! Judge each instrument on it's own merits. A bad workman etc. Here in the UK we are a bit poorer as teenagers so have to make the best of what we get our hands on. Don't think too much it's all marketing strategem, an instrument for every budget that's all. The cheaper ones are 90% as good as the early ones.They have done a sterling job with their range. At the end of the day a Guitar is worth what a person is prepared to pay.
I would just pick up a PRS. I know the Gibson defense force is going to reply but I’m just saying what I think. You shouldn’t have to dig to “find a good one” and I’ve heard many people say the same thing. Rework the headstock so it stays in tune.
“Finding a good one” is just their justification for poor quality control. That line only speaks volumes about Gibson’s consistency. The funny thing about the headstock is that they’ve actually changed it before. However, their more rabid and least intelligent fans lost their minds because of the lack of tradition. The fans themselves caused Gibson’s downfall by holding them back and forcing them to abandon innovation. The people buying Gibsons just eat up marketing.
I was really surprised to see this. I was actually thinking the other day that Gibson was doing some nice things right now and I was wondering if we were going to look back on this as a “good era”. I’m fortunate to have a few Les Paul’s from the past 4 years and they all have their thing. No issues with build quality and I didn’t have to spend years finding a good one like it’s the lost ark or something. One of the shops that I speak to regularly was just saying how you’d find a 1 or 2 really stellar examples out of every 10 guitars like 10 years ago and now it’s like 6 or 7. I certainly wouldn’t say “don’t buy a Gibson now.” I really think now is the time you will find something really nice with much less effort. Talk to a big dealer and they can help too. At any rate, to each his own.
@@johnmckenna4256No, he ain't the only one. People have been saying this for years, and if you think Jordan is alone in having this mindset, you're seriously narrow minded.
I have an 09 Gibson Les Paul Studio that I bought brand new for $1000 and spent a few hundred bucks on top of that this year upgrading the electronics and some better sounding pickups and now its everything I wanted. Id never pay the prices theyre asking right now for a Standard or even a new Studio.
my experience with Gibson has been great. I just bought a $3000 slash November burst and it kicks ass. I thought it would be comparable to my $1500 ltd ec-1000 evertune but it's a noticeable step up. Idk, Gibson's audience doesn't like change and it's inhibiting Gibson's ability to expand its customer base. I wouldn't be surprised if Gibson was acquired by a more successful company in the future, so I wanted to get a real one while I could.
Here's the thing. You can buy other name guitars but when you sell are you gonna get your value back out. That fancy name on the headstock does help in holding its value IMHO.
No offence son but you might well be talking absolute bollox. True though, that they are all way too expensive. But I've owned lots with no real duffers. And some stunners from 500 to 3000. Each unto his own. Or have a chat to someone who knows like George gruhn. Cheers mate.
Gibsons are my favorite guitars I’ve owned around 10 in the last 13 years and have played 100s of them. But in my experience to find a great one you have to go through a bunch of bad ones. The funny thing is I’ve talked to George Gruhn he told me he thinks the original 50s Les pauls were basically junk as I was standing next to one of the ones he had at his shop. He loves old acoustics from the 1800s
I could never get on with Les Paul's but when I tried out a 2009 one it blew me away! I still have it now and it was black but now it is honeyburst and it is just amazing. I believe the new ones have been a let down and agree with what you are saying!
I've owned a ton of vintage Gibsons...in the late 70s fifties Gibson's were not expensive. I now own a 2018 sg junior that is every bit as good as any 60s sg's I've had...better than most of em. It's not a custom shop guitar but it was a limited run. Phenomenal guitar
I have a 2018 SG junior as well, has the cool script logo and the banner logo on the back of the headstock. Absolutely phenomenal guitar. Nope not a custom shop. But still amazing!
I have a 2013 les Paul standard that has no issues . I have to say I’ve owned 3 Gibsons prior to my 2013 that did have tuning stability problems . Love my 2013 and won’t ever sell it .
If you have a Gibson with tuning issues, 99.9999999% of the time it’s because of the nut slots not being cut properly. It’s a simple and inexpensive fix, which should be done when you have your guitar setup. In my 33 years of owning Gibsons, I have yet to have one that was perfectly setup at the factory. Hell, that goes for every brand of guitar I own.
For me ( born 62) if i walk past a Les Pauls or a cool old shool strat all that famous music comes up in my mind and it pulls me into that shop like a Zombie
Heritage is awesome, also i have an Eastman sb59/v i love it! I have several les paul guitars and I love them all too.... i rotate thru all my guitars for gigs, but my Eastman is the best for me... as far as staying in tune as long as the nut is cut properly and throw on some locking tuners i have no issue with staying in tune...tone wise i think gibson pickups could be better, my Eastman came with lollar pickups and they sound so good I'm thinking about putting them in my les paul.... one thing i would recommend if people are dead set on a les paul check out wildwood guitars, you can get a "standard" but with a wildwood spec flame top for $3k and honestly it looks as good as my custom shop...maybe even better
Just purchased 2020 les paul standard and this video popped up on my page now😢😂 i disagree that motto “ half price= half quality” I owned 2011 lp standard which had chambered body. I realized chambered body is not my thing. I dont feel like i m playing a les paul. I beileve your 2007 lp has chambered body too
The original 59 Standards were $375 in 1959, translating to $5000 today based on inflation. So at $6500, they aren't too off, considering they are precise recreations of the ones made back in the day. If you understand basic economics and production challenges - they are priced exactly as they should be. This whole video is pointless.
In 1989, when I was 14 I bought a Epiphone Les Paul standard for $400. I had to work for that money believe me. Anyway, maybe it was special or something, but I never felt the need to buy another electric guitar. Tried a bunch of different pickups, but wound up with some Anderson splitable humbuckers and called it good. Can't imagine paying even 3k for a guitar.
I've got 8 Epiphones 4 LP's and 4 SG's and they suit me just fine. I've done mod's on all of them and put Gibson pup's in them all except for my 59' LP that already had them in it, replaced the switches to Switchcraft and put Grover locking tuners on all of them. I can say that I think they sound just as good as my Gibson's do. The only one I wasn't really happy with is my 2020 LP Black back, it just don't feel like my other Custom's it's not something I can pin point but it just isn't my favorite one so it's up for sale. I was going to buy another Gibson LP but I have been playing my Strat a lot lately and I am getting hooked on that American Pro 1. But I still love my LP's
I agree with you about the price of the Custom shops and now a Standard production Les Paul is $3K new! I really wanted a Re-issue burst but was not about to spend $6K on one! So what i did was shop around and took my time and found a 2016 Historic Custom shop R8 for $3500 in like new condition. Even though it is a 6 year old guitar it was not played a lot so it still looks new. It has the COA and all the hang tags. They are out there and you can find a used Gibson for a lot less money and not have to sacrifice the new look/condition. By looking at mine you would never know it was a used guitar!
@@JordanSteele Thank you really appreciate that!👍 Yeah i just wanted to let others know there are killer deals out there used if someone has to have a Gibson like i did. Other than the price of a new one i really like Gibson guitars. Most get turned off by buying used but i have found if you take your time and don't rush into it you can find like new Gibson's for half the price! I am shopping for a R9 next.
I’ve tried the new Gibsons and you are definitely correct. Even the finish colors are terrible!! My 2 main les Paul’s are a 2002 and 2004 standards and they are great guitars. I’m Not sure what happened to Gibson but honestly all you are buying when you grab a new one is a name.
It's a good topic/question. You have to wonder how many of these newer guitars are made by CNC machines, where are they sourcing the wood, how much is made in China (or Vietnam/Mexico/Thailand etc.).
i was in Guitar center and tried every new 50s & 60s les paul standard . The frets were tiny hard to bend strings for a 3k guitar . Some of the pickup rings were bent and warped . The $500 dollar PRS SE guitars had huge 10xs easier to play . Im 65 and started my guitar Journey in 1977 when I got my first les paul deluxe . The neck was awesome playability way beyond the new Gibsons . I still have a 1979 les paul custom and its way better than anything I have played in 10 years and its from the so called bad norlin ERA . The only new Gibson I played that was nice was my friends R9 it is great like you said. My strat and tele play way better than any new gibsons non custom shop
I owned a 59 custom shop from 2019 and sold it again after a while. I just bought a 60s standard that is amazing. It sounded better than a murphy lab they also offered me in the store. I did put some custombuckers in the 60s standard and I think that standard is even better than my Custom Shop 59. It's ALWAYS a very individual thing. You gotta test and play them until you find the right one. It's not true that the standards are all bad. They can be perfect.
My 2009 Trad, sounds and plays better than every CS Les Paul at my local GC, as does my 2014 Trad Pro II, and 2012 Jr. Special. My 2009 Trad may as well be an R9, with a Nashville bridge, instead of the ABR-1. All of my LPs are stock, except for swapping the control knobs on my ‘09 Trad and ‘12 Jr. Special, putting a blank truss rod cover on my ‘09 Trad, and putting vintage amber switch tips on my ‘09 Trad and ‘14 Trad Pro II. I also own/owned other Gibsons which are stock and absolutely amazing guitars.
While i do understand your main point and you have a couple of things right, there’s still a lot more going on that would be wise to check before make some of these statements. They should provide a lot more for 3k on a standard and that's a fact. I'll give you that. Custom shops going for twice the money is about hand crafting and cost of labour nowadays. In order to replicate as faithful as possible, they need to use highly technical craftmanship and inefficient methods, and that's about it. There’s also the dimished returns principle that applies for almost every product on the market. Tunning stability on Les Pauls, Sg's and almost every Gibson with headstock angle and 3+3 tuners configuration is a design flaw, that also happens on original bursts. There's a lot of workarounds for this, but the truth is that having a Les Paul that doesn’t suffer from tunning stability on the third and fourth strings, is an exception. Specially on the third. But saying that you shouldn't buy anything new from them, it’s a little to much. I would agree that buying Gibsons from 2010 to 2018 it’s complicated (2015 is a year to stay away for Gibsons), if you go for 2019's and over, you should be getting what you are paying for. Which, unfortunatelly, is less than it was 20 years ago. And yes, you are paying a lot for that Gibson on the headstock, but again, it is how market and legacy works
i bought a 2017 les paul standard and it does not sound like a les paul, gigged with it a few times and know it sits in my closet i did buy a gibson SG 2017 also and that guitar sounds great.
as an avid buyer of Gibson's. You are absolutely right. My custom shop is great. all my others are cool but a pain in the a**. If you want a good pro guitar. Every USA Fender I buy is a great player and sounds awesome.! The custom shops are just greater! but the regular USA core line of Fenders all play and sound great for 1-2k
I bought a new Les Paul Standard this year for around 2500 bucks. To me that is eye wateringly expensive (Custom Shop just ain't happening anytime soon, if ever) but it'd always been a dream of mine to own a Gibson Les Paul since I was like 13 years old (and am now in my mid 30's). I'm certain there are better guitars out there, especially for the money, but I also know if I hadn't seized the opportunity to get it, it'd always be lingering in the back of my mind, what if? It's a nice guitar. I think in 2019, with the leadership change, they really started to push their guitars to be better. They're not weight relieved like every Gibson from the 80's onward has had, and mine is 9 lbs 2oz. Not exactly super lightweight, but given it's got no weight relief holes in it, I think it's pretty good. It plays well. Almost too well, I actually have a little hard time playing it because it's a lot smoother than my mostly-fender stable of guitars. I think for most people, it's probably not worth it. Especially since they just tacked on an extra 300 bucks to the MSRP of the Standard (thankfully after I had bought mine). Maybe one day I'll end up with a Custom Shop or maybe I'll pick up a guitar from a "better" brand that will blow me away and contextualize where this plain Les Paul Standard fits. But for now, I'm happy with it.
Yeah it does seem from what I’m hearing in the comments the newer Gibsons from 2019 to now have been improving. The wild thing regarding custom shops to me is that 5-10 years ago you could get a used custom shop for around $2,500 now it’s double
It’s smoother because of the scale length. There’s less tension on the strings meaning the strings are easier to manipulate with your fingers, this gives a smoother overall feeling. PRS although being a middle ground scale length between Gibson and Fender is a lot better of a comparison.
meh. clickbait. I say BUY A GIBSON. as someone who's been playing one since before you were born, you arent an authority. What Do You Think? Let Me Know In The Comments Below!
As a guitar player who loves Les Pauls, why would you make this video? Are you mad at Gibson about something? Seems like this could hurt your relationship with the company, and you are prime talent for a potential sponsorship.
Yeah that’s very true. I’ve played Gibson guitars for 13 years and the Gibsons I currently own are my favorite guitars to play and would even say the best guitars I’ve ever have played from any brand. But in my opinion and experience in the 13 years I’ve played Gibson guitars I’ve seen them get worse and worse and more and more expensive (as a whole out of the hundreds I’ve personally have played) there are definitely still outstanding examples. And in my opinion from playing many Gibsons and other guitars from different brands what they’re selling for $3k is equivalent to a $1,500 guitar and not worth spending the money on. I think what they’re doing is genius marketing and definitely helps increase sales. Putting slash’s name on a standard, calling one a “greenie” standard or simply calling it a 50s standard implying it’s somehow close to a 50s Les Paul. It’s good marketing but doesn’t mean the guitars are worth buying at a higher price.
I read all the comments 343 people out of 380 agreed Gibson sucks. I was thinking about getting one' not going to now' decided to get a fender because everyone says they're alot better from what I've read about them and cheaper. Ended up getting a telecaster' and it's the perfect model.
I played Gibson LP’s exclusively from 2007-2022…. Then I discovered the Telecaster! Now I don’t own an LP at all. Great video. I think you are 100% accurate.
What do you believe is the main difference between a 50s standard and an R model? Materials? Craftsmanship? What in your opinion mainly makes the R such a better guitar. I agree, I just want your take bud? I know my actual 50s guitars are great. I assumed it was mostly due to the wood being almost petrified at this age. Lol.
It 100% starts with the wood. Some people argue the wood doesn’t matter I disagree. I think the wood and proper construction of the wood is the most important and foundational component to a great guitar. I’m a very big fan of solid Les Pauls that are light. I find them to have better resonance and tone. After that wood and construction there’s nothing else that really can’t simply be changed on a standard to make it basically a custom shop. You can change pickups, pots, tuners, bridge. So I think really the only difference is the wood and construction.
I wouldn't ever buy a lp for 3 grand, I already know that's just insane for the lack of quality, Ive played a few, unimpressive comes to mind. As for a Real one like they used to be, dude, listen, the average player does not have that kind of money...only a fool would pay that much money (For ANY Guitar) Especially now a days. Unless you are making Great money...With a Great Job, possibly in a Tribute band making 3-4, or 5 grand a month. Only a fool would spend that much money for, (in my 65 yr old mind ) a $365 guitar. (cost in late 60's.)
Same here. I have owned 4 Gibsons from the late 90's right up to this past November when I bought a new 50's Standard Cherry Sunburst with some beautiful flame. I have never once had any tuning issues with any of them. If your setup is good and your stringing technique is good-you shouldn't have any problems. One thing I really like about all of them is how well they take a setup. They each have a sweet spot and when you find it-it's sonic bliss. This latest Standard sounds like a Stradivarius and a Steinway had a child and this is it. @@nitegoat1369
What you're referring to is called the "LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS"... which simply begs the question.....if guitar A cost $3K and Guitar B cost $9K, is guitar B really 3 x's BETTER than guitar A? (as you have discussed) That difference is directly related to the price. The law states that as BOTH items increase in price, the difference with regards to how much better the higher priced item is over the lower item, the "return" for your money becomes less and less. Ex,...... when asking if a $500 guitar is twice as good as a $250 guitar, that could very well be true... conversely as price rises and the question becomes ....is a $12K Murphy lab 2X's better than a $6K non Murphy lab and the answer is always going to be NO. At that price point, you're not paying more for quality, playability, tunability, tone etc, you're paying for the aesthetics and maybe some nostalgia and subjective preference. The Murphy lab guitar is most certainly NOT 2X's as good as the non Murphy but a $500 guitar can easily be constructed with better parts and higher QC therefor well worth twice the $250 guitar.
Can give exact percentage on how much better his cnc machine made guitar is than the other cnc made guitar...but cant give exact percentage it cost compared lol
Wow I did not expect this coming from a Gibson guy... Sounds legit tho, I had Les Pauls from 2019, 2015, 2010 and 2006. The oldest I bought the better they got.
The mid 2000s and later Gibsons are typically great in my experience. I swear since around 2009 they’ve slowly gotten worse. Since they created the 50s and 60s models in I believe late 2019 they’ve slowly gotten a little better but nothing like they used to be
I must say, your analogy is spot on. Gibson prices are ridiculous for what it's worth. The age whereby fools buy guitar thinking more expensive must be better, is gone. I had 2 Gibsons and both sold because of quality issues. Currently, I am a PRS user and I am loving it.
Jordan, This is the first time I am hearing the new Gibsons 2019 and newer, have an issue staying in tune or overall poor quality issues, Why are you the only one saying this?
Gosh this was hard to watch. All respect brother but you need to talk to some people and do alittle more research. You just sound like a kid. There is so much that goes into the pricing of a guitar. The law of finishing returns plays into here. The Gibson custom shop is a totally separate company than Gibson USA. The new Gibson standards are honest to god amazing and an amazing deal. Post 2015 Gibson went under a massive overhaul. Also look at the market. Gibson isn’t the only one charging these prices. Fender, PRS, they all are in that realm. Also the way you equate price to being half as good is such a flawed way of thinking. I could go on for a long time but I wish you the best.
I disagree. Gibson is the best! I recently purchased an SG Standard and its a great instrument. I traded a Les Paul Standard some time back, I've regretted it ever since. Let's not forget all the electric guitar designs based on Gibson models.
I also wonder about people who complain about the Gibson prices; do they not know how to haggle? I currently own 4 Gibsons (used to own 5), and I never paid full sticker price for any of them. The most I paid for any Gibson, was $1700 USD (before tax) for my 2009 Traditional, which I purchased new. I only paid $415 USD (that’s after tax!) for my 2012 LP Jr. Special, which I purchased new.; I traded in an ESP B-50 bass that had been sitting in my closet, collecting dust.
Hello. well, I dont have much experience with gibsons. I only have a slash standard and it stays in tune much better than a hard tail strat I have or a floyd rose charvel. My gibson always stays in the case when not played and when I pick it after 1 week, I just give it some small ajustments in the tunning. But I cant compare it to other gibsons
I bought a 2018 Gibson after decades of playing; best guitar I’ve ever owned. Then last week I bought a 2003 Studio, which was even better. I can’t see how paying thousands more is going to get a better guitar. Maybe slightly, but not worth the large increase in price for increasingly small improvements. Buy an old one that’s already proven it’ll hold its worth. Mine was £699 when it came out, I bought it for £850 (2003 Studio with vintage Gretsch case).
Amen! I got a Custom Shop LP Jr. for a bargain of a price (music store sale) and the thing sounds great, plays great and stays in tune! Full price it would have been over 4k! I got it for almost half by luck. All the "normal" Gibsons I tried new in store left me seriously unimpressed. You're absolutely right.
Nope standards are great especially the few last years. Don’t know where you’re getting this from. These guitars are Pleked from the factory so all setups should be within 1% tolerance of each other 👍🏼 fine tune from there. Don’t be so picky, pick up the guitar and enjoy it. If it inspires you then that’s all that matters.
I just bought a used LP Traditional Pro V in transparent ebony. These are the GC/musicians friend exclusive ones. Paid 2200 after tax. Retail is 3200 on these. I love it. Seriously really good Tone options with the hp4 board. It resonates really good. Nice low action. Pretty nice top it's not flamy in all directions but i like it. The binding is scraped too low in spots, giving a little ledge in spots. The nut is cut very nice it stays in tune for a day or two. And i suck and play metal riffs pretty aggressivly. The rosewood board is pretty stripy but again i kinda like it. The frets are really leval, must have been plek'd. Frets felt kinda small at first but I've gotten used to them and really like them now. The A-symetrical neck is really worth mentioning and trying out. I think it's really comfortable. It gives your thumb the perfect angle for chords and playing notes. Just seems like it makes it easier to bend the wrist and curl your fingers up around the face of the fretboard. For 1200 dollars cheaper than new i can live with little things. Admitedly i don't really give a crap about being a little different and not really "traditional" there's millions of the same looking Les Paul's out there. I like the modern ones. One thing i'm not super hot on is, it stinks.. it doesn't smell like vanilla it smells like chemicals. And i do not keep it in the case. Maybe it will gas off eventually.
Like everything, there’s exceptions. I have a 2011 trad pro, 60s neck, med jumbo frets, Alnico 3 and classic, plecked , metal Jack plate, wine red. It plays and sounds amazing, players are blown when they plug it in. Bought off the rack at GC 2011, never looked back. I haven’t been looking and we know they’ve had CEOs jump ship. I hope they get it together.
I personally love my gibson les paul standard 60's unburst, the only qualm I have is their price in the same respect as how expensive marshall amps are in the US for the price, it's the same for gibson usa (I live in the UK so prices range from £2,200-2500) when you could buy a maybach or an eastman at much better quality and nicer looking woods for the money, I have played many gibson in denmark street (this was 2016 so pre-bankruptcy) and those were the biggest hit and misses I have had in my experience of playing guitar, went to loads of shops and the first few I played were lack luster (and £3500 at the time!) and there was one honeyburst which was a beauty to play and sounded class, my unburst defo has a smaller neck profile than whatever they were going for at that time and as a guy with small hands I have a much better time playing the 60's ranged stuff. I think if you went to a shop play one and REALLY make sure it is what you want and that the guitar is up to your expectations, if it's not then move on try a different one or a different guitar entirely (meaning non gibson related) personally as a englishman Epiphone has a much richer history in music for us, such as the beatles, the rolling stones, the jam, oasis ect. so they are seen as more desirable and also are much better value for money, my crestwood (polaris white) and my signature noel gallagher riviera are both works of art and I will admit the fit and finish in my opinion were nicer than when I got my gibson les paul brand new.
You've been playing the wrong Gibson's. You said, "I wouldn't touch a Gibson made in the last 15 years." Foolish. They've cranked out some of their best, most modern takes on the guitars in the past 8 years. Mind you, it would be more dope if they included stainless steel frets as an option after so long. That being said though, the HP and Modern lines of Gibson's are pretty solid. Personally prefer the High Performance ones over the Moderns, but the changes are relatively minute between the years. All that being said, if you're having trouble with your tuning stability, it could be chalked up to how hard you're playing your strings when strummed/picked, also could help to use a higher stringer gauge, you could also just get some new tuners. The stock USA Gibson brand Kluson style tuners are straight garbage. Tons of options for better tuning at great prices all over EBay to fix that. Not to mention, if it's USA level, it's a production line v.s the Custom Shop where they put explicitly more time into it. This has been an issue with production line guitar building since its inception. It could be toward the end of the day, so they're rushing to get out. Maybe it's a Monday and they partied too hard on the weekend. When there's more hands on the project there's more short comings, but when it's the custom shop, only the top guitar builders are working there after proving themselves for years. Also, the reason Gibson hasn't changed it's product lines too much over the years to compensate for their issues, like easier headstock breaks and tuning stability issues, is because when they do, they lose money. The people who shell out money for BRAND NEW Gibson's want as close to the original as they can get (usually). But if you've ever tried to source, the lumber, gather the components you're going to use to build it, invest in the tools needed for guitar production, buy the products associated with finishing it, like sandpapers/dyes/clear coats, then accessories like tuners, bridges, tail pieces, and guitar nut materials, then shaping all of it through trial and error yourself, their costs honestly make sense as much as I want to deny it. The main reason people shit on guitars that cost as much as Gibson, PRS, and higher end Fenders is because they've become accustomed to seeing what import guitars can accomplish these days thanks to improvements in CNC technology. What those importers don't tell you is that the people who build those guitars don't get nearly as much for their work due to the cost of living in their country and crappy worker wage protections. Albeit I hear Epiphone's Chinese factory workers are paid relatively well, but thanks to them there's influx of fake Gibson's that get made thanks to the knowledge the Epiphone factory was able to provide to Chinese workers resulting in a boom of them on Ali Express and EBay. Bigger name brands invite bigger challenges. Like advertisements, branding, trademark enforcements, merchandising, worker liability and what have you all have costs, and the customers eat those costs when buying them. Also the plethora of other Gibson's you played, could've potentially had crappy set ups. Gibson has its flaws for sure, but they wouldn't have such a thriving resale market if they weren't doing what they're supposed. Making decent guitars.
It’s quite sad. I have always been a PRS dude but I wanted to venture out a bit so I went with Gibson. Ordered and ES-335 figured for around 4K. It was an absolute mess. So many issues. Broken nut, pickup rings loose, buzzing, fretting out on the upper register on the high e. I was really bummed. I have been wanting an ES-335 for a while. Sent it back and replaced it with a PRS McCarty 594. Amazing guitar. The whole ordeal made me sad. I thought folks were over exaggerating…I was wrong
What do you think? Should you still buy a Gibson?
I own 8 Gibsons and I’ve never had a quality control issue. They’re fantastic guitars top to bottom
That’s great! Everyone I’ve owned has been great too and they’re my favorite guitar brand but to find those great ones I’ve had to try many underwhelming Gibsons
I'm not a fancy guitar guy, but i got a les paul tribute on sale a few months ago and i love it...stripped back, maple neck, satin finish..
I purchased my first brand new Les Paul back in 1977 (a Les Paul Deluxe), it was a fantastic guitar (especially for only $585 w/HSC).
Since then I've only purchase used/older Les Paul/Gibson. I honestly can't speak to what Gibson USA is currently building.
My advise to anyone, keep your eyes open and purchase an older instrument used.
As for the Custom Shop instruments, I think it goes without saying that ANY manufacturer's Custom Shop is a safe purchase.
As to the high costs of the better instruments, you only get what you pay for. Back in 1976 I spent $400 for a brand new Fender Twin Reverb, that was crazy expensive back then.
As costly as that Twin Reverb was, I still have that same amplifier and regularly use it! That $400 cost spread over all these decades of use made that amplifier a good bargain, the same could be said for a Custom Shop guitar that was kept and played over many decades.
Just my $.02 Cents, initially spend more and play the long-game.
Owning four Gibson guitars and I’d agree with your point of view, three out of the four I own are older guitars built in the 90s. One has cosmetic QC issues but it’s one of the best playing and sounding guitars I own. For the Les Paul, my approach was playing every one I could get my hands on before buying one. After five years I bought a newer used Les Paul and it’s awesome. Along with your advice on investing in a custom shop I’d say be really patient and the time spent looking for one will pay off.
Guys says don’t buy a Gibson, as he holds a custom shop in his hands… ok buddy….
yeah he's a clown, typical youtuber.
That’s the first thing I thought of hahah. The guy doesn’t have a clue
I think you’re completely miss guided. your analogy really doesn’t work. it’s not that a VOS is twice as good as an assembly line model. It’s twice as expensive because it has one luthier working individually. Labor costs go way up . the second point is almost all Gibsons can be set up to play well, this holds true for any decent Guitar manufacturer . It’s frustrating to me. I think a lot of people believe they can pick up a guitar off the rack and assume it’s perfect for them. It doesn’t work like that . There’s many variables that go into a guitar playing specifically well for you. The obvious ones are string gauge, action and intonation.
Until you have a Guitar set up correctly for your individual preference and play it for a while you really have no idea if the guitar is good or not. I think the vast majority of Gibson guitars play just fine. Assuming their owner understands what needs to be done.
I own 7 Gibson guitars. They are 30 yrs to 2 yrs. They all play great, feel great, stay in tune, and sound incredible. This good 'ol boy does not know what he is ranting about
He owns three Gibsons, including a custom shop, but he's out here telling everyone not to buy a Gibson =)))
GIbson is a business. The responsibility of a good purchase fall to the buyer.
Gibson charges what the market is WILLING to spend.
If people stop buying gibsons they will drop prices. It is our fault that standard gibsons go for 3k and custom shops for 6-7k.
But something to remember when it comes to reliability issues, you will only hear about an issue, someone who receives a perfectly good guitar will usually not go public about it.
Gibson makes MILLIONS of guitars each year and as it has always been, there are bound to be some friday afternoon quality checks...
There is a large amount of people complaining about a Gibson product, but compare it to the millions of instruments that make it to their owners without faults, that's a small fraction.
And the fact that you can find a lot of imperfect Gibsons in stores is a result of them not being sold, being flawed, the good ones just don't stay in the store long enough.
I used to hunt for flawed instruments back in the day, mostly finish or hardware flaws, nothing constructional, waiting for their listing price to drop over time being stuck in the store and not getting sold. You'd be AMAZED at how much of that retail price you see in the website is a dealer's profit. It's alot. And of course official dealers have to list them at specific prices.
All in all, yeah, don't buy a gibson AT THE ASKED PRICE.
Your odds of getting a bad one are the same as with every other manufacturing process, it is just the price that is high enough to render flaws unacceptable in our minds.
Get a deal, the dealers can do it.
Use the warranty terms, return a bad instrument or request a fix/replacement. These terms are partially what you paid for.
Go to the stores and play the damn things, see and feel which ones are the good ones. Even if you order a perfectly good instrument you may not vibe with it enough.
Ask the stores when they expect new deliveries or ask them to give you a call when they have new instruments for sale. Be there to check them out cause the good ones will disappear quickly.
And if you find flaws on a guitar, use them as a bargaining opportunity. THATS WHAT THEY DID IN THE 50s, they did not reject a good instrument simply because it had glue squeeze or lacquer overspray or a scratched finish. If the guitar was good they would cut a deal and get a good guitar at a lower price.
100%
Sorry but this is totally off base. I’ve played hundreds of Les Pauls. i’ve had my hands on vintage les pauls from the 70s 80s 90s etc.. I currently own a Les Paul traditional, pro V from 2017 and it’s one of the best guitars I’ve ever played. It comes with locking tuners, and I can play the thing for hours without going out of tune. The only people who complain about quality control with Gibson are people who are buying and selling them for profit. Guys who actually use the instruments on stage touring will scratch the damn things up within the first couple shows. And those quality problems as people call them can be found in plenty of other guitar companies as well, But there isn’t a bandwagon to go after all of them. I suggest doing the smart thing if you’re going to buy a guitar. Play the thing before you buy it. It goes for any brand. Don’t pay attention to price because some of the best less poles I’ve ever played were considered lower end. Because they didn’t have the fancy headstock or insane inlays.
2 things:
1. You are misunderstanding the factors quality and scarcity both affecting prices in different weights.
2. I don't trust a guy's opinión who doesn't know how to string a guitar.
Just got a new Standard a few months back and it is great. Love it , no issues.
I agree, i own a standard and its amazing. It seems like Jordan is bent out of shape at Gibson about something.
I have two LP Standard 50's from '21-'22 and they are outstanding instruments. My gold top is the best sounding guitar I've ever owned (and I've owned A LOT of guitars.
Same here, I have nothing negative to say about the brand. I own some Fenders, also have a couple of Warmoth’s I assembled and I’ve played tons of brands. I own 5 Gibsons ( 3 SG’s and 2 LP’s ) and each one plays great honestly. Something happened which must’ve pissed in this kids Wheaties.
I just got a Studio and it’s one of my favorite guitars I’ve ever owned.
@@davidhurley5032 same
For people saying "Just get an Epiphone", I have Epiphone and Gibson LPs. You're comparing apples with oranges. They are different.
If you prefer Gibson, like me, get a Gibson.
💯🏆👍🏻
Agreed - the Epiphones look similar, but they don't play or sound the same. Not bad guitars on their own, but not the same as a Gibson.
My first real gigging guitar was a Les Paul Epiphone. I finally got up enough money from graduation to get a real Gibson Les Paul. I blew the Epip away!
An Epiphone Custom Les Paul are just as good as Gibson tribute Les Paul.
@@fancykarlmarx 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Got a LP Classic honeyburst 2022 ( the one with the lighter body and the Zebra pickups ) for 2 grands and it is amazing. 0 regrets
I actually picked up a used Epiphone 60s standard for $350. It was like brand new. I got it professionally setup and honestly it plays just as good my Les Paul. I am perplexed and completely shocked how good it is.. and when I play live, I do not feel worried about damaging or getting my $3000 Les Paul stolen . I am not sure will ever pay that much for a Les Paul anymore.
I went Japanese. I got myself an Edwards for $800 and I would easily say it is on par with the $7000 gibsons. Burny is another great alternative
Hahaha same man same here. I went Japanese and bought a Fujigen Neo Classic.
I've had players and luthiers say it plays and feels better than USA made Gibsons. And I must say, I agree.
Even if I didn't own it, I'd have the same opinion. I have enough high end guitars at this point to know the differences.
Japan all the way 💯💯💯
I got a 90 Edwards that’s weighs 12 pounds super solid and toneful
@ehsanhaq155 It’s insane to me that Japanese guitars aren’t loved more in the USA. You’re paying more for less by buying a USA guitar over Japanese.
I bought a gibson last year. I was so impressed I bought another.
Same here they are a good company . You took word out my mouth😂❤
Same, one USA and one Custom Shop
yeah me too, both sound great. i have a vintage one from the very early 70s, fit and finish are better on the modern ones
Literally same here.
I have no idea what this kid is talking about. I have a ‘57 Murphy Lab Gold Top and it’s amazing. But, I also have a regular 50’s Standard and it’s amazing as well. Neither of them have tuning problems. They both sound excellent.
He doesn’t understand marketing. There always has to be a “better and more expensive” version to make guitarists feel the need to upgrade. The standard is as good as it gets. The custom shop stuff is a standard plus aging.
I just bought a SG standard from their demo shop (Reverb) and the guitar is absolutely awesome... I have no qualms or regrets for buying it, even as a demo item.
Good to hear🤘
I own three SG’s and two Les Pauls and I can honestly say each one plays fantastically, they stay in tune and I’m able to get that action nice and low without creating a fret buzz. Don’t know if I just got lucky or what not but I don’t think Gibson deserves the bashing it gets so often.
@@TommySG1it doesn’t deserve it at all. Rock and roll was built on the backs of Gibson and Fender. That should tell you all you need to know right there.
@@Joey_McElroyprecisely.
Yeah this is how it typically works. People who actually own Gibsons know how great they are. People who just watch RUclips vids about them talk shit.
Heritage is a really good alternative. And I’ll be honest, an Epiphone Les Paul is not a bad choice. Especially if you do some upgrades . There are alot of choices
Definitely, I forgot to mention heritage guitars as a possible alternative. But they are cheaper and really solid guitars
@@JordanSteele I have a Heritage Les Paul style (H150) from 2009. It's way better than a Les Paul I have. I also have a Heritage archtop which is a fantastic guitar. The best cheap Gibson style guitar is an Epiphone from the 1990s made at the Korean Samick factory. You get one of these and put some Gibson Classic 57 pickups in which are great in SG style guitars. You can also replace the bridge which is not that great. Then you have a fantastic guitar at a fraction of the price of a Gibson. I have one of these. It's one of my favorites and I have other guitars at literally ten times what this Epiphone cost me.
Heritage is my next purchase
An Epiphone is not a Gibson, its a chibson company owned by Gibson.
As a Epiphone left handed player I have try many Gibson Les Paul lefty and i was very disappointed of feel and playability and sound . Still searching. My Chibson Epiphone « Less Paul Bastard » is a tone beast with Seymour Duncan pickups .
I respectfully disagree. I have several "$3000" Gibsons (and some more expensive) that are great. Maybe I have gotten lucky but I am happy with all of my Les Pauls, Firebirds and 335.
the video maker has no fucking clue.
There are more outstanding Gibsons, than not.
Me too. The first Gibson i ever played was shit. But i never ever held a Gibson from the Custom Shop in my hands that wasnt good. They were all brilliant made guitars. From 3k up to 13k. And i would never ever give away my R8 from 2016.
I have to disagree here. The Custom shop stuff is nice but does not jutify the prices they are. You have to remember the law of diminishing returns when it comes to expensive custom shop guitars. You're talking spending more than double for a Custom shop reissue than for a production line Standard but you will not get anywhere close to it being twice as better as the production model. Usually it's like a 5-10% difference max but even then, you have to ask yourself, is that extra 5% of guitar worth paying more than double for?
I have bought 2 new gibsons in the past 3 years and all of them have been flawless guitars. Lets hearken back to 2015-16, firewood. Gibson has massively improved their quality control since 2019. Every single 2019 + gibson ive played has been flawless.
Sorry but don't agree at all...I own one of the new standard faded 50's and it is such a great guitare. I also own an Epiphone custom pro, which is one of the top epiphone's guitare now a days and the Gibson is way better in terms of quality.
Of course a custom shop will be better than the standard ones but not like 50% better, what ever that could mean...the price is like 40 or 50% more expensive but the guitare may be like 10% better that's it...and if you re Lucky maybe less than that.
Anyway as an owner of one of those guitars you re talking about I can definitly recommand them as they are great instruments indeed
You do understand in 59 Gibson only made like 1500 hundred les Paul’s total? Gibson makes that in two or three days now. Of course they won’t have the same quality.
I just bought a 2023 1959 50s standard Wildwood spec 59 actually and it sounded better than two custom actually outstanding
I've got a WW 50's too. Unburst finish. Along with a Custom Shop 1995 R8. I love them both.
All the rich 50yr old Dentists in the comments😂 Look if you’re 20 and a working musician, Gibson is not for you. They’re no longer for the working musician, they’re just a bougie brand.
Depends. If your right handed then your statement isn't true unless you insist on having only new guitars. I've seen sub 1K Studio's out there, and if you're right handed there has got to be several say $1,500 Les Paul Standards. I wouldn't know because I'm left handed.
I am 23 and traded 4 of my Gibson LP for a Murphy Lab R8, first time I ever hear somebody generalise, claiming Gibson is not for people in their 20s.
The price is relative
I've had over 5000 guitars in my hands in my lifetime & have never owned a Gibson. Les Paul's are so unbalanced, if you sit down with one on your right knee it will just slide down & smash on the floor if you don't have a hand holding it. They're too high waisted... I'd rather have a strat any day & if I was going to spend $6,000 I'd get a James Tyler, single coils are more transparent & don't sound like a big mush ball when you play fast or on the low strings. For mahogany guitars if I had get one, the new Paul Reed Smith's they've really been stepping up their game & they're more balanced when you hold them. I worked on 2 new David grissom (whoever that is) PRS's, a $5000 gold top, & the SE $800 version as well... both were better than any new Les Paul I've played... I've even worked on a $12,000 Murphy's lab Les Paul & I've played epiphone's that were just as good... No matter if you buy a standard or a custom shop, both are being made by a CNC machine
Oh wow! I’ve slowly have been looking at some of the PRS guitars. They definitely seem to win on the consistency and quality department. I hear great things about the David Grissom model too
@Hope Browning you don't know what you're talkin about.
i'll never own a gibson ever again. once you discover japanese brands, you'll never go back. Navigator is the best of the best. Crews Maniac sound as well.
I just bought a 2023 Blueberry Burst Standard. It’s a dream guitar, perfection. I also have a 93 Standard. Still rocks.
Epiphones from 2020 onward are fantastic. Unless you are buying Gibson for the investment, I’ll tour and record with new epiphones without question.
Unless you're a pro playing big gigs and want that Gibson logo to look the part just buy an Inspired by Gibson series Epiphone. They are so good for the money. I've got 3 of em. My 2019 Gibson Studio was a quality control nightmare. It was literally unplayable. I was so disappointed. Only thing I've needed to do to the Epi's is change those nasty factory strings, set the action an replace a faulty switch. They've never made me feel ripped off..
My favorite one is the Satin finished 60’s Gibson Standard they just came out with. You definitely get quality if you buy 2022+ Gibson is doing phenomenal!
In 1959 $300 was a lot of money. That could be 1/2 a year wages. Although gas was fifty cents/ gal. I bought a ‘66 Candy apple red strat for $275 and a ‘65 Super Reverb for $300 in 1970. It seems every one is buying the “Muphry Labs” Gibsons. Many people argue the quality of wood was better in the 50s. A buddy and I took his ‘64 Strat and my ‘95 Strat and did non-empirical test. Our conclusion… they both sounded like Strats. Actually my bridge pickup sounded better- his Strat needs rewound. It’s crazy though to do the math on how much it costs to be a professional that need’s quality tools. Remember… everybody wants paid.
Gas was even cheaper than that. .31 a gallon. Imagine that.
I disagree because I’ve played several R9s and they were dead… I played a 2016 traditional that was phenomenal! As well as an hp from the same year that blew me away… one man’s opinion is respected but it’s not law…
You logic is a bit flawed in my opinion. While I agree Gibsons prices are inflated for the guitar itself, its important to understand that price is built from a combination of factors- the guitar quality, and the brand, being two. Louis Vuitton handbags are a perfect example- the prices are wildly overpriced for the bag itself, but people are willing to pay because of the brand and its status in the world. Gibson also enjoys being a brand with a heritage that allows it to charge a premium for its guitars. That may be frustrating to some, but that's just that way the world works. And like all premium products, the price difference between great and amazing is always an exponential jump in price for only marginal improvements. This is also the case with a standard vs an R9. There is not a huge difference in these guitars but a huge price difference- and this is normal for premium products. That doesn't mean the Standard is 50% of an R9. Its more like 90% of an R9. Because of this I personally think the new standards are a much better value than the R9. But maybe I'm biased because I love my Wildwood 2021 50s standard.
Guitar quality, my ass!
Why do Gibson headstocks break at a disproportionately higher rate than every other guitar brand?
Why do Gibsons have WELL-DOCUMENTED tuning stability issues that most brands don't?
And have you seen Glenn Fricker's review of the *Gibson* Dave Mustaine V (and yes, I do mean Gibson, not Epiphone, Kramer, or any other brand under the Gibson umbrella)? $2800 for a fucked up paint job is a SCAM, along with an accurate representation of Gibson's quality control issues.
What Gibson is REALLY charging you for is 2% for the guitar itself, and 98% for the badge on the headstock. You're paying for the Gibson name, end of story.
@dionr1168 Reread it. He’s not saying the guitars are higher quality than their competition. He directly compared it to a luxury handbag, which just also happens to be a trap for those chasing status. Luxury clothes and accessories are hilariously low quality for their prices, it’s an apt comparison.
@dionr1168 the headstock angle,or design has nothing to do with the quality of the guitar itself.
I don't understand. We are in the year 2023, and there are many ways to go around QC issues, how is a company with the cache of Gibson STILL having QC issues?!?!
I think they’re just trying to sell as many as possible and so qc inevitably lacks. I’m sure there’s some great ones still but it’s a lot of money to take a chance
I think this QC issue is a myth. I have bought several Gibson guitars over the past 30 years. They are all awesome.
@bigdaddystinkeye It’s definitely not a myth lmao. You got lucky, Gibson, like every other guitar maker has lemons. However, Gibson just happens to have more lemons than their competition. The majority of their guitars are still good, but the risk is too high for most to consider over less expensive competitors of similar quality.
there will always be certain groups of guitar players and enthusiasts who will hate some guitar make or brand for some reason, not just Gibson. I imagine Gibson is an easy mark for criticism, because they've been around for120yrs, and still manage to sell some 17,000 units worldwide per year, not including profits from EPI and Kramer.
The funny thing is that the majority of these "haters" would never say no to owning and playing one for free, and some even go to the ridiculous extent of spending a few hundred bucks on cheap knockoffs that have counterfeit Gibson branding. This doesn't sound like hate as much as just simple resentment. If you hate something, then you usually want nothing to do with it at all. The fact is that all guitar companies, not just Gibson, adjust prices to market demand. In the end, they want to sell the products they make, and they do
Well said
@@JordanSteele thanks man ... rock on !
They wouldn’t say no to owning one for free because they can sell them for a grand or more, not because they want to play it lmfao. You can walk into any Guitar Center in America and play a Gibson for free, nobody does anymore because there’s just better options for less money. Gibsons have a certain feel, if that’s what you’re after, go ahead, but you’re really just paying for the headstock at the end of the day.
@@watersnortmoment3734 perhaps that's what you would do, but your opinion is certainly no measure of what everyone thinks & does. How do you know what everyone would do if given a Gibson, or what "nobody does anymore" at "any Guitar Center"? You mostly sound naive
@0:38 yadda yadda yadda. The QC stuff has been BAD not just with Gibson, so you're just cherry picking. MANY Strats, particularly the Ultra series, have serious fretboard issues, and they still can't get rid off "stratitis desease."
Buy used...you can get a killer Gibson LP for 2k or under if you wait for the right one to pop up. I have a 2012 Traditional Plus that is easily the best guitar I own and kills any more expensive LP iv'e played yet. Best thing is to be able to play it before buying to weed out any with QC issues, though understandably that can be prohibitive for some.
Definitely recommend buying used unless a guitar just absolutely speaks to you
There’s literally no reason to ever buy a new guitar. Every brand new guitar I’ve bought ends up with some sort of finish flaw or imperfection, even beyond the $1000 mark, so now I buy used no matter what. A small blemish on a used guitar won’t bother anyone, however on a brand new guitar it’s a travesty. It’s cheaper to buy used, you get the same resale value if you get bored of it, the quality is still the same, and 9 times out of 10, you end up with a free setup out of the metaphorical box. Used Gibsons are actually a decent value proposition, but brand new, there’s better options for the price. Same thing with the “new” Epiphones, 1600 for an Epiphone is robbery when an actual used Gibson costs less for a better instrument.
I have worked as a gigging musician my whole life. ( 40+ years)
Currently, for the last 3 years my pricey stuff is in storage and I have gigged with a 155$ Grote thinline and a 89$ Grote strat I installed 33$ worth of alnico pickups in.
The guitars have worked flawlessly.
I never worry about em when I am on break. I never worry when i leave em on stage after soundcheck.
I never worry when my cat falls asleep on one.
Playing these value priced axes has been a lovely, liberating experience.
Highly recommended for peace of mind.
Part of me wonders if when RUclipsrs bash Gibson, they are hoping Gibson will give them a free Les Paul to "change their mind" like they did with Rhett shull lol. Seriously though you find a decent Les Paul, which the many of the classic series are excellent for under $2k and youre good to go. I have a prs that's an excellent guitar but it's not a Les Paul, it can never be. Many guitars are a magical sum of their parts and history. That why vintage Gibson's are the most valuable guitars to own. They are a work of art and originality. Sure there are guitars better in every category, but they'll never be a Les Paul , rant over
Dude absolutely! There’s nothing like a great Les Paul.
I don’t know that I agree w all he said. Yeah, Gibson guitars are ridiculously expensive, and quality control is somewhat lacking for sure. But to say don’t buy a Gibson if it’s not custom shop… idk. Although I am a tele player thru and thru, I have to say, my LP 50s w P90s is the best sounding guitar I ever had. But it’s all subjective to one’s feel and taste. Personally, I think Gibsons would fare much better w younger players if pricing wasn’t such an issue.
Thanks for your input Diego! I appreciate your feedback
2021 classic is killer cant knock it out of tune killer tones and can be had used for 2400 , wouldn't hesitate to buy or recommend.
I’ve gigged an Epi LP my kids gave me for Father’s Day day in 94. Korean made in the Samick factory. It’s a wonderful guitar. I put Duncan PAFs, set of NOS 59 caps, and switchcraft gear. It’s been all over the country with me ever since. She needs a re-fret, and there’s nobody around me to do it, and to be honest, it’s got so much sentimental value I don’t want to take it out anymore.
So, I started looking to get another one. It came down to me refusing to pay over a grand for a Chinese made guitar. So I bought a ‘23 Gibson Studio LP in bourbonburst. It’s a wonderful guitar. I had one little issue with it, which they took care of as soon as I told them. Been gigging it several times a week for a year now.
I bought a Les Paul traditional 2019 for a bargain price at long Mcquade ( brand new old stock) cherry it has all the bell and whistles of a 58. Over 10 pounds. I swictch the trust rod to a blank one. It’s basically a 58 specs with a baseball ball. No stupid push pull etc. It’s stays in tune and I love it. I also bought an Adam jones standard . Plays amazing I love silver burst. And this model actually looks more like the original 1979 than the other out there. Same thing a boat anchors heavy , Grover tuners stays in tuned etc. And my next go to will be a custom shop white tuxedo custom. ❤❤love your video btw 👍🏻🤘🏻
Let them talk, I found a les paul special tribute for 800 bucks and aftet I put an new alum bridge on it I can sound like FreddyvKing! Judge each instrument on it's own merits. A bad workman etc. Here in the UK we are a bit poorer as teenagers so have to make the best of what we get our hands on. Don't think too much it's all marketing strategem, an instrument for every budget that's all. The cheaper ones are 90% as good as the early ones.They have done a sterling job with their range. At the end of the day a Guitar is worth what a person is prepared to pay.
I would just pick up a PRS. I know the Gibson defense force is going to reply but I’m just saying what I think. You shouldn’t have to dig to “find a good one” and I’ve heard many people say the same thing. Rework the headstock so it stays in tune.
“Finding a good one” is just their justification for poor quality control. That line only speaks volumes about Gibson’s consistency. The funny thing about the headstock is that they’ve actually changed it before. However, their more rabid and least intelligent fans lost their minds because of the lack of tradition. The fans themselves caused Gibson’s downfall by holding them back and forcing them to abandon innovation. The people buying Gibsons just eat up marketing.
I was really surprised to see this. I was actually thinking the other day that Gibson was doing some nice things right now and I was wondering if we were going to look back on this as a “good era”. I’m fortunate to have a few Les Paul’s from the past 4 years and they all have their thing. No issues with build quality and I didn’t have to spend years finding a good one like it’s the lost ark or something. One of the shops that I speak to regularly was just saying how you’d find a 1 or 2 really stellar examples out of every 10 guitars like 10 years ago and now it’s like 6 or 7.
I certainly wouldn’t say “don’t buy a Gibson now.” I really think now is the time you will find something really nice with much less effort. Talk to a big dealer and they can help too.
At any rate, to each his own.
I bought a LP Standard 50s last week and it's amazing.
They are, Jordan is the only one complaining
@@johnmckenna4256No, he ain't the only one. People have been saying this for years, and if you think Jordan is alone in having this mindset, you're seriously narrow minded.
I have an 09 Gibson Les Paul Studio that I bought brand new for $1000 and spent a few hundred bucks on top of that this year upgrading the electronics and some better sounding pickups and now its everything I wanted. Id never pay the prices theyre asking right now for a Standard or even a new Studio.
Those are some great studios right there. Definitely as good as a standard
my experience with Gibson has been great. I just bought a $3000 slash November burst and it kicks ass. I thought it would be comparable to my $1500 ltd ec-1000 evertune but it's a noticeable step up. Idk, Gibson's audience doesn't like change and it's inhibiting Gibson's ability to expand its customer base. I wouldn't be surprised if Gibson was acquired by a more successful company in the future, so I wanted to get a real one while I could.
Here's the thing. You can buy other name guitars but when you sell are you gonna get your value back out. That fancy name on the headstock does help in holding its value IMHO.
That’s definitely a factor and true
Here’s the thing. Buy used. “But m-m-muh resale!” Ok, cool, you bought it depreciated the resale value remains the exact same.
Even i dont pretend my 1960 strat is much better than a new regular usa made one
I have a LP 90's studio, SG standard, 2010 USA LP std, ANd 2022 LP standard faded and never had a tuning problem and they play FANTASTIC!!
No offence son but you might well be talking absolute bollox. True though, that they are all way too expensive. But I've owned lots with no real duffers. And some stunners from 500 to 3000. Each unto his own. Or have a chat to someone who knows like George gruhn. Cheers mate.
Gibsons are my favorite guitars I’ve owned around 10 in the last 13 years and have played 100s of them. But in my experience to find a great one you have to go through a bunch of bad ones. The funny thing is I’ve talked to George Gruhn he told me he thinks the original 50s Les pauls were basically junk as I was standing next to one of the ones he had at his shop. He loves old acoustics from the 1800s
I could never get on with Les Paul's but when I tried out a 2009 one it blew me away! I still have it now and it was black but now it is honeyburst and it is just amazing. I believe the new ones have been a let down and agree with what you are saying!
Tell us how you really feel.....
I love Gibsons but I think calling the new $3k Les Paul an actual standard is a lie
Calling it a *historically accurate standard is a lie
I call bullshit. Les paul standards are great guitars. Keep in mind off the shelf set up is garbage
I've owned a ton of vintage Gibsons...in the late 70s fifties Gibson's were not expensive. I now own a 2018 sg junior that is every bit as good as any 60s sg's I've had...better than most of em. It's not a custom shop guitar but it was a limited run. Phenomenal guitar
Gotcha. There’s something super cool about the sg juniors I’d like to have one at some point
I have a 2018 SG junior as well, has the cool script logo and the banner logo on the back of the headstock. Absolutely phenomenal guitar. Nope not a custom shop. But still amazing!
I have a 2013 les Paul standard that has no issues . I have to say I’ve owned 3 Gibsons prior to my 2013 that did have tuning stability problems . Love my 2013 and won’t ever sell it .
If you have a Gibson with tuning issues, 99.9999999% of the time it’s because of the nut slots not being cut properly. It’s a simple and inexpensive fix, which should be done when you have your guitar setup. In my 33 years of owning Gibsons, I have yet to have one that was perfectly setup at the factory. Hell, that goes for every brand of guitar I own.
For me ( born 62) if i walk past a Les Pauls or a cool old shool strat all that famous music comes up in my mind and it pulls me into that shop like a Zombie
Heritage is awesome, also i have an Eastman sb59/v i love it! I have several les paul guitars and I love them all too.... i rotate thru all my guitars for gigs, but my Eastman is the best for me... as far as staying in tune as long as the nut is cut properly and throw on some locking tuners i have no issue with staying in tune...tone wise i think gibson pickups could be better, my Eastman came with lollar pickups and they sound so good I'm thinking about putting them in my les paul.... one thing i would recommend if people are dead set on a les paul check out wildwood guitars, you can get a "standard" but with a wildwood spec flame top for $3k and honestly it looks as good as my custom shop...maybe even better
That’s good to know
Just purchased 2020 les paul standard and this video popped up on my page now😢😂 i disagree that motto “ half price= half quality” I owned 2011 lp standard which had chambered body. I realized chambered body is not my thing. I dont feel like i m playing a les paul. I beileve your 2007 lp has chambered body too
I love the chambered body
The original 59 Standards were $375 in 1959, translating to $5000 today based on inflation. So at $6500, they aren't too off, considering they are precise recreations of the ones made back in the day. If you understand basic economics and production challenges - they are priced exactly as they should be. This whole video is pointless.
In 1989, when I was 14 I bought a Epiphone Les Paul standard for $400. I had to work for that money believe me. Anyway, maybe it was special or something, but I never felt the need to buy another electric guitar. Tried a bunch of different pickups, but wound up with some Anderson splitable humbuckers and called it good. Can't imagine paying even 3k for a guitar.
That’s really cool. When you find the right one that’s all you need
I had a Korean Epiphone Standard that was rock solid. It was one of the best guitars and I traded it, completely regret it.
That’s unfortunate. I feel I’ve traded some great guitars too. It sucks
I've got 8 Epiphones 4 LP's and 4 SG's and they suit me just fine. I've done mod's on all of them and put Gibson pup's in them all except for my 59' LP that already had them in it, replaced the switches to Switchcraft and put Grover locking tuners on all of them. I can say that I think they sound just as good as my Gibson's do. The only one I wasn't really happy with is my 2020 LP Black back, it just don't feel like my other Custom's it's not something I can pin point but it just isn't my favorite one so it's up for sale. I was going to buy another Gibson LP but I have been playing my Strat a lot lately and I am getting hooked on that American Pro 1. But I still love my LP's
I agree with you about the price of the Custom shops and now a Standard production
Les Paul is $3K new! I really wanted a Re-issue burst but was not about to spend $6K on one!
So what i did was shop around and took my time and found a 2016 Historic Custom shop R8 for $3500 in like new
condition. Even though it is a 6 year old guitar it was not played a lot so it still looks new. It has the COA and all the hang tags.
They are out there and you can find a used Gibson for a lot less money and not have to sacrifice the new look/condition.
By looking at mine you would never know it was a used guitar!
Dude! That’s awesome congrats! That’s a killer guitar
@@JordanSteele Thank you really appreciate that!👍 Yeah i just wanted to let others know there are killer deals
out there used if someone has to have a Gibson like i did. Other than the price of a new one i really like Gibson guitars.
Most get turned off by buying used but i have found if you take your time and don't rush into it you can find
like new Gibson's for half the price! I am shopping for a R9 next.
I recently bought a second hand 2007 Les Paul Standard with a desert burst. Absolutely love everything about it.
I’ve tried the new Gibsons and you are definitely correct. Even the finish colors are terrible!! My 2 main les Paul’s are a 2002 and 2004 standards and they are great guitars. I’m
Not sure what happened to Gibson but honestly all you are buying when you grab a new one is a name.
It's a good topic/question. You have to wonder how many of these newer guitars are made by CNC machines, where are they sourcing the wood, how much is made in China (or Vietnam/Mexico/Thailand etc.).
i was in Guitar center and tried every new 50s & 60s les paul standard . The frets were tiny hard to bend strings for a 3k guitar . Some of the pickup rings were bent and warped . The $500 dollar PRS SE guitars had huge 10xs easier to play . Im 65 and started my guitar Journey in 1977 when I got my first les paul deluxe . The neck was awesome playability way beyond the new Gibsons . I still have a 1979 les paul custom and its way better than anything I have played in 10 years and its from the so called bad norlin ERA . The only new Gibson I played that was nice was my friends R9 it is great like you said. My strat and tele play way better than any new gibsons non custom shop
I owned a 59 custom shop from 2019 and sold it again after a while. I just bought a 60s standard that is amazing. It sounded better than a murphy lab they also offered me in the store. I did put some custombuckers in the 60s standard and I think that standard is even better than my Custom Shop 59. It's ALWAYS a very individual thing. You gotta test and play them until you find the right one. It's not true that the standards are all bad. They can be perfect.
My 2009 Trad, sounds and plays better than every CS Les Paul at my local GC, as does my 2014 Trad Pro II, and 2012 Jr. Special. My 2009 Trad may as well be an R9, with a Nashville bridge, instead of the ABR-1. All of my LPs are stock, except for swapping the control knobs on my ‘09 Trad and ‘12 Jr. Special, putting a blank truss rod cover on my ‘09 Trad, and putting vintage amber switch tips on my ‘09 Trad and ‘14 Trad Pro II. I also own/owned other Gibsons which are stock and absolutely amazing guitars.
While i do understand your main point and you have a couple of things right, there’s still a lot more going on that would be wise to check before make some of these statements.
They should provide a lot more for 3k on a standard and that's a fact. I'll give you that.
Custom shops going for twice the money is about hand crafting and cost of labour nowadays. In order to replicate as faithful as possible, they need to use highly technical craftmanship and inefficient methods, and that's about it.
There’s also the dimished returns principle that applies for almost every product on the market.
Tunning stability on Les Pauls, Sg's and almost every Gibson with headstock angle and 3+3 tuners configuration is a design flaw, that also happens on original bursts. There's a lot of workarounds for this, but the truth is that having a Les Paul that doesn’t suffer from tunning stability on the third and fourth strings, is an exception. Specially on the third.
But saying that you shouldn't buy anything new from them, it’s a little to much. I would agree that buying Gibsons from 2010 to 2018 it’s complicated (2015 is a year to stay away for Gibsons), if you go for 2019's and over, you should be getting what you are paying for. Which, unfortunatelly, is less than it was 20 years ago.
And yes, you are paying a lot for that Gibson on the headstock, but again, it is how market and legacy works
i bought a 2017 les paul standard and it does not sound like a les paul, gigged with it a few times and know it sits in my closet i did buy a gibson SG 2017 also and that guitar sounds great.
as an avid buyer of Gibson's. You are absolutely right. My custom shop is great. all my others are cool but a pain in the a**. If you want a good pro guitar. Every USA Fender I buy is a great player and sounds awesome.! The custom shops are just greater! but the regular USA core line of Fenders all play and sound great for 1-2k
Yeah and that’s how it should be with Gibson. The core models should be great and custom shop greater
I bought a new Les Paul Standard this year for around 2500 bucks. To me that is eye wateringly expensive (Custom Shop just ain't happening anytime soon, if ever) but it'd always been a dream of mine to own a Gibson Les Paul since I was like 13 years old (and am now in my mid 30's). I'm certain there are better guitars out there, especially for the money, but I also know if I hadn't seized the opportunity to get it, it'd always be lingering in the back of my mind, what if?
It's a nice guitar. I think in 2019, with the leadership change, they really started to push their guitars to be better. They're not weight relieved like every Gibson from the 80's onward has had, and mine is 9 lbs 2oz. Not exactly super lightweight, but given it's got no weight relief holes in it, I think it's pretty good. It plays well. Almost too well, I actually have a little hard time playing it because it's a lot smoother than my mostly-fender stable of guitars.
I think for most people, it's probably not worth it. Especially since they just tacked on an extra 300 bucks to the MSRP of the Standard (thankfully after I had bought mine). Maybe one day I'll end up with a Custom Shop or maybe I'll pick up a guitar from a "better" brand that will blow me away and contextualize where this plain Les Paul Standard fits. But for now, I'm happy with it.
Yeah it does seem from what I’m hearing in the comments the newer Gibsons from 2019 to now have been improving. The wild thing regarding custom shops to me is that 5-10 years ago you could get a used custom shop for around $2,500 now it’s double
It’s smoother because of the scale length. There’s less tension on the strings meaning the strings are easier to manipulate with your fingers, this gives a smoother overall feeling. PRS although being a middle ground scale length between Gibson and Fender is a lot better of a comparison.
meh. clickbait. I say BUY A GIBSON. as someone who's been playing one since before you were born, you arent an authority.
What Do You Think?
Let Me Know In The Comments Below!
Facts
As a guitar player who loves Les Pauls, why would you make this video? Are you mad at Gibson about something? Seems like this could hurt your relationship with the company, and you are prime talent for a potential sponsorship.
Yeah that’s very true. I’ve played Gibson guitars for 13 years and the Gibsons I currently own are my favorite guitars to play and would even say the best guitars I’ve ever have played from any brand. But in my opinion and experience in the 13 years I’ve played Gibson guitars I’ve seen them get worse and worse and more and more expensive (as a whole out of the hundreds I’ve personally have played) there are definitely still outstanding examples. And in my opinion from playing many Gibsons and other guitars from different brands what they’re selling for $3k is equivalent to a $1,500 guitar and not worth spending the money on. I think what they’re doing is genius marketing and definitely helps increase sales. Putting slash’s name on a standard, calling one a “greenie” standard or simply calling it a 50s standard implying it’s somehow close to a 50s Les Paul. It’s good marketing but doesn’t mean the guitars are worth buying at a higher price.
@@JordanSteele Thanks for your insights. You are one heck of a player. Love all your content, thanks for making it happen.
Just bought my 4th Gibson Les Paul yesterday. All of them great. They stay in tune, sound fantastic, look great and none have any quality issues.
I read all the comments 343 people out of 380 agreed Gibson sucks. I was thinking about getting one' not going to now' decided to get a fender because everyone says they're alot better from what I've read about them and cheaper.
Ended up getting a telecaster' and it's the perfect model.
I played Gibson LP’s exclusively from 2007-2022…. Then I discovered the Telecaster! Now I don’t own an LP at all. Great video. I think you are 100% accurate.
What do you believe is the main difference between a 50s standard and an R model? Materials? Craftsmanship? What in your opinion mainly makes the R such a better guitar. I agree, I just want your take bud? I know my actual 50s guitars are great. I assumed it was mostly due to the wood being almost petrified at this age. Lol.
It 100% starts with the wood. Some people argue the wood doesn’t matter I disagree. I think the wood and proper construction of the wood is the most important and foundational component to a great guitar. I’m a very big fan of solid Les Pauls that are light. I find them to have better resonance and tone. After that wood and construction there’s nothing else that really can’t simply be changed on a standard to make it basically a custom shop. You can change pickups, pots, tuners, bridge. So I think really the only difference is the wood and construction.
Love my Slash Les Paul standard. Amazing.
Tuning issues with gibson less Paul's is from the 3x3 headstock. Any guitar with that headstock can have that issue.
You're nuts. Your 07 is crap. The new Standard 50s are incredible.
I wouldn't ever buy a lp for 3 grand, I already know that's just insane for the lack of quality, Ive played a few, unimpressive comes to mind. As for a Real one like they used to be, dude, listen, the average player does not have that kind of money...only a fool would pay that much money (For ANY Guitar) Especially now a days. Unless you are making Great money...With a Great Job, possibly in a Tribute band making 3-4, or 5 grand a month. Only a fool would spend that much money for, (in my 65 yr old mind ) a $365 guitar. (cost in late 60's.)
If your Les Paul isn’t staying in tune you are not stringing it properly and/or you have an issue with the nut or bridge that a luthier can fix.
100%
Same here. I have owned 4 Gibsons from the late 90's right up to this past November when I bought a new 50's Standard Cherry Sunburst with some beautiful flame. I have never once had any tuning issues with any of them. If your setup is good and your stringing technique is good-you shouldn't have any problems. One thing I really like about all of them is how well they take a setup. They each have a sweet spot and when you find it-it's sonic bliss. This latest Standard sounds like a Stradivarius and a Steinway had a child and this is it. @@nitegoat1369
What you're referring to is called the "LAW OF DIMINISHING RETURNS"... which simply begs the question.....if guitar A cost $3K and Guitar B cost $9K, is guitar B really 3 x's BETTER than guitar A? (as you have discussed) That difference is directly related to the price. The law states that as BOTH items increase in price, the difference with regards to how much better the higher priced item is over the lower item, the "return" for your money becomes less and less.
Ex,...... when asking if a $500 guitar is twice as good as a $250 guitar, that could very well be true... conversely as price rises and the question becomes ....is a $12K Murphy lab 2X's better than a $6K non Murphy lab and the answer is always going to be NO. At that price point, you're not paying more for quality, playability, tunability, tone etc, you're paying for the aesthetics and maybe some nostalgia and subjective preference. The Murphy lab guitar is most certainly NOT 2X's as good as the non Murphy but a $500 guitar can easily be constructed with better parts and higher QC therefor well worth twice the $250 guitar.
Can give exact percentage on how much better his cnc machine made guitar is than the other cnc made guitar...but cant give exact percentage it cost compared lol
Wow I did not expect this coming from a Gibson guy... Sounds legit tho, I had Les Pauls from 2019, 2015, 2010 and 2006. The oldest I bought the better they got.
The mid 2000s and later Gibsons are typically great in my experience. I swear since around 2009 they’ve slowly gotten worse. Since they created the 50s and 60s models in I believe late 2019 they’ve slowly gotten a little better but nothing like they used to be
I think the company came under some new leadership recently. I think they know they suck, but they will not budge on price
It seems they keep raising prices
I must say, your analogy is spot on. Gibson prices are ridiculous for what it's worth. The age whereby fools buy guitar thinking more expensive must be better, is gone. I had 2 Gibsons and both sold because of quality issues. Currently, I am a PRS user and I am loving it.
...he's saying you do have to spend a lot to get a good one
Jordan, This is the first time I am hearing the new Gibsons 2019 and newer, have an issue staying in tune or overall poor quality issues, Why are you the only one saying this?
Gosh this was hard to watch. All respect brother but you need to talk to some people and do alittle more research. You just sound like a kid. There is so much that goes into the pricing of a guitar. The law of finishing returns plays into here. The Gibson custom shop is a totally separate company than Gibson USA. The new Gibson standards are honest to god amazing and an amazing deal. Post 2015 Gibson went under a massive overhaul. Also look at the market. Gibson isn’t the only one charging these prices. Fender, PRS, they all are in that realm. Also the way you equate price to being half as good is such a flawed way of thinking. I could go on for a long time but I wish you the best.
Diminishing returns* But yeah, agreed with everything you just said.
I disagree. Gibson is the best! I recently purchased an SG Standard and its a great instrument. I traded a Les Paul Standard some time back, I've regretted it ever since. Let's not forget all the electric guitar designs based on Gibson models.
I also wonder about people who complain about the Gibson prices; do they not know how to haggle? I currently own 4 Gibsons (used to own 5), and I never paid full sticker price for any of them. The most I paid for any Gibson, was $1700 USD (before tax) for my 2009 Traditional, which I purchased new. I only paid $415 USD (that’s after tax!) for my 2012 LP Jr. Special, which I purchased new.; I traded in an ESP B-50 bass that had been sitting in my closet, collecting dust.
Hello. well, I dont have much experience with gibsons. I only have a slash standard and it stays in tune much better than a hard tail strat I have or a floyd rose charvel.
My gibson always stays in the case when not played and when I pick it after 1 week, I just give it some small ajustments in the tunning. But I cant compare it to other gibsons
I bought a 2018 Gibson after decades of playing; best guitar I’ve ever owned. Then last week I bought a 2003 Studio, which was even better. I can’t see how paying thousands more is going to get a better guitar. Maybe slightly, but not worth the large increase in price for increasingly small improvements. Buy an old one that’s already proven it’ll hold its worth. Mine was £699 when it came out, I bought it for £850 (2003 Studio with vintage Gretsch case).
I must have lucked out because my 2018 studio is awesome. Owned over 50 guitars and it's the best.
Amen! I got a Custom Shop LP Jr. for a bargain of a price (music store sale) and the thing sounds great, plays great and stays in tune! Full price it would have been over 4k! I got it for almost half by luck.
All the "normal" Gibsons I tried new in store left me seriously unimpressed. You're absolutely right.
Nope standards are great especially the few last years. Don’t know where you’re getting this from. These guitars are Pleked from the factory so all setups should be within 1% tolerance of each other 👍🏼 fine tune from there. Don’t be so picky, pick up the guitar and enjoy it. If it inspires you then that’s all that matters.
I just bought a used LP Traditional Pro V in transparent ebony. These are the GC/musicians friend exclusive ones. Paid 2200 after tax. Retail is 3200 on these. I love it. Seriously really good Tone options with the hp4 board. It resonates really good. Nice low action. Pretty nice top it's not flamy in all directions but i like it. The binding is scraped too low in spots, giving a little ledge in spots. The nut is cut very nice it stays in tune for a day or two. And i suck and play metal riffs pretty aggressivly. The rosewood board is pretty stripy but again i kinda like it. The frets are really leval, must have been plek'd. Frets felt kinda small at first but I've gotten used to them and really like them now. The A-symetrical neck is really worth mentioning and trying out. I think it's really comfortable. It gives your thumb the perfect angle for chords and playing notes. Just seems like it makes it easier to bend the wrist and curl your fingers up around the face of the fretboard. For 1200 dollars cheaper than new i can live with little things. Admitedly i don't really give a crap about being a little different and not really "traditional" there's millions of the same looking Les Paul's out there. I like the modern ones. One thing i'm not super hot on is, it stinks.. it doesn't smell like vanilla it smells like chemicals. And i do not keep it in the case. Maybe it will gas off eventually.
Like everything, there’s exceptions. I have a 2011 trad pro, 60s neck, med jumbo frets, Alnico 3 and classic, plecked , metal Jack plate, wine red. It plays and sounds amazing, players are blown when they plug it in. Bought off the rack at GC 2011, never looked back. I haven’t been looking and we know they’ve had CEOs jump ship. I hope they get it together.
That’s awesome! There are definitely some great ones out there🤘
What the hell are you talkin’ about?
I personally love my gibson les paul standard 60's unburst, the only qualm I have is their price in the same respect as how expensive marshall amps are in the US for the price, it's the same for gibson usa (I live in the UK so prices range from £2,200-2500) when you could buy a maybach or an eastman at much better quality and nicer looking woods for the money, I have played many gibson in denmark street (this was 2016 so pre-bankruptcy) and those were the biggest hit and misses I have had in my experience of playing guitar, went to loads of shops and the first few I played were lack luster (and £3500 at the time!) and there was one honeyburst which was a beauty to play and sounded class, my unburst defo has a smaller neck profile than whatever they were going for at that time and as a guy with small hands I have a much better time playing the 60's ranged stuff. I think if you went to a shop play one and REALLY make sure it is what you want and that the guitar is up to your expectations, if it's not then move on try a different one or a different guitar entirely (meaning non gibson related) personally as a englishman Epiphone has a much richer history in music for us, such as the beatles, the rolling stones, the jam, oasis ect. so they are seen as more desirable and also are much better value for money, my crestwood (polaris white) and my signature noel gallagher riviera are both works of art and I will admit the fit and finish in my opinion were nicer than when I got my gibson les paul brand new.
That is some very good information. I totally agree when regards to buying a Gibson. Typically you have to try a bunch out to find the right one
You've been playing the wrong Gibson's. You said, "I wouldn't touch a Gibson made in the last 15 years." Foolish. They've cranked out some of their best, most modern takes on the guitars in the past 8 years. Mind you, it would be more dope if they included stainless steel frets as an option after so long. That being said though, the HP and Modern lines of Gibson's are pretty solid. Personally prefer the High Performance ones over the Moderns, but the changes are relatively minute between the years. All that being said, if you're having trouble with your tuning stability, it could be chalked up to how hard you're playing your strings when strummed/picked, also could help to use a higher stringer gauge, you could also just get some new tuners. The stock USA Gibson brand Kluson style tuners are straight garbage. Tons of options for better tuning at great prices all over EBay to fix that. Not to mention, if it's USA level, it's a production line v.s the Custom Shop where they put explicitly more time into it. This has been an issue with production line guitar building since its inception. It could be toward the end of the day, so they're rushing to get out. Maybe it's a Monday and they partied too hard on the weekend. When there's more hands on the project there's more short comings, but when it's the custom shop, only the top guitar builders are working there after proving themselves for years.
Also, the reason Gibson hasn't changed it's product lines too much over the years to compensate for their issues, like easier headstock breaks and tuning stability issues, is because when they do, they lose money. The people who shell out money for BRAND NEW Gibson's want as close to the original as they can get (usually). But if you've ever tried to source, the lumber, gather the components you're going to use to build it, invest in the tools needed for guitar production, buy the products associated with finishing it, like sandpapers/dyes/clear coats, then accessories like tuners, bridges, tail pieces, and guitar nut materials, then shaping all of it through trial and error yourself, their costs honestly make sense as much as I want to deny it.
The main reason people shit on guitars that cost as much as Gibson, PRS, and higher end Fenders is because they've become accustomed to seeing what import guitars can accomplish these days thanks to improvements in CNC technology. What those importers don't tell you is that the people who build those guitars don't get nearly as much for their work due to the cost of living in their country and crappy worker wage protections. Albeit I hear Epiphone's Chinese factory workers are paid relatively well, but thanks to them there's influx of fake Gibson's that get made thanks to the knowledge the Epiphone factory was able to provide to Chinese workers resulting in a boom of them on Ali Express and EBay.
Bigger name brands invite bigger challenges. Like advertisements, branding, trademark enforcements, merchandising, worker liability and what have you all have costs, and the customers eat those costs when buying them.
Also the plethora of other Gibson's you played, could've potentially had crappy set ups.
Gibson has its flaws for sure, but they wouldn't have such a thriving resale market if they weren't doing what they're supposed. Making decent guitars.
"You said, "I wouldn't touch a Gibson made in the last 15 years."
Ironically enough, the other Les paul on his wall is a standard from 2007. 🤣
It’s quite sad. I have always been a PRS dude but I wanted to venture out a bit so I went with Gibson. Ordered and ES-335 figured for around 4K. It was an absolute mess. So many issues. Broken nut, pickup rings loose, buzzing, fretting out on the upper register on the high e. I was really bummed. I have been wanting an ES-335 for a while. Sent it back and replaced it with a PRS McCarty 594. Amazing guitar.
The whole ordeal made me sad. I thought folks were over exaggerating…I was wrong