it blows my mind hoe good they are getting now! Fret nibs, and proper looking bridge! Just noticed that one now has the correct font on the truss rod cover! Wild
I've got 2 Chibsons. One is a Zakk Wylde Vertigo Les Paul which I want to install a Fishman rechargeable back cover plate and the Zakk Wylde EMG active pickup set. The other is the '63 reissue Les Paul SG, which I have most of the upgrades already purchased. The genuine Gibson Maestro vibrato was around $400 !!! Still need pickups and electronics.@@keithhastings7976
Absolutely brilliant channel ,no waffle ,I agree with how you deal with guitars and you get to the point,honestly and accurately keep up the good work.Sad to hear about CGS I’d never have known if it wasn’t mentioned on one of your videos👍👍🎸🎸🎸
Looks like the pickup is one of those dummy pickups,where it’s really a single coil under a hum bucker cover,sometimes there’s two bobbins but only one is wound.
I got my higher end chibson for $300 Came with fret nibs too Feels amazing I did all the work myself to save money Learned how to do a fret level too! I put about $400 in parts Zakk wyld pickups and changed all the hardware and plastics. It plays amazing But it sure does make me want to buy a real gibson soon.
It’s 5 October, 2023 as I leave my comment. I began learning to play guitar in April 1995. In the time since, there have been a few different finishes that have fascinated me, and this is one of them. If I didn’t have too many guitars and wasn’t so caught up in the whole issue of outsource instruments instead of those produced here in the US where I live, a model more or less the same as this would definitely tempt me. I’d have to decide if my conscience could live with having the Gibson nameplate attached to a model they didn’t manufacture. Isn’t that like calling an ox a bull?
A faux whatever it is that it is not, is seriously not worth owning. Like I dream of having a Strandberg and a Ric 4003 bass, but I would never want an inferior imitation , or want others to believe I had one.
@@Shred_The_Weapon It's not a big deal. If you want to be honest with yourself, be honest about it to others. I wear replica sneakers and whenever I get compliments, I just tell them they're fake. No judgement or anything, in fact it's the opposite. They want to know where I'm getting them haha
Haven't seen all the videos but the bridge is installed backwards. ABR-1 screws towards the Headstock. Nashville towards the bridge. Forgive me if Chibson didn't know this🤘
Great review, camera work much improved :-)) Would be great to hear your comments on the acoustic guitar, would be interesting to see how the acoustic Chinese guitar compare to the electrics
A few weeks ago a friend of mine said exact same thing about a Chinese made guitar. Pickup is so light. When we took it apart it was a single coil in both rhythm and lead pickup's neither of us had ever ever ever seen anything like that 😮
Hello love your channel iv got the chipson ace frehley 3 pick up If i put the dirty torque in the bridge what would you recommend as a set of 3 Thank you 🎸😎
Great video. You weren't kidding when saying something along the lines of how far the quality of these knock-offs have come along. What's the sustain like on these Chibson's? Some folks say the sustain beyond the 15th fret falls short of a real Gibby.
Regarding the bridge spring issue Dave, just put the springs to the rear of the bridge pieces, instead of at the front, if they're not long enough put longer ones in. They'll still do the job, they're intended to do.
I’m 54 and also struggling with my eyes a bit, but the guitar looks nice. If I play a gig I can’t hear any difference with tiny electronic changes, I only notice feed back or perhaps low response which can sometimes be pick-up height. I also think the Nashville style bridge is more responsive acoustically than an ABR 1 post style!
I have been looking at these guitars for a while but something cought my eye in bringing them to the UK at customs a guitar got pulled are they legally allowed to in the UK as they are fake Gibsons ?
Yes, there is another video where the guy explains, apparently they put a sticker over the Gibson logo saying "SG Custom" or something, customs cant remove the sticker as that would be tampering with the guitar, then it's up to the buyer if they want to remove the sticker or not. Also they are not "fake" as there is deliberate differences (also they are obviously a lot cheaper), they are "replicas" if you like.
As the owner of an "authentic" Gibson Les Paul Custom in Alpine White, and as my first 'real' electric was a '79 Ebony Custom; I can say a few things about what they're getting right and wrong with at least the aesthetics of this axe. This helps in identifying the fakes as they get better at masking their identities. They're getting better, but not quite there. I can't speak to the feel and such as I've never owned a Chibson, but the look for sure. (1) The headstock. Though they got the diamond bigger, it's in the wrong place. I think in an effort to make their smaller diamond look bigger, they have simply moved it closer to the logo and increased the size of the truss rod cover. The cover goes past the first two tuning pegs, but on the real thing, it ends much sooner and the diamond begins at the tip. This is in their effort to cover the truss rod access with a 2 screw cover. The Gibson logo is still in the wrong place, so that's also an immediate tell. (2) Neck and fretboard. To someone unfamiliar with the Customs, the neck looks almost identical given the fret nibs, but the inlays don't have the depth of real mother of pearl (same with the diamond on the headstock). They are milky looking and don't have that chatoyancy that gives them an almost 3d look. They are trying way too hard on the fret nibs and covering too much fret wire. Even my other Gibson guitars don't have that much "nib" on the wire. The side dots on the Chibson are smaller than those on the real Custom. (3) Body and finish. The first, obvious difference is nitro vs poly. There's not better or worse, just a preference, but the Gibson Custom does have a nitro finish and that will yellow with age. The brilliant white that is seen in this video should continue to be the color of this guitar for years to come. Some people prefer one over the other. Again, it's all preference, and the ownership is personal. I don't have a Chibson or even an Epiphone, but it would certainly make for more peace of mind playing live if I did. Thievery and accidental breakage are always a concern. They're certainly getting better at the aesthetic.
Why should I care if the diamond is bigger or whether it's nitro or poly? For $300 I can get a well-made instrument, that plays well and for another $400, simply replace the hardware and have $5k left over in my pocket.
@@markpell8979 I just can't get with supporting a foreign country selling counterfeit items and we look the other way. It's bad enough when you think of some of the labor practices of legit Chinese factories, I can only imagine a counterfeit operation. They are outright stealing copyrights and Gibson's are made in the USA so we aren't doing anyone a favor by purchasing these guitars, no matter how well built. Change the headstock like Harley Benton does, call it an LP or something close and make it legit. Fender and Gibson have the rights to headstock design, that's all, but it is completely illegal to put those companies names on a product. I have an "homage" watch that has traits of a Rolex, but the company is called Steinhart, not Rolex on the face. Perfectly legal.
@@markpell8979 I understand. As my handle says, I'm more of a Fender guy. The one Gibson I have is a Les Paul Jr, and it cost the same as as an American made Tele so I felt it is still a decent deal. Inflation has, pardon the pun, inflated everything. I own a Squier, made in China, and had a cheap Harley Benton for a while. Goods made in China, (iPhone) I have no problems with. It's the counterfeit part that riles me up. That is straight up illegal. The Chinese do that with all our intellectual properties in their shady factories. Not the authorized ones. Like I said before, just put an actual Chibson logo on it or some brand name, change the headstock, and there is nothing Gibson could do about it. They lost those copyright battles along with Fender years ago. Damn, how many "T-Style" guitars are there out there? Cheers bud. I know where you're coming from.
That fretboard looks like it could do with a bit of cleanup Dave. Might pay to invest in one of those stewmac fret kissers for those couple of frets that need levelling too. They're great when you don't need to do a full fret level. But thats the thing with Chibsons, they're very hit and miss - especially with setups. Out of the lot I bought, I reckon only 2 where setup playable from the get go (and in my eyes was a bonus). Every time I bought one, I'd expect to do work on them. If you don't have to, WIINNER LOL.
Yeah I agree, however just purchased my second Wolfgang special made in Mexico and again I cried because of the poor workmanship, spent the whole day trying to get it to play correctly, this was a £900 guitar.
@@DaveBarlowGuitar Yep. Its disheartening when a $300 guitar plays better than a $900 out of the box. Personally I don't think a $1000+ guitar should need anything more than a quick quick setting of the action and a truss rod adjustment for the climate. The reality is even expensive guitars can be dogs if the company producing doesn't care what they put out. Its partly why I'll take a chance on some of the cheapies - at least I'll end up with something thats got what I want in it instead of starting with a $1000 guitar and adding another $500 of parts onto to get to where I want it.
Since the end of 2011 Gibson has been building LP Custom with "richlite" (phenolic resin and recycled paper) fretboards. A very resistent material used by other manufactures of fine instruments.
That’s what they looked like before they age. I personally love the pure white. It’ll do its thing in time. The ivory are pretty great looking too though.
I have a Chibson Custom in the aged white, yellowed finish. I changed the pickups and wiring harness to Epiphone Probucker open coil with gold slugs and screws, sounds great now and I get the split coil sound as a bonus. I changed the pickguard to a five ply and the truss rod cover for a much more correct looking quality one from Japan, looks 100% better now. Great guitar for very little coin. If it were stolen, lost, or smashed at a gig you wouldn't be out thousands, that's where I see these in the scheme of things. By the way great hair mate, ha ha.
I'm currently looking at a few Chinese '67 V copy's, no way I can justify a couple of grand for a real one. Would love to know which factory/shop these come from.
I have been playing for over 50 years and have picked up several Chibsons for fun. They have truly wonderful bodies, necks and finish. Lousy pickups and tuners. I went for two " Murphy Lab" copies and while the "59 burst" and "64 335" are not the real thing,.they are still excellent modding platforms, well built, sound and play extremely well with new pickups and tuners, and if they get stolen you aren't out a ton of money and heartbreak. Been there. Black tape on the headstock works wonders for getting over the logo thing.
might crack open that pickup for giggles to see if its a "fake" humbucker... a mate here in the usa reviewed a grote model LP and found fakes in it! the company swiftly fixed the problem after his detailed review......hope not many "fake" HB units got out! have you tried vanson pickups? im gonna try some "59 vantage voiced" humbuckers from them...tried a strat middle from them and love it to bits!
Take it from a hater, don't listen to the haters. You're just doing a guitar show, nothing to hate about that. there are some people who deserve to be hated (Politicians), you're not one of them. Rock forth, Amigo!
I think this is a interesting series, my one request would be to get review of how the guitars are holding up after some time getting played (preferably by punk bands lol). I really like the single pickup version, maybe I can order one without the branding then it would simply be a good guitar at a cheap price 🤔 who could disagree with that 🤷♂️
The headstock is the only thing you can't copy. that's why this is fraud sadly bought buy guitar people, but by criminals selling you a "Gibson" on Reverb or eBay. Like you say, as Harley Benton does, just change the headstock a little and they would sell regardless.
@@SpinGoldmusic My first acoustic guitar was a Sigma Martin .. They are copies of Martins, It had an Ebonized fretboard is what I was told when I first bought it in the early seventies new.. Back then Martin did not make laminated guitars and did not want to tarnish their reputation making them ! Sigma was a cheap Martin produced using the Martin patients and with USA made strings on them new they were great guitars.. A solid wood guitar can be repaired and a laminated wood guitar can not.. Solid wood guitars cost more to produce and are more expensive and people want to buy cheap just like I did in the seventies... lol
I just picked up a White LP Custom Chibson from a pawn shop today for $300 w/hard case. I noticed it the other day with a price tag of $2400. I didn’t take a close look that day, but today I walked in and saw the $300 tag. Safe to assume that the pawn shop got screwed and thought it was a real Gibson. It’s a very well made guitar. Good fretwork. Terrible pickups and electronics, but I’ll take care of that. I’m quite pleased with it!
And that's the rub. The pawn shop might have known it was counterfeit and tried to sell it for that price and some knowledgeable person walks in and outs them. This is the part of counterfeit labels on products. Wanna buy my Rolex 😎?
Thanks for the video and review. I have a chines les paul custom 54 (p90s, wraparound bridge, maple top) "custom order". In general it is nice guitar, for me the worst thing is the nibs finishing, dont properly sit on the freets tips, they should be set better. Mine has as well wierd frets dots. Not well centered and a bit faded some of them. Regards
Dave, Ill never be able to afford a new Gibson. but if I could it would be that very guitar in that color. Im also not a fan of the logo so Id remove it... or have it removed to avoid damage. Can you give me the link to the seller? Im fully aware no two guitars are the same. The one I get might be 180°... condition wise and Im willing to accept that.Not to sound pushy but...I have the $ now and would like to order soon! Thanks for your time and patience.
I got one, baseball neck, large pots, crocked tuners, nice black paint an ok guitar. My first chibson a LP Standard a really nice guitar for $200. I'll stick to my real Les Pauls.
I think, re the branding, is, like me, people buy them to gig with, so they don’t have to take their $4500 plus Gibson to a dive bar, but they still have the “look”. Maybe shallow, but it is what it is, and there is a market, obviously. That aside, it’s a fantastic guitar for the price. I own 2 now, and I’m waiting on the Iron Gear Dirty Torque/Blues Engine pickups to arrive. 😎😎😎
I had one just like that. It's placement of bridge and tailpiece were way off spec. Changed out the pickups and tuners and it was a bit wonky in intonation, but what a beast it was. More powerful chunk then either of my 2 real Gibson Lp's.
I love white guitars. And the good thing about that one is it is poly. So, in 10 years it will still be white.
Год назад+1
With you on that, Dave. The real white Gibsons always look cheap, however much people have spent on them. So they've making some consistently so that they can be set up. A few of those frets don't look properly seated, mind, so they could shift after a bit. Though that was a shit masking job for when they painted the guitar after putting the binding and side dots in. Still wouldn't have one, either. Certainly not with someone else's logo on it.
First off epiphone was restored back to premium by JC Curliegh in 2019/2020 chibsons aren't even close to the high quality of Epiphone or Gibson look at my videos I've posted on my channel of my 2021 High end Epiphones with specs so there's no mistake
First off the Quingdao epiphone facility is completely American owned and operated by Gibson Epiphone USA with American and Asian luthiers and only Epiphones are made there so if you are insinuating that chibsons are made by epiphone you're not even slightly close to being right they are not
Villainized because it's stolen copyrights and out and out fraud. The factories that make these Chibsons have nothing to do with Fender or Gibson. If you are importing one the Secret Service can confiscate it and even charge you with a crime, (although unlikely unless you are importing many of them). Also, shady people just like in the watch world, will sell a $300 fake Rolex or Gibson for thousands of dollars. The sorry fool that gets one has just been ripped of. when you buy a Squier or Epiphone, you know exactly what you are getting.
Fact.epiphone was created before gibson.gibson bought out epiphone and both name plates were made in Kalamazoo early and mid fifties. Sammick were producing off brands including epiphone early 2000s. From Korea but under gibson factory warranty. Those are great guitars. Epiphone moved to China. My vintage Chicago harmonys have tripled or higher kn price as Japanese made Ibanez going for 1500. Who knew?
I feel love it. Shit I can't afford a real gibson is have to mortgage my life I ordered a copy of the esp ltd 401 a tele with neck thru design. I'm looking now to order a esp lespaul also a neck thru body Instead of one guitar I'm gonna get a couple for fun. I see some differences like knob placement I'm not sure what the neck will be like hopefully for me like a schemer or ibanez I say them cause I have one
Maybe Gibson should not be charging $8000 for a Black Beauty. And don’t get me wrong, I’m 100% capitalist, and I believe in buying American, but there’s only so much ass pounding I’m willing to endure before my patriotism yields to common sense.
If you're a patriot, then at least buy a legit Chinese made one like Epiphone or Squier that probably have some tariffs on. Or get a Harley Benton. I got a Les Paul jr type model from them and it was $180 and it's a great guitar.. You buy one of these Chibsons you are supporting the Chinese government exporting counterfeit product with stolen trademarks and branding. I'm sure the factory they are made in isn't like an Apple factory or even a Squier factory. Just like fake Rolex's coming out of communist China only to be sold for the real deal on Craigslist, eBay, or with guitars, Reverb, you are supporting fraud. Just my opinion.
It looks like ,as I often find with Chinese import clone guitars ,that the frets are not completely seated onto the fretboard .. that gives that not “good” tone to the guitar ...ringy ,thin in the midrange sounding over all tone.. I personally would’ve sent this guitar back because of the frets..
Beautiful guitar brother i got a 86 Gibson Lp and a Gibson SG and a chibson the latter is a pile of crap to be honest but was fixable and if the one (chibson) was as nice as most people get id be ok fixing it if needed for guys or girls that cant afford 5 to 10 grand for a Gibson and you can work on it need be then go for it imo 🎉
I bought such a guitar, the frets are uneven, I will have to take the guitar to a luthier, and I also had to pay 73 € in douane. the body of the guitar is narrower and the guitar is much lighter than a real Gibson. the workmanship is great.
...more chibson rubbish. Mr Barlow scraping the bottom of the YTube guitar review barrel again I see --lol. Yes, white is definitely not my choice of guitar colour either. It might as well be hot pink. The only exception, perhaps, being some mid 70's Strat in aged yellow lacquer olympic white
If Chibson guys hate Gibson brand so much, and say that Gibson makes shitty guitars, WHY the hell they want Gibson logo in the headstock? 😂 So they want to pretend that they are cool guys because they play with Gibson? Do they use wig as well? 😅 Same with fake Rolex and Nike sneakers.
I got a gold top one of those from work, a customer tricked a member of staff and gave him £300 so I bought it for £300 so they don’t lose money. Mines a les Paul custom with 3 pickups 😂
Personally id feel like a massive wanker walking around with a fake Gibson Its like people that buy and wear fake Rolex watches - literally the definition of a poseur
It's disappointing that the Chinese made guitars that are quite good quality gave the Gibson name on them, it's a shame actually. I would buy one if they didn't have the Gibson logo on them.
@fivekoks2131 not every seller offers that. There was one particular seller that has amazing quality but his guitars all have the Gibson logo. I've seen his work and it's amazing
@@dragan4658 Yeah, they are getting damn good at these and Rolex's. A lot of people make Les Paul style guitars. The fraud/counterfeit is when you sell your product with another company's logo and copywrited headstock. Then an unsuspecting person could get robbed paying for a used "Gibson" that is just a $300 Chines fake.
I was dead set against this, felt sorry for the folks at the Gibson factory and such. but after doing a some research, actually a lot of research this is of Gibson doing I believe. Not directly but indirectly. Either way I don't think this is going to be around long at this price. PRS has done almost the same thing with India. In short is like having a soda that taste as good or better then Coke or Pepsi and comes in the same can just does not look exact. I come to the conclusion Life is too short to give a shite. Buy one don't but one , be pro about it, be toxic about it. just be thankful you can do or say anything about it and move on. I think it looks great, Its not a 1978 Alpine the holy grail of that model. but if I had a choice I would take it because I can't afford the real deal. If I could would I want to, I would have to treat it with kid gloves. If it feels and plays as good then its all me because if it breaks, gets stolen lost, scratched, master bated on, it is not a big loss. At this price I can play with changing pickups, bridges, slap art work on it. I can 4 of them 6 of them 10 of them Gibson is still going to make money from me on parts that they would have never gotten even if I had bought the real deal. I have a 2016 Traditional Honey Amber I paid $2300.00 for it new. it nice, its also heavy as hell. I so afraid every time I pick it up that I am going to disfigure it in some way. if I got the same thing from China, I could do the stuff I wanted to with out feeling like I am degrading the instrument. It like the difference between having a trophy wife or a dirty little whore. So please keep doing the videos Dave, fuck the haters the toxic righteous pecker chokers and keep making the videos please. And if you don't like that model you can always send it to me, I will even pay shipping. :)
People need to stop tripping on the branding. A good guitar is a good guitar. Period. I've never met a morally perfect person in my life, have you? So, don't trip, potato chip.
As someone who is trying to create guitar related RUclips content and my own music and music videos, you have my respect sir. It’s a battle
Don’t listen to the haters. You’re my brother across the pond and kick ass! Keep up the awesome content and playing!
I fell in love with this guitar at the very first glance.
Bought a Chibson Jimmy Page#2 for $240. and for the money, I have 0 complaints
I appreciate your videos, humour and honest reviews! Earned a sub!
Ditto.
Looks like the bridge has the un-slotted post pins, which is great. I'm a sucker for a white guitar, that Les Paul is gorgeous.
it blows my mind hoe good they are getting now! Fret nibs, and proper looking bridge! Just noticed that one now has the correct font on the truss rod cover! Wild
I've got 2 Chibsons. One is a Zakk Wylde Vertigo Les Paul which I want to install a Fishman rechargeable back cover plate and the Zakk Wylde EMG active pickup set. The other is the '63 reissue Les Paul SG, which I have most of the upgrades already purchased. The genuine Gibson Maestro vibrato was around $400 !!! Still need pickups and electronics.@@keithhastings7976
Wow even binding over frets now too. That was one of my sure fire ways of detecting the fakes. Ace channel love the straight talking and honesty 👍👍👍
Absolutely brilliant channel ,no waffle ,I agree with how you deal with guitars and you get to the point,honestly and accurately keep up the good work.Sad to hear about CGS I’d never have known if it wasn’t mentioned on one of your videos👍👍🎸🎸🎸
Looks like the pickup is one of those dummy pickups,where it’s really a single coil under a hum bucker cover,sometimes there’s two bobbins but only one is wound.
I know they did that years ago ,is it still going on !
Have you tried turning the bridge around-not the saddles, therefore putting the springs on the opposite side?
yes
I got my higher end chibson for $300
Came with fret nibs too
Feels amazing
I did all the work myself to save money
Learned how to do a fret level too!
I put about $400 in parts
Zakk wyld pickups and changed all the hardware and plastics. It plays amazing
But it sure does make me want to buy a real gibson soon.
ay slide me the link 👀
Link please? 😊
Yeah which shop?
Hit & run? D-tease? How about a link, please?
It’s 5 October, 2023 as I leave my comment. I began learning to play guitar in April 1995. In the time since, there have been a few different finishes that have fascinated me, and this is one of them. If I didn’t have too many guitars and wasn’t so caught up in the whole issue of outsource instruments instead of those produced here in the US where I live, a model more or less the same as this would definitely tempt me. I’d have to decide if my conscience could live with having the Gibson nameplate attached to a model they didn’t manufacture. Isn’t that like calling an ox a bull?
A faux whatever it is that it is not, is seriously not worth owning. Like I dream of having a Strandberg and a Ric 4003 bass, but I would never want an inferior imitation , or want others to believe I had one.
Just ask for a custom nameplate in the headstock. I do that with my own logo. No big deal.
Thank you, @@FernandoOliveira1979. That would be worth consideration if I decided I wanted one of these or something like it.
@@Shred_The_Weapon It's not a big deal. If you want to be honest with yourself, be honest about it to others. I wear replica sneakers and whenever I get compliments, I just tell them they're fake. No judgement or anything, in fact it's the opposite. They want to know where I'm getting them haha
@@FernandoOliveira1979 The headstock is copyrighted too. The only thing that is with Gibson and Fender.
I have a black one no problem did change bridge pickup with Duncan 59
Haven't seen all the videos but the bridge is installed backwards. ABR-1 screws towards the Headstock. Nashville towards the bridge. Forgive me if Chibson didn't know this🤘
do you think it makes a difference? :)
Great review, camera work much improved :-)) Would be great to hear your comments on the acoustic guitar, would be interesting to see how the acoustic Chinese guitar compare to the electrics
A few weeks ago a friend of mine said exact same thing about a Chinese made guitar. Pickup is so light. When we took it apart it was a single coil in both rhythm and lead pickup's neither of us had ever ever ever seen anything like that 😮
Yikes
I think you're doing a great job, keep it up! 👍👍
That thing is genuinely beautiful. I might need to throw in the towel on my Epiphone Special 2 and cop one of these.
Hello love your channel iv got the chipson ace frehley 3 pick up
If i put the dirty torque in the bridge what would you recommend as a set of 3
Thank you 🎸😎
At first glance, it looks superb.
How about buying those japan brand guitars that are made in korea? Like blitz, legend, grass roots, barclay, aria pro, and many more.
For the money, I guess you can’t go wrong. Where would I pick up a really good B.B. King Lucille Guitar
I cant say due to restrictions
This Chibson is not bad at all, it even has fret bindings, most chibsons I've seen don't have that.
How about giving us some clean and breakup tones on the Irongear pickups, are they all rounders?
Great video. You weren't kidding when saying something along the lines of how far the quality of these knock-offs have come along. What's the sustain like on these Chibson's? Some folks say the sustain beyond the 15th fret falls short of a real Gibby.
Exactly!
Any chance you can remove the springs in the bridge ???
You can remove them but then the saddles dont work correctly.
@@DaveBarlowGuitar ... time for a new bridge.
Regarding the bridge spring issue Dave, just put the springs to the rear of the bridge pieces, instead of at the front, if they're not long enough put longer ones in. They'll still do the job, they're intended to do.
tried that
I got the same one with a bigsby, Fantastic! almost perfect. Sounds good too.
I’m 54 and also struggling with my eyes a bit, but the guitar looks nice.
If I play a gig I can’t hear any difference with tiny electronic changes, I only notice feed back or perhaps low response which can sometimes be pick-up height.
I also think the Nashville style bridge is more responsive acoustically than an ABR 1 post style!
At last someone who's not afraid to play! I luv it.
looks gorgeous
I have been looking at these guitars for a while but something cought my eye in bringing them to the UK at customs a guitar got pulled are they legally allowed to in the UK as they are fake Gibsons ?
Yes, there is another video where the guy explains, apparently they put a sticker over the Gibson logo saying "SG Custom" or something, customs cant remove the sticker as that would be tampering with the guitar, then it's up to the buyer if they want to remove the sticker or not. Also they are not "fake" as there is deliberate differences (also they are obviously a lot cheaper), they are "replicas" if you like.
Just found your channel, like your no nonsense approach and honesty for £250 that's an amazing deal.
As the owner of an "authentic" Gibson Les Paul Custom in Alpine White, and as my first 'real' electric was a '79 Ebony Custom; I can say a few things about what they're getting right and wrong with at least the aesthetics of this axe. This helps in identifying the fakes as they get better at masking their identities. They're getting better, but not quite there. I can't speak to the feel and such as I've never owned a Chibson, but the look for sure.
(1) The headstock. Though they got the diamond bigger, it's in the wrong place. I think in an effort to make their smaller diamond look bigger, they have simply moved it closer to the logo and increased the size of the truss rod cover. The cover goes past the first two tuning pegs, but on the real thing, it ends much sooner and the diamond begins at the tip. This is in their effort to cover the truss rod access with a 2 screw cover. The Gibson logo is still in the wrong place, so that's also an immediate tell.
(2) Neck and fretboard. To someone unfamiliar with the Customs, the neck looks almost identical given the fret nibs, but the inlays don't have the depth of real mother of pearl (same with the diamond on the headstock). They are milky looking and don't have that chatoyancy that gives them an almost 3d look. They are trying way too hard on the fret nibs and covering too much fret wire. Even my other Gibson guitars don't have that much "nib" on the wire. The side dots on the Chibson are smaller than those on the real Custom.
(3) Body and finish. The first, obvious difference is nitro vs poly. There's not better or worse, just a preference, but the Gibson Custom does have a nitro finish and that will yellow with age. The brilliant white that is seen in this video should continue to be the color of this guitar for years to come. Some people prefer one over the other.
Again, it's all preference, and the ownership is personal. I don't have a Chibson or even an Epiphone, but it would certainly make for more peace of mind playing live if I did. Thievery and accidental breakage are always a concern. They're certainly getting better at the aesthetic.
Why should I care if the diamond is bigger or whether it's nitro or poly? For $300 I can get a well-made instrument, that plays well and for another $400, simply replace the hardware and have $5k left over in my pocket.
@@markpell8979 I just can't get with supporting a foreign country selling counterfeit items and we look the other way. It's bad enough when you think of some of the labor practices of legit Chinese factories, I can only imagine a counterfeit operation. They are outright stealing copyrights and Gibson's are made in the USA so we aren't doing anyone a favor by purchasing these guitars, no matter how well built. Change the headstock like Harley Benton does, call it an LP or something close and make it legit. Fender and Gibson have the rights to headstock design, that's all, but it is completely illegal to put those companies names on a product.
I have an "homage" watch that has traits of a Rolex, but the company is called Steinhart, not Rolex on the face. Perfectly legal.
@@markpell8979 I understand. As my handle says, I'm more of a Fender guy. The one Gibson I have is a Les Paul Jr, and it cost the same as as an American made Tele so I felt it is still a decent deal. Inflation has, pardon the pun, inflated everything. I own a Squier, made in China, and had a cheap Harley Benton for a while. Goods made in China, (iPhone) I have no problems with. It's the counterfeit part that riles me up. That is straight up illegal. The Chinese do that with all our intellectual properties in their shady factories. Not the authorized ones. Like I said before, just put an actual Chibson logo on it or some brand name, change the headstock, and there is nothing Gibson could do about it. They lost those copyright battles along with Fender years ago. Damn, how many "T-Style" guitars are there out there?
Cheers bud. I know where you're coming from.
Have you taken the cover off of the chinese p-ups?
That fretboard looks like it could do with a bit of cleanup Dave. Might pay to invest in one of those stewmac fret kissers for those couple of frets that need levelling too. They're great when you don't need to do a full fret level.
But thats the thing with Chibsons, they're very hit and miss - especially with setups. Out of the lot I bought, I reckon only 2 where setup playable from the get go (and in my eyes was a bonus). Every time I bought one, I'd expect to do work on them. If you don't have to, WIINNER LOL.
Yeah I agree, however just purchased my second Wolfgang special made in Mexico and again I cried because of the poor workmanship, spent the whole day trying to get it to play correctly, this was a £900 guitar.
@@DaveBarlowGuitar Yep. Its disheartening when a $300 guitar plays better than a $900 out of the box. Personally I don't think a $1000+ guitar should need anything more than a quick quick setting of the action and a truss rod adjustment for the climate. The reality is even expensive guitars can be dogs if the company producing doesn't care what they put out. Its partly why I'll take a chance on some of the cheapies - at least I'll end up with something thats got what I want in it instead of starting with a $1000 guitar and adding another $500 of parts onto to get to where I want it.
Where are u finding side dots tht glow a bit in the dark love to use those on my guitars . Thks Dave
Luminous Sticker Sheet Self-Adhesive
Nice , thank you sir .
Witch is the best website to buy from if you can help thanks
just search 'polaris4music'
@@DaveBarlowGuitar😊many thanks
Lovely guitar. If it was cherry red would be perfect for me
Since the end of 2011 Gibson has been building LP Custom with "richlite" (phenolic resin and recycled paper) fretboards. A very resistent material used by other manufactures of fine instruments.
No they went back to ebony some years ago
Which ID Core amp do you use? I have the 40 watt V3 myself and Iove it!
Looks like medium frets?
That’s what they looked like before they age. I personally love the pure white. It’ll do its thing in time. The ivory are pretty great looking too though.
I have a Chibson Custom in the aged white, yellowed finish. I changed the pickups and wiring harness to Epiphone Probucker open coil with gold slugs and screws, sounds great now and I get the split coil sound as a bonus. I changed the pickguard to a five ply and the truss rod cover for a much more correct looking quality one from Japan, looks 100% better now. Great guitar for very little coin. If it were stolen, lost, or smashed at a gig you wouldn't be out thousands, that's where I see these in the scheme of things. By the way great hair mate, ha ha.
I'm currently looking at a few Chinese '67 V copy's, no way I can justify a couple of grand for a real one. Would love to know which factory/shop these come from.
here is the facebook group facebook.com/groups/315911427580491
I have been playing for over 50 years and have picked up several Chibsons for fun. They have truly wonderful bodies, necks and finish. Lousy pickups and tuners. I went for two " Murphy Lab" copies and while the "59 burst" and "64 335" are not the real thing,.they are still excellent modding platforms, well built, sound and play extremely well with new pickups and tuners, and if they get stolen you aren't out a ton of money and heartbreak. Been there. Black tape on the headstock works wonders for getting over the logo thing.
where to buy?
see my recent chibson videos
Have you not had any customs problems ? I would love a Steve Jones copy just dont like the thought of customs taking it. I think they are about $300
no issues yet
might crack open that pickup for giggles to see if its a "fake" humbucker...
a mate here in the usa reviewed a grote model LP and found fakes in it!
the company swiftly fixed the problem after his detailed review......hope not many "fake" HB units got out!
have you tried vanson pickups? im gonna try some "59 vantage voiced" humbuckers from them...tried a strat middle from them and love it to bits!
Take it from a hater, don't listen to the haters. You're just doing a guitar show, nothing to hate about that. there are some people who deserve to be hated (Politicians), you're not one of them. Rock forth, Amigo!
The side dots are really off center. Also some of the inlays are not really in the center too. 12th fret looks more to the left on the bass side.
Beautiful guitar
I think this is a interesting series, my one request would be to get review of how the guitars are holding up after some time getting played (preferably by punk bands lol). I really like the single pickup version, maybe I can order one without the branding then it would simply be a good guitar at a cheap price 🤔 who could disagree with that 🤷♂️
The headstock is still copywrited so you are still using a counterfeit item.
Who did you order it from? Thanks, Gary
Its not mine, belongs to a customer, get in the discord server discord.com/channels/1133261292321378395/1133261292761792638
Better than the epi?
?
What's funny is that, if these had literally Chibson stamped on the headstock, they would literally sell like hotcakes.
The headstock is the only thing you can't copy. that's why this is fraud sadly bought buy guitar people, but by criminals selling you a "Gibson" on Reverb or eBay. Like you say, as Harley Benton does, just change the headstock a little and they would sell regardless.
Ebonized fretboard ?
Lol
@@SpinGoldmusic My first acoustic guitar was a Sigma Martin .. They are copies of Martins, It had an Ebonized fretboard is what I was told when I first bought it in the early seventies new.. Back then Martin did not make laminated guitars and did not want to tarnish their reputation making them ! Sigma was a cheap Martin produced using the Martin patients and with USA made strings on them new they were great guitars.. A solid wood guitar can be repaired and a laminated wood guitar can not.. Solid wood guitars cost more to produce and are more expensive and people want to buy cheap just like I did in the seventies... lol
@RadiationDay ya I don't get these guys. You can buy affordable well built legitimate guitars now. But it's like wearing a fake Rolex I guess...?
@@SpinGoldmusic Look at what they cost compared to an Epi ... Gibson is making a killing off of Chinese copies of Gibsons ...
Con unos pequeños ajustes te queda una guitarra que *Vale lo que cuesta* : ) De hecho tengo una ST en camino....
Thats great :)
I just picked up a White LP Custom Chibson from a pawn shop today for $300 w/hard case. I noticed it the other day with a price tag of $2400. I didn’t take a close look that day, but today I walked in and saw the $300 tag. Safe to assume that the pawn shop got screwed and thought it was a real Gibson. It’s a very well made guitar. Good fretwork. Terrible pickups and electronics, but I’ll take care of that. I’m quite pleased with it!
And that's the rub. The pawn shop might have known it was counterfeit and tried to sell it for that price and some knowledgeable person walks in and outs them. This is the part of counterfeit labels on products.
Wanna buy my Rolex 😎?
Thanks for the video and review. I have a chines les paul custom 54 (p90s, wraparound bridge, maple top) "custom order". In general it is nice guitar, for me the worst thing is the nibs finishing, dont properly sit on the freets tips, they should be set better. Mine has as well wierd frets dots. Not well centered and a bit faded some of them.
Regards
Yeah I have seen this as well, if its a keeper get the frets changed.
Dave, Ill never be able to afford a new Gibson. but if I could it would be that very guitar in that color. Im also not a fan of the logo so Id remove it... or have it removed to avoid damage. Can you give me the link to the seller? Im fully aware no two guitars are the same. The one I get might be 180°... condition wise and Im willing to accept that.Not to sound pushy but...I have the $ now and would like to order soon! Thanks for your time and patience.
since there are so many dealers, it would be convenient to know which dealer this LP is, so as not to have surprises from others!
I will be doing a video on how to purchase and where very soon.
@@DaveBarlowGuitarhey I love this video, did you ever make the video on where and how to purchase?
@@thdfielder watch my latest video for instructions
I want one... one of favourite customs finishes. Now just need to leave it in the sun until it yellows like randy rhoads guitar
I got one, baseball neck, large pots, crocked tuners, nice black paint an ok guitar. My first chibson a LP Standard a really nice guitar for $200. I'll stick to my real Les Pauls.
Would love one. Can't afford a Gibson. Knowing my luck customs will nab it though.
Love the vid ❤
I think, re the branding, is, like me, people buy them to gig with, so they don’t have to take their $4500 plus Gibson to a dive bar, but they still have the “look”. Maybe shallow, but it is what it is, and there is a market, obviously.
That aside, it’s a fantastic guitar for the price. I own 2 now, and I’m waiting on the Iron Gear Dirty Torque/Blues Engine pickups to arrive. 😎😎😎
What company did you buy them from?
LOL I have a few guitars with The illumination Markers came from factory that way. I'm 59 yrs old. So yeah.. $250 quid equals $303 US Dollars 🤑💰 💵
I had one just like that. It's placement of bridge and tailpiece were way off spec. Changed out the pickups and tuners and it was a bit wonky in intonation, but what a beast it was. More powerful chunk then either of my 2 real Gibson Lp's.
There are some bridges with more room for the saddles. You can try searching some of that online.
I love white guitars. And the good thing about that one is it is poly. So, in 10 years it will still be white.
With you on that, Dave. The real white Gibsons always look cheap, however much people have spent on them.
So they've making some consistently so that they can be set up. A few of those frets don't look properly seated, mind, so they could shift after a bit.
Though that was a shit masking job for when they painted the guitar after putting the binding and side dots in.
Still wouldn't have one, either. Certainly not with someone else's logo on it.
Funny how Chibsons are villainized but Epi's and Squiers are ok, when the truth is THOSE are just AUTHORIZED Chibsons.
But the quality control and work done on Epi’s and squiers are much better unfortunately
First off epiphone was restored back to premium by JC Curliegh in 2019/2020 chibsons aren't even close to the high quality of Epiphone or Gibson look at my videos I've posted on my channel of my 2021 High end Epiphones with specs so there's no mistake
First off the Quingdao epiphone facility is completely American owned and operated by Gibson Epiphone USA with American and Asian luthiers and only Epiphones are made there so if you are insinuating that chibsons are made by epiphone you're not even slightly close to being right they are not
I would like to know where some of you come up with such ridiculous BS
Villainized because it's stolen copyrights and out and out fraud. The factories that make these Chibsons have nothing to do with Fender or Gibson. If you are importing one the Secret Service can confiscate it and even charge you with a crime, (although unlikely unless you are importing many of them). Also, shady people just like in the watch world, will sell a $300 fake Rolex or Gibson for thousands of dollars. The sorry fool that gets one has just been ripped of. when you buy a Squier or Epiphone, you know exactly what you are getting.
I have owned several and for an extra couple dollars I get them to put my name on the headstock 😉
Hey Dave, you hear if its african mahogany?
Fact.epiphone was created before gibson.gibson bought out epiphone and both name plates were made in Kalamazoo early and mid fifties. Sammick were producing off brands including epiphone early 2000s. From Korea but under gibson factory warranty. Those are great guitars. Epiphone moved to China. My vintage Chicago harmonys have tripled or higher kn price as Japanese made Ibanez going for 1500. Who knew?
Locking tuners, treble bleed and alpha pots will bring in proper Gibson tones.
At this point you should be able to play that neck blindfolded
I feel love it.
Shit I can't afford a real gibson is have to mortgage my life
I ordered a copy of the esp ltd 401 a tele with neck thru design.
I'm looking now to order a esp lespaul also a neck thru body
Instead of one guitar I'm gonna get a couple for fun.
I see some differences like knob placement I'm not sure what the neck will be like hopefully for me like a schemer or ibanez I say them cause I have one
I just saw myself Out your window, I'm Kayaking
Looks pretty Good --what on earth is a CHIBSON ?-----OK --Chinese copy of a Les Paul ?--Now I see why !
Maybe Gibson should not be charging $8000 for a Black Beauty. And don’t get me wrong, I’m 100% capitalist, and I believe in buying American, but there’s only so much ass pounding I’m willing to endure before my patriotism yields to common sense.
If you're a patriot, then at least buy a legit Chinese made one like Epiphone or Squier that probably have some tariffs on. Or get a Harley Benton. I got a Les Paul jr type model from them and it was $180 and it's a great guitar.. You buy one of these Chibsons you are supporting the Chinese government exporting counterfeit product with stolen trademarks and branding. I'm sure the factory they are made in isn't like an Apple factory or even a Squier factory. Just like fake Rolex's coming out of communist China only to be sold for the real deal on Craigslist, eBay, or with guitars, Reverb, you are supporting fraud. Just my opinion.
Freedom of speech is highly underrated. 👌
Haha I bought 72 replicas from customs about a year and a half ago for 25.00 each undamaged for 1800.00 as projects for my music class I teach.
So it's a pickup review, not a guitar review?
its not a review, its information
If the logo bothers, just ask for a custom logo. I do that with my chinese guitars. Just design a logo and send them the .jpg.
Wait... OZZY Jake....Badlands Jake..... or Red Dragon Cartel Jake??. LoL do guitars have vintage tone fingers after Playing 50 years 😅
TBH I need to work on that riff a little more :)
Not annoying at all. It is possible to streamline a guitar build for a great price. Very. Not a Gibson, but is it worth every penny....indeed.
It looks like ,as I often find with Chinese import clone guitars ,that the frets are not completely seated onto the fretboard .. that gives that not “good” tone to the guitar ...ringy ,thin in the midrange sounding over all tone.. I personally would’ve sent this guitar back because of the frets..
Beautiful guitar brother i got a 86 Gibson Lp and a Gibson SG and a chibson the latter is a pile of crap to be honest but was fixable and if the one (chibson) was as nice as most people get id be ok fixing it if needed for guys or girls that cant afford 5 to 10 grand for a Gibson and you can work on it need be then go for it imo 🎉
I bought such a guitar, the frets are uneven, I will have to take the guitar to a luthier, and I also had to pay 73 € in douane. the body of the guitar is narrower and the guitar is much lighter than a real Gibson. the workmanship is great.
...more chibson rubbish. Mr Barlow scraping the bottom of the YTube guitar review barrel again I see --lol.
Yes, white is definitely not my choice of guitar colour either. It might as well be hot pink. The only exception, perhaps, being some mid 70's Strat in aged yellow lacquer olympic white
Again????
@@DaveBarlowGuitar I was thinking the same
If Chibson guys hate Gibson brand so much, and say that Gibson makes shitty guitars, WHY the hell they want Gibson logo in the headstock? 😂 So they want to pretend that they are cool guys because they play with Gibson? Do they use wig as well? 😅 Same with fake Rolex and Nike sneakers.
good point
@@DaveBarlowGuitar Yes. There is lots of brands that makes Gibson style guitars, like Tokai etc.
I got a gold top one of those from work, a customer tricked a member of staff and gave him £300 so I bought it for £300 so they don’t lose money. Mines a les Paul custom with 3 pickups 😂
looks great, but the Chibbys always sound kinda "plinky" to me.
Personally id feel like a massive wanker walking around with a fake Gibson
Its like people that buy and wear fake Rolex watches - literally the definition of a poseur
That's my point. Especially when you can buy an affordable guitar with similar shapes. Makes no sense
I hated this bridge - always moving the intonation out of wack, weird noises when playing etc.
Thanks for your rec on the resomax, not looked back
It's disappointing that the Chinese made guitars that are quite good quality gave the Gibson name on them, it's a shame actually. I would buy one if they didn't have the Gibson logo on them.
You can order them with any logo you want.
@fivekoks2131 not every seller offers that. There was one particular seller that has amazing quality but his guitars all have the Gibson logo. I've seen his work and it's amazing
The headstock still proves it's a counterfeit. they are trademarked.
@teleguy5699 true but some of them are vitually identical. Of course the Chinese quality is not as high.
@@dragan4658 Yeah, they are getting damn good at these and Rolex's. A lot of people make Les Paul style guitars. The fraud/counterfeit is when you sell your product with another company's logo and copywrited headstock. Then an unsuspecting person could get robbed paying for a used "Gibson" that is just a $300 Chines fake.
I was dead set against this, felt sorry for the folks at the Gibson factory and such. but after doing a some research, actually a lot of research this is of Gibson doing I believe. Not directly but indirectly. Either way I don't think this is going to be around long at this price. PRS has done almost the same thing with India. In short is like having a soda that taste as good or better then Coke or Pepsi and comes in the same can just does not look exact. I come to the conclusion Life is too short to give a shite. Buy one don't but one , be pro about it, be toxic about it. just be thankful you can do or say anything about it and move on. I think it looks great, Its not a 1978 Alpine the holy grail of that model. but if I had a choice I would take it because I can't afford the real deal. If I could would I want to, I would have to treat it with kid gloves. If it feels and plays as good then its all me because if it breaks, gets stolen lost, scratched, master bated on, it is not a big loss. At this price I can play with changing pickups, bridges, slap art work on it. I can 4 of them 6 of them 10 of them Gibson is still going to make money from me on parts that they would have never gotten even if I had bought the real deal. I have a 2016 Traditional Honey Amber I paid $2300.00 for it new. it nice, its also heavy as hell. I so afraid every time I pick it up that I am going to disfigure it in some way. if I got the same thing from China, I could do the stuff I wanted to with out feeling like I am degrading the instrument. It like the difference between having a trophy wife or a dirty little whore. So please keep doing the videos Dave, fuck the haters the toxic righteous pecker chokers and keep making the videos please. And if you don't like that model you can always send it to me, I will even pay shipping. :)
Once I got a perfect #1 and a perfect #2 Jimmy Page, I sold off my Gibson.
People need to stop tripping on the branding. A good guitar is a good guitar. Period.
I've never met a morally perfect person in my life, have you? So, don't trip, potato chip.