dude you should take this down, they're ripping ppl off left and right... i feel like you must have something to do w them, if you don't, bc otherwise you're sending sheep to the slaughter. Polaris are just BadCat resellers, and now almost everyone's getting guitars that are different colors than they ordered, etc, and the guys are ghosting everyone... i'm serious, take this down or i'll be forced to escalate, and the only person I know who's involved is Dave Barlow. You don't wanna take the fall for an international counterfeit ring. all we wanted was what we ordered.
That's the wonders of CN'C machining. Of course not all of them are good. But I have always said that when you don't go for the super cheap stuff you can get amazing quality for the money. Just like in the 80s with the Japanese. Everyone laughed until they overtook us.
My Chibson 57 futura is my best playing guitar, and I own two Gibsons and pride myself on my setups… it’s kinda annoying how remarkable it plays I can’t put it down… kinda don’t know what to do lol. I honestly thought it would be a wall hanger and it’s my absolute favorite. The quality and playability is through the roof. It’s so slinky and effortless to play… I just can’t stress enough how much I love this guitar
That’s what I like to believe when seeing those videos and reviews like yours. I don’t care about brands I just want a nice 80’s Explorer but not the way Gibson makes them now. I have an eye on one seller on Ebay that sells ESP MX220/250 versions… the videos I’ve seen so far put a BEAUTIFUL light and sound on this guitars!
(Dave Barlow,Thank you for this Video). @Isaacsasmrchannel, You are exactly right.. My Chibson, "Black Beauty" Mahogany body and Rosewood neck", arrived from China.. I bought it Off Ebay... It was advertised @US_$243.00. I offered US-$200 and they accepted my offer. It took 11 days to arrive.. I have 12 other guitars and my favorite was the Yamaha EG112 and my Washburn X series and Squire-Strat-Fender running close 2nd and 3rd. But I was stunned by the quality of the Chibson... I love it too.. Its hard to go back to the other guitars.. really I am so glad I took the plunge.. on a Chibson. My most expensive guitar is my Ovation round body guitar I bought 35 years ago (US-$1,200), and it needs its frets manicured... so to speak, bottom string catches on a couple of frets there, which is usually my work horse guitar..
I am now in my '70's I have been playing guitars in bands since 1964. I bought a 1964 Epi casino in 1965, its p90's were amazing. I bought a 1971 Gibson LP Custom in 1972, I played it in bands for up to 4 days a week in gigs for over 5 years. MY GOD, it was Heavy and my shoulder suffers to this day. I bought my first Chibson "Replica" of my '71 gibson in 2010 and it was much cheaper and lighter and not too bad on quality. I have since bought 3 more and love them.
im 70 like the other geezer i started playing in 64 at 10 yrs old. i have had sg's and a couple of PRS which i gave one away and still have a custom 24 with dimarzios. a couple of yamaha accoustics and my kids have a dozen mixes of strats epi and jackson. i have bought half a dpxen chibsons, one was a martin accoustic. i only play the chibson LP i upgraded. a supreme semi hollow, like a violin. i have 2 supremes gold and red, and a black LP . i changed the nut, roller bridge pickups and switches and jack plugs. left the stock pots. i dont like the controls on the prs. i do like the prs les paul. for now im ok with the chibsons. I have a wall of paul, 3 lesters and the prs hangin together.
I find it interesting that so many guitar enthusiasts will dog these guitars but I rarely hear comments about the axe that slash played. In fact, Gibson copied the copy.
Counterfit would be the only comparison Slashes lp was custom build by a famous and very good luthier i have yet to see a chibson that could match the craftsmanship of Slashes copy imo@@peterwilson9165
Just built up a 'greeny' LP with seymour duncan custom shop greeny pickups(MJ!). Fret nibs, great action, gibson/tonepro style bridge. I did perform fret leveling on a few frets and polished them - plays better than some of my $1000+ guitars.
I currently own a few Gibsons and Epiphones along with 4 Chibsons. The Chibsons are all decent, playable guitars but I did change the pickups and pots in them. I view them as decent project guitars and you can gig with them, but I don’t believe they are really replacements for a real Gibson or Epiphone. Just my opinion.
Yeah seriously. These people in the comments need to be honest with themselves. If the Chibson didn't say Gibson on it, they wouldn't give a rats ass about them...
I'd be astonished if they were anywhere near a Gibson in quality, either build or materials....on the other hand if you can get a decent Les Paul copy for around £250-£300 that's still less than half the price of an Epiphone.
I have one of these from Polaris. And a real Gibson. They are nowhere near the quality of a Gibson. The body and the neck are every bit as a good as an Epiphone. I have owned a few. So i can say that with experience. However. The hardware is not upto much. It feels cheap, looks cheap and the pickups are rubbish. If Epiphone would make their Les Pauls with a proper Gibson style headstock. People wouldnt give a Chibson a second thought. The headstock shape is a real turn off for a lot people. These Chibsons are a good base for a project to modify. The body, the neck, the frets and fretboard are all good. Very good infact. The rest, well…….. you will most likey want to upgrade all that.
Yes, I just bought one as an experiment and project guitar, because I don't care if I mess it up. The Chibson, regardless of what I do to it, will never compare with even a basic LP Standard. To make it into something I would enjoy playing, I need to do this: Fret dress Pots Pickups Tuners (absolutely garbage!) Nut Main issue is the frets are too big for the slots, so it has a natural back bow. The truss rod works to a degree, but to pull the neck forward enough it must be strung with 010 strings with truss rod fully loosened. Anyone who thinks a Chibson is as good as even a poor QA Gibson, has not played many Les Pauls. I own 19 Gibson Les Pauls from all eras so I know what they are like and there's no comparison, no matter what you upgrade on a Chibson. It's a project guitar but once you've paid for it and the upgrades and the time, you may as well have bought a used low-end Gibson, which will have good residuals, whereas it does not matter what you do to a Chibson, you can't ever sell it. You can't polish a turd, as we Brits say!
I bought a Chibson for 4 grand, but when it arrived it actually said "Gibson"! Of course I sent it back because they sent me a fake, and told them I wanted the real thing. That's a lot of money. Luckily they apologized for their mistale and sent me a real Chibson
im curious, why do i need to go and join a facebook group. To find out what the website is to buy a chibson. Why not just put it out there what the name of the site is. thanks
I was looking for a more straightforward way to purchase a Chibson les paul. Anyone know of a website that simply sells quality within reason guitars, someplace without the strange extra steps that for some reason concerns me. Maybe our host could pin a next best option for those who watched but were a bit taken back by the actual info we got for our time?
Good on you mate. It's a very strange selling model that company uses. I bought an ES-335 clone from (another) online provider. It was pretty much unplayable as it arrived (a couple of damaged frets, one badly so). To the company's credit they provided partial refund and provided new frets. As it turned out I was able to repair the frets in situ, albeit with a lot of delicate hammer work and reshaping. The general fretwork on mine was also rubbish, not even close to level. I kept the P90 pickups it came with but changed the tuners and the nut. Everything else was fine and the finish etc as good as anything. I'm a beginner guitarist, and not very good. But I have an engineering background so learning how to work on my guitars was really enjoyable. I now make up with my complete lack of musical talent by substituting number of guitars owned! The guitar above needed quite a lot of work, but it's quite nice now. The take-away from my own experience was that the "headline" price was in US$, and by the time I did the currency conversion not the complete bargain it appeared at first. Then I had to add shipping, also in US$. Of course I only discovered that once mentally committed to buy it. For only slightly more I could have walked into my local friendly guitar shop and walked out with an Epiphone equivalent. If I didn't learn the skills to work on guitars myself, it would have been a very disappointing journey. BUT I did learn and the end result is yes I'll probably buy another clone from China! However it's a lottery and not one I think should be taken unless the buyer is prepared to get their hands dirty as part of the process
Just bought the Dirty Torque and Blues Engine Dave, thanks for all this info, its brill, specially coming from pro's like yourselves, what a find!! Cheers
Hi from Australia 🇦🇺 I have a couple of guitars that l Bought from Ali express and two were good one was not so good I really enjoyed watching and listening to your video and I will go to the link and have a look I quite like the look of that white Gibson copy and the black one looks pretty good too
I have o wned over a 100 Chibson LP's and I have yet to get one that had correct body thickness or dog-ear lamination headstocks. I have beautiful solid tops and mahogany bodies but yet to get one that was exact Gibson body build replica.. From paying for hand crafted premium style bodies I have yet to get one made exactly to Gibson spec. They are still high quality after the build but still will never be a real exact replica.
All the guitars Fraser got look great.All the instruments I’ve ordered from Polaris4Music are excellent instruments. I have a Jimmy Page No.2, Greeny-Moore, and a Slash AFD. I also a 59 ML and 1959 R9 that are on order.
Can you tell me more about the process? IT seems there is or was a Discord group where you'd find what's available or make oders, but now there's a forum based system that is scarcely populated with individuals but not much activity. I'm interested in a Les Paul Jr. Doublecutaway
@@MMcG25 Yes , it's really confusing. I'm interested but it's really hard to tell what is available, who is selling it, and what might be available to order.
@@plantagenant yeah not worth the hassle and unpredictability. There are US based companies that make affordable LP doublecut models that probably won't require a pickup and pots swap etc. The company starts with an F - I forget the rest.
@@rustyhighlander786 they don't make a Les Paul Jr doublecutaway style at the moment. I've seen a few on ebay but they have ridiculous names on the headstocks (like naughty boy or something like that)
That's the wonders of CN'C machining. Of course not all of them are good. But I have always said that when you don't go for the super cheap stuff you can get amazing quality for the money. Just like in the 80s with the Japanese. Everyone laughed until they overtook us.
I have no problem with Chibsons....only trying to pass them off as a real one in a sale. That's criminal. As far as undermining Gibson that's complete bull. It is the sincerest form of flattery reinforcing Gibson's prestige as a premium guitar...and more to the point, I don't believe it's taking away sales. I might consider a Chibson because of their affordability. I'm not going to buy a Gibson any time soon because they are simply beyond my financial reach. Finally, I'd be happy to take one of these to a gig, because like my Vintage and Burny Les Paul's, they're cheap and I don't have to worry about it getting dinged, damaged , stolen etc. Imagine owing a custom shop Les Paul...beautiful but would I risk one in a pub full of drunks. Would I f***.
@@billdeprospero8666 Who is bragging? Nobody is forcing you to buy one. I haven't. I'm not going to. I'll still take cheap guitars to gigs because I'm not an idiot. I'm also probably a better guitarist than you. Now going and relax...
I have a number of chibs as gig guitars you basically have to rework them and put better Electronics in it rework the neck and maybe do a refret job but they are good bases for working guitars that you don't have to worry about someone stealing them
What difference does it make if the Mahogany & Rosewood & Maple top is made in China Most people think how the hell can they make something that cheap But the question is how the hell can they rip you off for so much for a lump of wood & little bit of electronics
Glad someone said it! It’s a guitar! The player makes the music! An object can be upgraded and refined! If i paid full price for all my axes,I’d be homeless😂 But, seriously, i love having different guitars. Keeps me stoked and they’re Art! And they’re making some nice pieces
I buy Les Paul's strictly for the lumber...Gibson, Epiphone, etc. I look for guitars that resonate (how much, how long), are finished well and are constructed well. EVERYTHING else is going to be replaced. I have a couple Epi's that blow any Gibson LP away.
Gibson dropped the ball back in around 2009 on. They've gotten worse and worse. I've been luck enough to have owned 2 classic Gibson guitars. And one "Buddy Holly" special edition stratocaster. My Les Paul was a 1950's Les Paul custom. My SG was a 1974 standard, made in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Epiphone had some early "Les Paul" and SG copies back in the 70's that rival against most Gibson guitars. I've seen a lot of shit and golden quality knockoffs. I'd buy a Epiphone for $800.00 before paying $1,500 for a Gibson with their poor quality. However, no other guitar of any brand has been better than my "Les Paul" Custom. it only had 5 numbers burnt in the back of the Head-stock. I miss that so bad.
Very interesting ! I keep searching "Polaris" on Facebook but didn't find something that was around a guitar subject !!! Can anybody send me a link where I can see those guitars ?
Thanks for this post...seems the facebook pages are either dormant or not giving the code to buy a guitar..Hopefully it will change as I really want to buy one!
I have 30 odd Chinese Guitars plus 1 "Real" 60th Anniversary Strat. All Chinese guitars need a bit of work, so if you think you are going to get a $5000 instrument for $500 Don't buy one. I gig with the Chinese Stratocasters and leave the "Real" one at home, they work just fine.
Aren't these guitars actually coming from the same factory Epiphones are made ? they could be just unbranded Epiphones with a Gibson style headstock. That could explain why quality has improved
@@cknightcknight There are dozens of Chinese companies making guitars, some great, some very poor, you have to know where to buy as the guy states in the video...
They could be. There's apparently about six companies in China that make guitars. The sellers generally take your order and shop around for the best price and thats who makes the guitar - so could be good or bad. Buying from the same seller also isn't a guarantee that the guitar will be good or even made at the same factory.The best advice is to read their reviews and communicate before ordering. If they're hard to work with, don't touch it with a ten foot pole.
So I pulled the trigger on a guitar from this site a few days back, am now crossing fingers and toes that something awesome arrives with me in about 10 days time!
Hi, really appreciate the reviews and interview. A credible working musician and a working musician / luthier add good weight to the validity of theses instruments. You've answered the essential questions, stating that these are stage worthy instruments (they play well AND stay in tune) alongside looking good are what most of us want to know. No one is forcing us to have Gibson on the headstock, it can be covered over or defaced, an alternative name be requested. Any one out there who has been looking for someone will already know the sources including P olaris, good to hear from people who have taken this route successfully. Thanks again
Talking of pickups I pulled the trigger on some Epiphone probuckers with a full solderless harness with coil tap and if theyre fake they must be the best knock off things to ever exist, its a well worth upgrade for a chibson and i think they came in under £30, ive seen a guy review them and he goes as far to say that they are Epiphone pickups and harnesses This was a couple years back but they're still on the aliexpress
Personally my wife and I have purchased several Chinese Guitars 🎸🎶 I Violins 🎻 Keyboards 🎹 .. Have been extremely happy with the quality. When you go to a Music Store 🎵 🏬 The Guitars all need Fretboard Work adjustment of truss rod, Frets are sharp. This is guitar 🎸 guitars from Jackson, Fender, Gibson... $200 to $3000 When you can spend $200 to $400 on a Chinese Guitar 🎸🎶 & be completely done with mods that is included in my figure. They will be equal to or better than a guitar 5X to 10X the cost . That's HUGE. Of course I m taking experienced guitarists that have Luthier skills, or at least can adjust Truss rod Change Pickups pots tuners strings and Tune the Guitar. Beginners would be better with Donner Guitars or West Creek Guitars or IYV Guitars they come close just need tuning. Cheers 🍻 🥃🥃
Yep, buying a Chibson isn't for the light hearted unfortunately. Unless you can do a lot of the things yourself, the values just not there like it is on known budget brands.
A benefit of Chibsons till quite recently is they needed all sorts of work, which made them an excellent guitar to build your luthiery skills on. Learn to do your own work, once the guitar is done you'll have something to be proud of and saved yourself money.
That's absolutely correct! Les Paul's vision for a solid-body electric guitar began taking shape with "The Log" in 1939-1941, in collaboration with Epiphone. "The Log" was essentially a 4x4 pine post with a neck and homemade pickups. Les Paul's experimentation with "The Log" led to refinement and eventual partnership with Gibson Guitars. Gibson's Ted McCarty, influenced by Les Paul's design, created the iconic Gibson Les Paul model in 1952. Key milestones: 1. 1939-1941: Les Paul and Epiphone develop "The Log." 2. 1941: Les Paul showcases "The Log" to Gibson, but they initially reject the idea. 3. 1952: Gibson, inspired by Les Paul's design, releases the first Gibson Les Paul model. Your contribution highlights the significance of Les Paul's pioneering work and the evolution of the solid-body electric guitar! Would you like more information on guitar innovation or Les Paul's legacy?... Epiphone all the way
@americanjoe5486 oh better start researching little man he played Epiphone on all his recordings up until Gibson caught him in 1958 and made him stop..and at the end of his life he admitted he couldn't stand Gibson and had regrets especially what Norlin did to Epiphone in 1976 and screwing him on his contract I'm just sad Les Paul didn't live long enough to see his beloved Epiphone restored back to premium in 2019/2020 by JC Curliegh..see this is what happens when you actually research before running your mouth and sticking your foot in it .. Gibson has nothing over the legendary Epiphone never has and never will...
beacause people bring them into my workshop and there are many people interested in the subject. However, after the death threats, the YT strike and funny things happening to my tyres I may not do any more videos about them.
Did you do a black beauty with a bigsby or can you cuz I'm buying one. And second question I want to install a 6way switch with a split coil tap setup. Thoughts on that?
Very interesting and would love to have a real chibson, a gigable chibson hanging on my wall. The only thing I am worried about is if I will get problems with customs here in The Netherlands or be confiscated. That will be a bummer for sure..anyways, a nice firebird will do or a 335..or an Orville..
I find it easier to just buy a Firefly...there great quality Chinese guitars that ship from the U.S. but there going to say firefly on the headstock NOT GIBSON.
my simple request; send me the body without, tuners, nut, frets, picups, jack plug, switch, pots / knobs, ABR and Tail Pc. these all take time to replace on a luthiers bench.
Thanks for the conversation and info, somehow I was thinking it’s a bit like a Rorschach test where people’s comments reveal more about their established positions. You came off as being level headed and non judgmental, thanks
personally I dont follow the crowd, people want a Gibson and when confronted with a choice they choose the cheaper option. FYI, 90% of guitar players are bedroom players only so perhaps its not such a big deal after all.
I have a Polaris 56 Les Paul Custom. The P90s are good, the other hardware as well except for tuners. I'll be replacing those and the input jack plate. I have owned 55 and 56 Les Pauls. My 56 was a first run Tobacco Sunburst. I have a 70 Deluxe burst and various other standards etc. The Polaris played as well outta the box as anything on my guitar rack.
If it has Gibson on the headstock, I hope somewhere else it's stated obviously that it's a fake. The FACT the company/factory is producing outright copies IS hurting the reputation of Gibson guitars. If it had a different logo, or no logo at all, it would honestly still be a beauty of a guitar.
TBH if Gibson actually gave two shits about their quality you shouldn't have to spend an extra $500 on top of their already exorbitant price to get it playing correctly. They're still living in the 50's and relying on past glory. There's so many great brands now Gibsons priced themselves out of the market. And thats why a lot of these pop up fakes exist.
Joined the Facebook group and then the other group I was directed to as I'm curious and potential purchaser if I see anything that takes my fancy....but crikey, it's very, very confusing to say the least!
There has to be good ones somewhere right? But I have never had a good one in my workshop to the point that I have stopped taking them in. I will never support the fake Gibson's regardless: it's just wrong IMO. Victor...
For years I watched these Chibson videos and found them entertaining and thought well, why don't I give it a shot. Well the first one I bought was a beautiful looking PRS style copy semi hollow very cool looking. Except that on the high side of the neck the string was so out of alignment that by the time you got up to the 10 or 12th fret you were off the fretboard. An absolutely unplayable piece of shit. I tried it one more time with a Gibson Les Paul fake and that one was even worse. The neck was angled back at like 25° and the frets were all over the place. Looked like an elementary school kid had done it for his first guitar project. It was an absolute piece of junk, beyond comprehension. So to those of you reading this who doubt us go ahead and take your chances if you like but you've been warned. There are a hell of a lot more people out there who have had bad experiences than people who have good experiences. So why not just reduce the risk and buy an inexpensive brand name decent quality guitar? There's a hell of a lot of good inexpensive guitar makers out there these days. No need to take a risk on a mystery meat chibson from a random shabby Chinese factory.
@@FretFriendGWaL Blanket statements are useless, if you know where to buy, there are some very good guitars, Lots of modern guitar companies have great guitars made in China.
@@MickH60 Never said they didn't! I am basing my thoughts on my personal experiences! My pick-up-and-play guitars is a China made Squier Classic Vibe Tele (I'd gig with it 100% if it suited my playing style): love it as much as my USA made Hamer. I have no idea what a blanket statementy is btw! I repeat, my comment is based on my experience with Chibson's I have had in my workshop (and I've had a few)...
I own a Polaris Chibby and its really a great guitar, I did replace the pickups and tuners bit yeah these are great quality guitars. If i bought a gibby I'd gut it anyways Im not a fan of Gibby pickups except Tim Shaws, Polaris you cant go wrong.
The only thing that concerns me about buying a Chinese guitar is getting it through UK customs without customs keeping and then destroying it. Especially the ones with the Chibson logo on them.
Pretty much how I feel. I bought one of these Polaris white custom LP’s. I’d be devastated if something was to happen to a real one that costs 5,800 dollars at one of my shows
@@tylerhaas6 Can i please ask you what's the avg price? sub 500? sub 800? Sub 1000? More than 1000? Thanks in advance man, but i really can't be asked to do a shitbook account just to check the prices.
Chibsons make REASONABLE "Husks" for "Mod Heads". How THE WOOD stands up over time is the issue. It won't because they don't dry it properly to begin with. That said, they are a Low Risk investment even if only a short term one...2-3 years.
I think it's ridiculous what Gibson charges for a Les Paul. Most of your best made guitars come from Japan or China. Let's be honest, the Japanese take much more pride in the work and product they produce than us Americans do. I'm not just mouthing off based on opinion but from my own experience. 2 years ago, I bought a brand new Gibson custom silverburst les paul. I paid almost 6k for this guitar and not to mention I had to order it and then wait 4 months for it. I figured for 6k the guitar would be perfect. Well.... no exactly... On the neck it had a paint run spot that they tried to cover up but did a awful job. Had 2 frets that were higher than the rest. After noticing all that I decided to check the wiring. 1 of the wires from the switch had a burn mark exposing the copper and there were little solder fragments everywhere. I actually turned the guitar upside down and most of the fragments fell out. The rest I pulled out. Needless to say I got in touch with Gibson about this matter and I was stunned at what they had to say. They assured me that when the guitar left there factory it wasn't in that shape and the deficiencies I found were all done by shipping and need to contact the shipping company and file a claim. Needless to say I finally had to get a lawyer to handle the matter and after a year and half I received my $ back and I happily shipped them the guitar back. Lesson learned, just because you pay 3-6k for a guitar, does not guarantee your getting a 3-6k guitar.
Everyone is always complaining about the Chibson Grover tuners. I just purchased a set of Grover locking tuners for my Chibson SG and as I was sourcing them, I found out that Grover's were made in Taiwan, but the production is now (Guess?), back in China !!! That means that 'Gibson' is using Chinese tuners. Guys, I worry that Chibson channels like this will drive up the prices of Chibson's or maybe something even worse, like stepping up the game at Customs, heaven forbid, stopping production completely. Call me a worry wart or whatever, but I'm usually right. I liked it better when fewer people knew about it. Thanks
Its laughable how many people are so willing to own a fake, a counterfeit product and justify it by bagging the real thing. Chinese guitars can be excellent and it seems these Polaris units are right up there so it begs the question, why not put polaris on the headstock? Don't use a name that isn't yours and don't try ro pass it off as something it isn't. Pretty simple really.
I enjoy rubbing it in every one's face,doesn't matter what name is on the headstock,the design of the les paul itself was stolen years ago,people seem to think because it has a different name on the headstock that that is perfectly ok, sorry but it's no different then a chibson, and Gibson theirself is making a fake guitar, by copying slashes guitar which wasn't made by Gibson,so if they can get away with it,why not everyone,a counterfeit has to be exactly like the guitar it's copying, chibson are not,they are nothing more than a knock off, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with owning one,don't like the logo don't look.
it's perfectly legal to own them, you just can't sell them to anyone if you decide to part with it. and what of ESP Edwards ? they are gibson copies down to the open book headstock. that are better quality than Gibson.
@@martymcpeak4748 , that's my point, they're excellent guitars, some of the best in fact and they put their name to them. You won't find a single Edwards guitar with a Gibson logo on the headstock.
The Chinese guitars are built quite well these days and are simply impressive. I know professional guitarists that gig these guitars and no one is the wiser…
Chibsons aren't even close to the quality of the Epiphone and Gibson guitars... chibsons are not made by epiphone.. epiphone Quindoa facility is completely American owned and operated Scott Lewis is the facility manager along with American and Asian luthiers at the facility.. Scott Lewis would not give his luthiers permission under any circumstances to build chibsons.. save your money and buy the real deals Epiphone and Gibson
I’ve owned 3 real Gibson’s, one a custom shop, and two of them were garbage. They wouldn’t stay in tune, even after bringing them to the customer shop in Nashville and having them worked on twice. The pickups were mid at best, and just massively disappointed. I kept the SG and it’s nice, but so many better made guitars out there for a lot less money. If you are a badass, you can really make anything sound good. Who cares where it’s made if it’s a quality tool that stays in tune and sounds good.
Im not interested by the Gibson badge and like you said maybe take it off and just sell these as is because they are great guitars in there own right. I just wanted a guitar that someone can vouch for its value for money. I bought one last week from Jason at Polaris4music based on this and other reviews and Im blown away by the guitar. Having the pups swapped out for a pair of IG's this week. Thanks so much for covering this.
there is not really any sense to buy a chibson and to bet if it will arrive or the quality when you can buy a legit chinese like harley benton etc... the only nice thint it is they can make a custom by your suggestions. By the way all chinese cheap guitats Epi and squier included they needs new hardware and pickups and electronic ...it's not really worth
I bought a really nice LP copy that is branded "GP Blume." I wouldn't have bought it if it were labeled Gibson. There are lots of unbranded Chinese guitars on eBay. Presumably Firefly, Harley Benton, Donner, etc. are similar but with a distribution/marketing team.
If for any reason they get taken down just do a Google search for Polaris4Music
Hey, they don’t seem to have a site? How do I order or look at inventory?
dude you should take this down, they're ripping ppl off left and right... i feel like you must have something to do w them, if you don't, bc otherwise you're sending sheep to the slaughter. Polaris are just BadCat resellers, and now almost everyone's getting guitars that are different colors than they ordered, etc, and the guys are ghosting everyone...
i'm serious, take this down or i'll be forced to escalate, and the only person I know who's involved is Dave Barlow. You don't wanna take the fall for an international counterfeit ring.
all we wanted was what we ordered.
Can't find this company ANYWHERE.
That's the wonders of CN'C machining. Of course not all of them are good. But I have always said that when you don't go for the super cheap stuff you can get amazing quality for the money. Just like in the 80s with the Japanese. Everyone laughed until they overtook us.
They are also on Aliexpress? Why order on the facebook group when you can have the buyer's protection?
My Chibson 57 futura is my best playing guitar, and I own two Gibsons and pride myself on my setups… it’s kinda annoying how remarkable it plays I can’t put it down… kinda don’t know what to do lol. I honestly thought it would be a wall hanger and it’s my absolute favorite. The quality and playability is through the roof. It’s so slinky and effortless to play… I just can’t stress enough how much I love this guitar
That’s what I like to believe when seeing those videos and reviews like yours. I don’t care about brands I just want a nice 80’s Explorer but not the way Gibson makes them now. I have an eye on one seller on Ebay that sells ESP MX220/250 versions… the videos I’ve seen so far put a BEAUTIFUL light and sound on this guitars!
(Dave Barlow,Thank you for this Video). @Isaacsasmrchannel, You are exactly right.. My Chibson, "Black Beauty" Mahogany body and Rosewood neck", arrived from China.. I bought it Off Ebay... It was advertised @US_$243.00. I offered US-$200 and they accepted my offer. It took 11 days to arrive.. I have 12 other guitars and my favorite was the Yamaha EG112 and my Washburn X series and Squire-Strat-Fender running close 2nd and 3rd. But I was stunned by the quality of the Chibson... I love it too.. Its hard to go back to the other guitars.. really I am so glad I took the plunge.. on a Chibson. My most expensive guitar is my Ovation round body guitar I bought 35 years ago (US-$1,200), and it needs its frets manicured... so to speak, bottom string catches on a couple of frets there, which is usually my work horse guitar..
I am now in my '70's I have been playing guitars in bands since 1964. I bought a 1964 Epi casino in 1965, its p90's were amazing. I bought a 1971 Gibson LP Custom in 1972, I played it in bands for up to 4 days a week in gigs for over 5 years. MY GOD, it was Heavy and my shoulder suffers to this day. I bought my first Chibson "Replica" of my '71 gibson in 2010 and it was much cheaper and lighter and not too bad on quality. I have since bought 3 more and love them.
I went into a Guitar store and played a Gibson worth £4500, went home and ordered a Chibson for £230
I guess this is why so many people don’t mind owning a fake.
Excellent Dave. Really enjoyed the video today!
ruclips.net/video/KcwKdRQjUbA/видео.html
I bought a Greeny Les Paul from Polaris that I'm still waiting on, and this video is making me even more anxious to get it!
did you get it?
@krstacicpaulo nope. Still waiting.
How about now? I would like to get one myself and would like your opinion on yours.
@michaeldavidgreen still waiting. This will be my first and only Polaris guitar no matter how good it is.
I got mine in 4 days lol. They forgot to send the other guitar tho gave me money back. Im happy
im 70 like the other geezer i started playing in 64 at 10 yrs old. i have had sg's and a couple of PRS which i gave one away and still have a custom 24 with dimarzios. a couple of yamaha accoustics and my kids have a dozen mixes of strats epi and jackson. i have bought half a dpxen chibsons, one was a martin accoustic. i only play the chibson LP i upgraded. a supreme semi hollow, like a violin. i have 2 supremes gold and red, and a black LP . i changed the nut, roller bridge pickups and switches and jack plugs. left the stock pots. i dont like the controls on the prs. i do like the prs les paul. for now im ok with the chibsons. I have a wall of paul, 3 lesters and the prs hangin together.
I find it interesting that so many guitar enthusiasts will dog these guitars but I rarely hear comments about the axe that slash played. In fact, Gibson copied the copy.
In fact his Chibson saved Gibson from going bust since he made them popular again.
@@jtjam72 That guitar was a crafted luthier built replica piece that would cost about $15-25k to build today… not a comparable thing at all lol
@@joea9608it is comparable because is was a counterfeit just like a chibson just a very expensive one.
Counterfit would be the only comparison Slashes lp was custom build by a famous and very good luthier i have yet to see a chibson that could match the craftsmanship of Slashes copy imo@@peterwilson9165
Just built up a 'greeny' LP with seymour duncan custom shop greeny pickups(MJ!). Fret nibs, great action, gibson/tonepro style bridge. I did perform fret leveling on a few frets and polished them - plays better than some of my $1000+ guitars.
I currently own a few Gibsons and Epiphones along with 4 Chibsons. The Chibsons are all decent, playable guitars but I did change the pickups and pots in them. I view them as decent project guitars and you can gig with them, but I don’t believe they are really replacements for a real Gibson or Epiphone. Just my opinion.
Yeah seriously.
These people in the comments need to be honest with themselves. If the Chibson didn't say Gibson on it, they wouldn't give a rats ass about them...
I'd be astonished if they were anywhere near a Gibson in quality, either build or materials....on the other hand if you can get a decent Les Paul copy for around £250-£300 that's still less than half the price of an Epiphone.
I have one of these from Polaris. And a real Gibson. They are nowhere near the quality of a Gibson. The body and the neck are every bit as a good as an Epiphone. I have owned a few. So i can say that with experience. However. The hardware is not upto much. It feels cheap, looks cheap and the pickups are rubbish.
If Epiphone would make their Les Pauls with a proper Gibson style headstock. People wouldnt give a Chibson a second thought. The headstock shape is a real turn off for a lot people. These Chibsons are a good base for a project to modify. The body, the neck, the frets and fretboard are all good. Very good infact. The rest, well…….. you will most likey want to upgrade all that.
You need to install a good quality ABR-1 bridge/tailpiece and a good nut or you're missing out.
Yes, I just bought one as an experiment and project guitar, because I don't care if I mess it up. The Chibson, regardless of what I do to it, will never compare with even a basic LP Standard. To make it into something I would enjoy playing, I need to do this:
Fret dress
Pots
Pickups
Tuners (absolutely garbage!)
Nut
Main issue is the frets are too big for the slots, so it has a natural back bow. The truss rod works to a degree, but to pull the neck forward enough it must be strung with 010 strings with truss rod fully loosened.
Anyone who thinks a Chibson is as good as even a poor QA Gibson, has not played many Les Pauls. I own 19 Gibson Les Pauls from all eras so I know what they are like and there's no comparison, no matter what you upgrade on a Chibson.
It's a project guitar but once you've paid for it and the upgrades and the time, you may as well have bought a used low-end Gibson, which will have good residuals, whereas it does not matter what you do to a Chibson, you can't ever sell it. You can't polish a turd, as we Brits say!
I bought a Chibson for 4 grand, but when it arrived it actually said "Gibson"! Of course I sent it back because they sent me a fake, and told them I wanted the real thing. That's a lot of money. Luckily they apologized for their mistale and sent me a real Chibson
The topic question is addressed at 6:00
thanks for watching :)
im curious, why do i need to go and join a facebook group. To find out what the website is to buy a chibson. Why not just put it out there what the name of the site is. thanks
Agree.
I was looking for a more straightforward way to purchase a Chibson les paul. Anyone know of a website that simply sells quality within reason guitars, someplace without the strange extra steps that for some reason concerns me.
Maybe our host could pin a next best option for those who watched but were a bit taken back by the actual info we got for our time?
Good on you mate. It's a very strange selling model that company uses. I bought an ES-335 clone from (another) online provider. It was pretty much unplayable as it arrived (a couple of damaged frets, one badly so). To the company's credit they provided partial refund and provided new frets. As it turned out I was able to repair the frets in situ, albeit with a lot of delicate hammer work and reshaping. The general fretwork on mine was also rubbish, not even close to level. I kept the P90 pickups it came with but changed the tuners and the nut. Everything else was fine and the finish etc as good as anything.
I'm a beginner guitarist, and not very good. But I have an engineering background so learning how to work on my guitars was really enjoyable. I now make up with my complete lack of musical talent by substituting number of guitars owned! The guitar above needed quite a lot of work, but it's quite nice now.
The take-away from my own experience was that the "headline" price was in US$, and by the time I did the currency conversion not the complete bargain it appeared at first. Then I had to add shipping, also in US$. Of course I only discovered that once mentally committed to buy it. For only slightly more I could have walked into my local friendly guitar shop and walked out with an Epiphone equivalent. If I didn't learn the skills to work on guitars myself, it would have been a very disappointing journey. BUT I did learn and the end result is yes I'll probably buy another clone from China! However it's a lottery and not one I think should be taken unless the buyer is prepared to get their hands dirty as part of the process
I own a Gibson les paul custom and a China in custom believe.me they are good for the money 😊
Just bought the Dirty Torque and Blues Engine Dave, thanks for all this info, its brill, specially coming from pro's like yourselves, what a find!! Cheers
Chibsons are a roll of the dice
They are also on Aliexpress? Why order on the facebook group when you can have the buyer's protection?
Good question.
Now I am tempted. I put Blues Engines into a kit LP based on Dave’s recommendation. Sounds great. Maybe it’s time to upgrade that to a chibby
A chibson would be a step back from pretty much anything but the worst of guitars.
Has it got the Chong neck tenon?
yes
😂 🎉😊
Chibson LPSupreme here,,,great guitar,Gibson would be proud !!!
*Former Gibson ,Fender,Peavy,tech.
Why don't we see more Firebirds being mentioned?
what did you do about the thick baseball bat necks? the feel of the slim neck on the real gibson is a big deal.
Facebook group link no longer works.. it brings you to your home page
polaris4music - discord.com/channels/1133261292321378395/1133261292761792633
Dicord link is not working either.
Hi from Australia 🇦🇺 I have a couple of guitars that l Bought from Ali express and two were good one was not so good I really enjoyed watching and listening to your video and I will go to the link and have a look I quite like the look of that white Gibson copy and the black one looks pretty good too
I have o wned over a 100 Chibson LP's and I have yet to get one that had correct body thickness or dog-ear lamination headstocks. I have beautiful solid tops and mahogany bodies but yet to get one that was exact Gibson body build replica.. From paying for hand crafted premium style bodies I have yet to get one made exactly to Gibson spec. They are still high quality after the build but still will never be a real exact replica.
100? realy?
All the guitars Fraser got look great.All the instruments I’ve ordered from Polaris4Music are excellent instruments.
I have a Jimmy Page No.2, Greeny-Moore, and a Slash AFD. I also a 59 ML and 1959 R9 that are on order.
Where to buy polaris ?...i didn't find them on Aliexpress
Can you tell me more about the process? IT seems there is or was a Discord group where you'd find what's available or make oders, but now there's a forum based system that is scarcely populated with individuals but not much activity. I'm interested in a Les Paul Jr. Doublecutaway
@@MMcG25 Yes , it's really confusing. I'm interested but it's really hard to tell what is available, who is selling it, and what might be available to order.
@@plantagenant yeah not worth the hassle and unpredictability. There are US based companies that make affordable LP doublecut models that probably won't require a pickup and pots swap etc. The company starts with an F - I forget the rest.
@@rustyhighlander786 they don't make a Les Paul Jr doublecutaway style at the moment. I've seen a few on ebay but they have ridiculous names on the headstocks (like naughty boy or something like that)
I just bought one and I searched through all kinds of builder's. The fact theycome with a hard shell case. Says they are ready to step it up.
That's the wonders of CN'C machining. Of course not all of them are good. But I have always said that when you don't go for the super cheap stuff you can get amazing quality for the money. Just like in the 80s with the Japanese. Everyone laughed until they overtook us.
Hi Dave what seller do Fraser recommend buying from as he has had some good ones.
And are they just as good or better than Harley Benton or epiphone ?
Polaris4Music
look in description link
I have no problem with Chibsons....only trying to pass them off as a real one in a sale. That's criminal. As far as undermining Gibson that's complete bull. It is the sincerest form of flattery reinforcing Gibson's prestige as a premium guitar...and more to the point, I don't believe it's taking away sales. I might consider a Chibson because of their affordability. I'm not going to buy a Gibson any time soon because they are simply beyond my financial reach. Finally, I'd be happy to take one of these to a gig, because like my Vintage and Burny Les Paul's, they're cheap and I don't have to worry about it getting dinged, damaged , stolen etc. Imagine owing a custom shop Les Paul...beautiful but would I risk one in a pub full of drunks. Would I f***.
@@billdeprospero8666 Who is bragging? Nobody is forcing you to buy one. I haven't. I'm not going to. I'll still take cheap guitars to gigs because I'm not an idiot. I'm also probably a better guitarist than you. Now going and relax...
The real new gibsons are criminal too at $3,500
I have a number of chibs as gig guitars you basically have to rework them and put better Electronics in it rework the neck and maybe do a refret job but they are good bases for working guitars that you don't have to worry about someone stealing them
What difference does it make if the Mahogany & Rosewood & Maple top is made in China
Most people think how the hell can they make something that cheap
But the question is how the hell can they rip you off for so much for a lump of wood & little bit of electronics
There is quite a lot of work that goes into making a guitar but I get your point :)
Glad someone said it! It’s a guitar! The player makes the music! An object can be upgraded and refined! If i paid full price for all my axes,I’d be homeless😂 But, seriously, i love having different guitars. Keeps me stoked and they’re Art! And they’re making some nice pieces
I have a 2016 Gibson traditional cherry burst mint condition I sell for 2500😊
Is the black guitar you have behind your back a Yamaha SBG 200?
No, its a Hondo II Professional :)
I buy Les Paul's strictly for the lumber...Gibson, Epiphone, etc. I look for guitars that resonate (how much, how long), are finished well and are constructed well. EVERYTHING else is going to be replaced. I have a couple Epi's that blow any Gibson LP away.
Gibson dropped the ball back in around 2009 on. They've gotten worse and worse.
I've been luck enough to have owned 2 classic Gibson guitars. And one "Buddy Holly" special edition stratocaster. My Les Paul was a 1950's Les Paul custom. My SG was a 1974 standard, made in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Epiphone had some early "Les Paul" and SG copies back in the 70's that rival against most Gibson guitars.
I've seen a lot of shit and golden quality knockoffs. I'd buy a Epiphone for $800.00 before paying $1,500 for a Gibson with their poor quality.
However, no other guitar of any brand has been better than my "Les Paul" Custom. it only had 5 numbers burnt in the back of the Head-stock. I miss that so bad.
Very interesting ! I keep searching "Polaris" on Facebook but didn't find something that was around a guitar subject !!! Can anybody send me a link where I can see those guitars ?
I’ve been trying to find out if it’s still available, there are 3 Polaris4music facebook pages.
Okay
So where did y'all get yours at?
I dont own one, these belong to customers.
@@DaveBarlowGuitar so should I get it from AliExpress eBay or TEMU
Thanks for this post...seems the facebook pages are either dormant or not giving the code to buy a guitar..Hopefully it will change as I really want to buy one!
I just checked and both links are working, If for any reason they get taken down just do a Google search for Polaris4Music
I’ve purchased a few chibsons.. but I’ve special ordered custom names on headstocks… good for price for sure 👍🏼👍🏼
Ordered from where?
I have 30 odd Chinese Guitars plus 1 "Real" 60th Anniversary Strat. All Chinese guitars need a bit of work, so if you think you are going to get a $5000 instrument for $500 Don't buy one. I gig with the Chinese Stratocasters and leave the "Real" one at home, they work just fine.
Aren't these guitars actually coming from the same factory Epiphones are made ? they could be just unbranded Epiphones with a Gibson style headstock. That could explain why quality has improved
Saw a review the other day saying its the epiphone employees making a bit in the side. Whether it's right or not I'll leave you to decide 🤷♂️
@@markgilbert7012 Also saw some reviews where chibsons were equipped with Epiphones pickups
Not all of them because evryone I have had in my workshop has been garbage! Never seen a good one. Victor...
@@cknightcknight There are dozens of Chinese companies making guitars, some great, some very poor, you have to know where to buy as the guy states in the video...
They could be. There's apparently about six companies in China that make guitars. The sellers generally take your order and shop around for the best price and thats who makes the guitar - so could be good or bad. Buying from the same seller also isn't a guarantee that the guitar will be good or even made at the same factory.The best advice is to read their reviews and communicate before ordering. If they're hard to work with, don't touch it with a ten foot pole.
Nice video, but the link to the facebook doesn t work.
Check my latest video it has a new link
@@DaveBarlowGuitar Hello Dave , its not work if a type chibsun or LP nothing happened
So I pulled the trigger on a guitar from this site a few days back, am now crossing fingers and toes that something awesome arrives with me in about 10 days time!
Did you receive it??
i did yes, needs some works, as expected, but a nice guitar for the money.@@mikemoschetto1143
@@mikemoschetto1143yes we wanna know!
Hi, really appreciate the reviews and interview. A credible working musician and a working musician / luthier add good weight to the validity of theses instruments. You've answered the essential questions, stating that these are stage worthy instruments (they play well AND stay in tune) alongside looking good are what most of us want to know. No one is forcing us to have Gibson on the headstock, it can be covered over or defaced, an alternative name be requested. Any one out there who has been looking for someone will already know the sources including P olaris, good to hear from people who have taken this route successfully. Thanks again
Another Chibson video. Excellent! I wouldn't mind getting one myself to tinker with. I have to check out this band too!
Talking of pickups I pulled the trigger on some Epiphone probuckers with a full solderless harness with coil tap and if theyre fake they must be the best knock off things to ever exist, its a well worth upgrade for a chibson and i think they came in under £30, ive seen a guy review them and he goes as far to say that they are Epiphone pickups and harnesses
This was a couple years back but they're still on the aliexpress
L
Personally my wife and I have purchased several Chinese Guitars 🎸🎶 I Violins 🎻 Keyboards 🎹 .. Have been extremely happy with the quality. When you go to a Music Store 🎵 🏬 The Guitars all need Fretboard Work adjustment of truss rod, Frets are sharp. This is guitar 🎸 guitars from Jackson, Fender, Gibson... $200 to $3000 When you can spend $200 to $400 on a Chinese Guitar 🎸🎶 & be completely done with mods that is included in my figure. They will be equal to or better than a guitar 5X to 10X the cost . That's HUGE. Of course I m taking experienced guitarists that have Luthier skills, or at least can adjust Truss rod Change Pickups pots tuners strings and Tune the Guitar. Beginners would be better with Donner Guitars or West Creek Guitars or IYV Guitars they come close just need tuning. Cheers 🍻 🥃🥃
Yep, buying a Chibson isn't for the light hearted unfortunately. Unless you can do a lot of the things yourself, the values just not there like it is on known budget brands.
A benefit of Chibsons till quite recently is they needed all sorts of work, which made them an excellent guitar to build your luthiery skills on. Learn to do your own work, once the guitar is done you'll have something to be proud of and saved yourself money.
I can vouch for that mine is fantastic.
I have several great guitars from P4M and more on the way. I enjoy modding them.
Rock on!
The bigger question is how did he manage to not have them impounded by UK Customs?
Typically they cover the logo with a sticker
That's absolutely correct! Les Paul's vision for a solid-body electric guitar began taking shape with "The Log" in 1939-1941, in collaboration with Epiphone. "The Log" was essentially a 4x4 pine post with a neck and homemade pickups.
Les Paul's experimentation with "The Log" led to refinement and eventual partnership with Gibson Guitars. Gibson's Ted McCarty, influenced by Les Paul's design, created the iconic Gibson Les Paul model in 1952.
Key milestones:
1. 1939-1941: Les Paul and Epiphone develop "The Log."
2. 1941: Les Paul showcases "The Log" to Gibson, but they initially reject the idea.
3. 1952: Gibson, inspired by Les Paul's design, releases the first Gibson Les Paul model.
Your contribution highlights the significance of Les Paul's pioneering work and the evolution of the solid-body electric guitar!
Would you like more information on guitar innovation or Les Paul's legacy?... Epiphone all the way
in 53 years in the buisness I have never once seen Les Paul with an Epiphone in his hands !!
@americanjoe5486 oh better start researching little man he played Epiphone on all his recordings up until Gibson caught him in 1958 and made him stop..and at the end of his life he admitted he couldn't stand Gibson and had regrets especially what Norlin did to Epiphone in 1976 and screwing him on his contract I'm just sad Les Paul didn't live long enough to see his beloved Epiphone restored back to premium in 2019/2020 by JC Curliegh..see this is what happens when you actually research before running your mouth and sticking your foot in it .. Gibson has nothing over the legendary Epiphone never has and never will...
That chibson Facebook page says "unavailable" ???
If for any reason they get taken down just do a Google search for Polaris4Music
so after buying one and finding someone like you to fix it up, how much does it cost in total?
Pickup set IronGear £75, tuners £35, New Bridge £20, set up £60 (if you need fret work and a new nut its more)
Ok so I went to the link… I don’t get it… I don’t see any guitars, nothing to look at. Is this site down?
doesnt work like that, get on the discord server.
Question - So why a Chibson? You can get really good quality LP style guitars from many makers like MITCHELL. (Those are fantastic). So why Chibson?
beacause people bring them into my workshop and there are many people interested in the subject. However, after the death threats, the YT strike and funny things happening to my tyres I may not do any more videos about them.
That's a shame, I have heard about them and was curious why if you have to mod them did folks want them. @@DaveBarlowGuitar
Chibson build is very good these days but hardware is pretty bad @@dane6k6
Did you do a black beauty with a bigsby or can you cuz I'm buying one. And second question I want to install a 6way switch with a split coil tap setup. Thoughts on that?
So where did you get the Fake Gibsons?
I want ask, gibson have trussrod like L key?
Video is fine. Thanks for the info.
Very interesting and would love to have a real chibson, a gigable chibson hanging on my wall. The only thing I am worried about is if I will get problems with customs here in The Netherlands or be confiscated. That will be a bummer for sure..anyways, a nice firebird will do or a 335..or an Orville..
Can’t we just get the website please?
Does anyone sell a Firebird Cibson?
Yes
Aliexpress
Can you send a link or something? Cant find anything for that name
in the videos
Ive been playing guitar (very bably) for 45 years. I have never played a Gibson but Im sure I can make it sound like a Chibson.
I find it easier to just buy a Firefly...there great quality Chinese guitars that ship from the U.S. but there going to say firefly on the headstock NOT GIBSON.
my simple request; send me the body without, tuners, nut, frets, picups, jack plug, switch, pots / knobs, ABR and Tail Pc. these all take time to replace on a luthiers bench.
Thanks for the conversation and info, somehow I was thinking it’s a bit like a Rorschach test where people’s comments reveal more about their established positions. You came off as being level headed and non judgmental, thanks
How do these Chibsons compare to Grote or Leo Jaymz Guitars? Are the Chibsons only popular because they can come with Gibson Logos?
personally I dont follow the crowd, people want a Gibson and when confronted with a choice they choose the cheaper option. FYI, 90% of guitar players are bedroom players only so perhaps its not such a big deal after all.
I have a Polaris 56 Les Paul Custom. The P90s are good, the other hardware as well except for tuners. I'll be replacing those and the input jack plate. I have owned 55 and 56 Les Pauls. My 56 was a first run Tobacco Sunburst. I have a 70 Deluxe burst and various other standards etc. The Polaris played as well outta the box as anything on my guitar rack.
If it has Gibson on the headstock, I hope somewhere else it's stated obviously that it's a fake.
The FACT the company/factory is producing outright copies IS hurting the reputation of Gibson guitars.
If it had a different logo, or no logo at all, it would honestly still be a beauty of a guitar.
But tbh Gibson have already hurt their reputation enough with their terrible QC issues recently.
@@garygritter5701 They don't justify their price either.
@@mickdebergerac1143 init, if I was to pay a couple of grand for a guitar I’d expect it to be rickenbacker quality.
Oh give it a rest man with the pro Gibson bs.
TBH if Gibson actually gave two shits about their quality you shouldn't have to spend an extra $500 on top of their already exorbitant price to get it playing correctly. They're still living in the 50's and relying on past glory. There's so many great brands now Gibsons priced themselves out of the market. And thats why a lot of these pop up fakes exist.
Joined the Facebook group and then the other group I was directed to as I'm curious and potential purchaser if I see anything that takes my fancy....but crikey, it's very, very confusing to say the least!
It is, trying to dodge the guitar police LOL
There has to be good ones somewhere right? But I have never had a good one in my workshop to the point that I have stopped taking them in. I will never support the fake Gibson's regardless: it's just wrong IMO. Victor...
For years I watched these Chibson videos and found them entertaining and thought well, why don't I give it a shot. Well the first one I bought was a beautiful looking PRS style copy semi hollow very cool looking. Except that on the high side of the neck the string was so out of alignment that by the time you got up to the 10 or 12th fret you were off the fretboard. An absolutely unplayable piece of shit. I tried it one more time with a Gibson Les Paul fake and that one was even worse. The neck was angled back at like 25° and the frets were all over the place. Looked like an elementary school kid had done it for his first guitar project. It was an absolute piece of junk, beyond comprehension. So to those of you reading this who doubt us go ahead and take your chances if you like but you've been warned. There are a hell of a lot more people out there who have had bad experiences than people who have good experiences. So why not just reduce the risk and buy an inexpensive brand name decent quality guitar? There's a hell of a lot of good inexpensive guitar makers out there these days. No need to take a risk on a mystery meat chibson from a random shabby Chinese factory.
@@Joe-mz6dc IMO, they are complete shite and I work on 200 guitars a year...
@@FretFriendGWaL Blanket statements are useless, if you know where to buy, there are some very good guitars, Lots of modern guitar companies have great guitars made in China.
@@MickH60 Never said they didn't! I am basing my thoughts on my personal experiences! My pick-up-and-play guitars is a China made Squier Classic Vibe Tele (I'd gig with it 100% if it suited my playing style): love it as much as my USA made Hamer. I have no idea what a blanket statementy is btw! I repeat, my comment is based on my experience with Chibson's I have had in my workshop (and I've had a few)...
Got two more coming in from another source/customer, will do a vid on them
I own a Polaris Chibby and its really a great guitar, I did replace the pickups and tuners bit yeah these are great quality guitars. If i bought a gibby I'd gut it anyways Im not a fan of Gibby pickups except Tim Shaws, Polaris you cant go wrong.
The only thing that concerns me about buying a Chinese guitar is getting it through UK customs without customs keeping and then destroying it. Especially the ones with the Chibson logo on them.
once i get in to teh FB page i'll order a black LP ustom
Chibson’s Kiss?
I bought my Chibsons because I want the look without the risk. No way I’d ever bring my 59 or 62 guitars out of my home…ever.
Pretty much how I feel. I bought one of these Polaris white custom LP’s. I’d be devastated if something was to happen to a real one that costs 5,800 dollars at one of my shows
@@tylerhaas6 Can i please ask you what's the avg price? sub 500? sub 800? Sub 1000? More than 1000? Thanks in advance man, but i really can't be asked to do a shitbook account just to check the prices.
@@davidepannone6021 average price for what?
Contacted them on their Facebook page a week ago. No response.
Warman pickups from the UK are very good💚🇮🇪
not bad
@@DaveBarlowGuitar definitely going to try the ones you suggested in this video, thanks 😁💚🇮🇪
Chibsons make REASONABLE "Husks" for "Mod Heads". How THE WOOD stands up over time is the issue. It won't because they don't dry it properly to begin with. That said, they are a Low Risk investment even if only a short term one...2-3 years.
I noticed that many people are more collectors/hoarders of guitars rather than players and a chibson ticks all the boxes.
My genuine Gibson Les Paul studio sold for 300 pound
I think it's ridiculous what Gibson charges for a Les Paul. Most of your best made guitars come from Japan or China. Let's be honest, the Japanese take much more pride in the work and product they produce than us Americans do. I'm not just mouthing off based on opinion but from my own experience. 2 years ago, I bought a brand new Gibson custom silverburst les paul. I paid almost 6k for this guitar and not to mention I had to order it and then wait 4 months for it. I figured for 6k the guitar would be perfect. Well.... no exactly... On the neck it had a paint run spot that they tried to cover up but did a awful job. Had 2 frets that were higher than the rest. After noticing all that I decided to check the wiring. 1 of the wires from the switch had a burn mark exposing the copper and there were little solder fragments everywhere. I actually turned the guitar upside down and most of the fragments fell out. The rest I pulled out. Needless to say I got in touch with Gibson about this matter and I was stunned at what they had to say. They assured me that when the guitar left there factory it wasn't in that shape and the deficiencies I found were all done by shipping and need to contact the shipping company and file a claim. Needless to say I finally had to get a lawyer to handle the matter and after a year and half I received my $ back and I happily shipped them the guitar back. Lesson learned, just because you pay 3-6k for a guitar, does not guarantee your getting a 3-6k guitar.
subjective I suppose
He doesn't tell you where to get them and the link innthe description doesn't work. Skip this video.
read the pinned comment
10s, vintage, samick, Epiphone, Ibanez, shector, These companies are amazing and affordable.Why buy something that can go so wrong
true
Great guitar
Everyone is always complaining about the Chibson Grover tuners. I just purchased a set of Grover locking tuners for my Chibson SG and as I was sourcing them, I found out that Grover's were made in Taiwan, but the production is now (Guess?), back in China !!! That means that 'Gibson' is using Chinese tuners. Guys, I worry that Chibson channels like this will drive up the prices of Chibson's or maybe something even worse, like stepping up the game at Customs, heaven forbid, stopping production completely. Call me a worry wart or whatever, but I'm usually right. I liked it better when fewer people knew about it. Thanks
This is not a chibson channel, I only did these ones as a side project for my customer.
Sorry, I was referring mainly to the channels that are exclusive to Chibson guitars.@@DaveBarlowGuitar
The page has been removed already
If for any reason they get taken down just do a Google search for Polaris4Music
I enjoy my Chibsons as much as my real Gibsons.
Its laughable how many people are so willing to own a fake, a counterfeit product and justify it by bagging the real thing. Chinese guitars can be excellent and it seems these Polaris units are right up there so it begs the question, why not put polaris on the headstock? Don't use a name that isn't yours and don't try ro pass it off as something it isn't. Pretty simple really.
I enjoy rubbing it in every one's face,doesn't matter what name is on the headstock,the design of the les paul itself was stolen years ago,people seem to think because it has a different name on the headstock that that is perfectly ok, sorry but it's no different then a chibson, and Gibson theirself is making a fake guitar, by copying slashes guitar which wasn't made by Gibson,so if they can get away with it,why not everyone,a counterfeit has to be exactly like the guitar it's copying, chibson are not,they are nothing more than a knock off, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with owning one,don't like the logo don't look.
@2dazetake you're talking nonsense
@@colinpadley1897 every chibson owner knows It's you talking non sense,along with anyone who knows the copyright laws regarding counterfeits.
it's perfectly legal to own them, you just can't sell them to anyone if you decide to part with it. and what of ESP Edwards ? they are gibson copies down to the open book headstock. that are better quality than Gibson.
@@martymcpeak4748 , that's my point, they're excellent guitars, some of the best in fact and they put their name to them. You won't find a single Edwards guitar with a Gibson logo on the headstock.
The Chinese guitars are built quite well these days and are simply impressive.
I know professional guitarists that gig these guitars and no one is the wiser…
Chibsons aren't even close to the quality of the Epiphone and Gibson guitars... chibsons are not made by epiphone.. epiphone Quindoa facility is completely American owned and operated Scott Lewis is the facility manager along with American and Asian luthiers at the facility.. Scott Lewis would not give his luthiers permission under any circumstances to build chibsons.. save your money and buy the real deals Epiphone and Gibson
i won't risk it I'll just buy a Wolf LP
good choice
Chibsters?
I’ve owned 3 real Gibson’s, one a custom shop, and two of them were garbage. They wouldn’t stay in tune, even after bringing them to the customer shop in Nashville and having them worked on twice. The pickups were mid at best, and just massively disappointed. I kept the SG and it’s nice, but so many better made guitars out there for a lot less money. If you are a badass, you can really make anything sound good. Who cares where it’s made if it’s a quality tool that stays in tune and sounds good.
You're only trying to convince yourself
Im not interested by the Gibson badge and like you said maybe take it off and just sell these as is because they are great guitars in there own right. I just wanted a guitar that someone can vouch for its value for money.
I bought one last week from Jason at Polaris4music based on this and other reviews and Im blown away by the guitar. Having the pups swapped out for a pair of IG's this week. Thanks so much for covering this.
there is not really any sense to buy a chibson and to bet if it will arrive or the quality when you can buy a legit chinese like harley benton etc...
the only nice thint it is they can make a custom by your suggestions.
By the way all chinese cheap guitats Epi and squier included they needs new hardware and pickups and electronic ...it's not really worth
How come rock guys always have long hair?
only some do
I bought a really nice LP copy that is branded "GP Blume." I wouldn't have bought it if it were labeled Gibson.
There are lots of unbranded Chinese guitars on eBay. Presumably Firefly, Harley Benton, Donner, etc. are similar but with a distribution/marketing team.