Chibson Links: facebook.com/groups/241835862152406/?ref=share&fs=e&s=cl facebook.com/Polaris4Music If for any reason they get taken down just do a Google search for Polaris4Music
Turn the bridge around so that the saddle adjusting screws face the tailpiece and flip the individual saddles so that they still slope towards the tailpiece - with the spring then being on the other side you should just get the bit of extra adjustment required for correct intonation.
My two Chibsons from 5 years ago are still going strong. Nothing broken, twisted or fallen off ! One of them was a high end with proper flame top etc. They play and sound as good as any good guitar !
Same here. My $2800 Gibson Les Paul stays home while I use the identical Chibson on stage. If it falls, gets knocked over or stolen I am only out $400.
No way but every where read comments like just wait in a few months or so the neck will warp the carved top fall off the paint shrivel up and Crack and all the hard ware will rust away.😮🙄😒😏
Even the frets have held up well, No premature wear in fact no wear whatsoever. I changed out pickups, pots and tuners but ended up putting the original chinese pots back in one of the guitars as the tapers were way better than the cts pots ! There are a couple of minor cracks in the binding of the high end Chibson but last 3 years its not got worse. This happens even on Gibsons. Funny thing is that the build quality of the cheaper guitar was a little better than the expensive one ! Anyway over and out.@@chucklee347
Came early!! I'm absolutley AMAZED at the quality!! Frets were perfect, went over with a fine tooth comb, can't find NOTHING wrong with it build wise. It was set up and intonated out of the box and every string but the B was in tune even. Pickups squeal a touch under gain but I always replace those w Seymores ne ways. I'm in love with this thing, what's funny is even if it said Bob on the headstock and was shaped like a fish, it's still a rock solid awesome guitar for the price. Much higher quality than any epiphone I've played over last ten years. No its not a gibson. It's fake. 💯. And that's half of why I love it. ❤ And if someone steals it from a gig or whatnot, I'm not out 3500$ and I'll be back on stage with another "gibson" looking good 😂. Love your vids, helped me so much. You have a subscriber good sir, rock on. 🤘
I recently bought 3 pickups as replacement for the gibson eb3 bridge pickups. I looked on the bottom of them and they have the Seymour Duncan stamps on them. I only paid like $30 for each one. I doubt they are Duncans.
i bought one of those black chibsons and a couple of the supremes chibsons. semi hollow. that blck one will put your leg to sleep. i sit when i play. paid 250 us for the black one about 4 years ago and about the same for the supremes. I love the supremes, so light like a violin. i swapped out all nuts for tusq bridges for rollers, switches and jack plates for switchcraft and pickups for dragonfyre screamers, with the open big posts. sounds better than my authentic PRS with real dimarzio crunch lab and liquifier pups. i havent used the black one as of yet. the supremes have all my love. one is gold flames and the other my fav is red flames. the frets are taking a beating. the supremes cant be accessed from the back so its some splicing on the pups. the chibson switches are junk and jacks. it makes a difference.
im not luthier , how about flip the bridge 180 degrees , push those saddle all the way up , make it slightly more room for adjustment ? because i see some people les paul bridge facing different way , in theory should no different right..?
I have two EVH special guitars, one stock, the other with IronGear Hot Slags, they both sound awesome I dont have a preference, yes there is a slight difference in tonality but they both sound massive.
About that low E and A intonation being just a bit out of reach for where your bridge is located on this Chib, I don't know if you like 9s or 10s for the high E on Les Pauls but either way, most popular string sets used on these guitars ramp up to .042 for the low E string. Try a set that goes to 46 instead. I play 9-46 Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys (9,11,16,26,36,46) on my LPs and Specials and they always intonate well, with the saddles within the normal adjustment range. You might find with a 46 low E that you can lengthen that string a little and get the intonation right, maybe the A as well if that was also a bit off. Whatever, point being maybe a different string set with bigger diameter bass strings will remedy the problem. Worth a try.
Pots ! Yeah ! Good comment indeed ! I mostly only install Bourns 82 series (repair or new projects). They're just as good as any other pots, but they're extremely DURABLE and they're SEALED, so, no contamination, no crackling pot (no need to have to try and rescue them with contact spray if they'd start to crackle 'cause they won't ever, and wash out the cermet track lubricant), super smooth rotation a bit on the "no friction" feel ... some people don't like that (afraid of inadvertently turning them while playing, I guess). Their casing is pretty small, even with a standard shaft, so that can become handy when it's all crammed up in the wiring cavity. Now, some guys don't like these Bourns 82 series pots 'cause they believe in some MOJO from the "kingdom of the cermet track", and I'll install the pots they want, but, they have to order them by themselves and take their own responsibility when these start to fail. Another great thing about these Bourns 82 series pots is that they're really really consistent in value and sweep, so, the result is "predictable" when you know what you intend to design as wiring. The major CON is that their casing is polymer plastic, and you can't use it to solder ground ... well, you only need to know what you're doing and wire it in an another way as with old style cr*ppy pots.
@@DaveBarlowGuitar I had a couple of instruments coming back for various issues (mostly regular maintenance), but never for issues related with wiring at the exception of selection switches or output jacks (abuse or mishaps like bumping a switch or a plugged in jack).
I was friends with China Guitar Skeptic as well. He was an absolute prince. I had a channel called Squazzoo68, & had me in his 100th episode video. He even made my intro video for my channel. Absolutely the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. The world suffered a great loss when he passed
Yes if there's E clip underneath of that spring you'll have no problem removing the spring because that will keep it in place and you'll have that little bit more room
Hope you're doing well Dave! It looks quite nice Dave! It makes you wonder how they can do some of those for the price - including shipping and making a little for themselves. I've bought a few Chibsons/Chenders in my time and they were always a bit hit and miss. I either got a pretty good one, or some were just unplayable. The Chenders were generally better quality and surprisingly the necks are quite good. The trouble is IF you buy any and have issues, you've got bugger all chance of getting a full refund even if they vote in your favour. I reckon I'd give the experiment 70/30 to playable vs unplayable. I knew they'd need some work whether that be just setups, fretwork or pickups etc. There were also a couple borderline that I brought back with just some good old hard work. But these days, it's generally better to go with a brand, any brand as you have warranty and most have free returns if it's not up to par. I mean lets face it, you are having the trademark logos taken off when they're making them for you aren't you???? Well they don't remove them entirely in that they just spray over the incriminating evidence LOL (after a while it can fade through slightly). I also got them to put custom serials on so it would never be confused. Although if you get a good one, no reason why I wouldn't gig it as fake Gibson. I'd be heartbroken if someone stole my $5000 Gibson at a pub gig down the road LOL. One guitar I got (an Angus SG with lightening bolt inlays) was just fantastic when I received it. Didn't even change the pickups. They are a little squealy on occasions, but I think they are their attempt at an un-potted or slightly potted PAF. Just did a setup - adjust truss rod, nut slots slightly, string height and intonated it. Plays like a ripper. I also received an Iommi SG. Its unplayable - the necks the wrong angle (no back angle whatsoever), bad pickup routing (looks like it was done by a kindergarten-er) and can't intonate correctly. To tell the truth, I don't know how they even managed to fit the bloody neck! Oh, and the kicker - 25.5" scale length 😆. Its a wall hanger of shame 😂🤣 You also got a level one! A fret kisser would be perfect to fix that one high fret (even though they're pricey from Stewmac). Most of these also have dual action truss rods in them which is nice. That issue with the fret end nibs, you might be able to make up a blinding past with some acetone and shavings to help fill it in. As for the pots - it depends. As long as they're the right taper and work, who gives two sh!ts? I've found mid priced Gretschs with crap pots in them that didn't work much at all (on/off pretty much). And that cavity looks shielded too. I'd bet $50 that the issue with the intonation is the nuts a bees d!ck too close if you check the fret spacing. If you pack it out a smidgen with a veneer, you'd probably get it. They're all like it for some reason on the ones I got too. Sorry for the long post, but hope you find it useful for this guitar.
Yes you can make a good guitar out of a Chibson, but you do have to put a bit into it. i bought a chibson LP JP#2 and replaced everything. Hand built the harness, bournes push-pull, soviet NOS caps, all switchcraft, copper shielding, leveled, crowned, intonated, compensated brass nut, pearly gates & dimarzio for that old school JP look, and oh my. I can't stop playing this thing. Only regret now is that it has the gibson logo, at this point I would rather it was plain or maybe my own logo. Next one I buy I'm def going to specify no logo plz. Great vid, and I think I'll have to get some Irongears for my next project. Thanks for introducing me to some rocking pups.
would love too see you changing the pickups, i am going to put the dirty and the blues in my chibson. do you change the pots and capacitors or just put the pick ups in,
Hello! anyone can suggest me which IronGear pickup alnico V is as much as possible similar to the Burstbucker pro from Gibson? I love the sound! thank you for the video! it reminds me the "old" Dave times on youtube!!!
@@DaveBarlowGuitar thank you so much Dave! You are for me an example to follow! Not just as a musician, luthier... thanks a lot for being always inspiring!
Hello, love your videos I want to ask a question regarding the bridge intunation. Do think you will be able to solve it if you buy a new bridge? A better bridge. And what if you take the springs out and cut some of it out and put back in? Won’t you be able to to move the saddle abit more forward and still be able to hold the screw. Just an idea Thanks
Dude. Fantastic reviews. Not only did I buy 2 of these Les Pauls, a black custom and a natural wood custom, I bought 2 sets of the Dirty Torque/Blues Engine pickups to put in them. All based on your review. One set of pickups was $100 w 3 day shipping. Insane. Gonna be another $140 a set to get them put in, but, worth it. Thanks again.
You might want to look into a zero nut supposed to help with intonation a bit . Also I do think they make a bridge or 2 with more movement . I’ve also hear of people turning the bridge around. The early Gibsons we’re stung that way originally. Some people turn it around just for that reason.
David always love your funny and honest presentations. i went out and ordered a set of Blues Engine and Dirty Torque and WOE F%^%King incredible. Good advice. Alexander from Toronto Canada.
I have bought 7 of these "Chibsons" each one has been slightly different in terms of quality. Several of them are quite solid out of the gate. None of them had short frets like the one in this video. After capacitor replacement and neck adjustment they play as good as any Gibson or Epi I have/ do own. I did replace the machine heads on one. For the price of one Gibson I now own 7 in different flavors and still have enough money to buy new cases for them. The pig in a poke chance factor and the mini-project aspect is what makes them fun for me.
I like the fact that you approach this the same way as I do. I'm no expert but if it works and looks good that's great, not bought a chibson yet, and probably never will, but I have built a few from average-priced kits and git them to sound pretty good, dont know where you are based, I'm on merseyside and just get on with it.
Just the man! I put an EMG Zakk set in my Gibson V. Looks and sounds mint. Wanted to do the same to my 'so much better than it ought to be' 2002 Epiphone SG (with binding). It's my backup guitar. Anyways: I just found a set of IronGear Volts (active) on the bay. Have you ever tried them? Thinking of getting them and giving em a try. You turned me on to IronGears years ago and i love em (still). Cheers bud, Vic...
I swap the 3 way to A Volkme pot hole,yank both tone knobs,and run a kill switch. Less circuit. Just run plug to one volume pot,and one tone and pickup selector switch And one volume. Plug the upper switch hole. Way better tone no mad corcuits for the signal to run through. Maybe use on of the tone pot holes for a series parallel switch.
Most LP nuts are 1.75,...but Graph Tech Epiphone nut will fit better than Gibson Graph Tech nut,....the Gibson one is a little thinner than what comes on the Chinese LP,.....both will do the job though,...
yeah, the thing with chibsons is that all of the hardware they come with is just a placeholder and you absolutely HAVE to replace everything. that's why i will be switching everything to gotoh hardware with EMGs
On your intonation issue,,,would it help you if you were to reverse the saddle on the D,G,B It might give you just an extra mm of oomph to get you there! Cheers!
That Les Paul is a beauty Dave! I have a 1996 Epiphone Les Paul Custom from Korea. She was in bad shape, bought it off of CL for about $70.00. Put new electronics in it, ( Pickups, Dragonfire screamers, orange drop caps) new bridge, locking Grover tuners, now she sounds amazing! Cheers!
I have a korea built 1999 epiphone les paul custom in sunburst, my dad bought it me brand new all them years ago and its still working and looking like new to this day
The guitar in your video looks fantastic! My friend bought a Chibson Les Paul, a few years ago and it was awful. Truss rod wouldn't turn, nut was falling out and cut way too high, the body was way thinner than a Les Paul is supposed t be, frets were like waves on the ocean and sharp as a saw blade on the edges. I guess it's "hit or miss" when you buy one, or maybe the Chinese are just getting better in their quality.
Polaris4Music. OK, this guy can get busy with incoming inquiries, I suggest logging in to the Discord channel as below, this is by far the fastest way to get information about the guitars and get a feel for what's on offer, news, discounts, links to purchase, proposed builds, etc. discord.com/channels/1133261292321378395/1227936125532897361 Website: www.polaris4music.com/profile/86-jason-jia/ Customer Support email : badcatinstruments@gmail.com Look up 'polaris 4 music on Google'
Nice video , my only concern would be the neck , how stable is the neck ? Will it warp with time . Other than that , looks great, sounds great with some premium pickups . Great for modding 😅
Seems good for the money honestly nothing where you were like okay its unfixable! I bought my first guitar in the 90s for $135 it was a Harmony strat and even as a beginner it seemed real cheaply made. Can't believe I could buy a Chibson now for $250 seems crazy!
i only have one Chibson now, I bought it 9 years ago going on 10 years, I paid extra for an ebony fretboard w/ the Supreme inlays. I paid 250.00 for it back then. it's gone through a couple changes w/ pickups, but when I first got it, I installed Seymour Hotrodded set. Now it has EMG 574/66's a roller bridge, tusq nut and locking tuners. The only hardware/electronics that's original is the tailpiece. That being said, it's always looked great, felt great and it's still probably my played LP style guitar and I have 5 of them. The weight is just right at 8.2 lbs, (My epi 60's classic LP is a little over 9 pounds my heaviest LP). The neck on my Chibson is just right for my hand. Never had issues w/ the frets. Man, talking about it, is getting me thinking about ordering another now...
Generally Aliexpress/Ebay. But if you read my comment, they're hit and miss. Just because you get a good one, doesn't necessarily mean the next one will be good or even playable - even from the same seller. There's only a few guitar manufacturers in China (6 maybe). The seller will take your order, canvas those companies and see who can make it the cheapest and thats what they go with. Theres no guarantee that what you see in the picture is what you get (normally theres a 2-3 week wait before shipping). If you don't want to be ripped off, buy from a reputable company that has warranty and returns. There's plenty of legit manufacturers providing you can put up with the headstock logo and shape (that is its not Gibson/Fender etc). Mike over at CGS had some good videos on the topic until his unfortunate condition RIP.
Thing is - You can buy a Chibson LP for 250-300 bucks - change a few components depending on quality of guitar you get( sometimes pickups or bridge or tuners & set action low as possible) - and before you know it , you have a guitar worth 2000.
Hi Dave, that was a good video. Hey for the intonation, you may be able to turn the bridge around and also take apart and flip around the individual saddles. That should give you more adjustment and the spring will be on the other side toward that tail piece. But if its close enough then, maybe its not worth the bother. Alternately, and this may sound odd.. If you change the gauge of the two (offending) lower strings (in your instance you would have to go slightly lighter) you may find that the intonation is changed just enough. That worked on one of my home built guitars and the slight gauge change made a small but sufficient difference. Maybe suggest to your customer to try that on their next string change (if the intonation is bugging them).
well it could never be passed off as a gibson. headstock angle wrong and wrong Truss rod adjustment . but it is what it is. id buy one to be honest. electronics and pick ups wrong. but you fixed it and it plays well for 250 dollar guitar after adjustments
Great shirt (I originally knew IronGear through you). I have the same shirt (of course). Not fully watched the video yet. I have just released a vid on my channel explaining why I am no longet taking any Chibsons in for work. It might be unlucky but everyone I have had in has been garbage. Sick of wasting my time on them. Hope you're well bud and keep up the good work :) Victor... PS: I didn't know about Mike (CGS) passing: sad to hear...
I wonder if you could fill/drill/file out the hole on the bridge enough to get the saddle where you want it? 🤔 a cheap fix on a guitar where you are trying to keep the cost down. My first guitar was a Memphis es335 copy bought in 94’ for 50$. It is still a great guitar and I value it over my real Gibsons! I have a soft spot for cheap well made instruments so this series is really interesting, as well as the entertaining comment section lol!
I got one, probably from a different seller as mine doesn't have fret nibs on but I took the pickups out and took the cap of one and it was only wound on one bobbin 🤣🤣 I suppose it saves them 50p or so and some folk, me included, probably won't be able to tell having cloth ears 🤣🤣🤣
I have this exact same knock off. A few high frets, filed and polished, changed the plastic nut for bone. A quick setup and done. Surprisingly the pickups are good, the ones in mine seem to be wax potted and sound decent. The pots even though they’re small, work smoothly, no dead spots. Tuners are hit and a miss, change them out, eventually you’re going to have to anyway. I paid $235 with free shipping, so I got a decent deal. Your mileage may vary.
Honestly... yes, technically copyright infringement is a crime... but in my opinion, as long as you're not going to sell it as a real Gibson, it's all good. I had one I purchased on Facebook marketplace. The seller was completely honest and I knew what I was buying... both of us were happy with the transaction and I didn't pay the insane Gibson price tag.
My Chibson LP has all Gibson parts and Alnico pick up’s plays better than my real LP but just don’t sound as good as the real deal but I play the crap out of all my guitars, as a kid I could only afford junk series 10 and other bolt on neck crap, I would have loved to hav a modded Chibson!
I have shared this on my Facebook page. Awesome 👍😎 video. Personally I love Chinese Guitars 🎸 🎶🎶 Donner, West Creek, IYV which is Korean owned Indonesia & Chinese manufacturing. as well as the knock off ones... Cheers 🍻
It just proves how exorbitant Gibson's prices really are. It's a shame that their legacy has been tarnished by greedy collectors flooding the market with overpriced instruments. I have my eye on a beautiful LP Custom copy and can't wait to get it setup and rock with it!
Didnt watch....Im sure its a usable guitar. Gibson has nothing to worry about. The folk that buy Gibson guitars are not looking for bang for the buck. They are looking for the prestige of owning a Gibson, the heritage and quality of materials. If anything kid at the fairground will see you playing this and ask mom for a Gibson like yours.
Chibson Links:
facebook.com/groups/241835862152406/?ref=share&fs=e&s=cl
facebook.com/Polaris4Music
If for any reason they get taken down just do a Google search for Polaris4Music
Turn the bridge around so that the saddle adjusting screws face the tailpiece and flip the individual saddles so that they still slope towards the tailpiece - with the spring then being on the other side you should just get the bit of extra adjustment required for correct intonation.
My two Chibsons from 5 years ago are still going strong. Nothing broken, twisted or fallen off ! One of them was a high end with proper flame top etc. They play and sound as good as any good guitar !
it doesn't have a "proper flame top". It has a veneer. No different than a sticker made out of wood.
Same here. My $2800 Gibson Les Paul stays home while I use the identical Chibson on stage. If it falls, gets knocked over or stolen I am only out $400.
It has a full flame top, fretnibs, long neck tenon, ebony board, nitro finish. My other Chibson has veneer top.@@IndyRockStar
No way but every where read comments like just wait in a few months or so the neck will warp the carved top fall off the paint shrivel up and Crack and all the hard ware will rust away.😮🙄😒😏
Even the frets have held up well, No premature wear in fact no wear whatsoever. I changed out pickups, pots and tuners but ended up putting the original chinese pots back in one of the guitars as the tapers were way better than the cts pots ! There are a couple of minor cracks in the binding of the high end Chibson but last 3 years its not got worse. This happens even on Gibsons. Funny thing is that the build quality of the cheaper guitar was a little better than the expensive one ! Anyway over and out.@@chucklee347
Came early!! I'm absolutley AMAZED at the quality!! Frets were perfect, went over with a fine tooth comb, can't find NOTHING wrong with it build wise. It was set up and intonated out of the box and every string but the B was in tune even. Pickups squeal a touch under gain but I always replace those w Seymores ne ways. I'm in love with this thing, what's funny is even if it said Bob on the headstock and was shaped like a fish, it's still a rock solid awesome guitar for the price. Much higher quality than any epiphone I've played over last ten years. No its not a gibson. It's fake. 💯. And that's half of why I love it. ❤ And if someone steals it from a gig or whatnot, I'm not out 3500$ and I'll be back on stage with another "gibson" looking good 😂. Love your vids, helped me so much. You have a subscriber good sir, rock on. 🤘
I recently bought 3 pickups as replacement for the gibson eb3 bridge pickups. I looked on the bottom of them and they have the Seymour Duncan stamps on them. I only paid like $30 for each one. I doubt they are Duncans.
Ebay or?
i bought one of those black chibsons and a couple of the supremes chibsons. semi hollow. that blck one will put your leg to sleep. i sit when i play. paid 250 us for the black one about 4 years ago and about the same for the supremes. I love the supremes, so light like a violin. i swapped out all nuts for tusq bridges for rollers, switches and jack plates for switchcraft and pickups for dragonfyre screamers, with the open big posts. sounds better than my authentic PRS with real dimarzio crunch lab and liquifier pups. i havent used the black one as of yet. the supremes have all my love. one is gold flames and the other my fav is red flames. the frets are taking a beating. the supremes cant be accessed from the back so its some splicing on the pups. the chibson switches are junk and jacks. it makes a difference.
i got a cherry sunburst one and its looks great but that one looks way more closer with the correct binding size
im not luthier , how about flip the bridge 180 degrees , push those saddle all the way up , make it slightly more room for adjustment ? because i see some people les paul bridge facing different way , in theory should no different right..?
Your channel turned me onto iron gear pickups, and they have become my favorite
I have two EVH special guitars, one stock, the other with IronGear Hot Slags, they both sound awesome I dont have a preference, yes there is a slight difference in tonality but they both sound massive.
About that low E and A intonation being just a bit out of reach for where your bridge is located on this Chib, I don't know if you like 9s or 10s for the high E on Les Pauls but either way, most popular string sets used on these guitars ramp up to .042 for the low E string. Try a set that goes to 46 instead. I play 9-46 Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys (9,11,16,26,36,46) on my LPs and Specials and they always intonate well, with the saddles within the normal adjustment range. You might find with a 46 low E that you can lengthen that string a little and get the intonation right, maybe the A as well if that was also a bit off. Whatever, point being maybe a different string set with bigger diameter bass strings will remedy the problem. Worth a try.
I think it’s common for the bridge to be off up 3/16 on them. There’s a video on making offset posts
Maybe turn the bridge around and reset the saddles. Might have more room to move if the spring is on the opposite side.
🤔 interesting?
Pots ! Yeah ! Good comment indeed !
I mostly only install Bourns 82 series (repair or new projects).
They're just as good as any other pots, but they're extremely DURABLE and they're SEALED, so, no contamination, no crackling pot (no need to have to try and rescue them with contact spray if they'd start to crackle 'cause they won't ever, and wash out the cermet track lubricant), super smooth rotation a bit on the "no friction" feel ... some people don't like that (afraid of inadvertently turning them while playing, I guess).
Their casing is pretty small, even with a standard shaft, so that can become handy when it's all crammed up in the wiring cavity.
Now, some guys don't like these Bourns 82 series pots 'cause they believe in some MOJO from the "kingdom of the cermet track", and I'll install the pots they want, but, they have to order them by themselves and take their own responsibility when these start to fail.
Another great thing about these Bourns 82 series pots is that they're really really consistent in value and sweep, so, the result is "predictable" when you know what you intend to design as wiring.
The major CON is that their casing is polymer plastic, and you can't use it to solder ground ... well, you only need to know what you're doing and wire it in an another way as with old style cr*ppy pots.
Good info here :)
@@DaveBarlowGuitar
I had a couple of instruments coming back for various issues (mostly regular maintenance), but never for issues related with wiring at the exception of selection switches or output jacks (abuse or mishaps like bumping a switch or a plugged in jack).
I was friends with China Guitar Skeptic as well. He was an absolute prince. I had a channel called Squazzoo68, & had me in his 100th episode video. He even made my intro video for my channel. Absolutely the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. The world suffered a great loss when he passed
Would Baking soda and superglue trick work on the nibs ?
not sure
sweet guitar mate!
maybe trim a coil or 2 from the 2 saddles(springs) that arent acting right? it might help a bit...
Yes if there's E clip underneath of that spring you'll have no problem removing the spring because that will keep it in place and you'll have that little bit more room
@@jaminjimlp hope you got it sorted out mate!
Good shout 😁🤟
Hope you're doing well Dave!
It looks quite nice Dave! It makes you wonder how they can do some of those for the price - including shipping and making a little for themselves.
I've bought a few Chibsons/Chenders in my time and they were always a bit hit and miss. I either got a pretty good one, or some were just unplayable. The Chenders were generally better quality and surprisingly the necks are quite good. The trouble is IF you buy any and have issues, you've got bugger all chance of getting a full refund even if they vote in your favour. I reckon I'd give the experiment 70/30 to playable vs unplayable.
I knew they'd need some work whether that be just setups, fretwork or pickups etc. There were also a couple borderline that I brought back with just some good old hard work. But these days, it's generally better to go with a brand, any brand as you have warranty and most have free returns if it's not up to par. I mean lets face it, you are having the trademark logos taken off when they're making them for you aren't you???? Well they don't remove them entirely in that they just spray over the incriminating evidence LOL (after a while it can fade through slightly). I also got them to put custom serials on so it would never be confused. Although if you get a good one, no reason why I wouldn't gig it as fake Gibson. I'd be heartbroken if someone stole my $5000 Gibson at a pub gig down the road LOL.
One guitar I got (an Angus SG with lightening bolt inlays) was just fantastic when I received it. Didn't even change the pickups. They are a little squealy on occasions, but I think they are their attempt at an un-potted or slightly potted PAF. Just did a setup - adjust truss rod, nut slots slightly, string height and intonated it. Plays like a ripper.
I also received an Iommi SG. Its unplayable - the necks the wrong angle (no back angle whatsoever), bad pickup routing (looks like it was done by a kindergarten-er) and can't intonate correctly. To tell the truth, I don't know how they even managed to fit the bloody neck! Oh, and the kicker - 25.5" scale length 😆. Its a wall hanger of shame 😂🤣
You also got a level one! A fret kisser would be perfect to fix that one high fret (even though they're pricey from Stewmac). Most of these also have dual action truss rods in them which is nice. That issue with the fret end nibs, you might be able to make up a blinding past with some acetone and shavings to help fill it in. As for the pots - it depends. As long as they're the right taper and work, who gives two sh!ts? I've found mid priced Gretschs with crap pots in them that didn't work much at all (on/off pretty much). And that cavity looks shielded too. I'd bet $50 that the issue with the intonation is the nuts a bees d!ck too close if you check the fret spacing. If you pack it out a smidgen with a veneer, you'd probably get it. They're all like it for some reason on the ones I got too.
Sorry for the long post, but hope you find it useful for this guitar.
Move to a communist country like red China. Your children can make them in a commie factory for cheap. That's how . Oh, and copyright theft. Stupid.
Yes you can make a good guitar out of a Chibson, but you do have to put a bit into it. i bought a chibson LP JP#2 and replaced everything. Hand built the harness, bournes push-pull, soviet NOS caps, all switchcraft, copper shielding, leveled, crowned, intonated, compensated brass nut, pearly gates & dimarzio for that old school JP look, and oh my. I can't stop playing this thing. Only regret now is that it has the gibson logo, at this point I would rather it was plain or maybe my own logo. Next one I buy I'm def going to specify no logo plz.
Great vid, and I think I'll have to get some Irongears for my next project. Thanks for introducing me to some rocking pups.
Did it come with that bridge? I don't see the wire they usually have across the intonation screws , which I can't stand.
Bridge is backwards... it's a Nashville style.. an Abr mounts screws in the front.. Nashville screws are at the rear... fyi. Good to know.
Any idea where the Chibson was from?
All will be revealed, needed to make sure all 4 guitars were up to standard before I spill the beans.
would love too see you changing the pickups, i am going to put the dirty and the blues in my chibson. do you change the pots and capacitors or just put the pick ups in,
boring to watch, anyhow I do have a video changing pups, go check it out
Hello! anyone can suggest me which IronGear pickup alnico V is as much as possible similar to the Burstbucker pro from Gibson? I love the sound! thank you for the video! it reminds me the "old" Dave times on youtube!!!
Rolling Mill www.axetec.co.uk/guitar_parts_uk_032.htm
@@DaveBarlowGuitar thank you so much Dave! You are for me an example to follow! Not just as a musician, luthier... thanks a lot for being always inspiring!
Hello, love your videos
I want to ask a question regarding the bridge intunation. Do think you will be able to solve it if you buy a new bridge? A better bridge. And what if you take the springs out and cut some of it out and put back in? Won’t you be able to to move the saddle abit more forward and still be able to hold the screw. Just an idea
Thanks
yes, better bridge will solve the problem
Dude. Fantastic reviews. Not only did I buy 2 of these Les Pauls, a black custom and a natural wood custom, I bought 2 sets of the Dirty Torque/Blues Engine pickups to put in them. All based on your review.
One set of pickups was $100 w 3 day shipping. Insane. Gonna be another $140 a set to get them put in, but, worth it. Thanks again.
You might want to look into a zero nut supposed to help with intonation a bit . Also I do think they make a bridge or 2 with more movement . I’ve also hear of people turning the bridge around. The early Gibsons we’re stung that way originally. Some people turn it around just for that reason.
Can you get a link from your friend, where he got them ???
all will be revealed, needed to check all 4 guitars first.
Great! Can't wait !!!@@DaveBarlowGuitar
David always love your funny and honest presentations. i went out and ordered a set of Blues Engine and Dirty Torque and WOE F%^%King incredible. Good advice. Alexander from Toronto Canada.
I have bought 7 of these "Chibsons" each one has been slightly different in terms of quality. Several of them are quite solid out of the gate. None of them had short frets like the one in this video. After capacitor replacement and neck adjustment they play as good as any Gibson or Epi I have/ do own. I did replace the machine heads on one. For the price of one Gibson I now own 7 in different flavors and still have enough money to buy new cases for them. The pig in a poke chance factor and the mini-project aspect is what makes them fun for me.
Dave - with your top E and A tailpiece blades, take them out and reverse the direction. This will help get the intonation right
I like the fact that you approach this the same way as I do. I'm no expert but if it works and looks good that's great, not bought a chibson yet, and probably never will, but I have built a few from average-priced kits and git them to sound pretty good, dont know where you are based, I'm on merseyside and just get on with it.
In all fairness I repair guitars and amps for a living but yes I try not to be a snob when it comes to a great guitar :)
Wow.... where can we get one of these? I'd like to ge a budget "John Sykes" clone... any info please?
polaris4music - discord.com/channels/1133261292321378395/1133261292761792633
Just the man! I put an EMG Zakk set in my Gibson V. Looks and sounds mint. Wanted to do the same to my 'so much better than it ought to be' 2002 Epiphone SG (with binding). It's my backup guitar. Anyways: I just found a set of IronGear Volts (active) on the bay. Have you ever tried them? Thinking of getting them and giving em a try. You turned me on to IronGears years ago and i love em (still). Cheers bud, Vic...
Where can u get one?
cant tell u yet :)
I feel the pot and cap brand pretty much just give you reliability with the higher end ones. I can’t hear the difference unless they are horribly bad.
The finish looks good, but the split diamond on the headstock looks different.
its not perfection for 250£
@DaveBarlowGuitar I get it. It looks good man. I'm shopping for one myself, but I don't know which seller to trust. And they seem to change daily.
The iron gears sound nice. I think I'll have one for my strat
Nice job, why don’t you just flip the bridge around so that the springs are on the tail side?
cmon, you dont think I tried that, I even took the springs out to see if it could still work, no joy. Not seen a bridge that stupid in years.
I swap the 3 way to A Volkme pot hole,yank both tone knobs,and run a kill switch. Less circuit. Just run plug to one volume pot,and one tone and pickup selector switch And one volume. Plug the upper switch hole. Way better tone no mad corcuits for the signal to run through. Maybe use on of the tone pot holes for a series parallel switch.
Amazing! I am just planning to get one.
And you know what, i never seen a gibson with a tesco bag on a screen yet 🤣👍
Do these chibsons use US standard hardware or metric hardware? Do I replace these with Gibson parts or epiphone?
epi
Most LP nuts are 1.75,...but Graph Tech Epiphone nut will fit better than Gibson Graph Tech nut,....the Gibson one is a little thinner than what comes on the Chinese LP,.....both will do the job though,...
Damm Dave turned that into a masterpiece
yeah, the thing with chibsons is that all of the hardware they come with is just a placeholder and you absolutely HAVE to replace everything. that's why i will be switching everything to gotoh hardware with EMGs
I normally change all electronics and tuners right off the bat. And the give it a good set up.
Have a merry Christmas to the whole family.
and u
The site isnt working.
If for any reason they get taken down just do a Google search for Polaris4Music
Turn the bridge around, Dave. With the screws and springs on the side of the tailpiece, you should be able to get the intonation right
yes, yes, yes, tried all that LOL
Good to see you back Dave :)
On your intonation issue,,,would it help you if you were to reverse the saddle on the D,G,B
It might give you just an extra mm of oomph to get you there!
Cheers!
yes I did try that :)
That Les Paul is a beauty Dave! I have a 1996 Epiphone Les Paul Custom from Korea. She was in bad shape, bought it off of CL for about $70.00. Put new electronics in it, ( Pickups, Dragonfire screamers, orange drop caps) new bridge, locking Grover tuners, now she sounds amazing! Cheers!
I have a korea built 1999 epiphone les paul custom in sunburst, my dad bought it me brand new all them years ago and its still working and looking like new to this day
Nice & yes RIP CGS .. :( .... Did I hear Samsung as like in the spelling of the tv maker ?
Great video, thinking of getting one, could I please ask whereabouts in the UK you are located? Thanks
south London
beautiful sound !
Pots are Pots, as long as they work that is all that matters. As for caps the cheap ones and expensive ones are both designed to do the same job.
The guitar in your video looks fantastic! My friend bought a Chibson Les Paul, a few years ago and it was awful. Truss rod wouldn't turn, nut was falling out and cut way too high, the body was way thinner than a Les Paul is supposed t be, frets were like waves on the ocean and sharp as a saw blade on the edges. I guess it's "hit or miss" when you buy one, or maybe the Chinese are just getting better in their quality.
What seller/factory is this one from? Do you have a link?
Polaris4Music.
OK, this guy can get busy with incoming inquiries, I suggest logging in to the Discord channel as below,
this is by far the fastest way to get information about the guitars and get a feel for what's on offer, news, discounts, links to purchase, proposed builds, etc.
discord.com/channels/1133261292321378395/1227936125532897361
Website: www.polaris4music.com/profile/86-jason-jia/
Customer Support email : badcatinstruments@gmail.com
Look up 'polaris 4 music on Google'
@@DaveBarlowGuitar thanks, Dave!
I'd never have a Chibson. I'd only have to tape over the logo (yes I'm still doing this).
Super Interesting ! ! !
Glad you think so!
Nice video , my only concern would be the neck , how stable is the neck ? Will it warp with time . Other than that , looks great, sounds great with some premium pickups . Great for modding 😅
We shall see
Seems good for the money honestly nothing where you were like okay its unfixable! I bought my first guitar in the 90s for $135 it was a Harmony strat and even as a beginner it seemed real cheaply made. Can't believe I could buy a Chibson now for $250 seems crazy!
just take it for granted that every guitar u take from ali express needs setup +tuners+ pickup and its amazing
I can tell you my original Gibson came with a gap between the frets on 1th string and binding ...then no much difference innit ?
Unfortunately even expensive brands make crap.
I will buy one and i will LOVE IT
II have a chender , plays ok too
Just ordered this same guitar from ebay. Scared. Fingers crossed should be here by the 11th
i only have one Chibson now, I bought it 9 years ago going on 10 years, I paid extra for an ebony fretboard w/ the Supreme inlays. I paid 250.00 for it back then. it's gone through a couple changes w/ pickups, but when I first got it, I installed Seymour Hotrodded set. Now it has EMG 574/66's a roller bridge, tusq nut and locking tuners. The only hardware/electronics that's original is the tailpiece. That being said, it's always looked great, felt great and it's still probably my played LP style guitar and I have 5 of them. The weight is just right at 8.2 lbs, (My epi 60's classic LP is a little over 9 pounds my heaviest LP). The neck on my Chibson is just right for my hand. Never had issues w/ the frets. Man, talking about it, is getting me thinking about ordering another now...
LOL
That was a really good advertisement for the brand. My next move is to head over to Ali E. now to see what they're selling ✌️
It's still cheaper than one of those famous Renoìr paintings. But do they wax frets, nowadays?! I don't know. Namastè.
Great job, I’ve had and given away a couple. Nice guitar no matter what you think.
I'd love a chibson in a flame maple effect but don't want to be ripped off, where do people buy these securely?
Generally Aliexpress/Ebay. But if you read my comment, they're hit and miss. Just because you get a good one, doesn't necessarily mean the next one will be good or even playable - even from the same seller.
There's only a few guitar manufacturers in China (6 maybe). The seller will take your order, canvas those companies and see who can make it the cheapest and thats what they go with. Theres no guarantee that what you see in the picture is what you get (normally theres a 2-3 week wait before shipping).
If you don't want to be ripped off, buy from a reputable company that has warranty and returns. There's plenty of legit manufacturers providing you can put up with the headstock logo and shape (that is its not Gibson/Fender etc).
Mike over at CGS had some good videos on the topic until his unfortunate condition RIP.
I will reveal the source after I have checked all 4 guitars as I need to make sure these guitars are good first, another three videos to go.
@@DaveBarlowGuitar thank you kind sir
Great stuff fella and Cool Vibe 🤟😎
Thing is - You can buy a Chibson LP for 250-300 bucks - change a few components depending on quality of guitar you get( sometimes pickups or bridge or tuners & set action low as possible) - and before you know it , you have a guitar worth 2000.
Hi Dave, that was a good video. Hey for the intonation, you may be able to turn the bridge around and also take apart and flip around the individual saddles. That should give you more adjustment and the spring will be on the other side toward that tail piece. But if its close enough then, maybe its not worth the bother. Alternately, and this may sound odd.. If you change the gauge of the two (offending) lower strings (in your instance you would have to go slightly lighter) you may find that the intonation is changed just enough. That worked on one of my home built guitars and the slight gauge change made a small but sufficient difference. Maybe suggest to your customer to try that on their next string change (if the intonation is bugging them).
I already flipped the saddles dude, guitar works good enough :)
well it could never be passed off as a gibson. headstock angle wrong and wrong Truss rod adjustment . but it is what it is. id buy one to be honest. electronics and pick ups wrong. but you fixed it and it plays well for 250 dollar guitar after adjustments
Gibson worship isint in my vol tab chibs arnt scary😅
I want one of this but in Italy no one want to find for me!!
Where is this one from? As in, what company?
will let you know in a video
im amazed at how accurate the china guitars are becoming minus the elect and hardware
I can’t make out if that’s a Bustralian accent or not?
Sometimes I dont even know
Great shirt (I originally knew IronGear through you). I have the same shirt (of course). Not fully watched the video yet. I have just released a vid on my channel explaining why I am no longet taking any Chibsons in for work. It might be unlucky but everyone I have had in has been garbage. Sick of wasting my time on them. Hope you're well bud and keep up the good work :) Victor...
PS: I didn't know about Mike (CGS) passing: sad to hear...
I wonder if you could fill/drill/file out the hole on the bridge enough to get the saddle where you want it? 🤔 a cheap fix on a guitar where you are trying to keep the cost down. My first guitar was a Memphis es335 copy bought in 94’ for 50$. It is still a great guitar and I value it over my real Gibsons! I have a soft spot for cheap well made instruments so this series is really interesting, as well as the entertaining comment section lol!
I got one, probably from a different seller as mine doesn't have fret nibs on but I took the pickups out and took the cap of one and it was only wound on one bobbin 🤣🤣 I suppose it saves them 50p or so and some folk, me included, probably won't be able to tell having cloth ears 🤣🤣🤣
Why not get a proper ABR1 bridge instead
well yes, I agree but not my guitar and customer had a budget :)
wtf ,now chibson with fret lip..? im impressed .
They've been doing it for last 5 years !
You remind me so much of a famous guitarist here in Nashville called Todzilla
was hoping for Jerry Cantrell LOL
why should gibson watch out? wouldn't that suggest that folks are still buying gibsons?
I had two Gibson Flying V's with the same issue with those raised nibs, string would catch all the way up the neck.
I sent them back in disgust.
Anyone with bass guitar experiences (availability by Chibson ?)
F.B. inlays are small,and headstock.binding tapers under the F.B.binding,,,Gibsons butt up !
Felt your emotion then dude, choked up
I have this exact same knock off. A few high frets, filed and polished, changed the plastic nut for bone. A quick setup and done. Surprisingly the pickups are good, the ones in mine seem to be wax potted and sound decent. The pots even though they’re small, work smoothly, no dead spots. Tuners are hit and a miss, change them out, eventually you’re going to have to anyway. I paid $235 with free shipping, so I got a decent deal. Your mileage may vary.
Grab them while you can guys !
The better Chibsons will be like Tokai, and japenese Fenders in the future !!!
“Oops” on the thin Lizzy. 😂
Honestly... yes, technically copyright infringement is a crime... but in my opinion, as long as you're not going to sell it as a real Gibson, it's all good. I had one I purchased on Facebook marketplace. The seller was completely honest and I knew what I was buying... both of us were happy with the transaction and I didn't pay the insane Gibson price tag.
My Chibson LP has all Gibson parts and Alnico pick up’s plays better than my real LP but just don’t sound as good as the real deal but I play the crap out of all my guitars, as a kid I could only afford junk series 10 and other bolt on neck crap, I would have loved to hav a modded Chibson!
must admitt, i bought some "irongear- hot slags and rolling mills" and not looked back!
That looks like the handywork of Jason Jia.
Yes I think you may have that
I have shared this on my Facebook page. Awesome 👍😎 video. Personally I love Chinese Guitars 🎸 🎶🎶 Donner, West Creek, IYV which is Korean owned Indonesia & Chinese manufacturing. as well as the knock off ones... Cheers 🍻
Thanks for sharing!!
It just proves how exorbitant Gibson's prices really are. It's a shame that their legacy has been tarnished by greedy collectors flooding the market with overpriced instruments. I have my eye on a beautiful LP Custom copy and can't wait to get it setup and rock with it!
Couldn’t you just have flipped the bridge around?
Love you blokes
Didnt watch....Im sure its a usable guitar. Gibson has nothing to worry about. The folk that buy Gibson guitars are not looking for bang for the buck. They are looking for the prestige of owning a Gibson, the heritage and quality of materials. If anything kid at the fairground will see you playing this and ask mom for a Gibson like yours.
please watch my videos LOL