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Gibson quality a step up or did I just get lucky

golfnut

Active member
Joined
Apr 18, 2016
Messages
196
The new Les Paul standard 50's I just acquired is my 3rd Les Paul. Well, technically 4th if you count the Tribute I had for 4 days before upgrading the new Standard.
I owned a Traditional back around 2010 and a few years ago I bought a used 2013 R7. As nice as the R7 was the neck was just a tad too big. Being one that loved the big Nocaster U I didn't think "too big" was possible for me. But as I get older I've been shying away from the really big necks and option for a little smaller but still 50's chunky. The neck on my 50's standard is pretty nice, if I had to guess I'd say about .880 at the first to about .950 at the 12th. Next string change I'll get my calipers on it.
The weight isn't bad. Heavier than my R7 was. The standard weighs in about 9.2. When I pick it up first thing in the morning it feel feather light. If I spend the whole day playing on it (which I have this past week) it feels much heavier by the end of the day.
The big thing I notice with this guitar is the sustain. My gawd it rings forever. I have never had a guitar with this much sustain. Not even the R7. The controlled feedback I can get on this guitar is heavenly. If I had one wish it would be maybe if it was a little brighter. Especially on the neck pickup. But then I'm so used to that Fender snap on the bass strings that maybe I'm just not acclimated to the Les Paul sound quite yet. The past les pauls I never really kept long enough to appreciate what they could do. I was gigging quite heavily and was mainly a Tele player and wasn't really open to getting used to anything different. The bands I played were mainly country.
The band I'm in now we only play mainly from May to October for special events and outdoor, fall fairs, etc. Its much more of a mix and I plan on traveling with the les paul, a strat and a tele.
I've spent the past week just about every day, all day really listening to the les paul and feeling it out. I can't wait to give it a work out at the upcoming gig. I feel like I picked a really good one compared to the Les Pauls I had in the past but then who knows. I never really gave the others ones a chance I guess.
 

Gibbons59

Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2018
Messages
45
I've purchased several new Gibsons since the new team took over, and they're all fantastic. I'd have to nitpick any of them to find anything to complain about. I'm happy that you're happy with yours!
 

jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,276
I've bought more than a score of CS, Memphis and USA/Nashville from 2000 onwards and only experienced a couple issues, minor. Even under the crazy endgame of the HJ era (no 2015s, FirebirdX, or HP for me, kudos to those that love 'em).

Everything from new JC/Cesar management has been of great quality!
 
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sunking101

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2020
Messages
102
The quality is the same as it's ever been. Good, bad and stellar guitars leave the factory on a daily basis.
 

Wilko

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Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
They don't make "bad" guitars. Most of the complaints are bullshit based on unrealistic expectations for a guitar built largely by hand.

Wood and lacquer have a very organic overall feel. Too many whiny bitches complain about those qualities. Plekked fret work, etc. Solid wood, very good joinery, very consistent CNC and finishing operations.
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
They don't make "bad" guitars. Most of the complaints are bullshit based on unrealistic expectations for a guitar built largely by hand.

Wood and lacquer have a very organic overall feel. Too many whiny bitches complain about those qualities. Plekked fret work, etc. Solid wood, very good joinery, very consistent CNC and finishing operations.
100% Honest truth right there .
 

golfnut

Active member
Joined
Apr 18, 2016
Messages
196
They don't make "bad" guitars. Most of the complaints are bullshit based on unrealistic expectations for a guitar built largely by hand.

Wood and lacquer have a very organic overall feel. Too many whiny bitches complain about those qualities. Plekked fret work, etc. Solid wood, very good joinery, very consistent CNC and finishing operations.
This is how I feel. I automatically figure in the cost to get a guitar to where I want it for playability, whether new or used.
 

jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,276
Biggest oopsie factor: tired or overzealous techs banging saddle notches too hard, potentially causing damage to the bridge, bending screw posts... followed by being overlooked by QC.
 

sunking101

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2020
Messages
102
They don't make "bad" guitars. Most of the complaints are bullshit based on unrealistic expectations for a guitar built largely by hand.

Wood and lacquer have a very organic overall feel. Too many whiny bitches complain about those qualities. Plekked fret work, etc. Solid wood, very good joinery, very consistent CNC and finishing operations.
Some are dogs plain and simple. They let too many of these dogs out of the factory and they shouldn't for the prices they charge. For big bucks you expect great work. Yes lots of the build process is done by hand but sadly not always by highly trained craftsmen...

I have a lovely R8 and a lovely 335 but I've had some cruddy Gibsons pass through my hands too and that's a fact. Bad fret work, gouges on the fretboard, scuffs, overly scraped binding, bad neck angles etc.
 

tjdjr1

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2016
Messages
71
Since I started gigging again I have bought a 16 Traditional, 17 SG, 19 Classic, and 21 Standard. My only issues were really minimal the tuner buttons on the 16 had small cracks in them Gibson replaced, I was not a fan of the PC wired stuff so I elected to remove and hardwire, bridge on the 19 is tarnishing more quickly than any of the others. I will say I like the cases better prior to the 21 case it seems really much cheaper than the 16 or 19 era cases..
 

mjross

Active member
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May 11, 2019
Messages
197
As long as you don’t get out a microscope we are good. It just amazes me some of the nit-pics I see. However, I get it that when you spend good money you want perfect.

I‘ve purchased more than a dozen high end Gibsons in the last couple years, all great guitars, no complaints what so ever. You just have to be careful who you purchase them from!
 

TheYinzer

New member
Joined
Apr 21, 2022
Messages
10
They don't make "bad" guitars. Most of the complaints are bullshit based on unrealistic expectations for a guitar built largely by hand. Wood and lacquer have a very organic overall feel. Too many whiny bitches complain about those qualities. Plekked fret work, etc. Solid wood, very good joinery, very consistent CNC and finishing operations.
100% Honest truth right there .
They don't make "bad" guitars. Most of the complaints are bullshit based on unrealistic expectations for a guitar built largely by hand.

Wood and lacquer have a very organic overall feel. Too many whiny bitches complain about those qualities. Plekked fret work, etc. Solid wood, very good joinery, very consistent CNC and finishing operations.

I will agree with all but the finishing operations. Within the last year I got a 50's standard had buffer burn through on the headstock. Not terribly bad but sure enough, that quality checklist had the little finish box checked and signed off. Saw it as soon as I cracked the case. Fine. Whatever.

My R9 on the other hand had huge burn spots where they buffed right through all of the clear on the tops of the bouts - all 4 "corners." Sure enough, checked off and signed. That guitar is a player and not a wall hanger, but it was quite expensive. So I negotiated significant money back, had it fixed up (looked like shit) and moved on.

Both of these are great playing and sounding guitars. That specific R9 might go to the grave with me, but I am not letting them off the hook for these shenanigans. Neither should have ever left the factory like that.
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,657
I will agree with all but the finishing operations. Within the last year I got a 50's standard had buffer burn through on the headstock. Not terribly bad but sure enough, that quality checklist had the little finish box checked and signed off. Saw it as soon as I cracked the case. Fine. Whatever.

My R9 on the other hand had huge burn spots where they buffed right through all of the clear on the tops of the bouts - all 4 "corners." Sure enough, checked off and signed. That guitar is a player and not a wall hanger, but it was quite expensive. So I negotiated significant money back, had it fixed up (looked like shit) and moved on.

Both of these are great playing and sounding guitars. That specific R9 might go to the grave with me, but I am not letting them off the hook for these shenanigans. Neither should have ever left the factory like that.
Gibson has warranty service on new purchased guitars from authorized shops. That's how I would handle issues like that . Best Wishes .
 

TheYinzer

New member
Joined
Apr 21, 2022
Messages
10
Gibson has warranty service on new purchased guitars from authorized shops. That's how I would handle issues like that . Best Wishes .
I understand there is a warranty. I was sharing my experience with the as-delivered quality of the finish work. Two guitars in a row. One in '20 (okay... I might be understanding on that one 😂) and the other a late '21.
 

golfnut

Active member
Joined
Apr 18, 2016
Messages
196
When I first got my standard 50's a week and a half ago I thought it was set up pretty good out of the box but of course I attempted to do a couple tweaks with action height and relief and of course just made it worse. I know what I want but I am clearly incapable of setting up a guitar my self. So I just got it back from the tech and WOW this guitar is amazing. It almost seems too easy to play. Far easier to play than my custom shop Fenders which are also well set up.
 

sunking101

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2020
Messages
102
My R7 has some fingerboard tool marks and the frets weren't polished. My new R8 has a small ding on the top near the neck that I didn't notice in the store and the 21st fret is high so needs levelling. Not great for Custom Shop guitars IMO.
 

Pat Boyack

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Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Messages
4,510
My R7 has some fingerboard tool marks and the frets weren't polished. My new R8 has a small ding on the top near the neck that I didn't notice in the store and the 21st fret is high so needs levelling. Not great for Custom Shop guitars IMO.
Yet you kept them?
 
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