Gibson quality - dead horse

[travelin travis]

It's cause they're still kind of used to being a tree.

Yep, that's gotta be it.

 

[jimistone]

It's cause they're still kind of used to being a tree.

I agree. Old guitars have the BEST wood...because the wood has forgotten it used to be a tree. The wood on that old guitar has done all the buckling and warping and splitting it is ever going to do.
Temperture and humidity changes don't effect any of the old guitars I have owned. They are like a rock.

 

[andycerrone]

Yeah, but...
Am I crazy? Has anyone else objected to Gibson quality recently?

My gibson SG platinum has treated me well and there's nothing I dislike about it. Although, I must say, if yuo pick up a random Gibson there's a 25% chance that there's going to be some flaws (and to a religious guitarist, those flaws will make or break your "sound" or "style"). Quality has gone down, in my opinion, but there are still some really nice guitars coming out, you've just gotta be patient, and remember that there's tons of people looking for that perfect gibson like you are so you've got to stay on top of it if you're serious about getting a new guitar. Good luck on the hunt!

 

[andycerrone]

I've found that to be true with any guitar regardless of brand, price, etc. It's like guitars soak up some mojo over time. Every guitar that I've ever owned for a long period of time sounds better with age.

As for electric guitars, the reason a lot of them sound better, crisper, clearer with age is because of the magnets in the pickups. Over time, they "tone down" and aren't quite as strong and new as they are when a guitar is new (first.. five years you could guesstimate). The pickups are like wine, they get better with age. I'd say that would have a pretty big effect on why old guitars sound so good.

 

[Dezboard]

Hey chaps, I have a really nice paul 'studio'.It's one of the first of the model with the thicker body and sounds great.even some of my friends like to borrow it from time to time.it's red with gold hardware and so really looks the part too.

Dez B

 

[noisedude]

Gibson's quality is all over the place and dealers in the UK are dropping it left right and centre ... of course the street price of a -3% 'markup' with a retro-discount for big sellers doesn't help!!!!

Gibson and Epiphone are complete non-starters for everyone apart from the big boys who have the financial reserves to deal with some of the absolute shite they send out as A-stock.

 

[hixmix]

Maybe all their lefty's are just special.

Lefty's might get more attention because of their lower production numbers.

Let's keep the politics in the cave, guys.

 

[juststartingout]

The price you pay for a guitar is based on 2 things, what someone will sell it for, and what someone will pay for it. It is that simple!!

I own a number of Gibsons, Fenders, PRS, Shectors, Samicks and others. New ones, old ones, factory and customs. I can tell you that all of them have QC issues. All of them have good points and bad points. When I bought each one, it came down to whether I could afford it and how bad I wanted it. QC issues gave me something to beat people down on price, but at the end of the day, it came down to what I was willing to buy it for and what they would sell it for.

Why buy a Mercedes for $130,000 when I can buy a Chevy for $8,000. Both do the same job and both will come out of the factory with a screw loose.

 

[Superhuman]

I got a Gibson Les Paul Goldtop 1957 Historic Custom reissue. Visually it's the most beautifull guitar I have every seen in 'the wood', the paintwarok is immaculate and the aged nickel hardware is nice finishing touch. My only issue with it is the playability. I play shred type metal and I find the neck to be far to chunky ('50's thick style) for my liking, and the action too high. Tone is sweet though, lovely sustain and a nice thick sound. Still though it's not for me so I'm selling it to fund my home studio... just got a Mackie HUI I've heard poor reports about some of the more recent Gibson's but the Custom/Historic/Art shop is still banging out top quality axes.