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Gibson/Baldwin Signature Series LP vs. Epiphone LP Standard


dwerlin

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So, I was browsing the Best Buy sunday ads today, and saw the Gibson/Baldwin Signature Series LP on sale for $99. Has anyone picked up one of these guitars? If so, how does it fare against say an Epiphone LP Standard, or even an Epiphone LP 100?

 

I'm so tempted to go take a look at this and ask their return policy if it turns out to be a complete hunk of crap, so any insight on this possibly saving me (or confirming that I should go on) a trip to the store would be great!

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Originally posted by pete n.

They are junk. An Epi LP Standard is far superioir.

 

out of curiosity are you saying this from first hand experience, as in you've played one of these?

 

...or are you saying that cause it's a $99 Gibson :)

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I went and checked them out when they were first released at Best Buy.

 

The pickups were crooked, the fretwork was awful, playability was marginal. I'm not positive but I believe the body is plywood.

I didn't plug it in but I didn't have to. Just playing it for 10 seconds you can tell it's a toy.

 

I have played the Agiles and they are good guitars.

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oh interesting, so they actually have floor models for these guitars at best buy?

 

not that i don't believe that they are crap since you've played one...but if my best buy has a floor model i may just head over to play it myself.

 

thanks for the info though

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  • 2 years later...
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I own a gibson/baldwin signature series it was my first guitar and ive played it for 2 years now and im very comfortable with it.:p i scalloped the neck my self and i re-did the frett job. there is also an added kill switch and i swiched the pickups which gave me a higher end to it. ive had people play it now and some think it plays better and sounds better than their guitars. if you wanna see it in action look up "Electricguitarded" on youtube and watch my videos! :)

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I gotta be honest, they suck. lol. I was in best buy walking around and they're those guitars in the box with the film top so you can see through and "check it out". Played it through a little peavey amp they have there and...awful, just awful. The standard is far far superior, granted its also a few hundred more, but I wouldnt really even bother with the baldwin series. There are so much better guitars for just a little more, especially used.

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oh interesting, so they actually have floor models for these guitars at best buy?


not that i don't believe that they are crap since you've played one...but if my best buy has a floor model i may just head over to play it myself.


thanks for the info though

 

Yes, Best Buy now sells firewood. They have floor models, usually reliced and with no more than 5 strings. Never in tune. Enjoy :facepalm:

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Gibson Education had several types of these manufactured and sold.

For example Best Buy models were a Cherry Burst Les Paul with Carved Top and a Red SG model, while for Circuit City they had a Black Les Paul (no carved top). I also saw non-carved top Les Pauls show up (in Blue Burst colour) but don't remember the store that carried them. They even had a Les Paul Junior type that they made and sold at Toys R Us!

 

The Best Buy models were the "best of the group" in terms of features and manufacturing but... BUT.... only one in ten were made well.

MANY had been damaged in shipping and sat on the shelf in closed thin cardboard box showing broken switches, etc. and MANY were just poorly made, you could see pencil marks where they made wood cuts, fretboard wood discoloured or pitted, or fret wire ends that would rip the flesh right off of you!

 

I took the time to go through EVERY one on the shelf (did this 4 seperate times over a 2 month period) and I found 2 really nice Les Pauls and one really nice SG. I put 1 Les Paul and the SG in storage immediately with packaging in tact and I will ebay them in 20 years!

 

As to the one remaining Les Paul - I play it on a regular basis.

It's a nice guitar and has had no issues (it's even seen pro studio time).

 

It has a Maple Neck (bolted on), Carved Top (undisclosed wood), plastic Jack Plate, and 2 NICE sounding un-covered humbuckers. The bridge is NOT plastic, it is metal (chromed) but it is not the standard "Tune-o-matic". The bridge is a wrap-around tailpiece bridge with non-adjustable intonation spacers.

 

It needed a setup to adjsut string height and I immediately replaced the strings with real Gibson Britewire strings (ultra-lites).

 

It plays and sounds beautful, and I am not afraid to let my son mess around with it.

 

For the record - I own a 1985 Gibson LP Standard, a 2007 Gibson Custom built LP with carved mahogany top, a 1969 Gibson SG Special, a 2004 Gibson SG Standard, a 1973 Gibson SG Bass, and also 3 2007 Gibson Faded Series (LP, SG, and SG Bass). I also have a 1962 National Valpro, 1963 Fender Strat, and about 15 other guitars (ovation, epiphone, fender, Squier, ibanez, washburn, etc.)

 

I don't judge guitars by name, I judge by quality and sound!

 

While this guitar is FAR from top of the line, if you take the time to check one out, play it, and are lucky, you might get a good guitar cheap.

 

This LP sounds different from my others, and has come in handy when adding layers of guitars in to my recordings.

 

But be carefull, MOST OF THEM WERE CRAP!

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They are junk. An Epi LP Standard is far superior.


Instead of wasting $99 on the Gibson/Baldwin, spend $159 for an Agile AL2000. The Agile is also much, much better.

 

 

this. Great advice here....the Gib/Bald's have the sharpest frets I think I've ever felt.

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As said most of these were poor examples of a musical instrument. However what has been missed is that the parts used in the guitars are Gibson/Epiphone. Remove the bridge and look underneath. What do you see? An Epiphone stamp.

 

If you replace the bridge with an intonatable bridge (if the bridge is properly located, not true on all), dress the fret ends, replace the nut (or even dress it properly), usually level and dress the frets, then you end up with a pretty decent and playable guitar that will compete with much more expensive guitars.

 

The body is plywood. On the other hand, I have a body from an Epiphone that is a Maple and Alder plywood. So what is the difference. To me, the body of the "Educational" guitar looked to be commercial grade plywood, but I also have not stripped out the interior finish to find out - it is just very rough and looks like plywood that has been routed. Plywood will not age much and the sound will remain constant over time. To be fair and to contrast, the bodies of Danelectros are also plywood and they are fair guitars and the bodies of most Blueridge acoustics are plywood and the compete with the Martins in sound quality.

 

I had three of these. one I fully dressed and set up and gave it to my son-in-law. It is quite playable and sounds decent. Another I stripped out the electronics and put them in an Ibanez GAX 70 and much improved the Ibanez. The body and neck of this one is in the que as a project. The third only needs a fret dress and level, it is even intonated correctly with the non adjustable bridge and the factory 9's.

 

With the proper work these can be nice guitars. Out of the box most are junk. The tuners are ok, just ok. The pups are fairly good (but a bit bright), the pots marginal, the selector switch is the same that you will find in an Epiphone. There will be a lot of variation between guitars in sound because of the plywood. They are good learning guitars for luthiers. I prefer quality over name brand.

 

This is from a guy that has them and plays them. My other personal guitars are: 1973 Ibanez Artist model 2613, 2004 Ibanez GAX 70, S101 EGU34, a just completed hand made guitar, Two luthier made Paracho classicals, and a Harmony Steel String. In the past I have also had, but sold, a 1982 Gibson SG Custom and a 1983 Gibson Silverburst.

 

Like all Gibson guitars, QC is spotty at best. In spite of the hype, even from Gibson, they are real Gibson guitars. Like all guitars, the Signature series needs some work out of the box.

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