Frets99 Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 So in closing, I'd like to say that everyone is indeed entitled to their preference.Gibsons are excellent guitars.Edwards are excellent guitars.And this thread is not about budget guitars vs expensive guitars. It's about quality guitars. But I agree with Prages. If you use the same quality woods and electronics as go into a Gibson and put them together with a high level of craftsmanship in the shape of a Les Paul, you will have a guitar that sounds surprisingly a lot like a Les Paul regardless of the name on the headstock. It's not magic. Not everybody does that but it can be done. A lot of budget entries cut corners or are not made well. They might not sound like a Gibson. But all things being equal. I just take issue with someone saying, you can't get Gibson "tone" from anything but a Gibson. You can still like a Gibson better for whatever reason but that comment is specious at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jdjonsson Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 Phew. I'll never live it down eh Frets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 After a point, it's all opinion. The Gibsons I've encountered have been great guitars - I'd say the best were twice the guitar my Epiphone Standard is, at five times the price. It's personal call as to wehtehr it's worth the extra - to me it's not. The extra that an MIJ Edwards / Tokai or Epiphone would cost over the standard Epi, sure. Over here, you'd be very lucky indeed, from what I see, to find a new LP Std for less than GBP1400 - that's about USD2800 currently. Gibsons, nice as they are, simply aren't worth that kind of scratch to me. It's not even as if they're Gretsch or Ric where you can't easily find a decent copy - there are quality alternatives to the Gibby LP everywhere you look these days, near enough. For a lot of folks the Gibson brand gives a mojo worth paying the extra for - for me it very definitely doesn't. what makes a Fender / Gibson / Mosrite / Ric / Gretsch / Eastwood / whatever cool to me is the guitar itself - how it looks, feels, sounds, plays. I really don't give a damn whether it has the "right" name on the headstock. Def' ALOT of quality alternatives around for your Gibson and Fender types. Especially for people not living in the "States". There has been since the MIJ "lawsuit" days way back when. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Phew. I'll never live it down eh Frets? I really have nothing against Gibsons. If I could get one at a great price, I'd own one. When I hear a recording, I can usually tell, if it's a tele or a strat, but I can't tell you who's tele or strat. Could be G&L. Could be Suhr. Could be a Fender. Same with the sustained tone from a thick mahogany bodied guitar. Could be a PRS, Hamer, ESP or a Gibson. I wouldn't know. I could take an educated guess because Fender and Gibson dominate the market but I couldn't tell. To me it's like the marketing for those old PF Flyers. Jump higher! Run faster! I remember as a kid, putting them on and taking off, so happy about how much faster I was now. Reality, today, I'd rather find a pair of sneakers made like a NIKE without the Nike name on it. Or wait for some wild sale where the Nike's are half price. I have an outlet near me where I get New Balance sneakers for half their retail price. They're not Nikes but they're terrific sneakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jdjonsson Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 Well, bottom line, I've only ever played Gibsons. No gibby copies have I touched Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 So in closing, I'd like to say that everyone is indeed entitled to their preference. Gibsons are excellent guitars. Edwards are excellent guitars. And this thread is not about budget guitars vs expensive guitars. It's about quality guitars. But I agree with Prages. If you use the same quality woods and electronics as go into a Gibson and put them together with a high level of craftsmanship in the shape of a Les Paul, you will have a guitar that sounds surprisingly a lot like a Les Paul regardless of the name on the headstock. It's not magic. Not everybody does that but it can be done. A lot of budget entries cut corners or are not made well. They might not sound like a Gibson. But all things being equal. I just take issue with someone saying, you can't get Gibson "tone" from anything but a Gibson. You can still like a Gibson better for whatever reason but that comment is specious at best. I think it's debatable about only a Gibson sounding like a Gibson...but with the new chambering Gibson is doing now that just changes everything anyways. Who knows...mabye those Edwards are going to start sounding more like a Gibson did then how a Gibson does.I am just glad I like Gibsons "cheaper" guitars most of all.....the V, Explorer, SG. Priced right, look and sound cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 Well, bottom line, I've only ever played Gibsons. No gibby copies have I touched Then you have only played a quality guitar!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 Well, bottom line, I've only ever played Gibsons. No gibby copies have I touched I have. Own an Epi-"korina" SG. It looks nice...but it sure don't sound like the Gibson SG's I have played and owned. I think it might have something to do with the veneer top, mystery solid core wood used and it's maple neck.I knew the score from the get-go though so I was cool with it's spec's. It's really fun guitar all in all.Dig up that Edwards / Standard comparison I mentioned earlier. You might be surprised at the clips. Some copies have KILLER tones. Matter if fact I am still waiting for "that killer deal" on an old Yamaha Studio Lord to come around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vermintide Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 yea,the inlay is a little off....but notice how the ball ends of the strings are on the neck...{censored}ing brilliant:thu: Also, about the "ZOMG look at the hollowing of teh LES PAULS!!!", that's the BFG LP. It's supposed to suck ass. What do you think they would be trying to do by cutting large chunks out of the bodies? That wouldn't save them money. It would cast. It would ruin tone. It wouldn't be a real LP anymore. So I don't see how you can point to this and say "YEAH THEY R TEH SUCK, THAT LP IS ALL ROUTED!!!" because it's MEANT to be. That said, I'm not defending Gibson. Over here even a {censored}ty LP Jr. will cost you like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Musima Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 doubt it if they get just minimum wagebig brands, big companies == big overheadand that is put on to the retail price Hmm, well, I don't know for sure, naturally - I just remember that Ernie Ball/MusicMan received a large dose of publicity/goodwill when they announced that they would introduce "living wages" of $10.30 - so some guitar makers must have very low wages.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BobbaFret Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 If the overpriced guitars werent selling,They wouldnt cost that much would they? There are 3 music stores near me and the selection of Gibson guitars is always changing.Because they have no problems selling Gibsons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Prages Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 If the overpriced guitars werent selling,They wouldnt cost that much would they?There are 3 music stores near me and the selection of Gibson guitars is always changing.Because they have no problems selling Gibsons. I agree. They've got a great business model in place. They can pretty much charge whatever they want and a whole lot of people will still buy their products, because after all, nothing sounds like a Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members markas214 Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 $2300 may seem like too much for a guitar but for many, many people it's not that great of an expense. I really have no problem paying $1000 (my Strat), $1500 (my LP Deluxe) or $2000 (my LP R7) for a guitar but $5000 (a '59RI) is what I consider too expensive for me to justify. Now I don't go out and buy a guitar or amp every few weeks, like some guys do with the cheaper ones, so my guitar expenses are probably in line with what most spend over the course of several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chetdukata Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 My Variax sounds just like my Gibson Les Paul, although the Gibson looks a lot better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cooley Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 My Variax sounds just like my Gibson Les Paul If this had anything to do with boobies...it would be sig'd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members markas214 Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 Here's an idea.Or, if 'only a Gibson is good enough', then buy the same thing from a dealer that has better prices. Just because all the big online stores charge $2300 doesn't mean that other places do. Just a few weeks ago I got a quote for a brand new R8 VOS for $2300. That's $800 cheaper than Musician's Friend or Music123 or American Musical Supply wants for the same guitar. Yep. MF is so overpriced anymore. I paid $1900 + tax for my R7. MF was selling them for $3200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wmcjhi Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 I agree. They've got a great business model in place. They can pretty much charge whatever they want and a whole lot of people will still buy their products, because after all, nothing sounds like a Gibson. I agree, to a degree. Les Pauls have a great, distinctive sound. How well that can be imitated, I don't know. I've never really heard a GOOD les paul copy. My buddy brought a nice 2003 LP studio to a jam session and I had my new C-1 Classic. They both sound great, just for different things. His just has "that" sound. A lot of rock history was written with the LP and you kind of get that nostalgic "there it is" sound from them. Everyone has his/her own tastes though, so in the end it doesn't matter. For me, there were better values out there. Hence my new addition. I wouldn't hesitate on a good deal on a nice, used Gibby, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members foppy Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 I actually feel cooler playing Edwards than playing my Gibson. Because I think "Here's a man who isn't an advertising victim, who made the effort to do some research and order from abroad to get something very well made and a good deal, that not everybody else has or even knows about." And then I weep uncontrollably for no reason. It's weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sufidancer Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 There are two kinds of people in this world. Gibson folks. And those who by other brands for less money and tell themselves it sounds just as good, but secretley wish they had a Gibbie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 I actually feel cooler playing Edwards than playing my Gibson. Because I think "Here's a man who isn't an advertising victim, who made the effort to do some research and order from abroad to get something very well made and a good deal, that not everybody else has or even knows about." And then I weep uncontrollably for no reason. It's weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 There are two kinds of people in this world. Gibson folks. And those who by other brands for less money and tell themselves it sounds just as good, but secretley wish they had a Gibbie.You're just not listening, are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aenemated Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 man, i haven't seen a thread with baseless gibson-hating conjecture since AT LEAST yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aenemated Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 ps - there's no irony in the first post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Prages Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 There are two kinds of people in this world. Gibson folks. And those who by other brands for less money and tell themselves it sounds just as good, but secretley wish they had a Gibbie.I sure wish I had Gibbie.Oh wait...I mean I wish I had an Edwards.The Edwards is every bit as good a guitar as the Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BobbaFret Posted June 26, 2007 Members Share Posted June 26, 2007 man, i haven't seen a thread with baseless gibson-hating conjecture since AT LEAST yesterday. Cant wait for tomorrows thread:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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