Honest Question about Gibson QC

[Mel Cooley]

Well, you get what you pay for if you're buying a low end guitar from the mark-up masters. That said, my not especially low end 2000 Les Paul Classic Plus had incorrectly sized saddles in parts of the bridge, the jack plate was mounted off center from the socket hole and was only held in place by 3 of the screws, and one of the tuners was slightly more crooked than it should have been. If it wasn't so light weight, resonant and the top so nice looking I wouldn't have kept it.

[Nephilim-777]

Originally posted by AmpegJoe It seems like there was a time fairly recently where some of the lower end models came with rough frets. Some of my Gibson guitars have very slight imperfections (a bit of finish bleeding onto the binding), but I consider that more a mark of a handmade item than a flaw. However, they needed to spend more time on the frets and as far as I can tell, they have been lately.

 

 

+2.

 

My LP Customs had suffered from the following:

 

Sharp frets

Sloppy body bindings

Paint on the binding and fretboard

Inconsistent quality inlays

Uneven and poorly cut fretboards around the inlays.

 

A new one even developed a crack at the nut after a couple months usage. That was the final straw for me and Gibson

[k4df4l]

Originally posted by Nephilim-777 +2. My LP Customs had suffered from the following: Sharp frets Sloppy body bindings Paint on the binding and fretboard Inconsistent quality inlays Uneven and poorly cut fretboards around the inlays. A new one even developed a crack at the nut after a couple months usage. That was the final straw for me and Gibson

[cbh5150]

Originally posted by Nephilim-777 +2. My LP Customs had suffered from the following: Sharp frets Sloppy body bindings Paint on the binding and fretboard Inconsistent quality inlays Uneven and poorly cut fretboards around the inlays. A new one even developed a crack at the nut after a couple months usage. That was the final straw for me and Gibson

[k4df4l]

:confused:

[CrackerD]

G-Lady, will you marry me????? :love:

I already asked Bbreaker, but he said "no".

[Alchemist]

Why do you people buy guitars with all those problems? I dont get it, are you blinded by shiny finishes and sales pitches when you walk into a store and cant see all those faults? I would never in my life buy a guitar with as many flaws as you guys are discribing, its almost asinine!

You can create a QC issue for any company if you go out there and buy bad ones, then complain about them.

If people stopped buying all these horrendous guitars then Gibson might get the picture and tighten up their so called QC problem:idea:

[Alchemist]

Originally posted by CrackerD G-Lady, will you marry me????? :love: I already asked Bbreaker, but he said "no".

I asked her first I have a thing for her shredder guitars:love:

[RockNote]

Last summer I played an ES-345 Historic Reissue. It is the nicest guitar I have ever played, I think, in terms of tone and sonic "behavior." I didn't really get round to scrutinizing the finish and such. Afterwards, I read up on it. I think somewhere I came across the opinion that the factory that makes these actually do better work than even the Gibson Custom shop. Still, a particular HC review stuck in my mind as a word of warning, see below. The guy appears to be grumpy, but maybe he knows what he is talking about? Is it true what he says about the varitone, that it is a pain to keep it from spinning round? If so, that's bad.



Price Paid: US $2000 used
Features: 3
Mine is the cherry finish with gold hardware, made in Memphis 2001 . The tuners suck, REALLY suck. This isn't a cheap guitar, WHAT THE HELL IS GIBSON THINKING ABOUT!!!!


Retro my arse, garbage is garbage, cloaking it with a "REISSUE"
name is a REALLY crappy excuse for putting junk on an otherwise nice guitar.


OK, next. I'm really surprised Gibson is using one piece necks again.
For those of you who were not buying Gibsons because the necks were
warped like pretzels in the late 60's, the three piece necks were designed to prevent warping because of the different grain directions. Gibson could have put a heavier truss rod, to minimize this, but NONE of their literature has a mantion of WHY IT'S SO GODDAMN IMPORTANT TO COPY CRAP DESIGNS.


Lastly, what's with the re-issue name???? From what I know Gibson always had the 345 in their line. The original 345 had ONE jack, and a trapeze tailpiece (neither a good idea IMO), what's the re-issue about??? Reissuing something that's never been discontinued is a marketing thing.


So, with all of that off my chest I bought it because I always wanted
a 345 but the old hosebags I've seen recently were EXPENSIVE and pretty beat up like an old whore. I like new looking well kept stuff.




Sound: 10
Here's the real deal... sound. You buy a 335 and get a Gibson, get a
345, and you get varitone, AND stereo, both really cool features.


I get a kick out of playing it through two amps. The sounds are excellent.


I play original Rock/Fusion music, but the 345 will do it all. Blues,
Jazz are all suitable to a 345.




Action, Fit, & Finish: 6
Overall it's pretty well constructed minus the issues above. I prefer
larger semi-solid, and hollow body electrics. The construction of
electric guitars in no mystery after 50+ years. I don't think ANY guitar maker can claim superiority in construction any more.


I DO think that they should be held accountable for garbage though, but the 345 is below average in most respects, barely equal to most upper end Jap Gretsches, and Korean Epiphones. Gibson has no bragging rights here.


This 345 is not a bad looker, but, Gibson picked wood that should be under a gold painted 335 top not a transparent finish.


The neck is really playable, but a bit fatter would be better for me.




Reliability/Durability: 3
Dunno about durability, but the fact is that Gibson had REAL problems with construction and age related defects in the 50's and 60's, and they never said what they did in their new-old design to correct the problems they discovered 50 years ago. But hell, if it lasts me 20 years I'm happy, problem is with my issues above I'm not sure about it.


The varitone has ALWAYS been a pain to keep from spinning around. You
have to be gentle with it, and NOT press it hard into the first or last position. If you do. it may spin and break wires free, a repair
NOT covered by warranty. I'm no mechanical Engineer, but radios from the 30's had this problem knocked with a locator pin in the body of
the pots that went through the frame to keep it from spinning.




Customer Support: 10
Great to deal with, always even though I never needed them on the 345.

Overall Rating: 4
Considering that a Japanese Gretsch is equal in cost with many problems, the 345 is not a BAD deal. It's not very heavy (8 lbs 14 oz.) some LP's weigh a lot more, and don't sound as good.


With a few attention to details, Gibson could have a 10, but some ass
bean counter will keep the 345 a so-so guitar for certain... until
they decide to go to China or Korea to build them.


I bought it for its unique sound pure and simple. MANY other guitars
at 1/4 the price are appointed and look a lot better. If Gibson can't produce a $2800 guitar with commensurate visual quality and good tuners, we'll have to wait for the Korean versions to get what we pay for, or switch over to Epiphone.


The other reviewers must really have rose colored glasses to not get
beyond the action and sound to find a really mediocre guitar.




Submitted by Josh at 09/03/2004 19:37

[Nephilim-777]

Originally posted by k4df4l curious, you had a custom with sharp frets....how exactly is that possible considering the binding comes over the fretends?? What do you mean by poorly cut fretboard?

 

 

Mine overlapped the bindings and where quite rough. On the fretboard question: The cuts for the inlays. Some were uneven and had minor gaps between them.

[tim gueguen]

Originally posted by Alchemist Gibson killed my dog.

Mel Gibson doesn't count.

[Rada]

Originally posted by tim gueguen Mel Gibson doesn't count.

[Rada]

I really want Allison Robertson's Les Paul Standard

Why don't they make the standards with this finish anymore?

[LaXu]

I find that the Custom Shop ones are generally miles above the production line stuff as well as being even more absurdly priced in Europe than the production line stuff is.

Anyway, the problems I've witnessed in production line models:

• 
  
  All things that are just as easy to get right as they are to get wrong. Gibson just needs to up their QC. I don't know if they dump their crap stuff to Finland but I wouldn't be surprised, the US market propably gets the better ones. Many Gibsons also seem to be quite heavy despite the weight relief holes. Kind of funny considering how for example many MIJ copies are lighter without any weight relief holes.
  
  I would personally never buy a Gibson, especially without seeing it first. Of course, since they are as expensive as domestic made custom guitars (and the CS stuff is even more expensive) it makes absolutely no sense to buy Gibson in Europe IMO.
  
  Also at the price they go for, IMO they should come with locking tuners and Tonepros bridges, excluding vintage reissues of course. Not because they're necessary but because they make life easier.

[CrackerD]

Originally posted by Rada I really want Allison Robertson's Les Paul Standard Why don't they make the standards with this finish anymore?

What I really want is Allison Robertson... :love:

Okay, somehow this thread turned me into a pig who wants to marry everone.... :confused:

[Rada]

Originally posted by CrackerD What I really want is Allison Robertson... :love: Okay, somehow this thread turned me into a pig who wants to marry everone.... :confused:

It's ok....she has that power

[utterhack]

Originally posted by Rada Why don't they make the standards with this finish anymore?

See this thread: Why do Gibson only ever get it 1/2 right???

I'm sure it will come back, but if you get tired of waiting you could always snap up an EpElite in "Vintage Sunburst." No pesky Gibson QC issues

Say like this one on ebay (no, it's not mine, just a decent pic)

[vmanmurph]

I was once told by a tech at the time (early 90's) that Gibson doesn't take the time to get their guitars in order. I compared Gibson to Hamer at the time of the conversation and he pointed out that Gibson can and probably does produce 300+ guitars a day. Hamer would produce probably 50. You don't have to crunch through the numbers to see that Gibson doesn't have the time and/or manpower to do proper set-ups.

Two years ago I purchased a Les Paul special w/ humbuckers. I bought it through Musicians Friend. Imagine my surprise when I opened the gig bag and found this perfect guitar staring right back at me. I fliiped the guitar over and found that the 2 pieces of wood that make up the body were at different thicknesses. There was literally a 1/4" difference between the two pieces. So that guitar went through sanding, finishing, electrical, and final inspection without being caught. Like I said the front of the guitar was perfect, the back was unexcusable. I sent it back, got my money back, and bought a better Les Paul from a local dealer.

Do I hate Gibson? No. Do I think that they charge too much for their current line. Yes! I probably will buy another one if I come across one I like. I also think that some blame could/should be put onto the dealers of a guitar. They pull it out of the box and put it on the floor. I saw an ES-335 on the sales floor at GC. The pickups were crooked, the bridge was out of alignment and they were asking $2,200. I look at that as a bargaining tool. If they can't be bothered to get it right have the store get you a discount. Why should I pay $2K for a guitar that is unplayable??? Frank

[guitarlady]

Originally posted by CrackerD G-Lady, will you marry me????? :love: I already asked Bbreaker, but he said "no".

You would have to sign a pre-nup that says I get to keep all the guitars and related equipment.

[guitarlady]

Originally posted by Alchemist I asked her first I have a thing for her shredder guitars:love:

Now I see you only like me for my Jacksons.

[Alchemist]

Originally posted by guitarlady Now I see you only like me for my Jacksons.

 

 

Thats hardly true, I've been eyeing your axis as well:love:

 

You also have a really nice rack:D

[CrackerD]

Originally posted by guitarlady You would have to sign a pre-nup that says I get to keep all the guitars and related equipment.

Crap. :mad:

Quit eyeballin' her Axis Alchem, you freekin pervert!!

[guitarlady]

Originally posted by Alchemist Thats hardly true, I've been eyeing your axis as well:love: You also have a really nice rack:D

 

 

I haven't played the axis for awhile, I have been playing the big 3-G guitars: Gibson, Guild, and Gretsch lately. The rack is starting to fill out, the VHT Two/Ninety/Two Power Amp finally came in and it sounds great, but I still think my hollows, and semi-hollows sound better through my Fender Deluxe Reverb.

[Alchemist]

Originally posted by guitarlady I haven't played the axis for awhile, I have been playing the big 3-G guitars: Gibson, Guild, and Gretsch lately. The rack is starting to fill out, the VHT Two/Ninety/Two Power Amp finally came in and it sounds great, but I still think my hollows, and semi-hollows sound better through my Fender Deluxe Reverb.

 

 

I'm still unsure if I want to build a rack, or just get some more pedals and have a tidy little pedalboard:( In the end it will cost about the same, I just like the thought of directly controling each pedal rather than messing with MIDI and programing a crapload of channels.

 

As far as your semihollows through your DR, (having played a few with that very combination) thats probably some of the nicest tone you are going to find. If youre really into those nice cleans, check out some Dr Z amps, they are oh so very nice:love:

[Ronald RayGun]

Originally posted by k4df4l curious, you had a custom with sharp frets....how exactly is that possible considering the binding comes over the fretends??

 

 

Probably because he made it up or "heard" about it second hand. It's amazing with all the Gibson horror stories you don't see more "UPS just dropped off my new Gibson XYZ and it's a mess. Look at these pics", threads