Incredibly overpriced guitars

[sakeido]

value is something someone determines themself and that's why threads like this suck ass

this post FTW

 

[Scali]

Gibson's quality control has been terrible in recent years. I know because I work on a lot of them. It could well be that your dealer picks out the good ones

Well, whether it's hand-picked or not... a good Gibson is a helluva machine.

 

[Ketzer]

The deal is with gibson, that there are good ones and there are bad ones, but for the price that Gibson charges for a Les Paul Standard, there really SHOULDN'T be any bad ones at all. I've also played shoddy Jems, and my friend's JP7 had to Be sent back for some fixing right after he got it. (plays awesome now)

Maybe I'm an idealist, but I think if you're going to pay anywhere close to $2000 or more for a guitar, it had better be flawless, because for that kinda scratch, I'd expect very high-quality, for the builder to not skimp on the wood selection.

In fact, the most consistent guitars I've ever played are the high-ed RGs and USA Jacksons. Peter from The Absence says his 7 or 8 Caparisons are all very consistent, too. Also pricey.

 

[Scali]

The deal is with gibson, that there are good ones and there are bad ones, but for the price that Gibson charges for a Les Paul Standard, there really SHOULDN'T be any bad ones at all. I've also played shoddy Jems, and my friend's JP7 had to Be sent back for some fixing right after he got it. (plays awesome now)

Aren't the Jem and JP7 in the same priceclass as a Les Paul Standard though, if not more expensive?
Somehow people seem to excuse those brands, Gibson seems to be the brand that people love to hate, even though in reality they all mess up from time to time. And when they don't, I don't think there's a huge quality difference either. They're all fine instruments.

Maybe I'm an idealist, but I think if you're going to pay anywhere close to $2000 or more for a guitar, it had better be flawless, because for that kinda scratch, I'd expect very high-quality, for the builder to not skimp on the wood selection.

I agree, but we both know that reality is not like that. As long as there's good customer support (like the example with the JP7 you gave), I guess that's acceptable.

In fact, the most consistent guitars I've ever played are the high-ed RGs and USA Jacksons.

Don't know if you consider a Japanese-made RG570CT from 1994 a high-end RG, but I can tell you that the workmanship on mine leaves a lot to be desired. It looks good from a distance though, and it plays and sounds amazing, so I don't really care. It's not like I have much of a choice with a rare model like that. I could have a custom body made to fix all the 'problems' if need be.

 

[Ketzer]

Oh, I just chose gibson as an example. the only brands I've never encountered any problems with at all are Jackson USA and Caparison, but I've never really messed with REALLY expensive stuff.

I'd consider any RG with a model number 1820 and above a high-end RG, for the record.

the JEM and LP standard are in the same price bracket, both expensive enough that realistically, there shouldn't be problems with them. However, I've played a few '08 gibbys, the ones at the Sam Ash here are so new they still smell like lacquer, and there's not a bad one in the bunch, just the way it should be.

 

[noodleplugerine]

Black Machine are NOT overpriced. They're hand built, boutique instruments at the price of a PRS. They're the typical price for an instrument of their calibre in the UK.

 

[Yoshi]

D-EJ is on to something here...I personally believe that the prices we pay for PRS here in Australia is a bit exaggerated, just can see my self spending that kinda dosh for a guitar that's not my own custom.

 

[budda]

thats why you should buy used

i'll gladly buy a PRS! just not brand new.

 

[Scali]

I'd consider any RG with a model number 1820 and above a high-end RG, for the record.

Yea, but what about the 80s/90s where you didn't have 1000+ or Prestige models? But they were still Japanese-made. The 570 model has simply been renamed 1570 now. Higher number, but exact same specs, and probably the same quality, who knows, could be even less.

However, I've played a few '08 gibbys, the ones at the Sam Ash here are so new they still smell like lacquer, and there's not a bad one in the bunch, just the way it should be.

Yea exactly. So I wonder where those horror stories come from.

And even if there are bad Gibsons around, who knows how they got there? I mean, Gibson itself has a big warning on their website about counterfeits. So it could be that some of the bad Gibsons are fakes... Or they could be B-stock that shops try to pass off as regular models.

I'm not buying into that internet-myth that Gibson guitars are poor anyway.

 

[daemon barbeque]

Gibsons QC is laughable and I have experienced very bad ones.
The easiest way to get out of this trouble is a Counterfit warning isn't it?
Yess there are perfect LPs and they really sound amazing.
But like in Gibson Shop Berlin ,there are only 1 or 2 wich sound amazing.
Last time i tried a 350 and it was fret buzing!WTF?
Or the LP's TOM was in wrong position.I kid you NOT.
No counterfitts here ,all original.

There is a Professional tech here around who buys those bad LPs and repairs them and make some profit. He lives well from that!

 

[canuck brian]

I'm not buying into that internet-myth that Gibson guitars are poor anyway.

Scali, don't get me wrong here as I agree with your statements almost all the time (including old school RG's having shat work on them) but Gibson lost ANY confidence in me when the pile of shit below was released. I realize it's cheap, but it's one of the most poorly constructed instruments I've seen with a major brand on it. Gibson should literally be ashamed to have placed their name on this abomination. I have NEVER seen work so shoddily done in my life and I've played about 10 of these shitpiles to date.

They may have done this to be edgy or something, but it's seriously disgraceful.

 

[Scali]

Oh yea, those BFGs are horrible. Never touched one, so I don't know if they are playable or not, but they look really poor.
Same with those 'worn'/'faded' models, those Les Pauls don't even have a maple top... Can't really call that a Les Paul, can you? Then again, they cost less than an average Ibanez, you get what you pay for.

 

[budda]

Last time i tried a 350 and it was fret buzing!WTF?

guess what? I would be informing the shop about the poor setup job.

.
Same with those 'worn'/'faded' models, those Les Pauls don't even have a maple top... Can't really call that a Les Paul, can you?

I'd say you can. hasn't gibson released a few les pauls that are solid mahogany?

 

[Scali]

I'd say you can. hasn't gibson released a few les pauls that are solid mahogany?

Yes, but they were named "The Paul", "Les Paul Special" or "Les Paul Junior" or such, which somehow indicates it's not *really* a Les Paul (and in that sense, the "BFG" is okay aswell)
And they didn't have a carved top at all, so they looked different anyway.

Now they're just sold as "Les Paul Studio", but the other Studio models do have a maple cap, so that's a bit confusing, not to say misleading.

 

[canuck brian]

Sadly the BFG does have a maple top. Not figured, but it's maple on mahogany. If you check another one out in person, you can see the mahogany base fromthe top of the guitar beside the fretboard where it meets the body on the treble side. It looks like a router pass just sheared the maple right to the mahogany, and it's standard on all of them.

 

[budda]

Yes, but they were named "The Paul", "Les Paul Special" or "Les Paul Junior"

but 2 out of 3 of those have "les paul" in the model name. which makes them les pauls.

 

[ibznorange]

Its not an internet myth dude, our store stopped carrying them for 6 years because it got so bad

 

[s_k_mullins]

$10,500 for the Jeff Beck and Andy Summers telecasters.. Also, $12,500 for the Yngwie strat and the $25,000 they were selling the Jimmy Page LPs for

Also, go ahead and add Custom ESPs, all Gibsons, Zematis guitars, and Dean USA guitars.. all overpriced IMO.

Acoustic-wise, Martins are horribly overpriced.. like their 100th year commemorative model that was like $150,000, the limited Koa model they had for $50,000, or this new D-28 for $32,000.. fuckin nuts.

 

[dpm]

Exactly, it's not an internet myth. They really have gotten that bad... as in the majority of recent G-brand instruments have some kind of flaw(s) that are unacceptable for the money. I've even had people come right out and say the guitar they bought is crap but they bought it anyway because they had to have a Les Paul. I really hope they sort this stuff out with the new ownership deal. From a couple of things I've heard they may be getting better now.

Yoshi, I just heard that there has been a 20% price increase on PRS is Australia since our dollar shit itself.

 

[s_k_mullins]

I just heard that there has been a 20% price increase on PRS is Australia since our dollar shit itself.

Holy crap, so i'm guessing there won't be many new PRS guitars for you Aussies now.. That is completely ridiculous pricing that they put on you guys in Australia. I was looking at ESP guitars on the BMusic site, and its ridiculous what you guys have to pay for guitars.