Ryan H Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 So when you buy a Les Paul Custom it should be what ever you want it to be? But the Les Paul Custom existed long before the Custom Shop. Gibson used to do one-off custom guitars for the average joe (who had the money), but they stopped because they were too busy making artist sigs and historics and other stuff they thought people wanted more than what they were custom-ordering. Another instance of Gibson saying "We know better than you. Take it or leave it." I believe Gibson stopped doing one-offs in 2007 or so. -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 ...I wanted a solid body Les Paul...with a new 2015 wider slim taper neck and burst bucker pro pickups... If I wanted a solid-body (non blah-blah) Les Paul with slim neck and great p'ups I'd have been testing out every R0 I could find. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 If I wanted a solid-body (non blah-blah) Les Paul with slim neck and great p'ups I'd have been testing out every R0 I could find. P. Or this perhaps? I still have bad GAS for this one - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibson-Les-Paul-25-50-1978-/171698795819?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27fa0bb52b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 So since they obviously didn't need or want my money, In the end I am so glad they denied me the custom Les Paul, otherwise I might never have found the real superior guitar maker that is Paul Reed Smith, ya man,, they don't need your money, that is true. I have to agree, the 2015 changes are sort of a disappointment to me too. I don't like the "changes" this year. Indeed, it's a personal choice, and for me, I've never been a fan of those PRS guitars. They just never do a thing for me. But the bottom line here is, you're happy with your new PRS and that's really what matters... Play on.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drog Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Hmmm, if I wanted a Les Paul and then decided to go PRS, I would have chosen the P245 (which is the PRS LP). The Custom 24 is very nice, but different than LP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 But the Les Paul Custom existed long before the Custom Shop. The word "Custom" still means the same thing. Gibson used to do one-off custom guitars for the average joe (who had the money), but they stopped because they were too busy making artist sigs and historics and other stuff they thought people wanted more than what they were custom-ordering. According to post #3 in this topic they still do one-off custom guitars for the average joe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 But the Les Paul Custom existed long before the Custom Shop... Are you quite sure about that, Ryan? I can't check at the moment but I believe I read somewhere that there was, in effect, a 'Custom Shop' for special projects (famous players & so on) as far back as the '30s (and possibly even earlier). AFAIK the luthiers who undertook the crafting of these special-order items worked alongside those making the regular instruments. I'll try to check this 'memory-thing' out later on... Perhaps someone from Gibson Customer Services can comment on whether or not the Custom Shop has, indeed, stopped making special-order instruments? I'm not about to order one for myself, I hasten to add, but it would be rather interesting to know the current state-of-affairs. Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Are you quite sure about that, Ryan? I can't check at the moment but I believe I read somewhere that there was, in effect, a 'Custom Shop' for special projects (famous players & so on) as far back as the '30s (and possibly even earlier). AFAIK the luthiers who undertook the crafting of these special-order items worked alongside those making the regular instruments. I'll try to check this 'memory-thing' out later on... Perhaps someone from Gibson Customer Services can comment on whether or not the Custom Shop has, indeed, stopped making special-order instruments? I'm not about to order one for myself, I hasten to add, but it would be rather interesting to know the current state-of-affairs. Pip. There was never an official "Custom Shop" division until 1986, when Henry took over. Up until that time, they were all just Gibson guitars. There wasn't a "USA" or "Historic" or "Custom Shop". You can supposedly order a "custom" guitar from them, but you need to find a special Gibson Custom Shop dealer and go through them. Gibson won't interact with the consumer directly. Supposedly their newest take on the "made-to-order" deal is called "Made2Measure". You have the following options: Base model (Les Paul Reissue, Les Paul Custom, SG Standard) Model Year for reissues (54, 56, 57, 58, 59 or 60) Top (Flame/Quilt) Weight Relief (Chambered, Ultra light etc) Neck profile (Pattern, Fat, Thin) Hardware (Chrome, Gold, Bigsby/Maestro, etc) Finish (lots of options!) Aging (Gloss/VOS/aged etc) Here's a full list of specs (not all options are available on all guitars): http://www.andertons.co.uk/@@STORETEMPLATE/images/pdfs/M2M%20Brochure%20v1%2022814.pdf -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Yeah, but if that's the case then they should call themselves something like 'the special line' or 'the re-issue line', not custom shop. They should look up the word 'Custom'. It has a completely different connotation to what they are then. Maybe splitting hairs, a matter of semantics sure, but still something that then needs clarification. Well they are also known as the Historic Division (or part of the Custom shop anyway) which I think is a more appropriate name for them. (which I just realised Ryan posted above me, oh well ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 There was never an official "Custom Shop" division until 1986, when Henry took over. Up until that time, they were all just Gibson guitars. There wasn't a "USA" or "Historic" or "Custom Shop"... I think we are talking about separate concepts, Ryan. I was talking about the ready possibility of ordering a special, one-off 'Custom Order' creation by craftsmen in the Parson's St. plant. These were, in this regard, handed over/dealt with by an unofficial collection of select 'Custom Department' luthiers who were deemed to be best suited for the particular instrument in question - mandolin; banjo; guitar etc.. There were (I've now checked) a very great many such orders placed from the 1930s onwards. As far as modern times goes, here is a cut'n'paste from a response, by someone at Gibson Customer Service, to a similar question posted on another forum; "Thanks for contacting Gibson. Special models were available from the original factory in Kalamazoo; however the official Custom Shop department was not established until the 1960's. The Gibson Custom Shop moved to its own separate facility in 1993. Thanks. Best Regards, Gibson Customer Service 1-800-4GIBSON" In 1993, of course, this was called the 'Historic Division'. My own R9, serial number 9 3131, was, therefore, the 131st 'official' R9 ever made in this facility before it was renamed the 'Custom Shop' towards the end of the decade. Regards, Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Since I wanted a solid body Les Paul (No Chambering or weight relief) with a new 2015 wider slim taper neck and burst bucker pro pickups, and no Geforce tuning system, I thought I would contact Gibson and ask the custom shop to alter their 2015 traditional model to suit my specs. I offered $5000 for them to merely change the neck profile, pickups and leave off the tuning system, and they told me "We're sorry our custom shop is not taking any orders right now, and we don't know when we'll be able to". Actually, I would call this doing you a favor. For what you are asking for and for 5 G's, turning you down is the ethical thing to do. They likely realize you would end up paying for the effort to build a guitar that 1) you can pretty much buy already off the shelf, 2) no way would this guitar be worth, or able to sell, for anywhere near that money. One problem regarding "custom" builds for anyone, is ethically, once you order it, they build it, you should be obligated to pay for it. Else, THEY are stuck with the expense and/or a guitar they may or may not be able to sell for what they spent to make it for. I have seen, witnessed myself, genuine custom shop guitars guitars (Gibby included) that are not that different or "better" than standard stuff, trying to be sold by dealers with the custom shop price tag, side by side with standard offerings. Doesn't go to well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Yay. Thanks Mr. Stein. My response back when it was only three or so posts was "Yer 5 grand wasn't enough", but I didn't want to break the guys chops. I'm glad somebody else finally said it. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 I thought the Gibson Custom shop produced guitars with specs that "THEY" came up with, and then just produced those guitars at a limited production run. I didn't think, and it could just be ignorance on my part, that you could contact Gibson and say "I want a SG with a ebony neck, binding, trapezoid inlays, blah blah blah...". Like someone posted a few threads back, Carvin will make a guitar from scratch for you ... exactly how you want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 It's hard to tell if the customer service rep told the OP that the Made To Measure program was temporarily closed down due to a backlog OR if he wasn't told about the Made To Measure program at all. Something appears to have gotten lost in translation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Duane, I'm willing to bet that when you found you weren't going to what you wanted from the CS you didn't, in the same breath, launch into an attack about quality. The point I was making was simply that the OP went as far as offering 5k but only seems to have developed an issue with quality after he was told they won't do it. That seems churlish to me. there was no reason for me to get uptight at Gibson CS ..... I just kept searching and found a killer Gibby 12-string for $1000 in mint condition. If I did ever run into a quality issue with Gibson or any other instrument manufacturer, I would handle it off-line with the person or entity I purchased it from..... I like attention, but I don't like that kind of attention....lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Like someone posted a few threads back, Carvin will make a guitar from scratch for you ... exactly how you want it. ... for like half the price. The quality is second to none, and the consistency puts Gibson to shame. But even though there are all kinds of options, not every conceivable option is available. There are limited neck/fretboard configurations available. Nitrocellulose finishes are not available. Carvin resale value is far lower. And there's still the problem that a Carvin is not a Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 ... for like half the price. The quality is second to none, and the consistency puts Gibson to shame. But even though there are all kinds of options, not every conceivable option is available. There are limited neck/fretboard configurations available. Nitrocellulose finishes are not available. Carvin resale value is far lower. And there's still the problem that a Carvin is not a Gibson. thats right Zig, now I remember you saying that. i've never owned a guitar by Carvin, but a couple friends have them and they are sweet. I have plenty of other Carvin gear though, and lately I've been drooling over a used Carving tube combo at a local music store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 thats right Zig, now I remember you saying that. i've never owned a guitar by Carvin, but a couple friends have them and they are sweet. I have plenty of other Carvin gear though, and lately I've been drooling over a used Carving tube combo at a local music store. The thing is, even though Carvin has their LP-type body, Carvin isn't trying to be Gibson. I think Carvin compares favorably to PRS, IMO, with their CS and CT models. And either you love Carvin pickups or hate them. My experience is with S22 pickups in an SH550 (semi hollow) which is closer to an ES-339 in body width and ES LP in shape. I own an ES-335 (which I love), but prefer the SH550 for playability and for brighter tone and better articulation. I've gotten rid of all my solid bodied guitars except for a Tele, and don't really have any interest in owning another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awel Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I understand the frustration, but from what you have written, I am quite sure you will go back to Gibson one of these days. Honestly, I have had a lot of Gibson and I have had (and I have just bought a Custom 24) some PRS, and that's true the PRS are perfectly build, no default at all compare to Gibson, but even if like you I was often disappointed by the build quality of Gibson (even the Custom Shop ones), and I have said like you, 'never again Gibson', there are 3 guitars I will never sell, my vintage hotrod 62 USA Strat, my USA Tele and my Gibson Custom Black Beauty and let me add that I miss so much my 61 reissue white SG, to me the most perfect guitar I never owned, far from being defaultless (difficult to stay in tune, there were some 'breaks' in the paint on the neck junction with the body that appears after one year but I miss it, I was feeling like home on this guitar. The same with the Black Beauty, it weights a dead horse but I have the feeling with it and since I was kid, I wanted to own a Gibson, now I 've had, I have and I will have some. playing a Gibson to me is a bit like being part of the history of Rock and Blues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macmutt Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 ... for like half the price. The quality is second to none, and the consistency puts Gibson to shame. But even though there are all kinds of options, not every conceivable option is available. There are limited neck/fretboard configurations available. Nitrocellulose finishes are not available. Carvin resale value is far lower. And there's still the problem that a Carvin is not a Gibson. My brother also recommended Carvin too, but the wait time can be as long as 3 months, and that much patience I just don't have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 My brother also recommended Carvin too, but the wait time can be as long as 3 months, and that much patience I just don't have. I hear that. Waiting 3 months for an instrument you've never seen or heard is tough. Most of the guitars I've bought I may have thought about beforehand, but when I'm ready to pull the trigger, I'm walking out of that store with something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Hayden Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 You should have called me. I could have set you up with exactly the guitar you wanted for $5000. Just get a 2015 Les Paul Traditional and swap pickups and tuners and pocket the extra 2 grand. What color PRS did you get? Pictures? We wanna see! Problem solved ^^^^^ ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoreyT Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I still have my 2012 SG '61 Reissue I bought back when I joined this forum in 2012. The SG is flawless, can find no fault in it except for not staying in tune. I do have locking tuners on it, so I suspect some wet wood and the neck moving, not 100% sure, but it plays nice. But since then I have picked up a horde of PRS guitars and a bass, and a Maryland (USA) made PRS called the 408. All of these guitars stay in tune all the time with just minor tuning every now and then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I still have my 2012 SG '61 Reissue I bought back when I joined this forum in 2012. The SG is flawless, can find no fault in it except for not staying in tune. I do have locking tuners on it, so I suspect some wet wood and the neck moving, not 100% sure, but it plays nice. But since then I have picked up a horde of PRS guitars and a bass, and a Maryland (USA) made PRS called the 408. All of these guitars stay in tune all the time with just minor tuning every now and then. hey Corey! haven't see/heard from you in a while. Good to see you're still around man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoreyT Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 hey Corey! haven't see/heard from you in a while. Good to see you're still around man! Thanks, not sure if anyone would remember me. I still surf here, lots of good ideas from here. I think I may have read about the new Digitech Trio coming out this month from this section before Winter NAMM hit. I have two of them on order from Sweetwater. One for me, and one for my youngest son. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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