I'm new to being an American made Gibson Les Paul owner, too. I picked up my 2017 Tribute (Honey Burst) used via Guitar Center (online) back in Dec.
Before making the purchase I spent quite a bit of time researching to ensure I got the most value for my $$$. It was going to be, by far, the most I ever invested in an instrument. Originally, I was looking at getting a used Les Paul Studio. There were many to choose from at fair prices. However, a lot of the ones posted did not include much detail in terms of what year they were along w/ other info that would give you an idea of their history. Also, I was surprised to find that a good portion of them included only a single pic (often not a very good quality one!).
Long story short, eventually I found the Tribute and felt comfortable pulling the trigger since it was a 2017. The price was nice and it had a condition rating of "excellent."
Overall, I'm very happy w/ it and feel confident that it wasn't abused or has hidden defects or issues. I assumed that it would come w/ its original gig bag but it didn't (no biggie, I prefer having a hardshell case). Along w/ no soft case there was not an owner's manual or truss rod tool. BUT, it did come w/ a very nice set of Grover Locking Tuners from the previous owner (it was a surprise as it was not mentioned in the original sales post). Since I needed to buy a case I picked up the Gibson Multi-Tool (which I'm also happy w/) as a solution to not having the truss rod wrench.
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The research I mentioned focused mainly on pricing and used/retail sources (return policies, customer support, etc.). So, I got a little worried after coming across the criticisms about quality issues and Gibson's overall direction - i.e. by this time I owned the guitar. Fortunately, there are many reviews/videos that emphasize how the Tribute is a good example of Gibson doing something right.
I do understand and agree w/ some of the criticisms - e.g. the "Robot" model. Additionally, some of the info I read/watched about their solvency as a business is concerning. Whatever happens, tho, I think "us owners of Les Paul Tributes" got a good lookin' and quality guitar.
**** I appreciate the original post (dk) and all the responses (esp. the link to the setup tips!) - very insightful and informative!!!! - Thanks