cgarlie Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 I recently purchased a Digital Les Paul (HD.6X). It is an extremely nice guitar, but there is a "gap" in the finish near the neck on the under side (see photo). It appears the maple top in thicker here and the binding doesn't cover it all. I tried to compare with other Les Pauls, but they were all painted finishes and there was no "gap". The store says all the digital LPs coming in are like this. Is this standard for LP's (and Gibson) -- or is this a "blemish? Thanks for the help, Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slogold Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 I think Gibson don't care anymore about the quality of their product. It's kinda like their motto now is "WHO CARES..IT'S A GIBSON". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgarlie Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 My sales rep sent my this reply from Gibson -- it seems this is the way they are made. "This is normal, not a blemish or mistake and in fact is historically accurate. You are correct, it is the exposed maple cap and it is exposed because the binding in the cutaway stays the same thickness even though the maple cap gets thicker. This is the way the Reissue Les Pauls are done ( because that is how they were "back in the day") and is actually a desirable trait. So much of a desirable trait that nowadays even regular production Les Pauls with binding are made like this. Regular Les Pauls from the 70's 80's 90's and early 2000's will have the binding get thicker in the cutaway so that it covers this up but the current ones will have this historically accurate binding in the cutaway which exposes the maple." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Mines like that too....Its the nature of the beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matiac Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Their all like that my Goldtops the same way, they've always been like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Why can't I post anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 I just check my two (who cares about the BFG ) and they're not like that. Can somebody else post pics of their gaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 you want a picture of my gap?.....If you insist! This is my 2007 Les Paul Standard. You see?....Gap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Its not just the Standards that have this....Here's my LP Custom Slash..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgarlie Posted February 25, 2008 Author Share Posted February 25, 2008 Hmmmm...it looks like they at least try and stain it -- just the different wood results in a slightly different color. Thanks, Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I dunno...I kinda like it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Mine aren't like that and I've never seen that before on any LPs. I've looked at a lot of them, too. Maybe I wasn't looking hard enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgarlie Posted February 25, 2008 Author Share Posted February 25, 2008 I don't think is shows with the painted LP's -- they paint everything. Just shows with the transparent finishes that show the grain (provided it wasn't covered with the extra wide binding.) Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I don't think is shows with the painted LP's -- they paint everything. Just shows with the transparent finishes that show the grain (provided it wasn't covered with the extra wide binding.) Charlie That would explain it. Again, I've never noticed it on other LPs before. This gives me a reason to go to the music store :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Tim A... Im getting the urge to hit L&M Burlington....its a sickness! Im looking into an Orange Amplifier. Pricey, but man do they sound good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Tim A...Im getting the urge to hit L&M Burlington....its a sickness! Im looking into an Orange Amplifier. Pricey' date=' but man do they sound good![/quote'] L&M is five minutes down the road from my house, so yes, it's hard not going there everyday after work. I'm there once, sometimes twice a week, just to see what goodies are on their wall. Unfortunately, it doesn't end there; L&M Mississauga is on my way home from work, so every week or two I make a pit stop there as well. If you're ever in Mississauga (Port Credit), check out LA Music. They have two stores on Lakeshore Rd (old location and new location - within walking distance from one another) and let me tell you, the number of guitars they have in stock is overwhelming! There's also another music store across the street from LA that sells used Gibsons. Maybe one day they'll cure this sickness..............one day :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telecasters Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Mine 58 Historic reissue has a gap also. I think it looks cooler than the abnormally wide binding. Steve C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 It is not a blemish, nor do all LPs have it. When Gibson started making the LP they used a binding that was a uniform depth all the way around the body. This left a little bit of the maple cap showing in the cutaway. When they began making them again in 1968, at some point people began to complain about that, so they began using a deeper binding that covered it over. Then when they began making the reissues, they switched to the shallower binding to be historically accurate again. Then Gibson USA owners began complaining that the Standard didn't have the narrow binding, so they began using it again on the Standard at least. So now some have the narrow binding, others have the thicker. Both are correct depending on the model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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