cody78 Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 Hi guys. I took delivery of my 2015 Les Paul Traditional today. Unfortunately it has a few issues. I was just wondering if these are 'common' problems easily fixed or stuff that should command a return/exchange/refund? I'm new to guitars and this was my first buy! Here's the list of issues and some quick snaps of those issues: 1. Frets 7 and 14 have lifted(see attached pics) 2. The pickup selector is loose and wobbles around when in the central position. 3. The electronic cavity cover has been cut too small leaving a penny wide gap around the edges. Screws were not counter sunk, one is at an angle. 4. The fingerboard has scoring parallel to some of the frets which is clearly visible on frets #13, 14, 15, 16, 17 & 18 Cosmetic issues: 5. The maple has a run below the pickup selector (minor cosmetic but this is supposed to be AA top) 6. The neck joint is uneven and glue has seeped out and dried on the finish under the half lap joint (again cosmetic only but disappointing). 7. There is a dink in the lacquer below the 12th fret on the horn. Minor again but not acceptable on a new guitar. 8. The pick guard is covered in fine scratches, presumably from the factory. It did not have a plastic peel off coating on it. I'd send it back too, but some of these things are NOT issues. The cavity covers are rarely flush to the wood on Gibson's and usually have a small gap. A loose switch you should be able to easily tighten yourself - unless we're talking damage to the selector itself. You should have been informed of dinks before purchase. I myself have bought a few guitars pre dinked, but only with dinks so small it doesn't even matter - usually they reduce the price for this. A pick guard will get fine scratches on quickly without the plastic on - again I don't see a problem here, unless you bought the instrument to keep in a vault or museum! The bad - I would say the frets raised is not acceptable on a new guitar and the bad gluing of the neck joint is also not good. Other than that the other problems are not problems IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveT2 Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 The frets alone would have been a show stopper for me. Somebody just hacked that poor guitar mercilessly. I think Kerry King would say that said butcher was " repentless ". Not normally a Slayer guy but I've been looking for an excuse to use that word Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grovesnor Posted November 20, 2015 Author Share Posted November 20, 2015 Guitar was returned. In the end. Not because of the frets oddly enough. I could have those fixed by a pro for £60. It was the scored fretboard, which I could not have fixed without spending mega bucks. I'm pretty stunned overall at the sh*tmanship. However I'm going to try again and grab a cheap 2015 SG Standard in the sales. Hopefully it won't have issues. I do get the feeling though that the 2015's were not made with love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 Guitar was returned. In the end. Not because of the frets oddly enough. I could have those fixed by a pro for £60. It was the scored fretboard, which I could not have fixed without spending mega bucks. I'm pretty stunned overall at the sh*tmanship. However I'm going to try again and grab a cheap 2015 SG Standard in the sales. Hopefully it won't have issues. I do get the feeling though that the 2015's were not made with love. A while back, mostly out of curiosity from reading about them on this here forum, I went and checked out a number of 2015's. Personally, as far as quality build, craftsmanship, I thought they were some of the best made guitars I have seen in a number of years. Some of the best made Gibson USA stuff I have seen. What you experienced with the one you got, I thinks it's a rare case. I think your chances of getting one that's good are pretty high. Getting one that suits YOU individually, (sound, feel, etc), that's the only question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grovesnor Posted November 22, 2015 Author Share Posted November 22, 2015 A while back, mostly out of curiosity from reading about them on this here forum, I went and checked out a number of 2015's. Personally, as far as quality build, craftsmanship, I thought they were some of the best made guitars I have seen in a number of years. Some of the best made Gibson USA stuff I have seen. What you experienced with the one you got, I thinks it's a rare case. I think your chances of getting one that's good are pretty high. Getting one that suits YOU individually, (sound, feel, etc), that's the only question. Yeah sorry that wasn't a fair comment. This guy seemed to like this year's SG a lot: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grovesnor Posted November 22, 2015 Author Share Posted November 22, 2015 Only a Gibson is good enough. Are they kidding? That guitar went out for sale. Same on Gibson. Just to finish this thread (from my pov). I received my refund today 4 days after returning the guitar via UPS. No quibble. Going to pick up a 2016 Les Paul Studio Faded T in Worn Brown I think. Either that or a discounted 2015 SG Standard. Can't decide. SG with 57's does sound absolutely amazing but .. 2016 model LP's seem to be back to what they should be. Price diff is only £100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxMax Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 I got a Les Paul Standard 2015 yesterday - ordered from DV - and it had a German quality control check list (with some options not even ticked!!) - from the same place that another poster mentioned. I guess that's why it only cost my £1,300. Luckily, I've not had the same problems you've encountered with yours. It even had a photograph of the guitar on the bench in the setup workshop which was kind of odd (but a nice touch). I'm wondering how DV do this in terms of making money. I guess the German company must be selling them dirt cheap to resellers or something. I found it a bit odd to be honest. Didn't expect it to come from Germany. That aside, I'm kind of struggling with it - tuning issues and the size of that neck!! Debating whether to return it - would I be entitled to do that? I guess I could just replace the tuners and the nut but it's a bit of a hassle. Apart from that, it sounds great. It's my first Les Paul. Anyway, I hope you managed to get your issue sorted. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Robinson Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 The 2015 Gibson range has been massively reduced in price for some months now because the buying public did not like the specs- the neck profile being one of the main reasons with people preferring to pay more money for the 2014 models, you unfortunately seem to be another who's found out the neck profile is not for you , whether you can return it depends on the shops terms - if its not being returned because of defects. There really is no substitute for trying before buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxMax Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 The 2015 Gibson range has been massively reduced in price for some months now because the buying public did not like the specs- the neck profile being one of the main reasons with people preferring to pay more money for the 2014 models, you unfortunately seem to be another who's found out the neck profile is not for you , whether you can return it depends on the shops terms - if its not being returned because of defects. There really is no substitute for trying before buying. Yes you're right about trying before buying - it's my own fault Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grovesnor Posted November 29, 2015 Author Share Posted November 29, 2015 The wide neck and the low frets make it a very different feeling instrument for sure. I'm much preferring the Slim Taper neck on the classic. I just can't help but be constantly frustrated by it being 'just a bit too wide'. Which kinda seems like a fools errand to persevere with .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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