Livelyband Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Hello everybody. I am just enquiring if anybody out there in Gibsonworld could tell me the main differences between these cheap chinese les paul replicas that are available at ridiculously low prices on thru various chinese guitar factories online websites & the real USA Gibson les pauls please ? I am tempted 2 purchase 1 of these chinese made les paul replicas due 2 the extremely low prices they are at & from what I gather these guitars look decent quality 4 the price of em but I would assume that there may be people that use this forum who have come across these replicas & could advise me of the pro's & cons cos I don't want 2 just throw my money away on a guitar that is just a boat paddle & would require plenty of "mods" 2 bring it up 2 a decent standard that sounds as good as it looks. Any replies most appreciated thank you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fromnabulax Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Since you've come to the Epiphone forum, I would sincerely recommend an Epiphone which rather than being simply a cheap Chinese Les Paul copy is in fact a true Les Paul made overseas with in many cases less expensive parts. There are several Epiphone Les Pauls for under $500.00 that in my own experience sound and play better than the actual Gibson counterparts at around the $1,000 price point. Sure, you won't be getting a $3,000 Gibson at a bargain price, but you would still be picking up a fine sounding, great playing guitar that should last many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livelyband Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 Since you've come to the Epiphone forum, I would sincerely recommend an Epiphone which rather than being simply a cheap Chinese Les Paul copy is in fact a true Les Paul made overseas with in many cases less expensive parts. There are several Epiphone Les Pauls for under $500.00 that in my own experience sound and play better than the actual Gibson counterparts at around the $1,000 price point. Sure, you won't be getting a $3,000 Gibson at a bargain price, but you would still be picking up a fine sounding, great playing guitar that should last many years. Appreciate the feedback m8. I had previously owned a 93' USA Gibson Les Paul Standard in cherry wash type finish & also a 2013 Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro "tuxedo" with the gold hardware & probuckers. Both guitars were an absolute joy 2 play & sounded 1st class "box office" bro ! Unfortunately my finances took a turn 4 the worse due 2 a house mortgage payments being up'd & with much dismay I was forced 2 sell both guitars at under valued prices 2 get me out the sh-t with my bank manager. But now all that is behind me thank god & I'm in the market 2 buy possibly 1 or 2 guitars of the Les Paul variety & previously was very impressed with the Epiphone's quality 4 the price. I was just surf'n the net the other day when I stumbled onto those Chinese guitar factory websites selling all of those replica Les Pauls 4 dirty deeds done dirt cheap prices & it had me thinking. But I thought I better do my homework on this & throw it out there 2 people more learned than myself on this forum 2 hopefully get the lowdown on these guitars b4 parting with any of the folding stuff eh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I wouldn't touch them with a 10' pole. There are plenty of companies that are legit and sell quality guitars at a much lower price than Gibson. I have a Gibson Custom Les Paul several Epis. If you are looking for something under $500 check out rondomusic.com. I have purchases several (7) Agiles from them and have been happy with the guitars and the customer service. They are legit. They have changed their models since I bought mine. If you are looking fora Les Paul types of guitar I wouldn't get anything lower than their AL-2500. Lower models have bolt on necks. The necks on the ALs that I have, have a very similar neck profile to my Epi '56 GT. I would definitely check them out before getting a chinese Gibsun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 ,,,I was just surf'n the net the other day when I stumbled onto those Chinese guitar factory websites selling all of those replica Les Pauls 4 dirty deeds done dirt cheap prices & it had me thinking.... I'd stay away from just any Chinese-made guitar. Epiphones are indeed made in China (mostly), but to Epiphone's specs and QC. They are typically exquisitely made instruments. The usual "classic" humbuckers are fine for me, but you may want those probuckers. The finish work on all my Epiphones is superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burchster Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 If your in the US I have also heard of customs seizing and destroying these guitars and if they get damaged in shipment most the sellers will try to offer you half off a new one instead of replacing. Buy an Epiphone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 If your in the US I have also heard of customs seizing and destroying these guitars and if they get damaged in shipment most the sellers will try to offer you half off a new one instead of replacing. Buy an Epiphone. The OP lives in Australia. Don't know about the customs there, but those in Munich would confiscate it, destroy it, I would have to pay for it all, and finally accused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 The OP lives in Australia. Don't know about the customs there, but those in Munich would confiscate it, destroy it, I would have to pay for it all, and finally accused. That all sounds very German to me cap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyRay Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I've seen one of those "Gibson" copies.... the ones with Gibson logo, even say made in the USA... I myself would never spend money on them... looking ok, and actually being a good guitar are 2 different things. And if you get it, and it has issues.... well, good luck.... better off with a epi or as others mentioned a guitar from Rondo music. I bought a Tele with a whammy for $ 114.00 delivered from them... and it was a solid guitar. I really expected crap but it was actually decent... traded it towards my epi swingster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayyj Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Bear in mind with these copies that, not only are they infringing on Gibson's trademarks, the fact that these instruments are in widespread circulation means that people are getting conned buying these guitars on the used market thinking they are getting the real thing. Even if the factory isn't trying to get one over on you and you don't intend to sell it on, anything that contributes to the demand for these guitars is contributing to the problems they cause. That aside, buying direct from a factory (or via a 'broker' on the other side if the world) is risky at the best of times. The factory has no real interest in customer satisfaction. They're in it to take your money, crank out a guitar and move on to the next order. Because there's no brand, there's no way to keep track of who's making reasonable guitars and who's making absolute garbage so the factories don't have any incentive to keep their quality high and all the incentive to keep their margin as high as possible. Many of the brokers photograph real US made guitars for their website and then what you get is kinda sorta the same thing, if you squint at it. And when it turns out that the guitar you received isn't what you expected, there's no way you're getting your money back - so your only recourse is to dump it on the second hand market, whereupon the guy that buys it promptly relists it as a real Gibson for five times the price with an 'unwanted gift' fairy tale. Unless you simply want a guitar shaped object with Gibson on the headstock to hang on the wall and impress your friends, the odds on getting burned are extremely high. There are so many good budget guitars out there, including many legitimate factories in China making great instruments without infringing anyone's copyright. If the Gibson logo is that important, a second hand faded, Melody Maker, Tribute etc can be had for low prices if you're prepared to hunt and it will be a hugely better guitar then the trash being peddled by the Chinese fakers. So, basically, buy anything but! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livelyband Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 Thankyou all 4 passing on very wise advice , graciously taken on board & will definitely steer clear of those merchants. Currently negotiating a deal on a near new Epi L/P Custom Pro with hard case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokeyGhost Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Obviously I have no idea of your finances and I do hope you get the guitar which suits your need but, as for me, I'd rather pay a extra bucks to get a genuine article from a reputable supplier. Even today with the $AU where it is, an Epiphone Les Paul Standard PlusTop Pro can be bought for around $AU750. Trying to save a few dollars is not worth it as far as I am concerned so I just wouldn't want to risk it for a Chibson. And with the $AU dropping, I consider it better to buy now. I remember the cries of the financial "Oh NO!" from those who didn't buy their preferred guitar in mid-2014 and shed tears when the dollar dropped and price increases kicked in (I heard one GC apparently didn't stock any 2015 Gibsons as the market simply evaporated.) An example is the CV Classic Vibe 50's Telecaster I bought for close to $AU450. Now they in the $AU750 to $AU850 range depending on where you buy them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Mustard Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 +1 on all the negativity concerning Chinese made knockoffs of real U.S. brands. These are all bullshite... There it is. The thing that attracts you to them is the low price, and the image of a real guitar that has value. But they have very little value, and you throw your money away. A real Gibson has real value... people know what it is and will give you some respect when you play it in public. The rest is up to you. If you play well, your Gibson will enhance your image and your sound. A fake Gibson is a lie, and a swindle, and it gets no respect. It has no value, and if you try to sell one you'll find that out. If you try to represent a fake Gibson as a real one, that's a criminal act. A copy of a Gibson has very little value, and gets no respect. If you buy one, you'll find yourself always apologizing for it. Imagine you play it well... and people come up and say, "Cool guitar, what kind is it?" If you have to say, 'It's a cheap knock-off of a Gibson guitar..." and then everyone's embarrassed and they walk away. Who needs it. Better to save your money for something real. Epiphone guitars are made in China, but they are the real thing. They are not as expensive, ...they have no stigma attached (unless you're a guitar snob, but who cares about them). I own two Epis and love them both. Cheap knock-offs have no quality control. They might be made out of whatever wood the makers obtain cheap. They have no warranty, they have no reputation to uphold, only the illusion that they are just as good as one that is made by someone who cares about their customers. They are not. They are all bull-taco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campbell Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 An Epiphone would always be my first choice in Gibson type guitars...of course! But, as a few will mention, the Rondo line of guitars, especially their Agile line, deserve an honorable mention (no, I don't own one yet, but a few few of them are on my "to get next" list). The Agiles are made in Korea, as well. I've come to have a lot of faith in the Korean built guitars. They seem to always be exceptionally well made. I own four models crafted in Korea (one being my Epiphone Sheraton II), so it's become a country of origin I look for on overseas models, now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 If you're short on funds: -and are thinking of buying two guitars.....don't. Unless you have four arms, you only need one guitar. Much better that you have one guitar that's the best you can afford than two that are sub-standard. -consider buying used or, if you'd prefer not to, look out for end of line new models and special deals -if you insist on the bling, your money will go further with an Epiphone; if you're not too worried about bling you can get a higher quality instrument by buying a Gibson in the faded type models. -steer clear of the Chibsons. You'd literally be pouring your money down the drain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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