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Dreadful quality from Gibson USA.


LarryUK

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This is from a post on Facebook. It's on the 'Gibson Les Paul' page. It's the second LP he's had, as the first one was terrible too. I can't post the link as it's a closed forum. So, here are a couple of pics. Shocking QC. 26172936_1089399344535700_6268882345920889569_o.jpg?oh=e44c7d0193f93be4e6f23856683bdaa8&oe=5AF2CC2B

26167945_1089399717868996_2700930740985729507_n.jpg?oh=85607151c4c2603d2258ccbeb6c104f6&oe=5AB49CA3

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Disappointing QC for sure! But, that's been a problem (off and on) for at least the last 20 years. Some time periods,

it seems as though there is NO QC, at all. Other times, it's quite good! So...??? Another good reason to inspect carefully,

prior to any purchase, and use only reliable dealers, like Sweetwater, IF you have to buy "on-line" and "1st person" sight unseen.

 

My most recent Gibson purchase, was made through Sweetwater, as my normal dealer, is "off" Gibson (again), for the time being. For

several reasons, ridiculous stocking requirements, uneven shipping dates, including Gibson's lack of QC, all too often. Another troubling

Gibson tendency is, that they raise the prices, unexpectedly, way past logic, too many times. I often wonder, if that's to decrease demand,

so as to be able to "catch up" production wise? Or, if it's to just feed Henry's insatiable greed?!

 

Anyway, my 2018 SG Jr, purchased from Sweetwater, this past November was, dare I say it, "Perfect!" Fit, finish, setup, playability, and tone!

 

To those of us who love Gibson guitars, it's (truly) a sad situation, for an old American iconic company! Hope they can get it all figured

out, and transformed, SOON! But, with all the Debt they have, and their credit rating in the basement, seems a total restructuring may

be required, at the very least.

 

Happy New Year, mates!

 

CB

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That is definitely NOT ACCEPTABLE!

 

The iconic Gibson puts out inferior products made in USA... embarrassing. Now, many of the Asian made instruments far surpasses the work quality of Gibson...albeit materials may not be comparable. Epi generally produces better made products.

 

I own a few early '60s Gibson. You can tell it is not machine made or precisely manufactured; but you can tell the care was there to provide a nice finished hand made product.

 

Maybe time will come when a Chinese company will take over the Gibson name! ....sad.

 

However, internet/forums are usually dominated by complaints.

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That is definitely NOT ACCEPTABLE!

 

The iconic Gibson puts out inferior products made in USA... embarrassing. Now, many of the Asian made instruments far surpasses the work quality of Gibson...albeit materials may not be comparable. Epi generally produces better made products.

 

I own a few early '60s Gibson. You can tell it is not machine made or precisely manufactured; but you can tell the care was there to provide a nice finished hand made product.

 

Maybe time will come when a Chinese company will take over the Gibson name! ....sad.

 

However, internet/forums are usually dominated by complaints.

 

How sad, but possibly true some day about a take over. Ya' never know. KSyZlN9.gif

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I don't think it's generally the build. It's the painting/masking/scraping section. I've seen some videos of wrong neck fitment recently though. The bridge was all the way down and the action was still too high. Gibson should stamp these as seconds and sell them cheaper to enable those that can't afford a top price to manage to get a Gibson. Is some are coming out of the factory perfect (as posts here say), get rid of those staff. But for them to leave the factory like this shows that the management don't care. I'm shocked that some people on Facebook think it's ok and we shoud just live with the faults. I suppose these people never do housework and their grass is a foot long too!

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Almost all of my guitar purchases have been either new or used, from a store, where I've had my hands on it first. I play it first without an amp. Then play with an amp. Then, I look the guitar over thoroughly and then play it some more without the amp. If it gets past the first 5 minutes, sounds great through the amp and has no problems or glaring construction issues, and is within my budget at the time, it might come home with me if I really want it.

 

Thinks like the quality issues here never should have left the factory that way. I would have shown the people at the store the issues and gotten a replacement. As in any industry, you have people who love their job and take it seriously and do their best and some that don't. And, since they are mostly handmade, or at least the finish is, people have good days and bad days and some just don't care. I'll take a few small quality issues if it plays and sounds incredible.

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This is more proof that it isn't a good idea to purchase a $4,000 guitar sight unseen from the internet.

 

This guitar should have never left the factory like that...but it also the retailer should have noticed this...and finally the consumer, if this were in a traditional store, would notice this and never bring it home.

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from those pics... ya piss-poor for sure, I'd be very disappointed...

 

I must just be one of the lucky ones.. my last gibson USA purchases were pretty good. the only issue recently was a bad ground in the anthem pickup of my J200..

 

That did suck!!! but Sweetwater stood behind the sale, and did everything right to fix it.

 

I don't / can't fault gibson for that, that one goes down to LR Baggs....

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I've own & have owned several Gibsons & Epiphones most of my life. Starting with a Used Pawn Shop 50's LP Jr., a '59 ES345 & many others over the years.

 

Recently I bought a new Gibson Memphis Blacktop ES Les Paul from Sweetwater. I'm a long time Customer. It had 2 poorly filled & finished Tuner holes drilled in the wrong place on the Headstock. Being Black they stood out like a sore thumb to me. I don't know how Sweetwater could have missed that during their 55 point Inspection. They were great. I returned it & they sent me another one.

 

I finally got around to doing a Set up & the Truss Rod Tool won't fit on the Truss Rod Nut. I tried 3 different Tools from 3 of my other Gibsons. 2 Les Paul's & my Epi Casino. None of them fit. I called Gibson & they said it might be excess Lacquer in the cavity. But, before perusing a repair try another Truss Rod a Tool. They were great & sent me one. It doesn't fit either.

 

I called both Sweetwater & Gibson & both offered to. Have me ship the Guitar back for Repair. I decided to send it to Gibson Memphis. That was yesterday.

 

My Point, if you buy a new Gibson & it isn't right seek Remedy. Either the Seller or Gibson. Don't except poor Craftsmanship. Make them make it right. Nothing is perfect. It's up to us to do it..

 

Incidentally, I really like the Guitar & can't wait to get it back, properly Repaired, Set up & ready to Play!

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Looks like the binding scraper person didn't do a great job.

As for the case. Maybe the lack of glue released during shipment. From what I remember Gibson doesn't make the case.

 

The "biggest " problem though is the final inspector let it go without sending it back through the line.

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Last year, I bought a SG CM Black that the nut wasn't aligned with the fretboard and hung a few millimeters off one side of the neck and was pushed in the corresponding distance on the other. There was no QC on that one. I also bought a Flying V that the jack was wired backwards on. No testing of that one either by the fine folks of Gibson. How do these things even happen? on the SG CM Black and the V, I had Gibson repair them. If I buy online now, I really need to see pictures of the actual instrument I am buying (on Gibsons only). On the latest 2 Gibsons I bought online, a Les Paul from American Musical and a RD Artist from Sweetwater, both retailers provided me with pictures in advance so I knew what I was getting.

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Maybe. Many people have returned guitars (and I bet they go right back out) and the quality still is not great. Until we just stop buying what they are selling this will continue.

I once took a chance on a scratch and dent flying v from AMS. In the end the big chip in the headstock was more than I could stand for the $200 reduction. Anyhow, what I found interesting was the person who purchased the guitar previously left a nice strap in the case (which I left in the case!! Haha). No one from AMS looked in that case once the guitar was returned or they didn't look very well. I also called AMS before I made the purchase and asked if they could tell me what or why the guitar qualified as scratch and dent i.e. where is the dent, what is the flaw, how big is the blemish, etc. They said they couldn't give me that info. I'll translate that for ya "they may look to make sure the same guitar is returned but they don't examine the guitars very well or send them back to Gibson for repair or correction" back to the warehouse ready for someone else to take a chance on it. My guess is Gibson has instructed most dealers to simply mark these guitars down a few hundred bucks and see if they can sell them as is. You gotta figure that $200 to $300 dollars off the list price is better for Gibson than paying to have the guitar shipped back to the factory, repaired / touched up, and then shipped back out to the online dealer. Gibson ain't gonna eat that cost and neither is the dealer. The only online dealer I've seen that shows images of scratch and dent guitars with the flaws pointed out is Sweetwater.

I understand the business end of this (even though based on credit ratings it hasn't helped!) but for a company with such a storied history of superb craftsmanship it is sad to see what seems like a lack of concern for quality control which stains the quality of the Gibson name. It's interesting because I like many others have experienced, some Gibson guitars are damn near flawless off the line and others have obvious issues like this. At the end of the day it is individual workers not doing a decent job, but when there are checkpoints in place to catch these issues and they still make it out of the factory and then out to the consumer you gotta start asking about the business culture or management oversight or lack there of at the manufacturer and dealer's businesses. Both contribute to these issues.

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Binding on a LP is scraped clean after the finishing process. They use a razor blade. I have a box of 100 razor blades that cost me $5. Not excusing the poor finish scraping job, but it is really something you can take car of in the time it takes to oil the fretboard if it bugs you.

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Yeah, final inspection, shouldn't happen but it does now and again. If your not happy with the guitar send it back but if thats the only concern its minor. Ask them for ten percent off. :) They'll probably sell it to the next guy for 20% off.

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I don't believe for a second that the guitar came out of the factory like that—nor have I seen proof that it did. I do wonder, though, where the customer bought the instrument from and how guitars, and guitar shipping for that matter, are being handled there.

 

It's ridiculous to think any Gibson employee would scrape binding like that, and that the guitar would then be passed down to lacquering without anyone noticing such obvious defects. It also seems rather a defect in the finish itself (cracking in the finish), as if it hadn't been handled with care (exposure to sudden shifts in temperature, etc), or scraping caused by some sharp edge somewhere.

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Speaking of.... When you gonna do a little show and tell with your new RD? Can't wait to see it and get your opinion on the guitar & pickups.

 

OK, I spoke too soon on the quality. I just had the guitar delivered today and the pictures that Sweetwater took really don't do the guitar "justice". If you look at the tuners, they are angled different directions. The silk screen that says only a Gibson is good enough is angled too. Sweetwater will be sending me an exchange as I really don't want a guitar that symmetrically is off like this. They rechecked their pictures and said that they shouldn't have let this one out the door as it is clearly a b-stock. They also said that Gibson shouldn't have let it out the door either. The rest of the guitar does look good and it does play well. The pickups do articulate well distorted and it has a very thick, deep sound to it, perfect for metal.

 

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I want to clarify that my RD that is soon to be exchanged, is not an example of dreadful quality but it is an example of careless workmanship and a lack of QA. Personally I want a $2k guitar to be spot on. These are mistakes that I would expect on a hundred dollar Epiphone and not a real deal, limited edition Gibson.

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