Why Gibson?

[IanHenry]

Given the repetitive complaints about Gibson's lack of quality control (I've only ever had one issue with it but I'm still happy with the guitar) I was wondering why people keep coming back to the brand?

 

I only use Gibson electrics because they always sound right, I like the two pickup, two volume and two tone controls, it allows me so many different sounds without ever having to resort to pedals, nothing looks better than a nice Les Paul and to a large extent most of the guitar players I looked up to when I was young played Les Paul's or ES335's.

 

Personally, there aren't many other guitar brands that I would be interested in, I don't like Fenders and I feel PRS's are soulless, the only other guitar that I would ever consider is the Yamaha SG series which are something of a Les Paul clone.

 

So what draws you to Gibson's?

 

 

Ian

[Snorten]

Well I "just" own two Les Pauls (beside those a Flying V is on ist way) and I had issues with both LPs (I hope the very best for the V, but honestly I have reduced my expectations nowadays)

Issues where mainly the incredible shock and material-sensitive nitro finish but also tuners and pots. To put it simple: I stick to Gibson because of Sound & Feel. Always suberb playability and vibe. Beside that, I only buy Gibsons when theres a hot sale deal :P I would rather not spend 2000$ to get one, anymore :P

[Big Bill]

I have owed five Gibsons in my time, 4 brand new out of the box and 1 used. ALL have been spot on and I have been more than pleased. If money and my wife permits, I will own more.

[MichaelT]

Well, back when I was growing up in the 70's, most of my favorite guitarists played Gibsons. "KISS uses Gibson guitars and Pearl drums because they want the best." Ace Frehley, Jimmy Page, Duane Allman, Angus Young, Tony Iommi, Gary Richrath, Paul Stanley, and others I'm leaving out all played Gibsons. I bought what I could afford at first and found a Gibson Flying V in 1984. I wanted a Les Paul but this V was awesome with mahogany body, maple top, ebony fretboard. The sound and action was incredible and after playing it a few times over a few days time, I bought it for $800.00. It's been the absolute best playing and sounding guitar I've ever touched. After having it for nearly 34 years now, it's still as great now as it always was, if not better. I now own three other Gibsons (two Les Pauls and another Flying V) and they're my favorite guitars. Salespeople at music stores around here know me as "The Gibson guy" because that's what I primarily look for and play.

 

I've owned a couple of Strats and a few other non-Gibson/non-Fender guitars. I've played countless others. I tried about 30 or so different PRS guitars of varying quality and costs but just didn't care for them much. Other people may have or have had issues with Gibson quality but I've just not experienced it with my guitars. My little Les Paul Tribute Goldtop is an awesome guitar for the money. I play it more often than my Standard. But, every time I open the case of my Standard, I'm in awe of its beauty and playability. "Only a Gibson is good enough." I like others but Gibsons are my go to guitars.

[NighthawkChris]

The thing is when you get a good Gibson, hold on to it. Pretty much the rule of thumb for any instrument if you ask me... If I were to stray away, you wouldn't go wrong with a Heritage (Kalamazoo MI guitar company that occupies the old Gibson Kalamazoo factory). These are all hand-crafted guitars as well... Trust me, the lower line Gibson's have quality issues that you can resolve, and the gripe I gather (which I can relate to as well) is "why do I already have to pay more to set up a guitar that costs in the thousands?" Why would you want to cut a nut out of a brand new Gibson? Why do I need a fret dressing? True these cost nothing in comparison to the price of the guitar, but I can buy a much cheaper guitar that is setup WAY better than any Gibson. This is the way I see it - and experienced first-hand. Trust me, I own several Gibson's and they are not replaceable. I go to the Gibson like MichaelT, haha! They are my favorite guitar hands down, but I also like other brands too that I know have a better quality price point if Gibson aesthetics aren't in the budget. Gibson's have been around so long, they have become this golden standard for fine guitars apparently. I think this is why long time guitarists like the brand. It is magical to hold on to a perfect LP... They are great guitars. I just recommend deciding for yourself on what is best whether Gibson is your thing or not.

[deeman]

Only a Gibson is Good Enough.

[Karloff]

I've never had any issues with mine. I currently have 3 Lp's, 1 SG & 1 Firebird. sold a Lp 3 years back, & a Lp Special Double Cut. they've all been great. I understand some people have had issues. but mine have been great. I love their tone, feel & look. Especially my Goldtop & Firebird.

[kidblast]

I have 5 Gibson electrics, 2 LPs, 2 SGs, and one of the last runs of an ES-135 that I added a B7 Bigsby too.

 

for me,,. Gibsons,, most of the time, give me that sound I hear and the feel I feel,,... in my head!...

 

:)

 

then again, I love me a good strat or tele tho... I have 2 nice strats & one tele that I don't believe I would ever part with.

 

Acoustics wise, I have a J200 Standard that I bought 2 yeas ago. Most money I ever spent on a guitar! But no regrets, it's awesome. I pined away for one for many years, and finally decided it was now or never when I made it happen in MArch of 2016..

 

I also have 2 taylor acoustics, much to the dismay of our brothers in the acoustic forum... !LOL! But they are also fantastic acoustic guitars.

 

I also have one of the last Gibson Goldtone GA30RVS amps, before they disco'd them - it's a great amp,, (albeit the goldtones were born off Gibsons purchase of Trace Elliot)

 

I can't complain quality wise, I really have had none of the QC issues that we read and discuss, I'm not saying they don't exist, b/c they definitely are there, I've just never had those misfortunes myself

 

at this point, with 20 guitars or there abouts, I'm in the process of selling a few rather than acquiring.. That said, I would like to some day acquire a 335, but having a very nice Sheraton Pro II that really is a great guitar, I'm not sure when the day I gas for a 335 will arrive.

 

No real interest in PRS, or other brands at the moment. I kind of went thru an Archtop phase, acquired a few epiphones, recently sold a few tho an have one more I'd like to move.. I do plan to keep one (an Emperor Regent) it's nice, I like it a lot. Plays/sounds real good - for the money, hard to beat.

 

Hard to justify the cost of a Gibson Archtop, as I'm not a "jazz player" by trade or practice, the Epis were good alternatives, but expendable.

[Notes_Norton]

I like my Gibson because of they way it plays, the way it sounds and the quality of the build.

 

I like me Epiphone for the same reasons

 

I like my Parkers for the same reasons.

 

I'm not a fan of any particular guitar company. There are at least a dozen guitar companies that I feel will give me the support and quality I need, Gibson is one of them. If I need a guitar, and one of those companies have what I want they will get my business.

 

Insights and incites by Notes

[Riffster]

I have noticed it has become cool to hate on Gibson on social media and the internet in general, the strange thing is that a lot of times people complaining are not Gibson players.

 

On the other hand I have seen complaints on video on youtube and those are legitimate, for what I have noticed most of those complaints come from guitars from the Gibson USA line in Nashville, I do not see many complaints on Custom Shop and Memphis stuff other than the price.

 

On youtube people are jumping on the Gibson hating bandwagon and these videos get an exorbitant number of videos which means money for those who post them. It's a bizarre phenomenon if you ask me, you can look up stuff like "why do les pauls go out of tune" and the guys explain it is because of the headstock, I own two Les Pauls and two SGs with the same headstock and never had tuning problems, this was news to me.

 

I went to a show Saturday night and it was Gibson galore, about 90% of guitars on stage were Gibsons and they were all beatuful and sounded rocking. (Brad Whitford of Aerosmith got on stage for 4 songs, played two of his Les Pauls). What i am getting at is that professional players in the hard rock vein still play and prefer Gibsons.

 

Gibson USA needs to get their build quality in check, every single issue gets magnified in this day and age. It seems a lot of the issues are cosmetic but I have seen some serious problems too, as if they let that guitar pass QC in hopes the person that ended up with it would not play it.

[rct]

Fender, Gibson, Martin. Same as it ever was. If I have to explain it you won't receive, if I don't, you understand.

 

rct

[Hall]

Fender, Gibson, Martin. Same as it ever was. If I have to explain it you won't receive, if I don't, you understand.

 

rct

 

Amen.

[Karloff]

Amen.

 

way off subject, but just gotta say Hall, thats a very cool profile pic.

[Dave1963]

My first Gibson was an SG special, which had taken one hell of a bashing. It still sounded immense though and the neck was just incredible. I did move it on, but I only because I wanted to make room for an LP. I bought the LP (a Traditional) secondhand. The owner had set it up himself and it was appalling. I took it to my techy guy for a set up and now it has just the most incredible feel and sound. The neck is now amazing, it had a new nut (Usual PLEK fail, cut too deep) and a slight fret dress. Everything about the guitar is brilliant IMHO.

My latest squeeze is a '63 ES335 from Memphis and it is just perfect out of the box. I did drop the action a tiddy bit, but it needs nothing else.

 

I also own a HW1 Tele, which is fantastic.

I have owned the following;

 

Strat USA 50th Aniversary: Just couldnt get on with the thing at all

Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster: Nice, but too fiddly

Epiphone Casino (Jap 1980's): Loved it, should have kept it

Jagstang; Hands too big, guitar too small....Nice though

PRS SE Singlecut: Bland as anything, no soul to it.

Tele Standard USA: Regret selling it to this day...

Squier Affinity Tele: Shockingly poor on all levels

Epi LP: Terrible, squealed like a stuck pig at the mere mention of volume...

 

I have always coveted Gibsons and always wanted one. Now I have two and just adore them both.

[Drog]

There is a lot of hate towards Gibson , so much false information. The unfortunate side of the Internet, anyone with an opinion (right or wrong) can spill it as truth.

 

Gibson is making fantastic instruments. Period. QC is not an issue.

 

The Gibsons I have are the best guitars I have ever played. From feel, fit and finish. "Only a Gibson is good enough"

[Cougar]

Fender, Gibson, Martin. Same as it ever was.....

 

Fender, Gibson, Martin, Guild. Same as it ever was.....

[Big Bill]

[Larsongs]

There is a lot of hate towards Gibson , so much false information. The unfortunate side of the Internet, anyone with an opinion (right or wrong) can spill it as truth.

 

Gibson is making fantastic instruments. Period. QC is not an issue.

 

The Gibsons I have are the best guitars I have ever played. From feel, fit and finish. "Only a Gibson is good enough"

 

In July I ordered a new Gibson ES Les Paul Memphis Blacktop. Not a cheap Guitar. There were 2 extra holes drilled, poorly refilled & poorly refinished in the Headstock. I returned it & they shipped me another one. I've used 4 different Gibson Les Paul Truss Rod Tools, including a new I bought directly from Gibson, & none of them will fit the Truss Rod Nut. I can't Set up the Guitar! I sent it to Gibson & am waiting for it to be repaired or replaced.

 

There are definitely QC Issues.

 

Lars

[Black Dog]

For me, as others have stated, Gibson and the LP in particular is just the guitar that represents rock music. Just about all of my favorite guitarists play(ed) LPs.

 

As for the QC issues, I have only owned a few Gibson's, but they have all been very good, no problems. They sound great and play great.

 

There are many examples of people complaining about QC problems, some seem legit, many others not so much.

 

I will keep buying them until I have problems. Additionally, I buy from dealers with good return policies. If I ever have a real problem, I'll send it back.

[kidblast]

If you trot over to the fender forum, you'll see a lot of the same kind of posts. Doubly so at times, since fender is still building/selling amps. They appear to have a number of QC issues with both guitars and amps. I don't visit Taylor, or Martin web sites much (don't have a martin), but it should not surprise anyone to see similar, it happens everywhere, not just @ Gibson.. And then there's the fact that some folks just can't be happy with anything.

[rct]

If you trot over to the fender forum, you'll see a lot of the same kind of posts. Doubly so at times, since fender is still building/selling amps. They appear to have a number of QC issues with both guitars and amps. I don't visit Taylor, or Martin web sites much (don't have a martin), but it should not surprise anyone to see similar, it happens everywhere, not just @ Gibson.. And then there's the fact that some folks just can't be happy with anything.

 

It's more than that though. Guitars became just another commodity and in some ways just another sign of ostensible wealth. Guitar players bought guitars, used them, made money with them, and that was that. My first Les Paul was 375 dollars second hand in superb condition and I made probably ten times that in the first two months I used it. That's not who they have been selling guitars to for a very long time now.

 

I say it in here and I mean it: "They'll sell a guitar to anybody these days".

 

rct

[Tman]

As one guy said to me when asked what kind of guitar I play and I said an LP and a Strat, "Aah the usual suspects".

 

When I was a "tween" and started playing guitar at age 12 I went into the local guitar store and asked the local stoner guitar player who was an amazing guitarist what his favorite guitar in the whole world was. He made a quick snide comment about me being short statured and walked over an picked up a Les Paul black beauty and started playing Waitin on the Bus by ZZ. He stopped and said, "This one". That night I told my Dad that I wanted a Gibson. They told me that if I showed promise, they would get me one. 6 months later I got a melody maker and haven't looked back. Cause only a Gibson is good enough (like was said).

 

I became a strat guy in my 20's. Now I'm both.

[Twang Gang]

For me it has always been about the sound and the playability. My first electric was a ES125 with a rosewood board and that is what I got used to playing. My second was a Les Paul and I played that thing for over 25 years. So I have been playing Gibsons for so long that is just what an electric should sound like, and what a neck should feel like.

 

I did gig with a Strat for about 3 years, but used a signal processor to get a more LP like tone from it. Also used an SG for a couple years, but always end up going back to LP. It just feels like home to me.

 

As to quality issues I have never had any other than needing to file the nut a little to eliminate the "ping" while tuning. I have bought 3 new Gibsons over the past couple years and the quality on all of them has been perfect.

[RevDavidLee]

In my brothel I have 17 Gibsons & 12 Fenders as well as several other brands. Growing up I could not wait to be able to afford a Gibson because to me - it meant I was a serious player & invested more than just time into my craft but invested good money as well.

 

My first Gibson was an 83 LP Standard in candy apple red with gold hardware. I still have it & it's still in excellent shape because I have taken really good care of it since day one. My most recent Gibson purchases were the 2017 Firebird, a 2018 Explorer & a 2018 SG so I have been buying Gibsons for 35 years now. While I enjoy many brands of guitars - there is nothing quite like a Gibson.

 

The only issue I ever had was the nut on my custom sapphire blue LP broke off at the high e side & I got it replaced for free under the Gibson warranty at a local luthier who is an authorized Gibson service center.

 

I love Gibsons - the only time I had an issue was the same one many of you had & that was the 2015 line & those God awful G-Force robo tuners fiasco - not to mention the "looked like he had a stroke" Les Paul signatures on the headstock & the very goofy hologram sticker that could not be removed unless you cut thru the finish

 

:)

[kidblast]

It's more than that though. Guitars became just another commodity and in some ways just another sign of ostensible wealth. Guitar players bought guitars, used them, made money with them, and that was that. My first Les Paul was 375 dollars second hand in superb condition and I made probably ten times that in the first two months I used it. That's not who they have been selling guitars to for a very long time now.

 

I say it in here and I mean it: "They'll sell a guitar to anybody these days".

 

rct

 

1st lp was a 73 Deluxe Goldtop - still in high school and working at a local tire barn in town.

 

I had already taken a loan out for a car I was going to buy ($1,700 AMC Gremlim.. Oh the horrors) changed my mind at the last minute,, Un-did the loan with the local bank, re-wrote it for enough to buy the guitar... my old man thought I was nutz,, so didn't the bank manager that redid the loan..

 

"So you don't want the car?"

"nope"

"you're gonna buy a guitar instead"

"yes"

"I see,,, you suppose you can get to work and school with that"...

 

 

My 68 Merc Montego had more years in it than I thought!

 

Good times,,, Gooooood times..