gsnake Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 I am trying to understand what is called Gibson Custom Shop guitars. Say Les Pauls.. I see so many ads where a guitar is 'custom shop' and it does have the COA where it says Custom but it looks pretty much the same as any standard Les Paul.. On the other hand there are custom ones with enhanced binding (on both sides) and the diamond emblem on the headstock and with rectangular inlays.. So why there are both 'custom'? Is this based on the year they were made or some are re-issues and this is why they look 'standard'? Or whats the story? If there is an article about it I would be happy to read it.. thanks!~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 https://www.premierguitar.com/gear/a-modern-history-of-the-gibson-custom-shop To use a motorcycle analogy, regular Harleys are built on the shop floor, the Screaming Chicken models are built on the second floor, two senior employees assemble the bike instead of it going down the production line to be slapped together by 50 different people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsnake Posted November 7, 2022 Author Share Posted November 7, 2022 Cool, thanks! Very useful. But it looks like everyone wants a CS guitar not just a regular 'harley' 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 The Custom Shop models do have a different feel to them. It's hard to put into words but they are a step up from the regular models. Then there's the pre-beat up ones which appeal to a different crowd of people. To answer your other question, the normal line-up usually went Jr. to Special to Standard to Custom with each model getting fancier as it went up the line (pick ups, binding, fret board material). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marco mancini Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 Was the Gibson Custom Shop dept. like that in 2016 and the years before that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarsAnn Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 You can also custom order yours to your specifications. Those are M2M or Made to Measure. I had a Les Paul Axcess Bengal Burst built M2M with specific tuners and a cherry back and neck like the original one shown on Gibson's website before they changed the back and neck to black. First time ordering a guitar site unseen or played. Came out PERFECT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsnake Posted November 7, 2022 Author Share Posted November 7, 2022 yeah guys, I get it. This is the reason I asked about it. I figured I want a custom one.. life is short.. enjoy it now! 🙂 but why some CS LPs have the diamond on the headstock and some don't? and the binding, etc? Just because the other CS models are re-issues and mimic the original ones (which did not have those)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 29 minutes ago, gsnake said: yeah guys, I get it. This is the reason I asked about it. I figured I want a custom one.. life is short.. enjoy it now! 🙂 but why some CS LPs have the diamond on the headstock and some don't? and the binding, etc? Just because the other CS models are re-issues and mimic the original ones (which did not have those)? Do you want a custom built one or a LP Custom. LP Custom is like a LP Standard (its a model type) but supposed to be nicer. Just because a guitar is built in the Custom Shop doesn't mean its gonna get the diamond inlays on it. The LP Custom models did, and remember there was no Custom shop till 1993 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsnake Posted November 7, 2022 Author Share Posted November 7, 2022 Oh I see.. I would say I want to have the diamond inlays on it.. But it does not matter that much if I can find a great LP custom.. I currently have a Classic one which is great and S-1 1976. S1 neck feels so good! And I went to local store before I even had a LP and took one to play there. And it was an expensive LP (over 5K). So I was really blown away with it and next day I got my new LP classic. Now I understand why I was so impressed LOL. Back then I did not know the details.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 6 hours ago, marco mancini said: Was the Gibson Custom Shop dept. like that in 2016 and the years before that ? Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 I just read a pretty insightful Gibson ad from the 80s ”A Gibson is mass and density crafted into brilliance and sustain. It is electronics on the edge of today’s sound, destined to be tomorrows classic.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 22 hours ago, Dub-T-123 said: ”A Gibson is mass and density crafted into brilliance and sustain. It is electronics on the edge of today’s sound, destined to be tomorrows classic.” That surely explains why lead guitarists have the atomic number 82 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 (edited) On 11/10/2022 at 9:17 AM, Dub-T-123 said: I just read a pretty insightful Gibson ad from the 80s ”A Gibson is mass and density crafted into brilliance and sustain. It is electronics on the edge of today’s sound, destined to be tomorrows classic.” I though it was wood, plastic, metal, glue, and bone, but what do I know, I've only owned a few. Edited November 11, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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