charlie brown Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 Yeah, I understand... Well, as I said, I hope it works out well, in the end. There ARE, certainly, other American brands (that are actually still made in the USA) out there, to explore/buy. Carvin Rickenbacker Taylor PRS etc., etc., etc. ;>) CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarbender Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I've had my Gold Top for about 2 months now. Out of the box, mine was unimpressive. The action was high and the fret ends were the worst I've seen on any guitar in any price range. The "worn" finish was basically an unbuffed gloss top with orange peel. But being in the Great White North (Canada), and hearing how there would only be 5 for the whole country, and after waiting 9 months for it, took it home. I dressed the fret ends, tightened up the truss rod and did a complete setup. I noticed that Gibson still hasn't fixed the issue with the strings hitting the back of the bridge if the stop tail is screwed down - I normally top wrap anyway which resolves this issue. I lightly buffed the top and the appearence is much nicer now and the orange peel not as noticeable. So after what would have cost a couple of hundred bucks at the shop, I have a very sweet sounding, great looking, smooth playing Gold Top LP that I'm very happy with and I think I'll hang to for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackflag Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Yeah, I understand... Well, as I said, I hope it works out well, in the end. There ARE, certainly, other American brands (that are actually still made in the USA) out there, to explore/buy. Carvin Rickenbacker Taylor PRS etc., etc., etc. ;>) CB Fender? As far as the problem above...it sucks. But **** happens. I'm more forgiving for something like this - glue giving away - than poor fit and finish. Good thing they have a lifetime warranty. I had another guitar where the glue gave away in the corner near the 21st fret. Of course, it happened after about 20 years... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackflag Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 BTW - I love that they finally got rid of the sharp corner at the nut to reduce the number of headstock breaks. That was always such a stupid design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zonkers Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 After a few months, I love it even more. It's almost gotten a 'broken in' feel to it, the neck feels faster, and it seems to REALLY like 11's with a wound 3rd. Still love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Fender? As far as the problem above...it sucks. But **** happens. I'm more forgiving for something like this - glue giving away - than poor fit and finish. Good thing they have a lifetime warranty. I had another guitar where the glue gave away in the corner near the 21st fret. Of course, it happened after about 20 years... Of course, How could I have forgotten, the "F" word/company. LOL CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atj13 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Im one of the few who was lucky enough to get the goldtop on late August. I went to my local Sam Ash and they had two gold tops and one honeyburst still in the box. I went in the by chance and they happen to have them in stock, arrived the day before. Now, early November and I'm still enjoying this guitar. I haven't put it down since I got it and my once main guitar, 2008 Les Paul Standard has taken the back seat. Mine is a four piece back, but it sounds much warmer than my other Gibson guitars with P90s, SG Classic and a Les Paul special. I wouldn't sell this baby for anything, she is a keeper indeed, and perhaps a family heirloom to pass down. My 2008 LP Standard Desertburst (once my main guitar) By bluesguitar65 at 2009-10-21 My new Main Guitar, 50s tribute goldtop By bluesguitar65 at 2010-09-01 My other P90 Guitars By bluesguitar65 at 2009-09-05 By bluesguitar65 at 2009-09-05 Love you collection, this is off topic (apologies)but your SG classic, is that as good as I have convinced myself they are? I am hoping to find a good reason to buy one (for my son actually) so any advice from well informed people of exceptional taste (such as yourself) would be appreciated, he has an LP Junior and the 50's tributes had our attention for the value and specs but the SG Classic seems a better package with binding etc. thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowz06 Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Time for another call to Customer Service... This will be the second of the two Gibson guitars that I've purchased new that has a significant factory defect. Harrumph. Was showing off the Goldtop to a friend, who couldn't help but notice the fretboard falling off. Must have had a shortage of glue that day... That is just unacceptable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riverside Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 In fairness, they paid to have it shipped back and forth, and they appear to have fixed it. But for me, it's too little, too late. I'd like to have the level of confidence in this manufacturer that some espouse, but it just hasn't been shown to me. Hope you all have had (and will have) it better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Namvet Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I've got a cherry burst that I picked up at the local mom & pop shop. The factory worn finish looks good (no paint runs, glue spots etc). The only thing I've done is lower the action a touch, treated the fretboard with Petros rosewood oil and buffed the neck with a polishing cloth as it was a touch sticky out of the box. The only thing I don't like is the attempt of putting "worn" scratches on the pot plate. Looks like someone used sandpaper to put scratches on it and looks fake as worn marks. The 50s neck feels real good and the guitar plays nicely. Don't intend to sell this guitar. Overall I rate my guitar Gibson could have included a hard case which would have sweetened the pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Namvet Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I've got a cherry burst that I picked up at the local mom & pop shop. The factory worn finish looks good (no paint runs, glue spots etc). The only thing I've done is lower the action a touch, treated the fretboard with Petros rosewood oil and buffed the neck with a polishing cloth as it was a touch sticky out of the box. The only thing I don't like is the attempt of putting "worn" scratches on the pot plate. Looks like someone used sandpaper to put scratches on it and looks fake as worn marks. The 50s neck feels real good and the guitar plays nicely. Don't intend to sell this guitar. Overall I rate my guitar Gibson could have included a hard case which would have sweetened the pot. Photos of mine: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I have a black one and honestly I would say it's a ok guitar I picked it up for my kids graduation and she hasn't finished up yet she'll get it in early June. It should work well for her but honestly I don't see what all the fuss is about it's a Studio with p-90's nothing more than that. I played it a few times to make sure it had no issues and then put it back in the case. I sure wouldn't trade a Standard or even a traditional for it like some are saying. All in all - it's not a bad guitar and it's a pretty good deal price wise other than that nothing really special. If it wasn't for her, it would be for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bone Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Wow, I've been gone awhile! Just finished a job working 7/12's, haven't touched a guitar in a few months (not good). The good part is I got to "skip" a good part of Winter, am currently in South Florida (since early February). Only one guitar made the trip with me, an American Standard Strat (went with what I'd been playing most recently combined with easiest to lose/replace should something happen). Really miss my Les Pauls! Anyway, still have all three of mine, still planning yo sell only the one (still NIB). I think the pre flood Honeyburst does show a bit more attention to detail (plus it has a 2 piece back), and with the issues I've seen, I'd have to conclude also that they ramped up production and whipped these out as fast as they could after the flood. That's no excuse, but also not a blanket condemnation, as my Gold Top is probably still my most played LP. Just an observation that they'd have served their purposes (and their "fans") better by slowing just a wee bit and applying a bit more QC. That said, the whole flood situation may have added to the sensation this guitar became, and overall they've made a real winner with it IMHO. I do love binding (but I've got my Classic Antique), and the gloss finish, but there's just a rough, raw sort of character to these 50's tributes. That, and they'll just plain wail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadowz06 Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Wow, I've been gone awhile! Just finished a job working 7/12's, haven't touched a guitar in a few months (not good). The good part is I got to "skip" a good part of Winter, am currently in South Florida (since early February). Only one guitar made the trip with me, an American Standard Strat (went with what I'd been playing most recently combined with easiest to lose/replace should something happen). Really miss my Les Pauls! Anyway, still have all three of mine, still planning yo sell only the one (still NIB). I think the pre flood Honeyburst does show a bit more attention to detail (plus it has a 2 piece back), and with the issues I've seen, I'd have to conclude also that they ramped up production and whipped these out as fast as they could after the flood. That's no excuse, but also not a blanket condemnation, as my Gold Top is probably still my most played LP. Just an observation that they'd have served their purposes (and their "fans") better by slowing just a wee bit and applying a bit more QC. That said, the whole flood situation may have added to the sensation this guitar became, and overall they've made a real winner with it IMHO. I do love binding (but I've got my Classic Antique), and the gloss finish, but there's just a rough, raw sort of character to these 50's tributes. That, and they'll just plain wail. Nice collection! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Bone Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Nice collection! Thanks! I really miss them, looking forward to getting back and playing 4 of the The center Gold Top is still unplayed and will be hitting the block shortly after my return, though I may replace it with something nicer soon. The other two aren't going anywhere anytime soon, they're just great players and need to stay in the heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacktoz Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 I thought I would post a "one year later" update on this guitar. I had significant complaints about the finish quality of this guitar. I have since come to realize that the satin finished LP Studios are all pretty poorly finished, at least the ones I've seen. If I had purchased this guitar in a store, I would have been less surprised by the finish issues. So, I'm going to retract my comments about the paint issues and general roughness due to lack of wood filler in the mahogany. The lack of finish on the neck, however, I still think was a problem. As Tarbender notes, the lack of fret finishing really hurt the initial playability of the guitar. Like Tarbender, I spent quite a bit of time rolling the fret edges and getting rid of some high spots that were causing buzzes. So, after doing a proper set-up and fret finishing I loved the way the guitar sounded and played. I still had a problem with the cosmetics. I felt I had to play it with a bag over its head. I ended up refinning it. I did a proper job of using a good wood filler and sealant followed by a many coats of clear nitro. After many hours of polishing, I now have a natural finish LP Studio that sounds very good and looks decent to boot. If I had to do it over, I would have saved my money and bought a used VOS with P-90s. I don't think about resale when I purchase a guitar, but I know that a refinned Studio is not going to have much value to anyone except me. If I had bought a used VOS, it would have been like money in the bank... So, I have regrets about how much time I've put into the guitar making it acceptable to me. However, when I play it, I smile, smile, smile. For $850, I can't complain as the basic guitar is terrific, but speaking for myself, I should have spent another $1500 and bought a used VOS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackflag Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 As far as I'm concerned, I mostly care about what it plays like, then what it sounds like. Not that interested in what it looks like. So I'm 100% satisfied with my '60's tribute. In fairness to Gibson, if I wanted one that was prettier, I wouldn't have gotten this model. So I'm happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philbo Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I've had my '50's Tribute LP HB for over a year now and it's still my favourite guitar out of 8. I love the raw, thin finish and the balanced feel of the chambered body. I must have got lucky because mine was perfectly put together. The 2-piece hog body is beautiful. The action and intonation are perfect. The pickups sound fantastic. Minor quibbles: the nut was poorly cut but was fixed for free by my dealer. There is more electronic buzz than I'm used to with humbuckers. I'm not sure if it's related to the PCB or just some poor soldering somewhere. There are signs of sloppiness in the control cavity and pickup cavities (wood fragments and poor drilling) but it's hidden from view and doesn't bother me at all. I'm a strat guy at heart (I have 6), but my Tribute has had more play time than all 6 strats combined over the last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyReb Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I've had mine for about 6 months now. I have the humbucker version with the 490/498 humbuckers in vintage sunburst. My first thought was what a cheap finish but I've come to appreciate the raw look and feel of it. A working mans guitar I like to think. I'm still playing it with the factory setup with no complaints. Has a little string buzz but doesn't go into the amp so I'm not concerned. I do not care much for the 498 humbucker in the bridge. Very gritty and harsh for me. I play exclusively clean through a fender twin reverb. I'm in the process of choosing some new pickups for it. Right now I'm leaning heavily to the seymour duncan Seth Lover humbuckers. Super clean and clear tone and hooked to my twin reverb would be magic. As a whole.....great guitar. Love the fat neck and raw looks. Wouldn't trade it for nothing. Sorry for the poor iPhone picture it doesn't really do it justice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 12, 2012 Author Share Posted October 12, 2012 Well, it sounds as though most are Still pretty happy, with their "tributes!" That's Great!! I have since traded the '50's (P-90) version, for a Les Paul "Classic Custom" Gold-Top. However, I do still own, and play, the '60's (Gold Top) version. For me...There just wasn't enough difference, in tone, or feel, between the two, to keep both. The '60's version was "flawless," as well...which was another reason I kept it, and traded the '50's in. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackflag Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 I have since traded the '50's (P-90) version, It's like I don't even know you any more... I much prefer the 60's neck anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 13, 2012 Author Share Posted October 13, 2012 It's like I don't even know you any more... I much prefer the 60's neck anyways. LOL...I know the feeling...not sure "I" know me, anymore?! Anyway, things change, even if/when we resist it! I had (and still have) "too many" guitars, anyway. I never thought I'd say that, ever! But...the older I get, the more I think "less is more," in ALL kinds of ways! Problem is, I would have a much more difficult time, deciding which to sell/trade. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueslespaultone Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Yeah, love my 50's trib humbucker honey burst . I'm trying to decide what I'm trading up to, upgrading. My review: Love the tuners, fat neck, color , and pickups. Sounds great and feels and is the real McCoy. Don't love, the baked maple, really wanted rosewood , ps nothing wrong with the baked maple, just not into it. I have a love/hate relationship with the weight. Its lighter than my strats. I would've liked it a bit heavier, sometimes ;-) I'm not intentionally getting rid of her, looking at the trad pro, trad, joe bonamassa sig Lp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackflag Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 I had (and still have) "too many" guitars, anyway. I never thought I'd say that, ever! But...the older I get, the more I think "less is more," in ALL kinds of ways! I'm wirh you on that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyBillyBob1 Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Never mind. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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