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GMC Forum _ GEAR & PRODUCTION _ Gibson Guitars

Posted by: liveOASISforever Sep 15 2013, 01:11 PM

I dont deserve a Gibson because my playing ability would not do the guitar justice.This still doesnt take the massive urge I have to get one. The problem I have is my knowledge on Gibson guitars is not very good.I have heard that QC at Gibson is has dropped and there is certain years to try and avoid.

I am looking to try and get a 2012 Gibson as I am not to keen on the 2013 range.I understand that the studio Gibsons are lower on price as they dont have the same cosmetics as the others. In general is there much of a difference between the studio,traditional and standards as far as overall sound.

I know that even two of the exact same model can sound different but I am just looking for some overall advice to lead me in the right direction before I empty my bank account on one laugh.gif

Thanks Sean

Posted by: Darius Wave Sep 15 2013, 02:29 PM

The quality of Studio and Standard models is a topic of endless discussions. I had some studios in my hands that knocked out a few standards I could compare at the same moment. I'm afraid it's a matter of "buy and sell" circle until You get to the point. The problem is that any comparison that doesn't happen at the same moment, at the same amp is not worth much. My friend is just selling his LP. He had it for a quite long time and thought it's one of the best LP's out there until...he compared to one that seemd to work better for him.

Good thing about those guitars is that it's always easy to sell them and try another ones. This will finally lead to to the choice of Your life smile.gif


If I could only advice some subjective but popular thought is...If You would decide to buy Standard, try to find some models from the 90's (before 2003(?) they had no resonance caves inside) - full solid wood body.

Posted by: liveOASISforever Sep 15 2013, 04:33 PM

QUOTE (Darius Wave @ Sep 15 2013, 02:29 PM) *
The quality of Studio and Standard models is a topic of endless discussions. I had some studios in my hands that knocked out a few standards I could compare at the same moment. I'm afraid it's a matter of "buy and sell" circle until You get to the point. The problem is that any comparison that doesn't happen at the same moment, at the same amp is not worth much. My friend is just selling his LP. He had it for a quite long time and thought it's one of the best LP's out there until...he compared to one that seemd to work better for him.

Good thing about those guitars is that it's always easy to sell them and try another ones. This will finally lead to to the choice of Your life smile.gif


If I could only advice some subjective but popular thought is...If You would decide to buy Standard, try to find some models from the 90's (before 2003(?) they had no resonance caves inside) - full solid wood body.


Thanks for your advice Darius

I have being reading a lot online and the amount of different opinions people have is incredible.I think the journey to find the perfect Gibson could be a very long one laugh.gif

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Sep 15 2013, 08:40 PM

Mate - one of my band mates is a huge Gibson fan and he owns a Les Paul that he uses as his main guitar. It is one of the newer ones and he was a bit worries it will not sound as good as the older ones, but he had a very nice surprise with it, as it sounds awesome! Another one of our good friends owns a Les Paul made in 93 - that one sounds incredibly nice, but the thing is, as Darius said, it's important to try as many as possible and be ready to hunt down the best one available and which you will be ready to afford!

Posted by: Darius Wave Sep 15 2013, 08:48 PM

No matter which one You'll buy it's all about details smile.gif I think You'll be satisfied with any of them smile.gif

Posted by: liveOASISforever Sep 16 2013, 07:11 AM

QUOTE (Cosmin Lupu @ Sep 15 2013, 08:40 PM) *
Mate - one of my band mates is a huge Gibson fan and he owns a Les Paul that he uses as his main guitar. It is one of the newer ones and he was a bit worries it will not sound as good as the older ones, but he had a very nice surprise with it, as it sounds awesome! Another one of our good friends owns a Les Paul made in 93 - that one sounds incredibly nice, but the thing is, as Darius said, it's important to try as many as possible and be ready to hunt down the best one available and which you will be ready to afford!


Every video I see someone playing a Gibson just sounds simply amazing.I can afford to buy a Gibson studio around £1000 right now but a think I might be rushing into it.I think I will save up more cash to give me more options when going to buy one.

Cheers Cosmin

QUOTE (Darius Wave @ Sep 15 2013, 08:48 PM) *
No matter which one You'll buy it's all about details smile.gif I think You'll be satisfied with any of them smile.gif


I hope so Darius.I want to buy a Gibson and a little 50th anniversary Marshall JVM 1W.I think this would be my perfect setup.I love when all you need is a guitar and a amp to get such amazing tone.Simple and effective smile.gif

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Sep 16 2013, 07:18 AM

Good choice man - rushing never brings in anything good. Wait and test all the Gibsons that you can put your hands on wink.gif I am sure you will learn a lot and make a 'documented' choice so to say tongue.gif

Posted by: Todd Simpson Sep 17 2013, 06:35 AM

Just keep in mind of course that only part of the tone is the actual guitar as I"m sure you know smile.gif The amp, fx, etc. and above all, the player, have a significant impact on tone. Gibson LesPauls are some really well built, solid, resonant guitars, to be sure but I"d say put your hands on as many different brands as you can before putting down cash smile.gif

Todd

QUOTE (liveOASISforever @ Sep 16 2013, 02:11 AM) *
Every video I see someone playing a Gibson just sounds simply amazing.I can afford to buy a Gibson studio around £1000 right now but a think I might be rushing into it.I think I will save up more cash to give me more options when going to buy one.

Cheers Cosmin



I hope so Darius.I want to buy a Gibson and a little 50th anniversary Marshall JVM 1W.I think this would be my perfect setup.I love when all you need is a guitar and a amp to get such amazing tone.Simple and effective smile.gif


Posted by: Taka Perry Sep 17 2013, 07:40 AM

Hey man,

I like Gibson's. You sure do pay for a nice one though. My guitar doesn't even have a proper brand, because its a custom one, but I like it very much.

What is it that makes the Gibson appeal to you? If you know what you want in your guitar, I think you will be able to make a much better choice in purchasing smile.gif

Posted by: liveOASISforever Sep 17 2013, 07:14 PM

QUOTE (Todd Simpson @ Sep 17 2013, 06:35 AM) *
Just keep in mind of course that only part of the tone is the actual guitar as I"m sure you know smile.gif The amp, fx, etc. and above all, the player, have a significant impact on tone. Gibson LesPauls are some really well built, solid, resonant guitars, to be sure but I"d say put your hands on as many different brands as you can before putting down cash smile.gif

Todd


In the past Todd I have being quite stupid by buying things without trying them.The amount of things I have bought then sold on Ebay is incredible .Although when it comes to the amount of cash needed to buy a Gibson I think I am going to have to be sensible about it.

And yeah the player has a massive impact on tone.I just wish my impact was good laugh.gif

QUOTE (Taka Perry @ Sep 17 2013, 07:40 AM) *
Hey man,

I like Gibson's. You sure do pay for a nice one though. My guitar doesn't even have a proper brand, because its a custom one, but I like it very much.

What is it that makes the Gibson appeal to you? If you know what you want in your guitar, I think you will be able to make a much better choice in purchasing smile.gif


Absolutely everything about Gibsons appeal to me mate. There is simply nothing I dont like about them.One thing that I really like is they are quite heavy I really like that in a guitar smile.gif

Posted by: SpaseMoonkey Sep 17 2013, 08:07 PM

When you are looking to buy a Gibson, keep in mind they all play and sound different. They can be the same make, model, and run, but all can vary. When I bought one back in 2008 I played something around 7 of them and didn't care for any of them. Went to a different store the first one I played felt better than the other 7 and I ended up walking out with it.

This really doesn't pertain to just Gibson but every company that makes them. I just know that the Gibsons weight vary a lot guitar to guitar. Mine was in the ball park of 13lbs.

Posted by: Todd Simpson Sep 18 2013, 06:03 AM

SPACEMOONKEY has a good point here. You really never know until you put you hands on a particular build. Even units in teh same line, same series, same wood, same features, can play/sound different. So don't be fooled by amazing recordings/vids. What really matters is how a give guitar feels in your hands wink.gif

Todd



QUOTE (SpaseMoonkey @ Sep 17 2013, 03:07 PM) *
When you are looking to buy a Gibson, keep in mind they all play and sound different. They can be the same make, model, and run, but all can vary. When I bought one back in 2008 I played something around 7 of them and didn't care for any of them. Went to a different store the first one I played felt better than the other 7 and I ended up walking out with it.

This really doesn't pertain to just Gibson but every company that makes them. I just know that the Gibsons weight vary a lot guitar to guitar. Mine was in the ball park of 13lbs.


Posted by: bleez Sep 18 2013, 08:23 AM

Ive got a 1990 gibson LP standard and its absolutely awesome. Just a sold growling beast of a guitar, Ive never once regretted buying it. My mate has one from 1988 and it's very different to mine in feel and sound but it's still a great guitar as well. Im a big fan of the gibson LP smile.gif if I was getting another, I'd definitely look at some studios, I dont think there is much difference from the standard, just some binding etc.

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Sep 18 2013, 08:33 AM

QUOTE (bleez @ Sep 18 2013, 07:23 AM) *
Ive got a 1990 gibson LP standard and its absolutely awesome. Just a sold growling beast of a guitar, Ive never once regretted buying it. My mate has one from 1988 and it's very different to mine in feel and sound but it's still a great guitar as well. Im a big fan of the gibson LP smile.gif if I was getting another, I'd definitely look at some studios, I dont think there is much difference from the standard, just some binding etc.


I must say that I tried an SG that belongs to a friend and I love the feel - it feels a lot different than the LP which as much as I would like, in respect to the sound, I couldn't play it to save my life laugh.gif

Posted by: Caelumamittendum Sep 18 2013, 12:19 PM

I've never been much of a Gibson fan myself for either sound or feel. At least as far as Les Pauls go. I don't know why, but that's just how it is. SGs aren't much better for me.

Posted by: audiopaal Oct 6 2013, 05:10 PM

If you can get your hands on a Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite, go for it.
They have ebony fretboard, see-through finish (or burst), good pickups, and is probably the best Gibson you'll own unless you go for a Custom Shop.
They're cheap as well, used from 500$. Sometimes you can find some good looking Studio Lite's on Ebay :-)

I owned one, and I'm still pissed at myself for letting that guitar go :-(

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 6 2013, 11:16 PM

My point of view is that it's a matter of taste at that level. I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio from the 90's and I love it. I have tried many Standard les pauls and I feel more comfortable and happy with mine, not only because of the playability, also because of the tone and sustain. So before you decide to buy one, go and try many ones and check the model and also the unit that feels better in your hands.

Posted by: Britishampfan Oct 7 2013, 01:36 AM

My main Les Paul is a 2000 studio, it is the same weight as a standard, it has the baseball bat neck of a 58 or 59.

From what I understand the studios are identical to the standard without the binding, some claim that they a little thinner maple top and are a tad lighter.

Mine weighs 10 LBS even.

I hate the cowboy binding look. SO I like the Studio!

None of my guitars are stock, because small improvements make a big difference to me.

On my Les Paul, all the pots and caps went in the bench drawer. I put on a locking tone pros ABR II bridge, new 500 k pots and paper in oil .015 cap and a orange drop .022 cap on the bridge pot.

Humbuckers

I ripped out the stock gibson pickups because they sound like mud and bought a calbrated set of Bareknuckle pickups.

I hate the middle bloated sound on a LP so, I wired mine like Jimmy Page`s guitar, out of phase and using the two volumes I can dial in lots of different tones and it operates almost like a vintage 4 hole marshall jumpered out.

I can dial in just the right amount of brilliant and low at the right grind usually by turning down the neck volume so when I slap the switch to the bridge I get full lead and boost capabilities.

My studio compared to any standard just kills.

Use your ears not your eyes, much of what you see in the pro world is not stock.

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Oct 7 2013, 09:39 AM

Right you are mate smile.gif Some guitars may be real eye candy, but when you pick them up, you realize that they simply aren't for you smile.gif

Here are a few thoughts on a Gibson resembling guitar that I recently got my hands on:

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=50305


Posted by: kklee100 Oct 13 2013, 01:00 PM

Hello guys, I also want to own a Gibson-like les paul. Because I like her warm, thick, and nasal sound.

But there are other les pauls, like Epiphone, Edwards, or Tokai...
Some of them have beautiful finish, similiar sound or maybe even better sound and sustain. And they are cheaper than Gibson les paul. But they do not have a logo called "Gibson" on their headstock.

And how do you think?


Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Oct 13 2013, 01:04 PM

QUOTE (kklee100 @ Oct 13 2013, 12:00 PM) *
Hello guys, I also want to own a Gibson-like les paul. Because I like her warm, thick, and nasal sound.

But there are other les pauls, like Epiphone, Edwards, or Tokai...
Some of them have beautiful finish, similiar sound or maybe even better sound and sustain. And they are cheaper than Gibson les paul. But they do not have a logo called "Gibson" on their headstock.

And how do you think?


It's all a matter of trying them mate smile.gif I have a friend's Tokai guitar behind me as we speak - it's an amazing instrument, but I can't play it because.... he is a leftie and the guitar is left handed as well biggrin.gif

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