rice_pudding wrote:yeah it peeves me that they hollow out the guitars, thats crazy
anyhow i dont think i'll ever get a Gibson LP now. I was thinking about it after reading the latest issue of guitarist (with a LP special feature). I love LP's but they simply cost too much. I've even fallen in love with a wine red LP custom but its ridiculous. Im not sure i could ever afford an LP and even if i could there are guitars that are just as good offering better value for money. It would be somewhat illogical to buy an LP.
If i really want an LP one day i might find a luthier to make me one. Then i can get exactly what i want, no hollow body and guarenteed top rate workmanship. and theres a good chance it would cost less than many LP's.
dont get me wrong im not dissing gibson. I've heard all sorts of rumours about the company but i still have confidence they can deliver top rate product. Im just not sure i could live with the price...
Firstly a guitar made by a luthier is usually the more expensive option, not the cheaper one.
The time we are currently in always seems the most boring one, but I believe in 40/50 years when many of the great guitars made today are discontinued, they will be sort after with the same 'grass is greener on the othe side' kudos.
I personally think the last 10 years is the best time for quality in the guitar's history. We are in a golden age of guitar making.
There are plenty of bad olf Fender and Gibsons too.
Having a break from online activity for a while to concentrate on music. Please email if you need to get in touch. Matt
Matthew wrote:
Firstly a guitar made by a luthier is usually the more expensive option, not the cheaper one. .
yes but some les pauls can cost a lot i think the jimmy page les paul is £4500. LP customs are about £2200. Luthiers cost stacks too but if you find one who hasnt gained a significant reputation they can be surprisingly cheap.
i gues it all depends on what you want. But if i was gonna spend that kind of money on an instrument i'd want to make sure its exactly what i want.
Matthew wrote:
The time we are currently in always seems the most boring one, but I believe in 40/50 years when many of the great guitars made today are discontinued, they will be sort after with the same 'grass is greener on the othe side' kudos.
I personally think the last 10 years is the best time for quality in the guitar's history. We are in a golden age of guitar making.
There are plenty of bad olf Fender and Gibsons too.
i agree that we're in the golden age of guitar making. Epiphone sheraton, yamaha pacifica (anything by yamaha actualy IMO), mexican strats, that cruiser i just bought. Great instruments for a good price. Need i say more.
in fact its probably because of all these good korean, mexican, japanese guitars that we're having this conversation
They have risen so much (Gibson's) since they mid 1990's. I remember Customs used to be £699 in 1996!!! and inflation hasn't gone up that much since.
There are some fantastic value Gibsons out now though. The new 3 pick up faded SG has a street price of c £600 and is a great axe. The Les Paul Studios are EXACTLY the same spec as the Les Paul Custom but minus the binding and at £700 new and £400-£500 second hand... great guitars to customise too.
I have 4 modern Gibsons and in my job played quite a few and they have all been exceptional. From the Les Paul Specials to the Les Paul Customs. Maybe I am lucky I haven't come across a dud.
My favourite country for quality is Japan. I prefer Fender Japan to Fender USA and my Gretsch is flawless.
As I am typing I have just had a moment of inspiration!!! Gordon Smith Guitars are hand made and made exactly to your specifications! Many are under a grand and they are also made in England.
Have you tried them they are great?
Having a break from online activity for a while to concentrate on music. Please email if you need to get in touch. Matt
Matthew wrote:
As I am typing I have just had a moment of inspiration!!! Gordon Smith Guitars are hand made and made exactly to your specifications! Many are under a grand and they are also made in England.
Have you tried them they are great?
never heard of them, ill check them out though. Its nice to hear about some more british manufacturers, we dont make enough guitars IMO.
to illustrate my earlier point about luthiers. In the sept issue of guitarist there's an article about readers guitars. A guy had a custom tele made to his exact specs. He didn't mention the price but said it was more than a fender standard tele but less than a deluxe.
unfortunatley other luthiers will charge 2 grand for a basic instrument thats not even too your specs.
i've always been curious about luthiers though, i wonder how much money they make and how much they have to charge to survive, they cant get too much custom after all.
One of my favourite axes in my collection is a Gibson Les Paul Studio I bought with a broken neck.I got it for £220 an went straight to Denmark street and got it professionally fixed for £40.
I then added gold Grover tuners, got a custom brass pick guard and truss rod cover made.
After several experiments settled on a 57 classic in the bridge and a stock one in the neck..then i sanded the neck.
Here It is. In total it has cost £400 and it plays great!! I have been so lucky with all my gear (thankyou god!! LOL:) )
Having a break from online activity for a while to concentrate on music. Please email if you need to get in touch. Matt
looks like a very nice axe (love the pickguard). Its a great feeling when you get a bargain like that.
my friend's SG had its headstock snapped off when someone sat on it, he fixed it using the pickup cover from the neck pickup and a couple of screws. I dont know how it worked but it played good
so how hard is it to fix things like that? If you were offered another guitar that was on deaths door would you buy it?
i keep thinking about changing the pickups on my epi LP but i cant bring myself to do it. Its not broke so why fix it.
i have a license but i dont drive either, my friends think im mad (cars are a status symbol to them) but you and i both know there are better things to spend money on
I think some people (well quite alot) can't drive well and do anyway and I am potentially one of those people...I have just nipped it in the bud.
I love talking gear!!
Good news the other day Suzie wants to get a steel string guitar and I have always wanted one. We are going to get one in march. When I got my Gretsch I promised 2 years before I get another guitar but because this is Suzie's this doesn't count!!
When I first saw my accountant I told him how much I'd spent on guitars leads and amps in a year and I could see he thought I was lying to get my tax reduced and then i got the receipts to him and he looked shocked LOL
Having a break from online activity for a while to concentrate on music. Please email if you need to get in touch. Matt
