Gibson Quality Control

[Stealth]

Is there any ?

I had a tbird delivered today and it looks like a 5 year old lacquered it ! Dealer that will go unamed said "oh there all handmade sir thats a feature" Bollox indeed so it's going back. I have just looked at another two and they are worse seems to be a real hit and miss ?

[Billy Apple]

Any pics of the lacquer? Was this a vintage sunburst TBird, as I had a new one ('11) and the finish was flawless.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Billy Apple

[neepheid]

[quote name='Stealth' timestamp='1401792596' post='2466831']
Is there any ?
[/quote]


No, there isn't any

[Stealth]

Yep vintage burst will post pics later

[gsgbass]

I'm wondering if there is any QC myself. The frets on the SG Spl. Bass I had were terrible. I'd go with a Fender Standard Jazz, or Precision if I was somewhat locked into that price range. I know the Fender Standard doesn't come with a case, but decent frets are more important to me than a case.

[skej21]

In short, no. IME the Gibson QC is often worse than the Epiphone QC.

[Musicman20]

This is why I avoided Gibson. I had a look at a few SG's recently, and theit paintjobs looks very rushed.

Pretty low prices though, for some of their basses.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Musicman20

[Weststarx]

To me Gibsons feel like cheap guitars.

They feel completely unbalanced and the finishes are generally poor. I feel they sell on brand name alone and people see past the averageness 'because its a Gibson'

PRS in my opinion really show them up.

(I own a Les Paul and a PRS Paul Allender Sig)

[davedave]

I would agree. I played on a 120th anniversary Firebird (appallingly set up by the way) last week. The finish was utter crap. I've no idea what they are thinking with that binding colour either.

Squire can knock out flawless finishes. Gibson should be able to also. I know poly and nitro are different, but so are the price points of the two brands.

[Adee]

They are horrific to the point where I wont be getting another ! sharp and uneven frets, stiff tone pot, loose pickup internals, missing side dot marker, fit and finish like a two year old had done it ... and all of this on a bass retailing over £1000 !!!!! how any of this got past the QC person I do not know ... UTTER UTTER GARBAGE ! [attachment=164651:Gibson SG.jpg]

Edited June 9, 2014 by Adee

[artisan]

Nothing wrong at all with my SG bass & it was setup perfectly right out of the box.

[Adee]

There's just too many people questioning their QC
maybe the odd good one get thru the net !

[jezzaboy]

A couple of years ago, my then guitarist, was wanting a Les Paul. He looked at a Gibson Studio LP. The black paint job was very poor is some areas and had some dodgy fret work.

The 2nd hand Jap Tokia Les Paul copy he looked at had a flawless paint job, was very well made, sounded as good and was half the price.

Guess which one the plonker bought? I think Gibson survive on their name alone, as do some others to be fair.

[Clarky]

I sent back a new SG Faded Cherry bass a few months back as the frets were rough and very sharp at the edges (to the extent it hurt to slide up the neck) and as the rosewood board had obviously been split and epoxied by the nut to 'make good'. It was worse than the finish on one of those ultra-cheapo mass-market 'learner' basses

[gadgie]

I have a few Gibson guitars in my collection. I have a 1980 LP Custom that for the purist is one of the worst. Hardly any dish on the top, and the bottom horn nearly points straight down (well slightly down anyway). However, it does sound very good and plays well. I also have a 2002 LP. This one is from around a time when they started to get their act together again as far as finish and closer to the original idea of a LP. Plays and sounds very good.
However, I have played and seen some terrible Gibsons over the years. Set up from the factory on most are rubbish to be honest. Often the nuts need re-cut etc.
People will always strive to get a 'named' brand. One they looked up to when they were younger etc and there's nothing wrong with that if you know what you are getting into.
My two fav guitars are not top of the range ones. One is a Gibson melody maker (the P90 one) which I got from a local shop for 249 quid. The other is a Robin SG type. The finish on the Robin is on par if not better than any Gibson I've owned, and sounds great. The MM was so cheap I've got to love it lol. Great for those punk moments.

[Musicman20]

I'm quite glad I don't really get on with the shape/feel of a Les Paul, as now I'm playing more guitar I was pondering what is next. I'll stick to Teles and Strats. Maybe an Epiphone Casino which probably had better QC than a Gibson.

[Kiwi]

Jon Shuker had a Les Paul custom shop in while I was doing my build. It was worth a couple of thousand quid and had some very poor finishing around the neck joint. Shouldn't be happening on an instrument a quarter of the Les Paul's value, let alone something that expensive.

[gsgbass]

She looks, and plays like a dream.

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/mhlcceK.jpg[/IMG]

[Lozz196]

You`re becoming Mr Gibson with that collection!

[Woodinblack]

Gibsons are very much something you have to get in person as their QC is so variable. Older ones tend to be better as the previous owner has fixed the problems and got it working as it should!

[thodrik]

My brother has an SG that is lovely. Present guitarist in my band has a Les Paul. General finish on both of them is top notch. I'm certainly aware of the issues though and some of the finishing and fret work on high price Gibsons can leave a lot to be desired.

[Woodinblack]

And electrical problems. There are some lovely gibsons out there, but for the price they charge, there are too many that have issues, it shouldn't be as common as it is.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1401960598' post='2468636']
In short, no. IME the Gibson QC is often worse than the Epiphone QC.
[/quote]

Thus says the man who happily sold me one!

No issues, however. I knew what I was buying - they have their foibles, but they play and sound superb

[gsgbass]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1403278965' post='2481483']
You`re becoming Mr Gibson with that collection!
[/quote]

Hey Mr. Lozz; the Gibsons got my attention. I can't shake the sound from an SG Std. The EB 2014 is slowly becoming my every day, every play bass. To me the EB neck is very similar in shape and feel as the Ric 4003. A very friendly go to feel. I've been playing Gibsons on and off since 1969. Why not.

Edited June 21, 2014 by gsgbass

[skej21]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1403304813' post='2481813']


Thus says the man who happily sold me one!

No issues, however. I knew what I was buying - they have their foibles, but they play and sound superb
[/quote]

In my defence, I said 'in short'... There are obviously some exceptions and I didn't mean the newer EB range as they are excellent quality! It's the other stuff like thunderbirds (the Gibson Thunderbirds that we've had in have been no better quality than the Epiphone models but obviously carry a much larger price tag!) and SGs but mostly the guitars (in fact, usually the stuff that has a high gloss lacquer finish) that tend to be badly finished. We had a Memphis custom ES175 in and they hadn't even painted under the neck pocket!! Just sprayed it with the neck already set. We also had a VOS 335 and the lacquer was cracking around the Gibson inlay on the headstock. Had to send them both back and they are £2500+ guitars! Those EB basses are lovely though and worth every single penny!

Edited June 21, 2014 by skej21