Debating "imperfections"

[callmeval]

Surely cosmetic flaws are a testament to the fact that they're handmade guitars & shouldn't this be a reassuring thing? I mean, if Les Paul's were 100% aesthetically perfect it'd raise questions & concerns? Like, make people suspect them of being made by machines instead of people?

Also, why should Gibson bother making Les Pauls cosmetically faultless when their nitro finishes have the breaking strain of a Kit Kat & "ageing" them is considered a cool thing to do anyway? lol

I think it's really weird that some guys will literally take a magnifying glass to their Les Pauls & suffer a crippling nervous breakdown the moment they discover evidence of it being a handmade guitar. I mean, what do you expect? You bought a handmade instrument with vintage specs ffs

Later the same guys will purr over a 50s era LP with rotting inlays, rusted hardware & a worn out body covered in blemishes & dings. I don't get it.

 

[endial]

Humans.

Can't live with 'em. Can't live without 'em.

 

[mudface]

Really Val..... another troll thread.... I’m still wanting to see pics of your Slash anaconda

 

[callmeval]

Really Val..... another troll thread.... I’m still wanting to see pics of your Slash anaconda

Sure, buy me a fresh pack of strings & that'll be a $100 labor charge (dismantling the guitar, taking pictures & setting it all up again. Just for you...)

 

[Rando375]

 

[ArchEtech]

There are charming imperfections of a handmade crafted instrument. There are also things like:

A new guitar without pots wired.

Glue splatter at the neck joint that block stain and gets clear coated anyway.

Fret board binding that looks like it was scrapped with a dull steak knife.

Ritchlite fretboards

Chambering because the highest quality wood can’t be found for a guitar that cost more than most people spend on their car, and not telling people.

I love my Gibsons but some complaints are warranted.

 

[mudface]

Sure, buy me a fresh pack of strings & that'll be a $100 labor charge (dismantling the guitar, taking pictures & setting it all up again. Just for you...)

Nope.... just a plain non-destructive pic of the guitar with a spoon.... just to make sure it wasn’t grabbed off a ad.

No?.....okay I’m out.

 

[LP1865]

Sure, buy me a fresh pack of strings & that'll be a $100 labor charge (dismantling the guitar, taking pictures & setting it all up again. Just for you...)

Just loosen the strings, unscrew the pickup and click a pic. It's not that hard

 

[BDW60]

Interesting topic. I just took delivery of a 60s Bourbon Burst yesterday. A svelte 8 pounds, 12 oz. I have fine toothed combed it and played the shit out of it in the last 24 hours.

Did I receive a perfect guitar? Well, no. There are two little dark specs in the binding. Otherwise, the binding and nibs are pretty damn great. They could have scraped it better in one spot. It plays well, sounds very good despite me going into this almost sure the 61 pickups weren’t gonna be my thing.

I did not expect an absolutely perfect fit and finish guitar from a manufacturer that pumps out 350 guitars per day. Gibson could cut that number in half and do a much better job on the finest details, but that’s a proposition that doesn’t work for them or us financially. Frankly, I would not be interested in a 3,600 dollar USA Les Paul Standard. At 2,300, which is what I paid for it, it’s a damn sweet bargain. I can’t emphasize that enough. I’ll take a few minor cosmetic imperfections that have zero impact on my enjoyment of and appreciation for this guitar to keep this price point.

These recent original series guitars, feel wise, are creeping ever closer to historics. I’ve owned a good number of both breeds. This guitar is 95 percent of the way to my fantastic 2019 R8 V2 for about half the price, right out of the box with no mods. I’m no math whiz, but I like that equation. A lot.

 

[Thundermtn]

Yup, I even linked him a video of how to do it.

Dude is a poser, here to talk a bunch of crap for lord knows why.

 

[ehb]

Lotto Dave's guitars are handmade... Gibson not so much. CNCs y'all...

There is a lot of handwork but....

 

[callmeval]

I've seen some guys become inconsolable wrecks & throw deranged tantrums just because their handmade guitar with vintage specs has handmade features they were warned about in the products advertizing & I'm like, wow, that's hilarious but kind of terrifying at the same time. But mostly hilarious.

 

[ehb]

I'm not quite sure I understand previous post.

 

[mdubya]

I’m still wanting to see pics of your anaconda

 

[ehb]

Oh my homey jeebus...

 

[sonar1]

It’s Friday!

Fire for effect!

 

[mudface]

The way Val has been talking about it in his other thread..... you would wanna see it too.

Now he wants a hundred dollars to show it...... I have shown mine for free.... let that sink in.

 

[diogoguitar]

Knowing Gibson, I think some flaws are more forgivable than others.

Incorrect/missing wiring? No
Tooling marks on the fretboard? borderline
Big ass dents and chips on the fretboard? No, not on a $2500 guitar.

 

[BDW60]

Knowing Gibson, I think some flaws are more forgivable than others.

Incorrect/missing wiring? No
Tooling marks on the fretboard? borderline
Big ass dents and chips on the fretboard? No, not on a $2500 guitar.

Agree. When it is glaring problems and not just small stuff, that’s a problem.

The small stuff is across the board with Gibson and extends to a lesser degree to the custom shop. That’s straight from an employee who works at a big market store swImming in historics, who deals them every day.

 

[PauloQS]

I don’t know if you’re trolling, but I actually agree with this. The bad wiring or some other flaws are less forgivable. But the tool mark obsession, don‘t get.