Guitar center Gibson les paul standards

[Chadd]

Yeah, the one in Johnson City. I haven't been there in a few years, but they weren't even close to the worst shop I've been in. The Dunkin Donuts up the street, though.... the only coffee shop I've ever been in where "black coffee" somehow included cream and sugar every damn time I was there.

 

[moreles]

Christosterone's suggestion is the only way I know to have any choice or possibility of real success through Guitar Center. I stop in guitars stores all the time, and Guitar Center consistently handles mostly undistinguished, dull Les Pauls. It almost seems as though they have some secret deal with Gibson to get duds at lower wholesale prices. I know some people run into great LPs at GC, but that is the exception, in my experience, not the rule. The good thing about GC is the accress to their nationwide stock, and if you use that, which most buyers are too impulsive and lazy to do, it's a game-changer in terms of selection. I have bought only one guitar in my life from GC -- a mismarked Custom Shop Strat -- despite many, many visits when searching out guitars. I always find much better instruments at much better prices elsewhere. Being able to access nationwide inventory is the way to go with GC.

 

[lpfan1980]

This one was made almost a year ago... mid-March 2019

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SUBLIME-A SHINY STUNNER Many hours of fun!

 

[jstarr]

Christosterone's suggestion is the only way I know to have any choice or possibility of real success through Guitar Center. I stop in guitars stores all the time, and Guitar Center consistently handles mostly undistinguished, dull Les Pauls. It almost seems as though they have some secret deal with Gibson to get duds at lower wholesale prices. I know some people run into great LPs at GC, but that is the exception, in my experience, not the rule. The good thing about GC is the accress to their nationwide stock, and if you use that, which most buyers are too impulsive and lazy to do, it's a game-changer in terms of selection. I have bought only one guitar in my life from GC -- a mismarked Custom Shop Strat -- despite many, many visits when searching out guitars. I always find much better instruments at much better prices elsewhere. Being able to access nationwide inventory is the way to go with GC.

I used to go to 3 local Guitar Centers each week on the reg. I was “lucky” to be centrally located in Michigan, so I could hit any one of these stores within a 1/2 hour drive. I was basically a regular at the Flint, Southfield, and Canton stores. In 8+ years of regular shopping at these stores, I purchased a whopping 3 Les Pauls. It could have been 50, but it took 8 years to find 3 good Les ones. Mostly due to guitars that were beat to shit and left unmaintained for months on end. There were occasions when I had to do my own in-store setup to determine if a guitar was even playable. On my travels to my new home in South Carolina, I hit several GC stores on my way... including two in Nashville. I assumed that the guitars would be better in Nashville. Specifically the Les Pauls. That was not the case. Just more garbage. It’s pretty said when the LPs on the used rack are cleaner and play better than the new stuff. F’ Guitar Center. Sweetwater is my bag.

 

[gadgetfreak]

I only buy mismarked items myself, my Victoria 20112, Goodsell Super17mk4 and that Studio Vintage 2x12 were all had for extremely low prices. 800,800, and 300 for cab. That's why I love GC, but I scan there inventory more than once a day looking.

My 2016 Gibson Les paul Standard is a Stud and My Martin HD28 is too, but I bought them both at GC local to get trade ins then had them ship new ones to my home. The store selection where I live is usually banged up as well. I live in Ma

 

[LP Fan]

I have never had any luck at GC, and won't buy from them. Unimpressed with their stores, unknowledgeable staff, and lack of care for their instruments.

 

[tjdjr1]

tonawanda has pick up in store. I have had no luck at all with guitar center. I tried to buy a couple of used amp heads and both dead on arrival... I will say the customer service was great at my store (erie). i have not been in there in over a year told them I was done with guitar center.

 

[Christosterone]

I thought i would be having fun but its been a nightmare

i can’t imagine having a nightmare looking for a new les Paul...
some are duds...part of the deal

u will learn to research...I haven’t returned a guitar in 28 years if that makes u feel better

have fun with it...life is short and buying a les Paul is the quintessential example of “smelling the roses”....

to give u an idea, I am currently working on a build for which I bought the first part in March of 2019....
a gigantic polisher arrived via shipme Tuesday...I can’t figure out to what I’ll mount it...alos, I don’t know how to polish
but that’s all part of the fun

take joy from looking...because once you get the perfect guitar, it’ll be over and u will be thinking about the next one...at least that’s how I’m wired...
looking is 99.9% of the fun

-Chris

 

[KS 5150]

tonawanda has pick up in store. I have had no luck at all with guitar center. I tried to buy a couple of used amp heads and both dead on arrival... I will say the customer service was great at my store (erie). i have not been in there in over a year told them I was done with guitar center.

THey've always been Guitar Denter to me.

 

[mudface]

i can’t imagine having a nightmare looking for a new les Paul...
some are duds...part of the deal

u will learn to research...I haven’t returned a guitar in 28 years if that makes u feel better

have fun with it...life is short and buying a les Paul is the quintessential example of “smelling the roses”....

to give u an idea, I am currently working on a build for which I bought the first part in March of 2019....
a gigantic polisher arrived via shipme Tuesday...I can’t figure out to what I’ll mount it...alos, I don’t know how to polish
but that’s all part of the fun

take joy from looking...because once you get the perfect guitar, it’ll be over and u will be thinking about the next one...at least that’s how I’m wired...
looking is 99.9% of the fun

-Chris

+100..... I truly enjoy looking.... even when I don’t have a clue to what I’m looking for.... but I will know when I find it.

Enjoy the search and keep your eyes open to those off radar..... that’s when I find the best gems.

 

[Christosterone]

+100..... I truly enjoy looking.... even when I don’t have a clue to what I’m looking for.... but I will know when I find it.

Enjoy the search and keep your eyes open to those off radar..... that’s when I find the best gems.

‘I have only one self-imposed restriction when “searching”
im not allowed any browsing after ambien(which I take very infrequently)

one day a stratosphere lp body and eBay framed picture of Elvis shaking Nixon’s hand arrived...

the Nixon photo hangs in my home office right now....literally have no memory of buying it but I’m sure the logic was sound lol

-Chris

 

[danzego]

Getting one with a good set-up is half the battle, and most of the time Guitar Center just unboxes and hangs, so if the guitar isn't set up great from the factory, it's not great at GC.

I would shop online at Sweetwater. You can pick your specific guitar from photos (and they show each guitar's weight), they do a really nice set-up before shipping, and their return policy is gold.

To be fair, Sweetwater won’t do a thing to it unless you pay for a setup, which you can also do at GC. GC’s return policy is also way better (15 days longer, you don’t have to pay for shipping or repay the original shipping if you simply didn’t like it).

With that said, being able to see your guitar and have a general idea of the weight (Sweetwater isn’t exact) before ordering IS real nice. Gibson USA releases far too many dog ass tops and playing the GC lottery can yield some pretty disappointing results.

 

[danzego]

Christosterone's suggestion is the only way I know to have any choice or possibility of real success through Guitar Center. I stop in guitars stores all the time, and Guitar Center consistently handles mostly undistinguished, dull Les Pauls. It almost seems as though they have some secret deal with Gibson to get duds at lower wholesale prices. I know some people run into great LPs at GC, but that is the exception, in my experience, not the rule. The good thing about GC is the accress to their nationwide stock, and if you use that, which most buyers are too impulsive and lazy to do, it's a game-changer in terms of selection. I have bought only one guitar in my life from GC -- a mismarked Custom Shop Strat -- despite many, many visits when searching out guitars. I always find much better instruments at much better prices elsewhere. Being able to access nationwide inventory is the way to go with GC.

I’ve felt exactly the same way about Sweetwater, at least in the last few years. I do think a good part of it is they’re stuck in a few set angles on their pictures, which don’t seem to do LP’s justice.I think the top on my 2019 Traditional is real nice and it sure didn’t look as good in their pictures when I bought it as it does in person. But overall, having watched their site regularly for the last couple years, it’s rare that I find Gibson USA’s that drop my jaw. In fact, I find myself surprised that they didn’t stuff some of these monstrosities right back in the box and shipped them back to Gibson. Sweetwater HAS to be getting some sort of kick back for carrying the stock they do.

Wildwood, on the other hand....their tops are regularly the bee’s knees.

 

[MikeT57]

I purchased a 60s Standard from GC in Fairlawn Ohio.. stunning guitar and plays GREAT!! Bourbon Burst...minor adjustment to truss rod and she's stellar....

 

[pondcaster]

I purchased a 60s Standard from GC in Fairlawn Ohio.. stunning guitar and plays GREAT!! Bourbon Burst...minor adjustment to truss rod and she's stellar....

Beautiful LP you've got there, congrats!

I know the feeling, I got one a few weeks ago that could be a cousin? Born 10/29/19 according to the case docs. Stunning tops, perfect (for me) neck profile/fretboards and those '61 pickups...Can not put it down. Looks different in different lighting, for sure. When i bought at GC, kinda thought it was more "plain-ish top" vs flames. Flames started revealing themselves in my music room and then walked outside in the full sun. WOW... a lot going on there, flame-wise.

 

[bungle]

Sounds just like Long & Mcquade up here. Mostly ugly tops, qc issues, scratched & dented guitars, never set up, employees don't give a crap. Worst of all is the monopoly on Gibson guitars. Tom Lee has a few gibsons but I'm yet to see a half decent looking one? All mine were bought used.

 

[JohnnyPhatsaqs]

I purchased a 60s Standard from GC in Fairlawn Ohio.. stunning guitar and plays GREAT!! Bourbon Burst...minor adjustment to truss rod and she's stellar....

What's that case?

 

[Frethead]

I’ve felt exactly the same way about Sweetwater, at least in the last few years. I do think a good part of it is they’re stuck in a few set angles on their pictures, which don’t seem to do LP’s justice.I think the top on my 2019 Traditional is real nice and it sure didn’t look as good in their pictures when I bought it as it does in person. But overall, having watched their site regularly for the last couple years, it’s rare that I find Gibson USA’s that drop my jaw. In fact, I find myself surprised that they didn’t stuff some of these monstrosities right back in the box and shipped them back to Gibson. Sweetwater HAS to be getting some sort of kick back for carrying the stock they do.

Wildwood, on the other hand....their tops are regularly the bee’s knees.

Completely agree. Sweetwater needs to overhaul their photography process. The lighting they use is awful, it doesn't show off the tops well at all. It's actually one of the reasons why I went with Sam Ash last year instead, I felt like I had a better grasp of what kind of guitar I was actually going to get look-wise.

 

[Gridlock]

I came close to buying a brand new Standard Goldtop at GC over the holidays. I held out and bought a used R7 for a little more money.

The Standard GT was a beautiful guitar and it had the 50’s neck that I love. They are really nice guitars and with a GC Coupon you can’t go too wrong.