Talk me into buying a LP Standard instead of a Tribute

[CB91710]

From a practicality point, the Tribute will do anything you will ever NEED.

But music is not about need. It is not sterile and clinical, purely practical.
Music is all about emotion... from the final product to the equipment used to produce it.

You WANT the Standard.
If you settle for the Tribute, I'd bet that within 5 years, you will own a Standard.

Your current abilities to play have nothing to do with it. A nice guitar will inspire you to play more, which will in turn make you a better player.

Buy the one you want, not the one you need.

 

[CB91710]

Also keep in mind the relative value... Tribute does not include a hardshell case.

 

[rjwilson37]

With a proper setup, your least favorite will become your favorite, most likely. I would get the Standard Faded, definitely a sought-after guitar from the past and should fulfill your dream to own a nice Gibson Les Paul. You get the nice light nitro finish with a smooth feeling/playing neck and a beautiful guitar for sure. It should check all your boxes; I know I would like to get one.

That particular one that you picked up and played, that may not be the one. You should have them bring out a few of the 60's Standard Faded and get the one that speaks to you the most.

If the Tribute still speaks to you the most, just get it and enjoy it for a long time. You will probably end up purchasing at least 1 or 2 more over the next year or so anyway. haha.

 

[rjwilson37]

I have a 2011 60's Tribute, nothing wrong with that guitar at all, I love it. I of course just have a few other's as well over the years. haha

I purchased a hard case for mine to help show it off more and protect it.

 

[Mr French]

Also keep in mind the relative value... Tribute does not include a hardshell case.

View attachment 665367

Gibson not giving a hardshell case is the most dumbest thing on top of many things they've done.

Back in 2005 They gave studio's hardshell cases.

 

[Thundermtn]

Don't get a knock off if you're after a Gibson Les Paul.

If you also want cool Asian made guitars get those too, lots of them are great, but don't skip the real deal if you want one.

There's a strong argument to be made that most people watching and hearing guitarists could give a rip what it actually sounds like. In a full band mix.... it probably doesn't matter to anyone except the guy actually playing it.

I can tell by the feel of my R8 how badass it is, same with my Custom Shop Ibanez. The Iceman is a tonal copy of a Les Paul, but it's NOT a Les Paul! Even if it may play a tiny bit better. Guys can program a computer to make Les Paul sounds too, why even get a Guitar at all?

An Asian LP copy that may be as nice....... maybe...... but I also care about things other than cost to quality ratio. Having the same guitar as my influences may sound strange to seriously logical, highly analytical people, but it matters to me. Jimmy Page, Slash, Billy Gibbons, those guitars and those tones are what made me want to play. There's absolutely nothing wrong with paying homage to that music and those players.

Just know that guitars are emotional things to the player and your heart isn't wrong, wherever it takes you.

 

[redcoats1976]

i might be the wrong guy to talk to here.have had my tribute since 2018,and its my go to guitar out of several including a 2016 trad HP (pretty much a standard but with real MOP inlays and slightly wider fretboard) i might take it to the orlando guitar show and see if anything there floats my boat better than the trad,but if not ill bring it home.the tribute GT isnt going anywhere though...keep in mind that im a gear whore,and i like to trade and sell when i get the itch.

 

[Blues scale]

Ok guys, some great replies in here, thanks very much.

I think my next step is to go to another store that has the Faded 60s Standard and see if it feels any different. The neck felt much less smooth than the Tribute, but maybe another will be better. I’ve read some people sand them, but I don’t fancy doing that.

I’ve used a luthier for the first time with an old Mexican Strat and I’m getting it back in a couple of weeks. If he’s completely transformed it, then maybe that will convince me to get a Standard and then take it to him to set up.

If not, I’m still erring towards the Tribute, as I’ve never had that much fun playing a guitar.

Also thanks to everyone who shared the pics of their gear. Amazing guitar porn.

I’ll try to get to the store next weekend, so I’ll update if anyones interested.

 

[rjwilson37]

Ok guys, some great replies in here, thanks very much.

I think my next step is to go to another store that has the Faded 60s Standard and see if it feels any different. The neck felt much less smooth than the Tribute, but maybe another will be better. I’ve read some people sand them, but I don’t fancy doing that.

I’ve used a luthier for the first time with an old Mexican Strat and I’m getting it back in a couple of weeks. If he’s completely transformed it, then maybe that will convince me to get a Standard and then take it to him to set up.

If not, I’m still erring towards the Tribute, as I’ve never had that much fun playing a guitar.

Also thanks to everyone who shared the pics of their gear. Amazing guitar porn.

I’ll try to get to the store next weekend, so I’ll update if anyones interested.

Every Guitar is a little bit different, even the same model/year. There is a lot of hands on touchup at the final stages of Gibson finishing that guitar, so every one of them is a little bit different and unique to a point. If that Tribute that you tried sells, you may not find another that is that fun and fantastic to play. Good Luck with your search and keep us up to date.

 

[Blues scale]

Despite the somewhat thin finish on the Tribute, you CAN buff it out to a decent lustre. I did so successfully while I had mine apart upgrading harness and pickups. That said, I still have the desire to buy a Standard as well

If I go for the Tribute, I’ll probably do this. I checked out some of the threads on here and they look great.

I already don’t like the look of the Tribute, so it would feel like there’s less to lose than trying to mod a Standard.

I assume if I don’t like how the polish turns out, then it doesn’t matter too much, as it will eventually fade over time? Might be better to start a separate thread if this sparks a big debate…

 

[Knoby]

ll try to get to the store next weekend, so I’ll update if anyones interested.

Yes! Keep us updated. We always love to see pics of new guitars.

Also try more standards if you can. Dont forget they also come with choice of 2 neck styles, 50s or 60s.

As for the lacquer finish on the neck. It was sticky AF when i first played a standard in store because of nerves of playing an expensive guitar that wasn't mine. But once i got it home, i got over it. And now my own mojo has soaked into the lacquer.

Good luck with your search.

 

[rjwilson37]

Don't get a knock off if you're after a Gibson Les Paul.

There's a strong argument to be made that most people watching and hearing guitarists could give a rip what it actually sounds like. In a full band mix.... it probably doesn't matter to anyone except the guy actually playing it.

An Asian LP copy that may be as nice....... maybe...... but I also care about things other than cost to quality ratio. Having the same guitar as my influences may sound strange to seriously logical, highly analytical people, but it matters to me. Jimmy Page, Slash, Billy Gibbons, those guitars and those tones are what made me want to play. There's absolutely nothing wrong with paying homage to that music and those players.

Just know that guitars are emotional things to the player and your heart isn't wrong, wherever it takes you.

The Gibson Les Paul that was not a real Gibson Les Paul at all but a top-notch replica of a 59. Slash did not like his tone when they were making the AFD album, and his manager went and got him that Les Paul Copy for $2500. That was it for Slash and the rest is history, Slash found his tone and that is another one of the things that put Gibson back on the map for a lot of guitar players. You want that Warm, Smooth, and Full tone that a Gibson Les Paul can give you.

 

[searswashere]

The only thing stopping you from buying a Gibson Les Paul is your wallet. Skill has nothing to do with it.

 

[dspelman]

Neither.

Quite honestly, if I *had* to buy a Gibson again, I'd buy another Axcess Custom. You can get them without the Floyd if you prefer. The "Custom" business gets you white binding (and multi-layer binding on the body and headstock) -- when I bought mine I didn't like the titty pink plastics look that the Standards or the normal Axcess had.

I'm also not a fan of matte/satin finishes on guitars. I've had some time, obviously, to consider them over the past decade, and they haven't grown on me at all. I *do* have a couple of guitars that have matte polywhatsis on the back of the necks (these are bolt-neck guitars), but I have a whole ton of guitars that came with gloss necks and honestly, they've become easy to play over time. If you're one of those guys who's not going to play the thing very often, then you might NOT like gloss.

The Axcess body is slightly thinner than a standard LP. It's also got a sculpted neck heel and a tummy cut. You don't really realize how nice both of those are until you pick up a guitar without either. The Axcess also comes with Gibson bog-standard 12" radius (but at least it's an ebony fretboard) and medium jumbo frets. I'm not a fan of either, but I had the guitar's frets superglued and PLEK'd and it's SO much better than it was.

From the audience perspective, you've got what looks like an ordinary Gibson LP. Not bad.

Honestly, I've got a stack of Gibsons, so there's not much giddiness attached to owning another.

I actually play other guitars a lot more frequently, and I have some that have a thinner, wider neck with a flatter radius (16") and bigger frets. Much preferred. Still have the ebony fretboard, real MOP or Abalone inlays, good tuners, carved neck-body join (neck-through construction), tummy cut, full maple caps, mahogany body sides and custom-style features like the multi-layer binding on body and headstock.

I think there's a certain ego level required to "need" a Gibson-logoed guitar these days, but I found that after my first one (which happened to be my first ever guitar) that disappeared. I think it's a bit like the Cadillac that some folks were convinced was the best car on the planet. It wasn't, but you couldn't convince them of that. These days we know better, but there are still a few of those people out there.

 

[simon connor]

I think if you start with the Faded, you'll eventually want a Standard, and then you'll have spent 3000 Pounds. Even if you can get some of the money back by selling the Faded, you'll still have spent more. So I think you just go straight to the Standard. Maybe play several Standards and buy the one you like best?

 

[bungle]

Standard, no regrets.

 

[Platte City Paul]

I just bought this Les Paul 60s Iced Tea burst. It's fantastic. It'll make its stage debut in February. I don't regret a dime a spent on this.

https://imgur.com/WeDCLp7

 

[DaveSG]

I brokered a deal on a Tribute for a friend, and I myself have a Standard. If you needed just a good, solid guitar to play, you would lack nothing with a Tribute. However, it will never be a Standard, no matter how well you change it or dress it up. There is probably no other quintessential Gibson, than a Les Paul Standard - and no other quintessential LP than a Goldtop.

If you need a great, solid working man's guitar, you cannot go wrong with a Tribute. However, if you truly want a LP Standard, I suggest you go that route, and hold out for one that really speaks to you, and just begs you to take it home. Good luck!

 

[TaterNuts]

My first LP was a Studio. After the honeymoon phase is over, I wished I had bought a Standard. It didn't take me long to pull the trigger on a Standard. Learn from my mistake.

 

[CB91710]

Gibson not giving a hardshell case is the most dumbest thing on top of many things they've done.

Back in 2005 They gave studio's hardshell cases.

Like auto makers "de-optioning" vehicles
The "LE" used to be "Limited Edidion" or "Luxury Edition"... "CE" or "City Edition" may still be available in other countries.
But now the LE is the base model... the options moved to the SE, XLE, and Limited... and now they've added "Platinum" because the Limited is no longer the top of the line.

Fender has done the same. You don't get a hard case until you get into the $1700+ range except for the LP Junior/Special.
You don't even get a gig bag from Fender with the $1000 Deluxe Player now.

But again, the Gibson soft case is miles ahead of the basic gig bag that you get from other makers.