Gibson quality control issues?

[mpdd]

my 2012 flying v is pretty nice, the frets could be a little more rounded and the nut could have been cut a little better, but i wouldn't consider it bad, just not up to the standard of my g&l sb-2, my luthier fixed it right up and now i have a cool bass to play when things get a little more 80s metal

 

[DanGouge]

There are a number of Gibsons I would love to own (the current EB series, the reissued NR T-Birds, maybe the midtown) but I know from even (perhaps especially) the most committed Gibson fans that you should probably try before you buy (or at least have a very good return policy in place). I generally apply the same rule to most mass-produced gear.

 

[Showdown]

Why would you buy a new bass for the price Gibson asks, and then have to take it to a luthier just to get it to play? It should be built well enough for the player or store to at least make it playable.

Unfortunately, if you buy from a big box store you can expect them to not be set up properly and for their techs to not know how to set it up properly. This has nothing to do with the manufacturer. Sam Ash and GC are the Walmarts of music stores.

 

[Mastermold]

My only Gibson bass is a 2013 Midtown. I really like it. The only issue it had was the neck pickup vibrated against the cover (common on these apparently) so I put a small piece of felt on the pickup and that was all it needed. Sounds great, plays really good, fun bass to gig and record with.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Well I was in the market to buy an EB in the future but I'm a little weary now. My guitarist and a bassist friend both have one and they love em.

 

[Laredo]

I have had nothing but issues with Gibson Guitars over the past few years......I do not own any of their basses, but was a fan of their Les Paul Guitars. I have sold most of them off, and do not plan on purchasing any more products form them in the future. There has been may issues with quaity over the past few years......The most recent was a Custom Shop 1 of 50 Les Paul that developed checking in the finish soon after purchase. I keep all my guitar in a climate controlled musice room, so there are no issues there. I contacted Gibson, and they simply stated we don't warranty finishes. I tried for weeks toget a hold of someone in management without success. This is a very limited run Les Paul that I can't replace, and they would not look at it. I sent photos, and they told me there was nothing they could do......Lesson learned!

I also purchased a Gibson Bass from a music store once. The frets were so sharp and horrible that the owner of the store contact his rep and arranged to have it fixed at Gibson. They sent the bass back to Gibson to have the frets dressed and leveled and when it came back the Headstock was broken!!

 

[Mastermold]

Bummer. The frets on my 2013 Midtown were perfect. I assume they were Plecked.

 

[blue4]

Unfortunately, if you buy from a big box store you can expect them to not be set up properly and for their techs to not know how to set it up properly. This has nothing to do with the manufacturer. Sam Ash and GC are the Walmarts of music stores.

If Ibanez or Yamaha can get a cheap bass to Sam Ash in a playable condition, I fail to see why Gibson has such trouble. And the OP wasn't saying that they weren't set up properly, he said they couldn't be made playable without taking them somewhere and having to pay to get it playable. That's to be expected somewhat with a Squier Affinity, but a $1000+ Gibson? These reputations aren't built in a vacuum, or by a couple of unhappy guys. There's been enough concern over Gibsons QC lately to safely assume there's a problem.

 

[Showdown]

If Ibanez or Yamaha can get a cheap bass to Sam Ash in a playable condition, I fail to see why Gibson has such trouble. And the OP wasn't saying that they weren't set up properly, he said they couldn't be made playable without taking them somewhere and having to pay to get it playable. That's to be expected somewhat with a Squier Affinity, but a $1000+ Gibson? These reputations aren't built in a vacuum, or by a couple of unhappy guys. There's been enough concern over Gibsons QC lately to safely assume there's a problem.

There is a large thread on these EB basses, the general consensus is that they are nice basses. I know a lot of people that have purchased Gibson instruments in the last few years (myself included) and none have had theses kind of issues. The small number of people that do have the issues start threads, which makes it appear to be a worse problem than it is. IMO.

I think that a lot of the problem is because Gibson basses are different. They don't follow the Fender path, they play different, they sound different, they look different. They come in different colors (look at the people saying Gibson's colors don't look right - that is a personal opinion, not a design flaw or QC issue with the basses).

If a new bass in a store still has fret buzz after getting it set up by the techs at Sam Ash that doesn't mean it can't be set up not to buzz.

 

[blue4]

There is a large thread on these EB basses, the general consensus is that they are nice basses. I know a lot of people that have purchased Gibson instruments in the last few years (myself included) and none have had theses kind of issues. The small number of people that do have the issues start threads, which makes it appear to be a worse problem than it is. IMO.

It isn't just people starting threads on websites.

 

[Showdown]

It isn't just people starting threads on websites.

What issues have you personally had with Gibson basses?

 

[SirMjac28]

Unfortunately, if you buy from a big box store you can expect them to not be set up properly and for their techs to not know how to set it up properly. This has nothing to do with the manufacturer. Sam Ash and GC are the Walmarts of music stores.

I totally disagree my tech is at GC and is one of the best in the area he's there instead of having his own business because he gets medical and has a young family. There are plenty of good techs at "big box stores" just like there are plenty of hack luthiers and most box stores don't set them up because it's so subjective and they make money doing it why blame the box stores for something that should come from the factory if anything else.

 

[Showdown]

why blame the box stores for something that should come from the factory if anything else.

Because a bass can (and often does) leave the factory perfectly set up and arrive at the store needing a set up. You can never count on a bass getting to the store in the same condition as it left the factory.

Gibson typically uses mahogany for the necks and thin nitro finishes. This is going to respond more to temperature and humidity changes than a bass with a maple neck and thick poly finish. It doesn't mean there is a problem from the factory.

I'm not saying Gibson doesn't have QC issues, but I have played (and currently own) new Gibson instruments, and their frets are typically pretty good. If a bass is fret buzzing on the higher frets it usually means the neck has too much relief. It should be easily fixable, and I haven't heard of too many fret issues from Gibson. There are some reports of finish flaws, etc., but not many about poorly done frets. This leads me to think that maybe the person doing the set up doesn't know what he is doing. IMO.

 

[blue4]

What issues have you personally had with Gibson basses?

As far as looking to buy but declining, 4 issues all already described here.
But I don't need to own one to listen to people who have bought one.

 

[bassvi]

I've got a 2012 Flying V and a 2013 SG Special. They are both excellent at what they do if not the most versatile, but no problems with fret buzz. The necks feel awesome on both basses and the pups on the V are really something special. Different strokes I guess...

 

[Showdown]

As far as looking to buy but declining, 4 issues all already described here.
But I don't need to own one to listen to people who have bought one.

I'm just trying to distinguish between actual experience and anecdotal stories. I don't put much stock in anecdotal stories.

What issues did you have with the 4 you didn't buy? I've seen a lot of stores with Gibson basses that need a good set up but otherwise are fine. The Las Vegas Sam Ash is one of those stores. They had an SG that seemed to have good fit and finish, but the relief was way too much making it nearly unplayable. A good set up and that bass would have been fine. A lot of people would pick that up and think "these Gibson basses suck".

 

[blue4]

I'm just trying to distinguish between actual experience and anecdotal stories. I don't put much stock in anecdotal stories.

What issues did you have with the 4 you didn't buy? I've seen a lot of stores with Gibson basses that need a good set up but otherwise are fine. The Las Vegas Sam Ash is one of those stores. They had an SG that seemed to have good fit and finish, but the relief was way too much making it nearly unplayable. A good set up and that bass would have been fine. A lot of people would pick that up and think "these Gibson basses suck".

Crooked tuners, twisted neck (badly), bad finishes and strap buttens that fall right out. All fixable, probably. But why fix them when the Epi pro or the Ibanez next to it has none of those? This kind of reminds me about a ongoing discussion I used to have with my brother in law about Dodge vehicles. Just because he had a couple of good ones didn't change the fact that they were at the bottom of a lot of quality rankings. If I hear about problems from Gibson when I go into the repair shop to look for refurbished pedals, and then I see these for myself at the store, I start to believe.

 

[Doctor J]

We had a band come in, at the studio I used to work in, and the guitarist had bought a brand new Les Paul Standard. It sounded and looked amazing and, as he was getting ready to record, I could hear the odd chord sounded a bit off. He tuned up and played again, still the occasional chord just sounded wrong. After a bit of investigation, it boiled down to this: Open string, in tune. First fret, in tune. Second fret, in tune. Third fret, sharp. Fourth fret, in tune. Fifth fret, in tune. It went back to Gibson and he got his money back. Over here, that was a €2,300 instrument.

While it's clear some people really like Gibsons and feel the need to defend the brand, and that's fine, some of us have real life experience with shoddy quality control of the kind of things which should never happen in the first place but should absolutely never be allowed leave the factory.

 

[ggoat!!!]

Gibson's quality as of late SUCKS. Not much on this forum is more amusing than reading the same Gibson Apologist Fanboi's spewing the same tired ridiculously lame excuses for why current Gibsons suck...the ONLY Gibsons that are reportedly without Gibson's well documented "issues" are strangely owned by who? You guessed it, the FANBOI'S. It's quite odd that the FANBOI'S are the only ones who have (supposedly) NEVER experienced Gibson's well-known and well-deserved horrid reputation for "quality control" (i.e., the fanboi's don't have the perceptual ability to spot such flaws or just refuse to let themselves realize them; I'd imagine it's much more of the latter). They simply can't see what they don't want to see. Sad.

You have GOT to take a look at THIS thread with several pictorial examples and evidence of Gibson's "quality."

http://talkbass.com/threads/how-is-the-quality-of-gibson-basses-lately.861380/page-4

Now THAT thread is an eye opener...and a FUN read!!! BTW, full disclosure...I own some Gibsons as well as several Epiphones...the Epiphones are GREAT.

 

[Hopkins]

I totally disagree my tech is at GC and is one of the best in the area he's there instead of having his own business because he gets medical and has a young family. There are plenty of good techs at "big box stores" just like there are plenty of hack luthiers and most box stores don't set them up because it's so subjective and they make money doing it why blame the box stores for something that should come from the factory if anything else.

I agree, the tech at the GC closest to me is a friend of mine, he is as good of a tech as I am, and I will often send people to him if I get to busy.