Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Gibson's quality control: has the mojo gone?
- Thread starter andreluckman
- Start date
-
- Tags
- gibson
It doesn’t make sense for the OP to complain about Gibson's QC when he bought a 4 year old one.
I have bought three brand new Gibson guitars so far, and all of them showed great craftmanship.
I have bought three brand new Gibson guitars so far, and all of them showed great craftmanship.
My experience with Gibson has been excellent, top notch, spectacular. I have not had a new one since 2010.
Here are my gibson/epi experiences, to add to the data pile:
The 2015 SG Standard bass that I recently purchased is flawless. Top quality setup, cosmetics, fit and finish. Feels very high end, and totally worth the price.
The 2014 SG Special i bought in 2014 has been mostly flawless. Pickup cover likes to come loose, is all. Nitro finish started rubbing off day one. I don’t mind, but some might. Great bass. No real issues. Not as slick and “high-end” feeling as the standard, but it was half the price. Very happy with it.
The Epiphone 7 string les paul I had in the 2000’s had really sloppy cosmetics, didnt stay in tune, but played pretty well. Was about what I expected.
The epi sg bass i bought for under $200 is a really great instrument. Flawless cosmetics and plays great.
The 2015 SG Standard bass that I recently purchased is flawless. Top quality setup, cosmetics, fit and finish. Feels very high end, and totally worth the price.
The 2014 SG Special i bought in 2014 has been mostly flawless. Pickup cover likes to come loose, is all. Nitro finish started rubbing off day one. I don’t mind, but some might. Great bass. No real issues. Not as slick and “high-end” feeling as the standard, but it was half the price. Very happy with it.
The Epiphone 7 string les paul I had in the 2000’s had really sloppy cosmetics, didnt stay in tune, but played pretty well. Was about what I expected.
The epi sg bass i bought for under $200 is a really great instrument. Flawless cosmetics and plays great.
This guy said it best.
That said, I have a Gibson Thunderbird and it's a good bass.
If I were buying today I'd probably go for the Epiphone.
That said, I have a Gibson Thunderbird and it's a good bass.
If I were buying today I'd probably go for the Epiphone.
Last edited:
I have seen new Gibson guitars that needed a trip to a quality luthier to be made playable.
They were good Instruments after that.
They were good Instruments after that.
Wasn't that the whole point of your post, for you to feel better about yourself and your choice of gear? Why else make the comment?
My experience- when I was very young my second guitar was a Gibson ES330. I liked it a lot. I traded it for a bass a few years later. I always missed it and decided to bite the bullet and get one. Very expensive these days so I started looking at Epiphone casinos. I eventually bought a casino elitist. Also expensive BUT it was every bit as good if not better than the used ES330 I tried (and half the price), the new ES330 and if my memory serves me well, nicer than my original in that the neck simply felt better (I think the casino neck is a bit thinner). I’m pretty impressed with the Epiphone.
Dumb comment of the day? I would rather buy an instrument that has "bang for the buck" than impress someone with the name on the headstock. I am neither poor nor cheap, however I am likely to buy a number of Epiphone and/or Squier instruments, simply because they are high quality instruments.
Try and wrap your brain around that concept.
Norlin acquired Gison in 1969. The quality has been hit or miss ever since... If you put in the work and play a bunch of instruments, you can find a good one sometimes...
So the OP bought a used 4 year old bass and expects it to be set up 100%? Your issue should be with the seller, not the manufacturer. If it came from the factory to you this way I'd see your point.
If I bought a car that had been sitting on a lot for 4 years and only driven on test drives I'd assume there would be issues present that a brand new vehicle wouldn't have. I certainly wouldn't bash Ford or Chevy for the problem. How is this Gibson's fault?
If I bought a car that had been sitting on a lot for 4 years and only driven on test drives I'd assume there would be issues present that a brand new vehicle wouldn't have. I certainly wouldn't bash Ford or Chevy for the problem. How is this Gibson's fault?
Quick Thread summation:
1. Gibson Basses suck.
2. Gibson basses are great.
3. Some Gibson basses suck and some Gibson basses are great.
Carry on.
Next topic:"The drummer in my band has weird toenails: Should I quit or should we fire him?"
1. Gibson Basses suck.
2. Gibson basses are great.
3. Some Gibson basses suck and some Gibson basses are great.
Carry on.
Next topic:"The drummer in my band has weird toenails: Should I quit or should we fire him?"
I have a 2014 EB 5 string that I couldn't be happier with. The only change I made was changing the Vol/Vol setup to Vol/Blend out of personal preference. Other than that, this bass is perfect me. The 7.8lb weight is awesome for my bad back. I paid $850 for it after it was discontinued. Worth every penny. Having said that, I really dislike what they did with the current EB line. The body shape just isn't my thing.
I have one. Maybe same, black?
You will not get good intonation because of the bridge, you need a mod bar or spacer due to where the string meets the saddle. Design flaw, no amount of setup wizardry will help. Wasn't happy to learn but the modbar works fine.
Also needed a fretjob. Thats definitely QC - doesn't matter how long it sits on a shelf, if the frets aren't right when the relief is set, its a poor build.
Despite that it is a fun instrument though frustrating because of its idiosyncrasies and ever present finish issues.
I worked at a GC and can assure you that Gibson sends out some laughably bad instruments. If I had to guess, I'd say it was around the turn of the millennium that the quality started dropping. Glue marks on the frets, uneven binding, wood shavings and chips falling out of a brand new hollow body after shaking it upside down... all sorts of stuff.
FWIW I've been told that if you must have one, buy it from a small dealer. They say that Gibson sends the better stuff to those stores because if they send them crap, it gets sent back. With big box retailers its usually sitting unopened in a warehouse for a few months... then off to a stores warehouse... then eventually to the floor... and then it finally gets opened by a dude that can barely pay his rent despite working full time. Now I thought this theory was silly but after visiting a few higher end mom n pops in my state, I fully believe it. Theres a dealer by me that is family owned and has gorgeous, flawless Gibsons in stock all the time. Meanwhile the local GC and SA have a mostly questionable supply.
FWIW I've been told that if you must have one, buy it from a small dealer. They say that Gibson sends the better stuff to those stores because if they send them crap, it gets sent back. With big box retailers its usually sitting unopened in a warehouse for a few months... then off to a stores warehouse... then eventually to the floor... and then it finally gets opened by a dude that can barely pay his rent despite working full time. Now I thought this theory was silly but after visiting a few higher end mom n pops in my state, I fully believe it. Theres a dealer by me that is family owned and has gorgeous, flawless Gibsons in stock all the time. Meanwhile the local GC and SA have a mostly questionable supply.
In my 35+ years of experience, a severe change in climate/temperature/humidity will often affect an instrument to the point that it needs fret dressing. I've witnessed it first hand on several higher-end brand products.
