BGood
Well-Known Member
Maybe YOU are the dead spotThen all my guitars must be full of dead spots as they all sound pretty sh*tty.
OP
Biddlin
Guest
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
AMEN.
jjudas
Ambassador of Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler
I notice some notes don't ring out like they should on some of my guitars. Usually it's in the area of the 18-22 frets on the high e, b and g strings. I really don't let it bother me, I just play on. I have some guitars that every note rings out perfectly. I'm not a Grammy award winning musician, so it's okay with me. I'm the only one that hears it.
David KOS
Well-Known Member
Especially now, since opinions count more than facts these days.
Organic materials, no two necks and bodies are identical despite CNC machines, etc.
I am blessed. I've never had a dead spot...noise, yes....some intonation issues, but I got past them.
I guess I played this 87 Squire Stratocaster longer than any other guitar I have ever owned. It met two main deal-breaking requirements:
1. Absolute perfect intonation
2. Absolute tuning stability even outdoors
I got rid of a beautiful 1968 Gibson SG because it just wouldn't stay in tune.
I had two beautiful Hamer USA Standards that had tuning anomalies and I got rid of them both.
The old Stratocaster survived 30 years because it was reliable. Not because it so sounded great.
My 2016 Gibson SG T Series has been a real pain. Its given me problems since brand new. Only its tuning stability has saved it from the band saw.
I regret buying the SG. I should have just concentrated on playing instead of chasing tone....
I guess I played this 87 Squire Stratocaster longer than any other guitar I have ever owned. It met two main deal-breaking requirements:
1. Absolute perfect intonation
2. Absolute tuning stability even outdoors
I got rid of a beautiful 1968 Gibson SG because it just wouldn't stay in tune.
I had two beautiful Hamer USA Standards that had tuning anomalies and I got rid of them both.
The old Stratocaster survived 30 years because it was reliable. Not because it so sounded great.
My 2016 Gibson SG T Series has been a real pain. Its given me problems since brand new. Only its tuning stability has saved it from the band saw.
I regret buying the SG. I should have just concentrated on playing instead of chasing tone....
OP
Biddlin
Guest
Okay, so no one's commented on the Mayer bit. What he says is that he had the Fender custom shop relic his Strat, so that the wood breathes and produces better tone.
I guess the PRS wood doesn't need to breath or maybe there's a set of lungs inside the body cavity.
A lot better guitar player before someone told him he was good.
Here's my personal observations - guitars are unique. Some are endearing. Others not. I've played $12,000 PRS Artist Series that were uninspiring...A 1959 Gibson Les Paul that had more problems than I can list here, but like the beautiful, cheating girlfriend, people tolerate them because they are perceived to be magical.
A good guitar, to me, isn't necessarily a Gibson or a Fender - its a guitar that intonated, is quiet, stays in tune live without having to constantly retune and has good tone.
I doubt wood has much to do with tone in an electric guitar. I've heard awesome guitars that were just ordinary, lower end models...often of foreign manufacture. Next time you are in Guitar Sinner, pick up any Jackson and see what I mean.
Gibson, in recent years, has become a huge disappointment. Once in a while, you might get a goid one. But, for the rest of us, I guess we just accept them...pay a premium and then dump more money into them to correct all the issues.
What a trap...
A good guitar, to me, isn't necessarily a Gibson or a Fender - its a guitar that intonated, is quiet, stays in tune live without having to constantly retune and has good tone.
I doubt wood has much to do with tone in an electric guitar. I've heard awesome guitars that were just ordinary, lower end models...often of foreign manufacture. Next time you are in Guitar Sinner, pick up any Jackson and see what I mean.
Gibson, in recent years, has become a huge disappointment. Once in a while, you might get a goid one. But, for the rest of us, I guess we just accept them...pay a premium and then dump more money into them to correct all the issues.
What a trap...
OP
Biddlin
Guest
I have purchased five new Gibsons between 2013 and 2015, the only issue with any was some slightly loose tuner bushings on my LPJ. I hear about these QC issues, but even as a repair tech, see very few. While value perceived is subjective, I feel like my new Gibsons were reasonably priced.
You have been indeed fortunate. I have bought two new Gibson's, both SG's and both had issues with tuning stability, intonation and humming/buzzing. I sent the 2003 SG back to Gibson, and I'm still investing in my 2016. I had a vintage 1968 SG that you couldn't keep in tune no matter what you did to it. I also had a 1959 Gibson Les Paul, the Holy Grail of guitars (which I sold in 1998) and while it was a "coveted relic," it was not a magical or remarkable instrument. It was 100% Gibson hype, which, while very good for the collector/resale value, it isn't great for recording when you need tuning stability and quiet operation. It's in a private collection in Fresno now and is never played, which is what it does best.
On the other hand, we have a 1979 Gibson Les Paul that has been in the rack in my parent's studio since nearly new. It's been a good guitar. It hasn't had a setup or adjustment in 25 years that I know of, it sounds decent on recordings, although it's not a quiet guitar by any means, and to be quite honest with you, when you hear it on a recording, it's tone is not remarkable. It's good, but it's not magical, despite it's collector value.
I am on a first name basis with the local Gibson repair tech, by virtue of my struggles with my SG. He says the biggest issues he sees (on new Gibson's) are things he cannot repair...things like loose neck joints, fretboards separating from the neck, incorrect angle on the bridge and tailpiece inserts, etc. We've recently had forum members post herein with these very issues on brand new Gibson's.
The bottom line is, use what works for you. If you don't mind buying a new guitar, followed by trips to the warranty tech, ordering a new wire harness and pickups, shielding tape and the like, then that's a personal choice. It's not something I wish to continue doing
I am currently in communication with Jackson USA Custom Shop Staff in Arizona regarding having a custom San Dimas built to my specifications. The factory is within driving distance from SoCal, which is a nice thing. If I am going to shell out the $$$, I would rather not have to rebuild it after I get it home.
I'm done with Gibson's, other than for their collector value....
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
I have to agree with Biddlin here. I have yet to buy a Gibson I didn't feel was worth every penny. All the guitars bar one were 2008 or after. Sure, I have swapped pickups in Gibsons, but apart from the 490 set that came in the Faded Special, the ones I have taken out have been reused in other guitars. I have modded other things as well, but for purely cosmetic reasons; none of the guitars needed the mods because of quality issues.
I'm not saying no Gibson can be bad, just that I think the bad rap Gibson QC is getting seems to me to be blown out of proportion.
I'm not saying no Gibson can be bad, just that I think the bad rap Gibson QC is getting seems to me to be blown out of proportion.
The problem with Gibson is sporadic QC.
For me, it's more a matter of personal opinion based on actual experiences. I had a bad Gibson SG in 2003...followed by a 2016 with the EXACT same problems. In the interim, I saw several of them (10 to be exact) here locally with construction issues, In Person, by virtue of having a close relationship with the local Guitar Sinner technician....not to mention forum members here have bought new Gibson's with construction problems.
Play what you dig, Man....That's cool with me....I'm only investing in this 2016 Gibson SG (vintage harness, shielding, better pickups, etc.,) so I can recover my investment....more for the principle than anything else....
Can you imagine if Gibson made beer???
One good bottle, three bad ones!!!!
One good bottle, three bad ones!!!!
Gahr
Ambassador of Blues & Brews
Man, I tell you, there are craft breweries that don't make ANY good bottles...
You know, I am painfully basic...I still love Newcastle!!!
You will have to forgive me. I am pissed off that I got ANOTHER problem Gibson and have been forced to correct the issues myself, rather than be able to do what I bought the guitar for...RECORD!