Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

[Khriss Bliss]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

Ive had this argument back and forth in many music stores. Most vendors agree that the cheaper, natural LP Studios have no maple, but is just a block of mahogany, however i am no expert- so ill leave at: just beware SOME cheapo Les shaped models are solid mahogany- so find out first.
And my only point about the pickups is that whichever model or brand you decide upon, pickup makers put all their time and science into pickups. So i wouldnt buy the argument that a Gibson means not upfrading the pickup. This forum is pepperedwith people saying 57s and Burstbuckers and 500t and DirtyFingers are good, then months later swap them out. So i dont consider Gibson pickups any more permanent than Schecter, who have been making pkups for decades too.

 

[Khriss Bliss]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

P.S. Seth Lover invented the humbucker- he also designed the Seth Lover- for Seymour Duncan.

In my experience, the most pricy guitar i ever owned was$725 i paid for a Gibson LesPaul. It was the worst sounding guitar ive ever had, and it wouldnt stay in tune. I suspect mostly dogs werent snatched up in my zipcode. My $175 Epi w/Ant does not make wish i had THAT 1979 Gibson.

I dunno the resale value cuz it got stolen. Some great sounding gear didnt get stolen in
the same room. My pal had a 1959 Lp. But we will never know what its worth, cuz it got stolen.

But obviously many Gibsons are golden. Maybe youll get one at a bargain. Maybe youll be the guy selling it for a bargain.

 

[formula73]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

All I was saying is that he ought to give them a fair shake and not to walk in thinking he's going to have to shell out more dough for pickups, on top of the guitar. He's on a budget, man. Also, if you can't tell the top on that guitar is maple from just LOOKING at it, you honestly have no business offering advice on guitar woods.

 

[formula73]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

P.S. Seth Lover invented the humbucker- he also designed the Seth Lover- for Seymour Duncan.

In my experience, the most pricy guitar i ever owned was$725 i paid for a Gibson LesPaul. It was the worst sounding guitar ive ever had, and it wouldnt stay in tune. I suspect mostly dogs werent snatched up in my zipcode. My $175 Epi w/Ant does not make wish i had THAT 1979 Gibson.

I dunno the resale value cuz it got stolen. Some great sounding gear didnt get stolen in
the same room. My pal had a 1959 Lp. But we will never know what its worth, cuz it got stolen.

But obviously many Gibsons are golden. Maybe youll get one at a bargain. Maybe youll be the guy selling it for a bargain.

Seth Lover was a Gibson employee, thus when he designed it, Gibson designed it. John Delorean had the idea for the GTO but it was when he worked at Pontiac, thus, the Pontiac GTO.

You can't base your opinions of Gibson on a guitar from what's recognized as the darkest period of Gibson's history. That's just ridiculous. That's like saying, "Ford sucks" because the only ford you ever had was a frickin Grenada.

FFS, man. Come on.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

Gibson invented the humbucker. They still know how to make em, man.

Exactly. Gibson humbuckers are high-quality, perfectly good pickups. If you happen not to like them in a guitar, I'd chalk it up to being a matter of personal taste, as opposed to them being no-name factory pickups that they put no thought into, were junk, etc. Sometimes I wonder what different pickups would sound like in my Flying V, but that's just because I see so many different possibilities for how a guitar like that could sound. On the other hand, when I tore the factory pickups out of my Epi Les Paul, it was for a set of Burstbucker 2 & 3; I don't ever want anything else in that guitar.

 

[lex666]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

IMO, each guitar has its own voice. If the voice is not exactly what you want, then its time to select a pickup that brings you as close as possible to that voice. That's why SD offers so many variations - to achieve that tonal bliss. Selecting a pickup first is truly backwards, IMO. How many times have people tried the JB in a Les Paul only to find out that it wasn't the tone they're after?

FWIW, Gibson pickups are just the same. Some people like the 500T, others hate it. Some people like me hated the 490 in a Les Paul, but love it in an SG.

Guitars, pickups, amps, etc. Really boil down to one thing. WHAT DO YOU LIKE, WHAT TONE ARE YOU AFTER?. Only YOU can decide this. My suggestion: get out there and play as many instruments as you can. Listen with your ears. Wear a blindfold if necessary.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

Gibson invented the humbucker. They still know how to make em, man.

True, Gibson still knows how to make HB's. But Seymour knows know to make them even better. :14: I'll take a Duncan PAF over any recent-production Gibson PAF any day.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

Ive had this argument back and forth in many music stores. Most vendors agree that the cheaper, natural LP Studios have no maple, but is just a block of mahogany, however i am no expert- so ill leave at: just beware SOME cheapo Les shaped models are solid mahogany- so find out first.

According to the Gibson site where the specs of all of the LP Studios are listed, they ALL have a maple top (including the Faded models) unless otherwise stated, such as the Les Paul Studio Mahogany Exclusive and Studio Swamp Ash. Most vendors don't even know the full specs of the guitars on their own walls. They work it like that to upsell you to another model that brings a higher commission.

 

[formula73]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

True, Gibson still knows how to make HB's. But Seymour knows know to make them even better. :14: I'll take a Duncan PAF over any recent-production Gibson PAF any day.

But you'd likely give that Gibson pup a chance before you just chucked it, wouldn't you? That's all I'm saying. You prefer Duncan. Hell, for the most part, so do I.

But I never walk into a deal thinking I'm going to have to replace this and this and this to get what I want. If that happens down the road because my tastes change or whatever, so be it. Even if it's something ridiculous like changing out the stock BB3/57 combo in my Traditional Pro for no other reason than hating the flesh-colored cream/black uncovered look. lol

 

[ErikH]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

But you'd likely give that Gibson pup a chance before you just chucked it, wouldn't you? That's all I'm saying. You prefer Duncan. Hell, for the most part, so do I.

But I never walk into a deal thinking I'm going to have to replace this and this and this to get what I want. If that happens down the road because my tastes change or whatever, so be it. Even if it's something ridiculous like changing out the stock BB3/57 combo in my Traditional Pro for no other reason than hating the flesh-colored cream/black uncovered look. lol

If I go in to a deal thinking that, then I'm looking at it all wrong and that is not the right guitar for me.

I like some of the Gibson pickups. The Burstbuckers are really nice and I love the '57 Classics. I still can't believe you pulled those from your Trad Pro. They are perfect for me.

 

[formula73]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

They're great; they're just ugly.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

They're great; they're just ugly.

Simple fix..... nickel covers.

 

[formula73]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

Eh, the hardware's chrome and I didn't want to repot. I don't care what anybody says: new covers=potting, and it's a pita.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

Eh, the hardware's chrome and I didn't want to repot. I don't care what anybody says: new covers=potting, and it's a pita.

Repot just to add covers? I never do. And most of the PU's I've bought have been open coil, and just about everything is covered now; no wax added and no feedback at high volumes.

 

[formula73]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

Repot just to add covers? I never do. And most of the PU's I've bought have been open coil, and just about everything is covered now; no wax added and no feedback at high volumes.

You know, man, I read just about all your posts. I really do. I feel the need to point out, that, goddammit, YOU'RE A BLUES PLAYER. I'M A CLASSIC METAL PLAYER. I USE MORE ****ING GAIN THAN YOU DO. Priest, Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica, Motorhead, Fastway...:rocket:

I thought we'd established that.

 

[guitarrob]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

Yeah, I wouldn't buy the guitar with the idea I am going to have to change out the pups to get what I am looking for.

I would buy the guitar that had the best feel and tone and may change the pups later on for refinement of certain characteristics.

I would like to think that for that price tag, coming from a company like Gibson that the pups are going to be of reasonable quality.

 

[guitarrob]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

I really never heard of potting until I started reading the threads around here but I am new to the guitar forums.

This is the process of using wax to prevent vibration/feedback from the pups?

Isn't this process performed at the factory?

 

[blueman335]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

Yeah, I wouldn't buy the guitar with the idea I am going to have to change out the pups to get what I am looking for.

I would like to think that for that price tag, coming from a company like Gibson that the pups are going to be of reasonable quality.

It's not a question of the PU's quality. They spec out a guitar with a certain model of PU, and wood being the unique and highly variable thing it is, isn't going to allow all those PU's to sound the same in all those guitars. You can spend $3,000 on a guitar, with top quality PU's, but they may not be the best match for each other.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

You know, man, I read just about all your posts. I really do. I feel the need to point out, that, goddammit, YOU'RE A BLUES PLAYER. I'M A CLASSIC METAL PLAYER. I USE MORE ****ING GAIN THAN YOU DO. Priest, Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica, Motorhead, Fastway...:rocket:

I thought we'd established that.

Volume's a big factor too, it get's things vibrating. Are you playing metal, onstage, loud?

 

[formula73]

Re: Entry Gibby or higher end Epi?

Volume's a big factor too, it get's things vibrating. Are you playing metal, onstage, loud?

Not in the last year or so, but I do plan on it. I see no reason to not do something I know I'll need to do to get it stage ready, even if it's hard to keep a band together when you're constantly changing duty stations. It's been a bit of a dry spell since I left San Diego.