Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

JeffB

JeffB

Let it B
Arrived at work about an hour ago...spent my lunch break lookin it over and playing it unplugged...

this MF model is def not like the one on the Gibson website...no bookmatched top...no flame at all...just kinda like a classic...color (wine red) is gorgeous tho.

Neck binding is goofy in some spots...not terribly well done and has a bit of wine red overspray in spots...

2 of the knobs are warped...like someone hit 'em with a cigarette lighter and melted them a bit..I had planned on changing them anyway( theya re the ugly silvertops)...but...

bridge pickup mounting ring bounces all over the place...

it's a beauty until you start inspecting it closely...

very disappointing for a $1500 instrument. I haven't bought a Les Paul (Gibson one) in prolly 13 years and this one certainly isn't as nice as any of my old ones..barring the color itself.

We'll see how she sounds tomorrow and if it's worth swapping knobs and gettin my tech to do a complete setup....
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

Did you buy it new?

If so, I would return it. That is of course, unless it sounds phenomenal unplugged and plugged in. :)

I don't mind cosmetic flaws on my import guitars, but on my USA axes, well, it just doesn't happen. :burnout:
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

I was going to ask the same thing as Benjy. Where did you get it? On the other hand, if it's only minor stuff and it sounds good to you, fix it up and keep it.

If it's an original Deluxe (I had a '69 Goldtop years ago), when they started to do sunburst tops, there usually wasn;t much figuring or flame to speak of, as I remember. That was also during the crappy period at Gibson.

If it's new, send it the H*ll back. You have a right to be pissed, if that's the case.
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

For $200 less you probably could of gotten an authentic 70's Deliuxe without those problems, or at least they'd of been worked out already.

On the basis of the binding and the knobs I'd say send it back.
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

No secret that Gibson has been kinda squirrely over the last 7-8 years. Some of the instruments that they put out are really great; others, well, maybe it was a Monday.
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

For $1500 you deserve a cherry guitar. Send that baby back. IMO you shouldn't have to settle for less... Thats the whole point of buying it new... You pay the extra bucks for something no less than perfect. If it was used, thats the risk you take...
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

I agree, the only way Gibson is going to bother to improve their quality control is if people call them on their faults. Send the guitar back and ask for a replacement. On a $300 guitar you live with stuff like that. On a $1500 guitar, you don't.

Ryan
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

From the little knowledge I have, when they first started doing flame tops the flame was a lot less prominent then what you see now. IMO, they look a LOT better since you can still see the wood grain. Do you mean it has overspray on the back of the neck? I just read about the Deluxe and it sais it's finished in Nitro, maybe they just aren't used to spraying nitro? To me that would be sort of a good thing unless it ruins the finish, becuase it shows it wasn't just a cheap factory job, someone actually sprayed the finish. Does that make sense?

Depending on how bad you think the binding is, that's something you can't fix. If the binding is too bad I'd send it back. I agree with Ryan tho, they need to be called on their flaws. ahh im gonna be late to class gtg
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

The knobs and pup ring are easy fixes - I wouldn't go to the trouble of returning it based on that alone. Even iffy binding doesn't warrant a return (unless it's very bad) if the guitar's natural tone is good. I guess it's up to you whether or not the cosmetic imperfections are worth a return, especially if the guitar is a keeper tone-wise. It'd be a gamble, b/c if you did send it in, you could get another one just like it, or get one that cosmetically perfect but doesn't have the same great natural tone.
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

Aaaah.... Gibson!

BTW, dont post this on the LesPaulForum... they'll bash you for saying that you weren't satisfied with your Gibson :)
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

Another reason for me to keep buying cheap guitars.. I don't want to spend that much money on something, unless it's top-notch. i can buy way cheaper stuff and be happy, even if it need some upgrades. Even if the upgrades cost a few bucks, it brings me tone and playability more close to the expencive models, and doesn't cost as much.
If I saved long enough to get a real Gibby, I'd expect NO FLAWS, minor or major.
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

Unless it sounds great, take it back...you can get a used R7 for around that.
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

I realize they may be minor issues, and that the tone and playability is what really counts. But I currently own Peavey, Hamer, and Warmoth guitars, none of which I played before I bought. None of them have any of these issues. Companies like these seem to be able to get these things right on their guitars, I don't understand why Gibson can't. To me, these kinds of imperfections would lead me to believe they cut corners in other, more crucial areas of the construction. When you find a really good Les Paul, they are damn near impossible to beat. Unfortunately, it's really hard to do that these days, especially if you don't have the advantage of playing a bunch of them and picking the best one.

Ryan
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

there shouldn't be ANY issues at all with a guitar at that price point.

Welcome to the world of gibson, where you don't get what you pay for, just the name on the headstock. I would find that unacceptable, send it back.
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

If you got it new from Muscians Friend and return it, my guess is that Muscians Friend will put it back in stock, and ship it to the next guy who oders one. It'll probably not be sent back to Gibson. If it doesn't play like butter, I send it right back and go looking to buy local. It sucks but at least you can return it. Try to get them to send UPS to your house and cover the shipping.
 
Re: Got my Les Paul Deluxe...kinda disappointed

When you buy a guitar from a warehouse unseen these are pretty common issues. It has been banged around in transit several times so the loose parts and the knobs don't phase me. The overspray onto the binding is a bit of a drag but is a fairly minor thing overall.

How is the neck and how does it sound? you can usually get a pretty good idea if it is a keeper or not. I can never really tell for sure if a guitar will work out for me until it is professionally setup to my specs and used for a while but if it feels/sounds good off the bat that is generally a pretty good indicator.
 
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