Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

[BloodRose]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Oh I love how everyone chimes on in about how sucky the Gibson Les Paul is... all of these guys have strummed a few of them. Maybe even recorded a few catchy tunes with these "sub-par" and "over-priced" instruments..... :naughty:

Love Steve Clarks!! Never seen Dave Murray play one before. I shudder to think that all those Rev Billy has are 59s or what they are prob worth..

Also, wonder how much He, Rick N, Slash and others have spent on LPs and axes in general??

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

I'm curious to know how many, if any Heritage's he's actually played. He lives in the U.K. I live in the U.S. where Heritage guitars are made, and I've hardly ever even seen any of the guitars. I've been in countless music stores in my life and not one single time have I ever seen a Heritage guitar in a store. The only places I've ever seen or played a Heritage guitar were at guitar shows. Also, people can read a regurgitate all the misinformation they want to on the internet by talking about how much better Heritage's are than Gibson, how they're made by all the original Gibson employees and all that blah blah blah crap. I've played about 20-30 Heritage guitars in my life. I don't think they play or feel anything like a Gibson.

Ive Never had my hands on one.. How do they differ?? Looks like they are thinner and many have belly cuts.. How does the tone differ and feel and all?? Ive always been lead to believe they are new version of the same.. But I doubt cuz of the things listed.. Thanks

 

[IanBallard]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

I've thought about the $25k Frankie, and it kind of makes sense. If you were to take well-paid people in a modernized economy, and have them meticulously recreate every nuance of an old, beat-up guitar that had been heavily customized with kitchen-table craftsmanship, you'd probably have enough hours in it to justify that price (assuming otherwise normal margins for the dealer and manufacturer).

Right. I agree with the man hours aspect and having studied economics, I know that labor is a prime factor (if not THE prime factor) in the price of goods. And yes, the Frankie and Blackie guitars required painstaking attention to any and all photographs and/or the real instrument itself, in terms of every nick, scratch and cigarette burn, etc. Plus there is a limited quantity and a high demand from rich fans and collectors.

It's true that goods don't always reflect all the logical factors of labor, materials, production costs/overhead, etc. and prices can be set at whatever the market will bear in terms of high prestige items. Gibson also makes a few good guitars that ARE affordable. I may never be able to buy a Heritage, Custom or any of the really upper-crust models, but I could see myself getting a Studio or a basic Standard model. I REALLY would like an Access Floyd model, but I really don't see a $5000 guitar in my future.

 

[ravendouglas]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Ive Never had my hands on one.. How do they differ?? Looks like they are thinner and many have belly cuts.. How does the tone differ and feel and all?? Ive always been lead to believe they are new version of the same.. But I doubt cuz of the things listed.. Thanks

useless information......ronnies guitar shop in hotsprings ark is an authorized heritage dealer.

 

[ravendouglas]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

a couple of years ago i wanted gibson to build me a purple les paul standard..just like any other of the thousands of standards they made that year,the only thing different was my purple flame top stain job...that difference,ended up almost triple the price...the estiment for my purple standard was 5500 bucks.....rediculous to charge me 3 grand more for a paint job....this year i will be saving for a lespaul...i want it natural and unstained ,no polyuerethane..just wood......so i can stain it myself....purple.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

a couple of years ago i wanted gibson to build me a purple les paul standard..just like any other of the thousands of standards they made that year,the only thing different was my purple flame top stain job...that difference,ended up almost triple the price...the estiment for my purple standard was 5500 bucks.....rediculous to charge me 3 grand more for a paint job....this year i will be saving for a lespaul...i want it natural and unstained ,no polyuerethane..just wood......so i can stain it myself....purple.

No man! you can do a lot better....gibson used to make some purple flame top les pauls (classics i think) back in the late 80s early 90s. Keep an eye out for one, im sure one will turn up and it wont cost an arm and a leg. From memory the pickups were uncovered, but a set of nickel covers (or a set of sd pups) and you have your dream axe for not too much dough!

 

[crguti]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

I'm wondering if in a blind test of similar guitars is possible to recognize a gibson.

 

[ravendouglas]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

No man! you can do a lot better....gibson used to make some purple flame top les pauls (classics i think) back in the late 80s early 90s. Keep an eye out for one, im sure one will turn up and it wont cost an arm and a leg. From memory the pickups were uncovered, but a set of nickel covers (or a set of sd pups) and you have your dream axe for not too much dough!

well they must be more rare than that change we can believe in outta washington.lol.....i have NEVER seen a purple les paul...the closest i have gotten is my purple eclipse.

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

looks like i started a pissing contest. NOT INTENDED

Gibson is a very sensitive subject here. Fender or any other brand usually don't create such a commotion...

Can't explain why, it makes me wonder every time... :scratchch

 

[ravendouglas]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

i think the main reason is that they are made in america...we still make stuff here....being an american isnt cheap anymore .....they pay these workers a lot more than some sweat shop factory in china.....when you buy a gibson ,you are paying an american worker......im ok with that.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

If ppl stopped buying les paul and stopped paying what Gibson is putting them out for, you better believe the price would come down.

+1. It's because people are willing to pay the high prices. I can't get over how much markup there is on a Flametop Reissue (in comparison to the 57 and 58). New your looking at a 2k markup and used you are still at a 800-1500 markup (depending on the year). Oh and the Signture LPs that are essentially an R9 with a name attached to them are like 4 or 5 grand more than a 59 Reissue..... lol Gibsons in general are crazy expensive but the R9's and sigs are completely outrageous.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Ever hear a '59 LP Standard in-person? I have once...you hear one, and that's all she wrote....LOL

Thats a 59 though. I think Gibsons golden years ended long before 69. I think I read that there was a period in the late 60s and early 70s that the LPs were made of garbage wood. I remember reading that the majority from that timeframe weighed a ton and there were alot of tone turds as well. I guess what I'm saying is that even though its a vintage Gibson I don't think it would be the year to necessarly buy.

 

[ravendouglas]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

so am i understanding this correctly...from 61-67...there were no lespauls made?

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

seriously. im not in the gibson camp, but i have to admit.. :scratchch



there's a gold top lp traditional at my local dealer. if it wasnt as much as it is (i cant remember, but its like 2,500) I'd seriously consider saving up or taking on 2 more jobs or even a small loan. i remember having a jcm 800, plugging my v into it and almost ****ting myself. i cant imagine what a " real" paul would sound like.

Find a super dealer and you should be able to get a goldtop for like 2k.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

I've put at least $1,400 into the Epiphone, and it's still not as good as the Gibsons I've played.

What?! :banghead: Regardless of the 6 year period that you had owned the guitar I can't for the life of me understand how you would spend anywhere near $1400 on it. Unless of course you've been through every pickup known to man.... lol..... In which case you would have been better off just settling on the first set of pickups that you tried as they would surely be much better than the stock Epiphone pickups.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Les Pauls are bad-ass, and all you naysayers just jealous you can't afford one.

Not. Even if I was swimming in money, I would rather buy a custom-made instrument for that kind of money. I mean, $8000 for the cheapest Page No. 2? I could have a luthier build me a guitar to MY spec and still have some grip left for an SLO-100 and cab for that.

I was talking about Les Pauls in general. Not necessarily the high-end signature models. Yeah, they are expensive. But they are also bad-ass.

Pure prestige BS. Same with Fender. While you can get a really good, American made pro Strat for about $1000 nowadays, you can BUILD ONE with moderate tool skill for way less than that with the best components out there. Both companies use status to sell instruments for as much as the market will bear.

You should check out this thread - lots of good information about building guitars as well as assembling guitars from parts. Cliffs: It's not as cheap as some make it out to be.

That said, I am very anti-corporatization of America and I'd rather support smaller builders and shops than Fender/Gibson/Guitar Center.

I like to support small builders too. heck, even I am trying to build guitars in my basement, so I understand for sure.

Ya know...the sad part is that there is a lot of truth is that statement...

Definitely.

I have this almost ready to go, and I still want a Gibson Les Paul. Stupid? Maybe.

It's like a Corvette. Some will argue that a WRX is better in the turns, or that a blown Mustang is faster on the strip, but it's a Corvette.

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

i think the main reason is that they are made in america...

And the American models made by - Fender, PRS, Gretsch, Suhr, Anderson etc... trust me, if Gibson had made a Japanese factory the models would get just as much attention as long as it says "Gibson" on the headstock.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

They also want $2k for an American Standard Tele, so…

I remember when the American Standard line was like 800-900 back in 2004. Crazy.... lol

 

[ravendouglas]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

And the American models made by - Fender, PRS, Gretsch, Suhr, Anderson etc... trust me, if Gibson had made a Japanese factory the models would get just as much attention as long as it says "Gibson" on the headstock.

some fenders are priced in the gibson range......a masterbuilt fender one off is gonna cost ya minimum 2 grand....if you can get one for even that price...and i was talking more economics, than build quality.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

so am i understanding this correctly...from 61-67...there were no lespauls made?

Well, they had an LP model, but it was actually an SG. I'm not sure what year it started or ended though. Also, I think the "crap" years at Gibson were during the mid to late 70's up to the early 80's. I'm pretty sure that's what the Norlin era guitars.