Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

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.

Sorry man, I thought you were referring to my post. I was trying to understand why Gibson gets so much attention in the SDUGF (and maybe other forums)... not about the build quality or the pricing.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Buying used locally (craigslist) is a good option but it still might not be very affordable to most people. In which case I don't know what to tell you.... lol

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

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:

*loads of pictures I wont requote*

What is this post even trying to say?
I don't think anyone has said seriously that ALL Gibson Les Pauls are bad instruments that don't sound good.
The point is that they are overpriced, and your post fails to address that issue

 

[ravendouglas]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Sorry man, I thought you were referring to my post. I was trying to understand why Gibson gets so much attention in the SDUGF (and maybe other forums)... not about the build quality or the pricing.

i think there are plenty of people here that enjoy both fender and gibson guitars..me being one of them......yes i hate that they are close to 2 grand,but,you are buying an icon of rock n roll creativity........and like i said....buying american can be expensive,but it keeps americans working.

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Why is an Ibanez Steve Vai bolt on neck, no binding model cost just as much as a Gibson Les Paul that has binding, a set neck, a flamed maple cap, and makes you feel like you're getting a BJ at the right moment you hit that perfect note? Why ask why? It is what it is.

Well I'd agree that Ibanez have been overpricing many of their instruments for years now.
Both of my Ibanez guitars I picked up used, partly because I couldn't justify the price of a brand new one.
Nothing inherently cheaper about bolt neck designs either.
Just as good as neck through or set neck, just depends on the player's preference and needs.

An LP Standard and a JEM cost the same here ($5K AUD), and from the specs, I'd say they're of about equal value.
Wouldn't buy either though, to me they more present $3K AUD value instruments than something worth 5 grand.

 

[IanBallard]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Man, Les Pauls with Floyds just do it for me! I'd probably opt for a maple neck though since they are more stable with the increases and decreases in tension using a whammy. Eddie most definitely liked the sound of Les Pauls, but I think he really didn't like their feel on his body. Some players say the opposite though, that when they're used to a big, thick slab of wood, putting on a Strat feels like there's nothing there.

 

[astrozombie]

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:

I see your Gibson photos and raise you..

They both make a decent guitar man, let's just all get over it.

 

[crguti]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

^ ohh.. this is just out of proportion. Is it necessary? I don't think so.

 

[Empty Pockets]

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.

i ****ing hate when you tell this story, man.

you act like the Custom Shop is a team of people who take assembly-line guitars off the line and do slight mods to them -- that is NOT the case.

if you call up Gibson and ask for a custom color, you're really asking their best luthiers and craftsmen to assemble your instrument from scratch.

They're not charging you $3grand for a paint job. They're charging you for a completely hand-made piece of art.

Just get your ****ing facts straight. They weren't trying to rip you off -- $4000-$6000 is the standard rate for all Gibson Custom Shop guitars.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

^ ohh.. this is just out of proportion. Is it necessary? I don't think so.

there's only one picture more than the other bro's post, and it was done in good taste. its not like i posted pictures of whores snorting coke off a Tele ashtray bridge.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

i ****ing hate when you tell this story, man.

you act like the Custom Shop is a team of people who take assembly-line guitars off the line and do slight mods to them -- that is NOT the case.

if you call up Gibson and ask for a custom color, you're really asking their best luthiers and craftsmen to assemble your instrument from scratch.

They're not charging you $3grand for a paint job. They're charging you for a completely hand-made piece of art.

Just get your ****ing facts straight. They weren't trying to rip you off -- $4000-$6000 is the standard rate for all Gibson Custom Shop guitars.

While I didn't want to rain on this purple obsessed forum member's parade, the truth is I agree. It's like when people talk about how a custom shop fender is 3k or whatever I think the same: it's a hand made piece of craftsmanship. it's not some parts from warmoth they threw together.

 

[crguti]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

if the other guy post 20 pictures, are you gonna too?

is a discussion about gibson being overpriced, not a stupid war fender vs gibson.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

if the other guy post 20 pictures, are you gonna too?

is a discussion about gibson being overpriced, not a stupid war fender vs gibson.

I sense you missed the point of my post.

 

[phil_104]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

i ****ing hate when you tell this story, man.

you act like the Custom Shop is a team of people who take assembly-line guitars off the line and do slight mods to them -- that is NOT the case.

if you call up Gibson and ask for a custom color, you're really asking their best luthiers and craftsmen to assemble your instrument from scratch.

They're not charging you $3grand for a paint job. They're charging you for a completely hand-made piece of art.

Just get your ****ing facts straight. They weren't trying to rip you off -- $4000-$6000 is the standard rate for all Gibson Custom Shop guitars.

This is truth.

 

[ravendouglas]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

i ****ing hate when you tell this story, man.

you act like the Custom Shop is a team of people who take assembly-line guitars off the line and do slight mods to them -- that is NOT the case.

if you call up Gibson and ask for a custom color, you're really asking their best luthiers and craftsmen to assemble your instrument from scratch.

They're not charging you $3grand for a paint job. They're charging you for a completely hand-made piece of art.

Just get your ****ing facts straight. They weren't trying to rip you off -- $4000-$6000 is the standard rate for all Gibson Custom Shop guitars.

get your facts straight.....i didnt want a custom piece of hand made art..i wanted a flame top standard.. for 2000 plus a purple paint job..which i figured would add 400-600 to the price..,which would have been fine...so my solution is to get one unfinished ,which they will do.....i never said they were ripping anyone off...so my facts are fine....yes...that guitar would have to come from the custom shop.....which i didnt want.....i just wanted a non production color,which they refused to do...i was instructed and informed that this build was to be a custom full build..which i didnt need because i have no way of justifieing ,with my skill level,that kind of investment.....i never said they were not worth it .also i simply didnt have that kind of money...so i dont see what you get all bent out of shape about when i relay this as i see it...remember when customers mattered to a company?...i would have paid extra for the non production paint job,i just didnt need a hand built custom shop guitar..at 5500 bucks...and no i dont understand why they cant pull off a production model ...send it to paint and get a custom color..with out having to get a custom build....yes i wish they had just a custom color option,with out having a one off made for huge dollars.....i dont mind buying american made gibson quality,and i will have a lespaul by years end....i understand they have expensive talanted builders.and that it keeps american craftmanship alive....i just thought the build sheet price was EXCESSIVE FOR MY NEEDS....no need to get all hostile dude,......maybe instead of getting all riled up..share some info with me...when it comes to production vs custom..what are the major differences in build techniques,that drive the cost up so high...i dont wanna argue..i just want a real les paul without having to refinance my house.

 

[karpathion]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

How 'bout this?

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

1. Worth is subjective. If I win the lottery in the future, you can bet I'm gonna read these dumb ass threads while strumming something that's worth WAY more than my US Tele.

2. Retail is strictly for suckers. If you pay the full ticket price for a new guitar, then you deserve to part with your cash.

3. Plenty of good, used LPs out there in the world. The new issue is moot, and best left up to those who have enough cash to take the first hit from depreciation.

 

[distortionhead]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

During this whole thread, I just kept thinking.....

I WISH my dad was a Gibson collector.

Distortionhead, who do you think is going to inherit these toys that are rising in value? If I were you, I'd be pointing him in the direction of every classic guitar!

He told me that i get all of his music stuff. I will prob. split it between me and my brother

 

[uOpt]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

Comparing a new LP studio with a US Strat I think the Gibson comes out favorably. Sure, it's chambered but let's say for a moment that you don't care.

The Gibson is nitro painted (the whole thing at once), it has a set neck, it has fancy inlays. It has more expensive pickups (let's leave aside whether you like the 498T) and a 4-pot electronics scheme that goes all the way through the body twice (to the cavity and to the selector switch).

The Fender on the other hand is plastic covered, it has done more damage to the vintage bridge (2-point trem instead of Nashville), it has Chinese-made Ping tuners that are too heavy and the electronics comes out of a mass-produced single unit on a piece of plastic, with only the output plug being outside that unit. The necks might be made in Mexico, including fretwork.

Yet they cost the same.

So that's the Studio. Whether the price of a LP Standard is in line is a different matter. But alas it isn't comparable. There's flame maple on there that Fender doesn't offer (at least not in a carved form) and body binding which you find on some Teles.

If you move the Fender up to a 1962 or 57 AVRI things look better for Fender but it's still a plastic-covered piece for now even more money.

Now if you get shoddy fretwork on the Gibson things go downhill. Also, we just waved off the chambering issue which personally I am not willing to wave off.

 

[phil_104]

Re: Why is the Les Paul so over priced?

get your facts straight.....i didnt want a custom piece of hand made art..i just wanted a non production color,which they refused to do...and no i dont understand why they cant pull off a production model ...send it to paint and get a custom color..

To answer your question as to why a production model could not get a custom color : because it would no longer be production.

Production line is designed to make instruments according to specification, so that they can create them more efficiently, and cut the cost of the instrument by using time changing colors and such. I know you would be willing to spend 3-400 dollars extra, but you gotta understand that a company with the size of Gibson, has a production line that turns out a significant amount of guitars. To have to stop, deal with lists of custom color options within their production line would seriously reduce their productivity, as well as have to create a totally new division of personnel who's job would be to take orders, and make sure that these guitars are sent out to the right people. Also, if they start doing that, what stops people from saying, ''All I want is a regular production Les Paul, but with an ebony board'', or 'different inlays'', or '' a different kind of wood for top''. These are all one change to the guitar, and individually don't represent a big difference, but on a large scale operation like Gibson, it kills your production method.

So, to solve this problem, they create a custom shop. The custom shop doesn't work like production, because it's not a production line system. It's where guitars are made according to a unique customer's specifications. Be it a different color, a different neck profile, a different wood, etc.... they will make it. Now, because they vary so much in specs, they have to hire their best guys in this division, the skilled A-listers. They also have a whole team to help you get your specs in, and get you the guitar. The reason why they can't grab a guitar of production and spray it for you, is that this would overlap both deparments, which would create problems as previously mentioned. Their job is to build instruments who do not fit in the production line. Because of this, even for a minor difference, you have to go through their process, not the production line's process, to get the guitar. This will mean a cost that is significantly higher because a) they don't operate in the same way, and b) they are a custom shop, so the instruments they turn out are held to a higher standard, which they want to maintain, instead of grabbing production guitars and stamping they CS logo on the back of the headstock, which would lower this standard.

It's a mix of logistics, and a system that tries to keep the production line flowing, while allowing people to be picky about things like color, inlays, or special woods, if they choose to spend the extra. They are not doing it to be a pain in the neck, it's just not a viable option for any shop.

Hopefully this helps answer your question.

Edit : PS. For non, standard colors, they have been known to offer color variation in limited runs in the past, like different shades of blue, orange or red. They evaluate this on a basis of what is requested most through surveys, and through the custom shop.