Fake Gibson Les Paul - Morally Wrong, But Does It Sound Any Good?
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- Опубліковано 12 січ 2022
- Please note that we in no way condone the sale of fake guitars and hopefully this video will point out what to look for if you get offered a fake Gibson.
In this video, we look at a fake Gibson Les Paul. James has owned this guitar for several years and has kept it in his attic, we plug it into a Matchless Independence 35 to see how bad it sounds and then compare it to my Gibson Custom Shop R7. The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.
What's immoral is what Gibson has been up to for the past decade.
Yup, I have no sympathy for Gibson. Keep the fakes coming!
@@harrycrowe7557 The fact that Gibson uses OEM in the same part of the world, if not the same factories where the 'fakes' are produced.
I just had a cloned Marshall JTM built to vintage spec. Marshall style tolex, Marshall knobs, Marshall switches and plexi style panel with JTM script. I cannot afford the real vintage one, and feel no shame in enjoying the hell out of this thing. Still have mad respect for Marshall and I believe this amp is a great homage to that legacy. My Tokai Love Rock (59' LP copy) with PAF repros sounds amazing through it. Conjures Page and Beck. My real 78' Gibson LP Custom sounds nice through it as well.
Some people dont agree with Gibsons way or running a business and there are excellent Chinese made guitars however putting the Gibson name on them is wrong, why not use their own name?
Word up to that man. I have 8 of them all clones of epiphone gibson ltd etc. Lawsuit 8 les pauls only 7 in service right now and i use them all.❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉who cares i have 0 care ZERO ima say this again Zero care for the real deal. Tune and tone
@@harrycrowe7557 why fakes which is promoting the black market. Why not copies that are actually legitimate? Morals are lacking.
I bought a Gibson studio about a year ago from Guitar Center. After getting it home I noticed a chunk of the fret board was missing on the high E side and they nitro finished right over it. Took it back and bought the Standard for $1,000 dollars more. Again I get it home and notice two chips on the headstock corners. I was pissed but kept it because I liked the body finish. Fast forward to a few months ago I ordered a Chinese guitar for $200 and not a damn thing wrong with it and it sounds, plays, and feels awesome. I'm impressed. I'm not ashamed of buying it, I finally feel like I got my monies worth for once.
There's nothing morally wrong about the customer getting what they want and not being the one who's ripped off for a change. If Gibson offered value for money and effective quality control, there would be no need for us all to find alternate sources for the manufacture of their designs. I'd also say that them hounding Dean guitars out of business is morally wrong.
so.. GC's quality check before selling guitars are poor
@@littlewing62 Yeah, GC has no business selling floor models at full price. I played a Standard today that sounded great, but it had buckle rash and small dents all over the back of the body.
buying these is NOT morally wrong.. reselling them as "authentic" is.. Huge difference.. what people buy with their own money that's their business and only their business. Who cares. As long as people get inspired to play what does it really matter?
If you play in a pub/ club band ninety nine per cent of the punters wouldn’t know if it was a les Paul , John Paul or pope Paul , and they wouldn’t care . It’s only the bedroom players who listen to the sound so closely. Gibson are sooo over priced,, get an epiphone, absolutely brilliant and no knock offs
Wrong! There are Epiphone “knock offs” getting around. Check out the “Gibson full factory tour” on UA-cam, and see the craftsmanship that goes into making all Gibson guitars. It’s an excellent video, and after having watched it, you can decide for yourself if Gibson Les Pauls are “sooo overpriced”. Whatever comes out of China, it will always be copied, and 2nd rate or below!
Epiphone - not guitar
@@thewatcher1120 I’ve watched the tour video, and still think they’re overpriced. It’s essentially a production line, and they’re able to pump out serious amounts of guitars. The main reason you know they’re overpriced is when you’re buying parts from them, pickups, tuners, bridges etc. those are handcrafted, so why are they so expensive as well. It’s the cult following of gibson that makes them overpriced. If people stopped buying they’d have to lower the prices. So I have no problems with chibsons, I just wished they would stamped replica so unsuspecting ppl aren’t getting scammed.
Yes, Gibson is a rare kind of guitar, if you own one you will know what im talking about on its guitar details.
@@thewatcher1120 except that video is crap. More often than not, they don't do what they're supposed to do. Customers bring me brand new Gibsons all the time to fix things that were skipped over, done wrong, etc. I've worked on $2500 guitars with sloppy paint jobs, cracking paint, etc. These things happen sometimes, but they seem to happen often with one of the most expensive brands more than any other company. Yes. Gibson is overrated and overpriced. Coming from a guy that works on these things and has played hundreds, get an esp instead. They destroy everything on the market in every way. Period. There isn't an excuse for buying a Gibson I've heard that didn't boil down to brand worship. My own father was one of those people, until I educated him. I was one too when I was 15 and first starting out. Lol
Not everybody can afford an overpriced les paul.
I have given up on Gibson. Last guitar I got was a custom shop 335, and the binding was terrible with paint and scrape marks all over it. I'd take the chibson anyday over a £5k gibson with QC issues.
Still? I wonder if you got an older batch. They’re saying some of the newer one’s quality is much better. I mean for $3-8 grand you’d think it would be.
QC problems are almost as old as Gibson is.
I dont know maybe Gibson does that to prove they are "Hand Made"
@@garyeckel1656 All I can say to that is, compared to Japanese guitars, Gibson employees must have the sloppiest handed workers in the world.
@@garyeckel1656
I have a Chibson. The pups were horrible and I changed them for SD's which weren't great in the beginning also. Now I have to change the tuners (one stopped working) but a set of great tuners from China set me back 16 EUR and a little work. Indeed a very light good looking guitar.
The gold top sounds slightly better! Nothing wrong with having a fake don’t be a gear snob I have had 4 USA standard LP sold the lot because they just wouldn’t cut through a live mix, I have a chibson on its way I can’t wait to get it.
"Sounds like a Les Paul," speaks volumes.
I bought quite a few of these back in the day before they were known as Chibsons. The build quality was all over the map back then and you could end up with a decent one or a real pile, it was a toss of the dice. I sold the bad ones, but would always state that they were copies and once you see one in person, it's pretty obviously not a real Gibson.
They used Epiphone bridges back then, so that was very easy to spot, but they have Nashville bridges on some now and the build quality is much better theses days. The truss rod will usually be a metric hex and not a brass nut that a real Gibson would have either. And the truss rod covers are never right,but that is an easy part to change. Fret end binding is also available now, so it's getting harder and harder to tell at a glance.
These are pretty bad out of the box and usually will require a full fret job, new nut, tuners, pickups and electronics to make them a gigable guitar. And at the end of the day, you basically have an Epiphone that says Gibson on the headstock, but if it falls and the headstock snaps off, or is stolen at a gig, well you aren't out thousands at least.
Less worries and it looks the part. At this point in time there's no stopping them from the counterfeiting, so as long as everyone is aware, then these have a place for the working musician, or the guy that want’s a cheap guitar to use at home IMHO.
I bought a pristine Lawsuit guitar back in 1980 used with case for $300..... A made in Japan Vantage Les Paul Custom Copy... Messed with THAT and the new Gibson LP Custom I had gone up to put money down on on the same amp for about an hour switching back and forth and walked out with the Lawsuit guitar with high end case for the money I was putting down on the Gibso LP without case.... My Vantage LP played better, sounded exactly the same as, better build quality, and is one ounce lighter than the way over twice as much Gibson... I've NEVER regretted it.... and when others try it, they STILL freak on it... I'll STILL put her up against the real thing... Because blindfolded (been done to many players thru the decades), ya cannot tell, and many preferred the Lawsuit...Back in the day, the Japanese were building American guitars much better than Americans were building their own guitars, but for cheaper... Realities made American guitar companies look real bad..... Hence the Lawsuits to stop it... and they did...
I have an les paul studio for around 1800 usd and one fake for 250 usd. Honestly the fake is much more beautiful and i cant tell any bigger difference in sound and playability.
What's morally wrong is a Gibson custom that costs 6000 dollars.
I'm in England and I've got a very good replica of the Peter Green/ Gary Moore Les Paul all the parts have been changed and it's an excellent guitar. Attention to detail is very good right down to having fret end nibs and a 1959 serial number without the made in USA stamp which Gibson didn't use at that time. Chibson's are now being turned out with thick maple caps and long neck tenons though the electronics and hardware are still junk but nothing that a little money won't put right. The nearest Gibson to my Greeny would set you back used around £15k or the latest one in 2022 is going for £50k with a limited run of 50.
My son and I get to try a bunch of different Gibson Les Paul's and SG's at our favorite used shop and I have to say there have only been maybe 3 or 4 that made me go 😃. The actual guitars that felt like what I would habe thought a Gibson was supposed to be are the 1979 Greco Standard and the 80's Greco SG Standard my son bought, and an Orville LP. After playing those 2 guitars we personally don't think we would ever need an actual Gibson, Oh and I Just heard you mention an Epiphone, I tried an Epiphone Les Paul Custom that weighed like 12lbs and it felt and sounded 👌.
It's a 'Chibson' the first thing I noticed was the cream coloured back plates.
The simple fact of guitar tone is that guitarists tend to listen with their eyes ..... and not with their ears.
True but there is a tactile thing with guitars, Chibsons feel cheap on the hands. That's why as soon as he lands hands on it he knows it is not a Gibson. Chibsons do look pretty on camera though. The one I bought has a body entirely made of basswood, (and the one on this vedeo is too and why it is so light) mine feels like a toy. I paid $300 but that's a $150 guitar all day long. Lesson learned.
@@jorgex9789 So true!
@@jorgex9789 i bought a Chibson LP Custom at AliExpress in 2023 for 220 €, the workmanship of the wood and the finish is same level as Epiphone. The tuners and the plastic parts were crap, i changed to better quality plastic parts for 30 € and 50 € Gotoh tuners. The pickups sound surprisingly good, no need to change them. For approx. 300 € i got a nice double binded, block inlays fretboard Les Paul Custom in fireburst finish without Epiphones ugly headstock but the right open book headstock. I looove my Chibson!
Good vid. I am a happy Fender and Gibson owner and have felt the lack of quality in knock off guitars over the years (I repair guitars). They may be getting better at building them but you get what you pay for.
well that's the thing, isn't it? they're basically the same as an entry level Squier or Epi, but for about half the price. (of course, you do need to be able and willing to do basic setup and minor finishing).
I bought a Chibson last year and custom ordered it from the Chinese builder with no logos and asked that it have a maple cap and nitro finish. I got the thing for under $400 USD and it plays and sounds amazing. I couldn't find any guitars with a maple cap and nitro finish for the same price or lower so it was definitely worth it.
The only mods I've done was add a bone nut and rewire the pots for 50s wiring with a treble bleed on the neck pickup. Surprisingly the neck pickup sounds great and bridge is ok sounding.
nice one. i like the fact you ordered without the logo.
I ordered one for $300 USD, it all pointed to decent quality but I did not get lucky. Mine is simply underwhelming, strangely frets look good and well rounded with no sharp edges.
Don’t support Chinese intellectual property theft guys….you are only fooling yourselves in the long run….🤔
How did you contact the chinese builder? I'm actually impressed they take custom orders like yours. I always thought they only mass produce hundrets of those guitars and can't afford doing anything off the rails.
i played a copy with seymore duncan pickups and it sounds brilliant !!!!..... great action, great intonation...... a great bar room beater guitar and if it gets broke or stolen no big deal...... i have a 76 les paul custom i bought in 76 and the guy who re-fretted it in 78 was paul reed smith ....
Maybe this PRS guy may make it one day. 😉
The real question here is does it sound and play as well as the copy? I listen with my ears and feel with my hands, could care less what the headstock says.
Hey what are you playing the guitars through? Sounds amazing!
A Matchless Independence 35
@@TheStudioRats is that a OD pedal in the front end sounds killer!!
Make a glass top coffee table using a flight case and stick it in will look great .
I spent several years authenticating Gibson Guitars, and so it's been easy to avoid getting taken by something like this, but to be honest, after this video I'm thinking I might have to accidentally buy one now. lol It's impressive, and I'm not trying to justify this kind of thing.... but its a true Rock and Roll guitar, because it completely embodies the rebellious nature of rock music.
From what I understand Slash's Gibson on AFD was a fake.
@@EattheApple666 It's a 59' Les Paul replica built by a luthier named Kris Derrig. When it comes to proprietary branding vs good and bad guitars there is a possibility of having a great guitar that is not branded. I had a Taylor PS14 solid Koh auditorium guitar built be a private luthier. The Taylor costs $10,500 and I had mine custom built for a fraction of that price. I do own some nice Taylor's but there is no remarkable difference between the replica and the brand name model in this case. As far as Gibson goes, their precision has increased over the past 5 years or so because of increased automation in their building, but their quality control has rarely been good. I've seen a lot of authentic Les Paul models with broken headstocks, and the LP's from the 1970's bring a really high price these days, but the truth is you never really knew what you were going to get back then, those guitars came out of the factory with cold solder joints / bad wiring, bad finishes, poor fret finishing, and the intonation was rarely adjusted correctly... The best quality control years of Gibson Guitars were made between the years of 2006 and 2012. Oddly those years of Gibson LP bring the lowest prices, but if you find one that has not been messed with it's almost a 100% that you are going to get a really great playing guitar made from the very best material. My Only Gibson is a 2006 LP and it plays and sounds great. I'm surprised that Gibson's current CEO hasn't tried to sue Slash over his replica. They actually have such a bad track record when it comes to greed that a lot of professional musicians who play authentic Gibsons put tape over the headstock logo to keep from giving them free advertising. If you haven heard about when Gibson under its current operators bulldozed 14 million dollars worth of Firebird X guitars to keep from selling them at a discount price... search it on YT... it will give you a different impression of the company. They also recently bought Mesa Boogie... I have a Mesa Boogie Electradyne that is a factory custom... it is like the one Kim Thayil of Soundgarden used. It's an absolute monster of an amp, but I can say with some degree of certainty that I will never buy another Mesa Boogie amp since Gibson bought them out. Gibson has certainly seen better days imo. The best stuff out there these days is not new.
Buying these and trying to pass them off as real Gibsons for sale is morally wrong. Buying these to have one is not.
morally wrong is selling guitars for $5000
I had a chibson dave growl dg 335 / triney Lopez replica and it was awesome
I just one of their gold tops and i absolutely love it.
So how you find the real ones? I'm just about to buy one LP,but now I so confused to buy or not ..because it's fake LP every where.thanks you for sharing
Now imagine that Chibson with a set of real Burstbuckers. That's an experiment someone should do. (Not to pretend or sell it as a real Gibson, but just for the sake of audio)
I ordered a Chibson and specified R9 specs, (nitrocellulose lacquer finish, 1-Piece body and neck, long neck tenon as well as correct headstock and neck break angles). It even has fret nibs with the fingerboard binding.
I also specified they not assemble it and not drill the holes in the top for the bridge or stopbar studs and no pickups or electronics.
Total cost for the finished husk with custom specifications was $365.
As a test I installed all Gibson, Kluson and Callaham hardware (including a true ABR-1 bridge/mounting posts). The electronics consist of Switchcraft Toggle and Emerson Control Pots, Pickups were an early set of non-potted #1 & #2 Gibson Burstbuckers.
I cut and installed a new Nut, leveled and dressed the frets and gave it a good setup.
Total cost for the U.S.A. Manufactured hardware, plastics and electronics about $700.
Results, compared to my actual vintage Gibson Les Paul it plays and sounds wonderful. It has taken and held the setup very well for the last 2 years, the only drawback is the Epiphone style fret wire used, it seems soft and will not hold a good polish.
Otherwise, a great guitar and for myself a fantastic learning experience and a very rewarding guitar build/assemble.
I would consider ordering a second husk and build it up like I did, using the real Gibson plastics makes all the difference.
The biggest advantage is the ability to order custom finish and options without spending +$5K.
The serial number I chose for this build is my DOB (white ink looks great because I specified a headstock stinger), I also specified abalone instead of pearl for the Gibson logo and the trapezoid fret markers.
A note to anyone considering this, do not allow the builder to install the pickup rings as the import pickups rings (Epiphone) are larger than original Gibson Brand pickup surrounds. As such if the larger Epiphone rings have been installed the smaller Gibson rings will not cover the mounting holes from the larger Epiphone rings. Its a small thing but once you realize Epiphone pickup rings are larger than Gibson's it is a thing you cannot "un-see".
@@hkguitar1984 Great and interesting comment. Thanks for sharing! Have you ever done a comparison video of both guitars?
@@slobodanarodu2005 I have not. Currently I have Burstbucker #1 & #2 in both my Chibson R9 as well as my Custom Ordered 1986 Les Paul Custom. With the Chibson having a true ABR-1 bridge installation it sounds better than the Gibson both acoustically as well as when run through an amp. I should qualify "sounds better to me", guitars are like people, no two are the same and need to be evaluated on an individual basis.
You do provide an idea/food for thought as far as a comparison video. Still though, the ABR-1 is kind of a game-changer and IMO gives the Chibson a bit of an advantage.
@@hkguitar1984 Were would one be able to buy a customizable husk like the one you mentioned? I would love to take on a project like this.
@@mfmishere I've replied to your comment 2 times already and it keeps getting removed.
Go ahead to my UA-cam Channel and send me an email.
In the 80s, I bought a 1960 Les Paul for $150USD from a music shop. You never know what people will sell cheaply, so price isn’t a good indicator of value.
$150? I'd trade my home for a 1960 Les Paul.
@@thomasturner8064 what country do you live in?
@@MaxPower-js1sk US. An actual 1960 Gibson Les Paul (sunburst standard at least)could easily cost (far) upwards of a quarter million dollars today.
@@thomasturner8064 Yes. It was in the 80s. The guy who sold it to me lost his job over the sale.
my oldest guitar is a '65 red SG Special I bought in 1970 for $150. that same year I also bought a brand new Marshall Super Lead 100 head for $375.
If you have gone this far you don't care about the moral part. The guitars are good and getting better no more BS
AIO has much better guitars for the price. Quality wise anyways..
The Chibson Les Paul with good pickups swapped in is the new Epiphone Les Paul with pickups swapped.
I bought one out of curiosity, and as a platform to tweak, my plan was exactly the same. Send it with my daughter to school someday and scratch “Chibson” in to the back.
Buying a used Gibson these days has become such a hellhole or pain. So it’s actually working out well for Gibson because people like me won’t trust any used seller and just go to a shop like GuitarGuitar and buy a new one. The used Gibson market is a minefield if exploitation and I genuinely believe that Gibson know this and have seen new guitar sales increase as a result or mistrust in the used market. It’s not just guitars. It’s everything.
I agree 100%. 👍
YOU are a fool...the best Gibsons are the older ones.....they DO NOT make them like that anymore...but you go on buying garbage from the modern plant!!!
I've been with USA Gibson and Fender for many years, and I think if you want a piece that you can use live, and not worry about theft or damage, these are great. LP Custom, 5 grand, Chubby Chibby, 3 beans...lol. Plug it in and Rock it!
The heck with the high dollar Les Pauls, Gimme a Les Pole any ol day of the week mate!
I have a copy on one, I mostly just pluck and pick. I am still learning to be a decent player. -----> I am for the most part pretty happy with it. I can not afford a real one, and i am not good enough to play in a band yet!
What site did you guy's get it from? I have been looking at a few different models recently.
There are a few on Ebay I saw....
That's a good looking, good sounding guitar. You could swap the hardware and electronics for what you saved and have enough money left over to buy two or three more of those and upgrade them to destroy a Gibson too. 😀
Funnily enough, if you know what you are looking for, the serial number and "made in USA" on the back of the headstock are one of the biggest giveaways! On a real Gibson these are stamped before the guitar the finish is applied, but on a Chibson they are routed out after the finish has been applied. I would not be surprised if they were to start stamping them at some point🤔 The serial numbers tend to be accurate for the model and year being copied!😱
also, the output jack plate is usually easy to spot as non authentic.
Geez, it would be a tough decision if someone offered a Chibson for $150.00 and it played and sounded acceptable. I wasn't aware of the counterfeit guitar problems but I learned the hard way in 1997 when the Fender Strat I payed a hefty price from a "friend " was found to be a total fake (and my "buddy" knew it). Its not recent problem, 22 years ago I bought a fake Fender.
I must add: I'm *NOT* "cheap", I'm POOR
I have just recently bought my first new GENUINE Les Paul Standard 60s from an accredited Gibson dealership here in Australia. The craftsmanship is truly awesome, and something to behold. I never ever considered buying a fake, and yes, I had to wait until I was 69 before I could afford one, but it was well worth the wait! 😊
@@thewatcher1120 i bought a Greenie gary moore les paul Gibson from China and ive played the real deal. No difference whatsoever
@@jimmycricketlopez2746 played a 335 with seymore duncans and was just blown away.... and if it gets clipped at a bar gig no big deal
I’ve had a few epiphone guitars les Paul included.
Keep your money and get a decent Epiphone .
And do beware of knock off epis too I’ve got one at the moment.
Bought unawares off eBay n I’m still chasing my money back
I got a 58 China Paul the flame is beautiful although color is a bit more orange than i prefer.. I put a pair of Stew Mac Parson st Humbuckers with coil splitting. It plays and sounds better than real ones i have owned
Have a EKO VL480 les paul that cost me around 200 new....sounds better than a standard Epiphone imo. Built like a tank, heavy guitar, good pickups. Just needs a setup as most budget guitars do. Good luck, greatings from Netherlands
i really like those inlays look.
Got to be worth a set of those Iron Gear pickups James.
I put a set of Iron Gear pickups in my Chibson and it sounds great.
Got my first Chibson back in 2003. It was a decent playing guitar after a few mods but I couldn't bond with it because it had Gibson on the headstock. Weird I know!
I can understand that.
So can I, smh.
Interesting to see your GT vs mine ...
The Chibsons have actually improved a lot since then...
There are plenty of companies making good quality affordable Les Paul style guitars that aren't trying to pretend they're Gibson, that most people wouldn't know the difference listening to or watching on stage.
The demographic that these fakes are aimed at must be extremely small...I don't know why any company would bother lol
They're either aimed at people who want the Gibson name without the price tag, or, being cynical, people who are prepared to buy them and sell them on to unsuspecting punters as the real thing.
The only think bad is the logo, if they left the logo off then it would be like most of the copies out there.
It would be hard to tell the difference just looking at it from 20 ft ~
I'd think you should just stamp "NOT" above the MADE IN USA stamp on the back. If anyone gets it in the future and looks on back, it will be obvious that it is a fake. Then you (or your kids) can play it and enjoy it because it sounds good.
The Gibson quality control issue can be mitigated through inspection. You can return it until you get something you like. QC is certainly hit and miss - I have 2 Les Pauls and neither have quality issues. What you also get is an icon that isnt suffering from import brand depreciation There arent many other guitar brands that you can get out of for at least what you paid for them (if not more) over time. I have 2 PRS SE models that I play way more than my Gibsons, but my Gibsons are special and none of my other guitars feel or sound like them. I hope anyone selling a Chibson lands an itch they cant scratch, even if they are disclosing the "fake" status- to me, thats just as bad. As long as the chain of sale continues on, someone is always at risk of getting scammed. Thanks for the video - any press on fake guitars is good press. Hopefully this will get people to stop buying them and/or look more closely at what they think is real so as not to get scammed.
I agree 100%. 👍
Not so sure about the depreciation view, at least not until your Gibson is about forty years old. I'm looking at Les Paul standards on reverb 2019-2022 models -average $500-600 less than a new one.
I don't play icons or legends. I play guitars.
I agree, stealing the brand name is wrong!, as someone else wrote, improve the design (headstock volute, neck heel countoured out), put your own brand name and go for it!
Get over it. I have 4 Chibsons and they play amazing with a a couple hundred bucks spent on them, if that
@jimmycricketlopez2746 If Gibson was respecrable id be upset too, but they are garbage guitars now. Chibson all the way!
Really enjoyed this video, thanks guys! :)
I haven't heard anyone say anything about the comparison of the necks.???
If Gibson didn`t charge that much there would be no copycats.
Anyone that knows guitars at all can pick these out with ease..... It's a shame that there are people who WILL get ripped off because they don't know any better, but that stuff happens with a LOT of things.... If I had one I would NOT ruin it because it's a fake... I look at them as replicas... If they were trying to actually counterfeit guitars, they would have the correct weight, better inlay work, better electronics and tuners and correct headstock emblems... I have a Lawsuit guitar,, a Vantage made in Japan, Les Paul Custom that I bought in 1980... It weighs exactly the same as the Gibson it copied, the electronics are better than standard Gibson, and the fit and finish was/is better... I had gone up to the music store to put money down on a new black Gibson Les Paul Custom and a buddy that worked there brought this used Vantage out to show me... It was pristine w/high end case.. You could NOT tell the difference in tones or ANYTHING between the new Gibson and this Lawsuit Vantage... The feel and the fit and finish of the Vantage made the sale.... For 1/2 the money... But it's a high quality made in Japan guitar... The chinese are allowed to make and import these because of all those differences... and it lets people have 3-4-$5k looking guitars on a budget.... No, they're not the real McCoy, but they look good for show, and I'm sure there are players using these on stage that can't afford the real thing, or can't take the chance of something happening to their real ones... People have been making automotive clones for decades, but people who know a little about cars know that and it IS very cool. I bought a Custom SG 1961 (when still badged as a Les Paul model) replica off Ebay for $245 after taxes and shipping.... Sorry, but the quality and beauty of this guitar is absolutely up there with my Real Gibson and Epiphone SGs.... It's a beautiful replica of a $5-$9K or more guitar..... I see nothing wrong with that when the Epiphone was over twice the Chibson.... and I haven't had ANYbody who has seen it say anything negative about it at all.... Everybody likes it.... It IS what it IS... I had a '72 Chevelle years ago and threw SS badges on it... Looked cool as hell and everybody liked it... I wasn't trying to fool anybody... It looked COOL. I STILL have people mention that car I had over 40 years ago...
Morally, we should forgive fake Gibson Les Paul. It built the "Paradise City"... 😊
Just got a 2022 Chibson and the build quality and detail are incredible. Compared with an actual Gibson, there is no way the real one is worth several thousand pounds more. Chibson have come on a lot in the last couple of years. Why pay a fortune to Gibson primarily for the name. Certainly not for the quality.
Where did you get it? I would PM, but I'm not sure how to do it via UA-cam.
@@ellismorgan8910 you can’t pm
on utube only Utube and Instagram. And some other apps like WhatsApp. Etc.
Imagine it being better in some aspects than a 4K guitar, that's why these things are selling. Chinese should come up with their own brand name, tweak the design a little and go legit, they'd kill it.
but "these guitars" aren't better in any aspect than the guitars they cosmetically mimic. The only thing they're better at is in getting money from some people who want to pretend they own something close to a Les Paul, but it's really not, nowhere close. These things sell because they play into people's fantasy, not because they offer anything better as far as material used, or build quality.
@@rodnyg7952 That's not what I heard on the video, and of course, as they said multiple times, it is morally wrong to get one, but that doesn't mean they are not well built
I just got one and trust me when I tell you they are not better in any aspect than a 4k guitar. The only reason these guitars sell is because they use Gibson designs and a Gibson headstock. I would not have bought mine if it wasn't for that. In the video as soon as the other guy is handed the guitar he can tell is not a Gibson, there is a reason for that. There are already tons of LP copies made in China without a Gibson headstock.
@@GerryBlue ... couldn't care less about any mortality issues concerning knockoff guitars --not my problem. They're built about as well as any guitar within the same price range. That's why they're priced accordingly.
@@rodnyg7952 This seems to be a very touchy subject for you, why?
I've ran across a few Chibby's that play and sound great!
I would “run across” them too……with a road roller! 😂
So, with those quality control issues, it's pretty much as good as Gibson 😁
Hehe. Some would say better……
no, he didn't say that at all. He said it's pretty good for what it is. Meaning, it's pretty good for a 160$ guitar. Quality control is a business process that ensures a product's quality is maintained & improved. For the price it costs to make a Chibson, quality control is basically non-existent. If all-around product quality were controlled then the cost of materials, build, sales & marketing would increase as well, gradually increasing consumer price. If anything is quality controlled by knockoff guitar manufacturers, then it's appearance & cosmetic appeal
Exactly
@@TheStudioRats ..👍
@@rodnyg7952 It's $160 of nothing as Customs and Excise could turn up any day in the future and fine him for owning a counterfeit/contraband product and confiscating the guitar to be trashed.
I think the main issue is people trying to sell them as real Gibson guitars. There are probably a lot of folks who don't know how to spot a fake. There are safe ways to get a similar guitar for cheap. Harley Benton and Firefly are two pretty safe alternatives rather than buying from a random Chinese website. A lot of us folks won't waste our dollars on a 2k-4k guitar and lower Gibson's kind of suck. I even bought the Silver Sunburst Epiphone Custom and it definitely had cheap Chinese pickups. It was dark and there was three ways around it. Sell it, change the pickups, or eq the lows out. I sold it, got a Harley Benton and loved it.
I have 6 Gibsons and I just bought my first Chibson. I am feeling a bit dumb right now. Simply terrible build quality, somewhere between a Maestro and a low end Epiphone. They’re light because the entire body is basswood, the gold color is way off, the top is lumpy, neck dimensions are different, inlays stick out a bit, the heel is wonky. Just terrible but I wanted an R4 and can’t justify another historic LP
you get what you pay for in the end. Sometimes you get less, but never more. If you got more, then those companies wouldn't exist very long, because they'd make little to no profit on units sold. So, any guitar that costs about 170$ is actually worth at least half its consumer price in order for everyone in the supply, administration, manufacturing, marketing/sales, transport/shipping chain to get their piece of the pie too
@@rodnyg7952 oh yea, owning guitars from all price ranges has taught me this but against my better judgement I ordered this thing. Just terrible.
@@jorgex9789 ya, I hear you, not so terrible though. It peaked your interest & you got it. It's not like you sunk 3K into it. My electrics are a Gibson ES-335 DOT, & a late 70"s standard Strat. I just don't see the logic in buying any knockoff guitar at any price at this point. I'd fiddle around with it for a few weeks, & then it would end up collecting dust on a wall
Its a fine guitar for people who can never afford a gibson because they price gauge and the quality of Gibson these days are garbage. I have 3 Gibsons to compare over a span of 25 years. I see a difference and so do other people.
Thanks fellas
Fake Gibsons are a moral outrage! I know for sure the customers for Chibsons would have bought a $4000.00 guitar instead and all that money would have gone directly to paying their line workers a living wage and improving their quality control division. Definitely not for coke and hookers for overpaid executives at trade conventions.
😂
if that guitar had a legal paper saying it was real, you'd be fooled 10000000000000%
Mahogonay comes flamed also! and is cheaper than flamed maple so is likely to be flamed mahogany
I love wood for how diverse it is. Almost anything can be figured, it just depends on the circumstances in which it was grown. For similar reasons, I love stone and crested cacti. It’s just so cool to see how different something can be due to different variables during its creation
There is no morals anymore that all went to hell when they started saying you can't say this that and other .
What's morally wrong is charging 5000 dollars for a guitar that another country can sell you for 200..... maybe that's where Gibson went wrong.......
Gibson should buy these knock off brand companies and have them make guitars for them .
i prefer fgn neo classic ( les paul lookalike ) or old gibson les paul guitar
Can someone tell me the exact website to buy this guitar?
it starts with an "e"
Thats not a flame maple back it'll be flamed mahogany. You see it sometimes.
Ive got 5 Gibson LPs and one Chibson. Im part of a loosly knit community of Guitar builders/DYI:ers. Theres often the odd Chibsy floating around.. We trade and sell stuff between us and the set rate for a Chibson is always 50 bucks. The one I currently have is pretty good, after some major work put in to it. They are usually pretty crappy guitars, but can be made to work fairly ok. I would never recommend it to anyone who wants a proper instrument out of the box though... I dont care much for the morality aspect really. They are in most cases just not worth the trouble.
Is the Custom Shop guitar 40 times better than the Chibo? Unlikely…
I have purchased many Gibson guitars, 2 new Les Pauls, a new Explorer back in 1978 and some used ones, a Firebird, ES-335 and an EDS-1275. Every single one of them had some sort of playability issue. Some took a considerable amount of work and expense to get them right. Gibson is now selling set of pickups for $1,000.00. And we're discussing what's morally right and wrong? Give me a break. If a Chibson brings happiness, life is short....go buy one, or ten.
Why not pay a little more and get a decent higher end Epiphone? Far more ethical.. Chibsons also have a veneer top versus a 1/2 inch solid maple top on a Gibson USA.. .You can tell easily just by unscrewing the pickups and looking into the routed cavity..
Nothing like the real thing!
...and today they're not longer friends.
I would take that chibson anyday.
Always that power chord add 9 =)
a rolls royce raith is 600 g its basicaly a bmw 750 for 100 g? is it really wrong to save 3800 dollars?
I would not be ashamed to own one, considering that Gibson itself makes replicas of replicas, see Slash models.
I'd buy one ...the only issue for me is passing it on as a real one. It's not like I'm not buying a Gibson Les Paul only because these are available..the main reason people don't buy Gibson's is they simply can't afford them. Regardless, if you're buying one for your personal enjoyment and no skullduggery, why not?
If it sounds good, it is good.
No one's scratchin' anything that's for sure
it's got six strings... make music. don't sell ....luv mine. I can tear apart my 1966 p bass and find many flaws too... all the notes are there. I wish we had these in the 80s lol
Swap out the pick ups for P90s and you got a Gibson sound for £250. saved yourself £3000+. No brainer?
I got mine in 2010
You cannot morally wrong Gibson, whatever you do, they more than deserved it.
I will need to send you some photos of my (fake) Nigel Tufnel Gibson LP. It goes to 11.🎸🎸🤣
Yes yes yes
It’s a “Less Paul”!
Morally wrong? that's the dumbest thing I've read so far today. I have a fake gold-top w/P90s, complete with "made in USA" and a (fake) 2006 s/n. its one of the sweetest guitars I own.
If we are being honestunless it's a custom shop Gibson there is not much difference between a Gibson standard studio and a epiphonemost of the time the price is simply in the name I had many cheep guitars that with a good set of custom pickups and some quality hardware changed out they tend to be less money and better than a big name standard
Any good player can make even a crap guitar sound good.
The serial number comes back as Nashville USA January 17th 2000. Production number 120
That’s shocking.
@@TheStudioRats yip. No wonder people hide the serial numbers in pictures
It seems to be all Gibsun's these days to me I've yet to play a post covid gib worth.a dime
if you can't afford a Gibson or simply cannot justify spending £££ on one, buy an Epiphone. Simple.