Why Buy A "Chibson" | Are They Worth It?
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- Today's video is all about the risks of purchasing a counterfeit Gibson guitar (or any knock-off of a legitimate guitar company like Fender or PRS) online. We'll also be discussing why some folks opt for these knockoffs instead of authentic ones (i.e why not just buy an Epiphone/Harley Benton/etc.) Share your thoughts in the comments below! #CounterfeitGuitar #GibsonDebate #RealVsFake
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I bought two chibsons, first one was a cherry burst standard LP with a one piece body and one piece neck, the guitar plays like a dream,the Korean made humbuckers rock, and the only upgrade was locking cream tulip tuners, I just wanted to test the water & ordered from aliexpress and to see how good these guitars really were, I used a random seller with 93.5 percent rating, the guitar took two months to get, but I was totally blown away by the quality,set up and attention to detail, and the guitar was every bit as good as any Epiphone LP, with a better looking open book headstock,who cares about logos, they can be painted over,when a guitar feels this good, and sounds this good,why not buy one,my next chibson was a black Angus Young SG with lightning bolt inlays,a five thousand dollar guitar if you buy the Gibson model, instead of waiting for my dream guitar,which this Angus model is, I had no problem dishing out the $226 dollar price tag,for this copy of a tribute guitar I've always wanted,it doesn't mean I will never buy another Gibson,but as far as the budget guitar market goes, you just won't find a better copy of a Gibson LP or an SG then these chibsons, I own firefly's, IYVs and epiphone LPs & SGs, plus a silver tone and grote SG, and the chibson comes the closest to the feel of a real Gibson LP and an SG in my hands, they may lack the quality of wood gibsons & epiphone uses,but it's hard to tell under all the paint anyway ,I bought these chibsons to gig with, not ashamed of the fact they are fake at all,dam proud of the price of each guitar $226 each delivered to my door, these guitars would make excellent wall hangers, if they didn't play so well,china has stepped up their game and are building some fine instruments,both of these guitars were playable right out of the box, and would be perfect for a beginner, it's like having a stunt double,if you want to test drive a Gibson buy a chibson.
It is what it is.
I bought a couple as modding platforms because they were so cheap and they were fun for that purpose. I've had custom logos made that will replace the current fake logo when I eventually give them away.
They are good mod platforms, I think. Replacing the fake logo is always good to do!
@@Electric.Flamingo The replacement logos I bought have my own family name on them and are made of metal; I plan to dremel off the "Gibson" logo altogether and fix the metal badge over the spot.
I did a lot of upgrades and they are pretty darn good now.
I doubt I will sell them...probably give them to some kid that is learning and cannot afford a halfway decent starter guitar.
@pdxtom and THIS is how it should be done. Well done, sir! ⚡️🦩
The same here. I hate counterfeit goods. Not only guitars. Buy counterfeit products is a form to expose your frustation.
So here's my reasoning for buying stuff like this. I just recently ordered a customized blue quilted maple Ibanez RG clone off of AliExpress, asked for no branding. Before that i checked local listings for used legit Ibanez guitars and there weren't any in the area or online that were both in my price range and matched my aesthetic preferences. Recently just taught myself to level frets and did a whole setup on one of my schecters since it was having buzzing issues. For the price i got it, the custom guitar will have a much better finish than i could ever do myself with a kit. I look forward to practicing luthier work to set it up and with the rest of my budget then spec it out with a gotoh floyd, new pickups and locking tuners. I'm getting the impression that the necks and bodies are likely being made alongside the legit ones they produce in China, I'm optimistic they're workable since everything is CNC these days but fingers crossed. Maybe itll end up playing like a prestige after im done with it, maybe not, either way I think it'll be a fun experience and I hope to turn it into a fine instrument. Would never present it as a legit Ibanez though, just a custom superstrat style guitar.
Again, great guitars to work on, the branding is the issue, but it seems you have a level head and won't present it as something it isn't!
2:27 TRUE!! I do have a Chibson Ace Frehley. But I also have 2 Gibson Les Pauls, and 1 Epiphone Les Paul. The Chibson is no where near the quality of a real Gibson or an Epiphone. I actually cover this point in one of my videos.
So, the question. Why did I buy the Chibson? Gibson didn't make an Ace in that color and I liked it. It's the sparkle blue finish. I think I'd like to get a Les Paul Recording re-issue next.
Eric, Im totally down with what you’re saying. If you want a chibson then go ahead and buy a chibson. However don’t pawn it off as a real one because that really is a douche move to do. And to the people that say that the quality is really good I have to disagree, my neighbor bought an ace frehley chibson edition and believe me, you could tell it was subpar to what would have came out of the Gibson factory. I get that Gibson prices are outrageous and they probably shouldn’t be as high as they are(probably a whole new discussion in itself) but buying a knockoff and stating that it’s the real deal is not cool at all. Believe me I have my own beef with Gibson but what’s right is right. Thanks for the great videos
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Great job! Glad to see others take up the torch Mike from CGS! Buying a Chibson is like dancing with your sister as was once said. So true!
RIP Mike, such a great dude. Amazing channel. He was a big reason I found out about fakes and that whole world. Quite possibly why I feel as strongly as I do. lol. Thank you! ⚡️🦩
Good topic.
Im a gear snob and I like spending money on things that I love so Im with you.
Gibson yes, from 10 Gibsons I owned only a few had problems and they were minor problems..
Epiphone yes, if it feels good and sounds good, why not? Supporting the brand is important rather than supporting some fake a$$ pirates with shitty products.
So Chibson never ever… not even for free. Piracy and ripoffs should not exist.
Glad to see a lot of agreeable comments here. I just think people put too much into brands sometimes or more, what they "stand for." Gibsons are expensive and "symbolize wealth" to some which is missing the point. It's a well-built instrument and should be played, if you can afford it. Just my opinion.
Buying a Gibson is like buying a Harley Davidson. Yes they are good products with their own quirks but hugely overpriced for what you get.
True. They offer the alternative to save a bit in Epiphone, so again, the fakes with Gibson on the headstock just don't make sense to me.
@@Electric.Flamingo I bought the new Epi white les paul custom about 6 months ago and am truly diggin it.QC was amazing, couldnt find a flaw and got it from a store. If you buy a Chibson there is always a chance in Canada it will get confiscated at customs and could be charged with buying counterfeit. TC
Overpriced is relative. I think of them as investments. I have 6 american guitars I got deals used on all of them. I could sell them on reverb and easily double my initial money spent.
Try that with anything imported
@@Ottophil ya well if ya buy em to flip em like a used car, you probably never played one! Question, when is the last time you actually bought a NEW Gibson?
Bought one off Craigslist ten years ago. Beautiful guitar, needed every piece of hardware replaced.
Bought it to learn how to work on something. I covered up the logo, and put a custom truss cover that says chibson "Res Paw".
Would I buy one again? No. Even hiding things about it, I feel weird owning it. I did make it really nice though, and with the EMG Hetfield set, locking tuners, roller bridge etc, it is a good player.
But it still feels weird.
Well, as many people have said, they are great to learn to work on. Considering all that is most likely going to be wrong with them once you get them, they are great mod platforms.
Just ordered one, without (hopefully) the logo. If it does have the Gibson name stamp copy/fake/Chibson on the back of the headstock and under the pickups, job done. Yet, must ask, have you played one yourself? If not I don't think it's the best idea to dismiss them as bad, unless you have first hand experience. Otherwise a decent vid of your opinions
I have not played one, no. And I understand the idea of "at least try it" and I'm always open to that idea with things. In this case, I just really don't want to get involved with the fakes.
Again, my issue is the portrayal of something it isn't. If someone has one that isn't portrayed as a Gibson, yeah that's fine and I'd try it.
Counterfeits are just a different level than copies. It's too far over the line. I'm starting to somewhat feel like that with some of what Firefly is doing, making direct copies of signature guitars (like the John 5 ghost tele), even though they keep the Firefly branding.
Great way of putting things. Copies get a little out of line, too, sometimes. The Gibson/Dean thing is a good example, as is the Firefly thing.
If you’re like my Grandfather who owned a bunch of guitars, said they were worth thousands of dollars, died and had me and my dad sell them, and then come to find that he had sold the most expensive ones already and the ones we had were all Chibsons- THATS an asshole
Oof. Man, that's rough.
The quality debate is pretty much over in the modern era, but the older Chibsons were of such a low quality that they were hard to distinguish from the genuine article. Modern Chibsons are vastly superior.
As long as they aren't branded as a Gibson (or other legit brand), I bet they are great for the money!
@@Electric.Flamingo Honestly, that seems to be the rub of the matter. At least, there is a rise in oversees builders kicking out clones that are decent to very good and clones of models that are otherwise otherworldly expensive if not impossible to source. As long as they arent sold as Gibsons or sold in a way that buyers think they are Gibsons, then it seems like the problem is mostly moot.
a lot of the chibsons are copies or influenced by the super-expensive gibsons... entry level fenders and gibsons are attainable but the fenders and gibsons that are desirable are way expensive and out of reach...
That is true. But, buying a fake doesn't really give you that sense of "I finally own this piece I wanted." Thats what I say you're fooling yourself if you buy a fake and think it's going to be what you're looking for.
I've owned countless Gibsons and Epiphones. I rank the current Chibson's quality as slightly higher than the current era Epiphones. The "Brands" have jacked prices through the roof. Fuck the brands.
Also a great way to put it. Branding is a powerful thing.
I agree on most points. However, I can't actually buy the real version of my dream guitar. Even at 5k I'd save for it and order direct from the ESP custom shop. Problem is its a white ESP MX-250. They sell for like 10-50k. Simply can't justify or afford that much for one guitar. I do own Epiphones and LTD Ex models but its not quite the shape I actually want nor the color. A Chi-SP might be as close as I get to my all time favorite guitar. Even the Gibson 80s explorer doesn't quite do it for me and for 2500, it had better.
And I can understand that. But, my question is, people who buy them to get their dream guitars, are you really going to be happy still knowing it's not "that" guitar? And I say that with genuine curiosity and zero animosity.
@@Electric.Flamingo No of course not, but if its between that or nothing, and its only a couple hundred bucks. I'd be on board. One solution for Gibson to put a dent in this kind of practice is to extend their inspired by Gibson line to other brands for a licensing fee. So ESP or whoever could make their own versions again without litigation and Gibson still gets their piece of the pie. If I could buy an LTD version even with some markup to pay Gibson I would. Gibson would never do this, and as of now, Chibson is the only route to get the exact shape.
Love your content!
Thank you very much! ⚡️🦩
@@Electric.Flamingo I consider your reviews of gear to be some of the most insightful and relatable. Just picked up an Epi Les Paul trad pro ii, grateful that, to quote you, "the secret about these hasn't gotten out yet".
@cincypiper man, that's so humbling. 🙏 it's comments like that the keep me going. Thank you so much!
Enjoy that Epi!
I am just waiting on a Tender to come out😂
Okay, I would maybe have to check out a Tender...😅
I got one off of ebay. did not know it was a chibson 'cuz they did not show the headstock and it was under $300 to my door. I'm a little embarrassed to show it to any one, but I absolutely love it. I heard that the main theory is that they make them at an ephiphone factory. Then gibson makes money off of those buying replacement parts. mine plays well and looks stunning from a distance. once you get close you can easily see from the material and imperfections that it's a replica. I just wish they would not have put the logo on it. cheers
Interesting theory, to be honest. This is a great example of how people can be taken advantage of, though if they aren't sure what to look for. At least it wasn't at the price of a real Gibson, that would have stung worse.
I'm a lefty guitarist and I have a few Chibsons because a) there aren't many options for the real thing, b) any that are available are typically 20%-30% more than you'll pay for a righty, and c) because every time I took my ultra cool sounding Tokai (with Bare Knuckle The Mule(s)), people would say "couldn't you affors a Gibson? Can't win really. But I'm not going to sell any of my guitars - Chibson or otherwise - as it takes me too long to find good gear. I often upgrade the pickups and electrics, but the quality IMHO is great on the two I own. That said, wnyone who passes one off as real is indeed an asshole.
I could also understand this too, right up until the people talking about "not being able to afford one." As a lefty, valid point.
My point is proven that some people (not a shot at you, please I implore you not to take it that way at all) will buy one for the image. Again, I'm not saying you do or are or have, but people will thinking it makes them look like a better musician. Being a better player, regardless of brand name on the gear, makes you a better musician.
@Electric.Flamingo Lefties are starved of options to be fair - often there are no options at all. Zero. Diddly squat. I'm a massive fan of Steve Howe and for 40 years have wanted an ES175D in Sunburst. I saw one once, and I think it was over £10k (in the 90s). ES345 in walnut? Nah, nothing doing.
I've some cool genuine Gibsons and PRSs thankfully. But we really are starved of often even a choice of one.
PS my 175 is actually an Eastman AR372CE, and it's a superb guitar. Plays like a dream.
Same 'ol shite...people buy Chibson's for the same reason people buy fake Rollex watches or fake Louis Vuitton bags.
Exactly
My Ace Frehley Chibson was purchased as a wall hanger, and I etched "FAKE" into the back of the headstock. What a beautiful, unplayable piece of cool art!😂
This would also be an exception to the rule, I think. The FAKE etching is always a nice touch. As an "art piece", they are great cheap ways to achieve that. As long as they remain just that and again, if sold, advertised as a fake. An example of a Chibson purchase done correctly, as strange as that sounds!
me too... I have a Chibson on the wall, just as decoration 🙂... but in my case, I ordered it without a logo... so there are no problems of any type of confusion 😉.
I buy mine so they look sound and feel as close to my real Gibson's.Is possible with the same hardware I put in them But I use them as guitars to play live so that It don't hurt so badly f some drunk knocks it over or it gets stolen
But why not just buy Epiphone? They put all of the same hardware on it (just about) now.
The chibsons are less expensive than the new Epiphones. Just saying, lol. What if you don’t care what the headstock says but you just want a Firebird for 300 bucks? Just playing devils advocate btw. I agree with you. But they chibsons…are 1/3 the cost…of the Epiphones lol. Just worth considering. I prefer Harley Benton for my knock offs. They put their own name on it at least.
So, if you get them with another logo on it, that's totally fine. The thing I don't understand is why people INSIST on having the Gibson branding on it. If they are just good guitars on their own, why pretend it's a Gibson and just buy it blank? That's my point and you are absolutely right. They are cheaper. It's the branding that upsets me. lol.
@@Electric.Flamingo I completely agree with you on that principle, bro. I have seen some select ebay sellers offer custom logo or no logo options. To me, I would rather just buy a kit guitar for that model, add my preferred pups and electronics in it and add my own waterslide decal. But the low ass cost of the Chibsons is what I can really sort of understand for Chibson owners. Like...that part I do get. But we are basically in total agreement on all of your points. And I am also not a Chibson owner though...ya boi has definitely pondered it a time or two. Really hard to say no to a 300 dollar Angus Young Lightning Bolt inlay SG. If you build it....guitar players will buy it LOL
People wouldn't buy Chibsons if Gibsons would be more affordable for the working man like they were back in my youth. I mean a Studio LP for just shy under 2000 Bucks c'mon. In 2011 I bought a LP Studio for just under 550$ brand spanking new. Same with customshop LP's in 2011 they were about 2800$ for a fully spec'd out 1959 in VOS finish now they're about 5-6000$. And dont come with inflation now guys cause that is not the case, its good 'ol corporate greed. Just my two cents on the topic.
While I agree that Gibsons are expensive, my point that Epiphone exists still stands pretty valid. You're still getting an actual Les Paul/SG/335 whatever from Gibson at a much more affordable price point. Whether people like it or not, Epiphone is the working man's Gibson. And that's okay.
@@Electric.Flamingo The problem I got with Epiphone even this day's is that (maybe Im just unlucky) but every Epi I've ever got delivered had fret problems i.e fretsprout or just plain freleveling problems which made them unplayable at the action that I want to have on a guitar. Some custom models I ordered a while back always had binding problems meaning that the binding that was supposed to be 7 layered was just 5-6 layered cause it got laquered too inconsistently. And about your last sentence "Whether people like it or not, Epiphone is the working man's Gibson. And that's okay." I dont get why people nowadays have to be content with corporations ripping you off with their main product and leave you with something inferior when as I told you Gibsons just 10 years ago were much more affordable if it didnt came down to their exec's. greed.
And calling for instance a 1400$ Epiphone inspired by custom affordable "working man's" is an understatement. When they're built on the same line in friggin china of all places :o
@adriankurt1872 sounds like bad luck, friend. I've played some pretty shit Epiphones in my day, but more times than not, they have been great. Again, I'm very well aware of the greed on display by Gibson. The used Gibson market is always a great option to try and get those 10 year old prices.
I have another video talking about the new Epiphone thing, making them more like Gibsons and stuff and I really feel like people (not saying you, just in general) aren't content until it says Gibson on the headstock at Epiphone prices. Years ago it was that way compared to today, but unfortunately Gibsons are always going to be more expensive. If Epiphone quality and prices continue to rise, so will Gibson.
Again, I agree with you wholeheartedly, I just have a slightly different viewpoint on certain things.
@adriankurt1872 as for the $1400 Epiphone thing, years ago when you could get a Gibson for $1400, that was working man's?
It just proves my point that Gibson gets away with it because no one wants anything other than the name. I've come to realize no matter where it's built, if it performs as advertised and intended, it's good enough. I don't need fairy dust, nitro and "tonewoods" that these big companies have fooled everyone into believing is "better" as vastly inflated prices. Like I said, same with things like Squier and PRS SE, they play well, perform as advertised and that's all you need, guitar-wise, in my opinion.
4:30. RESALE VALUE !!!
Unless you're flipping guitars, I'm not bothered much with resell. 9 times out of 10, I'm losing on the resell and that's okay because I buy to play, not to make money from selling them.
Epiphones are already made in China. How much different could a chibson epiphone be?
Epiphones have some semblance of quality control to them.
And also Chibsons with the Gibson branding is literally breaking the law. So, my point is why not just buy a legit Epiphone?
subscribed @ 1:33
You are not one of the folks I described, then. 😂 quite the opposite! Thank you, sir!⚡️🦩
@@Electric.Flamingo 🤣