Luthier Review of a Chibson - Don't buy a Fake Guitar!
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- Опубліковано 19 чер 2024
- buddy needed an adjustment of this crapola guitar. time to do a review of this. Please don't buy these guitars. They are really that terrible. Go get an epi or a mij lawsuit guitars.
these are mass produced throw out guitars. this one is crap. take a watch to see the big reason why towards the end. you will think twice about buying one of these. - Навчання та стиль
What do you expect plastic knobs to feel like? Brass?
yea probably should have clarified this comment. they felt a tad hollow and brittle. something along those lines.
Look at you mr expert
Gibson knobs at least have some weight and solidity to them. Chibson knobs feel like you're holding a plastic soda bottle cap in your hand.
GuitarMusic well, this is part of my liked videos, as all of BigD
@@briansimpson8116 A Gibson costs $3000, I would expect the quality to be a bit better.
The bar gig still pays $100 and she doesn’t care, right? $5,000 vs $149? Play the Chibson and turn a profit.
And the audience is usually 4 or 5 drinks in and don't give a shit.
@@minkorrh it's not like they could tell a dif even if they weren't..
THANK YOU!!!
I bought one of these for fun. $200 delivered. Was definitely crap out of the box. All I wanted was the wood. Replaced everything but the wood and puckup rings. Did a perfect fret level and full setup. Additional $200 and a lot of personal time, effort, care, and a desire to finish a project. The thing shreds. I've got 20+ guitars costing way more $$, and this thing holds its own. I have people play it that are LP snobs, can't believe I've got $400 in this guitar. I've played genuine LPs off the shelf that would require almost as much work to get them playable but cost 10 times as much. I also would rather lose a $400 LP copy at a club date vs. the real deal. I wouldn't be so quick to discount all Chibsons.
Luthier informed me that level/recrown simple isn't practical for these. The fret isn't properly seated so even professional fretwork will be undone. Refret.. at cost of higher than value of guitar.. would be only sure option
Agreed, I paid $185 for mine. I wanted custom wording on the back of the headstock which they got slightly wrong so they threw in a hard case free of charge. I used it to learn how to set up a guitar and it plays beautifully. I will concede that the neck pickup needs an upgrade, I am still thinking about what to put in. I think it's fair to say that these guitars can be hit or miss, but I love mine, gorgeous iced tea burst.
@@kentfranklin736 Well, it's been 2 years since I did fretwork, level, crown, etc. Nothing has come "undone." Guitar still plays perfectly. I'm sure it's a crapshoot with these guitars and that's why a luthier would advise against it. I would too if you had to pay a luthier to work on one, it would probably cost a fortune.
So you value your time and effort $0.
@@darrylbutt2570 where did you get one for 185??
"Does it effect the playability? No". End of discussion. It costs $200, fer feks sakes!
then buy it. enjoy your 200 dollar fake piece of shit
@@artcamp7 I will enjoy it.
I did buy one last month! WOW way better quality than he has in this video!!! Do some looking not all manufactures are the same! I own a real 76 and my new one is just as good in my opinion. I shaved and dressed the frets though and put a few quality parts on but great guitar! I will have about $700-$1000 invested when done and saved $4500 off what Gibson would charge me for the closest match. Mine has 24 frets and a shaved heel like they quit doing.
@@evilstalkerhorne I recently recieved a Rickenbacker copy from aliexpress. Got it for $470 and it is an amazing guitar.
A lot of the guitars coming out of China, even though they're copies, if you just judge them on the merit of being a guitar for $200, they're quite impressive. There's not really any QA though so some are better than others
I've seen some Chibson that were actually decent... it's a real crap shoot.
A good seller will listen to your requests and details about how you want them to build it.
Besides, it's a flippin' $500 guitar with upgraded parts... and the 20 drunk people at the dive bar where your crappy classic rock cover band is playing, aren't gonna know from 10 feet away that it's not a real Gibson.
Just buy it for what it is and enjoy it. No big deal.
Exactly, I have one that plays as well as my Epi Zakk Wylde Les Paul. Just needs a fret dress. And maybe a bridge pick up.
Agreed! I'm very happy with mine. And there's nothing terrible or ugly about it, quite the contrary.
AMEN! PREACH BROTHER!
It’s a hit or miss, kind of like a slot or machine. Sometimes you buy one and get gold, sometimes you get a wall hanger.
Got a Chibson and replaced everything on it with QUALITY stuff! Sounds great!
In defense of the cream hardware... I have personally bought Gibson brand cream hardware and it doesn't match so...
same thing on the original USA 2007 Gibson Les Paul Standard. Pickguard color doesn't match pickup frames colour
I would have wrote same thing then I saw your's. This guy triying to defense Gibson. You just see all thing in this video. Chibson only 180$ vs 5k$ Gibsons. They are good guitars and I have 3 chibson like gibson quality. Of course I did not Buy 180$. But I only paid 300$ for decent one.
@@jackbauer4296 He's not defending Gibson. Read the description of the video. It reads- Go get an epi or a mij lawsuit guitars. Don't buy a "Chibson". Look elsewhere. Gibson guitars are USA made. Going to cost more. Plenty of single cut guitars out there made in China, Indonesia, etc. If you need the Gibson name on the headstock, that's on you.
My Gibson, same story. Nothing matches
If it didn't say "Gibson" on the headstock then we'd probably be saying it's a bang for the buck guitar.
They seem like crappy imitations of an Epiphone Les Paul.
Yep!
Hit the nail on the head.
@@hotrodjones74 Yes, they have the Epiphone CNC files, not the gibson ones, but strangely they have the Gibson NECK files. . . .
@@snap-off5383why do you keep saying this man !😂 gibson brands did NOT give access to cnc files from epiphone for KNOCK OFF GIBSONS. epiphone is gibsons officially knock off your statements make no sense you must have bought a bunch of chibsons and regret not just saving your money and delaying that instant gratification and maybe get a guitar that isn’t fire wood if you save
Knobs on a real LP feel plasticky. Nothing odd there.
Yeah, because they're both made of... wait for it... plastic. lol
I don’t think he really is a “Gibson representative” as he called himself. He should know that Gibson knobs are pure plastic just like Epiphones knobs. I think he’s just some dude who’s had shitty luck with chibsons and just wanted to throw shade. Typically fool.
Typical*^
My friend bought a Chibson LP Custom about 10 years ago. It was solid and well-made. He was so impressed, he ended up buying another one in a different finish. Did the guitars need work? Yes. He upgraded most of the parts, got fret-dress and set-ups. 10 years later, they still look, feel, play, and sound pretty damn good. He told me the total cost was around $650 each but that's including hardshell cases, straplocks, and leather straps. A genuine Gibson LP Custom is over $4,000.
why you say ugly all the time? looks good to me and then you touch those knobs and say they feel like plastic,,,well knobs most often are made of plastic
I watch the videos like these that nitpick every little detail on a $200 guitar like this and I can't help but shake my head. I played in front of crowds for 30+ years with copies AND actual Gibsons. No one noticed the difference or even CARED. I made my money all the same and had a blast doing what I love! NO ONE in the audience cares that it's a 'plastic nut', or the binding is off here and there, or this color doesn't exactly match that color. Good GOD!
@@Axess-sv8nq Exactly, and with amp modelling now days any guitar can sound superb.
@@darrylbutt2570 Heck, back in the day, I used to use nothing but a decent Peavey amp, a DOD Overdrive Plus pedal, and a DOD EQ pedal. With that, I was able to dial in the tones I needed - from U2 to Metallica. The bands I was in never worried about getting gigs. We were always booked several times a month. And what guitars did I use mainly? Budget/copies.
Already own a Chibson with everything upgraded with quality stuff. Emg pickups and pots, roller bridge, Ernie Ball strings! Sounds great!! I have a total of $500.00 in it!
Please make a video!
I don't get the hate for these guitars I mean, they are in two totally different prices what did u expect
You don't get the hate? How about they are fraudulent copies of American made iconic instruments? How about Intellectual property? Integrity? Any of this ringing a bell?
@@sweettoof9002 but still 99% of the time when someone buys one of these guitars know its a copy of the original, cuz i dont think you can get a legit gibson like that for a couple hundred dollars, the people who buys these are most likely kids who cant afford a real gibson or someone whos looking for a mod platform, its not like they are trying to sell a false copy for the same price as the real one(unless someone is trying to scam you) and the build quality reflects that, the only problem is that they use the gibson name on the headstock
Sweet toof I bought a Chinese copy & I didn’t buy a Gibson but if I bought a Gibson it would be one that’s no longer made so me buying a copy, didn’t hurt them, You can complain about integrity, stand on your soap box all you want, all I know is most people buying these, aren’t professionals, they play as a hobby, they buy them to fix them up as a project & play them at home or in clubs, for someone who does this as a hobby, buying a $4000-$12000 guitar would be pretty damn stupid, right?
Random GUY Gibson’s cost thousands, I’d rather spend $170-$300 on a Chibson, enjoy fixing everything on it as a project and just have a really nice guitar for myself, the new bodies they’re making are up to spec, every time people made videos over the past several years, they looked at each thing they got wrong, they learned, people told them what material they wanted, they listened, now Chibsons are much better, some Chinese still sell shit ones like the one in this video but 99% of the sellers, sell great copies.
@@ShockMe1994 yeah that's what I'm saying
I refretted mine, changed the pickups and installed a bone nut. the thing absolutely shreds. Yes as delivered it was bad, but after sorting out the bad stuff you have a pretty nice looking guitar that plays as well as the real thing. Take this video with a grain of salt.
Agreed!!! you buy this guitar knowing you need to replace the nut, pickups and tuners,
Yes, after watching quite a few kit videos, that's the consensus. You're buying a nicely CNC machined body and neck, and you can do the rest.
Removes pickup, looks at it and says... "epiphone...epiphune? I have never heard of that before" Really?
That's hard to believe. Epiphone is a well known name especially being a Gibson brand. Him being a Luthier it's hard to believe he hasn't had at least one of them.
Because it wasn't Epiphone. He knows what an actual Epiphone is. He was telling us that they couldn't even correctly fake the spelling on the pickups.
@@briansimpson8116 Wow, it took you 5 months to reply to me. What can i say, you got me.. except for one thing... in the video the spelling on the backsides of the PU are correct..
@@briansimpson8116 why would they fake Epiphone Pickups instead of writing Seymour Duncan on them? Chibsons are Epiphone-Guitars without the quality control.
@@silviolopar6587 Yep when they set the stamping die for the Epiphone stamp for the back of millions of pickups (they wear out) they may stamp a few bad ones, and those go in the pile for the trainees to practice making pickups to be sold in the Chibson line. Most chibson reviews say "the pickups say Epiphone on them" They may not be the same internally though.
I own a 2019 Chinese Les Paul, and I'm quite happy with it. One-piece neck, one-piece body, a real beauty that plays great! The problem with reviews like this one here is that the reviewer is clearly biased and prejudiced. Gibsons may come with issues that are the same or even worse than those on Chinese replicas, but for some reason, Chibson haters prefer not to notice it. Considering the price tag, a Chinese LP is a great guitar once you set it up properly. Mine compares very well to my Epiphone and my Gibson. I sometimes watch Chibson reviews to wonder just how misleading they can get and how much misinformation they can offer.
P.S. And before you call something terrible or ugly, remember that tastes do differ.
That’s just not true. Did you see to the end where the bridge isn’t drilled right? You commented before you watched the whole video. So this guitar has crap tuners and a bridge that moves. It doesn’t stay in tune. For every great chibson. There is this. I have had 10+ epiphone les Paul’s that’s didn’t have these same issues for the same price point.
@@bigdguitars Dude, I have a Gibson that had crappy tuners and pots before I changed them. So don't be so prejudiced. The Chinese make great guitars these days. Just admit it-and you'll feel better. True, sometimes you can get a dud, but that also goes for many Gibsons! Just have a peep at some Gibson forum to see how many problems Gibson owners are having to deal with.
And a bridge that moves is an easy fix, by the way.
My guess is Error rates on a Gibson are like 25/100 Error rates on a chibson are like 80/100. I have a 5 gibson in the shop one that is brand new that has plenty of quality issues for its price. My point is you are taking a risk ordering a chibson. Just get an epi. Not the same risk. That’s my point.
@@bigdguitars Point taken.
Usually, I'm a nitpicky guy when it comes to $1000 plus guitars, but when it only $200, I just see it and say 'ok'.
I have 3 Chibson, i love my guitarrs
"go buy an epiphone" sir, these chibsons are made on the epiphone factory, lmao.
Yep, in China.
Right next to the chibson 😂
but perhaps out of rejected stock, or perhaps made by students or new hires on probation, but yeah they're certainly cut on CNC machines possessing the epiphone files.
They ARE NOT made in Epiphone factories!!! Do your research. Not even close.
@@jameshughes6049_Epiphone CNC files, Gibson supplied the files, CNC machines and training._ The same people using the same tools to make the same thing, is the same thing. Gibson decided to pull a power move by moving operations to Korea when China wanted better deals, so China said "sure we can still make these guitars with this stuff though" Gibson's reply of "You can't put Epiphone trademarks on them though" was laughed at with a "oh we won't be selling them with Epiphone trademarks on them, no, ha ha ha."
It sounds like the majority of everything was purely cosmetic..
Until you got to the bridge posts. That's no bueno, but everything else doesn't sound like it would affect the guitars playability.
Ferreals ! His only problem was the cosmetics, like seriously?! Those parts are so cheap to replace. The truss rod was a big issue however. He said it was too far in, but my Höfner has the same issue and i take it to my instrument service guys and they do it for $12 to adjust it
Personally for me I own four (4) Chibson and they are all top quality with zero issues. Two from EBay ( Starshine guitars ) Two off Craig’s list. I’d be very sad if they got boosted. The Les Paul standard even has fret nips. Killer guitars and don’t have to do or change a single thing but play the crap out of them. 😎🇺🇸
It’s just Gibson snobs that care so much, I’m a fender guy, but wanted to see what all the craze was about in the feel of a lp, to see if it would be something I’d want to drop the money on. New pickups, bridge/tailpiece, pots, and tuners and it’s plays just fine. Good sustain, good tone, and I’ll give it to them it does feel nice the lp style body lol, but 3k nice? Nope, paying for a name is all. Truth be told, I had fun doing it lol, even did a fret level.
Looks like an easy fix, just need a new body, neck , pick ups, fret board, etc
Of course, the truss rod is hard to access. In this case replacing it would entail removing the fretboard and possibly even rerouting the channel so as to install a decent one which is easier to access.
Haha
Exactly I don't see the problem here...but, hey if the issues were that bad why didn't they just have a conversation with the fine luthier that produced this "world class instrument"?🇨🇳
Some Chibsons are fine... I've seen them with truss rods, full 6mm maple caps etc. for half what an Epi costs. Swap the nut, buy a set of used pickups and its fine. On a side note, if I asked a friend to fix my guitar and saw a video ripping on how bad it was and not worth being fixed, I'd be a bit annoyed. He was probably happy with it until seeing this.
I told him it sucked. He was pissed about the bridge.
Chibson is shit... lol..
New Gibson is overpriced shit. So which is worse? Gibson is making fake Gibsons.
@@bigdguitars You will be surprised when you find out how many guitars come out of the Nashville factory that were not made there. If you don't think Gibson has guitar bodies and necks made overseas and brings them into the USA, your in for a shock one day.
Lmfao
Well this video just convinced me to get one. I was expecting to hear about warped neck, unfixable action, etc. None of the issues mentioned in the video particularly bother me on a guitar of this value. If you take issue with it on an ethical level, than that's a different story.
Most of the cosmetic issues you pointed out are the same on my '58 lp reissue.
Like all Chibson companies they start of by building some top quality products and as soon as they get a foot hold they produce less and less quality work till the sales stops and 💥 pop there's another company.... The same one but with a different name like "sunnytime" or "peachbuttocksplendid" hang on that was something else... 🤔
Mark Gordon haha funny,made my laugh out loud
Oh my god the scratch plate doesn't match the pickup surround it's practically unplayable. If only there was some way of replacing them with ones that match and maybe using a bit of filler on the bridge post. Just burn it it's a hopeless case .
Filler really? Like on one of the most critical pieces of the instrument.
@@bigdguitars Yeah, you just buy/make a bigger insert that does fit in the hole tight and drill/tap it for the thread of the post. Still kind of a poop sandwich for the buyer since I doubt more than a few would have that mistake to even need to fix.
Gibson plastics aren't the same colour. Gibson have plastic nuts and the laquer covers the nut on those too. You didn't meeting the lack of wings on the head. Why did you say 'no truss rod adjustment' in the pickup rout? The truss rod adjuster is the other end.
this was a pretty unfair review.
Gibson does not use plastic nuts. They used Tektoid self lubricating nuts and now use Tusq nuts as of the company changeover. It would be nice if people who have no clue what they are talking about would stop talking about it.
I didnt understand that truss rod comment either...about being in that pick up route....i thought i just heard him wrong!!!...hahaha
Yeah, I noticed most of his complaints over stupid cosmetic issues. Can it be played, does the truss rod fix the neck issue, do the electronics work and sound ok? People play their instruments, not hang them on a wall to look at them. I have a 1979 Standard, and guess what, it had flaws from the factory also, doesn't stop me from playing it, still my all time favorite guitar for me to play. I sat down and played a nice $300 ESP 256, thing was built like a tank, I'd buy one of those over a $5,000 Les Paul any day of the week.
@@michaelkeudel8770 . I've got 5 Les Paul's. I bought a classic in 18 and it was awful. I has to send it back. My best is a mint 89 that I have.
This review make me to actually want to buy one.
Sounded like he was talking about a Gibson to me haha
@@angusseletto1511 x2 I´ve played some Gibson guitars in the stores (I can´t afford one xD) and most of them had fret problems and same cosmetic issues
@@angusseletto1511 Yeah no kidding.
i’m buying one to upgrade the pickups , tuners, and bridge. these guitars can actually pull it off whenever you put good upgrades in it. it’s 2020, so these chinese companies are more up to date on some guitars. just have to find the right one ,,, hit or miss
American guitar builder slags off Chinese Guitar, shock!!!
I was expecting him to say what he said. He has joined the "Gibson Church of LesPaul-ology" any one who says anything bad about Gibson is an enemy. If he is such an expert on guitars, why does he not build his own?
@@Cycloneshockey94 By definition a luthier is one that actually does build guitars. I am a guitar tech and I know enough to never refer to myself as a luthier. It's in poor taste otherwise.
@Odell Mateo Exactly.
Odell Mateo it’s a counterfeit pice of shit. Simple as that. The sad part about these junk guitars is some poor sucker will buy it second hand for way to much money from some low life as the real thing. Every one of these garbage so called guitars should be thrown in a 🔥. All you morons defending these fake sorry excuse for guitars are as guilty as the Chinese crooks that make them!!!! I would have no problem if they didn’t say Gibson on the headstock. At least no one would get ripped off.
@@randybird333 I'd imagine your highly rational diatribe has converted many from buying them.
To be honest for its price, it looks like a good deal. The issues are not that serious. Even the cosmetic stuff are not that bad.
Yes but! It is stealing! Besides... building bad guitars and using all this wood in the process. It is bad for the environment and a waste of resources. That reason alone should be enough not buying these...
This is one of the better ones. like he said, some of them don't have truss rods, which is a serious problem when your neck starts looking like a banana. A friend of mine bought one a few years back, was basically made of plywood, had a flame veneer on it, and it didn't even work out of the box, the electronics were wired wrong. Pickups almost always sound like shit on these too, which I'd hope you would consider to be a "serious" issue. Like he said in the video, just get a Japanese lawsuit guitar, they're cheap and in some cases they're better than Gibsons
For that price you can buy an epiphone, which is a lot better
@@alessandrofabietti5585 Where can I buy an epiphone with a maple veneer for 200$?
If he can't afford a Gibson then tell him to buy a Tokai love rock next time.
Even those are getting pricey...especially if you can find one in good shape
@@eddiejr540 I agree.
I own a made in Japan Burny supergrade that i bought for 650 euro’s seccond hand. I never played a real Gibson but i think it is a really good guitar. I played some Tokai’s and they felt kind of the same quality as my Burny
@@sjaakvanvliet838 burny and Edwards are great man also some greco
A Tokai won't stroke his ego and feed his delusion about being Jimmy Page.
wait, are you saying not to buy your guitars either, because they look a lot like Gib Les Pauls also, if not exactly.
I have an older Chibby Les Paul Custom (I didn't order it, I purchased it from a buddy) that is based off of a 70s LPC. I swapped the bridge and tailpiece with Gotoh. It already had Gotoh tuners and Seymour Duncan Distortions put in by a previous owner. I don't really condone counterfeiting, but this guitar is a ripper and 1/10th the price. I'd put it up against any Norlin era Gibson (which isn't saying much, I know LOL).
@chris Clark.i've had a few Gibson lp's in my 57 yrs of playing guitar and I have kept just my 73 gib custom blk beauty it's a ripper my friend and that's a fact.norlin's get so much hate.they don't deserve it...
I have a 1979 Norlin Standard, best guitar I've ever played or owned.
From a luthier I would expect one to be critical. There are other options out there besides a chibson which won't even cost you 300.
I've got one, I have changed a few things but I absolutely love it. I also have a genuine les paul, but I go to my Chibson for practice almost all of the time. I can leave it lying around and not worry too much about it. Action is fantastic, stays perfectly in tune. Slightly badly set bridge which I was worried would effect the intonation but it actually doesn't.
The ultimate question is does this Chibspn sound good and can it perform. Les Paul prices are out of control so not all of us can afford the real thing. So if it can play well and you can get a basically good set and performs well then you’re ahead of the game. This guy way over thinks the product.
This video makes me feel really good about buying my Epiphone LP. Thanks for your videos!
I've bought one and I plan on replacing everything electronic. As long as the wood and finish is good im pumped
Thanks for the vid man!
I got a Thomann Harley Benton SC for about $140-$150 w/ P90's by Roswell which has some issues but played right out of the box. I'm gonna do a setup on it as soon as I stop being lazy. Dressing the fret ends, drop the action a tad & get the intonation a little closer is about that one needs... I'll do a vid on that when it hits the bench.
My Chibson plays better than my Epiphone, and my Epiphone plays very well. My Chibson has the 50's neck which is fatter and it really plays very smooth.
My Luthier said he had very little to do when he set up my Chibson, it is amazing and all of my binding and plastics match very well.
Why don't you fill the post holes for your friend and drill them correctly then put on a good bridge. At least he can play it for a few years instead of throwing it in the garbage. I wanted to know the woods they used. What type of cap did they use and how thick was it. The plastic parts are cheap to get right. Remember you had to take your Gibson completely apart to fix what Gibson craftsmen had done wrong. You bought yours from Gibson Dependable on eBay and you didn't throw yours away. You should help the dude
Do you know if the Gibson's from DCustom are the same? I kno crap can look great, if dressed right.
I stumbled onto my first fake Les Paul a few days ago at a thrift store. It cost me $40, but it had a crack in the lower neck from when it shipped in to the original owner. I fixed it and leveled/dressed/polished frets and it plays very well. I'm impressed with the finish, binding with matching cream color throughout, nice feel of neck and rosewood fingerboard, cavity shield paint and a plain headstock with no Gibson logos anywhere. I'm going to wire in a Seymour Duncan N59 and DD and change the tuners and bridge and it will be good to go. It's not a Gibson Les Paul but I've played many authentic Les Pauls, over the years, that I wouldn't pay $500 for them let alone $1800-$3000 they are fetching these days.
But how does it play?
Super glue in the holes for the posts, let it dry and you will get a tight fit. The rest seems cosmetic. I would take of the pick guard anyway, that solves another “issue”. It’s a musical instrument, playability should be first priority, although I agree that a well build instrument, is a joy to look at.
But for 200 dollars this doesn’t seem that bad.
really super glue the posts? Thats not going to do anything over time. you would need to drill out a right size hole dowel it and redrill it. thats a decently complicated repair. not one I would be doing on a 300 dollar guitar.
BigDGuitars nope, NOT glue in the posts. Build up the sidewall of the holes with super glue, let it dry as mentioned, needs to sit for a day or two, before you put in the post. This IS a cheap guitar repair for sure, but it’s a cheap guitar right.
You would have to use a pretty big dowel, for the dowel thing to work, and you would probably have to paint to hide it. I agree that’s way to much work, for a cheap guitar.
Try the glue trick if you don’t care about the guitar anyway, trust me it works, when the fit is almost there, as in your case. If you are dealing with a pin in a swimming pool situation, it won’t work.
I do however still strongly believe, that a proper review should include sound and playability.
@@1777DK yea I shouldda reset it up after addressing the neck bow. I get the cheap repair/cheap guitar but could imagine the comments if I repaired it this way it this way. I would have been fried.
totally agree on the sound clips, I will include some next time.
@@bigdguitars If it works, it works. Who's gonna flame that? I would also try using water to make the wood swell.
You said the frets were good. That's all?
What’s your thoughts on Eastman SB59 guitars?? I know they aren’t cheep
I have a Chibson LPC with knock off EMGs and small post bridge. looks and feels great. block inlays look good, truss rod works, frets are nice and smooth. I haven't replaced anything and it plays better than most gibson les pauls that i have played off of the rack. It cost me $245 to the door. I did change the truss rod cover to a blank one. No way I will ever spend 10X that for a "Gibson LPC" with a crappy "rocker joint" and the crappy QC that is going on there now days!
I don't believe you. Have you ever played a Gibson LPC? You have firewood with a shameful "Gibson" logo (applied at the wrong angle) and garbage parts.
@@sweettoof9002 lol 😆 you mad bro? I paid under $250 for a decent guitar, and yes I have played a few but never wasted the money on one. PRS gives you way more than Gibson does for the money, and yes I own a couple of PRS USA models. Go ahead, waste your money on a LPC do it, do it now!
Chibson is pretty much Epiphone for less.
not really - the Chibsons are junk
@@johnnymandrell2681 wow super argumentation here xD
Epiphones are pretty good TBH. Just change the pickups for Seymour Duncans and you're good. My Epiphone Les Paul plays better than a Gibson I tried at Guitar Center the other day.
Well, It's a $200 guitar. So from that price point what do you really expect?
You can buy a used Epiphone Les Paul Standard for $200... and the quality will smoke a chibson
Wrong.
Right
Chibson is shit
I guarantee I could post audio clips of my Gibson Custom, my Epiphone Custom, and my Chibson Custom and you couldn’t tell me which was which.
Reviews like these are important because so many instruments are bought online, sight unseen. Most of what you point out in this video would be hard to tell from a picture on Reverb. 👍
I've bought about 6 guitars online...high end...and i have gotten rid of every single one...i will never buy a guitar again without trying it out first
larry dickman I’ve heard many players say that. Unfortunately, you can’t play a JPEG! 😝
Plot twist, that guitar is a real Gibson Les Paul standard.
He couldn't tell
I like to sand the G logo off and trim the top book shape off the headstock. These are sometimes good $200 guitars and many are made in the same shops as legal Epi’s. As long as the buyer knows it is a phony-they should be indelibly marked- I don’t get too upset.
Great for loading with EMGs for a quiet stage guitar for bar gigs.
I bought a les paul standard chibson body off CL for 75 bucks and I now have about 600 total in it and it plays as good as one of my standards and waaaaay better then my classic it has zero flaws in the finish and it is a mahogany body with a one piece neck. If you know what your doing you can build the bodies up to be a very quality instrument for around 600 bucks give or take. I used all the best of the best parts in mine.
You should do a review of one of the Firefly guitars
I have the exact same guitar from china and love it!
I have a couple as back up guitars and they play fine. One was playable right outta the box, the other just needed the tuners changing and now it plays fantastic. They get a lot of bad press, but they are pretty decent instruments for someone who can't afford to splash between 1 and 3 grand on a guitar.
atleast the wood same as gibson right?
I also could never afford a Gibson and with those quality issues going on, I wouldn’t buy one even if I could afford it.
I highly recommend a FGN (Fujigen) as an affordable option .
I’ve got a Les Paul custom LC 10 Neo classic and I couldn’t be happier!
For under $500 (+whatever PUs you want) you can get all that fixed nicely and have a great playing guitar. If you want a real Gibson just to say you have one then get a Gibson. If you want a guitar that plays well you can get a Chibson and have a little work done on it and have it worked on.
Looks nice for 200 bucks. This guy was on a mission.
I got a completely custom one made- sent them a photo and they matched the finish exact. Relic'd it as requested. Left handed. My chosen neck diameter and length. It also came with a case. It's no worse than my Epiphone Les Paul Pro-- and only cost £260 including shipping. Definitely worth the money.
Details on where from?
@@robgroundsmusicno point in asking nobody ever likes to tell you lol it makes them feel funny
Come to think about it, as a musician I see my guitars as tools, and as you suggested, buy the real thing or buy a Japanese made copy. I thought I'd mention there are a great many brands of made in Japan copies I wouldn't put much faith. For example many of the Ibanez , Greco, Emperador and Aria copies (Don't get me wrong, there are some very good Ibanez copies out there!). I once owned an Ibanez 2350 (Les Paul Custom copy) some 25 years ago. The stop tailpiece which was made of base metal broke in half and I had to replace it. The overall construction of the guitar consisted of a veneered particle board body with a plywood top and Fender style bolt-on neck. Nonetheless, I would use a guitar I can count on and I wouldn't be seen dead playing a cheap guitar at a gig.
However, there are some good quality Japanese copies such as Goya and El Maya. These guitars had set necks and proper mahogany bodies with maple tops. I would suggest going after these guitars if one is choosing the made in Japan option, or better still go after a Tokai Love Rock guitar which is a replica as opposed to a copy.
As far as Chibsons go, if you are going to buy such an instrument from AliExpress, DHGate, etc. I would strongly suggest that you are an experienced luthier who is prepared to buy the guitar MINUS the hardware and electronics, spend all the money and put in all the labour to make the guitar ship-shape BEFORE installing any hardware and electronics. And In the case of this particular Chibson, be prepared to remove the fretboard and install a decent truss rod.
I would suggest inlaying a brass plate engraved with a fair use disclaimer into the back of the headstock using EPOXY. Also do likewise with the body, preferably on the back of the guitar or at the base of the neck/bridge pickup routing. That way you will not only stay above board with Gibson but you will have no issues with customs officials when taking the instrument overseas. Also by using epoxy to inlay the disclaimer plaque, it will make it impossible to remove in order to fraudulently pass it off as the genuine article.
i still want one, would be a good drinking/partying axe!
The legit version of this machine costs around 3,500 Canadian (I live in Canada). If you are prepared to spend that kind of money, stay away from Gibson and Rickenbacker. Look at Fender, ESP, Dean, Schechter, Ibanez, Yamaha, Reverend, etc.
Gibson will probably sue me now for libel.....
Gibson filed the legal paperwork against you the moment you started to type.
@@Cycloneshockey94 I refuse to play authentic!......
If one could simply get past their own vanity and just play whatever feels right, Epiphones are pretty nice nowadays. Robben Ford and many others love them some Epis.
@@yargnad The irony is that hardly anyone hates on Epiphone, yet Gibson owns Epiphone! Epiphone seems to deliver value for money for the most part.
@@roytofilovski9530 Exactly, Gibson still has legacy issues with construction they arent willing to fix due to traditional construction methods being the cornerstone of their brand, like the headstock design with the tuning pegs being at the edge which cause tuning stability problems, as well as the short grain of the headstock being prone to breakage.
What abo0ut Burny and other Japan LP copies?
What would someone expect for 1 tenth of the price? Anyone who buys a fake deserves a crap guitar.
Let’s see, about $500 in upgrades on a $400 guitar vs. a $6-7,000 Les Paul I probably wouldn’t spend if someone gave me the money. I’ll run with the chibson . It’s 90 % pickups and 10% neck feel anyway..
This was bad, and I agree that Chibsons are a huge gamble and generally not worth it. How do you feel about Harley Bentons and similar Chinese guitars with some QC?
I should get one to do a review.
BigDGuitars I look forward to it.
I have a beautiful 24 year old made in Korea cherry burst LP standard but I recently obtained a "Chibson" Les Paul Junior DC in the TV yellow. I bought it locally from a guy here and he was the original owner. As far as I'm concerned it's as good or better than anything coming out of the Epiphone factory in China. It has excellent playing action and intonation up the neck a beautiful slab of rosewood fretboard and a thick late 50's neck profile. The single P90 will twang for country and scream for rock music. All the electronics and machine heads work perfectly. The original Gibson reissue sells for 6K. I saved myself $5,700.
I have 1 “real” Gibson Les Paul and 3 Chibsons. My Gibson Les Paul is a piece of shite for the price. The bonding on the top of neck is sticking up about 1/32” and wants me want to throw it out the window. My Chibsons ply and sound great, especially for the price. The last Chibson I bought in 2019 has fret nibs and plays better than my Gibson I bought from guitar center. All 3 of my chibson Les Pauls and my chibson double neck 6/12 Gibson is still half the price of my “real” Gibson.
I have both a 1974 Les Paul Deluxe (wicked nice guitar) and a 1987 Electra II (Gibson Lawsuit special) it is an exceptional guitar
I'm the idiot thinking... Huh... Play a gig or 2 on it... And pull a Pete Townshend on it at the 3rd gig. Lol.. Never broke a set neck guitar... Plus people will think .. " Oh my god... He just smashed an expensive guitar!"
I have an epi 56 gold top made in Korea and put a pair of mojotone p90s on it and I would put it up against any Gibson out there. I love it.
Around 2008 and 2010 got a couple of gold tops by SX's from China . Its not an exact copy tho, but still a great instrument over all, so i've been interested in buying a Chibson i hopes of getting something with a similar quality of the SX's... not anymore lol.
Instead of buying a chibson, you can buy a harley Benton. That way you gain a return policy and the safety net of a reputable company backing the product instead of worrying about being deceived by a company and product that are built on the intent to deceive people. You're dealing with a thieves and have no right to get upset when they rob you. But this video was extremely excessive, instead of using it as a slam piece, maybe offering solutions to the individual problems and a synopsis along the lines of 'individually these issues can be worth solving but combined they make this guitar a deeper pit than the price paid'. Keep up the hard work brother.
also even if you get one that's a little rough, a decent luthier would be able to fix it, or you could DIY depending on what is wrong.
Chibson quality is the same as Gibson quality now-a-days. The Les Paul style is an icon but not worth the price that Gibson charges.
Gibson priced themselves out of the players market. I bought a 2009 R9 VOS Murphy aged LP, paid $7,000 for it. Bought a Page #2 Chibby, paid $258 and $50 shipping. Gutted the guitar, installed a CTS push pull pot kit with orange drops, switch and plug, Seymour Duncan '59 pickups, Faber aged bridge and tailpiece. The neck was straight out of the box, had some fret work done-leveling, dressing and polish. All in I came in under $1,000 budget and the thing plays and sounds fantastic. I run a Marshal Origin 50 thru a 4x12 cabinet. No regrets, and along the way I learned how to do everything myself. O regrets, O fvcks given. Gibson can kiss it.
I bought a 2nd hand Epiphone Standard Plus Top Pro a while ago for £200. I've compared it to proper Gibson LPs and it's as good if not better IMO. Even if I could afford a proper Gibson LP, I'd much rather spend my money on Epiphones. I've never fancied having a Chibson and this review confirms it. Cheers.
Buy an esp, at least its still a solid body, not swiss cheese chambered.
ESP EC and Viper guitars are beastly! I love mine!
@@Axess-sv8nq you can get a top of the line EC-1000 for cheaper than you can get a Les Paul Studio these days, Gibsons pricing has gotten so far out of whack in the past few years.
@@michaelkeudel8770 Is my Epi chambered? IDK but it weighs a lot, any heavier would be too heavy.
@Michael Keudel - Yeah, Gibson and Fender have the same problem: corporate honchos from finance companies took over the company and are more concerned with high profit through low effort and cost-cutting. You should see the cheap parts that Gibsons are shipping with these days! Plus, there are the same issues you'd find on MUCH cheaper guitars right out of the factory!
If you dont like real gibson guitars what kind do you like? I have a real 57 but I just acquired a chibson supreme changed pickups unbelievable guitar for 50 bucks.
This would make a great relic project.
I have an ‘81 custom that plays like butter. I traded a Randy Rhoads V for a 2018 Gibson Les Paul custom and I regret every second of it. Gibsons quality has drastically slipped in the last 2 decades and the customs are night and day. I bought a chibson Ace Frehley custom off of eBay and while I couldn’t hold a candle to my ‘81, the thing played better than the new 2018 one! Shows how much Gibson doesn’t give a shit anymore. I sold the 2018 custom and bought a Jake E Lee Charvel that is a million times better and ended up pocketing almost $2,000 in the end so everything pans out! Still have the ace Frehley custom. Currently filling having the headstock redone to say ACE instead of Gibson on it. I also have a Yngwie Malmsteen Chinese strat that I picked up for $250 to try and play a scalloped neck without dropping a bunch of money. Took the neck and put it on a candy red strat body and a new yjm fury pick guard, sanded the fender logo off and kept the Yngwie signature, also sanded the back of the neck down quite a bit for a flatter, faster neck. Plays great now.
I've got a real Gibson Les Paul and I've also got a Chibson Les Paul. I bought it cuz I wanted to see what a $200.00 L.P. was like. Granted there are huge differences between the two, but the Chibson I have plays good and sounds okay. It could definitely use some new pickups (but so could most Gibson's). I replaced just about all the plastic hardware with genuine Gibson stuff when I got it, so that's not a problem. But the main thing is the Chibson cost less then 1/10th of what my Gibson cost. I've had an Epiphone L.P. before, and I didn't like it at all and they are still at least twice the price of a Chibson. Maybe I got a good one. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't recommend anyone buy a Chibson, but from my experience they're not all junk.
Put water in the hole so it swells it should be tighter if you do that.
I went and bought an epiphone.. they didn't drill the bridge bushing holes at the right angle. 👍😂
Shame cos the rest of the guitar was top drawer. Unfortunately for me its a Sheraton with a laminated top, so I'm pretty much unable to conceal the fix.
I bought a Zakk Wylde Chibby, put some EMGs, new nut, tuners, and polished frets and it plays awesome. Also traded a Charvel HT I hardly played for a black beauty Chibson that was already fully upgraded. Guess who has no regrets….this guy.
but I am not surprise that a luthier dont agree with a cheap counterfeit....
I actually don't believe that some Chibsons don't contain truss rods; urban myth
“These are Epiphone... epiphoone.” Man am I thought having my Epi Lp was a good choice
What do you want for a fraction of the cost? Nit picking over an inexpensive guitar. Actually some Chibsons quality are very good and some have solid Mahogany bodies and necks! Some maple tops are pretty nice. They vary from MFG to MFG. Honestly you pick a good manufacturer I have played some sweet ones
As many many Guitarists say constantly,Gibson has very poor quality control and many are not too good at all,so where does that leave Gibson,are they worth the 20 times price,they are not 20 times better
Certainly, the bridge holes are pretty bad, but I don't agree with your comments about the feel of the potentiometers, the quality of the stop tail or the color matching of the plastics. Obviously, they can be better, as Gibson hardware is, but it does not seem they are bad. Besides, I don't know any Gibson LP with rear truss rod adjustment. On the other hand, I agree that Yamaha or Tokai make excellent guitars that offer superior performance and finish than Chibson. Actually, better than Gibson, as well. They are worth money.
That's a very nice Gibson. Do a refret job, change the pups and electronics and you have a 3 grand sounding guitar. Congrats ,
Hey 'Luthier', are realy not able to fix and setup the guitar?? :o
Let's face it, it's better than Gibson could do for $200.
If he paid $250 for it, he probably bought a 2nd hand sale (usually the cheaper ones on Ali are all those).......the good ones cost around $380-400 (and by that I mean, the finishing is good.....you still will have to change the pickups and tuners)
If it said Gibson and it was a £300 guitar it would be highly rated and things like "the knobs feel plasticy" would be batted away with "but these things can be replaced, these things are incredible value, this entry level Gibson is incredible value"
I give China a few more years. I first saw Chibson vids about 5 years ago and the errors were really obvious to anyone just by comparing pictures on Google. One by one, the errors have disappeared; no doubt the Chibson producers are watching UA-cam too and learning to correct their mistakes. Consider a newbie; they go on UA-cam and guitar forums and learn about all the mistakes that Gibson make then they buy a "Gibson" on EBay or locally and the little cosmetic issues are overlooked. As a newbie, they may have never played a real Gibson before so are happy-ish until they meet someone who can tell the difference. I have no doubt that sometimes the issues may be obvious but these Chibsons are getting better.
Whatever, it's wrong and illegal to make counterfeit guitars and import and sell them as the real thing. If you imported one, you broke the law. If you sell one as a real Gibson you are also breaking the law and a low-life con-artist. If you knowingly bought a cheap second-hand Chibson and like it then all is good; just don't sell it as a real one later.
yea over time they will get better. The US should force china to not make these. its bad business.
Yeah you should see what it takes to spot fake chinese trading card game cards now.
I'm not a big fan of these guitars either, but you're really nit-picking this thing to death. It's a CHEAP GUITAR! So the cream plastics are a tiny shade different, who cares? You claim everything just looks "terrible" and "ugly", it actually looks pretty good from where I am. I bought a used Chibon online, as I was curious, and for the price it plays and looks really good.
Hey man have you seen the Bonamasa Web site he is selling Eponie knock off of a Norm burst or some shit
do a review on that
Great video D! The way I look at it is for me buying a new guitar is like buying new shoes... I have to try a few on before I spend money on something I'm going to wear all day. I could never buy a guitar online without playing it first...
I buy online all the time. Mind you, I willingly take the risk and I understand that others see things quite differently. While I'm not really very good, for some odd reason I do have a talent for adjusting my playing to the guitar. I just need about 5 minutes of noodling and experimenting. It seems that oftentimes the good players tend to be the pickiest ones about their guitars.
@@roytofilovski9530 Don't get me wrong, If I were rich I'd buy guitars online all the time! But I can't afford to take the chance of getting firewood...
Anything above around 500 to 600 American and the chances of getting crap are very slim. I ordered an AXL Belair off of Amazon years for 880 Canadian and she plays like a 1500 dollar guitar.
@@roytofilovski9530 Nice! I build my own, Ipswich River Guitars is the name of my shop... Check us out on Facebook! Thx. bro.... Mike, (I.R.G.)
@@MikeCindyWhite If you build them yourself then certainly don't bother buying online.