A WARNING TO GIBSON LOVERS

[Rogue]

This is quite topical for me. Back in 2003 I bought an Epiphone SG Elite but it had been close between that and the Gibson SG Special as they were both around a similar price. (If i remember correctly)

I've never really got on with the epi, it just seems to look and feel a bit cheap. Not to mention the difficulty I have keeping it upright when playing. Anyway, recently i saw a faded brown SG Special and loved the way it looked, despite a lot of people thinking otherwise. I have heard from numerous people saying that they'd take the elite over the special any day but on looks alone I much prefer the faded brown. Resale value of elites seem pretty good but I need to try one out before I make a decision. I'll probably end up keeping it but I just never play it anymore.

[StevenO]

Wow, bad relic job:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0i-Yz4C ... re=related


Edit: Nevermind, those actually look pretty much the same job as a few Nash guitars I've seen in person. 

[RumorsOFsurF]

Wow, bad relic job:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0i-Yz4C ... re=related


Edit: Nevermind, those actually look pretty much the same job as a few Nash guitars I've seen in person. 

Did you see my thread about that vid? 

[StevenO]

Nope, where is it?

[RumorsOFsurF]

index.php?topic=9198.0

[gutter rock]

What confuses me about the Hwy 1's is the fact that the price keeps increasing on them.  When they first came out, I believe they were around $600, they are now in the $750 range.  The price margin between a HWY 1 and a for real deal American standard is getting closer and closer, I think the Am. Stds are around $950.  600 for a hwy 1 would be a great deal, but 750 brings me too close to American Std. prices to really consider them, in that price bracket I would just save a bit more and get an Am. Std.  I feel like Fender is missing the boat on offering an affordable USA made guitar,

I would like to have a HWY 1 Tele, except for those damn jumbo frets.   I'd rather have 7.25" radius, too The pickups aren't great, either....But neither are the AM STD.   I do like the nitro satin finish.  I like the 70's look, too. 

I'd still take one over an American Standard.  I don't think those are any better than a higher end MIM. 

I don't know, haven't been in a strat or tele market for several years,  but had an American Std. Strat that was just perfectly made and sounded as good as any strat I have heard.  In the end, I figured out that I am just not much of a strat guy.

Gibson has an answer with the $400 Melody Maker which is priced at the same range as most quality imported guitars.

I played one of the $400 MMs and I thought it was shit...IMO of course.  I'd rather have a MIM Standard Tele for that price.  2X the guitar, IMO.

I have been meaning to get to my local Gibson dealer and try one out.  I can't imagine it being worse than a MIM Tele, I have found that most MIM Fenders just don't do anything for me.... something seems to be missing.  It has been a couple of years since I tried one, maybe they have improved?  Anyway, my main point is that Fender has very modern USA manufacturing and I can't believe that the least expensive USA offfering is $750.00 when Gibson (kings of high prices) can offer a USA guitar at $400.

[VintagePete]

Thank' ! Will never go that low.

[do not be afraid]

i think the Les Paul Faded Double-Cut Special is probably the absolute best sounding guitar Gibson makes right now — too bad they look like absolute crap! i found the neck pretty comfy too, but neck preference is even more personal than looks and sound, so…

i think the “faded” Gibsons are the best deal in guitars right now if you can get past the yucky finish.

[flatfiver]

Fender won't offer a USA-made guitar for much less than the Hwy 1 line because it would cut into sales of the MIM line.  There's a little bit of overlap between the MIM Classic/Deluxe series guitars and they Hwy 1, but for the most part it's pretty cleanly divided between MIM and MIA.  If you look at Gibson/Epiphone it's pretty similar (with the exception being the Elitist line).

[northern_dirt]

i think the Les Paul Faded Double-Cut Special is probably the absolute best sounding guitar Gibson makes right now — too bad they look like absolute crap! i found the neck pretty comfy too, but neck preference is even more personal than looks and sound, so…

i think the “faded” Gibsons are the best deal in guitars right now if you can get past the yucky finish.

They look like crap because of the "faded" look or the actual shape?
Ive always like the double cutaway specials..
I wouldn't be selling off my 74 special if it was a double cutaway..

They are kinda light and small though... for a gibson

[do not be afraid]

They look like crap because of the "faded" look or the actual shape?

oh, the "faded" look, definitely! i love the "satin" finish on the Highway 1s, actually, but for some reason these Gibsons are just…

[FireAarro]

I love the TV yellow they use on the Doublecuts. Looks great to me.

[northern_dirt]

Ive always had a hardon for vintage Gibson over new ones..
I did once have the (about 5-8 years ago) oppurtunity to A/B a
Standard issue double cut special and a custom shop one...

the custom shop was $500 more and was by far a greater guitar
It felt like a vintage gibson.. I haven't tried out any of the new
faded ones, but without having a vintage or custom shop
to compare it to, it'd be hard for me to form an opinion.. as I
pretty much havent liked any "new" gibsons ive tried out.. That
said, Ive liked the new gibsons more than 75% of other guitars
Ive tried.. I don't try out too many fenders mind you.. cause
most stores here only stock Tele's and Strat's and I can;t stand
strats so I don't even try em out.. and the Tele's are pretty cool
but I tend to prefer the deluxes and thinlines and MIM over the
standard USA versions..

[RumorsOFsurF]

and the Tele's are pretty cool
but I tend to prefer the deluxes and thinlines and MIM over the
standard USA versions..

+1  I don't like the Standard MIA Teles much,  but I really like the AVRI '52s, and I'd love to have an AVRI '62 Custom. 

[northern_dirt]

+1  I don't like the Standard MIA Teles much,  but I really like the AVRI '52s, and I'd love to have an AVRI '62 Custom. 

I think I need to give some other strats a go
I just spend most of my time in guitar shops in the recording section and recently acsoutics sections..