Anybody ever receive a NEW Gibson Les Paul that DIDNT need nut work done ?

[Rock Fella]

disregard used ones as these will most likely have any issues sorted out, I can speak from personal experience here, my former NEW 2001 R9 had a nut that was pathetically cut and not anywhere near the standard id expect for such a guitar at all .

The guitar im playing now is a 2001 R8 which the previous owner (who bought it new and is immensely skilled at working on guitars ) had to recut the nut to his satisfaction and it now has playability and tune stability to make grown men weep.

From conversations with dealers who sell production and historic gibsons they all raise their eyes at the standard of the nuts fitted to the guitars, none of them ever said that once you open the case, you had a gtr like a prs that had NO ALTERATIONS required, there was rarely a guitar that didnt need something looked at and this ranged from poorly cut nuts, poorly cut bridge saddles, gibson "setups " from hell , bridge mountings in wrong place...........etc etc

Im sure that gibson still sells gtrs in the volume that they do because they are "GIBSON" and thus they seem to be sitting on their arse and perhaps not being as fussy over QC as they should be.

Have any of you ever had a BRAND NEW Les Paul that needed nothing done to it at all ? Adversely, have any of you had a new lester that really should have had an issue sorted before it was shipped out of the factory ?

Jimmy

[Mark Kane]

Guitar set up is a personal thing IMO. gibson doesn't know how I like mine set up so I do it myself and it works out great. I'd don't like depending on others.

[Relicula]

I have eight Les Pauls, nice nuts on everyone of them:D

[indytruckboy]

All of my Gibsons required a bit of graphite in the nut and then were fine.

Now their bridges are poopoo! All required work. Definitly one area they could work on is how the bridges are 'cut'. Every one I ever had required a bit of file work with a old string to smooth them out. Some string cuts were way to far to the edge of their units.

[phoenix 7]

Have any of you ever had a BRAND NEW Les Paul that needed nothing done to it at all ?

Yes.

[rbisherw]

My R6, R7, R8 and 60's Special.

[Paul Secondino]

I see alot go through my luthier's shop and none are very impressive except for the historic reissues. Those are the only ones where it appears that everything was attended to properly.

[GuitarsFromMars]

Yes

[Hamertoe]

Yes, I purchased two new Les Pauls since 1975 that didn't need nut's repaired/replaced. However, I bought a brand new Gibson Explorer in 1976 that the nut was not quite 1/4 inch off center as it hung in the shop. My condition of purchase was that it be properly affixed. Great guitar after that. I don't know how they could have just taken it out of the box and hung it up w/o noticing. Oh yeah, now I remember. I took my Superlead in to get retubed 'cause at 18 I was too unstable to perform any maintenance myself. It came back to me with organ tubes in it. The owner was a Hammond organ player and the tech was off that day. That's how a guitar with a major problem gets hung in a store.

[Mr.Hanky]

My R7 was good, my R4 was WAY high.

[mavrick10_2000]

It's not only the LP's having this problem. 9 out of 10 of the last ES 335's I played the nut slots were not shaped properly and the strings bound on every one of 'em. That's an easy fix with the proper files, but paying $2700 for a new guitar I'd be a bit frustrated.

Everything else on these the 335's and LP's seems to be finished well. I guess they haven't made it back to the NUT Dept. for any retraining.

[Thwap]

Yes, I've owned 9 overall, none needed nut work.

[LiveOak]

Bought a new LP Standard that I had a professional luthier set-up for me and he said that the nut was fine. It plays like a dream, stays in tune and the intonation is spot on all up and down the neck, so I have no reason to doubt his evaluation. So yea, owner of a new Gibson over here that did not need nut work.

[dazco]

Everyone has a different opinion on what is or isn't right, especially height. For myself, i believe that the nut height should be the same as if there was a fret there instead of the nut. (some guitars DO have a fret there called a "zero fret") Pretty much every guitar you ever see on the shelf regardless of price is going to be higher than that. But IMO thats the correct way for a nut to be height-wise. The only reason i can see for for making them higher is to assure the slots don't wear thier way lower and start buzzing. Thats may well happen after a very long period, but thats why they sell nut material ! I do however thing a very very very slight bit higher is ok, but i'm talking VERY slight so that it doesn't affect the action negitivly enough to notice. So for whatever reason, new guitars are all in need of nut work as far as i'm concerned. By the way, as you probably know, any extra height at the nut causes the entire action to be incapable of being as low W/O buzzing than a guitar with the nut at the height i described.

[Robotechnology]

Both of the LP's that I bought had excellent nuts from the factory:

LP Standard Faded 60's (sold)
LP Supreme

[ssimon64]

My R7 need nut work. The slots are way too low and it buzzes like hell when you play open strings. It's not new though, it's a 2000 but I think that's the original nut.

[twferrill]

None of the Gibsons I have bought new needed nut work (LP Custom, LP Studio, Explorer, SG Classic, LP Junior, '58 LP VOS). To be fair, my friend bought a LP Standard that needed both nut and bridge work. The high e was bairly over the fingerboard. However, every Fender I have owned has either needed serious nut work or a completely new nut. Out of the three PRSi I have owned, my SAS needed nut work.

[TattooedCarrot]

I'm a Gibson whore, owned lots and still own some. I don't believe I've ever had a nut problem. I do get them all set up to my preferences when they arrive no matter what. Between personal preference and exposure to temperature changes during shipping I figure they should get a new setup anyway.

I did play an SG Special in a store one time that had the high e string slot cut too shallow and the string kept popping out, but in all my dozens and dozens (literally) of Gibsons I've personally owned, they have been fine.

[bjjp2]

My VOS R8

[photoguy]

yup. My one and only LP. Never had any issues with it...and it's a "2nd" too!

[OldSchool]

I gotta admit.........I bought a 61 reissue SG at Guitar Center in West Palm beach Fla. in 2001 that killed. It needed a set up after hanging on the wall but they had a in house tech fix it up before I took it home and it really killed. In fact I remember going cool neck to the sales man but this thing plays like shit before I bought it. He agreed and had it worked on before he was to put it back on the wall. I gave it a run when it was done and it never made the wall. The Nut was fine. This guitar was a standard USA model not a historic. I paid like $1100 out the door. I forgot why I sold it...........but I wish I never did. The Only New Gibson I ever bought and probably my last. Wish I could have that one back........... http://www.thegearpage.net/board/images/icons/icon9.gif

[trucks]

I just had Phil Jacoby (Philtone) fix the nut on my '06 R0. Thank goodness the slots were spaced properly and now they have the proper sized channels. It now plays amazing. This is the second guitar I've had nut work done (first was not a LP) and it makes a world of difference. The only other thing Phil did was file the saddles to provide the proper radius. Oh, yeah. I had him raise the action. Who are these guys that want super low action? :nono It didn't buzz (thanks to the plek), but I like to have sustain, lower harmonics and richer tone.

We both loved the guitar afterwards! :D

[Ferrari-Dude]

I recently purchased a '57 LP Black Beauty reissue w/3 pickups and I was astonished at the crap that Gibson lets roll out of the factory. I spent a couple of hundred dollars having the guitar setup (truss rod adjusted, frets dressed, nut recut, tone pros bridge installed) and it's still not right. It goes out of tune rather easily when compared to my other axes.

My guitar tech tells me part of my problem with tuning stability is the cheap tuning machines Gibson uses. I will probably buy a set of Schaller tuning machines and see if that helps.

I think Gibson should visit the Jackson factory sometime and find out how to properly setup a guitar that costs over $2000.00. My best playing (and sounding) guitar is easily my Jackson PC-1. It cost $1300 less and blows the LP's doors off.

[gregc]

The last 4 CS Les Pauls I bought had nuts that were dead-on.
No problems here~

[Bones]

I recently purchased a '57 LP Black Beauty reissue w/3 pickups and I was astonished at the crap that Gibson lets roll out of the factory. I spent a couple of hundred dollars having the guitar setup (truss rod adjusted, frets dressed, nut recut, tone pros bridge installed) and it's still not right. It goes out of tune rather easily when compared to my other axes.

My guitar tech tells me part of my problem with tuning stability is the cheap tuning machines Gibson uses. I will probably buy a set of Schaller tuning machines and see if that helps.

I think Gibson should visit the Jackson factory sometime and find out how to properly setup a guitar that costs over $2000.00. My best playing (and sounding) guitar is easily my Jackson PC-1. It cost $1300 less and blows the LP's doors off.


why on earth would you walk out of the store with a guitar that was finished so poorlY? i'm not trying to be a dick, but it seems a little hard to believe that anyone would pay that kind of money for a crappy playing guitar that wont stay in tune. What was the selling point?

[Thwap]

I recently purchased a '57 LP Black Beauty reissue w/3 pickups and I was astonished at the crap that Gibson lets roll out of the factory. I spent a couple of hundred dollars having the guitar setup (truss rod adjusted, frets dressed, nut recut, tone pros bridge installed) and it's still not right. It goes out of tune rather easily when compared to my other axes.

My guitar tech tells me part of my problem with tuning stability is the cheap tuning machines Gibson uses. I will probably buy a set of Schaller tuning machines and see if that helps.

I think Gibson should visit the Jackson factory sometime and find out how to properly setup a guitar that costs over $2000.00. My best playing (and sounding) guitar is easily my Jackson PC-1. It cost $1300 less and blows the LP's doors off.

I would have to say that that's the first time I've ever heard of the tuning machines on a custom shop Gibson being the cause of the guitar not staying in tune.

Not saying it's not, just saying I've never heard that one.

[cmatthes]

I purchased 2 Les Pauls, 2 Firebirds (a V and a VII) and an EDS 1275 new off the wall in the early-thru-mid '90s. Not a single one had the slightest issue - ever.

I recently was tempted by an R8, but funny you mention the nut thing - it was cut too deep on the G-B-E strings and buzzed and flatted out higher up. Shame, because everything else about that guitar was really nice.

[sabbath90]

this might be crazy but i prefer to leave the nuts alone on guitars. unless they're really worn and i can't keep the strings on i just play em the way they are. it gives each guitar it's own personality. my les paul jr has a pretty high nut, but it adds to it's own unique thing. just my perspective.

[jda]

All good here.

[Mike Dresch]

I recently did setups on two LP Standards. Both needed the nut slots lowered as they were high on both guitars. Played much better afterwards, but I would've like to have done a fret level on them as well. I think then they would have been very nice.

[MoRawk]

why on earth would you walk out of the store with a guitar that was finished so poorlY? i'm not trying to be a dick, but it seems a little hard to believe that anyone would pay that kind of money for a crappy playing guitar that wont stay in tune. What was the selling point?

Seems like someone who:

1. probably never played a Custom Shop Gibson.
2. can't afford a Custom Shop Gibson so goes onto internet forums to bash the Gibsons with fabricated stories. I mean seriously, the guy went to a guitar store, found the guitar he wanted, then found finish flaws in it but decided to pay $3,000 for it anyways so he can come home and complain on an internet forum about paying $3,000 for a guitar with finish flaws on it. Oooooook bro. :crazy

Seriously, I'm getting annoyed reading all the Gibson bashing. I get the feeling it's not about the quality and finish as much as it being about people hating the brand because they can't afford it or people hating the brand because what it did to their favorite mom and pop dealers. I don't agree with Gibson's business decisions but I'm not going to let it affect my judgement while I'm appraising one of their guitars. A good guitar is a good guitar.

[Rock Fella]

regarding the tuners issues raised here, the guy who previously owned my R8 fitted it with genuine Kluson tuners and ditched the gibsons it came with .............you wouldnt believe the difference.

jimmy

[pokey]

Other than the occasional "pinging" G string(which a little lube takes care of), no.

[Eric Pykala]

My LP R9 came with crooked slots and was too high. Whoever had done the "rubber hammer to mark the saddles" for strings slots had obviously used a metal hammer and bent the intonation screws so some of the saddles could not be adjusted at all. The plating was so thick on some parts of the bridge two saddles wouldn't even fit properly down into the bridge. I'm not even going to touch on the finish flaws. This is a guitar that up here in the Great White North (currently green) sells for $5899. My LP 54 RI Chambered came with the low 'E' sitting right on the first fret, and the treble-side "intonation" adjustment screw frozen in place. These are both Historics i.e. the best stuff they do. I saw the flaws and bought both ($10K worth) anyway, as I'm the tech at one of Canada's largest indie music retailers and just take Gibson's spotty QC as a fact of life. Not Gibson bashing here at all; just stating facts from years of experience.
I tell my customers all the time what a great time it is to be a guitarist, in the sense that these days you can get great guitars without breaking the bank. I also tell them the first casualty of cost-cutting is human labor i.e. setup, and urge them to get EVERY instrument regardless of cost in for a proper setup. Still, my Musicmans and PRSi came out of their cases pretty much dead-on, while the Gibsons needed much work just to make them play, not just play properly. I take it in stride as part of my job, but it's really hard telling a customer his/her brandnew $6K guitar needs a bunch of work before they can take it home. Not the best way to instill confidence in a brand, particularily since Gibsons up here in Canada only have a one-year warranty (my PRS Santana SE Korean guitar is lifetime; it needed an hours work but only cost $800 with the $159 deluxe PRS gigbag).
Oh well, if you can't get your own corporate act together, just sue somebody else...yours in disgust-Eric.

[whitehall]

Yep, none of the lp's I've bought new since 2002 (6) have needed any nut work at all.

[Rock Fella]

i think that this thread is giving the image if you buy a gibson sight unseen , you are taking a chance ..............well, more of a chance than say buying a PRS or a Suhr unseen, Id still take the LP over any suhr or prs because they just have that sound that floats my boat , its just a shame their guitars appear to lack "reasonably" consistent build quality.

great thread so far guys , a most informative read.

Jimmy

[paintguy]

I have owned dozens of Les Pauls. I only bought 2 new. A 1989' 1959' Reissue and a Jimmy Page Custom Authentic.

I have to say the 2 new one's did need substantial nut work. Not acceptable in my opinion.

I bought the 1989' because the deal was too good to pass up.( They didn't know what they had)

I traded for the Jimmy Page and didn't get to play it first.

That being said, a little reshaping the nut from my tech and they were awesome. The 1989 was recently sold to a studio and I'm still on a love affair with the Jimmy Page.

It does suck such a high end guitar needs work right out of the box, but the little extra I spent to make them magical was well worth it.

I'm not a fan of Gibson's business practices and quality control, but I can't deny they are some of my favorite guitars.

$40.00 of nut work on a 10k list guitar should not be needed, but if it only takes $40.00-$50.00 to make it great, it's worth it to me. I have already invested a ton of money, mine as well make it right. Sucks, but when they are magical to me, they are magical.

Enough said. You get the point.

[Ferrari-Dude]

why on earth would you walk out of the store with a guitar that was finished so poorlY? i'm not trying to be a dick, but it seems a little hard to believe that anyone would pay that kind of money for a crappy playing guitar that wont stay in tune. What was the selling point?

I purchased one from Musicians Friend when they first came out. I tried a good model at Guitar Center and liked how it played. I wish the quality were more consistent between models.

[Ferrari-Dude]

I have owned dozens of Les Pauls. I only bought 2 new. A 1989' 1959' Reissue and a Jimmy Page Custom Authentic.

I have to say the 2 new one's did need substantial nut work. Not acceptable in my opinion.

I bought the 1989' because the deal was too good to pass up.( They didn't know what they had)

I traded for the Jimmy Page and didn't get to play it first.

That being said, a little reshaping the nut from my tech and they were awesome. The 1989 was recently sold to a studio and I'm still on a love affair with the Jimmy Page.

It does suck such a high end guitar needs work right out of the box, but the little extra I spent to make them magical was well worth it.

I'm not a fan of Gibson's business practices and quality control, but I can't deny they are some of my favorite guitars.

$40.00 of nut work on a 10k list guitar should not be needed, but if it only takes $40.00-$50.00 to make it great, it's worth it to me. I have already invested a ton of money, mine as well make it right. Sucks, but when they are magical to me, they are magical.

Enough said. You get the point.

Your experience was similar to mine. Their QC needs work.

[Ferrari-Dude]

Seems like someone who:

1. probably never played a Custom Shop Gibson.
2. can't afford a Custom Shop Gibson so goes onto internet forums to bash the Gibsons with fabricated stories. I mean seriously, the guy went to a guitar store, found the guitar he wanted, then found finish flaws in it but decided to pay $3,000 for it anyways so he can come home and complain on an internet forum about paying $3,000 for a guitar with finish flaws on it. Oooooook bro. :crazy

Seriously, I'm getting annoyed reading all the Gibson bashing. I get the feeling it's not about the quality and finish as much as it being about people hating the brand because they can't afford it or people hating the brand because what it did to their favorite mom and pop dealers. I don't agree with Gibson's business decisions but I'm not going to let it affect my judgement while I'm appraising one of their guitars. A good guitar is a good guitar.

Thanks for your opinion. To set the record straight:

1. I played one at GC before I bought one via mail order.
2. I'm pretty sure I afford a $3500 guitar. Check out my handle and guess what kind of car I drive... And, yes it is red.

The thread asked for your story relating to a Gibson and that's exactly what I presented, be it good, bad or ugly.

If it makes you feel better, I am not going to sell the guitar just because I need to invest a few hundred bucks into it. I wanted one of these guitars for a long time because I like their style and because it is a classic.

[GDking]

Thanks for your opinion. To set the record straight:

1. I played one at GC before I bought one via mail order.
2. I'm pretty sure I afford a $3500 guitar. Check out my handle and guess what kind of car I drive... And, yes it is red.

The thread asked for your story relating to a Gibson and that's exactly what I presented, be it good, bad or ugly.

If it makes you feel better, I am not going to sell the guitar just because I need to invest a few hundred bucks into it. I wanted one of these guitars for a long time because I like their style and because it is a classic.

The way I look at things besides Steinberger, not much mainstream innovation have come out whatsoever in the traditional guitar world since Gibson and Fender made the "big four" classic styles of LP, hollowbody, Strat, and tele.. Everything else is either improved fit and finish and/or pickups, or different shapes with one of the three pickup configs. I look at it as more of a "pimp my ride" type deal. I can get to work just as well in my production line car than the guy with the ferrari (no offense heh).

I always felt why bother buying anything but the original american standard production line model of whatever you like.. They worked for everyone else and they work for me too. Find a good one with some good wood, swap pickups and strings/setup how you like, and you are off to the races for thousands less and can get a backup guitar set up the exact same way for the same price in case #1 gets stolen or broke.

I have nothing against exotic guitars I think they look great. But I don't want to feel like I am going to be sick every time I put a ding in a 5000 dollar guitar gigging it out and at the end of the day, I really do not think ANYONE would think a Nik Huber would look great "reliced" all beat to shit from gigging. At some point guitars cease being functioning tools and become works of art. I like to find that happy middle place and that is where I think that american production line models fall.

And on that I rest my case :)

[dankayaker]

I haven't played but a few guitars that had what I considered perfect nut cuts.
If the slots aren't cut right the setup can only be so good.

[JustAHack]

Rock Fella, I'll definitely second. Maybe I'm strange or pickier than I thought, when I read the title of this thread I thought many others would agree.

I have several Historics. I've replaced the nut on every one of them with a hand-cut bone nut. Gibson does a LOT of things right on the Historics, I love mine. But a well-cut nut and decent setup doesn't seem to be on their list.

I love Gibsons. I hear about terrible QC issues on Gibsons, and Gibson-bashing all the time. In my experience, I'm constantly amazed at the flawless guitars I get, with so much attention to detail, especially cosmetic detail. That's why the consistent nut issues just floor me....

I'm not a demanding guy, and don't have too weird a standard setup. A little higher than most, maybe 1 or at most 2/64ths. I don't have patience to screw around with lubing nut slots. I DO demand absolute tuning stability from a $2000+, 8 to 10 lb+, set-neck, stop tailpiece Gibson guitar! That isn't too much to ask. I don't know anybody whose "personal setup preference" is a G string that drops out of tune when you look at it wrong, or binding nut slots when trying to tune up. C'mon, I think people rationalize these things sometimes.

I replace the nut for the following reasons:
1) It's easily reversible when using a competent tech. I don't want to carve up a stock nut with my preferences. My nut, is my nut. The "pristine" stock nut goes back on when I sell.
2) I play a tad higher action than most, and require a very even relief between the 1st and 15th frets. So, most stock nuts are cut too low for me, and need too high a string relief on the upper frets to avoid buzzing. (And even though vintage Les Pauls came with plastic nuts, it doesn't mean I have to like them. I'm not a purist.)
3) A well-cut bone nut stays in tune, intonates perfectly, never needs lube, never pings or jumps, and is really sweet and consistent on open chords.

That's worth an extra $100 or so to me, every time. It's crazy, but the only Gibson I've ever bought that I didn't change the nut on was an LP Special DC Faded. A $600 Gibson guitar, dead-right out of the box.

[lv]

yea, about 10 of them.

[Rock Fella]

[quote=
3) A well-cut bone nut stays in tune, intonates perfectly, never needs lube, never pings or jumps, and is really sweet and consistent on open chords.

.[/quote]


+1,000,000 dude


ok so there are guys here who got em spot on outta the box.......but what about the players who have gotten imperfections that on a custom shop guitar are simply criminal...........no string notches cut on saddles, nuts that that are too high or bind, bridge mountings in wrong place, colour bleed all over the binding, poorly inserted inlays ..........etc

if you found any of those on a PRS or Suhr...........then id be surprised.

Id have no other guitar than a gibson , i watched jimmy page when i was a kid and i was sold , PRS and Suhr are a lot more consistent, but its about tone and I honestly believe the custom shop les pauls slay any PRS or Suhr ..........jusy my opinion.

the imperfections i describe within this thread are akin to getting a ferrari with 1/2 inch wide seams around the doors........unforgiveable !!

why a company such as gibson finds it such a task to ensure consistency puzzles me , a custom shop gtr should rage from excellent right up to superlative with no room for tone or finish turds.

we guys willing to shell out $2500-$4000 deserve no less.

great replies fellas.

jimmy

[GDking]

the only Gibson I've ever bought that I didn't change the nut on was an LP Special DC Faded. A $600 Gibson guitar, dead-right out of the box.


And by what you said about your setup tastes 90 percent of everyone else would have said it was dead wrong :)

[ssdeluxe]

to the original post.

yes, all of them, I hope gibson is listening..

absolutely diplorable !

I love custom shop gibby's, but @ some point , they are going to lose me.....its coming.!!

[Sharkey]

The R7 I just received from a forum member here is pinging on several of the strings but the spacing and height appear to be excellent. Do all Historics come with 10's from Gibson? It seems that on this guitar the
pinging was way more apparent after my first string change. I'll have Mark at Fatsound inspect the nut when I take it in for a setup but I feel sure it won't need replacing. I will say that on this particular guitar the fit and Finnish is flawless except for what was stated above.
I have a R8 here as well with no nut issues but it could use a good setup to my specs. I fully expect that because we all have different preferences
and requirements.
Of the 3 Gibson's I have owned I have been very impressed with their product overall and wouldn't hesitate to buy another. My only grip with these guitars has been the neck pickup sounding like mud with no definition but that's just a preference issue. I cured this with a set of Wolftone Dr.V in my R7 and this ended my LP search. This one's going nowhere:D

[frank62]

i have owned one new gibson. a standard heritage 80. it was perfect. i was a gibson dealer for several years and the ones i recieved were all good ones.

[BigDoug1053]

I have had good luck with all my Gibsons, both recent and older. A 91 Chet Country Gentleman - perfect on arrival - though I had the nut adjusted for heavier gage strings and added graphite bridge inserts for the Bigsby operation. A recent LP Supreme was perfect (used but not played or altered), as was a LP Special Faded DC (new from Wildwood). I love my Gibsons - they are all absolutely wonderful guitars.

I agree with several posters about cork sniffer syndrome. Some people who can easily afford to buy a new custom or VOS instrument are like wealthy patrons of a gourmet restaurant - expecting royal treatment and perfection in presentation and taste - and expressing outrage when their expectations are not met. This can lead to personal standards that are sometimes impossible for the real world to deliver.

This "never satisfied" syndrome also applies to perfectionists of all social classes. An old friend bought a nice acoustic guitar, but kept complaining about "noises" he thought were flaws and imperfections. It sounded like a high quality and expensive acoustic guitar to me!

Beware of "too high" standards and expectations in this world, or you will create a collection of small personal hells for yourself. If you want a Gibby without minor quality disappointments, then by all means pay a little extra and buy one through a good local dealer who will correct any minor problems that it might arrive with.

Or, if you think Gibsons have become shite, then don't buy them.