This is offensive to me

Jake · January 05, 2011, 10:41:42 AM

So ever since I ordered an $11 part from sweetwater.com two years ago, I get 150+ page catalogs like once a month in the mail. They are browsing material while pooping. Anyways, I can't help but notice the prices on new Les Pauls – $2,500+ for a Standard, $3,900 for a Custom, $6,500 for a Slash VOS.

This is offensive to me in a way that someone paying $10,000 for a handbag or $1,000 pair of shoes is.

VOLVO))) · January 05, 2011, 11:17:52 AM

I concur. Sweetwater's pricing is so off. GC is just as bad though.

johnny problem · January 05, 2011, 11:29:10 AM

It's like this everywhere I go. It pisses me off.

Chovie D · January 05, 2011, 11:33:45 AM

Ive wanted a les paul ever since I foolishly sold my LP deluxe back in the early 90's. I buy a ton of gear and want a les paul again now bad enough to buy a new one. But the prices are just out of line and prohibitive and so I havent. the few times i DO go to guitar center, the les pauls are hung on the top rung of the store like thirty feet above my head because they are the most expensive guitars in the store and if i want to even examine one I have to ask doucheboy to get a ladder climb the beanstalk and bring back the giants treasure. fuckin eh. I really respect fender for at least keeping things semi real and offering options in the mid range that arent "faded" or otherwised fucked up. Modern Gibson can eat my shortz.

I'll just play my 83 explorer and 72 SG and wait and pray till some old lady has an estate sale to get the LP.

The Shocker · January 05, 2011, 11:36:51 AM

Quote from: SunnO))) on January 05, 2011, 11:17:52 AM
I concur. Sweetwater's pricing is so off. GC is just as bad though.

Aren't they all owned by the same parent company?

black_out · January 05, 2011, 12:06:48 PM

Shit is fucked up. What's strange though is that for a while the price of a new SG was up to $1600 and they're back down to $1200. Only thing I can figure is that there are still assholes willing to pay $2500+ for a Les Paul. Can't think of any other reason they would have dropped the price on the SG and not the Les Paul.

I'm with Chovie on the Fender respect. As a south paw Fender is the shit. They do a better job than any other major guitar manufacturer of making Left Handed versions of just about all models available at all price points.

Chovie D · January 05, 2011, 12:08:54 PM

I think GC and musician's friend are the same. I think Sweetwater is different. not sure.
Id have to play a les paul before buying it, so all the online stores are out anyway.

VOLVO))) · January 05, 2011, 12:26:07 PM

GC and MF are the same, if you ever try to pricematch at GC with a musiciansfriend ad, their computers go haywire. Sweetwater and Sam Ash are both standalone, I believe. I've given up on buying a Les Paul. The most over-inflated guitar on the planet. I'd rather have a top-shelf Agile over a Faded LP. I've tried for the longest time to ignore names, because the name game is really stupid. I had a plywood Tele shape that raped US teles that I played, all day. -insert name brand rant.-

The pricing for shit is WAY out of whack. I'm done buying "new." There's such a huge influx of gear that's been bought and sold over the last 50 years that there is more than enough out there waiting to be found, and played. New is a thing of the past.

NoSleepTilSleep · January 05, 2011, 04:43:07 PM

It's some deplorable shit. I was lucky enough to find a dude who wanted to sell his Les Paul to a player, and the price reflected that. Buy used, simple
as. Waiting may be a pain in the ass but you'll be able to shave a grand (or more) off the price. Also it's worth it to research some good copies (don't get caught up in the law-suit nonsense), some Burny's and Orvilles can still be had for under a grand... and if you get a good one, those fuckers sing.

clockwork green · January 05, 2011, 09:36:32 PM

Sadly those are the market prices. I might expect small company to overestimate their worth in the market but Gibson, Sweetwater and GC are all big enough to know exactly what these guitars will sell for. It definitely sucks for working class folks and I certainly wouldn't pay that much for a non-vintage Les Paul. What's funny is these prices keep going up while the quality of most imports is also getting much better. On the other hand I can't imagine why any basic Tele should ever cost more than $400-500 even with quality hardware and electronics and yet there are many $3K Teles. Shouldn't hollow and semihollows cost the most but these prices have nothing to do with costs and more to do with marketing popularity. Hell, the wood new Gibson's use is nothing compared to the old stuff.

EddieMullet · January 05, 2011, 09:55:31 PM

What's offensive is I was going to buy one of those new 800 dollar Gibson SGs with the 2 P-90 pickups in it and after trying a few out finding out that I like my 150 dollar 1997 Epiphone SG Junior better.

For 800 dollars it should have knocked my socks off and made me say damn I can't wait to replace my old cheap piece of shit with this, instead it made me think my old cheap piece of shit is a pretty decent guitar compared to this over priced piece of shit.

Ranbat · January 05, 2011, 11:22:30 PM

I wish I still had the link, but Gibby's current CEO said from the get go that he was gonna raise the prices to give the customer a better perceived value. Which says to me that he was just gonna raise the prices to make more profit.

NoSleepTilSleep · January 05, 2011, 11:51:28 PM

Just look at the new "Beano" Clapton Les Paul, one version of it is selling for 30 fucking grand.

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-Custom/Eric-Clapton-1960-Les-Paul.aspx

They can attempt to raise "perceived value" all they want but no company is immune in this market, over saturation + lower quality product... the bubble
will burst eventually.

Discö Rice · January 06, 2011, 12:04:10 PM

There's simply no way I would buy an electric guitar for more than say... $1200. An SG is probably the only Gibson I'd pay for. I'm a Fender guy anyway, and I don't mean Strats. Jazzmasters, Telecasters, and Jaguars rule my world. Agile seems to be getting a lot of attention, though. I'll have to play one next time I'm in a guitar shop.

VOLVO))) · January 06, 2011, 02:34:27 PM

Gotta order 'em from kurt.

lftwng4 · January 06, 2011, 03:19:54 PM

A buddy of mine builds guitars, and he's made some Gibson knockoffs in the past.
I don't play, so I'm hardly the voice of knowledge, but I've heard really good reports from people that have bought guitars from him. He also does a lot of custom work and repair type stuff, give 'em a call and check his stuff out: http://www.sombrabella.com/lowelguitars/about.html

NoSleepTilSleep · January 06, 2011, 04:03:38 PM

Damn straight Aaron makes great stuff. I've got a Custom SG from him that puts Gibson custom shops to shame.

Jake · January 07, 2011, 12:24:14 AM

Pics or GTFO!

NoSleepTilSleep · January 07, 2011, 12:38:52 AM

With pleasure.... (his pic, he takes a better snap than I could)

[attachment deleted by admin]

Jake · January 07, 2011, 10:32:04 AM

That guitar is in no way offensive to me. Love the string-though.

Worthless Willie · January 12, 2011, 12:09:17 AM

Fuck NuGibson.

hayseed · January 12, 2011, 01:16:48 AM

If i have to shop for new stuff by catalog, I swear by americanmusical.com. The payment plans without credit cards or approvals is great! They stand by their stuff if gets damaged in shipping and returns are way easy. I have bought tons of gear there in the last few years.

Fuck Musicians Friend! and Guitar Center! My MF experiences still haunt me. They sent me a Les Paul that was snapped in half INSIDE the box....not dents or rips in the packaging at all. So it left the warehouse that way! I have few others classic moves from them too but it angers me to discuss them.

And yes things are a bit overpriced any more! Gibsons and American Fenders are way out of line. I think that Orange and Marshall(to an extent with Marshall) are little on the steep side of pricing. It is OFFENSIVE to me to shop for Orange Amps on a budget.

But i digress.....

the diddler · January 15, 2011, 09:05:03 AM

Quote from: Chovie D on January 05, 2011, 11:33:45 AM
Ive wanted a les paul ever since I foolishly sold my LP deluxe back in the early 90's. I buy a ton of gear and want a les paul again now bad enough to buy a new one. But the prices are just out of line and prohibitive and so I havent. the few times i DO go to guitar center, the les pauls are hung on the top rung of the store like thirty feet above my head because they are the most expensive guitars in the store and if i want to even examine one I have to ask doucheboy to get a ladder climb the beanstalk and bring back the giants treasure. fuckin eh. I really respect fender for at least keeping things semi real and offering options in the mid range that arent "faded" or otherwised fucked up. Modern Gibson can eat my shortz.

I'll just play my 83 explorer and 72 SG and wait and pray till some old lady has an estate sale to get the LP.

Hey Chovie- I've got a pretty nice LP std I'd let go for reasonable $$. Early '90s I think- will have to dig up the stats. Let me know if you want to check it out.

MikeyT · January 15, 2011, 09:45:35 AM

Sweet.

liquidsmoke · February 08, 2011, 01:38:56 AM

Yeah it's crazy. I got a faded SG years back new in town before GC took over the market for $550 which I think was a fair price. I still have it but for the past year I've been mostly playing the Epi junior paul I got at GC new for $88 and it's pretty nice at least for high gain metal anyway. No way is the cheapest Gibson LP worth 10 times that much to me. If I want to upgrade I'll buy an Epi for 3 or $400. A cheap guitar with good pups, a good setup and level frets can sound fine.