why did gibson switch over to 300k pots?

I haven't tried a spirit. Sorry. If pcb electronics bother you do not get a low end studio, even some of the nicer ones get the pcb/300k treatment some years. I was thrilled to find good stuff in the cavity of the platinum. My buddy's studio plus had pcb and was a similarly priced guitar from the same timeframe as mine. I would ask the store clerk to unscrew the back for you b4 buying!

Gibson really busts my buffers.

It doesn't bother me hugely because I'm happy to rewire it but ill ask in store for them to do that, never would have thought to ask. The Gibson pcb harness is a hell of a lot nicer than the epi one though from what I have seen on images etc

I dunno. Never seen an epi one. I have never worked on an epi or owned one. All PCB-based passive guitar electronics piss me off. I guess some use nicer parts, but its all a bunch of bunk that's prone to problems and is impossible to modify. When buying a real Gibson try to be aware of what you are getting for your money. Poorly prepared wood, an undercoat of gloppy colored lacquer that rubs off too easily and PCB based electronics is just not "Gibson Pure" to me... nor is it a recipe for solid resale. Most Gibson guys are very aware of what years Gibson cut the most corners on the entry level models. I'm not, but I almost never screw around in the cheap seats with Gibson. I feel like they have a minimum buy-in for the real deal and that starts with the fancier LP studios and the SG standard. You can bring the buy in down goig used. There were some great LP studios made in the early 90s and the SG standard had a fabulous run between about 98 and 2010. They iterally don't make them aswell now in my experience. Fortunately they made SO MANY studios and SGs that they actually have depreciated a bit and you can get a lot of guitar for your money going the used route if you stay within the good years. Think '90 to '97 on studios (which is what you want). Also, if you are dead set on cutting costs with a 'faded'or 'worn' model, the 1st few years were finished a lot better than they have been since and they generally had discreet wiring. Think 2005 thru 7. They were pretty good guitars and are CHEAP. No resale at all.

Gibson's entry level guitars really keep me skeptical of their management. I don't understand why they can't make an affordable LP studio with a decent finish and good attention to detail on the frets, neck shape etc at a working man's price. They mostly sell you a name.

Trust me, the epi one is weird and fucking cheap as fuck. Those Epiphone probuckers are awesome pickups, almost as good as the burstbuckers they're copying! Very nice pick ups.

I just bought a Gibson les Paul. I played the 2016 studio faded at my local store and weren't blown away. But then I went on dv247 amd saw they had their last 2015 les Paul studio in wine red with £330 off, it made it nearly £100 cheaper than the faded 2016 model but has a proper finish etc on it and is a more high end model all together. Has a brass nut and that gforce tuning system which I'm unsure of but will give it a fair chance. As it was the last in stock and its coming from Romford, London I cant try before I buy so if I don't like it, ill send it back. Also same neck taper as my epi so I should be happy with it though gibsons have a fair variations in necks from what I've read here and elsewhere

http://www.dv247.com/guitars/gibson-les-paul-studio-2015-6-string-electric-guitar-wine-red--212015

It also has orange drop caps so presume it will have proper wiring

I just got rid of a burstbucker 2 and burstbucker pro bridge so you are not giving me a ringing endorsement of epi's PAF style bucker there dude. Not in love with them. The pro neck is okay in a guitar designed to be a hotrod like my platinum LP. The stock BB2 is like apoor man's SD Pearly Gates to my ear. Definitely lacks the magic overtones of a really good sounding, old PAF that's medium to hot (I happen to dig weak ones too, but most people think I'm nutty) or one of the better clones that have been made by the Japanese and small, obsessive winders over the years. The Pearly gets closer.

People hate the 2015 changes. you can hardly give those guitars away. If you go with a used one or buy from a smaller dealer on ebay you will do EVEN BETTER ON THE PRICE. I have been thinking of buying them up to mod! The core of those guitars is fine and the brass nut and0th fret setup looks cool enough to be worth trying.... what does a set of tonepros klusons or grover imperials run in the UK?

Why are you obsessed with a new guitar? Gibson makes their USA guitars worse every year. Why not get a 5 or even 10 year old one? Or better still a 20 year old one? I am telling you, the mid 90s studios were NICER. I was there.

But the 2015 seems like an okay deal for a new guitar. I would guess you have a few bucks in electronics and tuners to shell ut and maybe you will want to switch to a bone, tusq or vintage nylon nut if the brass and 0th fret setup is not to your liking.

you will probably find the Gibson's neck to vary a lot from your CNCed epi... even the sanding is done by CNC machines on the far east guitars. There's a little hand sanding during finishing, but not much. Unless someone gets really happy with the sandpaper between spray booth visits (wait, do they even do THAT by hand anymore?) then the encks are pretty homogenous. No 2 Gibbies are alike. Its magic.... or not, depending on if you are Boom!

The specs sound spot on to me, I can see why peoplee hate it though, seems like there was a lot of changes.

The grovers about £60 and klusons around £35. Not too bad. I know, its just I've not come across any studios that hugely appeal to me ob the used market and I just like buying new anyway. I think the next Gibson I buy will be a used SG. Also there's not a huge amount of used gibsons on ebay etc in my price range even the studios. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough. Glad I have £100 spare now so can look at getting a higher end amp than the irt60 if I want to but I think I'm very happy with getting a irt60.

I do find it hard to turn down a deal like that though. By the looks of things it comes with a case and all that lovely stuff

My Epi claims to be hand made in china but I'm inclined to believe its just CNCd like you said. I don't hugely trust the Chinese or epiphones claims at times

even the gibsons are roughed in on CNC machines dude, China hasn't made any products by hand sicne before world war 2

I am again going to try to talk some sense to you because you are a nice guy who has a head full of marketing propaganda when it comes to ALL things guitar. Sorry but its true.

you just like buying new? you are one of those guys?

here in the USA the guys like me with tons of nice guitars have a term for dudes who prefer new isntruments all the time... suckers. Sometimes you just gotta buy new for a new model with somthing truly unique going on... sometimes a single specimen of a classic model that's brand new has some real vibe and you have to chance it (last time I did that I wound up with a piece of rosewood that, despite proper conditioning, developed a hairline crack around fret 14 that eventually woulda compromised all the frets if I hadn't carefully filled it, still, fret 14 was in jeopardy even with the repair I made)... otherwise? HA! New is for suckers or for spending big at the customshop. With a new axe you are getting a guitar that hasn't had a chance to age in (wood is not as well dried as it used to be) and could experience cracks I the fretboard, a rise at the heel or a neck twist as she matures. Older guitars are pre-disastered and they general use better wood. The older the guitar the odler the growth of the wood, the larger the grain and the better the tone. The grain of the mahogany on my SG is really tight and just pitiful compared to my older guitars. PITIFUL.

Oh wait, a new guitar has that warranty against faulty workmanship. But basically NOTHING that goes wrong with the wood is covered nor is a headstock break or a crack at the heel (that's your fault not an inherent problem with Gibson's headstock angle and the modern neck tenons)... that's on you dude. Gibson will not fix your guitar free if it suffers from any of those common setneck maladies. The finish isn't covered either even though a Gibson worn or faded definitely suffers from faulty workmanship in that dept by DESIGN! So what is covered? basically bad-out-of-box electronics. That's it.

But suit yourself, man. More good guitars for me.

If you must buy a new studio get the 2015 and a set of kluson style tonepros, grovers, gotohs, whatever.... it has a REAL finish that looks very well applied and it should wear nicly and bring you a lifetime of enjoyment. The rest of the appointments are no biggies as the guts are all there.

I should probably have toned that down before posting. I am just so sick and tired of the way the rabid consumerism of the iPhone age has infected the guitar world. This lust for having he brand new thing and shelling out top retail money for it feels so artificial and completely counter to what being involved in rock 'n roll has always been about. On the other hand, it seems like every generations rock n roll is different, from the sound to the personal aesthetic. The way young musicians engage with music and their instruments may be baffling to me. The current cultural climate (that was a good phrase, hmm) certainly informs the music of the young and also informs their choice of tools to make it. Excelsior, Liam. Give me a pass for being a stubborn, cruty old alternapunk with a chip on his shoulder...

but watch out for really new guitars aging in poorly. Everything I said about new guitars hitting the shelves before the glue has had a chance to settle? 100% true. Your brand new gem could age into a lemon, even with a USA made Gibson... I have seen it. I just come at this shit as a tech as well as a working class punk rocker who needs to get his money's worth and have a 100% sure thing when he spends money on a guitar.

No, I totally get that and I do agree with what you say but I really cant find many gibsons second hand for that price or less and the few I did find was no where near so I couldn't get there anyway. I don't know, just seems not many people sell their Gibsons, that or when the 2016 like dropped they sold their old ones and bought new ones. With strats and teles I can pick one up used so easy and cheap, just not les Pauls for some reason. I have been trying to find the amps I've been looking at, on ebay used and mixed results really, depending on the amp. The Laney ironheart I want I pretty cheapish second hsnd, well £100 cheaper than new so I'll try grabbing a used one.

I think in todays world with global warming, deforestation etc. Going second hand is the best way to go. The Ibanez rg is used. It would be nice if my local guitar store had more used stuff. Nevada music has a lot of used stuff come to think of it. Might trade in a few bits I don't want anymore with them when I buy a amp head near the end of February. I think there is too much consumerism in todays climate, both in music and in general. I try my hardest not to buy things I don't need etc. My pc is like 5 or 6 years old now and my shoes have holes in them LOL. I don't like buying stuff unless nessarcery really. I can see why you get annoyed though but I do like buying new guitars and am also very happy going used, which ever I get the best deal on really. SGs are pretty common on the used market I noticed too so will oneday get one used.

Don't worry, you didn't offened me or anything, it is true what you are saying, I'm not denying that at all and I do agree but I can't find any LPs I can get used for that price or less that either will post or are within 20 miles of me

I dunno. Used Gibsons of all stripes are plentiful here if you are hip to where they gather. Don't you guys have guitar shows/expos?

I always feel like good guitars are out to find me and I always hafta restrain myself because I only think that I have the means to buy them all!

Probably, but I've not heard of any so who knows? I think the next to guitars I'll get are a fender telecaster and a fender strat then maybe after that a Schecter Tele copy. Fenders seem plentiful used here but gibsons don't, I don't know why? I must just be looking in the wrong places I guess

you must be... either that or the UK gets shit for Gibson imports (your 60s guys stole a lot of fine vintage Gibbies to create british hard rock, so you have it coming)... I mean, when you think for a sec you realize modern fender produces way more fener branded guitars than Gibson produces Gibson branded ones. There are MIM, MIJ, MIK, MII and now even some MIC branded fenders in addition toa huge line of uSA guitars ad custom shop models thata re not so 'custom,' off-the-shelf type high end guitars....

The Gibaon line is only made in the USA, the entry level guitars are not made in a variety of shapes or even large numbers very year and the Gibson custom shop cranks out mostly VOS LPs, SGs and hollow bodies as stock models as wella s the odd colelctor's choice or signature guitar. We are not talking about similar shiping totals. Fender must quadruple Gibson just in custom shop 'off the shelf' guitars

if you take all the standard production Fenders from all the fender factories and compare those shipping totals to what Gibson Nashville shps every year? whoa, the disparity has gotta be huge. We should google it!

I see you bought the 2015.... AND LOVE HER! nice dude.... ditch the G force and get a set of tuners you like. I am sure G Force works but it must skew the balance and weight relationship between headstock and bridge and that effects tone (believe it or not). Stick with the brass nut for a while and see what you think. A lot of guys in the 70s and 80s ADDED BRASS NUTS to their vintage LPs. Don't knock it 'til you spend time with it.

I love the brass nut especially being adjustable. also it doesn't bite the strings or whatever which is really badass! no tuning problems. The G force is a pretty cool little unit, very confusing at first but it is cool but I am thinking of replaying it with some klusons with green keys on them or a nice set of gotohs or grovers. I like the aged gotoh tuners but would look out of place on a new guitar. I think I'm gunna build a relic guitar one day with aged parts on it just for fun really. I wonder if the tune o matic is gunna wear down nicely like my ibanez has. The chrome plating has rubbed off and the metal has been worn down abit over the years. I'm not sure if my gibson has titanium saddles or brass or steel or waht though

yes, the bridge will wear into a nice patina... probably different than your cheap Ibanez, but it willw ear in

all the metal parts should develop a nice patina, especially if you got nickel and not chrome

the whole guitar should age in nicely with you... take good care of her and watch out for hairline cracks in the fretboard and more importantly the dreaded "rise at the heel."

The Ibanez is some chrome played metal, looks like copper yo to be honest but I cant imagine copper being used.

The les paul has satin nickel hardware and it looks damn nice. Don't like the gold/cream plastic parts though. I don't get what Gibson was going for there really, doesn't suit the guitar well so will swap the platic black plastic I think or a normal cream colour.

I'm keeping it in the case when not in use to protect ig as much as possible really. Mainly because I'm clumsy. I'll keep an eye out for those

nah, the problems I'm talking about are from the wood drying out because it wasn't properly dried before contruction... common these days... but yes, keep your Gibson in the case. I don't keep mine in the case, but I make a lot more money than you do probably and just have the one kid LOL.. you have double the expenses and double the sprouts who might knock a guitar over that I do.... and Lucian took my 335 down once and I just barely saved it from a headstock break!

before you go in on an ironheart, have you seen the new Laney GH50R released at NAMM last week? check it out in person ASAP. I like the ideas. Its the first non-boutique with a power-scaling setup so you can drive the power tubes. It seems pretty versatile and its gotta be built as well as the ironheart stuff if not up to the snuff of Laney's lionheart, fancy paants amps (that look better than they sound other than the 5 watter my friend has)...

it looks like Laney expanded on the modified JCM800 format of the GH50L, which was a pretty good amp. I had one as a backup to my '80 JCM800 when I was into that thing. The 800 really like to be turned up for a blend of preamp gain and output tube grind, but even the 50 watter is HELLA loud with gain and master at 5. The Laney 50L was the same. This guy seems to have included 2 separate paths for low and high gain instead of the 2203/2204 format where its 1 channel with a lower gain option. Plus its got the power scaling thing going for when you want big, 80s arena rock tones and if you don't care about having a clean tone and just want vintage distortion and gobs of 80s lead goodness you can get into plexi turf by using the low gain channel at 9 or 10 and getting all your actual drive from the PI and EL34s, then scaling back the power to avoid hurting anyone. Then your gain channel will be that over-the-top JCM800 at 10 tone where every stage is totally saturated....

tempting you yet? I promise your the Laney should sound more like a classic marshall than anything made by Marshall since 1990

you are stuck in this "if I can only have 1 tube amp to accomplish all the jobs from late night noodling to gigging a big theater..." problem most people go through. Me? I just have 3 or 4 wattage ranges available at any time. But if you can only have 1 amp to rule them all, maybe something like the Laney with tons of ways to achieve overdrive at different places in the circuit and with tons of headroom when you want it is the ideal solution!

Was looking at one the other day. Will have to have a look. I think I should get myself up to a store with the ironheart, vc30212 and the gh50 and see which works best for me. I quite like Laney amps, they don't seem to chuck out a load of shit like some companies seem to and everything tends to be very well made