Update – After going to Guitar Center, I’ve got some new info which I will use to update this post.
For my upcoming 50th birthday, I wanted another Gibson Les Paul. I have the 50’s Tribute from the 2013 lineup, which I purchased used for $499, and it’s an amazing sounding instrument. It’s got a thick neck and P90 pickups and I love it. But…
But it doesn’t have humbuckers. And the neck is a tad too thick. That contributes to the tone, but I use it primarily for rhythm guitar work. I wanted something with humbuckers, and a smaller neck. And I didn’t want to spend a fortune. And I wanted it to look decent. And I wanted a Gibson. And I wanted to play it first.
The Guitar Center in Tampa had a nice 2013 Gibson Les Paul 70’s Tribute for $769, but it was too expensive for me. However, when they decided to knock it down to $569, I jumped on it. Yes, I’ve exceeded my $500 limit on guitars, but not by much. And you don’t often get to buy a Gibson Les Paul for $569.
Did I just hear some eye-rolling? Um, excuse me, sir, yes, you with the sunglasses on indoors. Could you step over here for a moment, sir? Thank you. This site is called Budget Guitarist for a reason. It’s about getting great guitars without spending a ton of cash. If it’s made by Gibson, in the US of A, and it says Gibson Les Paul on the headstock, it’s a Gibson Les Paul. Yes, I understand you paid three thousand dollars for yours. It’s very pretty. But the difference between this guitar and yours is mostly cosmetic.
And that’s true. Um… mostly. More on that shortly.
The Good
It’s a Gibson Les Paul. Made in the USA. It looks good and it sounds good. It plays… good. It sounds like a Les Paul. I like the neck, which is smaller than the 50’s Tribute. The value for the money I paid is fantastic. The fret leveling is top notch, even if the ends have some issues. It satisfies my need for a Gibson Les Paul with humbuckers. The nitro finish is going to wear down fairly quickly and easily, which for some would be an issue. But I like that. I have no problem with natural wear on a guitar. The Grover tuners are good enough that I don’t feel the need to replace them. The Dirty Finger pickups are very hot and very clear – if you want a high gain pickup, they’re a good choice. Very articulate when distorted.
The Bad
As is the case with the entire 2013 Tribute line, the fret ends are an issue. To make a Les Paul that sold for around a grand, Gibson cut corners. I can’t tell if the wood hadn’t been sufficiently conditioned or if the guitar was stored in varying temperatures, or if the fret ends were slightly subpar coming right out of the factory, but a few of them stick out too far. Not an issue for me and my StewMac file collection. The Grover tuners are “good enough,” but they’re not great and that does bug me a tad. Small annoyance.
The biggest issue WAS that the fret board and the neck are not 100% sanded flat, meaning you can sort of feel where the fretboard starts. I thought this was a defect, until I went in and saw the same thing on some $2,000 and $3,000 Les Pauls. Apparently Gibson is cool with not having a seamless transition between neck and fretboard. Personally I think that sucks. All of my other guitars are smooth between the neck and the fretboard. So I’ve updated this to say it’s not a “defect.” But I still file it under “Bad.”
As for the pickups, they’re… I’m not sure. I want this guitar to cover a lot of ground, from smooth jazz to heavy distortion. The pickups sound good, but I feel like they trade smoothness for detail. They might not be warm enough for me. On the other hand, they do a great job of letting me hear individual notes in heavy distortion, and I love that. It’s a mistake to immediately swap pickups unless you’re sure, and I’m not. I like these pickups. I feel like I need to live with them for a few months, and then I’ll know. I’m leaning towards just keeping them. They’re the most detailed pickups I own. So maybe not bad?
The pots are on a board. I can see why, because it makes pickup swapping plug and play… assuming you have Gibson pickups. I’d rather have the traditional wiring where I can do whatever I want.
The Ugly
If you don’t do your own fretwork, and little details bother you, this is not the guitar for you. Gibson cut corners with the entire 2013 tribute line, which means you can grab them used for a great price, but it also means you may have to have some work done on them. Some people would hate these pickups – they’re very rock. They’re loud and articulate and lack warmth. Some people don’t like a flat finish on their guitar. They like a very shiny plastic look. They might find this guitar ugly. I think it looks great, but different strokes.
Conclusion
I’m very happy with my purchase. It’s a great platform to mod on. It’s a real Gibson Les Paul, and with some minor changes it will be a great guitar. It’s got a full sound and great sustain. I won’t need to buy another Les Paul. And Mr. Sunglasses, if I put a Pearly Gates in the bridge, this guitar will give your guitar a run for the money sonically. For 1/6th the price. And while people won’t ooh and ahh over it, I won’t cry if I scratch it or put a small dent into it. Guitars were meant to be played. There, now don’t you feel silly? You should just go ahead and give me that shiny overpriced guitar so you don’t feel so bad.
I almost forgot the most important part. I have an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus. That’s the guitar in the blog entry about stripping the finish off the back of the neck. I sat down and played it, then the GLP, back and forth. And it’s hard to put into words what the difference is, but it’s big. The Epiphone felt like a plastic toy compared to the Gibson. When not plugged in, the Epi felt dull and lifeless and plastic, and the Gibson felt snappy, bright, clear, and full. And THAT is why I bought it. Because there really is a difference.
