Gibson Garage Experience?

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midgod07

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Fellow axeslingers - anyone have much experience with the Gibson Garage? My wife surprised me with a trip up there to buy a guitar. The guys were super cool, and after playing for a few minutes on a weekend with absolute bedlam around, picked out a Les Paul Standard with a killer top which we thought was new, and so paid the new price. They shipped it on down to me and when I received it, noticed a lacquer crack at the treble side of the nut and that the thing was covered in pick scratches and had some nitro hazing. I was told I could return it, exchange it, keep it and take 10% off, or send it back for repair. I was told that they’d buff out all the scratches, that the guitar would look brand new, and that if the repair was unsatisfactory, I could still take the 10% off. Obviously it’s special as my wife bought it for me, so I sent it back for repair. They fixed the lacquer crack extremely well I have to say, but actually made the top worse by leaving material from the buffer all over the lower bout. After inquiring about the condition and then noticing that the pickup toggle would snap back to the middle from the bridge position, I was told the lacquer repair was judged to be perfect and so the repair was satisfactory and the 10% was no longer applicable.

Look, I’m not someone who puts diapers on my guitars. I love beat up old guitars. But my wife forked out a small fortune for a “new” guitar that I initially didn’t pick up on the fact that it was a floor/demo model, has already needed one repair, and needs another. And Gibson can’t even comp me 10%?! Even Guitar Center would do that no questions asked.

Am I just being “persnickety“ here? Is this all on me for not picking up on that stuff during peak hours on a weekend?
 
Out of curiosity, does the switch stay in place, when you remove the toggle knob?

It may be completely unrelated to what I experienced, but I changed a broken selector switch on one of my older Les Pauls, and had the same issue occur. I cannot remember if I tried to use my old knob on the new switch, or was trying to use a very old catalin knob, but the knob was essentially about 1-2 millimeters too long. Once I rubbed the base of the knob on a flat piece of very fine grit (1000 grit) sandpaper for 10 seconds, the problem went away. Basically, the newer switch's post, or the interior of the knob, had more threads than the opposing piece, and the knob was screwing on to the switch post too far......preventing it from locking into place, in the recess of the switch collar.

Either way, Gibson HQ will probably just swap out the switch, the plastic knob, or pinch the switch "contacts" closer together, and send it back to you........save yourself the shipping time, and try to fix it yourself first.
 
It does I believe, and I’ve had to fix one of these before. With regards to that, I think it irritates the living crap out of me that the guitar was in for a repair which required it to be set-up and no-one bothered to give it a “5 point inspection”. Why wasn’t that even caught in the first place when it was released out into the world?!

I asked for Gibson to just comp me the 10% and throw me some bucks to have a local guy I trust fix it . . . No dice. It’s a warranty issue, so they’ll want me to take it or ship it (again!) to an authorized Gibson dealer. Absolutely ridiculous.
 
I wouldn't be paying all that money for a Gibson but welcome to Gibson. They still are nice guitars generally. If it plays good I would just learn to be happy with it. There is no satisfaction in material stuff IMO so I would probably take the money back and live with it. It it's working great now, it won't be later. If it's perfect today, it won't be after a few gigs. The finish will take a good bit of wear if you play it often, that'll fix it. Sometimes it pays to just be happy with what you have. At least you got to try it out first so I'm guessing it's a pretty sweet axe at the end of the day.
 
/\ Bingo!!
Gonna make a stupid comment, but bare with me. I'm willing to bet both you and your wifey both have a few physical imperfections, maybe a scar here or there. But you're both perfectly happy with each other. Maybe you should look past the imperfections of this wonderful gift she got for you and cherish it the way she obviously cherishes you.

Trust me when I tell you that your being upset about the guitar bums her out hard. This was supposed to be something special.

Here's a perfect scenario for ya. Walk into the room she is in with the guitar. Sit down in front of her and tell her how much this guitar means to you because it came from her. Let her know that the only reason you wanted it perfect was because that's how you see her. But now you only see it as the love she has for you...and that makes it a perfect guitar.
 
rottingcorpse said:
/\ Bingo!!
Gonna make a stupid comment, but bare with me. I'm willing to bet both you and your wifey both have a few physical imperfections, maybe a scar here or there. But you're both perfectly happy with each other. Maybe you should look past the imperfections of this wonderful gift she got for you and cherish it the way she obviously cherishes you.

Trust me when I tell you that your being upset about the guitar bums her out hard. This was supposed to be something special.

Here's a perfect scenario for ya. Walk into the room she is in with the guitar. Sit down in front of her and tell her how much this guitar means to you because it came from her. Let her know that the only reason you wanted it perfect was because that's how you see her. But now you only see it as the love she has for you...and that makes it a perfect guitar.
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I was going to say something similar, but yours is way more romantic and hits home better.
My thinking was 'Just dont make a big deal about this in her view!', as you're the "guitar expert" and this stuff got by you. At this point, whatever the little issues are.... just be quiet about it as you figure out your next moves.
OH.... and most importantly: Let's see that guitar!
 
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I’ll be the asshole…:rock:

Total TGP thread. :lame:

How do you have a guitar in your hands at that value and not look it over?:confused:
Surrounded by how many other Gibson’s? How many Les Pauls?:bash:

Pay for it and yet wait until you are home to really give it a once over? :loco:

Really seems to me you’ve done nothing but ask for problems. :dunno:
But hey, at least you get to start a thread beating up Gibson a little. :lame:

So what OD are you going to use?
Transparent?
 
dcburn mk.ii said:
I’ll be the asshole…:rock:

Total TGP thread. :lame:

How do you have a guitar in your hands at that value and not look it over?:confused:
Surrounded by how many other Gibson’s? How many Les Pauls?:bash:

Pay for it and yet wait until you are home to really give it a once over? :loco:

Really seems to me you’ve done nothing but ask for problems. :dunno:
But hey, at least you get to start a thread beating up Gibson a little. :lame:

So what OD are you going to use?
Transparent?
Click to expand...
Ya know, you'll catch more flies with honey...

I'm starting to think that Mk.ii is unstable... :loco:
 
Stopped at the GG in Nashville as it was next to the hotel I was staying at. Sorry but paying $5k to $10k for a factory aged guitar is beyond ridiculous. I have a slew of Gibson Les Paul's that I aged myself with the Nitro checking/cracks and road worn look with a simple razor blade and a Dremel. Even my wife said these overpriced guitars looked identical to the ones that I customized myself as I like the road worn look. Same for the prices of these aged bolt on neck guitars that Fender and other makers are selling for $4k plus. That is flat out highway robbery as I have built over 15 road worn Strats, Tele's and Explorers all with quality hardware and electronics for well under $1k each. Oh the prices for t-shirts and clothing at the GG was outrageous as well. Was in and out in less than 10 minutes time.
 
rm5153 said:
Stopped at the GG in Nashville as it was next to the hotel I was staying at. Sorry but paying $5k to $10k for a factory aged guitar is beyond ridiculous. I have a slew of Gibson Les Paul's that I aged myself with the Nitro checking/cracks and road worn look with a simple razor blade and a Dremel. Even my wife said these overpriced guitars looked identical to the ones that I customized myself as I like the road worn look. Same for the prices of these aged bolt on neck guitars that Fender and other makers are selling for $4k plus. That is flat out highway robbery as I have built over 15 road worn Strats, Tele's and Explorers all with quality hardware and electronics for well under $1k each. Oh the prices for t-shirts and clothing at the GG was outrageous as well. Was in and out in less than 10 minutes time.
Click to expand...
I've learned thru the forums that when you check out these high priced, luxury guitars, you are supposed to keep your eyes closed.
I think you just open the case and inhale deeply?
I'll have to watch more of the Norm videos...

Then get home, open the case, inspect the guitar and start a silly thread. :jerkit:
 
I was very close to booking a trip to Nashville a couple of years ago, and planned on hitting up the Gibson Garage to buy something. It has been about two years and have not been down there yet. Still want to go but I know that it will cost me. If not a guitar or amp, a few t-shirts and other odds and ends. Going to be hard to walk out of there without a new fiddle though if I pick up one that feels right.
 
There's just no excuse to not have gone over the guitar with a fine tooth comb BEFORE the purchase especially when paying outlandish prices .

When I bought a Les Paul at Sam Ash back in 1990 I picked out a few on display and played them and in the process of playing them I looked over each one really well in good lighting and chose one I really liked.

Sounds like you chose this particular Standard due to the amazing top , nothing wrong with that but to not thoroughly go over the whole guitar BEFORE making the purchase is just a major blunder on the OP's part .

The OP chose one on display that had an amazing top , display guitars get played by potential buyers but they are still considered new . You didn't think they would sell you the guitar you chose because of the top but since it gets played they would go in the back and pick a never played identical model lol . I don't think Gibson did anything wrong here , this was a major oversight on the OP's part .
 
ccn said:
There's just no excuse to not have gone over the guitar with a fine tooth comb BEFORE the purchase especially when paying outlandish prices .

When I bought a Les Paul at Sam Ash back in 1990 I picked out a few on display and played them and in the process of playing them I looked over each one really well in good lighting and chose one I really liked.

Sounds like you chose this particular Standard due to the amazing top , nothing wrong with that but to not thoroughly go over the whole guitar BEFORE making the purchase is just a major blunder on the OP's part .

The OP chose one on display that had an amazing top , display guitars get played by potential buyers but they are still considered new . You didn't think they would sell you the guitar you chose because of the top but since it gets played they would go in the back and pick a never played identical model lol . I don't think Gibson did anything wrong here , this was a major oversight on the OP's part .
Click to expand...
You work for Gibson?
 
OUTLAW1969 said:
Out of curiosity, does the switch stay in place, when you remove the toggle knob?

It may be completely unrelated to what I experienced, but I changed a broken selector switch on one of my older Les Pauls, and had the same issue occur. I cannot remember if I tried to use my old knob on the new switch, or was trying to use a very old catalin knob, but the knob was essentially about 1-2 millimeters too long. Once I rubbed the base of the knob on a flat piece of very fine grit (1000 grit) sandpaper for 10 seconds, the problem went away. Basically, the newer switch's post, or the interior of the knob, had more threads than the opposing piece, and the knob was screwing on to the switch post too far......preventing it from locking into place, in the recess of the switch collar.

Either way, Gibson HQ will probably just swap out the switch, the plastic knob, or pinch the switch "contacts" closer together, and send it back to you........save yourself the shipping time, and try to fix it yourself first.
Click to expand...
i've seen a lot of people talk about "pinching the tabs", but having never replaced a toggle switch, i'd love for somebody to maybe point that out on a picture how it can be done for my own education.
 
Not sure if this is what you are asking for, but it is a tutorial for a Gibson Epiphone (but the concept is the same), and you would either repair, or replace the switch :

 
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