I've had 3 or 4 Chibsons and it's kinda cool to hear a review that doesn't immediately slam them as fake trash. And yours, by the way, looks and sounds great! Well done! 🎶
can you give me some insight on what the best seller to buy from is? i want a Les Paul chibson and don't mind spending $400 if I have to, in order to get great quality
Id like to post an update on the quality of these based on my recent experience. I spent $290, it took 4 days to arrive, i did a mild fret level and polish job, replaced the pick ups and wire harness myself and added cts pots with push pulls for coil splitting, and finally added real grover vintage tuners. All in im probably $500 into the guitar with 3 hours of my own labor in the frets and rewire. Oh i added ernie ball rock and roll strings too. It plays awesome, sounds awesome, looks awesome. Much better than other $500 offerings in the les paul style market. Great guitar for people who wanna tinker and customize.
@trevor4533 Edwards maybe... epiphone never. I've got some china lps for about 200 euros (333 euro new at the time 2010), real seymour duncans Stock, 1 piece neck and 2 piece body (african mahogany) maple cap with a veneer. After a fret level and some Hardware change they rival my fabers and smoke every shitty wood prs se, epiphone, dean and similar. IVY it's making me a 2piece african explorer 1 piece neck and ss frets for 420 shipped. I'll just need to glue the neck.
I’ve had epiphones before, but aesthetically, I cannot stand the headstocks on them and have always had to resell. I have no problem buying a chibson and putting some money into them. They look great and they’re better than spending 5k
I agree with you. Quick story… I worked in a Ma and Pa music store after high school for a little bit And I remember a sunburst Chibson came in one time for a re-fret job. The owner came into the shop on the regular and had a Les Paul standard from the 70s and custom from the 90s so he was no stranger to les Paul’s. He had already put pearly gates pick ups in the chibson, replaced the pots and I think he may have replaced the bridge to at one point. It had a nice set up too. Honestly, it played better then some high end epiphones. I think he said he paid about $250 bucks for it, but put about $400 worth of new electronics and other work into it. He just said some guy approached him after a gig and offered to sell it to him and told it was a fake. He basically bought it just to kinda mess around with. So yeah I agree, cool guitars. But just be prepared to replace almost everything. And at that point… you could probably find a used real les paul for only a few hundred bucks more.
I have four: a Gold Top Standard, a "Black Beauty" Custom; a Cherry Sunburst Standard; and an "Alex Lifeson Signature" semi-hollow. Spent a lot of time on the frets and adjusting the truss rod on a some of them. The Gold Top is the only one with decent fret work out of the box. None of them with nibs, of course. The most expensive was the semi-hollow at $280. The cheapest was the "Black Beauty" Custom for $210, all with shipping included. Speaking of "Customs" - only one went through US Customs - in NY, of all places. One actually came from a seller in LA, California. I love all of them and they are for my personal use and collection. For the record, I have several Squiers and no "real" Fenders.
I also have a chibson and at first it didnt play that well out of the box. After doing fret work and changing pickups this thing sounds pretty good and whats nice is that its so inexpensive that if anything happens to it im not worried
I own many guitars from Jackson to Ibanez to Schecter’s and yes Gibson, Les Paul’s, as well as Epiphones and several Chibsons And to be quite honest, I have no complaints for the quality of the guitars especially when you compare prices. They do beautiful brilliant colors And very good craftsmanship and after all it’s just a guitar. It shouldn’t have to be a life-changing investment. I’m very happy with the ones I’ve purchased.
I bought a chibson a couple of months ago and I gotta tell you I was very pleasently surprised. The guitar looks beautiful sounds great and playability is pretty decent out the box. It definately holds its own against my high end epis.
I bought a Chibson Custom Les Paul at Ali Express for just 230 € incl. VAT. The guitar is better than i expected, all the wood is well done, not worse than Epiphone. The pickups are low to medium output as i like it, they sound ok to me, no reason to change them. The only crap things were the tuners, i've changed them to 50 € Gotohs. I like the original headstock shape and the double binding. I would buy a Chibson again.
I ordered the same 59 with relic. Out of the box, it sucks big time.After I changed the tail HW and the electronics it was much better. I actually took time and dressed the frets, oiled the neck and then I made a bone nutt. After all this, its a player and is dependable. Now the main change that really made this guitar sing, I changed the pickups. I put burstbuckers from an old SG I had that had a broken neck. I paid $245 for the guitar, I bought a case from Amazon for $79, strings and the bone nutt.....after all that, I had about $525 in the guitar. It now plays and sounds as good as any Les Paul I have. To be honest, it sounds and plays better than all of my others. Two of those have been plecked and set-up with a buddy of mine in Nashville and he is VERY impressed with this Chibson. I did take all the Gibson logo's and tags off the guitar and stamped the back with Fake / x'd out all the serial numbers. I'll never sell it, but I will play it as much as I can. Its a really good guitar that has me worried about Gibson and looking harder at China made guitars.
I did buy a ton starting about 13 years ago.. my latest is the Billy Gibbons copy.. fun stuff.. and I have one similar to this one you are playing where everything was switched out even the caps to bumblebees.. seymours for pickups.. really nice now and sounds like creme.. yes that not cream.. thanks for your review. enjoyed it
I love mine. Got 2 Ace Frehleys, a Budakon, and a blue flame top. Also a Peter Frampton black beauty and a 59 LP turquoise flame top.. put in your choice of pickups and rock out!
If Chibson guys hate Gibson brand so much, and say that Gibson makes shitty guitars, WHY the hell they want Gibson logo in the headstock? 😂 So they want to pretend that they are cool guys because they play with Gibson? Do they use wig as well? 😅 Same with fake Rolex and Nike sneakers.
Never thought of it that way, I love Gibsons and own 5 of them. I think that's why I wanted to snag a chibby, just to see the difference and have some fun making it my own for cheap
The fake Nikes I understand. Screw paying resellers hundreds/thousands on a sneaker that only retailed for $170. Wouldn’t bother with a chibson though. The kind of money some people dump into them, you can easily get a epi 59 reissue, Edwards/other Japanese single cuts, and ironically enough, sometimes actual Gibsons.
Where that counterfeit money goes? Criminals in China. And more China gets money, more they buy Russian energy. Chinese government does not do anything to stop counterfeit manufacturing. I just dont understand why people supports counterfeits. There is lots of other legal stuff, Epi, Tokai, etc.
“ I own a Chibson with a Chibson logo that was made in China “ said practically no one. Say it out loud to hear how ridiculous it sounds. Chibson guitars - selling egos for pennies on the dollar.
For sure, these fake ones have definitely made it difficult to make sure you're not getting ripped off in the used selling market, and harder to authenticate.
I bought an Ace Frehley signature Chibson Les Paul Custom only because there is no way I could afford or justify the price of an original. I did the same things with the neck and electronics and now it's an amazing instrument that sounds brilliant and I find it hard to put down when I start playing it. Well worth the investment.
@@rachelflair4835 I bought it knowing it was counterfeit. I will never sell it. I'm poor so I'll never have an opportunity to own an original as they can fetch over $30k now. I made mine very playable and sound amazing so I take pride in that. Not the fact I'm poor and unworthy of the original. Rachelf, don't be so narrow minded or a gear snob. If you had the opportunity to play mine there'd be no argument.
@@rachelflair4835 I didn't say that. You seem to have a comprehension problem. I said I was proud of the work I put into it to make it playable and sound great. I suspect you know that and just attempting to troll me. I also believe you're a hypocrite and have owned a counterfeit something in your life. Stop judging and trolling, it only makes you look small.
@@johnharris3480 but the guitar he bought DOES have a Gibson logo on the headstock and is meant to deceive! Look, I've played Harley Benton guitars (I've been playing for 35 years) that are spot on AWESOME that only need new pups. But they don't copy a Gibson or Fender logo. I got nothing against cheaper guitars that copy looks but not logos.
Gust like to say straight out the box the guitar was perfect 6 years on still brilliant. A string change and slight intonation on one string . I purchased this guitar thinking l will learn a lot about rewiring and fret changing not happened yet. I am sure that there are people who purchase these guitars and have issues, but the same could be said for other Brand named guitars. As a hobby l set up guitars for friends and musicians and have never had a Chibson to repair. I am reminded of the 20 percent rule “ all manufacturers who mass produce guitars on a assembly line will produce one in five with issues”. The only way to be sure is when purchasing from a main guitar shop that you try several and use your ears to determine which purchase you make. Sorry for going on so much but l am passionate about the subject my opinion is that so called Brand names are pricing themselves way to high for struggling artists China is giving them a wake up call.
So I bought a 97 studio in 2012. Ebony w/gold trim ebony fretboard. Came with 496/500 pups ,straplocks , and a chainsaw case. $800. Since then replaced a lot of the items like pots, bridge, tuners, nut. Just kinda followed what was on a 58 ebony custom. Mines a little different cause a maple cap but it rocks for about $1400 total. And it's the 4th Gibson I owned until I found a comfortable neck.
I have this "Chibson" that I got second hand...it's an Axcess with a Floyd...it has Epiphone pickups in it, with push / pull coil tapping...the thing I found with mine was the nut placement...it was made with the fingerboard a little too long on the nut end, so consequently it played the fingering notes of open chords sharp...just way annoying...so I used a caliper to measure to compare the measurement of the nut to the first fret and compared that measurement to spec, and sure enough, it was too far away from the first fret...I was thinking about putting locking tuners on it with a compensated roller nut made for Les Pauls...and the fret work is noticeably annoying when you bend the strings...kinda scratchy...so probably needs a level, crown, polish...but it's truss rod goes both ways so if there's not enough bow, you can go one way, if there is too much, you can go the other...so it's a good guitar that can be a fantastic guitar with some work and tweaks. For sure haven't given up on it.
I am in my 60s my 1st guitars in the 70s were a 74 strat I paid $125 for a 68 Gibson Les paul std I paid $100 for and a 74 Tele I bought for $85- we made 1.75 an hr and I didnt care for them so I sold them, I bought a 80 Ibanez that I still own, thru the yrs I have owned may brands and recently bought some Harley Bentons which are great guitars at a modest price, I bought a Chibson les paul on craigslist for $120 I put in new Volume pots and tuners I have a total of $150 in it I have to say, previous owner filed and leveled the frets and setup intonation with a roller bridge, and after owning upwards of 40 guitars, this is one of my top 5 nicest playing.
I don't care what these videos say, Chibsons these days are absolutely awesome for the price. I bought a blue burst bidokan ace frehley guitar and I have to say that it sounds very good. I had to do some adjustments but it is just as good as my Epiphone les paul standard if not better. I saw a friends Paul Stanley fractured mirror Ibanez and it looks pretty amazing.
Mine is not the sunburst model seen here. It has a brown burst type finish, and Seymour Duncan pickups. I'll have to pull them out next time I change the strings to see if they say what model(s) they are. If I determine that they need to go, I'll most likely replace them with PAFS or Burst Buckers or something similar that will make her sing the blues and rock the house down!
I have a Jimmy Page #2 Chibson. Mine came in two weeks and cost $300 total, guitar/case/shipping. I replaced pretty much everything on it which was a really fun project for me. It looks great, sounds great, plays great and I get lots of compliments on it. I learned a lot doing the work myself and that was very valuable to me. I fly often between the USA and Central America and I don't think twice about throwing the Chibson in the overhead bin or even checking it in. If it got broken I would harvest all the good parts out of it and order another one.
@@warshipsatin8764 $850 total, guitar/case/upgrades. I put Seymour Duncan Whole Lotta Humbuckers in it and those cost $280 all by themselves, you could put something cheaper in it if you wanted to. I also installed a Jimmy Page style push/pull pot wiring harness for about $150. My point is that I went all out on it, didn't cheap out on any parts or spare any expenses and still only spent $850 total on everything and have a guitar that I love and had a a lot of fun doing the project. Some people will judge/whine/complain/look down their nose at me and my Les Paul but they can pound sand.
@@tommybrown4191 cool, thanks. im kind of on the fence between a chibson and one of the newer epiphones some might still look down on chinese copies but it seems to be generally accepted that their quality is increasing. the only thing that worries me is that the quality seems to be wide ranging and you cant try before you buy
Hi there from Germany, I bought one many years ago and I did the changes of the PUs, pods and the switch and the octave settings. And I changed the tuners into original Crover ones. It works very well on rehearsles and also on stage. I've got a original custom Les Paul and Explorer but finish of the working and clour isn't that fine for what I expect for, especially on the Les Paul. If your're hand's swedding the nitro color doesn't like it. And did also a lot of work in settings. Bye regards Andreas
Greco is the way to go, my son has a 1979 RG 750 Standard and then will pitched in and got an 80's Greco SG Standard. The LP was $700 and the SG was $800 and both feel and play better than a lot of Les Paul's we've tried.
I really love my Sire L7. Ended up being about $550 from Thomann’s after shipping and import tax here to the states. Preferred it to the Epiphones I tried, and I feel snobby owning expensive guitars
Great video buddy. I love my Chibson. Plays so well, I upgraded the machine heads to proper Gibson deluxes so completely get your point about Gibson not being arsed as they are making money for nothing.
I want an honest opinion. I have just purchased a Ace Frehley, Les Paul chibson. I am just learning to play don't even have a song memorized I'm just trying to learn the basics right now. I've already ordered a 18:1ratio set of Grover tuners to replace on it when it arrives. Do you think that it is more than sufficient enough just for me to be learning on and to play around with.
I think they are absolutely more than sufficient enough to learn on. My suggestion is to have a luthier do a proper set up don't he guitar and check to see that the frets are level. If not, then they need a "grind and polish" where they will file down any high spots on the frets and polish them out smooth again. With a level freeboard and a good setup, you'll have a great guitar to learn on and play on forever
I got a chibson les paul and a chibson sg, I changed out tuners and pickups and put a bone nut on the LP i put in cheap guitar madness pickups in them. They both had full size pots and i saw no need to change them out. They stay in tune well and sound and play great. I see no need to put more than 125 bucks into them. I am in about 370 per guitar.
Which of those websites did you buy yours from? DHGate or Aliexpress or ? Is it safe to buy on those websites? Can anybody just put a nice picture of a guitar and then not ship after you already paid them? I’m considering getting one, the pictures online look amazing but I’m concerned that it might not be the actual guitar they send (or worse that maybe they don’t ship anything).
I did some work on one of these. It is used in a studio. Changed all hardware, electrics, pickups and fretwork. Adding a nice amount to the purchase price. Was watching Chibsons last night. Not for the logo but the correct bodyshape. I rather buy an Epiphone. My concerns are mainly customs and the risk they will impound and destroy it. Some look real nice.
I agree you could have had those issues you mentioned. however, their are many manufacturers over there and they don't all make the same issues. My brother bought several and one had minor details as you mentioned however he is completely satisfied with his second guitar. The first one I bought just needed some new strings. It is awesome and it isn't light. Its a heavy guitar which I love. Its full body Mahogany. So my recommendation is, if you are considering buying more than one, you need to find the best manufacturer. Grote built my guitar and I would buy another from them.
Totally worth it I have 3. Gold top , black Beauty and a tobacco burst. I add locking tuners, level frets and polish. Re wire completely. And I add oem vintage pickups like matsumoku paf. And bill lawrence pafs. It does take work if you have the skills . You have an awsome guitar.
My real 2018 standard colbalt burst I was displeased when the inlays started lifting. It is amazing looking but I dont think the QC is anything to brag about. The 4 push pulls with dip switches and 4000 configurations is kinda too much... Ebay has some chibsons, i ordered a greeny and a custom one... USA stock so the shipping is only a week or so... I will see how they are. I wanted a stripped down one to wire up myself anyway, I wish they sold gibsons w/ no hardware or electronics, a build your own platform, that would be awesome.
They do sell Gibsons with no hardware or electronics. It's called The STRATosphere. They basically pull guitars apart and sell the husk and parts separately.
Good review. Aside from the obvious moral/copyright issues, anyone considering one of these should look at it as a project. I've worked on a few and If you want to learn how to do your own work they are good candidates because they usually need everything. Essentially they assemble a complete guitar, if you want a great playing guitar well that is left to you. If you are not confident enough to do your own work & need a tech go with a Harley Benton or an Epiphone.
Thanks so much @archieguitarz and totally agree with your thoughts. They are great foundations to learn on how to work on guitars and make them your own.
I'm just curious. Neil said that he wouldn't use one of these for gigging. I wonder why. If you've changed the hardware and electronics and they are sturdily built, why wouldn't you use one for gigging rather than possibly subjecting one of your real Les Pauls to getting knocked over on stage and acquiring dents and dings. I like the see the natural play wear on guitars like SRV's number one Strat, but to me, dents, dings and chunks taken out of the guitar due to just plain old careless handling are a huge turn off to me.
They can be found for $250 shipped. Add another $350 for new pickups, electronics and setup and you have a great looking and sounding guitar for $600, whereas the cheapest Gibson LP Tribute is $1200 and the rest start at $3000. I think it's worth it.
Every guitar is "worth it". If you see one that you like then buy it. If you feel great playing it then you are the luckiest few walking the planet earth. Worry not about the logos nor the names or the big names who play them just be yourself. Be happy with who and what you are but be always ready to make progress. A guitar is a guitar is a guitar. You can make the most beautiful music out of the cheapest guitar. With that in heart, go plug it in and play.
I hear what your sayin.. but, I can do my own guts replacement no prob.. where I don't experience is fret work! lol!! So, I might do one as a project and see what happens.. lol! Thanks for the info!!
Just bought a custom designed 3 Pickup Black beauty Les Paul with white pickup surrounds , amazing value and build quality for 200 pounds sterling, will change the pickups ,but they are ok ,stays in tune ,looks killer .
worth the money typically, but remember to try and separate the awesome look with a decent guitar. side note, i do not know a single legit player that buys and uses such guitars......just saying
I bought one several years ago and changed out all the parts. Still looks and plays excellent. Unless something has changed the dead giveaways are the truss rod and the neck angle. Epiphone is no better than most Chibsons.
I bought one off of DHGate on a whim, basically to see what shows up. They did airmail it but it sat at Kennedy airport waiting for customs for a solid month. I had my local guy replace the nut, do the frets and and adjust the truss rod immediately. It was ok at that point. Bought some used Seymour Duncans and a wiring harness the following year. Would I do it again, naw, but it’s been a fun project.
You may not be able to find a real LP for $900 very easily, but you certainly can find an LP style guitar from a known manufacturer that doesn't need any work done to it. It all depends whether you care about what the headstock looks like. It think it has more appeal to those who are into DIY but lack the tools/skills to build a complete guitar. Buy one to get a head start on affordably building something that suits your exact preferences.
Bought my son a les Paul chibson. Man, can’t complain. Better than the epiphone in my opinion. He loves it. I’ll change out the electronics but still better buy. Wood is wood to some degree but really people, were not performing in front of a crowd. So who cares. Enjoy it guys. Plus who doesn’t like to tinker lol
I just recived mine in the mail. took long time ,I have had many new guitars high and low end. and i Always had to have them set up to work to this day. I’ve only had one guitar feel comfortable playing until this one maybe I got lucky I don’t know I only bought it because it had a British flag on it, and I wanted to hang on the wall. I played my whole set. It never wonce went out of tune. I don’t understand this feels like butter I thought I was imagining it so I let my friend play that night i didnt Tell him it was from china he said “” this is the best playing Les Paul, I ever played true story if I have to replace the components some day that’s fine but for now it looks and sounds amazing
I got one and upgraded everything myself. Pickups, pots, wiring, switch, tuners, bridge, and tailpiece. Ended up sounding great. Frets were fine and so was the nut so I left them alone. I do own a real Gibson and you can just see, feel, and hear the difference but playing at home, these are just fine for me.
The Epiphone. By the time you get a fret dress and change all the electronics on the Chibson you may as well just buy authentic from the company that invented these iconic instruments and support the American economy,
I have a Les Paul copy that is marked "GP Blume" not Gibson. I'm fine with that and it is a really nice guitar. ($250 with upgrades: Grover 106 Locking tuners, Entwistle HV58 PUs, roller bridge, Grover strap locks) i think it is fine to copy the style of guitars...everyone does that but I would not want a fake Gibson.
Right on nice guitar.ive been checking out the chibson relicked goldtop I'm convinced..I'm buying it I've bought several chibsons over the years and the wood quality and factory work are flawless.. the best thing is you can modify the guitar in any way..
That looks more like a trad pro than a standard or an R9. That’s one of those fakes you can spot a mile away. The rosewood looks more like a piece you’d see on a fender MIM, gibson generally uses nicer rosewood on LP’s. The satin finish is the huge giveaway there too
The electrics of my mates chibson set it on fire 🔥 on stage. The next one split in 2 on stage, half the body just fell on the floor slicing his finger he needed 4 stitches.
For me, it is ALWAYS about the VALUE EQUATION. Will the more expensive option entice me to play the instrument a lot more? Or am I likely to play the instrument for the same amount of time regardless of its final financial cost? If the authentic Fender / Gibson / Rickenbacker is six, seven, or more times the cost of the copy / clone / fake BUT I would play the authentic one ten times as much or more, then the value equation is a no brainer ... the authentic instrument wins hands down. And that's before you consider the potential re-sale values in the unlikely event that you decide to sell the authentic one later one. Depending on the model, the authentic instrument could actually appreciate in price. It is highly unlikely that a modern copy / clone instrument will. Sure, one can purchase a chinese clone, get it set up properly and then tricked up with authentic bits and pieces. But it will stil be a clone.
I completely agree with you, and great point! The cheap clones lack a particular Mojo that the real ones have, it's inexplicable what that mojo is, but there's an overall feel, a response to how the real instrument resonates and bonds with the player that just doesn't occur in the Chibsons. I've have actually always felt that way about PRS guitars too, they are beautiful and made well, but I never bonded with one. I'll bring the chibson as a backup to a gig if I break a string, but it will never be my main axe. Plus there's a pride in performing with the real thing. Great insight! Thanks for the comments!
After a little fret work and pickup/electronics replacement, the can be as good as and Gibson. I own a Gibson lp and 2 Chibson’s and you couldn’t tell the difference
can you give me some insight on what the best seller to buy from is? i want a Les Paul chibson and don't mind spending $400 if I have to, in order to get great quality
Hey Levi, i've found in my searches that there are multiple sellers but they are pulling from the same manufacturer, as their photos all seem to be the same. I wish I had more insight but unfortunately I couldn't recommend one seller over the other. Maybe some others can chime in.
I have SEVERAL of these and after a few adjustments I HAVE gigged with them!!! What I LOVE about them is if some drunk chick spills her beer on it or knocks it off the stand or some asshole manages to steal it you have lost a few hundred bucks and not a few thousand… great for the working musician who is just gigging locally…😊❤😊
Why dont you just buy an Epiphone instead? something which btw has some value and can be sold if you want to flip it. The new inspired by Epiphones are great guitars and can now be picked up second hand relatively cheaply.
@@Edward1312 Because he WANTS it to appear that he is playing an authentic Gibson, even though exactly NOBODY in the audience will care what brand you are playing. If it sounds good, nobody is inspecting your headstock (except other insecure players)
Ok. Got a greeny non relic for $330. The major difference in looks is the headstock angle. It’s like a fender. Other than that the guitar is amazingly close. Doesn’t take hardly any skill to find good pickups for cheap along with a wiring harness with 500k pots. You might even have a set of pickups laying around. The fret levelling and dressing is a little harder but not difficult. A local luthier could do it and it’s still cheaper than a new epiphone and it’s like you want it. Great Wall hanger at the bare minimum
Hi Neil, looks like the guitar turned out like a pretty solid player...just curious why you wouldn't gig with it, especially with all the upgrades you made. Also, would you mind sharing where you bought it (Ali Express or DH Gate) and the sellers store name?
Thanks for the message. I bought this one off of DHgate, but for some reason can't find the seller. If you search around there you'll find it. you have to get creative but more simple with your searches like, 59 guitar, LP Guitar - stuff like that. My Chibson just lacks that certain mojo that you get more often from vintage gibby's I do record with it, but it feels kinf od sticky and the action doesn't have the spank that i'm used to, you kind of have to fight it.
Only a half-wit would think that you would get the same paying 350 instead of 5000 or whatever. Point is do you really get what you pay for from Gibson ? I bought a Custom Martin OM42EC with a Cider top from China for 400 , to buy here in Ireland from Martin 11000, I've done a little work on it and it's lovely play-ability tone , very happy and over ten grand better off in the bank. Unless your buying for investment or are filthy rich , it's a no brainier.
My Chinese made Les Paul is awesome. I put Grover Deluxe Vintage tuners and Epiphone Alnico Pro humbuckers on it. Plays and sounds just like my friends Les Paul Standard. 😁👍
I paid $800 for my Les Paul Studio Faded. It has BB1 & BB2 pickups. It came with a HSC. It doesn't have the fancy binding. It is a workhorse guitar. It is still a Gibson. It sounds great. Im happy with it. I also have a Chibson Explorer. I put BB pickups in it too. Big pots, new switch and new wiring. New tuners. Did the fret job myself. In total about $800. Cant buy an Explorer for $800. Chibsons bave their place.
That's awesome. My first real guitar my dad bought me when I was 13 is a LP Studio all black. The whole thing is mahogany with ebony fretboard and probably weighs 15 pounds lol. But I still love it!
They are more of an advert for Gibson when you buy one it just makes you desire one even more .They are so clearly not Gibson [if anything they're Epiphone clones except the head stock]so not really a problem.My first guitar was a Chibson but immediately stuck it on a stand as a conversation piece and bought a Harley Brnson SC Custom plus to actually play.
I have one on the way, but it won't be a "gigging" instrument. It'll be a wall hanger. I have a real Gibson Les Paul with aftermarket pickups and Sprague capacitors for duty. Modern Epiphone guitars in the $900-$1200 range have gotten very good lately.
I have a half decent one. Fair enough mine needed a fret level and pickups but the inlays and body were perfect and mine gets gigged hard every week and so far stood up to it. I don't like taking my Gibson to the pubs and clubs as a friend had his stolen and never saw it again despite having camera evidence of the guy who took it but that's another story 👍👍👍
Easy answer. They are worth it to some but they are not worth it to others ;) I have no doubts some of them can be quite good, or made to be quite good. Personally, I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole. For multiple reasons. But in the end, everything put aside, if you enjoy it, that is all what counts and I''m glad that you do.
Recently I was watching a video about a review of a Chibson Les Paul and they were saying that they speculate that the chibsens are ironically very similar to epiphones coming out of China suggesting that there's a possibility that some of these chibson are being made with the same die as the Epiphone Les pauls, Pure speculation of course but I've seen other videos about manufacturing in China not related to the guitar industry at all but its plausible. Maybe somebody has access to purchasing the same dies as the factory that makes Epiphone, who knows, but If you think about it most name brand items are made in China so of course there's gonna be fakes that are Identical
I've had 3 or 4 Chibsons and it's kinda cool to hear a review that doesn't immediately slam them as fake trash. And yours, by the way, looks and sounds great! Well done! 🎶
Thanks so much Christopher appreciate the compliments!
can you give me some insight on what the best seller to buy from is? i want a Les Paul chibson and don't mind spending $400 if I have to, in order to get great quality
I bought AliExpress good one piece body one piece neck turned out great I have two I’ve had a few over the years
@@thomascraig74ify Thanks for watching, yeah overall I think they're doing a pretty good job.
Do the necks warp over time?
Id like to post an update on the quality of these based on my recent experience. I spent $290, it took 4 days to arrive, i did a mild fret level and polish job, replaced the pick ups and wire harness myself and added cts pots with push pulls for coil splitting, and finally added real grover vintage tuners. All in im probably $500 into the guitar with 3 hours of my own labor in the frets and rewire. Oh i added ernie ball rock and roll strings too. It plays awesome, sounds awesome, looks awesome. Much better than other $500 offerings in the les paul style market. Great guitar for people who wanna tinker and customize.
sound like african mahogany or it is just meranti?
@@nicopoppe4838 mahogany body and neck with an ebony fretboard and abalone inlays
With a flame maple cap, not a veneer. That with its stained blue finish is what got my attention
$500 into a fake guitar, that would still get smoked by an epi 59 reissue or an Edwards…
A fool and his money are easily parted.
@trevor4533 Edwards maybe... epiphone never. I've got some china lps for about 200 euros (333 euro new at the time 2010), real seymour duncans Stock, 1 piece neck and 2 piece body (african mahogany) maple cap with a veneer. After a fret level and some Hardware change they rival my fabers and smoke every shitty wood prs se, epiphone, dean and similar. IVY it's making me a 2piece african explorer 1 piece neck and ss frets for 420 shipped. I'll just need to glue the neck.
I’ve had epiphones before, but aesthetically, I cannot stand the headstocks on them and have always had to resell. I have no problem buying a chibson and putting some money into them. They look great and they’re better than spending 5k
I feel the same way, don't like the epi headstocks
The new one looks better than the Gibson IMHO
I must be the lone man who thinks the epiphone headstock just looks proper an an SG.
Couldn't agree more. Epophone's got disgusting headstock
Thanks, epi headstock looks so wrong. Too small and makes guitar look kiddish
I agree with you. Quick story… I worked in a Ma and Pa music store after high school for a little bit And I remember a sunburst Chibson came in one time for a re-fret job. The owner came into the shop on the regular and had a Les Paul standard from the 70s and custom from the 90s so he was no stranger to les Paul’s. He had already put pearly gates pick ups in the chibson, replaced the pots and I think he may have replaced the bridge to at one point. It had a nice set up too. Honestly, it played better then some high end epiphones. I think he said he paid about $250 bucks for it, but put about $400 worth of new electronics and other work into it. He just said some guy approached him after a gig and offered to sell it to him and told it was a fake. He basically bought it just to kinda mess around with. So yeah I agree, cool guitars. But just be prepared to replace almost everything. And at that point… you could probably find a used real les paul for only a few hundred bucks more.
Honestly it will still be cheaper than a real gibson, and it will be new and have the parts you want it to have.
I doubt you'll find a good used Gibson for under $2k. To me, that's not "a few hundred bucks more."
I have four: a Gold Top Standard, a "Black Beauty" Custom; a Cherry Sunburst Standard; and an "Alex Lifeson Signature" semi-hollow. Spent a lot of time on the frets and adjusting the truss rod on a some of them. The Gold Top is the only one with decent fret work out of the box. None of them with nibs, of course. The most expensive was the semi-hollow at $280. The cheapest was the "Black Beauty" Custom for $210, all with shipping included. Speaking of "Customs" - only one went through US Customs - in NY, of all places. One actually came from a seller in LA, California. I love all of them and they are for my personal use and collection. For the record, I have several Squiers and no "real" Fenders.
looking at a black beauty, how's the neck? chunky or like a 60's? thanks
I also have a chibson and at first it didnt play that well out of the box. After doing fret work and changing pickups this thing sounds pretty good and whats nice is that its so inexpensive that if anything happens to it im not worried
Totally agree, they just need a little lovin' and then they're good to go. And if you ding it or scratch or it gets stolen you're not as heartbroken
I own many guitars from Jackson to Ibanez to Schecter’s and yes Gibson, Les Paul’s, as well as Epiphones and several Chibsons And to be quite honest, I have no complaints for the quality of the guitars especially when you compare prices. They do beautiful brilliant colors And very good craftsmanship and after all it’s just a guitar. It shouldn’t have to be a life-changing investment. I’m very happy with the ones I’ve purchased.
They are around $100 to $120 here in China. Really cool. Need to get some more.
I bought a chibson a couple of months ago and I gotta tell you I was very pleasently surprised. The guitar looks beautiful sounds great and playability is pretty decent out the box. It definately holds its own against my high end epis.
Yeah I think they're fun to dink around with and make your own
Luck of the draw. My frets were like a road in the swiss alps!
well that what it is without official brand calling
I bought a Chibson Custom Les Paul at Ali Express for just 230 € incl. VAT. The guitar is better than i expected, all the wood is well done, not worse than Epiphone. The pickups are low to medium output as i like it, they sound ok to me, no reason to change them. The only crap things were the tuners, i've changed them to 50 € Gotohs. I like the original headstock shape and the double binding.
I would buy a Chibson again.
@@neilmorrisonofficial Does it have a 59 neck???
I ordered the same 59 with relic. Out of the box, it sucks big time.After I changed the tail HW and the electronics it was much better. I actually took time and dressed the frets, oiled the neck and then I made a bone nutt. After all this, its a player and is dependable. Now the main change that really made this guitar sing, I changed the pickups. I put burstbuckers from an old SG I had that had a broken neck. I paid $245 for the guitar, I bought a case from Amazon for $79, strings and the bone nutt.....after all that, I had about $525 in the guitar. It now plays and sounds as good as any Les Paul I have. To be honest, it sounds and plays better than all of my others. Two of those have been plecked and set-up with a buddy of mine in Nashville and he is VERY impressed with this Chibson. I did take all the Gibson logo's and tags off the guitar and stamped the back with Fake / x'd out all the serial numbers. I'll never sell it, but I will play it as much as I can. Its a really good guitar that has me worried about Gibson and looking harder at China made guitars.
Where do you find these? Interested for wall hangings in the studio. 👍
DHgate.com, Aliexpress, even ebay has them
I love my Epiphone Les Paul! And I even have a 71 Les Paul recording can’t tell them apart!
I did buy a ton starting about 13 years ago.. my latest is the Billy Gibbons copy.. fun stuff.. and I have one similar to this one you are playing where everything was switched out even the caps to bumblebees.. seymours for pickups.. really nice now and sounds like creme.. yes that not cream.. thanks for your review. enjoyed it
For once, a balanced approach to reviewing stuff, well done !
Thanks so much for the feedback. They definitely have their pros and cons
Loved that little open blues tune
Thanks so much!
I love mine. Got 2 Ace Frehleys, a Budakon, and a blue flame top. Also a Peter Frampton black beauty and a 59 LP turquoise flame top.. put in your choice of pickups and rock out!
If Chibson guys hate Gibson brand so much, and say that Gibson makes shitty guitars, WHY the hell they want Gibson logo in the headstock? 😂 So they want to pretend that they are cool guys because they play with Gibson? Do they use wig as well? 😅 Same with fake Rolex and Nike sneakers.
Never thought of it that way, I love Gibsons and own 5 of them. I think that's why I wanted to snag a chibby, just to see the difference and have some fun making it my own for cheap
The fake Nikes I understand. Screw paying resellers hundreds/thousands on a sneaker that only retailed for $170. Wouldn’t bother with a chibson though. The kind of money some people dump into them, you can easily get a epi 59 reissue, Edwards/other Japanese single cuts, and ironically enough, sometimes actual Gibsons.
Where that counterfeit money goes? Criminals in China. And more China gets money, more they buy Russian energy. Chinese government does not do anything to stop counterfeit manufacturing. I just dont understand why people supports counterfeits. There is lots of other legal stuff, Epi, Tokai, etc.
“ I own a Chibson with a Chibson logo that was made in China “ said practically no one. Say it out loud to hear how ridiculous it sounds. Chibson guitars - selling egos for pennies on the dollar.
Where I have a problem with that is when someone is selling it at the same price has the real one.
For sure, these fake ones have definitely made it difficult to make sure you're not getting ripped off in the used selling market, and harder to authenticate.
Thank you for the details ! what pickups did you put inside please ?
Thanks so much. There's an Alnico pro II Seymour Duncan in the Neck and a Seymour Duncan Custom Custom in the bridge
@@neilmorrisonofficial Thank you for your answer ;-) . I think i will go for Epiphone probuckers...
I bought an Ace Frehley signature Chibson Les Paul Custom only because there is no way I could afford or justify the price of an original. I did the same things with the neck and electronics and now it's an amazing instrument that sounds brilliant and I find it hard to put down when I start playing it. Well worth the investment.
You own a counterfeit! How can you have pride in that?
@@rachelflair4835 I bought it knowing it was counterfeit. I will never sell it. I'm poor so I'll never have an opportunity to own an original as they can fetch over $30k now. I made mine very playable and sound amazing so I take pride in that. Not the fact I'm poor and unworthy of the original. Rachelf, don't be so narrow minded or a gear snob. If you had the opportunity to play mine there'd be no argument.
@@boxboxbox624 How do you say with pride "I bought a counterfeit guitar!" It is shameful!
@@rachelflair4835 I didn't say that. You seem to have a comprehension problem. I said I was proud of the work I put into it to make it playable and sound great. I suspect you know that and just attempting to troll me. I also believe you're a hypocrite and have owned a counterfeit something in your life. Stop judging and trolling, it only makes you look small.
@@johnharris3480 but the guitar he bought DOES have a Gibson logo on the headstock and is meant to deceive! Look, I've played Harley Benton guitars (I've been playing for 35 years) that are spot on AWESOME that only need new pups. But they don't copy a Gibson or Fender logo. I got nothing against cheaper guitars that copy looks but not logos.
Gust like to say straight out the box the guitar was perfect 6 years on still brilliant. A string change and slight intonation on one string . I purchased this guitar thinking l will learn a lot about rewiring and fret changing not happened yet.
I am sure that there are people who purchase these guitars and have issues, but the same could be said for other Brand named guitars. As a hobby l set up guitars for friends and musicians and have never had a Chibson to repair.
I am reminded of the 20 percent rule “ all manufacturers who mass produce guitars on a assembly line will produce one in five with issues”.
The only way to be sure is when purchasing from a main guitar shop that you try several and use your ears to determine which purchase you make. Sorry for going on so much but l am passionate about the subject my opinion is that so called Brand names are pricing themselves way to high for struggling artists China is giving them a wake up call.
Great feedback! Thanks for chiming in
So I bought a 97 studio in 2012. Ebony w/gold trim ebony fretboard. Came with 496/500 pups ,straplocks , and a chainsaw case. $800. Since then replaced a lot of the items like pots, bridge, tuners, nut. Just kinda followed what was on a 58 ebony custom. Mines a little different cause a maple cap but it rocks for about $1400 total. And it's the 4th Gibson I owned until I found a comfortable neck.
I have this "Chibson" that I got second hand...it's an Axcess with a Floyd...it has Epiphone pickups in it, with push / pull coil tapping...the thing I found with mine was the nut placement...it was made with the fingerboard a little too long on the nut end, so consequently it played the fingering notes of open chords sharp...just way annoying...so I used a caliper to measure to compare the measurement of the nut to the first fret and compared that measurement to spec, and sure enough, it was too far away from the first fret...I was thinking about putting locking tuners on it with a compensated roller nut made for Les Pauls...and the fret work is noticeably annoying when you bend the strings...kinda scratchy...so probably needs a level, crown, polish...but it's truss rod goes both ways so if there's not enough bow, you can go one way, if there is too much, you can go the other...so it's a good guitar that can be a fantastic guitar with some work and tweaks. For sure haven't given up on it.
Great feedback, and definitely agree
I am in my 60s my 1st guitars in the 70s were a 74 strat I paid $125 for a 68 Gibson Les paul std I paid $100 for and a 74 Tele I bought for $85- we made 1.75 an hr and I didnt care for them so I sold them, I bought a 80 Ibanez that I still own, thru the yrs I have owned may brands and recently bought some Harley Bentons which are great guitars at a modest price, I bought a Chibson les paul on craigslist for $120 I put in new Volume pots and tuners I have a total of $150 in it I have to say, previous owner filed and leveled the frets and setup intonation with a roller bridge, and after owning upwards of 40 guitars, this is one of my top 5 nicest playing.
That's so cool!
I don't care what these videos say, Chibsons these days are absolutely awesome for the price.
I bought a blue burst bidokan ace frehley guitar and I have to say that it sounds very good. I had to do some adjustments but it is just as good as my Epiphone les paul standard if not better. I saw a friends Paul Stanley fractured mirror Ibanez and it looks pretty amazing.
Mine is not the sunburst model seen here. It has a brown burst type finish, and Seymour Duncan pickups. I'll have to pull them out next time I change the strings to see if they say what model(s) they are. If I determine that they need to go, I'll most likely replace them with PAFS or Burst Buckers or something similar that will make her sing the blues and rock the house down!
What site are y’all buying them from?
I have a Jimmy Page #2 Chibson. Mine came in two weeks and cost $300 total, guitar/case/shipping. I replaced pretty much everything on it which was a really fun project for me. It looks great, sounds great, plays great and I get lots of compliments on it. I learned a lot doing the work myself and that was very valuable to me. I fly often between the USA and Central America and I don't think twice about throwing the Chibson in the overhead bin or even checking it in. If it got broken I would harvest all the good parts out of it and order another one.
Where you can buy them brotherv
@@QuantumArchangelGabriel Aliexpress
total cost after replacing everything, including pickups if you dont mind?
@@warshipsatin8764 $850 total, guitar/case/upgrades. I put Seymour Duncan Whole Lotta Humbuckers in it and those cost $280 all by themselves, you could put something cheaper in it if you wanted to. I also installed a Jimmy Page style push/pull pot wiring harness for about $150. My point is that I went all out on it, didn't cheap out on any parts or spare any expenses and still only spent $850 total on everything and have a guitar that I love and had a a lot of fun doing the project. Some people will judge/whine/complain/look down their nose at me and my Les Paul but they can pound sand.
@@tommybrown4191 cool, thanks. im kind of on the fence between a chibson and one of the newer epiphones
some might still look down on chinese copies but it seems to be generally accepted that their quality is increasing. the only thing that worries me is that the quality seems to be wide ranging and you cant try before you buy
I don't understand where can you buy these? I hear about them but Reverb, nobody seems to sell them, where do I buy this for $350?????
Hi there from Germany,
I bought one many years ago and I did the changes of the PUs, pods and the switch and the octave settings.
And I changed the tuners into original Crover ones.
It works very well on rehearsles and also on stage.
I've got a original custom Les Paul and Explorer but finish of the working and clour isn't that fine for what I expect for, especially on the Les Paul.
If your're hand's swedding the nitro color doesn't like it.
And did also a lot of work in settings. Bye regards Andreas
Greco is the way to go, my son has a 1979 RG 750 Standard and then will pitched in and got an 80's Greco SG Standard. The LP was $700 and the SG was $800 and both feel and play better than a lot of Les Paul's we've tried.
I need to check out the Greco!
@@neilmorrisonofficialalso play an 70s lawsuit Ibanez,Orville, Tokai love rock, and Burny all great japanese LPs
I really love my Sire L7. Ended up being about $550 from Thomann’s after shipping and import tax here to the states. Preferred it to the Epiphones I tried, and I feel snobby owning expensive guitars
Great video buddy. I love my Chibson. Plays so well, I upgraded the machine heads to proper Gibson deluxes so completely get your point about Gibson not being arsed as they are making money for nothing.
Thanks so much!
I want an honest opinion. I have just purchased a Ace Frehley, Les Paul chibson. I am just learning to play don't even have a song memorized I'm just trying to learn the basics right now. I've already ordered a 18:1ratio set of Grover tuners to replace on it when it arrives. Do you think that it is more than sufficient enough just for me to be learning on and to play around with.
I think they are absolutely more than sufficient enough to learn on. My suggestion is to have a luthier do a proper set up don't he guitar and check to see that the frets are level. If not, then they need a "grind and polish" where they will file down any high spots on the frets and polish them out smooth again. With a level freeboard and a good setup, you'll have a great guitar to learn on and play on forever
I got a chibson les paul and a chibson sg, I changed out tuners and pickups and put a bone nut on the LP i put in cheap guitar madness pickups in them. They both had full size pots and i saw no need to change them out. They stay in tune well and sound and play great. I see no need to put more than 125 bucks into them. I am in about 370 per guitar.
Which of those websites did you buy yours from? DHGate or Aliexpress or ? Is it safe to buy on those websites? Can anybody just put a nice picture of a guitar and then not ship after you already paid them? I’m considering getting one, the pictures online look amazing but I’m concerned that it might not be the actual guitar they send (or worse that maybe they don’t ship anything).
Love the tone! I know it's mostly in the fingers but what pickups did you upgrade to???
Thank you, if I remember correctly they are Seymour Duncan Custom Custom and an Alnico pro II
I did some work on one of these. It is used in a studio. Changed all hardware, electrics, pickups and fretwork. Adding a nice amount to the purchase price.
Was watching Chibsons last night. Not for the logo but the correct bodyshape.
I rather buy an Epiphone. My concerns are mainly customs and the risk they will impound and destroy it.
Some look real nice.
I agree you could have had those issues you mentioned. however, their are many manufacturers over there and they don't all make the same issues. My brother bought several and one had minor details as you mentioned however he is completely satisfied with his second guitar. The first one I bought just needed some new strings. It is awesome and it isn't light. Its a heavy guitar which I love. Its full body Mahogany. So my recommendation is, if you are considering buying more than one, you need to find the best manufacturer. Grote built my guitar and I would buy another from them.
Totally worth it I have 3. Gold top , black Beauty and a tobacco burst.
I add locking tuners, level frets and polish. Re wire completely. And I add oem vintage pickups like matsumoku paf. And bill lawrence pafs. It does take work if you have the skills . You have an awsome guitar.
My real 2018 standard colbalt burst I was displeased when the inlays started lifting. It is amazing looking but I dont think the QC is anything to brag about. The 4 push pulls with dip switches and 4000 configurations is kinda too much... Ebay has some chibsons, i ordered a greeny and a custom one... USA stock so the shipping is only a week or so... I will see how they are. I wanted a stripped down one to wire up myself anyway, I wish they sold gibsons w/ no hardware or electronics, a build your own platform, that would be awesome.
Great Idea!
They do sell Gibsons with no hardware or electronics. It's called The STRATosphere.
They basically pull guitars apart and sell the husk and parts separately.
Thats awesome@@raytorvalds3699
Good review. Aside from the obvious moral/copyright issues, anyone considering one of these should look at it as a project. I've worked on a few and If you want to learn how to do your own work they are good candidates because they usually need everything. Essentially they assemble a complete guitar, if you want a great playing guitar well that is left to you. If you are not confident enough to do your own work & need a tech go with a Harley Benton or an Epiphone.
Thanks so much @archieguitarz and totally agree with your thoughts. They are great foundations to learn on how to work on guitars and make them your own.
Their is no moral or copyright issue. It's totally legal.
I'm just curious. Neil said that he wouldn't use one of these for gigging. I wonder why. If you've changed the hardware and electronics and they are sturdily built, why wouldn't you use one for gigging rather than possibly subjecting one of your real Les Pauls to getting knocked over on stage and acquiring dents and dings. I like the see the natural play wear on guitars like SRV's number one Strat, but to me, dents, dings and chunks taken out of the guitar due to just plain old careless handling are a huge turn off to me.
They can be found for $250 shipped. Add another $350 for new pickups, electronics and setup and you have a great looking and sounding guitar for $600, whereas the cheapest Gibson LP Tribute is $1200 and the rest start at $3000. I think it's worth it.
me too
Yeah this is a great comment.
Every guitar is "worth it".
If you see one that you like then buy it.
If you feel great playing it then you are the luckiest few walking the planet earth.
Worry not about the logos nor the names or the big names who play them just be yourself.
Be happy with who and what you are but be always ready to make progress.
A guitar is a guitar is a guitar.
You can make the most beautiful music out of the cheapest guitar.
With that in heart, go plug it in and play.
$900 was gibsons original price in 76, whst time zone do you live in?? With a time machine❤
I hear what your sayin.. but, I can do my own guts replacement no prob.. where I don't experience is fret work! lol!! So, I might do one as a project and see what happens.. lol! Thanks for the info!!
Just bought a custom designed 3 Pickup Black beauty Les Paul with white pickup surrounds , amazing value and build quality for 200 pounds sterling, will change the pickups ,but they are ok ,stays in tune ,looks killer .
worth the money typically, but remember to try and separate the awesome look with a decent guitar. side note, i do not know a single legit player that buys and uses such guitars......just saying
@5:08. What the heck is that? Is that a charred power strip?
That's just some b-roll I threw in to represent crappy wiring, that wasn't an actual representation
If it tunes well yes you can always modify it to play good if it doesn’t
Subscribed. Such quality content you deserve more subs!
Thanks so much James! I plan on making more content more frequently in 2023!
Can you give me a link to where you bought your chibson on AliExpress
I got a LP and a V Chibson....love them after they got pickups and new wiring/switch/pots
The Jackson Js Series is really all you need for a great rock and roll guitar!
I'm worried the fr are going to be more trouble than they're worth
I bought one several years ago and changed out all the parts. Still looks and plays excellent. Unless something has changed the dead giveaways are the truss rod and the neck angle. Epiphone is no better than most Chibsons.
I bought one off of DHGate on a whim, basically to see what shows up. They did airmail it but it sat at Kennedy airport waiting for customs for a solid month. I had my local guy replace the nut, do the frets and and adjust the truss rod immediately. It was ok at that point. Bought some used Seymour Duncans and a wiring harness the following year. Would I do it again, naw, but it’s been a fun project.
The worse part of it is the guitar has no value and cant be sold.
What pickups are those? They sound damn good to me.
You may not be able to find a real LP for $900 very easily, but you certainly can find an LP style guitar from a known manufacturer that doesn't need any work done to it. It all depends whether you care about what the headstock looks like. It think it has more appeal to those who are into DIY but lack the tools/skills to build a complete guitar. Buy one to get a head start on affordably building something that suits your exact preferences.
Bought my son a les Paul chibson. Man, can’t complain. Better than the epiphone in my opinion. He loves it. I’ll change out the electronics but still better buy. Wood is wood to some degree but really people, were not performing in front of a crowd. So who cares. Enjoy it guys. Plus who doesn’t like to tinker lol
I just recived mine in the mail. took long time ,I have had many new guitars high and low end. and i Always had to have them set up to work to this day. I’ve only had one guitar feel comfortable playing until this one maybe I got lucky I don’t know I only bought it because it had a British flag on it, and I wanted to hang on the wall. I played my whole set. It never wonce went out of tune. I don’t understand this feels like butter I thought I was imagining it so I let my friend play that night i didnt Tell him it was from china he said “” this is the best playing Les Paul, I ever played true story if I have to replace the components some day that’s fine but for now it looks and sounds amazing
So you've 'had many new guitars high and low end' but you thought you'd buy a chibson because it had a British flag on it.
Ok.
@@SirDonB yea seems funny but its nice man vave art i boucght 4 more and it was defantly the best one they look good on the wall for that club vibe
Which store is this? on Aliexpress or DHGate?
A guitar I would use in a dive bar!
I got one and upgraded everything myself. Pickups, pots, wiring, switch, tuners, bridge, and tailpiece. Ended up sounding great. Frets were fine and so was the nut so I left them alone. I do own a real Gibson and you can just see, feel, and hear the difference but playing at home, these are just fine for me.
yeah it's totally fun to dink around with them
I have a question for the community, which is better in your opinion, a Chibson LP or an Epiphone LP?
Personally, I think I'd go Chibson and change out the pickups to my choosing.
The Epiphone. By the time you get a fret dress and change all the electronics on the Chibson you may as well just buy authentic from the company that invented these iconic instruments and support the American economy,
I have a Les Paul copy that is marked "GP Blume" not Gibson. I'm fine with that and it is a really nice guitar. ($250 with upgrades: Grover 106 Locking tuners, Entwistle HV58 PUs, roller bridge, Grover strap locks) i think it is fine to copy the style of guitars...everyone does that but I would not want a fake Gibson.
Right on nice guitar.ive been checking out the chibson relicked goldtop I'm convinced..I'm buying it I've bought several chibsons over the years and the wood quality and factory work are flawless.. the best thing is you can modify the guitar in any way..
Nice! Love the goldtops
That looks more like a trad pro than a standard or an R9. That’s one of those fakes you can spot a mile away. The rosewood looks more like a piece you’d see on a fender MIM, gibson generally uses nicer rosewood on LP’s. The satin finish is the huge giveaway there too
yeah you're totally right, the satin finish definitely gives it away
So basically a genuine Made in China Epiphone with the Gibson logo instead.
Basically yeah lol
Buy a used tokai ,Orville ,or Burny ,quality guitars and probably no work needed on them
Thanks for the tip, I'm not familiar with those brands, but I'll definitely check them out.
Did you already change the pickups?
The electrics of my mates chibson set it on fire 🔥 on stage. The next one split in 2 on stage, half the body just fell on the floor slicing his finger he needed 4 stitches.
For me, it is ALWAYS about the VALUE EQUATION. Will the more expensive option entice me to play the instrument a lot more? Or am I likely to play the instrument for the same amount of time regardless of its final financial cost? If the authentic Fender / Gibson / Rickenbacker is six, seven, or more times the cost of the copy / clone / fake BUT I would play the authentic one ten times as much or more, then the value equation is a no brainer ... the authentic instrument wins hands down. And that's before you consider the potential re-sale values in the unlikely event that you decide to sell the authentic one later one. Depending on the model, the authentic instrument could actually appreciate in price. It is highly unlikely that a modern copy / clone instrument will.
Sure, one can purchase a chinese clone, get it set up properly and then tricked up with authentic bits and pieces. But it will stil be a clone.
I completely agree with you, and great point! The cheap clones lack a particular Mojo that the real ones have, it's inexplicable what that mojo is, but there's an overall feel, a response to how the real instrument resonates and bonds with the player that just doesn't occur in the Chibsons. I've have actually always felt that way about PRS guitars too, they are beautiful and made well, but I never bonded with one. I'll bring the chibson as a backup to a gig if I break a string, but it will never be my main axe. Plus there's a pride in performing with the real thing. Great insight! Thanks for the comments!
After a little fret work and pickup/electronics replacement, the can be as good as and Gibson. I own a Gibson lp and 2 Chibson’s and you couldn’t tell the difference
For sure! only thing missing is that Gibson smell :)
can you give me some insight on what the best seller to buy from is? i want a Les Paul chibson and don't mind spending $400 if I have to, in order to get great quality
Hey Levi, i've found in my searches that there are multiple sellers but they are pulling from the same manufacturer, as their photos all seem to be the same. I wish I had more insight but unfortunately I couldn't recommend one seller over the other. Maybe some others can chime in.
I have a Chibson Custom that looks and sounds awesome. I’ve never met anyone that could tell it’s not authentic. Even the guitar store couldn’t tell.
I have SEVERAL of these and after a few adjustments I HAVE gigged with them!!! What I LOVE about them is if some drunk chick spills her beer on it or knocks it off the stand or some asshole manages to steal it you have lost a few hundred bucks and not a few thousand… great for the working musician who is just gigging locally…😊❤😊
Great points!
Why dont you just buy an Epiphone instead? something which btw has some value and can be sold if you want to flip it. The new inspired by Epiphones are great guitars and can now be picked up second hand relatively cheaply.
@@Edward1312 Because he WANTS it to appear that he is playing an authentic Gibson, even though exactly NOBODY in the audience will care what brand you are playing. If it sounds good, nobody is inspecting your headstock (except other insecure players)
Ok. Got a greeny non relic for $330. The major difference in looks is the headstock angle. It’s like a fender. Other than that the guitar is amazingly close.
Doesn’t take hardly any skill to find good pickups for cheap along with a wiring harness with 500k pots. You might even have a set of pickups laying around. The fret levelling and dressing is a little harder but not difficult. A local luthier could do it and it’s still cheaper than a new epiphone and it’s like you want it. Great Wall hanger at the bare minimum
Ladies and gentlemen, where can I find this guitar? Somebody help me, throw me a link or something.
Hi Neil, looks like the guitar turned out like a pretty solid player...just curious why you wouldn't gig with it, especially with all the upgrades you made. Also, would you mind sharing where you bought it (Ali Express or DH Gate) and the sellers store name?
Thanks for the message. I bought this one off of DHgate, but for some reason can't find the seller. If you search around there you'll find it. you have to get creative but more simple with your searches like, 59 guitar, LP Guitar - stuff like that. My Chibson just lacks that certain mojo that you get more often from vintage gibby's I do record with it, but it feels kinf od sticky and the action doesn't have the spank that i'm used to, you kind of have to fight it.
You can actually request they leave the Gibson logo off or even ask for a Chibson logo instead.
That's pretty cool, didn't know that
Only a half-wit would think that you would get the same paying 350 instead of 5000 or whatever. Point is do you really get what you pay for from Gibson ? I bought a Custom Martin OM42EC with a Cider top from China for 400 , to buy here in Ireland from Martin 11000, I've done a little work on it and it's lovely play-ability tone , very happy and over ten grand better off in the bank. Unless your buying for investment or are filthy rich , it's a no brainier.
My Chinese made Les Paul is awesome. I put Grover Deluxe Vintage tuners and Epiphone Alnico Pro humbuckers on it. Plays and sounds just like my friends Les Paul Standard. 😁👍
I own a "Chibson" I did do alot of work and changed out everything else on it in the end sonically it Rocks...
Awesome!
What is that first riff you are playing?
just a little ditty in the key of A
hi sir may i know where did you buy this guitar?
check out DHGate.com or Aliexpress
I paid $800 for my Les Paul Studio Faded. It has BB1 & BB2 pickups. It came with a HSC. It doesn't have the fancy binding. It is a workhorse guitar. It is still a Gibson. It sounds great. Im happy with it. I also have a Chibson Explorer. I put BB pickups in it too. Big pots, new switch and new wiring. New tuners. Did the fret job myself. In total about $800. Cant buy an Explorer for $800. Chibsons bave their place.
That's awesome. My first real guitar my dad bought me when I was 13 is a LP Studio all black. The whole thing is mahogany with ebony fretboard and probably weighs 15 pounds lol. But I still love it!
They are more of an advert for Gibson when you buy one it just makes you desire one even more .They are so clearly not Gibson [if anything they're Epiphone clones except the head stock]so not really a problem.My first guitar was a Chibson but immediately stuck it on a stand as a conversation piece and bought a Harley Brnson SC Custom plus to actually play.
Wondering the weight and how it compares w real gibsons
Link for this guitar, please!
I think at that price point i would rather invest in an Epiphone Les Paul. At least i am covered if its trash, of there are a ton of issues
Yours sounds really good Neil. I have a few. Some are made with great craftsmanship some are not. You can't go wrong for the $
Thanks for watching! I agree, fun little project and a cheap platform to make it your own and have fun with it.
I have one on the way, but it won't be a "gigging" instrument. It'll be a wall hanger.
I have a real Gibson Les Paul with aftermarket pickups and Sprague capacitors for duty.
Modern Epiphone guitars in the $900-$1200 range have gotten very good lately.
Answer probably in the comments somewhere but whose the seller/builder? That’s the nicest highest quality chibson I’ve ever seen lol
How much is customs?
I have a half decent one. Fair enough mine needed a fret level and pickups but the inlays and body were perfect and mine gets gigged hard every week and so far stood up to it. I don't like taking my Gibson to the pubs and clubs as a friend had his stolen and never saw it again despite having camera evidence of the guy who took it but that's another story 👍👍👍
Easy answer. They are worth it to some but they are not worth it to others ;)
I have no doubts some of them can be quite good, or made to be quite good.
Personally, I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole. For multiple reasons.
But in the end, everything put aside, if you enjoy it, that is all what counts and I''m glad that you do.
I live in Nashville. I can’t fathom the thought of buying a Chinese knock off of a guitar that was made in my city. I support my local businesses .
Recently I was watching a video about a review of a Chibson Les Paul and they were saying that they speculate that the chibsens are ironically very similar to epiphones coming out of China suggesting that there's a possibility that some of these chibson are being made with the same die as the Epiphone Les pauls, Pure speculation of course but I've seen other videos about manufacturing in China not related to the guitar industry at all but its plausible.
Maybe somebody has access to purchasing the same dies as the factory that makes Epiphone, who knows, but If you think about it most name brand items are made in China so of course there's gonna be fakes that are Identical
What if U refret with stainless steel frets .put some suhr pickups