Gibson Epiphone & Chibson Greeny Les Paul Comparison

[@scottanderson4175]

Bro I haven’t played guitar in over 20 years and after my wife passed last year I picked up a 60’s Epiphone Les Paul standard and I was blown away by how good that guitar was for $650 after playing it for about a year I decided to treat myself to a Gibson so I walked into GC with cash in hand I played 3 Gibson Les Paul standard’s and said there ain’t no way I’m giving up $2,999 for this I walked out with my cash still in hand 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@srh361]

Just wondering what the issues were other than it being Guitar Center? What were you expectations?

[@mannydecastro8604]

I agree with you.

[@rmmancham9137]

I feel you, cash in hand, binding horrible in new Gibson, buzzy. Walked out. Perhaps it’s GC?!

[@garycastronova7939]

You'll have to play more than that. I don't know about how well set up other stores have their new guitars but guitar center info to the set ups vary widely on their guitars. I played 6 fender strats and teles a couple of weeks back and only one was set up properly. Neck relief, string height. Guitar center just pulls them out of the box and throws them on the wall I think, judging by this.

[@windslipper]

I think his point was that the Epi blew away the Gibson on Quality and Craftmanship

[@davidmoss7245]

Great informative video which cannot be faulted,word for word just perfect thanks for posting.I wish all videos were like this.Straight to the point,no waffle and clearly executed.

[@jacksonmarshallkramer5087]

For the insane cost of a Gibson, it should be PERFECT. FLAWLESS.

[@billkalina3089]

When you factor the price differential, it doesn't bode well for Gibson.

[@universalglimpse]

Yes. And no. It depends on the series IMHO. With low level instruments (special, studio, standard) playability must be perfect (no issues, no fret sprout, no nothing) while I can accept some MINOR cosmetics. That said, that Gibson should not have left the factory.

[@Riverking1]

​@@universalglimpsewell that is where price comes in right?

[@ericcurry-pitcher5493]

I picked up an Ace Frehley historic custom, Chibson for 250.00 shipped. It arrived in a week and played out of the box wonderful. My friend has a Standard and it's junk, I fixed it so it holds tune now, but doesn't intinate properly my Chibson rings like a bell. I asked for no Gibson logo and they put Chibson for me and did not use a serial number or Made in the USA. I remember when you heard it comes from Japan, it's junk. Now you hear they are gems. Mexico forget about it, no way. Tomorrows gem is from China.

[@davidcaro8217]

Yes of course. But nevertheless, as long as it's made by human hands, it will never be perfect.

[@Major00Tom]

Man, I have a Gibson Sg as main guitar since 2003. Got me a Chibson LP some months ago and it's an awesome guitar. Has better sustain than the Gibson, the tone is sweeter and clearer (unplugged) too. Now the Chibson is the guitar I play the most... And since it was so inexpensive even after upgrading a bunch of parts, I feel more comfortable when I have to take it out to gig wherever I need.

[@b01speed3]

This guy also doesn’t like American worker and wants China to make all of his stuff.

[@brentonhefner7769]

Can you share where you sourced the Chibson?

[@ToneNailer]

Ebay?

[@casual35]

Chibson's have microphonic pickups. That's why they sustain.

[@randypittman4994]

I have a Tomi Iommi Chibson sg and after a lil work on the frets and new cheap pickups it is great.

[@ManSeekingTruth1]

I am a 70 year old man who played rock music in bars on the east coast for better than 40 years. I've owned many Gibson Les Pauls over the years having lived through the era when you could pick up a used Gibson Les Paul for $400 any day of the week. Today the only Les Paul I own is a Chibson and I am very satisfied with it. In fact, I sold the last Gibson Les Paul I owned shortly after acquiring the Chibson because I liked the Chibson better. With the price of Gibson Les Pauls today, I don't know how kids can even afford to own one! Thankfully you can purchase a decent copy and by putting a little money into it have a comparable quality instrument.

[@OuchMyHooves]

quite simply: we don't. not a lot of gen z likes traditional gibsons. i tend to find a lot of better spec'd single cuts for way less than a gibson. i actually bought two of them recently over buying a single used gibson studio (one normal-ish scale, one baritone preorder).

[@helio1055]

Greco, Burny, and Tokai are my go to’s 👍

[@blastofo]

Problem with Chibsons is they vary wildly from seller to seller (factory and makers). Some sellers won't even send you the color you asked for. The websites feedback systems arent trustworthy, and sellers come and go often. They use photos of real Gibsons and not what they send you because in most cases they dont make it until you buy it, and you have to wait over a month for it to ship. You can't see it and play it before buying. And buying a counterfeit is tacky as hell. There's plenty of better lower priced alternatives.

[@thesameeffect]

@@helio1055Edwards too. But I’m telling all you guys, I’ve tried this greeny. I own over 10 gibsons and it is right there with them man. Quality ! but what sucks is made in China and the Laurel fretboard. That’s it. The feel and playability is as good as my gibsons. 100 percent couldn’t even tell if I didn’t look at the headstock name.

[@bluegrooveracing]

This is a better review than Trogley, GuitarMax or Fulton Street Beats. Thanks for an intelligent and concise video properly outlining the difference. You got a subscribe from me!

[@PaperBanjo64]

I like Trogly but after so many Les Pauls it gets really old...he does great reviews though, most of the others you listed I don't know or don't like.

[@XxSkydog71xX]

Your review and comparison was excellent and I hope your reviews get more attention.

[@oddlifestyle]

With the price itself being affordable and build being as relatively playable as the Gibson and Epi, the Chibson is an awesome starter for anyone! Awesome review video got a subscriber out of me!

[@CaptFrankRizzoFilms]

Wow! What a great review! Easily the best, most comprehensive comparison video on KZbin. Looking forward to more great reviews. Keep up the good work!

[@taylor12elementvb]

Kudos on your comparison review. Very concise and articulate. I found your observations related to each guitar to be refreshingly honest. Many thanks. PS definitely well worth subscribing to your channel. Cheers

[@Lomoholga2]

What a great video. Good antidote to the constant infomercials that pose as reviews. Keep up the detailed guitar vids!

[@IracesGarage]

Much appreciated!

[@KennedyIvy]

Pretty impressive how a chibson could even be comparable to a gibson or super expensive epiphone

[@maciek4671]

291 Subs?! 292 now! What a quality channel !

[@AnnoyingCritic-is7rp]

It really is because a lot of guitar reviews just have somebody play the guitar and if you like what he sounds like you click on the link. In other words they're not really reviewing the guitar as much as just playing it.

[@CornholeNetwork]

This video is genius. Keep it up! I'm hooked.

[@friendofdavid1423]

It's amazing to me that a Gibson, for what they charge, would have any issue, whatsoever, in any category! The binding issue you pointed out was ludicrous! I have a 2004 Gibson Les Paul that I NEVER play. It's so heavy and out of balance, and it constantly, CONSTANTLY, goes out of tune! AWESOME videos! Keep them coming! SUBBED!

[@IracesGarage]

The best thing you can do for that guitar is have a luthier fix or replace the nut. It's the nut that's responsible for it not staying in tune.

[@jckelley10]

I look forward to seeing how you mod the Chibson! Good video!

[@michaelneufeld2649]

I have a bunch, Jem, Vandenburg, Jackson, strat, tele, Schecter and. Sunbursts chibson. I typically go to the chibsin. Plays awesome, sounds great.

[@donaldwalls5809]

Hi that was a great overview of the platform of guitar . Everything was clear on what got and your likes and dislikes on them . Great information, thank you !

[@Superman-pn1rx]

Cool and honest review, kudos for that 👌

[@rockhoundingeasternwashing5308]

Nice informative rundown. Thanks😊

[@sonofromel]

I want a Chibson but with Chibson written on the headstock. Where can you order that?

[@IracesGarage]

It's a decal that I bought on Ebay to cover the Gibson logo.

[@MatthewJacobDaniel]

One of the very best guitar comparison reviews ever - excellent video. Thanks!

[@eduardosci1909]

Very good review! Tks and thumbs up, of course!

[@BGorman-r3t]

Excellent video!

[@dancurtis461]

I can't believe I just sat through an entire 40 minute review. I also can't believe the whole 40 minutes was meat and potatoes. Well done sir.

[@Hankboomer]

Excellent vidéo ! Thank you very much !

[@SteveAEee]

Good comparison and well presented - cheers!

[@paulj0557tonehead]

There is no excuse. That Gibson should be flawless. If it was made in South Korea it would be perfect.

[@HFSswfl]

Japan maybe

[@Wargasm54]

Gibson’s are handmade. And when you make thousands there will be imperfections here and there. Gibson players don’t care about that. They care about how it feels and how it plays. And nobody is gonna lay down 3k for a guitar they aren’t happy with. I have 4 Gibson’s and they are epic. Is the fit and finish as good as my Japanese made ESP’s…no. But they are different guitars for different purposes. Gibson’s are like a sledgehammer. ESP is like a scalpel. I also own Fender, Ibanez, Schecter, Dean and a couple LTDs made in S Korea. So it’s not like I’m some Gibson beard stroker. Bottom line, if you don’t like the way a guitar plays, don’t buy it.

[@universalglimpse]

very clear and informative video! new sub now! 3200$ for that Gibson binding is absolutely unacceptable, that guitar should not have left the factory!

[@ernieflanaganstingraybassm1463]

they are $8000 now

[@gilbertocruz1683]

Everybody has the right to have a Greeny no matter social class 👍👍👍

[@jasonl1942]

You can have anything you want in life if you work for it. That's how I got mine.

[@jamesmalamute7874]

nice Review of the 3 Lesters. Wondering who the vendor for the chibson is that you went with.

[@IracesGarage]

Polaris 4 Music

[@Walter-lf6in]

Very detail explanation. Thank you.

[@KlomboFanClub]

this video deepened my appreciation for guitars in general tbh

[@cutofthejib]

Very cool. I bought the Vintage V100 Distressed Lemon drop which is a Greeny copy. And I can say all the hardware, the look, the setup is great on it. But I did notice it had some sized pots and I am thinking about switching out the Wilkinson pickups and wiring and pots and using some Gibson pots and wires and getting some Greenybuckers put into it. Though I can say I am blown away by the Vintage and I have a Gibson Les Paul (the Slash November Burst) and the Vintage is not really at the level of the Gibson but I can say “it could get there with some work on my end”

[@IracesGarage]

yeah, the Vintage uses dime sized pots, but I never had a problem with them. My only complaint with the Vintage was that I didn't like the thin neck, and unfortunately, that's about the only thing you can't change. As for the pickups... I absolutely loved them. That's why I put a set into the Lazarus too. I swapped in a set of D'Urbano Supernaturals into the Chibson, and they're great pickups, but honestly, I still like the Wilkinsons more.

[@cutofthejib]

@@IracesGarage yeah I noticed you said that on your video. And we just have different tastes. Doesn’t mean I think the Wilkinsons are bad sounding they are a great night humbucker. I just like a little more of girthy type of blues tone personally

[@gsbguitarsgsb679]

Looking forward to the upgrade video. I bought a chibson Alex lifson lp and lots of modes are to come…

[@BugGenerat0r]

Not a ridiculous comparison at all. Two thumbs up 👍

[@kidgloves2]

Where’s the best place to get a chibson greeny?

[@IracesGarage]

Not sure what the "best" is, but I got mine from Polaris 4 Music. My research led me to them from others saying they were about the best. They're made by the same company that makes Bad Cat guitars.

[@kidgloves2]

@@IracesGarage Cool I’ll check them out. Thanks

[@jukebox5308]

Tell Gibson and Ephiphone that I can’t afford their guitar’s anymore I’m playing Fenders now

[@carlmontney7916]

You can rest assured that you're not the only one. Gibsons are now far too expensive for an average player to be able to afford. They have always been expensive guitars but now they are just unbelievably over the top expensive. They are now guitars for blues lawyers to collect and hang on their wall of the office

[@joemiller9009]

Thanks for doing this comparison. Well done. How do the headstock angles compare? It looks like Epiphone increased the headstock angle to match the Gibson. If the Chibson has a decreased headstock angle, its probably a little bit easier to do big bends.

[@IracesGarage]

That's a good question. I never checked. If I get a chance I'll check it tomorrow.

[@padawan9127]

Hi, just wondering if it's a little futile including a chibson in your comparison as theyre available from different suppliers and there's probably not as much of a "standard" as the other two? Thanks

[@IracesGarage]

You're right that Chibson quality is all over the map, but the fact that some good ones exist at all is enough to make the case that Epiphones are not necessarily the best value, which was my main point from the beginning.

[@padawan9127]

@@IracesGarage yes, that's true too. Thanks

[@stevenpape2021]

No movement in the Chibson grain? It's probably a photograph of flame maple stuck on top and varnished over.

[@IracesGarage]

It's not a photo flame, but I'm not convinced that it's a legit flame either. It seems like a painted flame.

[@bpmangler]

Excellent, objective review.

[@jimsteele2072]

Does the Chibson headstock snap off just like a Gibson?

[@IracesGarage]

Not sure, and I don't plan on checking 😁

[@casual35]

It shouldn't because it's a scarf joint.

[@stephenedgecock]

it also has a different neck angle than a real Gibson

[@FStoppers]

Watching this video it seems the neck pickup ring on the Epiphone sticks out and doesn’t contour to the body. The Chibson and Gibson both look to curve with the body. Maybe it’s just lighting but it bothered me the whole review. -P

[@IracesGarage]

I've honestly never noticed. I'll have to look more closely.

[@FlameFlickers]

That was an excellent video. A lot of videos involving Chibsons are made by people who are either very pro or very anti Chibson. This video was just an honest comparison with no vested interest. Also, you have the sense to see that Chibsons are essentially a mod platform. Always makes me laugh when I see a Chibson review video where the guy spends half the video complaining that the pick-ups and pots and tuners aren't as good as on a Gibson!

[@Pastor_Grant]

Where did you or can I buy this Chibson?

[@IracesGarage]

The company is Polaris 4 Music. They have a discord page and a facebook page that has their info.

[@Pastor_Grant]

@@IracesGarage thanks

[@MeR-md1jq]

@@IracesGarage How do you actually see what Polaris has to offer and how do you place an order? When I go to their facebook page, there isn't any info about ordering except a link to their website. Their website is just a forums that doesn't show much of anything. In the forums, people are actually asking how to see what they have and how to order.

[@Amp_Expert]

Appreciate the very detailed and thorough reviews! I was very surprised at the flaws in the actual Gibson and likewise the machining marks in the Epiphone, but suggested edges and setup of the Chibson were great! In MY experience, Gibson's are typically top shelf and setup and that's what you're paying for....but maybe something has happened recently?!?? The Epiphones typically do not have machining marks and rounded edges and set up well and are a good bang for one's buck...typiclaly...in my experience. I did a very, very thorough review of a Chibson Rhoads guitar. Typically, these are horrible in the setup and buzzing and sharp edges, and whatnot even if playable, so surprised your feedback was just the opposite. To get them really playable and in a comparable quality to Epiphone of Gibson, all of the electronics and pickups and tuners all need to be replaces, it needs a full fretjob and work on the edges and leveling, and polishing, bone nut installed and cut proper and so a $300 will need $800 in work and turn into an $1100 guitar and you're not supposed to resale, so the intention is to play indefinitely! Is it worthy to get a $1100 Chibson v. $1500 Epiphone?? Debateable. I would say absolutely not. Likewise, the weight is lighter and if you go into measuring the body and neck and things, you'll find they are completely wrong! In my opinion the only time it's worth it is on "specialty" guitars, like this Greeny, or the Rhoads guitar, or others like that and when an middle of the rad Epiphone may not be available and you can get NOS. It's either an $1100 VOS Chibson....or $10,000 Gibson and with all of the flaws of a current Gibson. Not worth it and WAY overpriced! My $0.02

[@IracesGarage]

Part of the problem is that there a million companies making Chibsons, so the quality is all over the place. Some are so bad that they don't even have a truss rod. Others are decently made. I did my homework before I bought this one and determined that this brand is one of the better options. It's made by the same company that makes Bad Cat guitars. Like with any type of guitar, if you take your time to find the better brands, you get much better results.

[@Amp_Expert]

@@IracesGarage Agreed. Some with really customize....like headstock graphics (call it...Robb's Beast") or will install an ABR-1 and thread right into the body, or like the VOS....do a pretty nice job at that! The connotation that they are exact duplicates of the Gibson is a misnomer. Like i said, try measuring body thickness, or length or width....try the headstock length or width at widest point. I did this and they are not to Gibson-spec!...just similar. Likewise, the weight and wood quality is questionable. They are very light in weight. Even when I added all of the brass and such as I able to get it into the like 8.5# range. Their playable, but nowhere near the quality of a Gibson or Epiphone and you have to put in labor and parts into them, but not out-of-the box regardless of supplier. It's easy enough for them to get the dimensions right, install better hardware and electronics and and do a proper setup for probably another $100 with cheap labor and you'd have a $350-500 guitar that actually was better than a $3500 Gibson out of the box, so wish they would focus on that and put Gibson out of business with their ridiculous pricing....$3500....$10,000 for a guitar!! Ridiculous.

[@dwightburns6699]

I got a Harley Benton.Les Paul copy and I had a recommended 200 bucks.The best money I've spenton a guitar .Everything works great on it.Highly polished frets, no issues at all...

[@windslipper]

Great Video! I subscribed. Thanks, brother 😊

[@msaintpc]

Excellent video! I've found that my favorite pups of all time are S.D. '57 Classics. I just haven't heard a pup, no matter the cost that sounds as good as them. But like you said, they're always subjective to the ears of the player.

[@John_Bauers]

With flame maple, the 'movement' will be lost if the first part of the finish is a stain. In order to retain the movement, the first coat needs to be a lacquer. The lacquer can be tinted.

[@IracesGarage]

Not in my experience. I've dyed and stained figured maple before. Dye maintains more of the natural chatoyance than stain or tinted lacquer, but both stains and tinted lacquers won't hide it unless it's very opaque.

[@larryburwell8550]

great comparison analysis

[@KeatonJohnson8]

do you have a link to the cbibson

[@IracesGarage]

No. It's through "Polaris 4 Music". They're on Facebook but mostly just provide links to their Discord group. Their Discord group is where they provide links to order.

[@gc6391]

Fantastic video!!!

[@IracesGarage]

Thanks!

[@joshsmith7033]

where did you order your chibson?? i want one. Ive seen fake gibsons but not a real chibson.

[@IracesGarage]

Polaris 4 Music. It's part of Bad Cat Guitars. Keep in mind that it says Gibson on the headstock. I added a Chibson decal to cover it.

[@hippiebiker3399]

I also bought a Chibson “Greeny” about 2 years ago. Upgraded the electronics and hardware on it and it plays fantastic, look great and sounds incredible. So much so, that I sold my 2021 Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop. It’s now been one of my main gigging guitars the last couple of years.

[@conartist267]

Really wanted to hear them

[@craigtodd8297]

Just received my brand new Gibson Greeny. Absolutely love it. It will be with me till the day I die.

[@IracesGarage]

I love mine too. It sucks that Gibson won't improve their quality control, but I still love it every time I play it.

[@craigtodd8297]

@@IracesGarage Personally I don't look for perfection. I like to see 'the hand' of the maker.

[@double_humbucker]

i bought a Chibson Cherry Sunburst 2 yrs ago here in the Philippines, i upgrade it and fully set up to a guitar tech now its very nice to play on....cons very heavy in weight.

[@IracesGarage]

I lucked out with the weight on my Chibson. It's the lightest of the 3 guitars.

[@TheBladepolisher]

What was the name of the Gibson Pups? Are they Burstbuckers, Alnico 5?

[@IracesGarage]

They're called Greenybuckers. They were developed specifically for the Greeny guitars, but are available separately too. They're a lot different sounding than typical PAFs. They're wound on the medium-hot side for a PAF, yet they're a lot brighter than most other PAFs, especially the neck.

[@backcountrylifemagazine6912]

I had a $200 Chibson, marked Gibson. A perfect copy, real maple top, flamey and at least 3/8” thick…maybe 1/2”. Played and sounded better than any real Gibson I’ve ever played. 7.5 lbs. Wish I hadn’t sold it!

[@brentonhefner7769]

Can you share where you sourced the Chibson?

[@backcountrylifemagazine6912]

@ Bought it used off Facebook marketplace….. Private party.

[@ATOMSKI_MRAV]

It's not a painted on finish. It's just a maple veneer that's been stained with a darker stain, sanded and then stained with the trans amber finish (looks like nitro).

[@IracesGarage]

I have a lot of other flamed tops, and I've even stained a few of my own. This looks very different. The flame is very opaque.

[@CornholeNetwork]

Hey one question for you- I am obsessed with the 59 neck profile and was wondering how are the necks on these in comparison to each other. I imagine the Gibson should be pretty accurate- do the others match it pretty well in terms of size in shape?

[@IracesGarage]

They all feel about the same, although they measure a bit different. The gibson is actually the thinnest of the 3, but it's still 24.6mm at the 12th fret. The Chibson is 25mm and the epi is a whopping 26.3mm, but oddly doesn't feel any fatter when I play it. I think the Epi has slightly less shoulder which is why it doesn't feel bigger.

[@glennbzt]

The Lazarus epi comes with Mallory caps not orange drop..which are still fine capacitors..I had a greeny std when just came out flame was unreal ..just cudnt bond with it that satin finish ..love just the pickups ..wound up selling on reverb ..

[@IracesGarage]

yeah, I caught my mistake about the caps after I filmed the video. I put a text box in to identify that they were Mallory, but you may have missed it.

[@Dad-Gad]

For 3k I'm expecting a guitar with NO issues , I've got a Kramer Baretta Special that came from the factory set up beautifully and it was £200

[@aliZoso]

Great video, I've got gibson and epiphone les pauls pleased with them, don't know how or if UK customs allows chibson guitars into the country marked as gibson.

[@msaintpc]

Darn good analysis.👍

[@glenfarina3027]

I have have an '69 LP Deluxe that I bought as a kid in the late 70s.It needed a new bridge cos the original was bent forward from the strings pressing on the back of it. Had a hump in the fingerboard and the nut had to be replaced. Plays great now. Also a 2007 SG with the same issue with the strings pressing on the back of the bridge so I top wrap it now. Pick ups were crap muddy sounding rubbish. Had to do a lot of work and replace parts to get it up to scratch. Also a 2011 LP Junior with sharp fret ends and the edge of the scratch plate was so sharp you'd slice your fingers on it. Also the net slots weren't cut properly so it would never play in tune. What's up with Gibson's quality control? How do they justify so much money when their guitars aren't nearly gig ready out of the store?

[@petermichaelnielsen6337]

Where did you buy the chipson ?

[@IracesGarage]

Polaris 4 Music

[@dananthony6258]

I loved the Dukes of hazard intro man. 😂lol. That my favorite car of all time. Great video brother.

[@IracesGarage]

Thanks! My other channel is an RC channel, and I've been on a big Dukes kick the last couple years. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZvbgot8i9Z-nbMsi=im6FBb6lBGr-rSdc

[@stephanguitar9778]

Just bought a PRS SE 245, twin humbuckers, easily a Les Paul substitute. Paid £300 UK special runout deal. Infinitely better fret work than any Eppiphone I tried out. Perfect edges, etc, and plays really well.

[@AnnoyingCritic-is7rp]

Did you measure the pickups for resistance and inductance?

[@IracesGarage]

Yes, but I didn't want to go too deep into that because the Chibson has very low end ceramics, and the Epi no longer has the stock burstbuckers, so I didn't think any sort of comparison had any merit.

[@AnnoyingCritic-is7rp]

@@IracesGarage Great review as always. I was just trying to test my hypothesis that bad pickups are underwound with strong magnets. I think that's been my experience. I really like my GFS 6K neck humbucker with only two Henry's of inductance. In other words, it has "specs" of a single coil but it's a humbucker.

[@IracesGarage]

A lot of bad pickups are underwound with strong magnets because that's cheaper than more copper with alnico magnets, but a lot of cheap humbuckers seem to be overwound muddy trash too. It's a shame because it isn't really that hard to make ceramic humbuckers sound good. Wind a neck humbucker to about 9k and use a ceramic magnet and it'll sound great. Wind it a little hotter in the bridge and you'll basically have a Dimarzio super distortion.

[@donthewatcher]

Excellent content Irace's Garage , i put greeny buckers in my Lazarus . a nice Lazarus tiger flame top u have there . i also have a Epi greeny and 2024 LP Custom the updated headstock did it for me. but the Epi 59 /335 with custombuckers is looking nice

[@zebdoz333]

Well I got a LP Chibson a les Paul custom, it stays in tune, it is pretty close to a real LP, and for a trade? It’s not a bad guitar at all but that has been my experience

[@AudaciousAce1989]

Ok but what chibson is that??

[@IracesGarage]

Polaris 4 Music

[@AudaciousAce1989]

@@IracesGarage Cool! Would you mind giving me a hint how to get one? I can't find anything other than a website that doesn't have that guitar posted on it

[@millardbrown4769]

"If you're going to push it as a premium guitar, it should at least have premium fretwork." Amen, Brother!!

[@randallclemons8638]

I'm just gonna tell ya brother. I took a chance on chibson a few years ago. Got it on eBay. New. It was already in country. It was one of the last the seller had. They has been selling them for 370. I pulled the tigger on it for around 300. And I got lucky on it I think. I didn't get it because it said Gibson on the headstock. To be honest, I didn't know what was on the headstock until I got it. I figured, but I didn't know. I got it because it has the solid 59 mahogany neck. With no neck joint. And it looked really good. The exact color I always wanted. But wild have cost three times as much anywhere else. I didn't care about the rest. I had all kinds of parts. The bridge. I took the anchors out and grinded the Rodge off around them and a little of the metal off, so I could counter sink them into the guitar. A Gibson bridge post fits perfectly into them. I didn't have to, but I used just a tad of jb weld to make it all solid. But I didn't have to. So I got the Gibson bridge, and you can't tell. Without having to plug the wood and redrill. I had some of the high end Epiphone pro buckers, with alnico mags, with nice pots that I could split the coil. And some yellow mustard caps. The kind they used a long time ago. Just like in that Epiphone you showed. Just wanted something different. I have orange drops in others but this one, I used the mustard caps. But I'm going to make my own caps pretty soon. Just haven't gotten around to it. And the tuners, while I had Grovers i could have put on it. Real Grovers, guyker (glad I came back to fix typos. Autocorrect changed guyker to hilter. Wtf) actually makes really nice tuners, even though they don't cost alot. They are really nice and they had the kluson type. That look really good. And they tube really nice. And I wanted that look. So, I used those instead of the Grovers. Put changed the wires to the shielded and i shielded the cavities. I want to get a clear back plate so you can see inside. And I couldn't be happier. And im not gonna lie, it plays and sounds better than any other guitar I have. Wish I could show a picture. I got a truss cover, and put my own logo on it. Painted the edges bright white. And put a few coats of clear on it. I love it. And that is all that matters. But if people give me crap about it. I'll get a sticker that says "sucks" on it and stick it under the Gibson logo. Some say you should scratch it off. Thats nuts. It's my guitar. I can put whatever I want on it, anywhere I want. Any logo I wish. In understand Gibson being upset but not your average person. And Gibson should look at it as, just a sticker on a guitar, advertising their brand. If I got a fender or any other guitar and put a Gibson decal on the body, same thing. I understand them trying to stop it. But what is, is. And one day, even these fakes will have their place in history. Watch and see. The irony is, it was a fake gibson that saved Gibson. In the 80s. No one was buying Les Paul's. Until Guns n roses. Slash. And that guitar slash used on the first two albums, was a fake gibson Les Paul. True story. So, that advertising made Gibson alot of money. I also has a miniature holy bible, with illustrations, I hid it inside the with pots. Hahaha I have several reasons for that. But I love it. I'd never be able to afford the real thing. I have expensive guitars, but like the Gibson j50 i have, given to me. Some i just got lucky. But it's not like I can go out and give thousands of dollars for guitars all of the time. I have to leave them at a relatives home to keep them from getting stolen. And im glad I did. On September 28th, some asshole burned my house down while I was gone. I came home about 30 minutes after sunset and it was on fire. Now I'm homeless. My guitars are all I have now. Everything in my life, someone else has destroyed. It's really disheartening. It is really maddening. I have family who are mad at me because they think I'm rich, which I'm not. I barely get by. But I had a home. They made had decisions and and done have homes. But they get mad because "you won't share". Because I man has bills to pay. Then I have other fakoly and neighbors who group me in with those and think I'm trouble. Which I'm not. All I've ever done is help and be like to people. And now I beleive it was my kindness that caused me all my problems. One side, no matter what you give, it's never enough. So they hate you. The other side, you were kind to people they don't like, so you are one of them, and they hate you. All I ever wanted was a peacefull life. And you can tell by putting the bible in the guitar, I don't go around preaching but I do hold one belief from that book high in my life. Or at least I did. Treat people how you want to be treated. And all it's ever seem to bejng me is people hating me. Now I'm homeless and my health is getting bad. I have a video on my KZbin of my home burning. I was also in the 2022 Kentucky flood. I was in the water for ten hours, and watched two family members drown. And asshole go burn my home down. Like homes are easy to get. It wasn't much, but I owned it. Now, I'm just shit it luck. Because all I did was help people.

[@carlmontney7916]

Thank you for this very detailed and thorough review . This is the best one that I have seen on KZbin yet . For the price of the Gibson it should be immaculate in every area. The lack of pore filling may be acceptable on Gibson's cheaper studio line guitars but to not pore fill on a guitar that costs that much is inexcusable. Epiphone's QC has been suffering as of late. I bought one of their bases and it was unplayable out of the box in fact it was so bad that I almost sent it back. But it was the cherry finish which was unavailable at that time and since I have everything I need to do fretwork or whatever I decided to go ahead and put it on my bench and correct all the stuff that was wrong with it. In the end it turned out okay but it needed a lot of work to get it to where it would be dependable and playable. If anyone who didn't know how to work on their own instruments were to buy one of those there's no way they would have been able to get it even anywhere close to being a playable instrument. As far as the Chibson Not that long ago a Chinese guitar was junk but they are actually getting very good at making guitars. I have seen some Chinese made guitars that were very good quality. They played excellently right out of the box and looked great. Most of the time as you're pointing out here they need the hardware replaced. But normally the bones are good.

[@mystiquesquared]

Man. Nice run down. You know your stuff.

[@HanzGruber1982]

Your camouflaged mustache/goatee matches your hat. Nice.

[@WDkuru]

Lovin your videos on these cheap vs expensive guitars. I have an Ibanez Gio and I'm also an idiot when it comes to setting up guitars so when I got it it seemed to have some issues with fret buzz and my bright idea was just to heighten the strings. I raised the strings and boom, no buzz, but of course it was pretty freakin hard to play (and I play metal so it wasn't pleasant). I think it may have just needed some truss rod adjustment but I was kind of scared cuz I'm not too familiar with doing that. So then I went about and lowered the strings and adjusted the truss rod but it still feels off, and I'm not sure exactly what I need to do now. Hell it could even be the nut but I'm not sure how to know. I'm wondering how to know if its the string height, the truss rod or the nut, or something else? Thanks!

[@IracesGarage]

Try watching my Ibanez setup video. In that I go through a full setup. I give some explanation for what I'm doing and why. That should help you to get the setup right. If it still buzzes after that, it might be time to bring it to a tech.

[@WDkuru]

@@IracesGarage I did watch that one but I'll have to take another look, thanks!

[@allstopblue5717]

An Ibanez gio is not compared to the guitars in this video. Gio is entry/beginner level instrument

[@IracesGarage]

What does that make the Chibson?

[@SquirrelDarling1]

I can attest to the Wilkinson pickups being a good choice. I used them in a recent build and they do sound great.

[@SRVaughan1003]

The Lazarus is based not on greeny but one of Joe Bonamassa’s main guitars (also a 59 les paul) the pickups are not the the ‘greeny busters’ which come on both the epiphone greeny and the les paul greeny… the lazarus also doesn’t have the out of phase neck pickup

[@IracesGarage]

I was evaluating the guitars from a construction and quality standpoint, and they both have the same build characteristics like the 1 piece neck, 2 piece body, etc. They're essentially identical except for the pickups and headstock shape, which is exactly what I believe I said in the video.

[@WFKTHETHIRD]

Its annoying & disappointing that companies like Gibson/Epiphone charge such high prices but still don't deliver the quality expected for the money...

[@dananthony6258]

I wish someone would do a led test on the chipson frets.

[@truescotsman4103]

So if tonewood isnt a thing and all three of these guitars basically being exactly the same as far as "just any old wood construction" then just pickups would make all three sound identical? What's the difference if you can drop pickups in a $300 guitar and nobody can tell the difference?

[@IracesGarage]

Obviously that will be debated until the end of time, but in my experience, the differences are subtle, if audible at all most of the time. I had a Vintage brand Greeny V100PGM that I loved the sound of, but I didn't get along with the skinny neck. I bought the Lazarus and bought an identical set of Wilkinson WVC pickups for it. Once I got the pickup heights dialed absolutely identical (I used calipers to measure), I couldn't tell the difference. Unplugged those 2 guitars sounded completely different, but once I dialed in the pickups and plugged in, they sounded identical. Recently I swapped in a set of D'urbano Supernatural pickups into the Chibson, and not surprisingly, it sounds very similar to the Epiphone now.

[@Jeremya74]

Why would you pay that much for a gibson and not return it????

[@IracesGarage]

Because the next one would probably weigh 11lbs and have an even bigger issue. I don't really care about the shitty binding, and I love how the guitar sounds.

[@GypsyLane]

Can you say “ Paul Reed Smith SE”?

[@IracesGarage]

I can. I have 2.

[@dannyturner7967]

We need a chibson mod update

[@tmac3975]

Good video, i agree for the money the Gibson should be flawless. The base to mod for the Chibson is a no brainer but i agree no logo on the headstock would be fine wirh me. I own an Epiphone Les Paul and a Chibson Les Paul and im happy to say my Epi was out of the box 100%.

[@barbaraanneneale3674]

It's not a ridiculous comparison. It needs to. Be done. I am sold guitars for 20 years. I got fed up. With the big brands. Especially during the late 70s. I'm not a big fan of buying anything from China. However, if they are producing what people want, that's on us, not them.

[@thelemonademan6235]

Great point and I agree 100 percent ! I scored a Chibson and it is an awesome player and looks fantastic ! Zero issues and I've been playing since 1977. I paid $294.00 out the door tax included with a hard shell case. !! If you have money to burn n throw away, buy the overpriced Gibson !

[@roelheijmans]

Awesome video. I guess you can get lucky or unlucky with any of the 3. Would love to watch you play all 3 to compare sounds

[@1958HHH]

Great video good info presented well. It's not full of someone trying to be funny or acting like a idiot. The result is your demeanor made it a no brainier to subscribe with all notifications. Also thanx for answering the question about the supplier in comments..Been shopping and seems everyone uses the same pictures from 2 or 3 shoots. It seems like the uncertainty makes it a crap shoot. Anyhoo looking forward to upcoming videos and catching up on the past ones too.

[@geripatterdaleswinscoe3428]

So….. i never watched this until the end. But…. I got to a point where i thought “ So if the staff in the Chibson factory went to work at the Epiphone & Gibson factory, between them all they would knock the ball out of the park “

[@saltzine]

:: great review 👌 :: came across your vid cause im lookin at getting an epiphone “inspired by gibson” korina v :: ive got a 64 chevy II & 4th gen camaro & bird

[@stefanpetersen9249]

Thanks for an honest review , I think if you use an Chibson act a projekt guitar an d replace the hardware you will have a guitar that is close to a Gibson and that will be cheaper than a Epiphone , great video and thank s , now you got a new subscriber

[@greenmanalishi6963]

I too got a Lazarus and transitioned it into a Peter Green replica haha. With 0x4 pickup I’m very content for the price

[@pharmerdavid1432]

The new IBG '59 reissue Epiphone Les Paul is the shizzz. It has "custom buckers", which are the best sounding PAF clones I've played from Gibson, not that I'm an expert, but I've played at least a half dozen Gibson humbucker types. The back and neck doesn't have that "cheap" looking coloring, it's still satin but darker, so it looks better, and I like the way it feels on the neck. Best of all it weighs 7lbs. 12oz., the lightest weight solid wood Les Paul I've ever played, and very resonant. The Indian Laurel fretboard is darker, so it could pass for Indian rosewood at first glance (more pores visible up close). It has a light weight Gibson vintage bridge, so it doesn't lock-in when changing strings, but helps make it resonant. The neck is a '59 rounded C, but less chunky than the previous '59 reissue that comes with "burst buckers". I have one of those too, but it weighs 9lbs, and the back looks cheesy, but the chunky neck with big shoulders feels great, although makes it harder to get around quickly, but gives you better purchase to do bends. I'll probably flip the pickup in my earlier '59 reissue, to see how I like it, for something different. Thanks for an interesting video!

[@thomastucker5686]

The gibson necks are just a little fat for my small hands. The epiphone turned into a mod platform as well, interesting. I have a 2005 epiphone LP standard. It is a pretty guitar but sounds weak. The neck isn't as chunky as the gibson 60s slim taper. I didn't know this. When I went to upgrade to a gibson, I couldn't find a neck I liked and the store had so many to pull off the wall. I thought I was leaving the store with a guitar that day. At least I still had the money in my pocket. I was considering a chibson because it could be possible to ask for a custom neck profile. I would be interested if there is a tonal consideration to be made, such that, nothing will ever sound as good as a gibson, even with all the same gibson branded hardware. I know my 2005 epi isn't worth moding. So now I wonder if a chibson is right for me. Epiphone came out with a Matt Heafy Les Paul with a fantastic neck carve. I just don't know if the quality of the instrument makes it worth it?

[@IracesGarage]

Consider a Vintage V100PGM. It comes with the same pickups that I swapped into my Epu, better build quality than the Epi, and a 60s slim taper neck.

[@thomastucker5686]

@@IracesGarage I very much appreciate the recommend. 60s slim taper on Gibson is too chunky for my little hands. I have a Schecter solo ii blackjack that the neck is just small enough. It's still a little chunky, but not uncomfortably so, like Gibson. If Gibson ever intentionally makes a fast neck, moving towards Ibanez wizard necks, I will own one.

[@dancurtis461]

The main problem with Chibson is the difficulty ordering one without the name, logo & other markings. I bought a JP #2 and after changing hardware & electronics, it is absolutely smashing. It is much better than any epiphone in the shop. It cost me $250 + $500 in parts. I only wish it didn't have the name, logo & other markings.

[@IracesGarage]

Yeah, I feel the same way. It's why I covered the logo right away, but I'd rather it come with no logo at all. At least this one comes without a serial number, so it shouldn't actually fool anyone.