Gibson Les Paul Custom... or is it a Chibson? Regardless, it's getting a Setup and some Upgrades!

[@whyis45stillalive]

Hey! That's the same serial number, as my "57 Black Beauty" HHH with a "Chigsby". That I got, in September. 🤣🤣 My potentiometers were full sized. It has a micarta fingerboard. My frets were all proud. Really proud. They stood up 1.8mm-2mm! Super jumbo +. Took me hours to cut them down. I just put Epi Probuckers, in the neck, and bridge. A P94, in the middle. All 50s wiring. 3-way isn't changed. N-NB-B 4 Bourns push/pulls (p/p). (3 volume, 1 master tone.) As follows: 1. Neck volume p/p is, neck & bridge split coil. 2. Neck tone p/p (now middle colume) is, middle 'on' 'off'. (Wired direct. Skipping the switch.) 3. Bridge volume p/p is, series/parallel for neck, and bridge. 4. Bridge tone p/p is, phase switch for middle. The last two months I've rewired it four times. Can't find what I like. I hope this is the last time. (I didn't have the Probuckers, or the P94 the first two times.) I swapped in a Guyker roller bridge. A Kaish roller nut. D'Addario PW auto trim machine heads. Finally, added some thumb bleeders because, I'm a masochist. I stuffed every cavity full of cooper tape. Had nothing better to do, whilst waiting for Amazon... Not enough Chibson "Black Beauty" videos, on KZbin. Especially HHH. (Or now, in my case, HP94H.) 😂

[@blakjack3053]

An acquaintance of mine gave me a Chibson LP standard as a gift 2 months ago. I swapped the cheapo Chinese pickups for a Gibson Burstbucker Pro pickup in the bridge and a Gibson 490R in the neck. After a set up and a bit of minor fret work It sounds and plays virtually identical to my Gibson LP standard that has the same bridge pickup!

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

That can be nice with a little work

[@paulallas7665]

Absolutely a Chibson. Binding on the headstock a dead giveaway.

[@flouisbailey]

Great delivery and excellent skills, my father was a watch repairman and jeweler. I grew up with proper tools and was taught to use them.

[@WalkenDead]

one thing when I saw the serial #, it looks like a standard Gibson USA serial, Custom Shop serials are different.

[@larrynoe6162]

It’s not a Custom shop it’s a Custom, they are two different guitars.

[@thatdiyguyraymondmonk1225]

Hard to find the videos to watch in order… the chipsons should be in a playlist so we can find them all!

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

good idea

[@jessehoward6160]

The edge of the "G" in the headstock logo should point down the neck not out towards the 3 way switch......that also has a "metric" bridge, lack of fret nibs ( this doesn't exclude it entirely as you are likely to often find a lack of nibs on guitars that have had a refret) and if you open up the electronics cavity on any chibson you will find the did the router work with some kind of small woodland animal

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Usually a gopher does the routing on Chibsons

[@heres2ya]

EXCELLENT video. what i can understand is why people buy them guitars at a price close to $400 dollars, then they buy all new parts for it, pay someone to install the parts, and make it playable. to have then invested over $1200.00+ in a cheap chipson, that's still worth maybe $300 dollars. you actually can buy a really good used Les Paul for that same money spent on a cheap chipson.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

I think you are better off buying a nice Epiphone Les Paul and the upgrading pickup or tuners- you would also need less service work. Probably only cost about $800 total.

[@qua7771]

Yeah, you can never be sure what the body, and neck are made of, or if the wood was dried properly on a Chibson. I wouldn't want to put money into it. There are better Asian options. Even when I get a Gibson I put my favorite pickups in it. I'm not a fan of Gibson pickups.

[@JohnVieto]

Giveaway is usually the size of the diamond in the headstock. The Gibson one looks bigger and fuller somehow.

[@sbrave]

Small diamond on the headstock is the Chibson giveaway. Cheap wiring too.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Absolutely

[@michaelshields6585]

The binding transition from the neck to the headstock, around the nut, is a disaster.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

yup

[@ryant3600]

I've seen so many people freak out over Chibsons and how people can't tell the real from the fakes and so they're being bought and then sold as real. I never understood how anyone could mistake these for the real. So many tells just at a glance. The horn shape is wrong, the bridge is wrong, no nibs, the nut, the truss rod cover is wrong and screws are usually not centered correctly, the diamond is a dead giveaway. Also the headstock isn't as pronounced as it should be as well as the binding around it. And only gold screws around the pups would be the adjustment screws, the ring screws are black on the read ones. And I believe the headstock logo on the real ones are a bit more slanted. Now all that out of the way, I do own a Chibson custom and there is absolutely NO denying that its a Chibson. But, I got it 8 years ago cause I was curious, and I knew it would need a lot of work, and I was wanting to learn how to solder in pups and do that kind of upgrade work and my only other guitar i had at the time was an Ibanez RG that I already paid 200.00 for a pro to upgrade it, set it up etc. So, I thought I can order a 200 guitar, learn how to do it myself so going forward I won't have to pay someone that much to do it. I learned a lot w/ it. And I still play it a lot. The build isn't bad the paint jobs/stain etc isn't bad on these.. it's the hardware and electronics that suck. But once you upgrade those, They pretty good guitars for a lot less. I guess nowadays you can request from the seller to have the headstock logo customized or not at all. I don't recall that being an option or knowing of it being one when I ordered mine. If I ever get another, it will have my own headstock logo for sure.

[@SirSpags]

100% agreed. Like comparing apples and oranges!

[@willd2225]

Is it an 01 or a 16 produced on the 171st day?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Fake number, either way...lol

[@rockerrick21]

Slotted pins on bridge guaranty counterfeit. Change internals with epiphone pick ups and wiring harness with push pull pots and plug in, 30.00 then it’s good to go.

[@whyis45stillalive]

There isn't much about a Chibson that is actually in spec with the real deals. That is intentional. Take for instance the potentiometer placement. There is more space, between the two volume knobs than between the tone knobs. Every Chibson I've ever seen is like this. Why? Perhaps it harkens back to days when they were worried about Gibson copyright? The only thing a Chibson has in common, with either Gibson, or Epiphone is; Epiphone also uses "fake" Grovers. Everything else is off just a bit. Gibson licensed the Grover name, in the late 70s. They've been farming out production ever since. The lowest bidder gets to make "Grovers", for Epiphone... Until their contract expires. Epiphone guitars have been made, in China since, 97. Just like Kluson before them, Grover is nothing, but a name. Kluson just so happened to be the most economical bid, Gibson got, to make tuners, in the 50s. If another company would have bid less, they would be the "Holy Grail" today. Kluson went out of business, in 81. WD Music has owned the name since 94. WD has "revitalized" Kluson. In other words, they're taking advantage of Boomers. Granted, today's Klusons are better quality than 50s Klusons. There's no way they're worth up to $240. When Grover "milk bottles" are only $79 a set. If you want a good machine head get; (in alphabetical order) Hipshot, Schaller, Sperzel, or Waverly. They are all still produced, in their country of origin, to high standards. I'm partial to D'Addario PW auto trim machine heads. They aren't as expensive as, the others. (Because, they're made, in Taiwan.)😂 They're much better than the "fake" Grovers that they replaced, on my Chibson.

[@rockerrick21]

@ while everything said is true. All I can tell you having a 2000 cherry sunburst lp standard that I paid 2500 in 2000, there is negligible difference. Certainly not 4750 or 9750 worth of those differences. I will pick up the Chibson most times. The real one is good for a rainy day when I need to sell one. Gibson is nice some times, but many professionals have ditched them due to quality control problems. A big reason that they have lost many to PRS, Ibanez, Jackson, Hamers, and ESP. I’m not loyal to people that don’t care one bit about me.

[@whyis45stillalive]

@ I’d never buy a Gibson. I’m one of those frugal Boomers.

[@wolfgangrittner6637]

I just got one and its beautiful and sounds amazing! Coll video to learn what to look out for without raging on China or Chibson! lol

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@wolfgangrittner6637 thanks- no need to rage LOL

[@wolfgangrittner6637]

@@ManotickGuitarTech I got that vibe from you. A good guy.

[@HearGear]

Look at the binding on the headstock, its going under the fretboard, Gibson would never do that..

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Correct

[@flouisbailey]

Have you looked at an IYV to compare to a Chibson? They don’t hold them out as real LP but a budget guitar.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

I will check them.out

[@willd2225]

Another huge sign of a Chibson is there are no custom shop markings or medallions

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Thanks for the info

[@Murphy_R9]

I knew that was a chibson immediately from looking at the bridge and the inlays being cheap mother of toilet seat and not real MOP. From a distance these guitars are very deceptive but once close IF you know Gibson's you can easily tell.

[@larrynoe6162]

It’s a Custom not from the Custom shop, two different guitars. Still fake.

[@bobmanners8624]

It has all the tell tale signs of a counterfit right off.

[@SixStrRzr]

Pickup mounting ring screws would be black on a true Gibson - not gold. You see chrome or gold ring screws on Epi's and imports, I believe.

[@OddTimeMan]

That's the thing that always stands out to me the most. I think black pickup ring screws looks so much better.

[@Murphy_R9]

Aren't "Wilkinson" pickups are the same Inexpensive MIC pu's like the ones in the guitar originally.

[@ParagonGarage]

I had one of these paid $209 to my door it was junk i traded it and another guitar for a Burny Les Paul Custom, man sm i impressed with the Burny its a 10 the chibson was a 1

[@allancopland1768]

Chibson for certain.

[@tony_dms350]

I’ve got a chibson standard from 2010 I’ve put on a set of 59s SD pickups and a tga guitar works 50s wiring! Also an abr1 style gotoh bridge and a tusk nut! Needless to say that she puts down authentic Gibsons by far!

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

That's great- I think they are good for mods and upgrades

[@DJTGOAT]

No.

[@matthewjones5450]

one look at the bridge post tell you all you need to know about that junk

[@WalkenDead]

I'd go ahead and change the nut, I mean with all the other work get a graphite or bone one. By the end of all that work, he's in it for a top of the line Epi. The pots, if they are USA style LP will have to be drilled, maybe the tuners too. The Chibsons are based on Epiphones, which use metric, if you buy things for a Gibson that is standard.

[@larrynoe6162]

Everyone saying something about Custom Shop. There is a difference between a Custom and A Custom Shop. Most Customs have the split diamond on headstock.. A Custom Shop could be like a reissue of Greeny and will have CS in serial number but all Customs do not have CS in serial number. Research before to flame me.

[@CurieBohr]

Biggest red flag was the missing ebony fretboard

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Ebony looks real good

[@qua7771]

The wide pickup rigs are a dead give away. Chinese built guitars always seem to have them. I never seen standard sized rings on a Chinese guitar.

[@bukwok]

the series number and made in usa stamp so clean and sharp, i never seem a gibson series number that perfectly clean and sharp, a real gibson usually the paint and laque sink in make series number little uneven and less sharp,sometimes the paint too thick,make it hard to read the number, and the whole guitar paint finish looks not right,looks use different type of laque or something, so i guess not a real gibson.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

The serial is too sharp for a real Gibson, I agree...

[@catdaddy57]

The serial number stamp on the back of the headstock Is also etched too deep and clean.... fake

[@prelovedguitarsni1436]

You missed the 2 glaringly obvius fake red flags, the serial on the back of the headstock should be stamped in rather than engraved & the fretboard on that guitar is rosewood, no Custom ever had a rosewood fretboard, it should be ebony, or at worst Richlite.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

There were lots of obvious differences

[@chucklee347]

I hear all the time no fret knibs horns a little off. Well Gibson has several different models with no fret knibs and many different horn shapes thru the years. I had a 76 Les paul that I could have picked a lock with the horn. But yes there are many other tell tale signs.

[@jimwoodard64]

From the second the case opened, I could list several things that screamed "fake" from the wrong Gibson Font and placement to the truss rod cover being too big to the case being a fake (even if it was Gibson USA), to the inlays being toilet seat not abalone, to missing nibs... I didn't even need to see past the 2nd fret. This is a really poor attempt at fooling someone, but hey, it would fool someone who had never played or seen any number of Gibson Les Paul Customs of any era.

[@heftosprod]

Two seconds will reveal a Chibson

[@ricklynn6176]

Didn’t even have to open the case before I knew it was fake lol case isn’t good quality at all. Then everything that followed well, we all already know lol

[@rodnyg7952]

it's a Chinese knockoff guitar. Worked on enough to know

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Yup, it is pretty easy to tell - the owner said as much when he dropped it off. Just want to point on some obvious things to people who might not know... keep the comments coming. Thanks.

[@psa10hunter94]

Chibson

[@ShaneSG]

It would just take one look at the headstock and the binding where the nut is and that’s enough to know it ain’t a Gibson. I get you need content and wanted to show up all the parts that show it to not be real Gibson , all people need to do is look at the nut and where the headstock binding ends and that’s always at the nut and never extends to the first fret beyond the nut. The same thing applies to a Standard with no headstock binding , the nut is always a dead giveaway

[@markiannetta4198]

For the money he spent on the guitar and the up grades,he could have bought a decent guitar

[@Ebbrush3]

those tuners are gropers

[@michaelcosta7235]

You can tell a knockoff solely by the open book cut. They never get it right.

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

Never perfect...you are right

[@patrickshannon4516]

Yeah it's not a Les Paul but they did a good job of faking it that's actually pretty awesome.

[@BillyJoefromMtVernonMo]

a real Gibson would have a gold jack plate

[@larryburwell8550]

well your buddy knew what he was getting or got screwed big time. id not want this guitar for free

[@AllSpace]

its not a Chibson, its a Chisel it

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

LOL

[@leokimvideo]

Love it, guy buys a $200 Chibson, spends $$$$ to make it into a better Chibson that's still worth nothing. Should have just bought a Gibson from the start

[@rockerrick21]

@@leokimvideo I spent 37.00 on epi pickups and a bone nut and set up myself. You Gibson devotees don’t listen to others well… because you’re too busy trying, trying to be right. Have a financial interest? I own both, do you?

[@musicmnw1982]

Chibson Less Pall

[@SirSpags]

wow? look at the 13th fret wire at high E. it comes up short and doesn't go into binding like all the others? very poor craftsmanship. hopefully all your upgrades will make it play worthy.

[@kotymccallister5150]

that's 100% a chibson

[@BootleggerPhil]

What I don't get is why all these "My Chibson is better than your Gibson!! folk, HAVE, I repeat, HAVE to have the fake Gibson logo, left up there, on the headstock, intact? Seriously, where's the logic?

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

A chibson will never be as good as a quality Gibson- people just like to spend less money. I prefer modding a nice Epiphone for a better cost effective. result

[@TracyFClark]

If it hasn't had a broken headstock repair it's not a real Gibson. 🤣

[@ManotickGuitarTech]

@@TracyFClark so true- lol

[@bradt.3555]

Bridge screws, pickup ring screws, super gloss finish, binding too white, that's just first quick glance. Buddy of mine brought one too me once n I would';t work on it. Still won;t work on them. People need to have some ethics, it's stolen property, simple. They are wrong plain n simple.Change the headstock shape then it's just whether or not you want a Chinese guitar, at least it's legal.

[@intoit1074]

First 3 seconds of the video I could tell it’s fake. The diamonds on the headstock are too small and gave it away.. then the truss rod cover is wrong, the logo…ect