How To Inspect A USED Gibson Les Paul. Sharpen My Axe

[@PhillipMcKnight]

This is a new serieson the channel. I have few already recorded and ready to go. This one was in the top five most asked questions emailed to me this year.

[@smerglederf3494]

youre a wholesome fella, phil

[@allgrainbrewer10]

Awesome! Next up, Fender Stratocasters?

[@BloodwolfMusic]

Thank you!!

[@clemkelly2159]

The white knight of utube guitar.. shooting honest n stright.. As always.. thanks again !

[@asgerhatten3450]

Can u do PRS CU 24?

[@tricko2286]

Good tips ... but too many noobs are gonna be afraid to buy a LP. Binding cracks, etc are sometimes a part of a great LP purchase. I would suggest that all these “should haves” are the ideal. If you don’t have a truss today wrench, I wouldn’t make that a deal killer - in other words, don’t pass up a great LP because it has a couple small issues or you’ll miss out on a ton of great guitars.

[@BAMozzy69]

The best advice I could give when it comes to a Gibson Les Paul is to buy with your head and not with your heart. You can also tell a fake from the angle of the headstock too in some cases and if it seems like a really good deal, then be extremely cautious!!

[@andrewfrench9554]

There is a pawn shop in central Texas, close to my apartment, that is selling 2 Chibson Les Pauls. They’ve both been on the wall for well over a year. The number of mistakes on these guitars is staggering when you know what to look for.

[@shaunw9270]

Did you have to ID them as Chibsons or was the shop honest? A few years ago ,I was in a pawn shop in Great Yarmouth , England. They had what at first glance was a Gibson SG Standard on the wall for £350 ! Wow bargain ! On enquiry ,I was told it was "a quality replica made by a local luthier" . No , it was a Chibson and playing it I can say that it neither felt nor sounded like a real SG or a high quality replica . In fact I have played the cheapest Epiphone SG and that was awesome by comparison !

[@darrellmcdonald7883]

If you are still interested in them and they play well then offer a fair FAKE GIBSON price and enjoy them.

[@andrewfrench9554]

Shaun W I believe they were advertised as “Gibson Les Pauls”. But they had a $450 price tag. So I’m sure they knew they were fakes, they just didn’t want the title to affect potential sales.

[@stephendre2902]

Call them out

[@richardbinder9662]

If you ever get to Fort Worth, check out Competition Music on Lancaster. The owner is very honest and had a Chibson. One of the first I had seen in person. He said right away it was one . Great deals to bad on used guitars and amps. He doesn't hide anything. I have no affiliation except for a happy customer.

[@kevinsibley1202]

Loved this video presentation, as I do all your videos. Yes, "know your gear" with the knowledge of "why" things are supposed to be a certain way makes it easier to spot things that are not the way they are supposed to be and can therefore be red flagged for further investigation; especially when buying a used guitar. Excellent information as usual Phillip!

[@scarmyguitar]

I did not know all these tips! Your knowledge genuinely blows me away!

[@richardbinder9662]

Thanks Phillip, been around guitars for almost 50 years and my late, dear friend was a brilliant luthier who built guitars for Kiss. Mentored by Jimmy D' Aquisto and did repairs along with Jimmy for John Lennon, Earl Slick , and many others. Steve Carr , not to confused with the amp builder. He would be very impressed with your videos.

[@jesse1koda2]

I just bought a custom shop les paul from online I had them send me pics including one of the truss rod and emailed them to Gibson (before I bought), they were very helpful and gave info on that guitar, they were pretty confident it was original

[@ADAM_COLLECTS]

It’s as if you know what I’m currently looking out for Master McKnight. Please, keep up the good work and we will know our gear. You absolute champion.

[@stepvanjoe3469]

That has to be one of the best run -throughs on what to check for on Les Paul's as there were a couple of detail items that I am sure I would no doubt have overlooked i.e. the switch for one

[@vinnievidi1]

I’ve had an experience with many Gibson’s from around 2016-2018 where the serial isn’t pressed in well at all and nearly impossible to see without a UV light. I’ve even had this once on a custom shop. These were all purchased from big Gibson sellers (Sweetwater and GC).

[@robsgarage69xw]

I have a 2016 Les Paul Tribute that I bought new and the serial is almost impossible to see.

[@TheComedyGuitarGuy]

I mean, what can I say?! This is one of the most insightful and informative videos on KZbin. Excellent and really appreciated

[@lorenmars8181]

Perfect Episode. The nuts and bolts of KYG.

[@ScottJamesHicks]

I’d also like to add that maybe a Gibson is not a guitar to purchase is one needs a deep discount from a private seller with no reviews available. This had some really valuable information. Thank you.

[@shaunw9270]

If I ever find myself flush enough to buy another Les Paul , especially a used one , I'm going straight to Trogly . He's 100% transparent & upfront . Even though the shipping to the UK would be a bit costly ,I trust the guy and what he doesn't know about Gibson , frankly isn't worth knowing. Always got interesting & unusual Gibsons for not extortionate money 😉👍

[@bipbipletucha]

@@shaunw9270 yes! Austin (trogly) is THE BEST

[@shaunw9270]

@@bipbipletucha "Welcome back troglodytes .." 😉👍

[@Xaltar_]

Solid tips Phil, so many people don't know this stuff. I especially like that you mentioned the lacquer first, I have never found a (China) fake that has a lacquer finish so that is a very good first step in assuring you are not paying for a copy. I have over the years seen a few "fakes" with lacquer finishes but all of them were more "tribute" guitars built by luthiers rather than mass produced budget garbage, a fair number of them were actually nicer than the real deal, quality, finish, feel and tone. All of the half dozen or so of these I have seen started out with a different name on the headstock but someone decided to be cheeky and slap a Gibson headstock veneer on them. Peeling that off revealed the luthier's original markings so it may be good to also check if the headstock face plate has been tampered with, usually most evident under the truss rod cover. Honestly, I prefer a hand built custom to any factory made guitar.

[@chrisdaniel5004]

I know Gibson has had it’s fair issues throughout the years. Now I know what to look for. Thanks Phil...👍

[@zaz4667]

Awesome video. I didn't know most of those things. Some of that info obviously applies to other guitar brands also! Thanks Phil!

[@greggoldman]

My ears are following along about Les Pauls but my eyes are glued to the SG on the wall ... gorgeous implement of rock powah!

[@GregPentecost]

As always Phillip, awesome job! Thanks for the added bonus of the handout!

[@pskemster]

I believe the black light test could cover a large margin of painting issues,,also for any broken or repaired areas.

[@MrGuitars8]

I AM GLAD YOU SHOW THAT ABOUT PICKUPS , I Need to have mine checked out asap because of the sound,

[@luschu5487]

This is the first of your videos I have seen and it's excellent for inspecting many other kinds of guitars too. Now you have me checking out all my guitars. Thanks for an informative video.

[@perihelion7798]

Great advice, and a lot of it will apply to any guitar that you may be purchasing. Thanks!

[@OliverBooks]

Thanks for this Phil! I'm going to buy my first American LP at the end of the year, and was hoping to get it used, this is very helpful!

[@apokswitch6378]

Omg I love you and want to buy my new guitar from you! :). Open a shop again, please!

[@TestarossaMusicista]

Just as a note. The reason for the binding "misalignment" on the body is because the body the binding is applied, then the guitar is finished, then somebody comes in with a razor blade to shave the paint off the binding by hand before it's covered in clear. Due to this, there will almost always be a ledge where the binding meets the body.

[@andrewgrossman6066]

Not to mention a lot of cellulose binding shrinks over time, which will exaggerate any seams between the binding and binding ledge.

[@OldeDog_NewTricks]

I don’t have a lot of experience with Gibson. I finally got an LP standard after playing epiphone. The epiphone fit in finish was much more exact than the Gibson with the exception of the fret board. That’s to be expected since Gibson is supposed to have been Plek’d. So my point is that there is no discernible gap/misalignment between the binding and body on the Epiphones like the Gibson which shows that it is quite possible to have a perfectly smooth binding body transition.

[@MatthewPeskay]

Outstanding video. Thanks so much. Anyone thinking of buying a used Les Paul should watch!!!

[@Gizerwizard]

Wow thank you. Perfect timing, I'm buying my first Gibson this week

[@bipbipletucha]

Good luck :\

[@antma9028]

Get a epi.

[@paulsimmons5726]

My first Les Paul was a mid to later 70's Deluxe and two of the inlays were kinda peeling up at the edges... There weren't any copies or counterfeits back then just POS quality from Norlin... Great video that could be applied to more than just LP's. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience.

[@sartainja]

Superb video. Thank goodness that the world can share information now days.

[@Claimjumper55]

This is terrific. I'm keeping this file on my phone along with your other electric guitar inspection sheet.

[@ericwaters2400]

Thanks for the super helpful info. I love that goldtop, I had one just like it and sold it. I still regret it.

[@Steven_SK]

Great idea for a series! Really looking forward to it.. especially now the wife said no more new guitars... **chuckle**

[@gerritdodge3246]

Great info, and probably applicable to many guitars and sellers! Thank you.

[@Pennygrove]

I always wondered about the shallow slot! Top work Phil

[@elenbrandt290]

WOW! Fantastic and thorough advice - thanks Phil!!!

[@daleonov]

9:20 There are gibsons with more pieces of wood. I had an LPJ made of 4 pieces or so. So maybe it's common for cheaper models. Other than that, agree with everything. That's a good guide!

[@clarkewoodfin]

great video Phil, thanks. I just got a 2018 LP and mine had the cool "assembly bench" photo. I'm going to put mine in a small frame in my office. It's like a "birth photo" you get when your kids are born. :0

[@jeremywooldridge5537]

I ordered it on Reverb and crossed my fingers. Haha

[@rowenlampe7426]

how is it?

[@guillermorosario4578]

,😂

[@sidiox7857]

Can we have an update? 😂

[@jeremywooldridge5537]

Actually turned out to be pretty amazing. I've made quite a few purchases on reverb. Only had 1 bad experience so far.

[@TheMichaelseymour]

Local guitar seller .."what you doing ? " ....ah .......just sniffin guitars man

[@bipbipletucha]

Haha

[@artwizardsam3238]

Rob Chapman approves.

[@markham4041]

I'm at 48th & Baseline, in a house COVERED in scorpions. Those blacklight flashlights sure are handy! LOL

[@cortmiller]

I would also say that a good refret or nut replacement should not affect the value of the guitar whatsoever unless it is a dead mint vintage collectible. Otherwise, refrets (and they will usually do a new nut with this) are part of normal maintenance of any instrument that is being played frequently. If they didn't refret it , it will play like crap with frets that are too low.

[@danc3746]

The first thing I always look for is how the stings are aligned with the neck, secondly I check for chokes especially up the neck on the high E string. Then I check for nicks in the frets.

[@Tomtoms-tomtoms]

Great video. I love this channel. Philip is one of life’s good guys 🙏☘️☘️☘️

[@tauntonengine3]

I bought an 82 Les Paul custom new. Did not come with a truss rod wrench or any case candy back they. Just a little pamphlet in the chain saw case pocket.

[@tigersee535]

Sometimes fakes use a mahogany veneer on back of the guitar, but you can sometimes see how many pieces they actually used by looking and finding the seams along the bottom of the guitar (where the strap button is).

[@snowdevil7727]

There always seems to be some problem with a new, genuine Gibson. The nut was bad on my 1981 Flying V and one of the tuners was loose on my 2013 Les Paul. Never had a problem with a new ESP or Parker.

[@snowdevil7727]

Oh yeah, cracked pickup ring on my new Les Paul, too.

[@CesarAllGuitar]

Hi Phil! LP Standards 2015 have the frets over the binding, on top of the brass nut...thanks!

[@duanetalton755]

Great show. Thanks Phillip

[@leftyguitaristSE]

Great video Phil, these advices can be used when buying guitars from other brands to.

[@trentnichols5075]

Phill, Theirs only a handful of people that have done as much for the KZbin guitar 🎸 community as you & KYG. Eric Blackmon guitars, highline guitars, & of corse Josh of JHS pedals, are a few of the real stand outs. Even if your a old poop 💩 grandpa like me, who’s never stepping out of the “bedroom”, it’s still fresh & fun playing & tinkering thanks to all the knowledge you & others like you share with everyone. With my deepest gratitude 🙏🏻 God bless.

[@BirdRockin]

Thank you for the tips on what to look for and the downloadable checklist and all the links!

[@jettsom]

I'm smelling my Les Paul everyday! Goddamn that thing smells good!

[@doubletakevapes5076]

question. I have a Wolf brand lp I want to upgrade the pickups. My question is can I put the pick up covers from the wolf on the new upgraded pups? It came with gold hardware that I like and I dont want to replace with just black pups.

[@bellachi9575]

Thanks for the scorpion black light tip. We have those here in central Texas too! 😊

[@jerrywalaszek2473]

A regular flashlight works well around waterways and ponds lakes canals here in Florida for spotting Alligators which are everywhere their eyes will light up red.

[@darrellmcdonald7883]

Great info. I sold mine in 2018 and it had everything you stated.

[@TheDunateen77]

It's good that you are giving people a heads up on this Philip,I had a beautiful Fenix strat plus style guitar and I was only 15 and a guy convinced me to swap it for his les Paul special and it turned out to be a fake,I was really pissed and wish I could turn back the clock as it was a beautiful "strat" and I have never seen one since.respect.

[@davesegal2631]

Funny story my 2018 LP Traditional I bought used for a great price. Came with the Factory QC and picture. The switch was wired BACKWARDS. Yupp bridge gave you neck and vice versa. Took me a few weeks to figure out (bought it online from guitar center). So it sounded horrible of course until I figured out the switch. I rewired it and voila! it sounds amazing and I love it to death. Thank you crappy Gibson QC guy for missing that mistake, otherwise I would not have gotten my beautiful instrument at such a discount!

[@skeetschuler1859]

Thanks for the education Phil

[@javiermp81]

I bought a new Les Paul Standard 2010 from Guitar Center ten years ago and it didn’t come with the truss rod wrench...

[@chubenukkulz2]

Enjoy your hosting of StewMac vids. I'm a disabked Vet, experienced musician, as well as mod/repair guitar geek. Do you have any recommendations for how to start up a shop sourcing StewMac for tools & equipment? Thanks, Brother!

[@rokstar1112]

One of your best Phil. Thanks.

[@apuadofrancisco]

if it smells like Vanilla then its a legit Gibson Les Paul :D

[@zororosario]

Yeah I know what you mean puts a smile on my face when i open the case.

[@dw7704]

Counterfeiters running out to buy vanilla extract or scents

[@paulevans4334]

Another thing to look for is if the pots are squared / aligned with each other as on a chibson there not.

[@cortmiller]

I would say even on gibson custom shop guitars the finish at the bottom of the nut will be cracked along the edge of the nut. as long as there is no gap, wiggling, or loosness of the nut, I think this is just due to humidity changes/wood shrinking/expanding which cracks the hard laquer finish here and is not a big deal. I have had probably 20 custom shop gibsons over the years and that seems pretty common

[@christopherclarke3022]

Another point to look out for, (not mentioned Gibson) don't have slotted bridge posts.

[@LeonSanginiti]

Thank you so much! This was a great and super informative video, so well done! Looking forward to future videos and you have a new subscriber here, bravo!

[@markmassy]

I would also add that Gibson in the Norlin years did use 3 piece tops.

[@acapulcomustang]

Great video. I also use a volt meter to check pickups on every guitar I buy. I did not always do that live and learn :)

[@silvioschurig749]

I see Trogly do that in his videos but other than the pickup is a bit hotter or not - what does this tell you?

[@RezaKhan2024]

As usual extremely helpful. Thanks Phil.

[@geraldhills41]

The first thing I do is to listen to the guitar unplugged , unfortunately some Gibsons sound dead . I have played a few Gibsons and nothing will improve it i.e. new strings , change pick -ups , pick-up height setup . Don't let me put you off , a good Gibson is a fantastic instrument !

[@mwpv11]

Great advice as always Phil. Did you ever do a video on the Les Paul Traditional? They have so many models at least until recently that it was confusing.

[@The-11]

Great videos and a lot of this can be applied to SGs as well.

[@MikeLute]

Bought 3 Gibsons from major dealers in Germany 2008/2009 - none came with the trussrod tool ;-)

[@jjulch]

Better question... how much would defects alter the value?

[@shaunw9270]

I have a 2005 Gibson Les Paul which has that body binding anomaly . It's not noticeable until I point it out to people, it's very minor but I have wondered if anyone else had encountered this before . Now I know 😉👍

[@GearBoxTy]

Great content as always. I am the original owner of a 2013 Gibson Les Paul Signature "T". I had the nut replaced with a bone nut so my guitar should fail your nut test. I will check my documents but I don't think I have a picture of my guitar being Plek'd at the factory.

[@rolando3900]

Can you please make a inspection guide for Fender Stratocaster

[@thomasraven]

I just tried the black light trick on several of my guitars and the results were iffy. I believe you, Phil, but I think there are some urethane finishes that also glow green exactly like old Gibson laquer does. I have an Epi Iommi SG that glows a bit green just like my Gibson 335.

[@donaldfisher8556]

Fantastic video Phil. Much need guide. Thank you

[@reeread]

Thank you a great video and a really nice PDF

[@wiseguy9202]

I've personally noticed when finishing with nitro, it's extremely difficult to hide the binding feel as opposed to dozens of coats of poly. The poly seems to fill and thicken better creating that plastic smooth feel. I personally don't like the feel of poly but to each his own. I once tried sanding down a MIM Strat and realized I was just spinning my wheels. These poly coats come off by chipping sections of the finish away from the wood which leaves no evidence of paint. This tells me the poly doesn't adhere to the wood so much as encapsulate it.

[@Glicksman1]

Regarding vintage guitars that have been re-fretted. Any older guitar that is worth a damn has been played a lot and, accordingly, has been re-fretted at least once. One exception to this is my ’52 Tele which still has its original frets. They’re pretty low, but the guitar is still quite playable (sort of a “fretless wonder” Tele) and sounds like angels are singing. Other than that one, I’d say that virtually all, if not all, of the vintage guitars that I have purchased and sold had been re-fretted. If the re-fret was done professionally, it just doesn’t matter, and I never paid less or charged less if it was.

[@dbrogan2614]

Fret nibs don't appear on high performance models on 2016/2017 models also!

[@markrandle4368]

Phil, got a question, I have 2010 Traditional Pro LP from Guitar Center, after watching this video I didn't get a truss rod wrench. Was this only available on Standards, Customs?

[@richardbinder9662]

I know the question was directed at Philip, but all Gibsons, no matter what model should come with a truss rod wrench.

[@markrandle4368]

Richard Binder thanks.

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

Any advice on what to look for when buying a brand new Les Paul?

[@rustydodge6167]

Thank you PHIL! Great Knowledge to have🎸🎸🎸

[@nelic182]

How much would you pay for a 90s les paul standard with a repaired headstock (still plays great)

[@tiagobb1261]

How do you buy a used telecaster?

[@georgekarvouniaris1057]

Tried looking in your store for the shirt u have on but their is nothing in the store were can we get one plssssssssss

[@ja7941]

I have a question about the les Paul faded I have found them with more the two pieces of wood on the back is that still good or back everything else looks like Gibson and the head stock has 3pieces the only problem is I can't find any where where it says that model is made that way thanks

[@jerrymeeuwse859]

You probably already found this out but I watched a recent video of "The Process" a Gibson multi episode documentary and they showed how they glued "wings" on both sides of the head stock. They said it saved material and was more eco friendly. Personally, I won't own one made after 1984. Just sayin

[@drewmcduffie1778]

I had a local guy try to sell me a les Paul special. He said it was a custom. The only thing he did was put a les Paul custom truss rod cover on it. I told him he could keep his guitar.

[@maxf5711]

Great video and the PDF really helps, thank you.

[@waltberger7885]

Also always really check out the tuners on a used les paul. The vintage keystone style tuners can get very loose and youll find the guitar does not like to stay in tune. If thats the case that doesnt mean dont get the guitar, but know that you will need to get replacement tuners. They make direct drop ins and they are locking tuners, I have had to replace 3 sets on my early 90s Gibsons and these tuners work great. They are made by Gotoh.

[@waltberger7885]

Also ALWAYS !!! keep the old tuners. Put them away somewhere safe incase ya resell the guitar down the road. ;-)

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

I have a Gibson Flying V, and I know it's genuine, it came direct from Gibson. The serail number is tamped into the back of the head stock, but where the guitar has been sprayed, the number is almost illegible asn the paint/cellulose fills the indentations.

[@visionop8]

What if you have a 2008 Standard which ran from 2008 to 2012 I believe and they had the clear electronics compartment cover and you dont really see the potentiometers from the back

[@festushaggen2563]

Also a good guide on how to spot a Chibson.

[@TheGuitologist]

Some good tips here.

[@capitolemiproducer]

First thing to do with any L/P. Check the back of the headstock for cracks and or break

[@stephenhope7319]

My 17 year old son is playing a "seconds" 1977 LP STD and it is a beauty. It is owned by my guitarist but he is loaning it to my son. The LP is perfect, cannot find a "seconds" flaw. The value is high but my guitarist will not sell it to me!!! Sometimes those "seconds" have minor, or no flaws, just what they did in the 70's to sell them.

[@jerrymeeuwse859]

An inspector in finishing took a straight pin and put a tiny dot on the back of my Gibson Dove. Ok'ed it for finishing and sent it along. After it was finished and buffed he noticed this tiny dot on the back. It was now a 2nd. My mom got it for me with a brand new locking hard shell case, gold hardware for 600 bucks. Mom worked at gibson from 1962 to 1984. Fingerboard inspector.