If I wanted a Gibson Les Paul...

robgilmo

And wanted the cheapest one I could get second hand, preferably with binding on the body, what would I be looking for?

terada

If you aren't fussed about binding, you're looking at a tribute studio or junior model.

With binding, check out classics, trad pro IIs. Not sure if there are options with body binding but no neck binding (except the tributes where the maple cap can look a little like binding).

bloodandtears

vintage v100pgm lemon drop.. great guitar.. better than any gibson at that price point

crunchman

You could probably save a few hundred by getting one with a well repaired headstock break.

johnl

If it *had* to be a Gibson then cheapest with binding would be a secondhand classic or traditional which I've seen sell for around £900ish but these days tend to list around £1k+. The "tributes" have a reveal binding (i.e. the edge of the maple cap isn't painted / stained) which actually looks pretty good, those can be had for around £450ish.

If it doesn't have to say Gibson on it then Tokais / Grecos do pretty much the same job for a lot less.

Limehouse_Blues

johnl said:

If it *had* to be a Gibson then cheapest with binding would be a secondhand classic or traditional which I've seen sell for around £900ish but these days tend to list around £1k+. The "tributes" have a reveal binding (i.e. the edge of the maple cap isn't painted / stained) which actually looks pretty good, those can be had for around £450ish.

If it doesn't have to say Gibson on it then Tokais / Grecos do pretty much the same job for a lot less.

And Epiphone for even less, and probably with Gibson scribbled somewhere (perhaps on the truss rod cover)

johnl

Limehouse_Blues said:

johnl said:

If it *had* to be a Gibson then cheapest with binding would be a secondhand classic or traditional which I've seen sell for around £900ish but these days tend to list around £1k+. The "tributes" have a reveal binding (i.e. the edge of the maple cap isn't painted / stained) which actually looks pretty good, those can be had for around £450ish.

If it doesn't have to say Gibson on it then Tokais / Grecos do pretty much the same job for a lot less.

And Epiphone for even less, and probably with Gibson scribbled somewhere (perhaps on the truss rod cover)

True - if you can get past the headstock then Epiphone are making some fantastic guitars these days. Also Orville and Orville by Gibson are both very good but pricey these days.

robgilmo

I've got an Epi, it's my second one, brilliant guitars, but I'm thinking maybe selling what I've got and see if I can get a gibnee for what I get.  What are the studios like? I see them pop up for not a lot of money but I'd really like a bound Lp, I also see gold tops for not a lot too.

CMW335

crunchman said:

You could probably save a few hundred by getting one with a well repaired headstock break.

This is a good option if you can get a well repaired one  which stays in tune. I sold this 1989 Standard for £650 early this year.

robgilmo

That's gorgeous, I would be well happy with something like that, 

57Deluxe

or a Tokai Love Rock off Gumtree

CMW335

robgilmo said:

That's gorgeous, I would be well happy with something like that, 

It was a cracker and the buyer was very happy with it. I bought it from guy down south and it left intact but arrived with a head stock break. After insurance claim and repair I broke even selling for £650. Unfortunately I see a lot of people trying to sell guitars with head stock repairs for full price or a couple of hundred off but not sure they sell at that (May be a topic worthy of its own thread but probably been done already). Not everyone has a situation where there is an insurance claim to fall back in either. Anyway point is if you can locate one at the right price it may be worth a punt and prove to be a bargain.

thegummy

I've got a a Tribute and it's pretty underwhelming. 

It's not terrible now that I've changed a few things and had work done on it but considering it was nearly double what I paid for the bernie Marsden, it leaves a bit of a sour taste at how underwhelming it is.

Alvin

Brion James - Dan Reed Network, played an Epiphone Goldtop on the last tour , good enough for him.

johnl

What sort of budget did you have in mind?

TeleMaster

I’m selling my 90 Standard.

robgilmo

I should have 7 to 8 hundred if I sell the guitars I've got, so I'm really just testing the water to see what I can get for that kind of money.

robgilmo

Just out of curiosity, the Chinese epis, are they as good as the late Korean ones? 

roberty

CMW335 said:

robgilmo said:

That's gorgeous, I would be well happy with something like that, 

It was a cracker and the buyer was very happy with it. I bought it from guy down south and it left intact but arrived with a head stock break. After insurance claim and repair I broke even selling for £650. Unfortunately I see a lot of people trying to sell guitars with head stock repairs for full price or a couple of hundred off but not sure they sell at that (May be a topic worthy of its own thread but probably been done already). Not everyone has a situation where there is an insurance claim to fall back in either. Anyway point is if you can locate one at the right price it may be worth a punt and prove to be a bargain.

What sort of insurance was that mate?

roberty

robgilmo said:

I should have 7 to 8 hundred if I sell the guitars I've got, so I'm really just testing the water to see what I can get for that kind of money.

700-800 is sort of in between the used price points for unbound and bound Les Pauls

Freebird

CMW335 said: 

This is a good option if you can get a well repaired one  which stays in tune. I sold this 1989 Standard for £650 early this year.

What pickups did it have?