I wanted a Warmoth, I will take a gibson?

[Bruno]

I wanted to assemble a Warmoth.
An SG model.
Well, I'm doing some budget: the Warmoth cost more than a Gibson SG (and moreover, without case and gibson brand - future resale - ).
What would you do?
Mahognay body and neck ebony finish, SD or Suhr pups.

(I trust to your honesty and intelligence, even though we are on the unofficial forum of Warmoth)
Thanks

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

With Gibsons reputation at this time, I would go with Warmoth.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

I like dogpiling as much as the next guy, but all Gibsons aren't horrible.  I wouldn't buy one sight unseen.  Find a good one you like and have played, why not?  There's no play before you buy with W, but they do have a return policy and warranty.

 

[swarfrat]

There's no play before you buy with W, but they do have a return policy and warranty.

Yes, but that doesn't include "I finally got it put together months later and it just doesn't have the magic I was looking for."  Warmoth is great, but if an off the shelf production guitar has exactly what you want, AND you can play it, AND you like it - it's kind of a no brainer. I went Warmoth because of the difficulty finding exactly what I wanted.

 

[AutoBat]

Checking on Sweet Water's page, Gibson SG's range from $600 to $4,895.  Depending on what you want, building from Warmoth could be more, could be less, could be a wash.

 

[Kostas]

If you want a Warmoth exactly like a Gibson buy a Gibson because you can't make an exact copy. If you want just the SG look and to make your own version you can do it with Warmoth. I have a Gibson SG and I like it. It's veeery easy to play and it has the classic Gibson sound. Not so versatile as my Warmoth guitars but I don't mind that. Gibson SG's start from low prices. Visit a store and play some, I always thought they are cool & simple guitars.

 

[richship]

If it is a Gibson, make sure you buy in person and examine every bit of it before you buy. Their quality control sucks, but some nice ones make it through.

 

[Bruno]

We are saying the same thing  :icon_thumright:
What surprised me (a little...) is that wanting to create a Warmoth Gibson SG Standard replica, Warmoth is the more expensive.
If I want a strat type with same SG wood and pickup (but with tremolo), it is more expensive.

I have assembled a Suhr Reb B. Warmoth replica: for me is even better than the original (and costs considerably less)  :hello2:
Idem I think if you want a strat mark knopfler replica or Eric Clapton o SRV ecc.

Gibson SG standard only exception to this **rule**
Everything here, no controversy!

 

[elfro89]

We are saying the same thing  :icon_thumright:
What surprised me (a little...) is that wanting to create a Warmoth Gibson SG Standard replica, Warmoth is the more expensive.
If I want a strat type with same SG wood and pickup (but with tremolo), it is more expensive.

I have assembled a Suhr Reb B. Warmoth replica: for me is even better than the original (and costs considerably less)  :hello2:
Idem I think if you want a strat mark knopfler replica or Eric Clapton o SRV ecc.

Gibson SG standard only exception to this **rule**
Everything here, no controversy!

i remember weighing up why I should get a warmoth strat instead of a fender one. and what done it for me was the price, a £1000 warmoth, kicks the crap out of a £1000 fender, and its totally custom...


*cough* and has an earvana nut  :laughing7:

 

[riverbluff]

Gibson at the moment seems to have a negative rep...  But I just don't see it.  I have a Gibson LP that I love, have had for 20 years and will never get rid of, and every Gibson I have played recently have been really good.  If their quality was as bad as everyone says, they they wouldn't be in business anymore.

However with all that being said, I would highly recommend a Warmoth if the pocket allows.  The quality is superb and you won't be disappointed.

 

[elfro89]

Gibson at the moment seems to have a negative rep...  But I just don't see it.  I have a Gibson LP that I love, have had for 20 years and will never get rid of, and every Gibson I have played recently have been really good.  If their quality was as bad as everyone says, they they wouldn't be in business anymore.

However with all that being said, I would highly recommend a Warmoth if the pocket allows.  The quality is superb and you won't be disappointed.

I hear you man, but I've seen really bad wiring, and all sorts of flaws with high end model gibsons that should just not be there, whether its down to lazyness or them trying to maximise the production and spend less time on them I don't know, but you can certainly see the difference between the old and new ussually. Sure a few good ones make it out of the production line, but a guitar tech friend of mine says whenever he gets Gibson guitars through its almost always wired poorly with some nut imperfections. To be frank, if im paying £2000 for a guitar, I want every chord to intonate properly and you normally don't see it on high end gibsons where as you do on other companies guitars.

 

[Bruno]

Gibson at the moment seems to have a negative rep... 

Voices around often by who want to sell a old gibson  or who does not want/can buy a new one  :icon_biggrin: :icon_biggrin: :icon_biggrin: :icon_biggrin:

 

[AGWAN]

I hate Gibson as much as the next sane human being.

But I'd still say take it one on one. if THAT guitar seems good to you. then buy it.

The bulk of Gibsons I tried out I hated. makes me less willing to try them in the future.

but the dirt cheap Epiphone SG was totally fine. I liked it quite a lot.

I'd buy it and mod it.

Just make sure you like what you get. whatever it is.

 

[Disco Scottie]

We are saying the same thing  :icon_thumright:
What surprised me (a little...) is that wanting to create a Warmoth Gibson SG Standard replica, Warmoth is the more expensive.
If I want a strat type with same SG wood and pickup (but with tremolo), it is more expensive.

I have assembled a Suhr Reb B. Warmoth replica: for me is even better than the original (and costs considerably less)  :hello2:
Idem I think if you want a strat mark knopfler replica or Eric Clapton o SRV ecc.

Gibson SG standard only exception to this **rule**
Everything here, no controversy!

As AutoBot mentioned, prices for a Gibson SG are all over the map. If you've found one that's on the lower end, and you dig it, then get it. If it's one of their pricey models, you'd have the same scenario as the Suhr replica.

I tend to be a Gibby basher, but that's my personal preference. Plenty of players love 'em. Go with what works for YOU.

 

[drewfx]

Personally I've never been good at discerning an individual's Gibson bashing motivation from amongst the following categories:

A. Overpriced.
B. Quality control.
C. Quality control inappropriate for the price level.
D. Weird/ugly design choices on new models.
E. Henry in general.
F. All of the above

My experience with (somewhat older) Gibsons is that they are very nice, though overpriced to varying degrees. I haven't messed with too many recent Gibsons (and they seemed fine to me on very casual inspection), but quality control issues in general can be all over the map from minor and correctable (which I probably wouldn't worry too much about on a lower end model) to serious, unacceptable and hard to fix.

Having said all of this, I'd certainly buy a Gibson if I saw another good one I liked at a reasonable price.

 

[Disco Scottie]

I'm a PRS fanboy, so that's where a lot of my Gibby dislike comes from. I think it's ridiculous that in 2011, a company the size of Gibson is charging what they are for their product, and you have to individually inspect them to find one with no issues. Every single PRS I've picked up has been as great as the last, their QC is killer. I've bought a number of them sight-unseen online, never had a problem. You just can't do that with Gibson. If they could fix that, I'd look at them much more favorably.

However, no amount of QC can make this right:

Certainly the biggest "WTF?" to come from a major manufacturer in a long time.

 

[AGWAN]

Thats the most beautiful Guitar I have ever seen in my life.


















there isn't a human on earth who would say that.

 

[jackthehack]

Again, depends on which SG model you're talking about; while there are usually some really cheap SG models, the standard one runs US $1199 from most discount guitar stores: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson-SG-Standard-Electric-Guitar-100085509-i1149261.gc

The cost of those parts without finishing would be about $864; either of the 2 available finishes for that Gibson model - Black or Heritage Cherry are relatively easy to do yourself to save some money.

If you could go with either the black or white SG bodies in the Showcase and order the neck painted to match, you're looking around $1081, which is still less than the Gibson.

Unless you're talking an actual vintage instrument, Gibson SG's don't hold their resale value particularly well due to all the "down model" variants available for cheap.

 

[jay4321]

I built my Warmoth LP because I wanted a 25.5" scale LP, plus a few particular features I was interested in. Custom is very much a high risk/reward proposition

 

[Bruno]

I live in Italy.
If I buy from the USA I have to pay VAT and duty (about 25%) .
So a gibson SG standard coast 920euro, a  Warmoth replica 1100euro (as a minimum...).
But in addition, I have to assemble it (or pay a luthier to do it..).

Do you understand now why it is more convenient a Gibson SG for me?
920euro vs 1100euro...