Help with choosing Les Pauls

Fortunate Sean wrote:

I keep trying to check out the catalogue on the site but its USELESS and the link keeps freezing up my computer whether I directly click it or save the file to my desktop, and since it doesn't offer too much help besides that its hard for me to check it out. I might have to take a trip a few towns over to a local dealer to check it out.

That is no fun!
try this link:
http://www.heritageguitar.com/models/H150CM.htm

you want a H150CM it is a classic LP
The 157 model is finished in black
There are only 4 now in production the CM, CM UGLY, CM Classic and the 157.
If the site wont come up for you, do a google, there are tons on the net for sale.

Fortunate Sean wrote:

Yeah I can get that part up, but I'm trying to find some prices for it on the site. Is that possible? Or do you have to go to dealers and see their pricing on it?



Well yeah I'm just comparing the standard vs. the custom, but I guess comparing it to studios might be the same thing because i know the studio just takes away the looks but keeps the sound, but it might just be the oppisite for customs where they have the same sound but inflate the price to make it look pretty, so I just wanted to know if anyone can confirm it, but I didn't even consider if the quality of the instrument is better if its standard vs. custom.

http://www.heritageguitar.com/dealers/qryDealer.asp
There are a few IL dealers, call em up and cut a deal.

Fortunate Sean wrote:

Yeah there is one right down the road from me. Any idea how much they should retail for? Its hard to take a bargaining stance if I have no idea how much they are worth in the first place.

I see new ones advertised anywhere from 900-1500. Ask the suggested retail, best price and then walk in with cash and take it down another 20%. You should do fine. Also ask what they have used.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=010&item=200011741254&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

check it out, nothing special, but great tone!

Dustin51 wrote:

Just a quick observation. How come no guitars or amps are ever sold at full price? Everything is always way discounted. Not that I'm complaining but it just seems that the deals are rarely ever deals they're just what they go for.

Anyone here ever bought something at list price?

not anymore. GC and MF and online dealers fixed that. It used to be, that you walk into the store and everything is MSRP. Well GC sells everything at near 35% off list, that is supposed to take the haggling out of the situation, (yeah right that's why I couldn't make a living selling guitars)

Essentially they want you to feel like you are getting a good deal and are warm and fuzzy inside about your purchase. That's why.

Pacomc79 wrote:

not anymore. GC and MF and online dealers fixed that. It used to be, that you walk into the store and everything is MSRP. Well GC sells everything at near 35% off list, that is supposed to take the haggling out of the situation, (yeah right that's why I couldn't make a living selling guitars)

Essentially they want you to feel like you are getting a good deal and are warm and fuzzy inside about your purchase. That's why.

Yeah, good point. I guess the internet and large dealers are the reason. Well, its good you dont have to haggle anymore but its a shame for small dealers. It's gotta be hard when you cant match the profit margins.

I got up at six in the morn' to go to a Guitar Center labor day or memorial day clearance sale -- got a Gibson Les Paul Studio for $700 and it's been rockin for 10 years now.... I may one day update the tuners to chrome, but it's been a workhorse...

On the other hand, I played a gazillion acoustics, researched 'em up and down and then finally bought a Martin D1 from Musicians Friend, better price than ordering through any guitar stores cause nobody had 'em, hadda pay to get it set up right (i get all nervous tweaking on guitars), but now it's been rockin ever since...

After starting with a used "West Paul" a few Kramers and a used strat, i'm an old man who likes that shiny new car smell on my guitars now. THEY'RE MINE!!! MINE MINE MINE!

Oops, thought I made a new thread hehe. I'm a 'tard.

Pacomc79 wrote:

not at all, they specialize, GC is wal-mart. Well ok, they struggle but they make it. The more people get into stuff the more they crave high end gear. Now GC has some expensive stuff sure, but it dosen't move in most of their locations because pro's don't want to buy a 8K guitar with a crack in the top or some 8 year olds prints. That, and the high end small stores carry more high end stuff even all high end and "vintage" (read cool stuff) for the most part in many of the stores I go to.

Now Gibson, has made a consious decision to screw over those small dealers, so until they decide to drop the ridiculous demands they are making, small dealers will no longer sell thier guitars. That's fine, especially when the majority of your sales are Suhr, Anderson, Mcinturff, PRS, and say Fender Custom Shop etc. etc. A lot of the guys that come in and buy one of those are trading in a Gibson or Fender what have you so stores always have plenty of used ones on the wall too, and they can always go to auctions, and EBay what have you to find units they can move. As long as people support thier local stores and buy maybe non mainstream if you want to call it Boutique gear fine, small shops will be ok, especially ones that do lots of lessons.

The amount of product GC, Walmart and Costco order dwarf the other guys, including Sweetwater, MF, etc...
GC in 2005 had 1.4 Billion in revenue, so they can afford to give the stuff away and still make a profit. Basically, the GC wholesale price is much lower then the next guy due to the amount they buy. So the next guy has no chance when it comes to a price vs price purchase. The little guy has to beat them on trade in value, customer service, hours and set up.

GC has settled more lawsuits out of court then you can shake a stick at!
GC has a class action suit in court now that they are probably not going to win! The case demonstrates many violations, check it out online at any lawyer site.

Walmart will not haggle, but Costco will and they sell the high end stuff

Gibson is just trying to hand cuff the small dealers because they can't order the amount of guitars they need to in order to compete with Gibson's best customers. It really is not a favortism thing, it is just business. Buy 10,000 guitars and Gibson will let you do what you want
I have no problem with the Gibson rules as a buyer, why?
Most people who are into Gibson high end know it is a competition to not only locate the good stuff, but to then get a good price on it. By not allowing the liitle guys to advertise I can call them up and find out what they have by sweet talking them. There is always something sleeping in a corner. Always something coming in. Most people are lazy!!!!!!
Things have changed, the globalization in the economy has changed the markets that have the cash to buy things like guitars. If Gibson didn't have rules, all the US guitars would be bought by the Japanese and you guys would have nothing to even look at.
I suggest you look at the bittersweet side to this and stop complaining, it is not going to go back to the old days, in fact it is going to get worse!

The smaller boutique builders will have the same restrictions soon enough. Some of these guys wont sell a guitar to you unless they get DNA first LOL

At the end of all of this you do have the option to buy used and if you really hate corporate America then buy used, but I have news for you, most companies are GOOD! Don't believe the hype.