Saw a mint 2015 USA Les Paul Jr. Stunning! And not in a good way.

My 2015 jr is my best guitar. The wide and flat neck is my favorite of the recent Gibsons. It was flawless other than stupid robot tuners

 

2015 neck is so much nicer than the more traditional sizes. For some reason, it just feels perfect to me. I do agree that it is fairly chunky in size.

 

This is 2017. There has been more written on line and elsewhere about Gibson's 2015 offerings than the complete works of William Shakespeare ten times over. Where have you been hiding AZ ?

The Junior to many was a disaster in many ways, but in the past two years it has had at least a few who liked it.

At least it came in the best HS case that Gibson provided for a Junior ever.

 

Gibsons president is a megalomaniac. I expect the hierarchy from the top down reflects this.
They range from good to bad at all price points.

 

I have had a Gordon Smith GS1 for 25 years which fills that Les Paul Junior hole in my life. But the opportunity arose to buy an amost new 2015 Junior at a ridiculously low price. It is not going anywhere, I love mine, will probably replace the brass nut at some point, and will remain open minded about the G-tech tuners, but love the way it plays and sounds.

 

Maybe, just maybe it was a genuine Chibson?

 

I don't like the 2015 "player" neck width. Some do. So not a sign of anything.

The finish on Gibsons is Nitro. In order to get a high-end gloss finish it takes quite some time.

In order to compete with imports Gibson has some low-end instruments that sell at competitive prices.

One compromise made to reach that price point in a quality American-made instrument is the satin finish, basically marginally sanded, not buffed or polished. It is a conscious decision. The guitars sound good and play well. To some of us, that's enough.

I've got some recent non-budget Gibsons and they are well-made and beautifully finished. I also have a '14 LPMM. It ain't pretty. It sounds great and plays easy.

I don't look at them much. I play them.

P.

 

Shoot Gibson an email, they'll ask for your serial number and ship you the titanium nut for free regardless if you're the original owner or not. I did mine as the brass nut was wearing exceptionally quick on mine.

 

I have/had:
2009 Les Paul Studio (humbuckers)
2010 LP Studio 50s Tribute (P90s)
2013(?) LP Studio 50s Tribute (P90s)
2014 Melody Maker (P90s) now sold

The fit, finish, and playability on all of these guitars is/was excellent. No finish problems on any of them. The 2013 Tribute is too heavy for me at 9 lbs, so I bought the 2010 Tribute, which is fully chambered and about 7.5 lbs, used. I keep meaning to sell the heavier one, but it plays and sounds so nice that I have a hard time doing it. The MM P90s were a bit on the bright side which I didn't care for so I sold it. Otherwise it was a great guitar - nice and light because of the thinner body.

I also have a 2007 J50 and a 2016 Hummingbird. Both of those have impeccable workmanship. I guess there are bad Gibsons out there, but I haven't come across any yet. Of all the above, the J50 and 2010 Tribute are the only ones I bought locally. All the rest were ordered sight unseen.

 

The 2015 Gibsons had a wider neck profile from what I've read. I think it has something to do with the Zero-Fret nut they used that year. I guess it would just depend on your hand size if you like it or not.

 

Every new Gibson I have seen since 2005 is FANTASTIC.Especially the cheap models are the best value guitars out there.I recently got a 2011 60s tribute and it's a killer guitar,a complete steal,fit and finish are exceptional.

The 2015 deluxe a friend has is also great.

 

$800 for an American-made, nitro, set neck guitar seems pretty reasonable to me.

Why did your friend buy if he didn't like the feature set? The neck Was advertised as wide. Not a flaw or a surprise.

 

I have bought several new gibsons over the last few years, and have been impressed with quality control-and some of them were scratch and dent! Get over the neck thing-it may not be what you prefer-but its a great neck.

 

I love my 2014 Les Paul melody maker and plan on getting a Les Paul Jr. in Mahogany, as far as finish and fret end polishing goes same as my Highway One Stratocaster, I can buy polish a lot cheaper than It cost to pay the rent and supply food stamps for my neighbor! You can carry on all you want about how much nicer the finish is on those imported guitars,compared to those shoddy low end American made guitars, but no matter how much that 10cent , or $1.00 an hour labor force polishes that imported guitar, it's still a turd and turds draw files.

If I was a flying v fan or had a wannabe shredder child , or my wife wasn't keeping such a close eye on my stash, I would run, not walk, right out an buy this, a Gibson Flying V Melody Maker for four bills, probably not polished enough for some people, but it drools rock & Roll
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Gibson/Melody-Maker-V-Solid-Body-Electric-Guitar-112905128.gc

 

Used the contact us facility on the Gibson Website, and as you predicted a new titanium nut is on it's way. Thanks.

 

I didn't come here to bash Gibson, but when I read the OP I thought about all the times I've seen USA-made Gibsons that I couldn't believe ever made it through QC. If they still have QC...

I'm talking about massive overspray in the most astonishing and obvious places, places where you don't have to look closely or even pick up the guitar to see. Bridge and tuning gear mount holes drilled offline. Over-applied lacquer. Necks that couldn't be set up or adjusted to play properly without ruining the guitar. Etcetera.

In fairness, I have seen good ones too. But what's weird about that to me is where you find them, sometimes in the middle of the price range.

Now, there are always gonna be duds out there but I can't believe what Gibson is currently putting out from Montana at these price points at the top of their line.