When someone gets the guitar of their dreams and looks as happy as a dog in a butchers shop only one remark will suffice: cheers m8 and big congratulations

The poker chip being left off actually has a purpose outside of laziness, with a Nitro finish, particularly satin, it can cause discoloration/glossiness under the plastic, particularly if it's been on a shelf/in a warehouse for some time before being sold. Leaving it off ensures a nice clean look for those that want it off and a quick and easy installation for those that prefer having it on. The fretboard/neck joint is a fairly classic example of Gibson's QC issues these days, at least it isn't an issue that effects the playability.

Nice vid John, Hard decision in which to keep , So I would Keep both ,you only live once ,

I think it looks great and sounds even better John. I found the longer you have it in your hands the more you'll love it. She's a beauty !

Hey John, welcome back to the ranks mate! Welcome again to the Gibson Les Paul family. Last year, I bought a Gibson Les Paul Studio in Tangerine Burst, new (2021) and I love it. I love the sound of it. I used to argue against them saying they are way overpriced and go with Fender.. But you know what, I have come to the conclusion of that old addage, "You Get What You Pay For". The Gibsons IMO, just feels better and my Les Paul Studio packs a wallop! It needs to be said! Great pickups (the 490R in the neck and the 498T in the bridge. great feel. Now I am debating whether to get this one or a Gibson Les Paul Classic! Sure the gibsons are pricey, and you may be licking your wounds spending all that money, but one has to pull the trigger, bite the bullet (and chew the bullet, LOL) and say what the heck, and get one. I don't regret buying it one bit, and you shouldn't either. I am financing mine. I also got a Gibson SG '61 Standard (2022). Love this one too. Congratulations on your purchase mate. Enjoy.

Congrats, from the sounds in think you've got a winner, love the tones looking forward to the full review.

That looks great! Good for you, John!

Congrats John, sounds Great!!! I have a Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus(with Burstbucker Pros, coil tapping & out of phase capability) love that guitar, but what I like about your guitar is that it is super practable & with the satin finish, it makes it so much easier to play in hot weather, & trust me, it gets VERY HOT gigging down here in SW Florida!!! Be safe my friend, Rock On & God Bless!!!

I’ve got the Les Paul Junior DC tribute and it had its build issues too, wonky bridge posts (haven’t moved in 2 years though) a dodgy pot and sharp frets. Still my favourite guitar, loads of mojo, sounds like a beast. It’s like having a problem child who’s actually your favourite.

Congratulations John - have fun!

Congratulations on the new Gibson John! I too am in the market for my first Gibson and feel like I am going mad trying to decide on which one to get, my budget will take me up to the Les Paul Classic but I'm not sure I want to spend that much.

That Les Paul has a lovely tone. The neck has obviously dried in a tad causing the fretboard to stand proud, I doubt it left the factory like that.

I bought a LP Special Tribute P-90 later in 2021 on a sale price. It came setup right, with very good QC, gorgeous flamed mahogany two piece slab, even a bit of flame on the maple neck, and sustains forever. My fretboard/neck seam is immaculate, no lip or glue showing. They threw in that Gibson hard frame gig bag, mine is brown, probably less headstock breaks using them as the neck rest has some give to it. Very happy Gibson customer on this purchase. I bet you'll choose to keep the Revstar though.

I want to echo what most said in the comments here. That lip is unacceptable for a grand especially when other brands at this price very very rarely have an issue like this. Its up to you of course John if you want to send it back or simply ignore it, but personally I would send it back and ask for a replacement since you are not exactly buying a lunch fromm Greggs with that kind of money. Take care John thank you for the great content you do!

Nice guitar. I picked up a tribute with P90s a few years ago and you can't fault it. It's weight relieved which I think makes it resonate more. With more playing, the top starts to shine around the edges and volume controls where it gets more contacr. I decided to buff up the whole top with T Cut car polish and it truly transforms the top. It doesn't make it like a proper gloss nitro finish but it makes the satin top really shine nicely.

Congrats John! I bought a 1984 (maybe 85) LP, new back in the day. My 1st electric guitar (and only at the time). I ended up selling it a couple of years later to pay the bills. I didn't get another guitar until a couple of years ago to give playing another go (at 63).

Thank you SO MUCH for unboxing the guitar in fast mode. Worst part of any review is when they unbox it like it's an exotic dancer! 🤣

i agree 100% with the things you said about Resonance. I have a 2018 Les Paul tribute, they are weight relief chambered and ring out like a hollow body guitar. My 2006 Studio is a solid mahogany beast (weighs 12 lbs) and it resonates like crazy....if you bend the string and let go and let it pop back into place, it vibrates like crazy

I had a les Paul black beauty in the 80s and the binding was awful up the neck. Great guitar though ! But how they can put a guitar out with defects at the price they charge is beyond me. But at the end of the day it’s the les Paul sound and none of the Paul’s I’ve owned have ever disappointed me . It’s a sound to die for !

Very very nice guitar - Well done Video - John

I've got that same line between the neck binding and the neck wood on my 2000 custom. I don't notice it when playing either. My 1979 The Paul is unbound and basically satin finished. I have to agree it feels nicer to play the satin finish but the walnut makes it a boat anchor, no weight relief there!

UPDATE: I've now had my Tribute in Satin Honeyburst for a couple of weeks, and I am NOT disappointed. i absolutely love it!!! Best guitar deal out there for the money IMHO.

The moment it came out of the box and into your hands, it seemed so vividly like there was an immediate and palpable connection.. With the tax deduction, it's an even more unbelievable value for the money. BTW, I have long loved the sound of the Gibson 490 series hum buckers (to my ears a more appealing tone than the Burstbuckers). My Tribute was shipped out to me yesterday. I haven't even had it in my hands yet, and I already feel an incredible connection.

I've had a few Gibson LPs over the years. All of them were very good.... Then I bought a Tokai (Japanese) Love Rock Custom in white from a shop in Skipton, for a price I couldn't ignore. It's simply stunning in every way. From fit and finish to sound, to playability, I don't think I've ever played a finer guitar.

Congratulations on the Tribute, John. Your initial delight is palpable. Really looking forward to the full review! The Revstars look nice but don't offer the tonal variety between the pickups as they lack half the tone stack of the Gibson. Although I have serious GAS for an SG with Gibson on the headstock, this series is very much on my radar and in fact I shall be trying both out in the Newcastle stores this very week coming as I have some time off work at last. Whatever my choice ends up being I shall be having the 50's wiring put in as I want that extra dynamic control from the instrument as I'm not a big pedal user. Maybe a boost or an overdrive into a nice valve amp (yet to be determined, the Marshall Valvestate 100 I have from the 90's is way too loud for home). Perfect for me getting my blooze on.

Send it back, John!

I think you need to check out Eastmans. I acquired a T486GB (ES-335 a-like) a couple of months back... absolutely stunning. It knocks the spots off any 335 I've owned and Eastman's SB59 would be an interesting comparison. Prices are rising now but still fabulous and handbuilt too.

30 years! Just like that.. Congratulations and thanks for the great content John 👍 I think you're going to keep the Revstar. Poor quality control with the neck issue or maybe it didn't leave the factory like that as some have suggested. Probably worth sending it back to be honest or at least contacting the place you bought it from. On the fence with this purchase..🤔 Yeah, I'm sure it's a nice player and sounds great but I can't help feel a bit underwhelmed by the bare bones look compared to the offerings higher up the Gibson price range. Of course they're more expensive.. Yeah, I think you'll keep the Revstar..

Have to say it looks and sounds great....30 years in the business so why not!

I got the tribute LP in honeyburst after a really good experience with the SG tribute I figured the LP would be a good option. Ordered from Peach Guitars who won't ship anything out the door unless it's perfect, and my tribute LP is superb. No lip on the neck and the fretwork is excellent, no sharp edges, very smooth. String action insanely low and all fittings are good. In comparison to my 22 year old standard it is right up there for playability and sound, and whilst sonically there are some slight differences make no mistake this is a gutsy growling Les Paul and it delivers a gorgeous vintage sound through my Laney Super Cub 12. The controls aren't as smooth as my standard, that is true, but they work fine. The neck is very fast and very playable. I think Gibson have done a great job with the tribute series. Wish they fitted the poker chip at the factory, that is a faff, I had to leave off the internal washer to get enough clearance on the post. Anyway I am loving the guitar, and yes I know we all pay extra for the name but hey, there is is just something about a Gibson Les Paul cranked up through a tube amp! Thanks for review.

I've got a couple of Tributes, Honeyburst with Humbuckers and Tobacco burst with P90s - both good 'working' guitars that I don't have to fret over (no pun intended) in terms of dings, scratches etc for the cost. They do clean up nicely for jazz tones as their namesake intended. The padded case that came with the Honeyburst gives more than enough protection for it to travel safely in an aircraft hold.

Congrats on a fine guitar !!

I have the 2017 model of this guitar. Exactly the same except that it had a mahogany neck back then. Whether that makes any difference I don't know, and care even less. But in five years the price has almost doubled--I paid less than 600 quid for mine. The only problem I have had was that after a while some of the fingerboard inlays started lifting to the extent it became virtually unplayable. In 30+ years I have never come across this with any other guitar I have had. But thanks to a Stewmac video I found on YT I was able to fix it. Now it plays fine and I really like those Alnico II pickups.

I have a Honeyburst 2018 model with mahogany neck and no issues with the fretboard/neck join, but a 2013 SG 50’s Tribute I used to own, had exactly the same issue. Almost looked like they had finished the neck after covering the fretboard edges with masking tape, and when peeled off, it left a lip. As you say, does not affect playability but it shouldn’t be there. I love the Les Paul, by the way, great choice.

The pokerchip installed from the factory, I reckon, probably incurs a 300 quid surcharge, knowing Gibson....🤣 Happy 30th guitarversary John! Sounds really good, very "bitey"...themaple neck as well as the maple cap to blame, allegedly, I presume...

Very nice vid. Sounds really good doesn't it?

Nice gitbox John enjoy it. I grabbed me a SG Tribute and it's a full quid I tell ya!

I’m already looking forward to the Revstar vs. Tribute, Sampson and Goliath comparison. I was very tempted by the honey burst Tribute but ultimately decided on a P90 Revstar, which hopefully will arrive in a couple of weeks.

I’ve got that exact guitar & it’s so resonant because of the chambering like the revstar

Looking forward to the Revstar and Les Paul comparison!!

Looking at the neck on my unbound Gibson studio and my bound Gibson standard. That lip your referring to seems to be the space for the neck binding. My standard LP is pretty much flush having the neck binding but the lip is there on my studio. I never noticed it until now to be honest.

Played same at big box store in my area as soon as it arrived. 100% loved it. Everything was spot on. Now, that said, my 2008 LP Studio owns me. The BB pups I'm more in love with. But, it is still in the shipping box I was going to send it in for a buyer I renigged on a few days ago. What to do...

Nice one John, well deserved mate

From Long Island, you ROCK! 🫠🫠🫡🫡. Love your channel.

Love it!

That lip wouldn't bother me. It sounds great. If everything else feels right I'd keep it. It looks great also and it seems to inspire you.

Congrats on the very tidy Tribute John. Its sounds like it should do (wonderful). The lip? You're a player, not a collector. Some would even say it makes it your guitar. I prefer the simpler un-blingy satin finish too.

Got one studio tribute and like the basic look and the sound is Great. The one complaint I got is that the fret ends were a little ruff but that is a minor issiue wich one can quite easily fix by your self.. another plus is that you don't have to be so extremely careful with it. Got my eyes on a revstar now.

Funny - I sold my Gibson Tribute to buy the Sire 7 after your video on the guitars you were going to keep. However when I got the Sire, I fould the neck less playable than a Yamaha Pacifica so I sent it back and was going to get the Revstar based on another video. Now I'm waiting to see the outcome of the Tribute vs Revstar! One thing for certain though, there's nothing like a new guitar day!

Look forward to which o. Enough keep.

I know all about the "itch". I sold my '72 Fender Strat and '84 Gibson LP Standard when I moved countries 22 years ago. I have some technically better guitars in my stable today but it just isn't the same. Those were the first guitars I really saved for, over a year of putting a little away each month, more than 2 years in total of saving for both. Nothing I have owned since lives up to the rose colored memory of either of them. I picked up an LP standard at a music store a while back and had a noodle on it, it just didn't feel the same and I couldn't justify the expense when my LP style copy at home played, felt and sounded better (heavily modified by a brilliant Luthier). For about a month after trying it out I kept thinking of going back and pulling the trigger. Fortunately it had some blemishes (floor model) and QC issues that helped me walk away. Music shops here very seldom have Gibson's in stock, usually it's a "by order" deal. The floor model I tried was ordered by a customer that ended up changing their mind. I also thought about picking up a Tribute from Thomann but I don't like buying sight unseen, I prefer to try before I buy and get a feel for exactly which one I want. Maybe next time I go to Germany I will visit Thomann in person and finally scratch that itch :) Enjoy your backscratcher John, treat her right ;)

I don't know what year your Tribute is, but I recently bought a "used" honeyburst Les Paul Tribute 2017 that is for all intents and purposes, brand new. It is not of course, up to my 2000 LP Classic or my 1991 LP Studio, but as a less expensive alternative, it is great. It is great in all respects but one ............... Gibson's QC on the fret ends was terrible! A lot of them were poorly finished and actually quite sharp. I had to do a good bit of smoothing and polishing on them, and they are still not what I would call great, but now the neck is fairly playable. I hope Gibson did a better job on the frets on your guitar! On the positive side again, the fretboard and neck edges on mine are mated perfectly, and there is no "lip" to see or feel. Enjoy it, my friend. After 30 years, you DESERVE a real Gibson! I'm not a snob either, but I can honestly say that the imitations just can't match up to the real Gibsons. Maybe I'm prejudiced since I bought my first one, a '62 SG Special, back in 1972, and Gibsons have spoiled me ever since.

I've had a few Gibsons, but the first one I got was a $440cad, almost brand new 2106 Studio T Goldtop. I liked it, but it was fairly poorly made for a Gibson. The frets were sharper than some bread knives I've used and the finish was pretty much cheap spray paint, and the back was really thick dark brown paint and looked totally cheap. Played and sounded amazing. I tried to sell but after a few mo the of little interest I traded it in(got $830 credit) on new Gibson LP standard 60s AAA in Iced tea burst. Really beautiful guitar, perfectly made. I own other guitars, but aside from my Telecaster Ultra, nothing to me is like playing a Les Paul.

Technically the factory flaw makes the guitar a B stock item and that should be reflected in the price. I would definitely consider sending it back.

The maple neck is cool. The Seventies’ Pauls had maple necks and the low end seems to punch very well. I had three with maple necks, two Standards and a Custom as well as a mahogany necked Heritage 80. Zak Wylde and John Sykes prefer like their maple neck Customs.

I am not a big name nerd, so I would settle for the Revstar for the pull pot feature and its price point, although the finish on the LP body looks really nice.

She's a beauty, yet I detect a tiny touch of disappointment at that lip weirding up the neck. It's going to be interesting days ahead with the full review and the comparison with the Revstar. Mind you, she sounds rich and powerful, just like a Les Paul should!

The guitar sounds amazing, I think though I would be a bit miffed if after spending a grand on an instrument it there was any kind of imperfection about it. I'm thinking that when you talk about whether to keep it or the Revstar then maybe it should be the Revstar. For me the lip on the neck would always niggle me a little bit but the Revstar just seems to shine with quality, they'll always be another Gibson out there if you get the itch again.

I really enjoy playing my honeyburst tribute. One thing i'm wondering, what does yours smell like? Mine smells like freshly baked cookies, i also had someone ask me the question if i was baking cookies when they walked in the room. My bfg smells like vanilla, my deluxe smells like solvent. Got me curious to know what yours smells like. Hope youll enjoy it and have a lot of fun with it

Gibson are really good instruments. I don’t care what the competition say. My les Paul classic is to die for.

I've got the same fingerboard/neck join feature. Visibly it looks fine and you can feel it ,but its not noticeable when you play. The pots on mine needed a clean because they were crackly but apart from that its a terrific ax. I actually prefer it to a Standard Gold top that I had and the new Gibson/Epiphone USA casino model I have now. I love the tribute. Bought it on sale at a third the price of the Standard.

Hi John, one thing is surely better..a maple neck will not break as fast as a mahogany neck, when it would fall down.. LOL. Like the tone and view. Greets from Belgium

Next week, please tell us what the ohms of the pickups are. OK. Thanks John.🤠😎😍🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

That is Nice and a beauty too

Looks mighty fine

You've got to think that if at some point you do want to sell the Gibson, then that fingerboard lip might deter a buyer or devalue the price. It would me, so I'd exchange it!

Very nice guitar, I always thought about a American made Fender , but again the old argument does the name on the head-stock matter ? Resale value definitely ! There was a video you did comparing guitars, with the same wood material Alder etc , to the name brands, and you did that also with pick-ups, that was interesting, so now with a name brand , if you were to do a blind sound test which one would you choose that would be a great video,

Went mad and bought a Gibson LP standard 2017, it a great sounding guitar, looks good but after a couple of years the fret inlays have started to pop up on the 7th and 9th which is really disappointing considering the price !

Got one a month ago - neck is the same at join. Fretboard was very dry - a good dose of lemon oil has improved the issue. My son’s Tribute is the same but he hadn’t noticed particularly until I mentioned it. Make well smooth out when played in?

Zakk prefers the maple neck on his customs. The only gloss neck to ever bother me was Gibsons gloss nitro, very sticky when temps and humidity rose.

Thanks John. A very nice guitar, and certainly the way to go if you simply have to have a USA Les Paul. The Revstar is, as you say, also a very attractive proposition, and , for me anyway, the P90 version looks like a likely purchase at some point. I have the Epi 1960 Les Paul Tribute, which scratches that particular LP itch for me, lol🤘

I just scratched the same itch. I got the LP Classic, couple of 100 quid more than the Tribute. The Classic has a binding, and burst buckers, and a mahogany neck I think, it also has trick pots, with push/pull for different pickup combinations, a feature I know after the 1st day I get it, I'll never use again. I know this is daft, but the lack of a binding is what put me off the Tribute, and the finish looks a bit thin. Mine was £1600 from Thomann, which is about £300 cheaper than I could see in the UK. The last time I looked seriously at a US made Les Paul, was the worn finish Studio's from the mid 2000, and the same things put me off that. Anyway, cherry axe dude, Fenders nearly all have Maple necks and that's never been am issue, I love my Maple neck, Maple finger board Tele, only wish my Strat had a Maple finger board too, I love the look of them.

If it was perfect john it wouldn't be a Gibson, I have to say that this is probably your most happiest unboxing/review I've seen you do, your excitement was hard to suppress.

The first Gibson Les Paul I ever got was a white Studio signed by Steve Jones after the Pistols played their comeback gig at Finsbury Park in 1996. Also the Mike Ness (Social Distortion) tribute has a maple neck and that guitar is about 7 and a half grand so obviously maple ain't necessarily a cheap option.

I have a 2016 Gibson Les Paul studio with the same ridge that joins fingerboard to the neck. I would have thought they're quality control would have improved with their new management

The fret board "lip" on a sub £300 or less cheap guitar I could live with but forking out £999 on a made in USA Gibson I'd expect near perfection.

After your Epiphone SG vs Yamaha Revstar tussle was won by the Revstar - quite surprised by the Gibson LP purchase! Personally I preferred the sound of the Epi SG over the Revstar (not by much!!) - but the Revstar has more versatility because of the dry switch that puts you into single coil-ish territory. To my ears the Tribute LP sounds a bit more snappy and dynamic (slightly more unruly - in a good way - perhaps?) compared to a Standard Les Paul. I'd be very interested to see the Revstar vs LP video and see which guitar remains on Teesside! If you decide to keep the LP - I'd query about that "lip" issue. I don't think that is acceptable on a thousand pound guitar....

Nice!

That guitar has a growl to it,comparable to my brother's $4,000 (CDN funds) Les Paul and trust me his Jimmy Page type one doesn't have that.But then again John like him you'd make a mop with a piece of string sound amazing, Congrats on both your newest acquisitions!

I have owned a lot of Gibson and other makes of Les Pauls and I currently have 4 in my collection, a 2021 Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s, 2021 Epiphone Les Paul Custom, 2011 Gibson Les Paul Tribute, 1990 Orville by Gibson Les Paul Standard. I really like all of these guitars but I have to say that my Tribute looks and feels like a really cheap guitar compared to the other three! I love the sound of it, as it has P90s and as you mentioned with yours, the modern weight relief is great when playing it unplugged as it feels 'alive' when it is strummed and it is loud acoustically. BUT, almost everything about the guitar is made to keep both the material and labour costs low! My tribute has a mahogany neck and I am suspicious as to why they now use maple necks, so I can only assume it's because maple is cheaper than mahogany! The satin finish needs less coats of lacquer and buffing than a gloss finish, so that is a cost cutting exercise, the lack of binding is also less labour intensive and even not installing the poker chip can save a few minutes labour per guitar but times this by hundreds of guitars per week and it all begins to mount up! I think that they use 2 piece mahogany backs now and my 2011 Honeyburst Tribute has a light back and I can clearly see that it is a 2 piece back but previous to this I had a Goldtop tribute and that also had a light back, but that was made out of 5 different pieces of wood - from about 2012 on they started to use a dark stain on the backs of all the Tribute models and I can only conclude that it was to disguise the multi-piece backs! Don't get me wrong, I really like my Tribute even though it looks and feels cheap, it plays and sounds great and the actual guitar is much better than the sum of it's parts ...but lets be honest, if these guitars were made by any other far eastern guitar manufacturer then I don't think that anybody would be prepared to pay more than say £350 - £400:00 for them, we only pay £1K because it is the correct shape, made in the USA and says 'Gibson' on the headstock! I would also be very wary of that fingerboard gap too! The neck itself has a light coating of nitro to protect it slightly against any effects of humidity but the rosewood fingerboard is uncoated, and if it begins to dry out over time it may begin to shrink which will inevitably mean that the gap will will increase! I have never played a Yamaha Revstar but I do own both a Yamaha SG1000 and a Yamaha SA2200 and they are both 'top drawer' when it comes to build quality, so if the Revstar is built anything like those 2 then I would personally stick with that over the Tribute!

A Gretsch G5220 might make a good video. Looks like an LP but is much brighter sounding almost single coil or Rickenbacker but not quite so jt's own thing. It would probably suit a traditional Tele player that wanted to try something a bit LP. Sensible price and top finish.

I had to buy a poker chip for my Larry Carlton.from Amazon.👍

Sell them both and get the Revstar standard?

my son has the 50s tribute model from 2014 i think and that has the same line that you can feel and see. its rediculous how much the price has gone up. i think i paid £550.00 from dv247 for his one.

I bought one of those 2 years ago with dot inlays .The neck looked very basic in the finish and the fretboard too.Just didn't bond with it and it never stayed in tune either

I bought this same guitar on friday. Hasn't arrived yet.

For me the neck and fingerboard issue would be an automatic return unless they knocked off 100 bucks. Any guitar that's over 1000 bucks better be in working order with no craftsman defects. The main reason being, when you go to sell it, you will take the hit because of it.

John sell the Gibson and the Revstar and buy the more expensive P90 Revstar 😎👌🍺

Zakk Wylde's custom Les Paul signature has a Maple neck.

Its a nice Gibson guitar, as others, I am debating my self if I get this tribute or spend double for a Standard...I am not a professional player, I just play for my self...I think this tribute fill the gap but...the Gibson LP standard...its a symbol isn't it?

John, I tried playing along with you on my Gold top Larry Carlton (Not plugged in) You lost me when you went all fast shit 🤣😂 Have to say the sustain lasted longer on my Larry Carlton.

The used prices of these have gone up a bit, but a few years ago you could get em for $800 or less. Its a steal since its like a standard minus binding n gloss. Those two things aint worth a grand.

On my tribute the strings had NO wraps around tuning post .Is this laziness from Gibson ?

guy~ greetings. bretahtaking vlog!farewell- 😌

New love john ?

👍🏻👍🏻

I have 2 Gibson Les Paul studios, a 2015 and a 2007. Both really good guitars, but the 2007 is better. Luck of the draw I think. But the 2015 has classic 57s in it which are my favorite. Cheers

I think it’s a great guitar. The things that bug me about Gibsons don’t exist here. So I love a satin finish particularly on the neck. Lighter weight and not a huge neck. All big pluses for me

It's funny how magnetic that name on the headstock is don't you think? A few sentences you spoke sounded as though you where talking yourself into liking this guitar to me...

I have a Gibson SG Tribute. It had extremely bad tuners. I recently replaced them with Grover's.