I have bad news...

[msmith4432]

I don't have a problem with it if quality and quality control goes up significantly. However that is probably not going to be the case. Hopefully there would be some improvement for such significant increase.

[No_Direction]

PRS singlecuts and ESP eclipses anyone?

[0000]

For the same cost of a run-of-the-mill Gibson, I'd MUCH rather have a fully custom built guitar made exactly to my design and specs, such as an Electrical Guitar Company. Gibson has always been one of my favorite guitar builders and I've owned soooooo many Les Pauls and SG's over the years, but once I discovered EGC, I've basically abandoned playing all wooden instruments. I still have a vintage Les Paul Jr. Double Cut that i'll never part with though (even though it hardly gets played now)

[a.hun]

PRS singlecuts and ESP eclipses anyone?

Vintage Tokais anyone?


Andy.

[Gray]

That chrome guitar is just awful.

[OU818]

I am glad I took the punt on the Bacchus Duke series. Best damn Les Paul I have played.

Going to grab another one with humbuckers instead of P90s; brand new for a cool $1,100 AUD.

[Randy Bass]

Resale value of used Gibsons should start to creep upward. Good news for current Gibson owners!

[msmith4432]

That chrome guitar is just awful.

the whole aluminum guitar has yet to appeal to me, but obviously some people like it.

[msmith4432]

Resale value of used Gibsons should start to creep upward. Good news for current Gibson owners!

I own 3! I'm on easy street from here out

[megalithic]

PRS singlecuts and ESP eclipses anyone?

I kind of like the Eclipses, but I prefer flat backs and those aren't as common.

The Schecter Blackjack ATX Solo-II looks appealing.

I haven't tried either one though.

[0000]

That chrome guitar is just awful.

the whole aluminum guitar has yet to appeal to me, but obviously some people like it.

If you played one, you'd see. They make wooden neck guitars seems so dead and lifeless in tone.

IMO, aluminum is a much superior material to build guitars out of over wood. Structurally, it has the advantage of the neck never warping or going out of tune due to temperature changes. You can also get a much thinner/faster neck of equal thickness from headstock to body because they have been manufactured to a much more exact tolerance, and the neck doesn't have to be super fat around the body like wood since it doesn't flex.

Tonally, aluminum guitars have an increased resonance and sustain over wood, making them sound more alive, snappy and clear. Of course, they can also be brighter in tone, giving more high end, but they also can give way more lows than any wooden guitars... it's why they are favored by so many super heavy doom/metal/stoner rock bands.

They certainly have a distinct sound to them. It's pretty clear to hear in this video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBLlL18PNEA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ddjembe Mutombo]

My guess would be that this is an effort to raise quality control to "custom shop status"... or they are getting screwed by a new union contract.

I have a four early millennium Gibsons. Mine all play and sound great so I don't plan on buying any more.

[No_Direction]

PRS singlecuts and ESP eclipses anyone?

I kind of like the Eclipses, but I prefer flat backs and those aren't as common.

The Schecter Blackjack ATX Solo-II looks appealing.

I haven't tried either one though.

I've never checked out Schecter but looks pretty sweet.

I'm just sold on the reindeer blue Eclipses. Bought one of the limited run Gibson Les Paul Custom Lite's last year which is basically eclipse style dimensions. Maybe I should have just got an Eclipse (although, hey, maybe I might be able to sell it used for a profit and get one if Gibson goes through with the price rises)

[msmith4432]

That chrome guitar is just awful.

the whole aluminum guitar has yet to appeal to me, but obviously some people like it.

If you played one, you'd see. They make wooden neck guitars seems so dead and lifeless in tone.

IMO, aluminum is a much superior material to build guitars out of over wood. Structurally, it has the advantage of the neck never warping or going out of tune due to temperature changes. You can also get a much thinner/faster neck of equal thickness from headstock to body because they have been manufactured to a much more exact tolerance, and the neck doesn't have to be super fat around the body like wood since it doesn't flex.

Tonally, aluminum guitars have an increased resonance and sustain over wood, making them sound more alive, snappy and clear. Of course, they can also be brighter in tone, giving more high end, but they also can give way more lows than any wooden guitars... it's why they are favored by so many super heavy doom/metal/stoner rock bands.

They certainly have a distinct sound to them. It's pretty clear to hear in this video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBLlL18PNEA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They very we'll may play great, I would love to give one a try. I would have to be pretty blown away with it to ever actually go that direction

[Randy Bass]

It would be interesting to hear and feel how an aluminum guitar differs even though I would expect the sound to be further from the dark Les Paul sound that I prefer than the typical Strat.

I am very familiar with the shortcomings of aluminum from a structural standpoint, so I know better than to believe that it would never twist, even if it is a slight improvement over a wooden neck with a truss rod system. It probably wouldn't twist as far as wood before fracturing though, not that either situation is favorable. Aluminum is extremely vulnerable to fatigue and deflection in structural applications. I would worry about that as well as oxidation over the life of the instrument since salty sweat is a pretty common occupational hazard for the electric guitar. I would definitely want one with a healthy coat of paint over all aluminum surfaces in any event. Whatever they did to the SG looks amazing.