Gibson's Artist In Resdence did this

[Dave W]

Gibson Custom Shop James A. Willis Warhorse Les Paul

You have got to be kidding me. $28,915 for a deliberately rough, rustic "singular piece of art"? This is art? And this guy is an artist?

On the plus side, it's nearly $12K below list price and shipping is free!

[Granny Gremlin]

I am getting the distinct feeling that Gibson is no longer interested in making instruments that are going to be played.

It also takes some talent to take individual element I love (patina'd hardware; trapexe tailpieces and such) and make something truely tasteless with them.  Seriously, why with the faux (as in not being used as such) tailpiece mounted backwards?

[gearHed289]

It's ALMOST a good looking guitar. I don't know about the tailpiece thing, and the 9 year old that scribbled on the pickguard and pickup selector switch ring should be fired.

[dadagoboi]

 Wow, a FecesBurst!

[Rob]

Wow, a FecesBurst!

[Highlander]

Too many strings for my taste...

[FlatEric]

It's ALMOST a good looking guitar. I don't know about the tailpiece thing, and the 9 year old that scribbled on the pickguard and pickup selector switch ring should be fired.

. . . . . after he had been told to stand in the corner for the rest of the day!!

WHY?
We used to throw this around in the shop, back in the 70's.
"If Clapton walked in and you selected the worst piece of C#*p on the rack, he could still make it sing.
If you gave an average player, Clapton's guitar, he would still sound like an average player!!"

I know someone who payed quite a bit of money for an SRV Strat.
Plugged it in, it just sounded like him playing a Strat! No difference.
I think Gibsons Artist in Residence, needs a holiday/vacation/eye test!
Just my tuppence worth!!

[Rob]

. . . . . after he had been told to stand in the corner for the rest of the day!!

WHY?
We used to throw this around in the shop, back in the 70's.
"If Clapton walked in and you selected the worst piece of C#*p on the rack, he could still make it sing.
If you gave an average player, Clapton's guitar, he would still sound like an average player!!"

I know someone who payed quite a bit of money for an SRV Strat.
Plugged it in, it just sounded like him playing a Strat! No difference.
I think Gibsons Artist in Residence, needs a holiday/vacation/eye test!
Just my tuppence worth!!

AMEN

[gearHed289]

Yup. Reminds me of the old Ted Nugent/Ed Van Halen story - Ted thought Ed had some magic "black box" to get his tone, but when he tried Ed's guitar, it still sounded like Atrocious Theodosius.