Diving into a Gibson Les Paul guitar especially in the higher models is to spend a surmountable amount of money just to own one. However that all change when Gibson released guitars for 2017 that includes a less expensive US made Les Paul, the Gibson M2. This attempt of Gibson to reach a broader audience so far has received mix reviews from players and Gibson purist out there on what the guitar is really capable of that still remains to be seen in years to come.
The main debate right now is in its own boarders on whether to buy a Gibson M2 over a guitar made by its sub-brand Epiphone, the Epiphone Les Paul Standard or Les Paul LP-100 which is a good sounding and playable guitar in the same price range. This actually opened up more questions than answers, to suggest that it is best decided by preference alone.
Affiliate Disclosure
constantinecruz.com is a participant of Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. It is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide websites a means to earn money by advertising products by linking to Amazon.com.
This post contains paid links: If visitors of the site uses the links to buy items. “As an Amazon Associates I earn from qualifying purchases” at no extra cost to you. Learn more
- Single cutaway body is carved out in poplar with a nitrocellulose lacquer finish protected by a scratch plate
- Slim tapered set-neck is made of maple top by a 22 medium fret rosewood fingerboard
- Set of mini-button tuners
- Chrome finish Adjustable wrap-around bridge
- Pro-bucker Humbucker pick-ups on the neck and bridge controlled by a 3-way toggle switch, a master volume and tone knob
Body and Neck: Gibson M2 single cutaway body is carved out in poplar with a nitrocellulose lacquer finish protected by a scratch plate. Poplar replaces mahogany as tonewood, a wood not normally seen on a Gibson. It could actually work to some players by giving them a different tonal characteristic to the sound, yet to others may not be the kind of sound they looking for on a tonewood.
The slim tapered set-neck is made of maple top by a 22 medium fret rosewood fingerboard. Maple neck and rosewood fingerboard is a nice combination to add a warm roomy feel to the sound, and a good alternative to the mahogany/rosewood neck that again Gibson guitar normally uses.
Pick-ups: Generating the creamy clean and fat overdriven sound of the guitar are pair of Pro-bucker Humbucker pick-ups installed on the neck and bridge controlled by a 3-way toggle switch for selecting pick-ups, a master volume and tone knob.
Hardware: Chrome finish Adjustable wrap-around bridge works well with the Mini-button tuners on holding the strings in place, while keeping it in tune and for a steady intonation.
Final Thoughts: Gibson M2 definitely focuses on a simpler overall design to keep the cost down. As well when looking at the materials used especially the body wood were Gibson substituted mahogany for poplar as its main tonewood, which brings to mention another guitar with the same concept for comparison, the Gibson Les Paul Jr that has a mahogany body, but lacks on the pick-ups for having only a single P90 pick-up placed on the bridge.
The selling point of the Gibson M2 aside from it being an easy guitar to play, is on its name recognition backed with a long standing history of excellence in making guitars.
Related Topic: