Gibson Sonex 180 Deluxe

It had all of the basics when I bought it, two humbuckers, basic Les Paul wiring set up. Tune-O-Matic bridge. This thing has the resonwood body, which I'm sure was part of Gibson's effort to bring a guitar to the entry level market. The original owner, a high school kid in the early 80s, put tape all over it and then spray painted it ala Van Halen. But they also put some nice Schaller tuners on it, and a brass nut. I've since refinished it a couple of times, with the latest redo resulting in a red finish for the body and headstock, with natural wood finish on the back of the headstock and neck. A custom pick guard, relocating the pick up switch up above the rhythm pickup where it belongs. I tapped the rhythm pick up and added a Kahler as well. Still has the zebra pickups, which I'm very happy with.

I've loved the sound for the 20+ years I've owned it. I find it to provide a good mix of a Les Paul and a Strat. I have a strat and a good friend has an LP standard. The coil tap is a must. (The 180 Custom is the same guitar with a coil tap from the factory.) It can be fat, or provide great tone on leads, and if you hit the coil tap, you get that great ZZ Top Gibson blues tone. I like to play Rock and Blues mostly, such as Rush, Foo Fighters, Zep, AC/DC (Great after a hard day!) and SRV, Muddy, BB, Buddy Guy etc. However, I don't like that when I turn the volume down on the rhythm pickup, the tone seems to turn down as well. I would like to turn the volume down and still get all of the brightness with simply less gain.

Don't know about the factory. I bought it from a non-playing friend who bought from the aforementioned EVH wannabe. It had no action, because I bought it in pieces. Never did get that little wire that holds the bridge pieces in. I've found this guitar to set up easily, and stay that way. I simply don't need to change a thing, unless I change string guage, in which case the bridge needs adjustment for proper tuning. This is the case on any guitar though. The frets are starting to wear, so they are getting low. The nut isn't glued in, so it falls out when you change strings. I don't address this because I don't want to take the chance of altering the tone. The original pick guard screws were a bit shaky. The neck is slightly twisted, but in a way that eases playability, kind of like the Twister guitar. I can get the action as low as I want. I play a lot of blues though, so I don't set it shredder low. When reading these comments, remember that this was an entry level guitar, with economy of manufacture in mind - bolt on neck, pick guard mounted electronics, resonwood. My rating is absolute though, regardless of price. I have never played any guitar anywhere that stays in tune as well as this one. It can sit for weeks, and you pick it up, and once the strings are warm, its in tune.

This guitar can take a beating. The hardware on mine is very good, but it isn't original. My finish is Krylon, and seems to be doing well, but its nothing like a real finish. Right now, some of my rewiring needs to be rewired. After that I wouldn't hesitate to gig with it.

N/A

This was my first real guitar, which I bought at 18. I'm now going on 38. Everyone should keep their first real guitar. When you're older, you will be glad you did. If this were stolen or lost, I would buy another on e-bay, and make the same modifications to it. I may still do that, in a similar design, but different color scheme. I love the playability. I've played Les Pauls, and ES-335s and I don't like them as much. I have a Fat Strat, which gets equal playing time now with Blues, leaving the Sonex for more straight ahead rock. My long time amp has been a Silvertone 1483 overdriven with an old Standel mixer amp, with two Radio Shack L-Pads in series for a power smoke. Now its a Tubeworks 7050, and for headphone jamming, a Genesis 1. My best friend has had a Sonex 180 Custom for about the same time. He bought his new, and its been just as reliable. He hasn't done one thing to it, and it keeps on playing. Mine stays in tune better though, which I attribute to the brass nut and Schallers.

I purchased my BLACK Sonex180 Delux in late '82. It was made in '81 and sat in Palings Music, Wollongong (Australia) for about a year before I lay-by'd it.
Made in the USA, it had a paint blemish, so I haggled it from $599AUS to $510AUD.
Standard set-up, for an electric of that price range, i.e. 22frets, twin Humbuckers.
It came with a large solid brown hard case with Gibson Guitar Co. logo, i.e. large version of trademark on headstock.

This instrument was perfect for the driving Punk/New Wave music it eventually created, in a band called the Mutated Noddys. Initially it was used through a Fender Super Twin, which was balls-out, powerful with minimal effects - a real hit-you-in-the-guts affair. Later, it was put through a 280W "Wasp" stack, which is a bit like an Aussie/Kiwi HiWatt, and master-volumed to produce a slicing, trebly scream on barre-chords, and clanging, crashing open chords. Having said that, clear, undistorted sounds were a Vol knob away. A DOD Compressor was used at this stage.

The action and feel were supoerlative enough that this was the guitar I was going to save for, even if it meant doing without other things. Couldn't stay away from the shop, until I got to finally buy it a yaer later. Love it.
The finish was very low-budget, cheaply painted, crap screws, etc.
The pickup selector lasted about 2-3 years, easily replaced.
No real gripes, as it was obviously a more affordable model.

Yes,Yes,Yes. 200+ gigs and 21 years later, it's stilll going strong.
Ironically, this is a much-loved instrument that has really earned it's stripes. Thrown around on stage, bled on, sweated on severely, taken to Papua New Guinea for 2 years, and it's still going strong!
Have fitted strap-locks, used at many,many gigs without back-up.
Excessive barre-chords have worn a track through the paint down the back of the neck, which makes it even sweeter to play....

Never had to chase anything up, so no data.

As mentioned above, this instrument has given service well above and beyond the call of duty, and continues to do so, some two decades later. Despite the bolt-on neck, the "Resonwood" body sustains well.
I've made records with the guitar, and it shone through beautifully in the mix, each time. Even delicate sounds are possible, which is all part of the Sonex180's versatility.

1980, USA, composite body, Black Guitar with Black and White (Zebra) double Humbuckers,

For pop punk this has an amazing tone, can get a nice feedback when used with Marshall JCM800, Full, bright sound, i prefer the bridge pickup setting

Just got it set up, so Perfect action and intonation. No Flaws. Especially for a 23 year old guitar

Bashed it about a bit, but its sturdy and reliable. Looks good, put strap locks on, so no problems there,
Would use it without a backup if i didn't snap strings all the time.

never dealt with them.

This is my favourite guitar and i have a Les Paul and various others. It has a lovely sound, plays fantastically and i would caertainly get another if somone nicked it.
You should find one of these and buy it. Looks ace, sounds wicked and it just generally a mint guitar.

Mine is an 83, 2 vol 2 tone 3way togal. Looks like a Les Paul with a pickguard. American made which is awesome. As far as the finish goes I'm not sure what it looked like brand new, but I have worn the neck so much that I can feel the wood grain and I love the neck it' nice an fat and smooth. I don't know about the pickup either I got it used and they had been changed. Over all pretty much jst like a Les Paul and it's nice and heavy.

The pickups I have in it now aren't that good they soon will be replaced with EMG's I love the bridge pick up it's the only one I use. It has great sustain. This guita is my back up, but I do pull it out for one off song and also for a change once in a while.

Since I sent it to the shop It plaay very good, I love the action. The finish is worn but I love it. Like I said before I got it used so I don't know what it was like brand new. I give it an 8 cause it has some pretty banged up spots.

It has never failed me so far, but if I play out side I do not use it because you can feel the neck wood were I've played it so much. Like I said before it is my main back up guitar mostly because of the weight.

I don't know I got it used

I love this guitar, it's my main backup. It's American made so that is always a plus. If this guitar was stolen I would hunt some one down, I would try to find one just like it to replace it. This guiat has got me thru show when my other guiatrs just went out of tune on me and get my main back and it goes out of tune and I go back to this guitar. If you don't have one try to find one and get it, I'm looking for a second one myself.

This guitar was made in 1982, it is one of the best guitars i have ever played besides my les paul black buety. It is mahogamy fat neck which i like about. 2 volume and tone adjustments, which comes in handy. stays in tune good. Over all is a kick ass guitar

This guitar makes some fat sound. It tends to mute, but its nothin that fat neck cant handle. it has a very creamy sound which i like abou it. I like to play most of the heavy stuff, but it pulls through

finish isn't the greatist, but it looks cool, it dooesn't take away any of its coolness

this guitar will make it through anything. its been around for 20 years and im still beatin on it and its still kicken

bought it used

find one now and buy IT!

This Guitar was made in 1981 or 1982 i think. It was made in the good old USA. It has 22 Medium-low Frets. It has 2 Humbucking Pickups the bridge pickup was relaced because it origionaly came with the 'zebra' pickups and when I got it I had a different one in there oh well. has the usual 2 tone, 2 volume knobs. It's Black with a black pickguard looks pretty cool is in good condition considering it's like 2 years old. Tune-o-matic bridge standard Gibson tuners I wish it had come with at least a case...yet alone a gig-bag.

It suits my music style just fine. I play Emo, Emocore, Punk, and just basic rock suff and some indie stuff too. I use a 1992 Marshall JCM 900 head with a Marshall 1960A cab. I got that stuff pretty cheap. I dont usually turn the distorsion on it past 3/4 but the guitar sounds good on it no matter where it is. The bridge pickup is bright with just the right amount of low-end and the neck pick up sounds great on clean but on distorsion it has WAY to much bass to it. I like everything about the guitar except the tone knobs dont work too well.

It was set up fine when I got it I just had to raise the action a little and put a larger guage set od srings on it and it was fine. oh and the tone knobs nee to be re-set and thats about it I think that the scratches look cool.

Really tonight is going to be my first show with this guitar my band is playing. I have lock-ins on it so I dont have to worry about that. I hope it will with-stand all the punishment I'm going to be putting it through Well just have to wait and see. I'll have a back-up I'll use my Epiphone Les Paul Standard.....Another very great guitar for the price. WEll considering It's lasted 20 years already i think that it will do just fine.

I'm not even going to try them if anything comes up they have probly forgotten they made the guitar.

I've been playing for 6 years I have a couple of guitar and I dont know If this will be my main yet but It's looking like it will be. If you guys see one in good condition I recommend buying it beacuse i know it will be cheap. Oh and check out my bands web-sites. http://connect.to/mentalpiracy
http://listen.to/bracerremedy
I give it a 10 for the fact of how cheap it was and how great it plays.

Well i got this guitar from my dad, it was made in '81 i think, he bought it around 1982 for like $700, and he gave up on guitar and just put it in his closet...so needless to say when i got it, it was in complete shit condition, the pickups were in the body, all the strings were coroded, the action was super high and the knobs were falling off....This is a American made TRUE Gibson, although unlike most true Gibsons has a bolt on neck which i good for me cuz i drop it so fucking much...LOL...Tune-0-Matic bridge with a stop bar (2 piece)...nothing besides the knobs has been altered, although its in much better condition...22 medium frets which are rounded more like a Fender than a Gibson...two '59 special humbuckers (no covers), and a 3 selection toggle switch.

Over all it fits my playing style, right now im using a pretty bad amp its a 20 watt Premier with a blown out speaker...I have used a much better amp and it sound GREAT...there is very little noise, and over all it has great sustain and tone....the harmonics are wonderful although there is a slight fret buzz but thats cuz the nut still needs to be replaced, as well as a crack in the neck secured.

Well im assuming how i got the guitar was factory set up which is HORRIBLE, the pick-ups wernt adjusted, i guess in the course of 20 or so years the screws securing them we stripped.

Well i have beat the shit out of this thing and it still looks and sound fine.....the hardware finish is starting to peal but hey thats pretty damn good for 20 years....the strap buttons are way to small so strap locks are a must for anyone who doesnt want to drop a 20 pound guitar on there foot...yeah thats the only problem this guitar is a bitch to hold on a strap it digs into your shoulder after 2 songs...i can depend on it but i would never gig without a backup, even if it is a Squire...

IM MY OWN SUPPORT

If anyone is intrested in a well built reliable guitar bulit before all the major companies started using sub-standard parts to mass produce this is the one for u!!! if u have any questions feel free tp e-mail me at EmoErich723@aol.com, and my AIM sn is RoCkGod723

This sexy, sexy thang was made way back in 1982, not that long before me. All possible features have been named in the reviews above, so I won't bother wasting your time. I was just excited to find an affordable version of an ACTUAL Gibson.

I'm a rocker. This thing best suits my needs. Even better than my Dean ML. I love this guitar. But my main complaint is the huge difference in the clean/dirty sounds. I've already corrected the difference via amp; a Marshall 4x12 w/greenbacks and Crate Excaliber head -- processed through a Rocktron guitar processor and Sonic Maximizer.

This thing has a great, thick output like no other guitar I've owned.

I bought this thing used (I couldn't pass it up at this price), but the action was just a little too high for my tastes, so I lowered that. Pickups were adjusted too...otherwise, everything was and still is fine.

I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM WITH STRINGS BREAKING. MY GUITAR CAME WITH A BONE NUT (ORIGINAL FROM FACTORY)

This guitar had been abused though. Someone (a true idiot) filed the HELL out of all the frets. So I've had to have that changed as well, the only major repair I couldn't do myself. Any other cosmetic flaws are taken with a grain of salt, seeing as how this guitar was played and used for the past 20 years.

Keep in mind I am grading this after I've done necessary clean up.

This guitar will and has withstood live playing. Soooo much sustain and tone. Thank you Gibson.

NO ONE SHOULD EVER PLAY A SHOW WITHOUT A BACKUP, EVEN IF YOU ONLY HAVE ONE GUITAR AND HAVE TO BORROW A FRIEND'S AND FEEL LIKE THE TOTAL LOSER THAT YOU ARE.

I've read what these guys have to say. I've never had a problem with dealing with Gibson customer support, but then again, I haven't broken this thing yet.

GIBSON IS VERY COOPERTIVE AS LONG AS YOU'RE WILLING TO PAY.

I've been playing for about 6 years now. I own about seven guitars, which I'm trying to sell. If this guitar were ever stolen, I could never replace it, at least...not at a price I'd be willing to pay. I know I got an exceptional deal on this, and with all small things I've done, it's worth about $500 now. Everything's original.

I just wish that the clean sound were a little louder.

This Gibson Sonex was made on the 55th day of 1982. Is is American made but not like other traditional Gibsons. It has 22 frets which play more like a Fender than a Gibson. They are more rounded and user friendly compared to the big block frets on high end Gibsons. Also it has a bolt on neck which i like. i dont know why but i do. it has 2 humbuckers but the one in the bridge is after market. Some idiot but a Select humbucker in it. which isnt horrible for a $20 pick up but its not nearly as lud as the neck pickup. and somebody put switches for coil splitting on it but they dont work. Body wise its not all wood. it has a 3 sections: a wood core with something like masonite outer coverings. It also has an official Gibson locking trem. it does look like a les paul but again its a flat top with body cuts in it. the neck is also thinner than other Gibsons. And the purchase did include a hardshell case but not one of those cool brown original cases.

Sound wise it's pretty good. I mostly play punk but always strive for a more heavy metal tone. I dont believe in effect so i dont use any. i plug into a Marshall JCM 900 slx (50 watt version)with 2 Ampeg 4x12's for distortion and a Marshall MG100 to 1 Ampeg 4x12 for clean spit with a DOD AB box. It sounds great for the distorion sounds but lacks a little on the clean side, but thats fine since i dont use the cleans so much.

well since this guitar was made a few months before i was born i really dont know how it was out of the factory. but second hand it was great. The pick ups are fine. Well i am going to buy a Gibson 57 classic or a seymour duncan antiquity pickup for the bridge. the frets look pretty nasty after 19 years but since it doesnt effect the pay yet i wont touch it. The finish is sort of satin in setain places now. And the locking bridge i have to believe is after market since its gold and the tuing machins are chrome. Well, that and the fact that the locking nut fits over the truss rod cover so you only see "ibson onex 180 eluxe". but its okay with me.

I dont know if this guitar will with stand playing live. my drummer has one and thats why i baught mine. But a while back it fell and the headstock popped off (but it also was in a fire so there was smoke damage). but i dont know if i would take it out to play shows with. its older than me so im a fraid of ruining it. the finish is sort of showing its age, but its better than my drummers. His is wearing off on the back of the neck. the strap buttons are after market. they are stap lock buttons but the retard didnt give the strap lock so i had to fix that with new buttons. i think i can depend on it but im not gonna try and see how sturdy it is. they were only made from 80-84 so i dont want to run the risk of killing it and never finding another one because then i'd have to steal my drummers. i never gig with out a back up. as a rule of thumb always take 2 backups.

never had to use them but i hear its impossible to find a replacement pick guard. so be careful.

i've only been playing guitar for about 6 years. In that time i've come to embrace the Fender company as the best in thw world. Lots of people dissagree but thats just my preference. ask and i'll tell you why. I have no regrets on buying the guitar. there were no suprises. if it were stolen or lost i would look for another one and if that didnt work id steal my drummers. what i love most about it is that its basically a telecaster with a different head stock on it. it plays just like a fender. I do hate that some one stole the bridge humbucker out of it but thats the way things go. i do personally wish it didnt have that gay gold colored bridge.

Looks like a Les Paul with all the controls on the other side including the output. Fast low action you can definately bend. I've bent the hell out of this thing but the intonation is still dead-on. So much for non-bolt on's huh! The body and paint refuse to disintegrate. Just oil and clean it every 3 years...But the pick-guard and the controls have always been a huge pain. Not a friendly guitar for the road. And it always! breaks your strings.

Its the anti-clean. I run it through a Mosfet Reverb Marshall head and 4 vintage celestions. It sounds exactly how you want it to sound from this kind of guitar. It's noisy on most settings. It really sounds better when you go with the flow and turn your treble down. Then it's really amazing. The range is disturbing. I'm still uncovering it's secrets. I really hate that pickguard though.

This guitar was a good idea gone bad. The body and neck are great, but the pickguard drives me nuts. The screws keep coming off the output and the controls keep sticking. I don't know how many times I've opened the thing up to re-fix it. Otherwise, the rest of the parts are excellent. But the bridge will destroy your strings!
The action is as fast and furious. The cherry red finish still looks like a shiny wet Jolly Rancher sucker.

This guitar is simply indestructible. Like most gibson's of this style, it simply must be plummeted from a 10 story building to show any damage. The finish will hold up. Strap buttons are solid. You definately need a backup guitar unless you service the tone and volume controls / jack.

Just don't break the pickguard!!!

I've been playing for 18 years. I wouldn't buy one again just because life's too short and I like trying new things. The best thing about this guitar is it's sustain and range, the worst thing is the jack and sticky controls. I love the action. I've played some very nice guitars. Some old Les Paul customs have similar sounds, but this guitar sounds a little different in a good way. I've always wanted to install some effects underneath the pickguard of this guitar. Maybe a delay or something. There is definately enough room in there to do it. That would definately blow their minds!!!