Gibson Challenger?

ZEEGLER · Post by **ZEEGLER** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 2:46 pm

Anyone heard of one of these?

Not a Sonex. Not a Marauder.

TurboPablo · Post by **TurboPablo** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 2:46 pm

Would.

spawnofthesith · Post by **spawnofthesith** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 2:48 pm

Ehh that one is icky to me for some reason

GuitarBilly · Post by **GuitarBilly** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 2:51 pm

That's from the "dark era" of Norlin, when they decided to create new models like the Sonex, Corvus, this one etc.. these are bolt-on neck guitars with low quality wood and parts. I guess that can be cool in a "trashy/punk/garage rock" way if you find one for about $400-500 and upgrade the parts. Otherwise no.

JiveTurkey · Post by **JiveTurkey** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 2:54 pm

I like the color.

fretless · Post by **fretless** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 2:59 pm

You know there is a big ass pool under that p/g. The bridge is interesting, wrap over tail. The headstock is odd too. Great color though looks like GT gold.

Mike Oxhuge · Post by **Mike Oxhuge** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 3:06 pm

Gibson logo is off center by quite a bit, that would screw with my OCD. Lol

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 3:47 pm

They’re super cheap garbage.

TurboPablo · Post by **TurboPablo** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 4:40 pm

Bolt-on? I had no idea and rescind my "would".

trey85stang2 · Post by **trey85stang2** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 4:53 pm

If I had a tune o matic, I would for sure. Not sure about that bridge.

thermionic geek · Post by **thermionic geek** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 5:01 pm

GuitarBilly wrote:That's from the "dark era" of Norlin, when they decided to create new models like the Sonex, Corvus, this one etc.. these are bolt-on neck guitars with low quality wood and parts. I guess that can be cool in a "trashy/punk/garage rock" way if you find one for about $400-500 and upgrade the parts. Otherwise no.

While I agree in general, If you can get a decent price, like under $500 I think it's a decent entry level Gibson. I've been playing the crap out of the Sonex I picked up last year. I like the chunky neck and the action is super low. The hardware and electronics on the Sonex are Japanese. They did it to save money. I suspect the challenger was the same. Only the Sonex custom had the Dirty fingers pickups that everybody thinks are in all the guitars. The Japanese pickups are weird, but I like them. They only read 8K or so, but they are super loud and trebly. I play the Sonex with the tone rolled off a bit and it sounds normal to me.

TurboPablo · Post by **TurboPablo** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 5:17 pm

I assumed it was like a junior or something.

GuitarBilly · Post by **GuitarBilly** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 5:42 pm

thermionic geek wrote:
GuitarBilly wrote:That's from the "dark era" of Norlin, when they decided to create new models like the Sonex, Corvus, this one etc.. these are bolt-on neck guitars with low quality wood and parts. I guess that can be cool in a "trashy/punk/garage rock" way if you find one for about $400-500 and upgrade the parts. Otherwise no.

While I agree in general, If you can get a decent price, like under $500 I think it's a decent entry level Gibson. I've been playing the crap out of the Sonex I picked up last year. I like the chunky neck and the action is super low. The hardware and electronics on the Sonex are Japanese. They did it to save money. I suspect the challenger was the same. Only the Sonex custom had the Dirty fingers pickups that everybody thinks are in all the guitars. The Japanese pickups are weird, but I like them. They only read 8K or so, but they are super loud and trebly. I play the Sonex with the tone rolled off a bit and it sounds normal to me.

yeah, under $500 it's fine.

ajaxlepinski · Post by **ajaxlepinski** » Thu Jan 19, 2023 10:05 pm

Not sure why they didn't have a pickguard designed for the single pickup model.... it looks a lot better with two pickups...

ZEEGLER · Post by **ZEEGLER** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:22 am

TurboPablo wrote:Bolt-on? I had no idea and rescind my "would".

I still would :idk:

Devin · Post by **Devin** » Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:25 am

ajaxlepinski wrote:Not sure why they didn't have a pickguard designed for the single pickup model.... it looks a lot better with two pickups...

I think a friend of mine in highschool had one of these - or it was at least pretty similar looking. I feel like I remember it having black plastic covered EMG looking pickups

Can't remember what model it was exactly but it played well

I know it was old

68sixstringer · Post by **68sixstringer** » Mon Sep 18, 2023 1:08 pm

My first guitar was a Gibson Challenger silver/black pickguard, single p/u. It was cheap, but the action was great and the tuning was rock solid. The p/u was horrible - I ended up installing a 500T I think. I wish I still had that guitar....

GuitarBilly · Post by **GuitarBilly** » Mon Sep 18, 2023 2:36 pm

68sixstringer wrote:My first guitar was a Gibson Challenger silver/black pickguard, single p/u. It was cheap, but the action was great and the tuning was rock solid. The p/u was horrible - I ended up installing a 500T I think. I wish I still had that guitar....

Yeah I think that's how these guitars were marketed, to be a decent first guitar with the Gibson brand.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon Sep 18, 2023 6:19 pm

I hate these guitars so much

I knew a kid in high school that bragged about his Gibson. It was one of these things. I hated him and it.

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