If you really think you need to get some advice from someone else, search out the best guitar tech in your area. You're going to want to get to know them anyway, but right now, you're looking for some insight into which guitars are well-made, which ones come from the factory ready-to-play, which makers show consistently excellent quality, which line-ups are best suited to any kind of music.

My favourite guitar guru is doing a set-up on my old 'Brand X', a 1984 Yamaha SBG1000 that I hot-rodded (D'Addario EXL-115W strings, lock-down bridge, DiMarzio SCHB, DiMarzio Dual Sound, phase & S/P switching), and modifying a stock 1984 Yamaha SBG (previously known as 'The Stocker') with a DiMarzio PAF Pro and a DiMarzio Tone Zone (I shall rename this axe 'The Stalker'). He's setting both of them up for D'Addario EJ21 strings (.012"). I like [u]substantial[/u] strings. :)

He always spends some time playing his client's guitars when they first come in, so he can get a feel for what that particular guitar has going for it, and to discuss details of the set-up with the customer. He was strokin' on 'Brand X' for a lot more than the ususal few minutes, and he had this distant, dreamy, kind of look on his face. (I think he likes it). :D

Anyway, when we got down to talking about about what I had done to 'Brand X', and what I wanted him to do to 'The Stalker', the subject of factory build quality came up. Now bear in mind that this guy has 24 years' experience, keeping working professionals up-and-running, as well as smoothing out some rich-folk's guitars that are worth more than most new cars. And before that he was a working professional himself - he says "It's very hard to buy a bad Ibanez or Yamaha"

I don't think Incidents Happen would enjoy hearing what this man has learned about Gibsons over the years.