You can buy a really nice Tokai Les Paul made in Japan for a fraction of the cost of a Gibson, and they usually play better out of the box. Have a Love Rock from 2005 that is killer.
You can buy lots of guitars that look like Gibsons, play better than Gibsons, and cost a fraction of the price of Gibsons.
They're not Gibsons.
It's all about that name on the headstock.