Gibson about to go bust.

[davidd]

They already do tribute versions of their old range, with a bit of tweakery?

These currently seem to be £800 which is a little steep.

[HarryFlatters]

Evangelion said:

Someone on another forum has suggested that Gibson should 'do a Monkees', - in other words, sponsor a band of young people, playing the sort of crap today's youth insist on listening to, but using Gibson guitars to do it. You never know, it could work.

Their endorsees are leaving them in droves because the revolving door of A&R folk means that the artist's requests aren't being met. Read up on why James Hetfield and the blokes from Mastodon left... They asked for LPs with solid bodies, then chambered guitars turned up. Honestly, if they can't get this right for rock royalty, then they are not going to get it right for Joe Public.

Screw Gibson, let them fail. I'm off to buy a Hagstrom instead

[BobE]

I visited Gibson’s Memphis plant last spring and did the factory tour - it’s where they make the semi designs. I come from a background in engineering and manufacturing and was more than a little surprised by what I saw. As an example - things that aren’t right in a modern factory:
1. The only charts anywhere in the production area were related to getting the numbers out. Not a single chart showing quality related issues. When asked about ‘quality circles’ or other inputs by the staff to improve the processes and quality there was just a blank stare.
2. All the necks are shaped on a large sanding band - by eye/ hand. When I asked how they could posssibly be the same profile one to another I was told it was actually a positive point that everyone was different....
3. At the start of each year they take a guess regarding what guitars they will sell each year and in which colour and hardware and then build into stock. On presssing I was told yes they do end up with many guitars in stock that sell slowly and run out of what suddenly takes off. If you build that way rather than responding to customer orders no wonders they have cash flow problems.
I was quite surprised that 50’s guitar designs are made the way they were some 60 years ago and with the same business practices. I’m also surprised regarding the auto tune debacle of a couple of years ago. Companies like PRS are going to put the nails in Gibson’s coffin unless they wake up to the modern era...

[Camelot1971]

Evangelion said:

2 - Gibson's insistence on trying to sell new models when all the guitar buyers want (don't forget, we're all old gits now) is guitars that are exactly like the old ones.

I don't think this is strictly true. Yes, there is a core of customers who just want a 50/60's something and change nothing. But there are people like me who would love a new Les Paul and want modern updates, colours etc.

The current range is too complicated and to me, pointless. They should cut numbers, chase quality and people will come back. I looked at a (i think) 2017 custom with fake relicing to look like it was painted white over the original - it was fking awful for £4500! It would be awful for £450!

I've generally been a collector rather than a player but I'm starting to learn now. I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford a new Jackson PC-1 and the quality is incredible. It feels expensive. And if people are paying £2k plus for a guitar, it needs to feel expensive!

[Ekona]

As a newcomer to the world of Gibson-styled guitars, I thought it might be worth adding my view on the company.


In terms of image, I don't see them as any better than Fender really. Both a bit stuffy and stuck in the past, but then that's not a bad thing either. My biggest issue with them is cost: Their LPs are just insanely priced. I'm a convert to an LP, but I played back to back an Epi 1960 Tribute and a Gib LP Standard and honestly, the Epi felt better. Having played another Gib LP the other day I'm more than happy with my purchase.

There is just no way in hell that a decent '58 or '59 rep needs to be £4K and up. It's insane money. If I'm buying a one-off to my exact spec in exacting quality then yeah, £4K isn't unreasonable. But we're talking about reasonably generic guitars here, just a copy of an old one. I can buy a Fender Custom Shop Strat for HALF that price, so it's just taking the p*ss. I know they're very different guitars in terms of sound, and bolt-on compared to glued, but c'mon... Let's not even get started on an LP Standard at £3K.

Their Vees (not that modern gash thing) and Explorers are superb value. I'd love an Explorer, but just one colour choice in the 2018 year? Just no. Their entire colour palette is all over the place: It's either the same 'bursts as the last 50 years, or it's some arse-ugly pink fade. And a top end SG is now knocking on £2K as well, which is pushing it a bit.


I just don't get how they can get it so wrong. I'm not a Fender guy, but if I look at their catalogue right now it just looks so much more inspiring.

[gazza285]

Evangelion said:

There are still large numbers of young people taking up the guitar, but the vast majority give up after about 18 months when they realise how much time and effort they will need to invest before they become even half decent.

I think that has always been the case, nothing new about it.

[Evangelion]

True, but the situation is exacerbated by modern (so-called) music, which has virtually no guitar content. Thus there is much less incentive to learn to play the thing, when they could play it all on a laptop instead.

[JLC25]

If Gibson reissue the RD in every colour, I'm fairly certain that my purchases alone would get them out of debt,

[Kuroblack350]

BobE said:

I visited Gibson’s Memphis plant last spring and did the factory tour - it’s where they make the semi designs. I come from a background in engineering and manufacturing and was more than a little surprised by what I saw. As an example - things that aren’t right in a modern factory:
1. The only charts anywhere in the production area were related to getting the numbers out. Not a single chart showing quality related issues. When asked about ‘quality circles’ or other inputs by the staff to improve the processes and quality there was just a blank stare.
2. All the necks are shaped on a large sanding band - by eye/ hand. When I asked how they could posssibly be the same profile one to another I was told it was actually a positive point that everyone was different....
3. At the start of each year they take a guess regarding what guitars they will sell each year and in which colour and hardware and then build into stock. On presssing I was told yes they do end up with many guitars in stock that sell slowly and run out of what suddenly takes off. If you build that way rather than responding to customer orders no wonders they have cash flow problems.
I was quite surprised that 50’s guitar designs are made the way they were some 60 years ago and with the same business practices. I’m also surprised regarding the auto tune debacle of a couple of years ago. Companies like PRS are going to put the nails in Gibson’s coffin unless they wake up to the modern era...

Good Post - in particular the last line; I bought a new Standard a couple of years ago, and it's the best quality Les Paul I've ever seen or played, a massive step up in quality, and so it should be for the better part of two-and-a-half grand. However, it's still not quite as good as my Korean made PRS, which is a brilliantly made thing. (about £800's worth as well)

[Evangelion]

Kuroblack350 said:

Good Post - in particular the last line; I bought a new Standard a couple of years ago, and it's the best quality Les Paul I've ever seen or played, a massive step up in quality, and so it should be for the better part of two-and-a-half grand. However, it's still not quite as good as my Korean made PRS, which is a brilliantly made thing. (about £800's worth as well)

+1 on the PRS; I have an SE Custom 24, and if I had to sell all my guitars and just keep one ... this would be the one.