Jump to content

Kinda Sad...this video shot just yesterday shows the Memphis Gibson plant Closed.


webe123

Recommended Posts

  • Members

I know Gibson is moving to a smaller facility in Memphis, but this woman said on the video that she came to Memphis to take the factory tour at the old factory....what she got was the "middle finger" of a Gibson employee when she asked about the tour at the plant...or so she says....you do not see the Gibson employee she refers to in the video....anyway....she walks around the entire building and it is totally shut down....except for the store...I think it is still open? Anyway you can see the video in the link below and decide for yourself. This was taken only about 12 hours ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Its a capitalist country, businesses rise and fall by their commercial wits. The alternative would be state guitar factories and you can guess how that would impact on quality.

On the bright side something will survive elsewhere and consider all the newer makers like PRS who supply great instruments.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

It seems a little presumptuous to drive to another city expecting a large manufacturing plant to give you a tour without checking first. Its also a bit surprising that someone who is interested enough in Gibson Brands to drive to another city for a tour isn't aware of their current difficulties.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Saucy fella. But let's stop {censored}-footing around.

I have been there 2 times in the past 6 months-

including June 2018.

 

This tour-seeker arrived either after hours or before--likely w/o reserving a tour as well.

 

The tour groups gather -- duh -- right outside the Gibson shop.

 

Huda thunk?

 

Maybe that is because Gibson hopes they will buy something while they are at the shop. Tourists sometimes buy stuff.

 

Anyone who wants to tour the Gibson Memphis factory -- which is still operating - can get the details here. Tours cost $10

 

http://www.gibson.com/Gibson/Gibson-Tours.aspx

 

Here is a thread from a February 2018 I made. I visited again in June 2018. Still open & operating. You can get a 20% discount at the shop. Prices aren't bad.

 

https://www.harmonycentral.com/forum...ay-feb-22-2018

 

The facility is GIGANTIC. It is a full city block - east - west - north & south. Almost all of it is unused. All of it is as prime as Memphis real estate can be.

 

2 of my pics from June, 2018

 

[ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tfetch?photoid=32246050.jpg Views:\t1 Size:\t82.1 KB ID:\t32315096","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"32315096","data-size":"custom","height":"242","title":"fetch?photoid=32246050.jpg","width":"600"}[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tfetch?photoid=32246052.jpg Views:\t1 Size:\t189.0 KB ID:\t32315097","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"32315097","data-size":"custom","height":"440","title":"fetch?photoid=32246052.jpg","width":"427"}[/ATTACH]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Didn't watch, too long.

 

...All of it is as prime as Memphis real estate can be.

 

What kind of company puts a manufacturing facility DOWNTOWN? Real estate prices are higher, parking is more difficult (and expensive), access for trucks is more difficult. And puts a giant GIBSON FACTORY sing on the building? Henry J. seems to be a vain and egotistical person. It's like he hoping Memphis "blues tourists" will pop into the factory store and impulse-buy a Les Paul or 'Lucille'.

 

Obvious place for a medium size factory is in an industrial park. Cheaper rents, lots of parking, good access for semi trucks, ect.

I

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Its a capitalist country, businesses rise and fall by their commercial wits. The alternative would be state guitar factories and you can guess how that would impact on quality.

On the bright side something will survive elsewhere and consider all the newer makers like PRS who supply great instruments.

 

True

 

Gibson used to make killer banjos and the Dobros were second to none too.

 

National Resophonic in the past decade has taken off and Deering is the new Gibson of banjos.

 

I have a few Memphis made Gibsons and they are nice.

 

What Gibson needs to do is get back to doing what they do best.

 

I told Henry I'd help him out too. Everything time he got an idea like this, I'd kick him in the butt and send him home without pain, but with a bottle of vodka, he should just forget about ideas like this.

 

I would have saved the company millions and millions.

 

Like Henry, my wife is also Polish. Lovely folks, but when they get an idea in the head, go or bad they will stick with it till the end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"c8bc1e61-1af8-4f88-b0f9-5e37dc315cbf.jpg","data-attachmentid":32317072}[/ATTACH]

 

 

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"up-robotguitar_lrg.jpg","data-attachmentid":32317073}[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"guitartuning_1.png?itok=7Lxn3Lc3.png","data-attachmentid":32317074}[/ATTACH]

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Didn't watch, too long.

 

 

 

What kind of company puts a manufacturing facility DOWNTOWN? Real estate prices are higher, parking is more difficult (and expensive), access for trucks is more difficult. And puts a giant GIBSON FACTORY sing on the building? Henry J. seems to be a vain and egotistical person. It's like he hoping Memphis "blues tourists" will pop into the factory store and impulse-buy a Les Paul or 'Lucille'.

 

Obvious place for a medium size factory is in an industrial park. Cheaper rents, lots of parking, good access for semi trucks, ect.

I

 

My thoughts:

 

1. He likely got a sweet deal from City of Memphis for the land.

 

2. The increase in value of that prime real estate probably added millions to Gibson's balance sheet.

 

3. That vast property across the street from the Fed-Ex Forum is worth a lot of money today.

 

It is so big, it could hold hotels, shopping areas, museums, restaurants, bars, parking areas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...