Do you think Gibson Guitars new CEO can turn the company around?

[webe123]

I was just wondering what you guys think of this? To me, listening to him in some interviews, he seems genuinely interested in listening to what artists and regular players have to say to improve Gibson and seems to "get" what they are saying about quality control and a whole host of other issues that Gibson has been dealing with when Henry J was at the wheel. Do you think he can turn the company around and start making good Gibsons on a consistant basis? I think that time will tell....consistency will be the key to knowing weather or not they will survive or go down the tubes like a lot of other retail companies have lately. Payless Shoes and Sears ring a bell? I really am hoping he gives serious consideration to putting Gibson Guitars back in mom and pop shops! It was the mom and pop shops that made Gibson what they are today. Without them....you would not have a Gibson Guitar company! Adressing quality control issues are very important, but also putting your guitars in mom and pop shops and not just places like guitar center is where they will thrive I think.

 

For those that have not heard him talk....here is a good interview where most issues are addressed.

 

[daddymack]

you can't compare Gibson, a manufacturer, to retailers like Sears, etc.

The challenges manufacturers face [after 40 years in manufacturing, from bench level to plant manager] has very little to d owith the CEO, unless he is a hands on type. Being a hands on type is pointless if you don't understand the processes and the product. Everything I heard in the front end of that interview seems focused on the marketing [again], rather on process improvement, quality control, and innovation.

Gibson has failed to innovate in the right areas for so long that when they do something new right, they've blown it by hammering it to death [robo tuners, for example]. I was not surprised, for example, to find wood chips in my Gibson Nashville guitar case when I opened it [years ago]. It just says 'we don't really care, the name is already on the product'. JC has a challenge ahead to alter the mindset there, I wish him the best of luck, because as long as the prevailing attitudes are substandard, so will be the product.

 

I hope, first and foremost, that he puts an end to their trying to be more than they are. They make guitars, they have an amp brand, now they have studio monitors...all of which are seen as overpriced and intended for the corksniffers. The custom shop operation should only exist to fill custom orders, but it isn't...and to my way of thinking, that they make 'production' custom guitars is a canard, and speaks volumes as to how they view their 'normal' production as being, frankly, sub-par. Huge error in judgement...and terrible long-term marketing strategy.

[sammyreynolds01]

People still don't understand what killed Gibson. It wasn't the guitar side of things that killed the company it was Gibson Brands. The lifestyle and the products like Philips and Cakewalk. When you try and go into a business that you have business in, your going to kill yourself. I've read the bankruptcy filing. Gibson Guitars the year before the filing, took in $1 billion dollars. The guitars business was fine. What I hope happens is the QC problems are fixed.

[Mikeo]

I was at there website and I believe Mr. Curliegh is all read off to a good start, not making 1000 variations of the Les Paul.

 

It seems like the core classic guitars are there. No Jazz box guitars, but those I believe were made in Memphis and should return.

 

I bought a Gibson F5G mandolin about 4 years ago. It's sweet. I hope they keep making mandolins and hope Dave Harvey is still making them, his work was nothing short of spectacular.

 

[Etienne Rambert]

No the new CEO won’t.

 

I miss Henry J. already.

 

I bought 3 Gibbys in 1 year while he was CEO.

I kick myself for not buying an ES Les Paul new for $800 that year too.

 

Those blow-out price days are gone. I can’t afford Gibsons anymore.

The new CEO’s are going back to the old normal.

[webe123]

No the new CEO won’t.

 

I miss Henry J. already.

 

I bought 3 Gibbys in 1 year while he was CEO.

I kick myself for not buying an ES Les Paul new for $800 that year too.

 

Those blow-out price days are gone. I can’t afford Gibsons anymore.

The new CEO’s are going back to the old normal.

 

So are you a Henry J fan? That guy almost drove Gibson to bankruptcy!(And YES I am aware of how he saved them from itr when he began) I am GLAD he is gone! And Henry J was the reason Gibson was so bad in their ideas....like the stupid fireturd guitar....yeah....that was the guitar that was supposed to turn the guitar industry on it's ear according to Henry J....when all it was....as it turned out....was a bad looking guitar with onboard effects. Add this to the notion of trying to make Gibson into a "lifestyle" company by skipping NAMM and focusing on electronics products instead of guitars and it is no wonder Gibson was going downhill fast. You will find plenty of used Gibsons made under his leadership if that is what you like. But I am glad he is gone and they are finally getting in someone who will listen to people instead of telling them what he wants them to hear!