End of Gibson Guitars?

[GuitarVlog]

Several colleagues who attended Winter NAMM down in Anaheim noted that Gibson Guitars did not have a booth. There's been a lot of speculation that they're on the selling block.

 

Anyone heard any news on what's going on with those guys?

[gitnoob]

You can google for various press releases they made from NAMM and youtube has videos. Looks like they've got a new robot model out.

[epi56ebony]

A guy in the NAMM thread on the Forum Index page says Gibson only has closed door meeting with it's dealers. The riff raff (that's us) not allowed to look.

I posted I have and enjoyed many of Gibson's guitars but they are dicks as a company.

Fender in my opinion much more customer friendly. Met many of the custom shop builders at the Custom Shop Road Show last year. All nice guys.

Some people do have problems with Fender but overall I've observed them to be a great company.

One example. The road worn strats and teles have had tremendous QC issues. The one I received from MF had fret out, pick up selector cut out.

I took it to Eric's in Van Nuys (yes a plug and a very nice guy, great work) to see if Fender would fix under warranty. I really liked the feel of the guitar and wanted to keep it rather than return it but did not want to pay to fix these issues.

End result: Fender honored the warranty and allowed Eric to file and crown the frets. My 50s STrat RW is now a fantastic guitar to play. Love it.

[guitarcapo]

My only interest in Gibson is in the business contortions it goes through with dealers, artists, lawyers etc....I have no interest in their product.

My prediction? No change in controlling ownership...If they need cash they might go public a la Harley Davidson

[gitnoob]

No interest in robotic tuners?! Best thing since the tune-o-matic bridge!

[drunkinminer]

I gave up on Gibson products when I went to my local shop and asked if they had any Melody Makers and the guy behind the counter told me that Henry said no Melody Makers for Canada.

Henry FU and your bad business decision to say Canada can't have Melody Makers. I have no idea if they are available here now or not nor do I care.

And yes I know I could have gotten one from a US dealer but I shouldn't have to if I could get it locally.

So if you ask me my opinion about Gibson going out of business my thoughts are let them. I for one at this point won't even consider a Epiphone Henry won't see one red cent from me. If I want a LP style I'll buy a ESP.

I mean look at the product they put out under Henry. What the heck is this guy thinking putting out stuff I wouldn't even start a fire with let alone be caught dead playing in front of the public. It seems to me that Gibson no longer caters to the avarage joe just collectors.

[Grant Harding]

The Gib$on brand will be around for a long time, no matter who owns it. The sheer size of their marketing spend will ensure massive brand equity for years to come. If you don't strap on a Les Paul you're not cool, right? Plus, it's the best electric guitar ever made, right?

[knockwood]

I predict a massive brass overhaul at Gibson in the next few years. They recently ranked at the top of a list of the absolute worst companies to work for. It appears that their employees universally hate the CEO. Unfortunately, once the economy begins to recover - whenever that might be - lots of Gibson talent may bolt for greener pastures. {censored}ing shame. IMHO they make some really brilliant instruments but may suffer for a long time due to ugly corporate practices. I don't believe they will disappear as a company.

[epi56ebony]

I gave up on Gibson products when I went to my local shop and asked if they had any Melody Makers and the guy behind the counter told me that Henry said no Melody Makers for Canada. Henry FU and your bad business decision to say Canada can't have Melody Makers. I have no idea if they are available here now or not nor do I care. And yes I know I could have gotten one from a US dealer but I shouldn't have to if I could get it locally. So if you ask me my opinion about Gibson going out of business my thoughts are let them. I for one at this point won't even consider a Epiphone Henry won't see one red cent from me. If I want a LP style I'll buy a ESP. I mean look at the product they put out under Henry. What the heck is this guy thinking putting out stuff I wouldn't even start a fire with let alone be caught dead playing in front of the public. It seems to me that Gibson no longer caters to the avarage joe just collectors.

 

 

I understand the anger but love my 56 and 56 LP reissues. Play great. Recently picked up a used LP Special (no gloss finish) what a guitar. There was some QC issues on both LPs but played great and that's most important to me.

 

But yes, Gibson are jerks and boycotting them is a very reasonable solution, unfortunately people will still buy them. Most of my Gibsons were bought new but at prices nearly 50% off w/no tax. Can't pass up a deal.

[drunkinminer]

I understand the anger but love my 56 and 56 LP reissues. Play great. Recently picked up a used LP Special (no gloss finish) what a guitar. There was some QC issues on both LPs but played great and that's most important to me. But yes, Gibson are jerks and boycotting them is a very reasonable solution, unfortunately people will still buy them. Most of my Gibsons were bought new but at prices nearly 50% off w/no tax. Can't pass up a deal.

 

 

A deal like that how could you. It's only since I boycotted Gibson that I discovered that they are not the "be all end all" when it comes to LPs, sg (take your pick)

 

The reason people will continue to buy Gibson is because if it has the Gibson name on it it must be the best. Maybe back in the 50's and 60's. But I found that there other companies out there makeing the same style of guitar with better QC and for half sometimes a quarter of the price.

[epi56ebony]

A deal like that how could you. It's only since I boycotted Gibson that I discovered that they are not the "be all end all" when it comes to LPs, sg (take your pick) The reason people will continue to buy Gibson is because if it has the Gibson name on it it must be the best. Maybe back in the 50's and 60's. But I found that there other companies out there makeing the same style of guitar with better QC and for half sometimes a quarter of the price.

 

 

One more reason is the baby boomers (me) want to play the guitars of their heroes. That's why I don't have any Jacksons, B.C. Rich, Deans, Charvels etc.

 

My heroes played Gibson, Fender, Rickenbacker, Martin, Gretsch for the most part. It's a nostalgia thing in a way too.

[Elias Graves]

Henry sent me candy for my birfday.

EG

[sixgunner455]

The Gib$on brand will be around for a long time, no matter who owns it. The sheer size of their marketing spend will ensure massive brand equity for years to come. If you don't strap on a Les Paul you're not cool, right? Plus, it's the best electric guitar ever made, right?

Cool or not, one of the best electric guitars I've ever played was a Custom Shop Les Paul.

But I own a Fender, and honestly like it just as well. That Les Paul was the first guitar I've played that I liked as well as my Fender.

Guess I'm not cool.

[Grant Harding]

Cool or not, one of the best electric guitars I've ever played was a Custom Shop Les Paul. But I own a Fender, and honestly like it just as well. That Les Paul was the first guitar I've played that I liked as well as my Fender. Guess I'm not cool.

You're cool.

I've played a few WOW Les Pauls (and Fenders) as well, but have also played many MEH ones. I guess my feeling is that once you get up around the price range of a high end LP or Strat you're into a whole bunch of makers (these days, not 40 years ago) that are just as good and better in many cases. Maybe not so good for resale (see my comment about marketing spend fueling brand equity), but in terms of playability and sound out of the box.

I get nostalgic about the big names as well, since they remind me of my heros growing up.

[guildfire]

Gibson is not going anywhere. Their brand and legacy are too strong. I used to have a Hummingbird back in the '70s, nice but not loud enough and didn't like the shorter scale. Finally got back into a Gibson acoustic after 30+ years. Never did like the Les Pauls. Now the 335 is a different story.

[MahaloVision]

 

Several colleagues who attended Winter NAMM down in Anaheim noted that Gibson Guitars did not have a booth.

 

 

Dunno. But do they really need one? Lots of companies are giving up the booth at trade shows and just having hospitality suites. Apple doesn't even have booths at NAB and MacWorld anymore. You're going to have to entertain clients anyway, so why not put more money into that and less into the booth? If you're not on the floor, you don't have to spend all day with people who aren't going to buy anything anyway.

[DarkHorseJ27]

I've heard two rumors that they are going to be sold. One was some time ago and it was that Peavey was buying Gibson. More recently it was Fender buying Gibson. But they both are what they are, rumors.

[fretplay]

Well if they go out of business. See if you can get a Ibanez AM now thats a nice guitar knocks spots off Gibson any day.

[Bernie P.]

Gibson is managed about as well as NBC.In time they'll likely end up in the hands of some other conglomerate that actually knows what they're doing.I doubt they will ever go away all together.

[C70man]

THis is why Gibsons are liked....Yes, this is a Gibson...a rare 60 year old one....I recorded this last Friday night@Skippers Smokehouse...outdoor event....Damon Fowler....amazing what he can do with a Yuengling beer bottle.




[YOUTUBE]gMCzgZN5w9M[/YOUTUBE]

at about 3:00...check out the beer bottle.
[YOUTUBE]umnqz3QxtiA[/YOUTUBE]

[Queequeg]

I would miss their mandolins. I would sympathize with Gibson banjo players who loved their banjos. Similarly, I would mourn the loss of the Les Paul.

I would never miss their acoustics.

For now though, I'm betting their life expectancy is greater than my own.

[fly-fish]

Interesting to read the comments of others here about Gibson. I would like to sahre my own experience with Gibson.

I visited there about three years ago around Halloween with my son. We drove from Nashville to Memphis to enjoy the factory tour. First they charge for the factory tour. What, you charge? This could be such a great brand moment, yet you blow it for ten bucks a pop?

Second, from the security guard, to the people working in the gift shop, to the factory floor workers, and factory tour guide, there was not ONE HAPPY OR POLITE PERSON I experienced there. The one person that looked at me on the shop floor and smiled I felt so sorry for because he was stuck in a sweat shop. This place must be hell to work in or they hire downright mean people.

After this tour where I saw many unhappy factory workers, my son and I were in the gift shop playing guitars. Because they were running something like an end of the month discount sale, I was thinking of buying us each a guitar. What a great father-son memory, thought. As I was thinking about this, someone from the gift shop came up and said something like "are you gonna buy a guitar or what"? I responded "or what", got up, put my guitar back on the rack gently and asked my son to do the same. We walked out. I reflected on my entire experience with the Gibson factory tour in Memphis and this person's challenge comment was the pinnacle of my experience, entirely consistent with what I felt.

Later at lunch I told my son that I was sorry, but I cannot bring myself to support a company that treats their visitors and customers as we were (most others on the tour was treated disrespectfully as well). In fact, I told him that I was going to write the president of the company. Having been responsible for companies or factories myself over the years, I thought, "I would like to know what my customers experienced". So I wrote the president of Gibson a respectful, yet critical, letter about my experience.

How would you respond if you received such a letter? Me, I would call the author back, I would write them, I would treat it as though 1,000 other people felt the same. For someone to take the time to write would really touch me and impact me.

What was Gibson's response? There was no response. So I mailed another copy. What was the response? No response. So I reason now that Gibson does not care about their customers. So much for the CEO Harvard MBA who bought the company. I expected much, much more. I was not looking for a deal on an instrument, I just wanted to know that my voice was heard and it mattered to them.

Since the trip I relate above, I have probably spent about $8,000 - 9,000 on guitars for myself and my children. I did not even look at a Gibson guitar. I did not spend one penny of that money on a Gibson and I love he look and sound of some of their guitars. But I cannot support a brand that doesn't care about their employees and customers. If I am wrong and Gibson has changed, then I apologize (my experience was about three years ago and things can change with new leadership). What a shame my experience was for such an iconic brand. It will be so sad to witness their demise, should this kind of experience remains the norm.

[drunkinminer]

fly-fish I felt the same when I asked about the MM (see story above) my emails and i even contacted Henry on Facebook and no reply. I wanted to hear his reason why he would make such a decision and no reply. My guess is he could care less about the consumers opinion because it's "HIS" company and he'll run it the way he sees fit.

But one thing brings a smile to my face and that is while it would be a shame for such a iconic brand to go under we all know who to thank

[Chordchunker]

I`m a die hard Gibson-guy, have been playing them since I was 15 (I`m 47) and HATE the direction they have gone. When (not if) I buy another Gibson guitar it won`t be a new one and last summer when I had the funds for a new guitar I bought a Martin. Martin had a small glitch in the 70`s but for the most part they have always put out excellent product.

[Rich]

I'd lose no sleep if they dried up and went away. Gibson will always have fanboys and douchebaggery over at the LPF.