So this is far away from pedal talk. There has been so much chatter about Gibson Guitars lately and I wanted to talk about it myself. Those of you not following, Gibson Guitars has been receiving a ton of criticism on the interwebs ranging from their quality control, new releases and general practices – and really catching fire after Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher talking some major smack about the company. You can read that here.
Back in the 80s and 90s I was super into Gibsons. The first ‘real’ guitar I purchased in the early 90s was an Epiphone Les Paul with gold hardware (still have it today). I remember going to a local Gibson dealer and playing a bunch of Gibsons, but when I tried out the Epiphone, I so much more preferred. I loved that guitar. But years later, I wanted a “real” Gibson and ended up getting a Black Gibson Les Paul Studio as a gift from my wife. At this time (late 90s) Gibsons were really on fire, a friend of mine had the Gibson Custom Shop Elegant, which was one of the nicest guitars I ever played. Quality was excellent, prices were still in the ballpark, etc.
Seems like the late 2000s is when things started shifting. This was the first time I heard about bad press with the company, ranging from FBI raids, first time I started to hear about the CEO. The last few years, there became an obvious disconnect with the community. Technology is great, but with the burst of boutique builders and luthiers that use hands – it can turn people off. Fretting ‘robots’ to perform ‘exact’ fret jobs. Adding auto-tuning machines as a stock featre, etc.. is not following the trends that guitarists are after. Basically swimming against the current.
I’m friends with various guitar builders and a few years ago is when I started hearing about cease and desist letters that Gibson was sending out for body styles similar to Gibson. Threatening these builder who have been producing lines for years to either stop, get sued or pony up to a licensing deal – just wreaks of money desperation. Again, this sends shock waves to builders, which reverberates to musician community.
I haven’t thought about purchasing a Gibson since the late 90s.. and I’m not alone. I remember the days when you’d see Les Pauls on stage as a very common thing. Not any more. I see an overwhelming amount of Fenders and when I see an SG or Les Paul, I go “wow.. a Les Paul.. haven’t seen one of those on stage for a while”. Of course when I talk about ‘on stage’, I’m referring to my local music scene including touring acts. I know Slash still rocks one, etc. But in general, the trend has really dropped off in the last 20 years.
I wanted to post this video by Agufish, where he provides some GREAT insight on the topic:
and the follow up video…
What are your thoughts on the subject? Let me know by commenting below! Also, what do you think that Gibson needs to do to turn things around?
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7 years ago
First, the image of all those trashed guitars is such a sad picture of wasted opportunity. I have little actual stake in this topic as my price range really only allows for sub $1k guitars and that’s not a Gibson to me in that price point. I have always wanted to own a high end Gibson, but of late I have changed my viewpoint. If I were going to spend $2k+ on a guitar it most certainly would not be a Gibson, but something that shows a greater creative spark in its manufacture. Something unique. I just can’t justify blowing that much money on something that I feel is ultimately played out.
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7 years ago
I’m no fan of Gibson Brands as they are now called. Their legal staff is unethical, knowingly sending out cease and desist letters in hopes of scaring smaller companies. When you buy a Gibson guitar today and spend upwards of $1200 all your paying for is the name. They were there when Rock n Roll got its legs and they created some of the most iconic instruments. Unless something is coming out of the custom shop and at that point how many players can actually afford the instrument. Gibson Brands is so diversified that only 15-18% of their profit comes from the sale of musical instruments. I’m sure one day our grandkids will be mowing the lawn on a Gibson lawnmower… I have lost all respect for this once cherished and iconic institution. -Rick Sell / PureSalem Guitars
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7 years ago
I have owned a couple of $1,800 range Les Pauls in my time. The first was a silverburst which ended up having a twisted neck, the other was a black one that Gibson gave me on warranty to replace the silverburst. I just didn’t think they were worth the money. I ended up trading the black one for a tele.
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7 years ago
All signs point back to the CEO. Really weird decision making over the years. They’d be much better off keeping it rather simple as far as the models and just provide for the demand from actual players. Also, make them a bit more affordable (for example, the 2018 Les Paul Classic with the P-90s is a step in that direction). And most importantly, be consistent with quality. I have a 2016 Les Paul Traditional that’s my favorite guitar I’ve ever owned since the early 80s. Everything is perfect about it, so in my opinion they still know how to know it out of the park.
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7 years ago
Hank…it’s a sad state of affairs when Gibson is reviled and becomes a source of derision that I’ve even heard passing comments about in local comedy club routines. The news must have some traction in the daily news or some at least light rotation on the local FM radio stations. Otherwise why would a few local standup comics have Gibson as joke material, the company and not the product.
The first Boston Album was a major reason I picked up the guitar in the first place. I was 13 y.o. ZZ Top and the Right Reverend Billy F. Gibbons, pre-eliminator era was another. Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd has always been a favorite of mine and one of the most underrated rock guitarists of the 70’s and forward. Hmm Gary Moore was another that put that fire under me. The commonality between them all…the Les Paul, with a few of those being the revered ‘58-‘60 “Bursts†were their weapons of choice. Other influences or mine were Angus Young, Buck Dharma, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton (Creme Era), Derek Trucks…all SG loyal players…I could do this all day, but the point is made. Two of the Ted McCarty era, aka Gibson’s Golden Era when that Gibson president was one who truly was the driving and guiding force behind real, honest innovation and not the wanna be wankfest that is today’s Gibson. The Firebird X, the robot tuners on everything but the stuff that the Acoustic shop was known for. When Henry Juszkiewicz rescued the about to tank mid 1980’s Gibson, he was a young man with ambition, ideas, passion and original, outside the box thinking. Now he’s a rapidly approaching senior citizen status and is desperately trying to create at least the image of a legacy by attempting to hijack and sit upon the long dried out laurels that McCarty had rightfully earned over half a century ago. I still own a ‘92 LP Studio…when the only true difference between a Studio and a Standard was essentially just the body and neck binding, the gig bag vs the hard case and about $850. I have a 2009 SG and that’s it. My Epiphone WildKat and my Epiphone LP Baritone really aren’t counted in what I still own by Gibson as they are not made in Nashville, Memphis or the old shop and factory in Kalamazoo.
I stopped paying any mind to the decal on the Headstock about the turn of the millenium. So long as it feels and plays good, has good tone…then it is a good. Rondo Music of New Hampshire has a house brand known as Agile. The 3100 series is a dead on, spitting image clone of a high end LP. They offer the same guitar with the ability to “Customize†most of the aesthetics as well as several key components. The cost for one right off the shelf is about $300-$450 and the Customized guitar can run as high as $1,500…but the price is still significantly lower than what the House of Henry Juszkiewicz cranks out and the quality is of an exceptional nature no bars and no reservation. I own a couple and they fool my most snobbish friends in a blinded test session.
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7 years ago
I own an early 90s Gibson 335 that is a magnificent guitar (and a great MIJ mid-80s strat). The few more recent Gibsons I’ve played were fine but not mind-blowing. But now there are so many cool and interesting smaller builders, with such a wide variety of designs and price points, that if I were in the market for a guitar I’d certainly not look at Gibson first. If one is able to pay $1,500 or more for a guitar, the choices are vast. I don’t think Gibson really makes superior guitars for the money. And everything I’ve heard about the CEO just makes me want to look elsewhere.
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7 years ago
When Gibson left Kalamazoo, their troubles started. The old craftsmen are still in Kalamazoo and have their own company. I have a ‘74 ws340tdw. A fine guitar. Not long ago I bought a Heritage H550, built by the aforementioned craftsmen. A wonderful guitar.
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I believe Gibson changed their business model when they moved to Nashville… quality is gone -
5 years ago
@Boyd that’s not true. The “Appetite” guitar was indeed a Gibson copy acquired for the recording of Appetite as they couldn’t get a suitable tone from the Jackson or BC Rich guitars Slash played. You can read more about it here: https://www.laweekly.com/music/how-a-custom-guitar-made-in-redondo-beach-saved-appetite-for-destruction-6807261.
This guitar (which he retired in 1989) was in fact reproduced by Gibson (a geniune “copy of a copy” as posted above) over 20 years later (2010). While Slash does and has played other guitars over the years (BC Rich is a concert staple favoured for You Could Be Mine) he most definitely, and primarily, plays Gibsons. Yes, real Gibsons. And he owns DOZENS UPON DOZENS of them, as well as his own Signature Gibsons (which he also plays). Here’s peek into his collection: https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/value_of_slashs_guitar_collection_revealed_in_divorce_documents.html
Your incorrect statement would be similar to saying “Eddie Van Halen doesn’t play Kramer’s or Music Man’s! His guitar is a Frankenstein he made himself!”. It’s an iconic axe, not a sole (or primary) one.
Hope this makes for some good (if not, interesting) reading. Cheers!
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5 years ago
Have been trying to post this comment for a week, but it doesn’t want to go through. LOL… ok, one last kick at the can… In reply to Peter Whitworth: Gibson produces their Epiphone line of affordable guitars (made in China), as mentioned by the author at the top of his post. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphone#Instruments
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5 years ago
Why all the fuss here..this has been happening since @1960 when the Japanese were building high quality guitars, Wurlitzer, Kawai , and a whole plethora of other misc brands…at a fraction of the cost of Gibsons and Fender. And the quality was amazing…Mahogany bolt on necks, large frets, and the pickups were also of good quality. Look at Glen Campbell in the 50’s videos…he was using Kawai and Wurlitzers…along with many other musicians. Gretsch has been very overlooked and under rated…but Gretsch is responsible for a plethora of artists careers and distinct sounds. Chet Adkins ? How about Ovation…another high quality USA made guitar…that is and was very under rated. Gibson and Fender did the same thing US auto makers did and they dropped the ball and Japan, Korea and china picked it up and ran with it. BTW, Jimi Hendrix recorded the original Red House with a “Hofner” six string with the pickups scotch taped in….not too shabby .,…..aye !
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5 years ago
yep Gibson has almost priced themselves out of business along with Fender. I own a Epiphone BB3 and a Epiphone SG 400 Pro, I wouldn’t trade them for a new Gibson and I will put them up against any Gibson made. The same goes with Fender, the last American Fender I bought was 2012, it was a piece of crap bad nut, pickup cavity cut too large electronics already scratchy Fender wouldn’t honor the warrenty. I own 2 high end Squiers which are good from the factory, and I give them some TCL to make them play and sound great. It seems to me that both companies want us to buy their imports because they make more money from them by quality of sales. Last month my wife asked me to build a guitar from scratch so I did (first one in 8 years). It turned out great and I named it after her (Kentucky T Deluxe). So in conclusion, I’ll probably not ever buy another guitar from any company, I’ll just build my own.
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5 years ago
I have 2 Les Paul Standards; a ’78 and an ’80 and love them both. Concerning the new ones, I’ve played some $2500 LP’s hanging on the wall at Guitar Center that I wouldn’t give $500 for! Poor workmanship, fake baked fret-boards, no setup, and that stupid childish ‘auto tune’ crap. I would buy another Les Paul in a second if I had the funds, but it would be no newer than the 90’s!
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The new models have been over produced to the point that the attention to detail and the human touch has been lost in favor of mass production and , contrary to the commercial, and attitude that says ‘Okay is indeed okay”; well, not with me it ain’t! -
5 years ago
I was tired of paying the extortionate prices for Fender guitars (I don’t tolerate Gibson’s anymore), so I started to make my own from scratch. My latest attempt was a copy of a 1953 telecaster, wired up in the same way (which is different to the modern tele).
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The 3 way switch is – rear = Bridge: middle is Neck: front is also neck, but has a bluesy sound due to passing through a different capacitor. Fitted with fender pickups, sprayed Butterscotch with period decals applied; side to side they look identical: only one is approx valued at £20,000 and the other £350.
Sound as a 53 tele sounds without a £20,000 price tag and it looks great.
I went and bought a Chinese copy of a Martin D45; but with my own logo on the headstock, just to show that it was not a genuine D45. It cost £250 through DHL, saving me approx £9,750 if I went and bought a genuine one. I also have a 1978 Martin D35 and this Chinese guitar is just as good regarding tone.
The Chinese in time are going to do to the guitar industry what the Japanese did to the motorcycle industry in the 70’s. This one was straight out of the box – tuned up and played perfectly with no fret buzz and nice low action and seriously good quality. I did purchased a Gibson J45 Custom from a seller in London through Ebay. It was a nice guitar, but I still had to send it to a Luthier to have the action lowered and intonation corrected – all this from paying £1550 and it still required setting up (as the seller had it from new and had done nothing to it).
Chinese guitars have had some bad reviews of their guitars not being as good as the originals they copied; but they are what they are “copies” at a fraction of the price and when they get it right; Gibson and Fender will have to lower their prices to compete. -
5 years ago
I’m my mind Gibson les Pauls where the holy Grail of guitars . An I totally agree that in the 90s they where on fire they made amazing guitars top quality and care when you bought one you no only bought a top of the line guitar you bought a guitar that had a unbelievable amount of love an care put into it that you where in awe when you played it and when you opened her up. But now a days I wouldn’t even think about buying a 2005 an up. The sadering is horrible alot of the time when u open the wiring cavity one of the wires comes undun , there electrical is cheap,the cavities for the pickups, wiring, input Jack are all rushed and unfinished barely even sanded the wood is cheap and the necks have a shitty feal to them , always have to change the tuners it’s just sad to see them turn into a corporate money machine who only cares about quantity and not quality. Really they just need to go back to giving every guitar the time, love, care, and stop trying to cut corners to save time and money. If they went back to they standards of the 70-90s and switched there hardware and electrical back to the more expensive materials there company would be back on top
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5 years ago
I build custom guitars. And to be honest I just don’t build Gibson style guitars because of the arched top and set neck design. I only build telecasters. It’s just my thing. With the equipment that I have I can crank out a body from single piece of wood in about two hours and be ready to spray. A lot of builders are just buying bodies and necks throwing them together and calling it custom shop. I will say that I’ve seen more Gibson’s with the necks broke than any other guitar.
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5 years ago
Anyone who thinks an independent company should be able to virtually replicate the design of a Les Paul, Strat, 335 or Tele is a Socialist moron.
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Yes, Gibson is having some recent troubles and I would agree it’s at the feet of the CEO; however, they should certainly be able to protect their brand & legacy. I don’t blame them for suing anybody who replicated the design, and Fender should do the same!
To suggest otherwise, is to invite China to replicate iPhones and PCs.
Oh wait…we’re too stupid to stop that, too! -
5 years ago
I have had three les Paul guitars a 2008 standard that was brilliant a 2008 traditional
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a 2018 standard which I would say was not as good as the first two but I sent it back it had some work and it is fine now
I also ha 2009 songwriter acoustic which is my all time favourite guitar and I will never part with it
However my next guitar will be a fender tele as my taste leans more to country these days and I really don’t play mainstream anymore -
4 years ago
I think it’s interesting to hear so many complaints about price. If you plug in prices to an inflation calculator, most Gibsons are exactly the same price they were in the Late 70’s when I first started buying them. In fact they are cheaper. A Les Paul I bought in 1979 for just under 800 bucks should now be over 3k, and it is not. I bought a 2018 LP Classic, and it was around 2400. I do have some criticisms of the fit and finish, and had a master luthier finish it properly. (frets mostly) I get that at the production level they are at, it isn’t possible for the guitar to be complete handmade or hand finished to the spec of say, a 50’s model.
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For that, there is the custom shop VOS and other models, and these are stellar. Here in Canada, they go for 5-6K, which is a lot of money, but still cheaper than any 50’s model, especially Les Pauls, which require north of 200K nowadays.
Smaller companies with a more custom and hand made approach are everywhere, but the last time I checked, these guitars were not cheap either.
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