Gibson 2016 - no basses?

[BTL]

This is an unconfirmed rumor, and here is the source:

Quite breaking news - Gibson Bass Line Up 2016

Has anyone heard anything official on this?

If true, is this about selling out inventory, or a big paradigm shift for Gibson USA?

By the way, this seems to be related to Gibson only, NOT Epiphone.

 

[friendlybass]

Huh, bummer! They had some neat stuff in 2015. Coil splittable thunderbird, SG with Babicz hardware, hollowbody les Paul bass, I like me some Gibson. Now bring back those weird EB basses I like those

 

[Watchootognbout]

Will this mean a big drop in their bass sales?
We all know they are extremely popular.

 

[jd56hawk]

Rather exhaustive search provides nothing about this rumor. I wonder where Chris from the Netherlands heard this.

 

[Baird6869]

I bet basses were less than 2% of their revenues (that is likely super high).

If I owned Gibson, I would keep SG and TBird basses in the lineup and discontinue everything else. They ARE truly a guitar company that hasn't really done anything exciting (bass related) in decades.

P.s. I am a huge Gibson fan.

 

[CrUiSeR]

Uh yeah ok NOT

 

[Baird6869]

Uh yeah ok NOT

Not what?

 

[bholder]

I bet basses were less than 2% of their revenues (that is likely super high).

If I owned Gibson, I would keep SG and TBird basses in the lineup and discontinue everything else. They ARE truly a guitar company that hasn't really done anything exciting (bass related) in decades.

P.s. I am a huge Gibson fan.

I disagree - although the Epi JC doesn't have the Gibson name on it.

 

[Baird6869]

I disagree - although the Epi JC doesn't have the Gibson name on it.

Nothing to disagree with. Basses are absolutely an insignificant portion of Gibson's overall revenues. Fact.

I doubt the Gibson execs I met in Nashville a couple of years ago were lying when they told me this. They were also semi-joking that Gibson sells more Valley Arts guitars than Gibson basses.

For every Epi TBird Gibson sells, I bet they sell 100 Epi Les Paul guitars.

Gibson makes great basses, but they are an afterthought.

 

[Stevorebob]

What? Gibson made basses?

 

[mcarp555]

Big deal; No left-handed 2015 models, so we're used to it already.

Besides, Gibson is starting to get more revenue from selling things other than guitars and basses: Gibson changes tune: Electronics before guitars

 

[Hevy T]

Well hopefully they can take this year and do some R and D to discover bass products that we want and not the overpriced junk they have been trying to sell us

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Seems like a reliable source.

 

[hopsbb]

Nothing to disagree with. Basses are absolutely an insignificant portion of Gibson's overall revenues. Fact.

I doubt the Gibson execs I met in Nashville a couple of years ago were lying when they told me this. They were also semi-joking that Gibson sells more Valley Arts guitars than Gibson basses.

For every Epi TBird Gibson sells, I bet they sell 100 Epi Les Paul guitars.

Gibson makes great basses, but they are an afterthought.

If basses were such an insignificant part of Gibson sales then they would have done away with them long ago.Sure they sell more guitars than basses but if it weren't profitable they wouldn't continue to do it.That makes no sense.

 

[fakeneckplate'65]

I wonder if they've noticed a difference in sales since introducing the headstock mounted electronic guitar tuner gizmo?

A few months back I bought a 2013 a Gibson SG bass for $350 off of craigslist & I consistently see late model Gibson SG standard guitars sell on CL for as little as $600. I would have figured that the value of used Gibby's would have gone up since they raised prices, but, that doesn't appear to be the case.

Perhaps the Les Paul's still hold their value?

 

[woodyng]

Even when they do get it right,not much anybody cares.
I love this bass,it's the best thing they've ever done,IMHO.

 

[Baird6869]

If basses were such an insignificant part of Gibson sales then they would have done away with them long ago.Sure they sell more guitars than basses but if it weren't profitable they wouldn't continue to do it.That makes no sense.

My point makes total sense. What part are you having troubles understanding?

Using your logic, Gibson should also discontinue Tobias, Slingerland drums, Valley Arts and Kramer guitars. Just because a company has multiple products that each have a very small market share, the sum of the whole CAN be significant.

Gibson basses are a very small part of Gibson's overall business. I don't think anyone can argue that.

Should they discontinue them and would that make good business sense? Not if they sell a couple/few thousand MIA instruments a year and are making a few hundred bucks in margin on each one.

 

[jasper383]

Love the SG and Thunderbird basses; they should just hammer away at those.

 

[starmann]

View attachment 671428 Even when they do get it right,not much anybody cares.
I love this bass,it's the best thing they've ever done,IMHO.

I have a brand new one of these for sale....Get it while you can.

 

[CrUiSeR]

Not what?

hasn't really done anything exciting (bass related) in decades.

This!
IMO the 335, midtown, EB, short-scale thunderbird and flying V, various Les Pauls and money bass, have all been "exciting" and NOT worthy of discounting.