Gibson Acquires Mesa/Boogie

[wneff]

Here's the official information:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It will not affect my service program for Genz Benz, I have had the continued support of Fender, KMC and Mesa Boogie to continue this program for as long as I am willing to do it. I can't see any company objecting to doing something that is good for both the players and the industry as a whole, as all of these companies really are customer service oriented at their core.

Thanks, you are the best!

 

[India_Sierra]

This is a disaster for Mesa Boogie. Gibson are a poison, every company that comes to mind that they have bought out has suffered.

 

[Killing Floor]

I can't believe Gibson will do this to Mesa. Mesa is an institution, you can't ruin them without paying the price a way or another.

Maybe you’re right. Time will tell. And Mesa has a very strong following and great reputation in the guitar and bass community.

Valley Arts, gone. Harmony Central, knocking on death’s door. Garrison, gone. Tobias, brand and quality degradation. Kramer, degraded, near death. Steinberger, degraded brand and quality. Onkyo, reputation and quality sinking.

 

[Hevy T]

All I can say is oh crap

I would have way more faith if Yamaha bought Mesa! I just hope they don't shut down the Subway line!!

 

[Stewie]

Will I be able to to buy an Epiphone D-800+ for $200?

 

[agedhorse]

I have posted a little more info on the "Subway" thread, let's read through this before assuming that the sky is indeed falling and that we all need to start crying in our cornflakes prematurely.

 

[basscooker]

Will I be able to to buy an Epiphone D-800+ for $200?

I had similar thoughts, actually.
I wonder if this means there is a real chance of that teaser D-350 going into production. I do perceive Gibson as more willing to offer true entry-level gear than what we see now from Mesa.

Could be good or bad, yes; but as I read the official statement it does seem as though Gibson may be taking a bit more of a hands-off approach than in the past.

 

[subtlestew]

This is a disaster for Mesa Boogie. Gibson are a poison, every company that comes to mind that they have bought out has suffered.

Maybe you’re right. Time will tell. And Mesa has a very strong following and great reputation in the guitar and bass community.

Valley Arts, gone. Harmony Central, knocking on death’s door. Garrison, gone. Tobias, brand and quality degradation. Kramer, degraded, near death. Steinberger, degraded brand and quality. Onkyo, reputation and quality sinking.

I was about to bring up Steinberger. Thanks, @Killing Floor . It was a while ago now, but that's the one that, for me, still hurts. Good thing I got my pre-Gibson bass sweetheart.

 

[AudioTaper]

Here's the official information:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It will not affect my service program for Genz Benz, I have had the continued support of Fender, KMC and Mesa Boogie to continue this program for as long as I am willing to do it. I can't see any company objecting to doing something that is good for both the players and the industry as a whole, as all of these companies really are customer service oriented at their core.

Thanks for the reassurance of continued quality on the service side. I'm sure you are bound to not say too much (if anything) outside of the official released statement you linked.

I'm sure most of us here are concerned with overall quality and products going forward. As stated but others, Gibson has a track record of not being a good parent company
::cough::Trace Elliot::cough

Fingers crossed they will leave Mesa alone to do their own thing. I just wish I had the funds to get that TT-800 now...

 

[ClusterFlux]

I have posted a little more info on the "Subway" thread, let's read through this before assuming that the sky is indeed falling and that we all need to start crying in our cornflakes prematurely.

Wait, you want people... on the Internet... not to overreact?!?

 

[franvarin]

Putting a good ape into a barrel of bad apes does not make the bad o es good. The good ape will rot.

Having spent a career in business and living through mergers, i'm not confident Mesa will remain the same. Corporate culture shapes behavior and it never rolls uphill.

 

[Killing Floor]

Yeah, I’m not doubting the business case for either party. Just pointing out the obvious advantage for Gibson would be to take a larger “boutique” brand with high name recognition and a built in consumer base. Re-engineer the products and send production overseas for cost control. That’s what I would do. It’s a business model that works. If you can make a Mesa amp that costs less you’re going to sell more. It’s a smart move. Understandable but not easy to cheer for.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Also, is Reverb shutting down on Apr 30, 2021? I got a WEIRD email from Reverb giving me notice to buy & sell gear elsewhere to make the transition.

 

[DRBP]

please not Gallien-Krueger next, please not Gallien-Krueger, please not Gallien-Krueger......

 

[amper]

Please tell me I fell asleep for 3 months and today is April 1.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Ok, I need coffee before I post...

 

[amper]

Gibson will do to Mesa/Boogie what they did to Trace Elliot.
RIP Mesa Engineering.

 

[sleepingEB0]

Yeah, I’m not doubting the business case for either party. Just pointing out the obvious advantage for Gibson would be to take a larger “boutique” brand with high name recognition and a built in consumer base. Re-engineer the products and send production overseas for cost control. That’s what I would do. It’s a business model that works. If you can make a Mesa amp that costs less you’re going to sell more. It’s a smart move. Understandable but not easy to cheer for.

Gibson (and PRS) only begrudgingly sells epiphone over seas. They are basically forced to do it because if they don’t someone will be selling Gibson copies at that price point. If they don’t compete with $300 Les Pauls they are basically forfeiting the market.

It’s not really an issue for Mesa at the moment. Nobody is selling a cheap rectifier from China.

 

[amper]

They have been in the past. Gibson owned the Orange brand for a time in the 90s and had something to do with Trace Elliot for a while on the aughts before selling it off again. Neither seemed to last long, maybe this time around will be different.

Gibson didn’t “sell off” Trace Elliot, they extinguished the company. It wasn’t until many years later that they sold off the IP. The current Trace Elliot company has exactly zero to do with the original Trace Elliot company, except the logo.

 

[amper]

I can't believe Gibson will do this to Mesa. Mesa is an institution, you can't ruin them without paying the price a way or another.

So was Trace Elliot.