Or as a post in one of the several existing threads on the same topic.
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Gibson's PR Damage Control
- Thread starter nomaj
- Start date
Heritage Standard H-150 Lemon Burst
Gibson Les Paul Standard
Since the hedge hoggers/ funders took over they see easy pickings going at Dean, Luna, and some other boutique manufacturers but not one word about Heritage which split from Norlin in 1985. Between the two guitars pictured guess which one doesn't have auto tuners as an option
Although both guitars have the same crown inlays on the fretboards besides the other commonalities.
The worlds finest American made musical instruments Heritage Guitars
Gibson should just give it a rest...go after the Chinese counterfeiters, chastise those buyers that order guitars and basses from said counterfeiters that sell instruments with a Gibson emblem, and tone back their rhetoric.
Gibson Les Paul Standard
Since the hedge hoggers/ funders took over they see easy pickings going at Dean, Luna, and some other boutique manufacturers but not one word about Heritage which split from Norlin in 1985. Between the two guitars pictured guess which one doesn't have auto tuners as an option
Although both guitars have the same crown inlays on the fretboards besides the other commonalities.
The worlds finest American made musical instruments Heritage Guitars
Gibson should just give it a rest...go after the Chinese counterfeiters, chastise those buyers that order guitars and basses from said counterfeiters that sell instruments with a Gibson emblem, and tone back their rhetoric.
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''if Gibson went nuts reissuing true repros of all their mudbuck'd basses I might forgive them.'' means I'm pissed at Gibson and will never buy new from them unless they can sway me into hypocrisy by correctly remaking my favorite vintage basses of their past, especially the EB-0 violin and accurate belt buckle PUs, then I will try to forget their transgressions and maybe give them money. I'm easy.
No argument from me on the quality of the aforementioned brand. I owned a Heritage H535 and that thing was flawlessly built and sounded like absolute heaven.
I'm with you on that one 10001% although I'm not certain how one would go about it IRL. But then again, I'm not someone who's well-versed in these matters.
Typical example of an attempt at spin doctoring.
There is very little actual information presented in that release.
They’re just restating what was said in the Agnesi video. Except this time they’re softening the tone since the earlier “Sopranos” schtick didn’t fly too well.
They’re also deliberately conflating Chinese counterfeiting of Gibson instruments with the alleged trademark violations they’re going after Dean for. Which means they’re not out solely to protect the Gibson name. They’re also attempting to gain control over anything that even remotely resembles anything Gibson has done in their long history. So it’s not the purely defensive move they’re trying to convince everyone it is. It’s still very much a corporate strategic offensive they’re pursuing.
The statement from the current brass pretty much sums up their intentions. Which are no different than what was stated in their original misguided announcement.
Translation:
It’s time for the people we claim are infringing on our alleged legal trademarks to come forward and accept the settlement terms we’ll offer them. Because we have every intention of dragging them into prolonged and costly legal wrangling if they don’t. We seek your “collaboration.” Which, as far as we’re concerned, means: Why not see it - and do it - our way? (Or else.)
And just to be clear, Gibson’s lawsuit against Dean is seeking: treble damages (three times the normal monetary penalty a court would hand down for such a violation because Gibson maintains Dean willfully tried to deceive people into thinking Dean guitars were Gibsons - despite bring clearly and conspicuously branded with Dean’s distinctive logo on the headstock), plus all the profits from every guitar Dean ever sold that Gibson says is violating their trademark, plus all Gibson’s legal expenses related to the lawsuit.
Sure sounds like they’re playing hardball to me.
There is very little actual information presented in that release.
They’re just restating what was said in the Agnesi video. Except this time they’re softening the tone since the earlier “Sopranos” schtick didn’t fly too well.
They’re also deliberately conflating Chinese counterfeiting of Gibson instruments with the alleged trademark violations they’re going after Dean for. Which means they’re not out solely to protect the Gibson name. They’re also attempting to gain control over anything that even remotely resembles anything Gibson has done in their long history. So it’s not the purely defensive move they’re trying to convince everyone it is. It’s still very much a corporate strategic offensive they’re pursuing.
The statement from the current brass pretty much sums up their intentions. Which are no different than what was stated in their original misguided announcement.
Translation:
It’s time for the people we claim are infringing on our alleged legal trademarks to come forward and accept the settlement terms we’ll offer them. Because we have every intention of dragging them into prolonged and costly legal wrangling if they don’t. We seek your “collaboration.” Which, as far as we’re concerned, means: Why not see it - and do it - our way? (Or else.)
And just to be clear, Gibson’s lawsuit against Dean is seeking: treble damages (three times the normal monetary penalty a court would hand down for such a violation because Gibson maintains Dean willfully tried to deceive people into thinking Dean guitars were Gibsons - despite bring clearly and conspicuously branded with Dean’s distinctive logo on the headstock), plus all the profits from every guitar Dean ever sold that Gibson says is violating their trademark, plus all Gibson’s legal expenses related to the lawsuit.
Sure sounds like they’re playing hardball to me.
Didn't Slash pose with his counterfeit Les Paul with the bullseye graphic along with Henry J when Gibson announced production of a "Slash Edition" Les Paul featuring the bullseye graphic?
Like trying to lock the door when the horses are all out.
Like trying to lock the door when the horses are all out.
We all play cause we need to and have our brand preferences
At the end of the day this is a Business and the better they do the better for all of us.
Personally wish them the best and think the new CEO has the right energy to go after this.....rest is noise
At the end of the day this is a Business and the better they do the better for all of us.
Personally wish them the best and think the new CEO has the right energy to go after this.....rest is noise
No. Not even a little bit.
Right On! I'm with ya! Have a dozen gibs. Never another. Unless they truly do something remarkable.
If I had to guess blindfolded which was the higher quality instrument between the 1969 gibson eb3 I had and the 1973 Arita eb3 I have now I would say they should have let the Japanese companies put Gibson on the headstock!
MDBass
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- Nov 7, 2012
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Their “attention to quality” is still a joke.
The guitar player in my touring band had two brand new $3k Les Pauls literally fall apart on him a week into our last tour.
Back in the early 1990s they set a month's worth of acoustics on fire because Henry wasn't happy that the lacquer took so long to cure...so he ordered the heating elements on the cure line turned up.
Nitro then did what nitro does when it gets hot enough. They were lucky to not lose the whole facility...like Fender did in Ensenada (that was a guy cleaning the spray booth with metal tools).
I see no changes in that mindset.
Before Guitar Center bought Musician's Friend, Musician's Friend actually had brick 'n mortar stores (that eventually turned into Guitar Center stores).
Anyway, when the one near me opened in the late 90s, they had this flagship $30,000 solid Korina Explorer hanging high on the wall. When you let the light hit it, I kid you not, that thing was so bumpy it looked like it was sanded with a piece of asphalt. It was glaringly laughable. But for the money, it was like being in an alternate universe. Everyone laughed at that guitar, hung right up over the door as someone's misguided idea of a show piece. Even the employees laughed at it. Weeks later, it mysteriously "fell" to the floor and broke into pieces. Methinks it was probably a mercy killing for insurance money but what do I know?
Anyway, when the one near me opened in the late 90s, they had this flagship $30,000 solid Korina Explorer hanging high on the wall. When you let the light hit it, I kid you not, that thing was so bumpy it looked like it was sanded with a piece of asphalt. It was glaringly laughable. But for the money, it was like being in an alternate universe. Everyone laughed at that guitar, hung right up over the door as someone's misguided idea of a show piece. Even the employees laughed at it. Weeks later, it mysteriously "fell" to the floor and broke into pieces. Methinks it was probably a mercy killing for insurance money but what do I know?
As background, we have a physical storefront music related business with a federal tax i.d., business license and letters of incorporation. We've also been NAMM members for 25 years. I have a friend who used to be famous for doing custom drum sets in the 80-90's. He's now famous for doing AR for Gibson. When he was just starting out in drums he worked out of our shop for a while. So at a NAMM show about 15 years ago, we go to Gibson's booth to see what color the LP's are and to see if we can catch up with Pat. We're grown-ups in casual business attire and we're wearing "Buyer" badges. The Gypson booth is filled with jowly white men in blue suits. The pretty little rent-a-receptionist stops us and says, "Are you dealers?" I look down at my buyer's badge and answer truthfully, "No, we just here to see a friend and take a quick look around." She says, you can't go IN the booth if you're not a dealer." Twenty something NAMM's and I've never hear of this at any booth before. Oh sure, they have meeting spaces and hospitality suites that are invitation only but to rent 2 ballrooms of space and not let the public in, no never. So I continue, "Oh, Okay. Listen we've been friends with Pat Foley for a long time and were hoping to see him. Is he at the show?" She says, I don't know who Pat Foley is." I say, he's the guy that talks to your biggest stars about their endorsements and signature models." Her response is. "Oh, he's not here at the show." Now I kid you not, at this very moment he comes out of the Ballroom, sees us and gives us big hugs and talks to us about the kids and what's going on in front of little missy for 15 minutes.
Afterwards, we go directly downstairs to where Fender has their two ballroom worth of space. No receptionist, doors wide open. Employees are in surf and bowling shirts. There's a smattering of what the kids call "diversity." They're giving how to set up your guitar demos and what not. The place is happy and buzzing. I admired a custom shop signature model and ask a quick question about. Now I'm talking about a 7k$ guitar. Bowling shirt dude whips it off the wall, plugs it into a custom shop Vibro King and says "Here! Try it out and tell me what you think"
I had never had more clarity before or since about the cultural differences between Gypson and Fender.
I do like SG and P-90's both together and separately. Not an LP fan although I'm a fan of a lot of music that's made with LP's.
Mugre
Afterwards, we go directly downstairs to where Fender has their two ballroom worth of space. No receptionist, doors wide open. Employees are in surf and bowling shirts. There's a smattering of what the kids call "diversity." They're giving how to set up your guitar demos and what not. The place is happy and buzzing. I admired a custom shop signature model and ask a quick question about. Now I'm talking about a 7k$ guitar. Bowling shirt dude whips it off the wall, plugs it into a custom shop Vibro King and says "Here! Try it out and tell me what you think"
I had never had more clarity before or since about the cultural differences between Gypson and Fender.
I do like SG and P-90's both together and separately. Not an LP fan although I'm a fan of a lot of music that's made with LP's.
Mugre
You had me until you started the "white men" vs "diversity" crap. Has no bearing on anything.
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As a Gibson owner, I was able to tread past that and appreciate the poignancy of the anecdote
Gibson has always wrapped itself in the mantle of snob appeal. Read the text in the 1921 Gibson catalog; it's available online. "Only a Gibson is good enough."
But yeah, Gibson are not actually real famous for their basses. Les Paul made them famous when all said and done. That and the Explorer and Flying Vee. I toured their Memphis factory some years ago (the 335 place) and at the end of the tour the guide asked for the guitar players in the crowd to raise their hands. Then he asked for the Fender players to keep their hands up. Then he said "That is what we call the F word around here". I enjoyed the tour.
Alkali Ike
Gold Supporting Member
- Jan 1, 2011
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Many years ago I saw a Subaru 360. I swore then and there I’d never ever own a Subaru. The company that made that POS could never be trusted to build a proper car.
EDIT: I’m being sarcastic. Sometimes that doesn’t work out well for me.
EDIT: I’m being sarcastic. Sometimes that doesn’t work out well for me.
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