They cannabilize their own sales for extra profit by making epiphone g3s in China for $1299 vs not making a USA version correct to the original...
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What the heck is Gibson doing?
- Thread starter mdogs
- Start date
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,904
- 142,318
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
You do know the tooling for the pickups is long gone, yes?
The G3 was done as a re-issue in 2012 with Jim DeCola (from the 7ender Custom Shop) designed pickups, a very nicely done re-issue. I picked one up from a US dealer to send to a buddy in Germany, he let me keep it for 3 months before sending it on to him, really a nice bass.
They cry about tooling but had no issue tooling up for those odd looking decola pickups and every other wierd thing they have been releasing. That's not an excuse.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,904
- 142,318
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
They cry about tooling but had no issue tooling up for those odd looking decola pickups and every other wierd thing they have been releasing. That's not an excuse.
Who is "they"
The pickups in this version of the Thunderbird are not something new either, they were first used on the 2013 EB Bass and the 2015 Thunderbird.
You might check your "facts".
IIRC those original Grabber and Ripper pickups were designed by Bill Lawrence. He too has passed on and I don't know if he ever kept any of the design drawings or specifications for those or not.
It's not landing the space shuttle to recreate them. Others without the financial backing of Gibson have done it. Novak, etc.
No, but there's no money to be made by doing so either, and Gibson is owned by KKR so...fast ROI is #1 priority.
I, for one, see De Cola pickups as the most versatile "conventional" bass pickups seen on Gibsons for the past 50 years, possibly ever.
Show me one example of Fender finishing as bad as the above. Not even a Squier or Sterling would have such garbage finishing. That is literally firewood.
They don’t all look like that but a lot of them do. I’ve found that in many cases the Epiphones are if better build quality. It’s kinda sad that foreign built instruments are in some cases better than their USA built counterpart.
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It seems to be getting that way in some cases. Or at least, different issues per factory, no matter the location. It's absolutely the case for Japanese vs American Fenders. All of my MIJ Fenders would pass a microscope QA inspection. Honestly. The neck pocket, the nut finishing, frets, all of it.
That pic above looks like a bad home stain job on an old night stand you might see for sale at a garage sale. Unbelievable lol. I wonder if SW's 55 point inspection will catch that?
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- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,904
- 142,318
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Really?
This 7ender gem seems to have escaped your attention, note that this isn't a singular example. Be sure to watch the review, there are numerous faults, great QC by 7ender.
Fender Gold Foil Jazz Bass - What To Know & Where To Buy
Fender Gold Foil Jazz Bass - See the best prices from $899.00.
equipboard.com
Yea, modern USA/MEX Fender has a lot of problems. You can find me bashing them in numerous threads based on a LOT of personal experience. But wood finishing like that? Never. That is a new level of not giving a F. Also, that ugly gold foil Fender was like 1200 bucks. This is twice that and the stain job has the same energy as a DIY bookshelf at goodwill.Really?
This 7ender gem seems to have escaped your attention, note that this isn't a singular example. Be sure to watch the review, there are numerous faults, great QC by 7ender.
Fender Gold Foil Jazz Bass - What To Know & Where To Buy
Fender Gold Foil Jazz Bass - See the best prices from $899.00.
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- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,904
- 142,318
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
I'm quoting you here.
"Show me one example of Fender finishing as bad as the above. Not even a Squier or Sterling would have such garbage finishing. That is literally firewood."
Which I did, easily.
This is hardly a ringing endorsement either.
" Yea, modern USA/MEX Fender has a lot of problems. You can find me bashing them in numerous threads based on a LOT of personal experience. But wood finishing like that? Never. That is a new level of not giving a F. Also, that ugly gold foil Fender was like 1200 bucks. This is twice that. "
Not sure how you detected a desire for endorsement. What I said, and what is true, is that Fender would NEVER ship a guitar wit that level of finish atrocity. Nothing more, nothing less.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,904
- 142,318
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
Best 14 minutes of 7ender QC ever, hope you enjoy it, note that it shows at least 5 different basses with flaws, not just the brilliant position of the pickup.
