Yeah. To me it’s kinda a specialty instrument rather than a utility infielder. And it definitely benefits from being plugged into a really good amp with a decent cab or two. (Not that there’s anything wrong with the upper end of the Rumble line.) So it’s probably not the smartest offering Gibson could have come up with at that juncture. But so it goes.
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What would YOU do to save Gibson?
- Thread starter ThinCrappyTone
- Start date
Yeah. To me it’s kinda a specialty instrument rather than a utility infielder. And it definitely benefits from being plugged into a really good amp with a decent cab or two. (Not that there’s anything wrong with the upper end of the Rumble line.) So it’s probably not the smartest offering Gibson could have come up with at that juncture. But so it goes.
OK well - I just took delivery on a 2018 Aged Cherry Red Gibson SG from CME (after owning two others that I didn't care for - one was a lemon...) and judging from this bass, it looks like Gibson might be doing something for itself, because it is sweet and the QC seems excellent, so far. I believe they stopped making them in 2015, after only one year with a the new bridge Among other things, they got rid of the stupid big gold case and brought back the cool old case, and inside was a complete bass tool with wrenches, a decent strap etc - not just that crappy little truss rod tool that was such a pain. I will post a NBD thread soon.
This is the actual bass:
This is the actual bass:
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1. Diversify. Henry’s been doing this, but poorly. The future is in DJ, producing and electronic music. Go there.
2. Improve quality. Those top-line guitars must be flawless. LPs, 335s, 175s, SGs. Raise prices if need be to do it.
3. Fix engineering issues. The headstock joint for one. The headstock angle for another.
4. Create a modest-price Gibson line. The money is in the masses. Gibson needs market where here. Nope, not Epiphone, Gibson. Make them in Korea, Mexico or Indonesia. Fender, PRS and Ibanez do this well. That Gibson brand has value, more than Epiphone; milk it.
5. Create new guitars. Not the stupid designs they seem to come up with, but 7- and 8-string electric guitars. They’ve got nothing in this space. Maybe basses, too — maybe.
6. Streamline the brand. Clear out the redundant versions.
7. Let Epiphone be Epiphone. They’ve had success here — the Jack Cassidy bass, the Wilshire guitar. Pare down the Gibson copies, and move those sales to a higher-priced Gibson import. Similarly, recapture the heratige of Tobias and Kramer and make them compete in the market.
8. Create a guitar music association. With Fender, PRS, Music Man, Ibanez and others, promote live and recorded guitar music.
9. Film, TV and cable product placement. Sponsor cool characters that play the guitar.
10. Sell direct. Double the margins and stop financing Guitar Center’s debt. Maybe open Gibson stores (like the Apple Store and the Nike Store).
2. Improve quality. Those top-line guitars must be flawless. LPs, 335s, 175s, SGs. Raise prices if need be to do it.
3. Fix engineering issues. The headstock joint for one. The headstock angle for another.
4. Create a modest-price Gibson line. The money is in the masses. Gibson needs market where here. Nope, not Epiphone, Gibson. Make them in Korea, Mexico or Indonesia. Fender, PRS and Ibanez do this well. That Gibson brand has value, more than Epiphone; milk it.
5. Create new guitars. Not the stupid designs they seem to come up with, but 7- and 8-string electric guitars. They’ve got nothing in this space. Maybe basses, too — maybe.
6. Streamline the brand. Clear out the redundant versions.
7. Let Epiphone be Epiphone. They’ve had success here — the Jack Cassidy bass, the Wilshire guitar. Pare down the Gibson copies, and move those sales to a higher-priced Gibson import. Similarly, recapture the heratige of Tobias and Kramer and make them compete in the market.
8. Create a guitar music association. With Fender, PRS, Music Man, Ibanez and others, promote live and recorded guitar music.
9. Film, TV and cable product placement. Sponsor cool characters that play the guitar.
10. Sell direct. Double the margins and stop financing Guitar Center’s debt. Maybe open Gibson stores (like the Apple Store and the Nike Store).
Improve quality. Finish and set them up better at the factory. The headstock joint issue is nonsense, they need to resolve that. I always wanted the Gibson sound, but when I was looking for a nice dual humbucker solid body, I never found a Gibson that played well off the rack. For the prices they charge, they need to pay attention to detail. I think they survived better, back in the day, because the smaller music stores would go over the guitars that came in and do some work to get them properly set up. The big stores take them out of the box and hang them up for sale. That isn't going to work for most Gibsons.
Yeah, the EB I played earlier had action a mile high! Of course, I set up all of my basses so that doesn’t scare me off.
Oh geez, guys come to see this :
Gibson CEO Blames Guitar Stores for Financial Struggles
I Laughed so hard, I can see my guts floating around the ceiling
Gibson CEO Blames Guitar Stores for Financial Struggles
I Laughed so hard, I can see my guts floating around the ceiling
Isn’t tuning stability largely a function of the quality of the tuning keys, and how well they’re adjusted?
Bring back Norlin!!
That neck design was actually brilliant. My 1981 Les Paul had the sturdiest, teflon neck that was impervious to humidity and temperature swings.
He actually has valid points...
"Kids today may think some music from the '50s is kind of cool here and there, but what other industry do you know that hasn't changed since the '50s? Those guitars from the '50s are what the purists want, but we have to have something new and exciting."
"They put all of these guitars on the wall, and they put the best ones out of reach. Because you might steal one? Well, that's one way to look at it, but Apple doesn't look at it that way, and most of their stuff is more expensive than a lot of higher-end guitars."
"We've always been loyal to retail; we still don't have a site where we sell directly [to consumers]. We probably will in the future, and part of that is in reaction to general trending toward e-commerce. These are troubled times for retail."
"Kids today may think some music from the '50s is kind of cool here and there, but what other industry do you know that hasn't changed since the '50s? Those guitars from the '50s are what the purists want, but we have to have something new and exciting."
"They put all of these guitars on the wall, and they put the best ones out of reach. Because you might steal one? Well, that's one way to look at it, but Apple doesn't look at it that way, and most of their stuff is more expensive than a lot of higher-end guitars."
"We've always been loyal to retail; we still don't have a site where we sell directly [to consumers]. We probably will in the future, and part of that is in reaction to general trending toward e-commerce. These are troubled times for retail."
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,006
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- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Such as? I didn’t see anything ludicrous. (I just read the copy; I didn’t watch the video, so perhaps I missed something.)
Fact: Brick and mortar stores are threatened by e-commerce.
Fact: Customer service and hospitality is a huge differentiator for brick and mortar stores.
Fact: Product must evolve with the times to remain relevant, and therefore profitable. (While true, it’s ironic coming from Gibson.). Edit: While true with almost every market segment that relies on technology or fashion, perhaps this isn’t as true for actual instruments? Class D is killing class A/B in the amp world. MIDI and virtual instruments are killing analog keyboards. But maybe the guitar/bass world is the exception that proves the rule?
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No, you don't have to. Why they don't even listen to customers ? Of course majority of consumers want some mumbo jumbo autotuners and other irrelevant innovations
(sarcasm)I mean Rickenbacker basses are about the same (4001 vs 4003). They changed truss rod system (to better) with some alteration in neck and body shape departament, different pickups. You know why ? Because people want Rickenbacker to stay Vintage. They launched other models to satisfy more "modern" customers and this is great deal. They only upgraded necessary things like those truss rods because people just can't get it how to set up the neck and eventually the fretboard will separate from the neck. So YOU DON'T HAVE TO change anything, you can upgrade existing "project" without altering the apperance.
If it ain't broke - don't fix it.
He just shifted blame to other things. Why he can't explain unjustified prices ? 4k+ for mass produced guitar is insane, when you can order custom guitar from reputable builder for half of this price or even lower.
Customers are more aware these days, why you will even want to pay higher price for something you can have much cheaper ? Building guitar is not rocket science.
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Not disagreeing with your points. In particular, however, I found his response to the suggestion that people like to play guitars before they plunk down $3000 for them to be convoluted and non-responsive.
High quality classic designs at fair prices
Spend your money on fixing all that went wrong, especially your image and reputation.
Duh
Spend your money on fixing all that went wrong, especially your image and reputation.
Duh
Fix the head stock and string transition on the nut so that it takes advantage of modern advancements in guitar design. EG put a volute on the back of the neck where the neck and headstock meet. re-arrange the tuners so that none of the strings pinch. PRS has been doing this for decades. It's not hard.
Get the fit and finish under control. I've walked into stores with a fat wad of cash, intent on buying a new Gibson, and walked right out swearing. It is not acceptable to sell a guitar or bass for more than $1000 with obvious finish flaws, or sloppy routing around the pickups that shows through the pickup ring/PG.
Frankly, I'd start getting Gibson's made in Japan. Then tell the American factory they have to beat the quality of that shop. The Japanese guitar factories that subcontract for various brands can turn out a stunning product at a competitive price point. And can knock it out of the park for Gibson prices.
Stop doing all these goofy nonsense customs. They do not sell terribly well and dealers get pissed off when they have a lime green Les Paul with a maple neck and single coils that won't move.
Stick to what made Gibson famous, and nail it.
Oh yeah, and jump through whatever hoops it takes to get rosewood and ebony fretboards.
Get the fit and finish under control. I've walked into stores with a fat wad of cash, intent on buying a new Gibson, and walked right out swearing. It is not acceptable to sell a guitar or bass for more than $1000 with obvious finish flaws, or sloppy routing around the pickups that shows through the pickup ring/PG.
Frankly, I'd start getting Gibson's made in Japan. Then tell the American factory they have to beat the quality of that shop. The Japanese guitar factories that subcontract for various brands can turn out a stunning product at a competitive price point. And can knock it out of the park for Gibson prices.
Stop doing all these goofy nonsense customs. They do not sell terribly well and dealers get pissed off when they have a lime green Les Paul with a maple neck and single coils that won't move.
Stick to what made Gibson famous, and nail it.
Oh yeah, and jump through whatever hoops it takes to get rosewood and ebony fretboards.
Try making a "Flagship" model that will STAY IN TUNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And selling it at a reasonable price after you fix that. A $2000+ guitar that will not stay in tune w/o a locking nut?? Why guitar players bother is beyond me.. Imagine how much they would be screaming at us if we had to tune a bass after every damn song.... Or in the middle of it even. Actually, we wouldn't put up with that crap regardless of the name on the bass. I see mine with the Les Paul and say "Oh Lord, here we go"..
