What would YOU do to save Gibson?

[b_carville]

With all due respect, it's only a crime if you allow the nostalgic aspect to infiltrate your mind that strongly.
Almost everything evolves animals, plants, your living environment and yes music with that fashion associated with it...It evolves.

IMHO both Fender and Gibson have become cartoons of themselves to some degree.

You can a higher quality USA made instrument for the same price of a Les Paul, that are in the same vien as a LS.

Go to NAMM and look at all the new builders coming.

I appreciate what these companies have done but...

It's time...

I love Fender basses & played them most of my life.
Most of the guitarists I worked were Gibson lovers/users. I really liked Gibson (I'm not a guitarist but have played a bit of guitar in various bands). Nowadays I wouldn't look to either one of those companies for a new instrument. There are too many brands that build the same styles cheaper & better.

 

[JW56789]

To save Gibson, the company, I would do nothing: The market will decide its' economic viability, its' value, and IF there's something there, we'll see what happens.

But . . . . . I would do just about anything to save the jobs of all the great regular guys sweating out their 8 hours a day in a very trying environment, who have nothing to do with Gibson's direction at the helm or the financial market, but are just trying to feed their families. I truly, really hope for the best for them.

 

[klejst]

Honestly nothing...never been a fan of many of their products but that is just me.

 

[MojoPenguin]

1. Let's start by adding Volutes on all instruments and ditching mahogany for maple.

2. Take a trip to a guitar factory in Japan and see what quality and QC means.
3. Don't post pics of guitars unless they a. flattering b. devoid of dings, cracks, etc..
4. Fire the guy taking care of the website and Social media.
5. Reconnect with users like me who like their Gibson, but wish to interact with the company directly on Social Media and not through a secretary, this ain't the 50's anymore.

 

[bassbrad]

Gibson needs to recreate their brand as a prestige line and stop some of it's rather predatory sales practices. They need to step up their QC as guitars are very hit and miss. One of my guitar players went on a bit of a spree and went through about 30 Les Pauls and 335 to finally wind up with a keeper in each model although the ES keeper was a 345.

 

[shortscalesrule]

Funny thing is that Henry is a Harvard MBA investment banker, bought the company for a song - relatively speaking - and did make improvements early on to regain competitiveness in the late 80's/early 90's. From then on...oh did I say he is an investment banker... market dynamics (shrinking market) and rising costs PLUS the rise of superior competition hurt.

PRS was the fist ice bucket in the face. Numerous other luthiers with better guitars and more competitive prices AND personalized service was the second. Shrinking market and dealer consolidation - hampered with debt - didn't help either.

I am a collector with numerous Gibsons, made dating back to 1944, and in reality, the constant " super premium price point variation on a theme" got old fast. Not too mention the comparative poor quality versus a lower priced PRS or Fender American Deluxe. Do I really want a van paint style Les Paul at $5k? A new L5 Jazz box costs more than my 1961!

I think he did a good job with the low end of the market (as did Fender with MIM,MIK,Squire) with Epiphone. Many might say the 10-20 price multiple of a Gibson vs Epi ain't worth the differential.

At the end of the day, the current market dynamics aren't good for mass market instrument makers. Even Fender pulled an initial public offering four or five years back - I read it in consideration and damn, who would buy it given Fender's AND Guitar Center's financial position and mounting liabilities - their largest dealer, declining core markets and rising costs.

But hey, remember they said Fender Strats and Gibson Les Pauls were dead when polyphonic synths , drum machines, and pointy Jacksons and BC Rich's hit the streets? I do - showing my age here.

I give Henry credit for diversifying and attempting to leverage the iconic brand. For improving manufacturing methods - but at the expense of craftsmanship; for range extending lines - but too much variation on a theme; and buying complementary music brands - but killing some off along the way - ouch.

But service sucked - my guitarist has two Alex Lifeson Les Pauls from the Custom Shop and one headstock snapped. Custom Shop said send it in and we will have it back in 5 weeks. Four months later with no communication it returned and he had to get the neck refinished.

Too much debt to achieve the growth objectives kills everyone sooner or later. And the consumer electronics business is a killer - ask Sony. (Philips - really?)

I just hope someone in the USA buys the brand, but in all likelihood, it'll be a foreign entity with a strong music brand portfolio contributing economies of scale, distribution, and deep pockets.

Nonetheless, I still get butterflies in my stomach when I see a Gibson Les Paul, SG, L5 or ES335 hanging on the wall like I did when I bought my first bass guitar in 1971 - a Gibson EB3 with pink fur lined case for $227, used at Frank Richards Music Store in Livingston, NJ, with money saved from my paper route - still have it.

I started as a woodwind player--my family paid for the initial clarinet, but I bought my first flute with my paper route money.

 

[shortscalesrule]

Yep, you can't 'un-see' that now, can you? What were they thinking...?

Yes, but the case is cool!

 

[shortscalesrule]

I did my part for Gibson by buying a Memphis Les Paul Bass, which of course had to be a whole lot below the street price before I could swing it (not to mention the MSRP--does anyone actually pay that?). I like the bass very much and it came with a good quality case, as an instrument at this price point should.
I suggest a campaign to draft Paul Allen (he who bankrolled the Music Experience thing in Seattle) for new CEO. He's got $$,$$$,$$$, he knows how to run a company, and he likes guitars.

 

[Marc DLarosa]

NOTHING.
It would only make my Gibson's, more valuable, after they become unobtainable...

 

[Shrubber]

Almost two years ago...... Gibson Brands’ Henry Juszkiewicz Responds To Credit Downgrade

 

[Phud]

Sounds like they are going the same route as Rickenbacker.


I'll go punish my self now.

 

[Marc DLarosa]

If not for KISS (and... who cares about them?), were Gibson basses ever popular?
Although... My first bass, that I got, in '82... was a Victory. I was 14. It's an '82. I still have it. Boy... I'm OLD!!! HA!!!

 

[40Hz]

Your ability to sniff out a troll is apparently greater than my ability to see how anything you're saying is pertinent here. Also, most of my original post was tongue-in-cheek (which you and 40Hz overlooked and immediately acted as if I assaulted your grandmother in a truckstop bathroom), and I had/have no hard feelings toward 40Hz, you, or Gibson lovers in general. Nothin' but love from me. Have a good one.

I'm hardly a Gibson lover. Love is far too strong an emotion to waste on a bass of any make. I play two of them because I like some of the things they bring to the party. But I'm also currently in possession (I'm not a collector) of 16 basses - of which only four are made by Gibson. And of that number, two will probably be on their way to new homes before too many months in the future. So I'm hardly a Gibson fanboy by any stretch. If I see something (any model or make) that seriously interests me, I'll buy one to check it out. Sometimes I keep it for the semi-permanent ten players I allow myself. But if something new gets a added to that group, something else has to go out. So even there, there's nothing that's completely permanent.

If Gibson folds - and there's a distinct possibility it will this time around - then it folds. It won't be the end of the world.

I personally think it would be a shame since that means there's less choice for us anytime somebody goes under. But so it goes. I won't lose any sleep over it either way. If that comes as a surprise, sorry to disappoint.

 

[ThinCrappyTone]

Nice try, Henry Juszkiewicz.

Dang! Outed!

 

[Marc DLarosa]

I'm hardly a Gibson lover. Love is far too strong an emotion to waste on a bass of any make. I play two of them because I like some of the things they bring to the party. But I'm also currently in possession (I'm not a collector) of 16 basses - of which only four are made by Gibson. And of that number, two will probably be on their way to new homes before too many months in the future. So I'm hardly a Gibson fanboy by any stretch. If I see something (any model or make) that seriously interests me, I'll buy one to check it out. Sometimes I keep it for the semi-permanent ten players I allow myself. But if something new gets a added to that group, something else has to go out. So even there, there's nothing that's completely permanent.

If Gibson folds - and there's a distinct possibility it will this time around - then it folds. It won't be the end of the world.

I personally think it would be a shame since that means there's less choice for us anytime somebody goes under. But so it goes. I won't lose any sleep over it either way. If that comes as a surprise, sorry to disappoint.

Gibson, Shmibson... I have 2. They BOTH have "sentimental" value. And... I'll NEVER get rid of either. If it were not for that... they would be long gone.

 

[MD Stingray]

What would you do if you had the wheel? Hypothetically, if you had the power to do anything to the company that you wanted to, what would you do to right the ship, save the day, and bring Gibson back to their former glory?

That would require divine-like power like turn back time a few decades.

 

[Iamgoodformetal]

Don't hang Henry. Sell $10 and $50 tickets to FLOG him. Much greater and steadier income.

 

[Simon Toth]

I think Gibson is made to fail now. I would let it fade away. No need for then anymore. Hold Epiphone though
I know every one would miss ES335s and LPs and SGs but there are companies doing it better

 

[DiMarco]

Stop manufacturing quality guitars and gamble on consumer electronics plus cakewalk software instead.
It is my masterplan. Totally win/win.

 

[Perrygoround]

If not for KISS (and... who cares about them?), were Gibson basses ever popular?
Although... My first bass, that I got, in '82... was a Victory. I was 14. It's an '82. I still have it. Boy... I'm OLD!!! HA!!!

Gene Simmons may made popular the Grabber or Ripper models, but Gibson had other popular basses like the EB's and the Thunderbirds, and even the RDs. Those were seen in the hands of other very famous players as Jack Bruce, John Entwistle, Tom Peterson, Tom Hamilton (see my avatar), Leon Wilkeson, Jack Cassady, Nikki Sixx, Krist Novoselic...

It seems that the company is suffering because of side bussiness, and the guitar part of bussiness is doing OK. So, if that's the case, getting rid of all the non-profitable side companies they own and focusing on guitar and basses would be my aim if I were in their place.