Fender stratocaster
- Thread starter spikes
- Start date
gibson have been jacking up their prices for a quite some time, and their quality control is going down the drain, really.
I've seen horror stories from customers, stuff like what should be a flamed maple top, has been changed to some unknown dull wood without any flames, and with sharpie lines!
their business strategy is shocking too. According to some sources, Gibson has recently made a policy that if a shop in US were to sell its guitars, 80% (i think) of the guitar hangers have to be a Gibson guitar, no questions asked. Plus, dealers must pay a huge some of money to start off, or something. With stuff like that, Gibson is like, weeding out the small shops, and selling their guitars only via the big boys, its sad.
Clearly, Gibson is aiming its guitars for those and rich, they think they're the lamborghini of guitars, wanting to make a legacy of some sort, but i dont think so, especially with their crappy quality control
but then again, its a Gibson, people will still buy it, no matter how expensive. Just my 2 cents rant
I've seen horror stories from customers, stuff like what should be a flamed maple top, has been changed to some unknown dull wood without any flames, and with sharpie lines!
their business strategy is shocking too. According to some sources, Gibson has recently made a policy that if a shop in US were to sell its guitars, 80% (i think) of the guitar hangers have to be a Gibson guitar, no questions asked. Plus, dealers must pay a huge some of money to start off, or something. With stuff like that, Gibson is like, weeding out the small shops, and selling their guitars only via the big boys, its sad.
Clearly, Gibson is aiming its guitars for those and rich, they think they're the lamborghini of guitars, wanting to make a legacy of some sort, but i dont think so, especially with their crappy quality control
but then again, its a Gibson, people will still buy it, no matter how expensive. Just my 2 cents rant
neuro182
New member
Gibson
Imho, Branding is the major factor that is giving them the run for big bucks. Seriously, I don't see realli much good workpieces coming out from Gibson guitars (except Slash & Zakk Wylde!!)
Ibanez provides some good versatile guitars. Fender goes on the clean side, but some dirty shredding (e.g. Malmsteen).
If Brand is the major factor affecting the gre8 imbalance in price, I'd rather take my chances with Epiphone, Dillions, Craftsman, Burny etc. as long as they can provide comfortable sound, which is valued for money.
Imho, Branding is the major factor that is giving them the run for big bucks. Seriously, I don't see realli much good workpieces coming out from Gibson guitars (except Slash & Zakk Wylde!!)
Ibanez provides some good versatile guitars. Fender goes on the clean side, but some dirty shredding (e.g. Malmsteen).
If Brand is the major factor affecting the gre8 imbalance in price, I'd rather take my chances with Epiphone, Dillions, Craftsman, Burny etc. as long as they can provide comfortable sound, which is valued for money.
thor666
New member
just to share something interesting i read off my marketing materials.
gibson DID reduce their price at one point of time before. they found, to their surprise, that demand DROPPED.
further research showed that their customers viewed gibsons as ostentasous goods. ie the more expensive, the more the perceived quality.
so yeah... u can't always blame gibson with consumers having such a mentality. :roll:
gibson DID reduce their price at one point of time before. they found, to their surprise, that demand DROPPED.
further research showed that their customers viewed gibsons as ostentasous goods. ie the more expensive, the more the perceived quality.
so yeah... u can't always blame gibson with consumers having such a mentality. :roll:
serialninja
New member
spikes said:
that's birdseye maple. it's a type of quilted maple where the whorl patterns are very tight and small. they're not that easy to come by, and like other forms of figured maple (flamed maple, quilted maple, etc) make the price go up because of rarity value.
Canon
New member
Gibsons set themselves apart by continuing to make Gibsons only in USA. So you are correct in that the maintain a brand image. But IMO Gibbys still are good guitars. I own an 82 Les paul Std, A new Firebird and a 67 reissue Flying V, all genuine Gibson. And the new guitars are every bit as good as the older ones. Sure they are expensive but by the time you buy several bits of crap-you could already buy a nice gibby.
serialninja
New member
Canon said:
YES. +1!!!!
AgingYouth
New member
spikes said:
In the 90's, there were a bunch of Japanese spectulators which invested heavily in vintage Les Pauls and stuff... and demand exceeded supply which caused the price of the LPs to soar expontentially over the years...
and yes, the quality is gg the other way as well...
subversion
Moderator
Gibson guitars in general aren't cheap to make, that partly accounts for the final, exotic price tag we find detestable. the manufacturer also maintains a certain phisolophy which contributes to pricing & this philosophy, mind you, isn't a tonal factor, more for overall asthetics eg: arched top of the Les Paul models. throughout the years, the Gibson brand name have acquired a strong goodwill to it, inevitably the products bearing its name have acquired a revered status with a ransom price tag to it. quite unnecessary, really...
seekz
New member
A gibby is meant made to last. Have you ever heard of ppl selling their gibbys and says "nicely Aged", "60's reissue goldtop" yaddya yadda.
Its got more than play value. If it just buy and mod, and uprgade, change this change that, then maybe an Ibanez is perfect for you.
And i dont think the QC of gibson is that bad, someone said
"I've seen horror stories from customers, stuff like what should be a flamed maple top, has been changed to some unknown dull wood without any flames, and with sharpie lines!"
I believe noone will SEE a "dullwood withour flame" guitar and buy it and the bitch about it later. even if its ordered online, i'm sure there would be a return policy if its really that screwed up.
To spikes:
If i give you'r using a Gibby Les Paul in a studio and your second guitarist uses a Tokai Les Paul Copy. How would you feel?
Its got more than play value. If it just buy and mod, and uprgade, change this change that, then maybe an Ibanez is perfect for you.
And i dont think the QC of gibson is that bad, someone said
"I've seen horror stories from customers, stuff like what should be a flamed maple top, has been changed to some unknown dull wood without any flames, and with sharpie lines!"
I believe noone will SEE a "dullwood withour flame" guitar and buy it and the bitch about it later. even if its ordered online, i'm sure there would be a return policy if its really that screwed up.
To spikes:
If i give you'r using a Gibby Les Paul in a studio and your second guitarist uses a Tokai Les Paul Copy. How would you feel?
jeez seekz, now that you mentioned about it... i'd feel that the gibson user would probably feel more superior in looks... tone??? i dont know about that... as other threads mentioned, 'can get as close to'... maybe gibson has a kinda signature tone? and seekz, you're probably using a gibson?
thor666
New member
spikes - very possibly. just like the fender offerings below 1K - they may be made in USA but people start shunning them due to various reasons (not as good as the higher end, parts not USA, horror stories of guitar made out of USA. incidentally that's what happened at Washburn one point of time.)
i believe, there is, to one point, where people associate quality to the brand name and the price of gibsons.
do a search online and u'll find that a "custom" guitar might not even be as expensive as a gibson. and they let u choose the parts to make.
i believe, there is, to one point, where people associate quality to the brand name and the price of gibsons.
do a search online and u'll find that a "custom" guitar might not even be as expensive as a gibson. and they let u choose the parts to make.
Similar threads
