Gibson Guitars - Bad Quarter And Price Increases Coming

[mirrorman]

CME is having a sale on Gibson ES "floor models" right now with really good discounts..

Thanks a lot buddy, your little post just cost me almost $1800.
I made the mistake of clicking on your link and fell in lust with a floor model ES-335 from CME.
Resistance was futile.
I HAD to have it.
I blame you.

Seriously, I have always wanted an ES-335 and the price was too good to pass on.
I figured that if I didn't pull the trigger now, it would never happen.
Hope you're lovin' your new guitar!

 

[axe4me]

I still own my 1969 Gibson ES 335 TDC that I bought new at Sam Ash when I was 16.

It cost me a whopping $250.00 then.

I've since added a 1984 black dot; 1987 bonde dot and a 2013 Nashville non F hole 335 Studio to the herd.

All of this cost me just under $2k.

FU Henry.

 

[mirrorman]

I still own my 1969 Gibson ES 335 TDC that I bought new at Sam Ash when I was 16.

It cost me a whopping $250.00 then.

I've since added a 1984 black dot; 1987 bonde dot and a 2013 Nashville non F hole 335 Studio to the herd.

All of this cost me just under $2k.

FU Henry.

Sounds like a very nice collection!

 

[chromeboy]

I don't think that Gibsons are made any better than they have been the last 20 years. Sure they added some stuff but mostly cosmetic. Surely not enough inmho to warrent the price increases. I no longer own any gibsons. The quality of guitars coming from other guitar makers is only getting better. Brands like Ibanez, Schecter, Esp, Charvel, and even Dean are giving gibson a run for the money . Awhile back, not sure of the year but gibson was losing sales to these other companies because those companies were offering good guitars at a much lower price point.

Gibson then lowered the prices of their guitars but that failed as their sales dropped even more. So gibson raised their prices and to their surprise their sales sky rocketed. Same guitars, higher prices. Just goes to show how gullible people can be. Don't get me wrong, gibson stills makes quality guitars but they now seem.like they are trying to reach those who have big bucks and just want to say they own a gibson.

I have several ibby's and my arz iron label (which is an lp syle guitar) plays way better than any gibson lp I have ever owned and I have owned a few. Still there are those loyalists who swear by gibson and to them I say if you are willing to shell out the money then great. As always, a great guitar is nice but it's only as great as the player playing them. It's in the hands of the player not the guitar.

 

[telemarshall]

Thanks a lot buddy, your little post just cost me almost $1800.
I made the mistake of clicking on your link and fell in lust with a floor model ES-335 from CME.
Resistance was futile.
I HAD to have it.
I blame you.

Seriously, I have always wanted an ES-335 and the price was too good to pass on.
I figured that if I didn't pull the trigger now, it would never happen.
Hope you're lovin' your new guitar!

Ha! Glad you got that ES-335! Let's see some pics! Yeah, those CME prices are simply amazing.. I have been sorely tempted to get yet another one...

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I've played some good Epis and love my ibanez Artist and Prestiges. My 2016 LP I bought last year, my first, really has a nice chunk. It cleans up better when the volume is rolled down and the 600 dollar Epis actually have a picture of flame maple laminated on top, according to my dealer. That's part of the difference.
T hat said, I've had it cut out from the 3 way toggle - what,, needs cleaning already? - andbthe tuning issues. Will graphite the nut next show. Shouldn't do that for that kinda dough.
But a killer guitar all the same. Will get a Gold top down the road.

 

[John BNY]

It's being reported that Gibson's CFO, Bill Lawrence, resigned in late January.

 

[justinrhoads80]

I personally think that their guitars are just bad! I played a recent model traditional and the rosewood board looked like it belonged on a $99 squier, not an $1800+ When I played it it would go out of tune after a song, G and B string of course. There was also a ton of kinking going on at the nut and I felt that with a couple of other things as well that the quality you are getting from them, does not warrant the price. I think brands like schecter, jackson, Fender, ESP/LTD, and countless others that produce Quality guitars at the fraction of the cost. Plus there is the used market for those brands as well, which only makes the possibility of finding another guitar from a better brand higher with a even decreased amount of price you will be paying compared to gibsons. I wouldn't even buy gibson's tribute series, played them and absolute trash.

 

[chiliphil1]

I personally think that their guitars are just bad! I played a recent model traditional and the rosewood board looked like it belonged on a $99 squier, not an $1800+ When I played it it would go out of tune after a song, G and B string of course. There was also a ton of kinking going on at the nut and I felt that with a couple of other things as well that the quality you are getting from them, does not warrant the price. I think brands like schecter, jackson, Fender, ESP/LTD, and countless others that produce Quality guitars at the fraction of the cost. Plus there is the used market for those brands as well, which only makes the possibility of finding another guitar from a better brand higher with a even decreased amount of price you will be paying compared to gibsons. I wouldn't even buy gibson's tribute series, played them and absolute trash.

I agree with most of that. A new Ltd 1000 series will smoke most Gibson’s and that’s their Korean model, try the E-II and you’re really killing the big G. I bought a 2018 traditionall, brand new for $2,600 and it had to have a fret job immediately, there was a buzz on the low E that just wouldn’t go away. After the fret job it was better but the action was very high and I couldn’t get it anywhere near where I like it. I returned that a week or so ago and bought an older custom, problem solved.

 

[justinrhoads80]

I agree with most of that. A new Ltd 1000 series will smoke most Gibson’s and that’s their Korean model, try the E-II and you’re really killing the big G. .

Agreed on that! I played an Eclipse E-II at sam ash a couple months back, and the quality was spectacular! The ebony fretboard, the flawless finish, and the awesome quality of the hardware and the eletronics would make we understand why that costs $1600~ or so compared to a Gibson Les Paul Studio for the same price that SUCKS!

 

[GibsonKramer]

I always come here for a laugh when I want to read the Gibson whine fest.

EVERYONE raised their prices. It was pretty much, across the board. Do I think they're too expensive. Yeah. But, so is everything else. Including gas, home prices, groceries...

As for the price of a Gibson, if you're comparing it to a Fender... don't. And just how much does a USA Partscaster go for these days?

 

[GibsonKramer]

I agree with most of that. A new Ltd 1000 series will smoke most Gibson’s and that’s their Korean model, try the E-II and you’re really killing the big G.

The Hell it will.

 

[chiliphil1]

The Hell it will.

That tells me that you haven’t owned one. As a Gibson owner myself an esp will show a Gibson how it’s done anytime.

 

[el_bastardo]

ESP has done a great job of copying everyone else's designs and ideas with just bigger frets and shitty pickups.

 

[chiliphil1]

ESP has done a great job of copying everyone else's designs and ideas with just bigger frets and shitty pickups.

Who cares? So, an eclipse is based on a les Paul and an M-II is a super Strat, what’s your point? Everyone copies Gibson and fender, everyone. I don’t think most people would say that emgs and Duncan’s are “shitty” and I dare you to show me a guitar with the workmanship of an esp original series.

 

[el_bastardo]

Who cares? So, an eclipse is based on a les Paul and an M-II is a super Strat, what’s your point? Everyone copies Gibson and fender, everyone. I don’t think most people would say that emgs and Duncan’s are “shitty” and I dare you to show me a guitar with the workmanship of an esp original series.

My point it is it's just a fucking guitar dude. They're not any better than any other good guitar. I do think they're quality guitars. Are they better than an any other high-end major brand guitar? No. They're the same thing as everything else in that style of guitar - hard rock/metal guitars with huge frets and shit pickups.

 

[Deep Purple fan]

When I could afford the name brand stuff I started with Fender USA, then Gibson USA, and then Marshall UK models. Fender has been consistently good in that I got exactly what I expected. Like everyone, I’d like to pay less and their prices are rising, but I’m happy with the value I get. I can say the same about Marshall. I’ve had many and not one was a clunker. They all had Marshall DNA. My Gibson experience is different. My brand new LP DC STD circa 2000 had several trips to shop in first year. Bad writing at toggle, bad wiring at pickups, absolutely horrible set up. All minor and guitar is now a beast. Still have it. Then my 2006 studio developed a crack in neck — never Dropped it. Gibson was totally not helpful in getting it fixed. It’s not like they are not used to it. Then my 2013 Les Paul standard. Like the other two, bought brand new. This one from Musicians Friend. It arrived completely fuked up. Covered in grime and a string missing. It was built 9 months before I bought it so who knows. Last year an inlay at 5th fret began rising from fret board. Gibson is their usual passive aggressive. Very friendly and completely worthless. After supplying the necessary proof of purchase they decided the local service center should fix it. That is a guitar center who said Gibson must be out of their fuking mind, it needs to go back to factory. This is unacceptable.

It’s not all bad. The R8 is great, the 2016 SG STD and the 2015 LP SPC are fault free.

Bottom line, I still have a soft spot for Les Paul’s because let’s face it when there are done right it ain’t no LTD, ESP or any other brand, they are the sound of rock. But I don’t care for the Gibson Company at all. Bad sales performance.....not surprising at all.

 

[mirrorman]

Ha! Glad you got that ES-335! Let's see some pics! Yeah, those CME prices are simply amazing.. I have been sorely tempted to get yet another one...

Here ya go...2016 ES-335 Faded Lightburst.

 

[Steven Howes]

Faded Lightburst. I don't think I've seen that before. Verra nice.

 

[DannyB]

In 1960, friends of my family opened their mom and pop music store. They immediately became Gibson and Fender dealers. In 1964, they became Marshall dealers, the first in North Carolina. in the 90's they kept 6 or 7 Gibson guitars in stock. Same for Fender and Taylor. Ones that sell in their area. Around 1999 the Gibson Rep walked and told them that to keep their Gibson dealership, they have to have a minimun of $250,000 worth of Gibson inventory and were told what models they had to carry. Based on several decades of sales, many of those models wouldn't sell well. So they were forced to drop Gibson. This is likely why you don't see many mom and pop music stores that carry Gibson.