NZGuitars.com

Looking forward to 80s themed Les Pauls based on the tv shows Dallas, The Love Boat and Murder She Wrote.

There must be some way to blame gibbo for this abomination: https://wildwestguitars.com/electric/20 ... flame-neck

Good Lord!

I love how everyone is so quick to jump on the Gibson bashing bandwagon, but I have played many a terrible playing US Strat and I’ve yet to play a terrible playing LP.

StratMatt wrote:Good Lord!

I love how everyone is so quick to jump on the Gibson bashing bandwagon, but I have played many a terrible playing US Strat and I’ve yet to play a terrible playing LP.

Totally true! Always appreciate picking up a Gibson, whereas a US Fender feels much the same as picking up a Squier.

werdna wrote:Looking forward to 80s themed Les Pauls based on the tv shows Dallas, The Love Boat and Murder She Wrote.

I'd like a Knight Rider LP thanks.

jeremyb wrote:There must be some way to blame gibbo for this abomination: https://wildwestguitars.com/electric/20 ... flame-neck

holy fuck $9999 for a blanket

fender lost it years ago IMO
when is that last time they did anything new?
apart from moving the factories to the lowest wage paying places on earth.

willow13 wrote:

jeremyb wrote:There must be some way to blame gibbo for this abomination: https://wildwestguitars.com/electric/20 ... flame-neck

holy fuck $9999 for a blanket

LOL, my mum could knit those for anyone on the forum who feels like customising their Tele to the latest specs. Only $1000 NZD here!

mrmofo wrote:fender lost it years ago IMO
when is that last time they did anything new?
apart from moving the factories to the lowest wage paying places on earth.

'New' seems to consist of grafting their classic models together. Oh look, a telejazz with a strat neck! Fucking woo.

mrmofo wrote:fender lost it years ago IMO
when is that last time they did anything new?
apart from moving the factories to the lowest wage paying places on earth.

why do they need to do anything "new" ..... when I think fender I think strat and tele, thats it and thats all it should be. Let other companies come up with "new" shit and leave fender (and gibson) making classic guitars like they invented

K I S S

jeremyb wrote:https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/ge ... ggles.html

He doesn't sound like the CEO of Gibson guitars, he seems to have a good grasp of some of the issues, just not all them I suppose.

It doesn't sound like someone who would buy a whole swag of random music companies with bond money that he can't pay back.

It also doesn't explain the Firebird X, the styling, the pricing, the launch.

It also ignores Chapman guitars, who have their fan base collaborate with their design process and have grown to a point they now have an English made premium range.

I suspect Paul Reed Smith (who is doing well in the industry) would have a more convincing argument regarding connecting with an instrument. Paul could also give a lesson or two on connecting with a fan base.

jeremyb wrote:https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/ge ... ggles.html

I read that article yesterday and it dawned on my that Gibson could probably get away with creating a great retail store experience, in the same way that Harley Davidson can. Obviously it would only work in very major cities and I doubt it would work in an Apple way like they hope (after all I suspect any major CEO in US would expect their product can be as successful as Apple regardless of the reality.

But when you step back and think about it Gibson IS a luxury brand, their target audience obviously has brand loyalty or brand aspirations and certainly will pay the premium a luxury brand would command (in the same way we'll pay premium for a plain Designer T-shirt made in the same sweatshops as the no-name labels).

Interestingly for me, Gibson feels more like a high end fashion brand (Gucci, Paul Smith, Armani) rather than Fender's Levi feel which would make them work in this environment.

Gibson certainly has the range of instruments and colours that they could nicely fill in a store with ranges of guitars and style, all neatly accessorised with Amplifiers, Apple Laptops, glorious cases. All showcased by talented sales staff and visiting musicians, on site tuition and master classes, etc. etc.

Wonderfully visible personal isolated testing booths, glass fronted fake studio Jam Rooms...

As long as it were guitar focussed (exclusively Gibson) and not broad music shop focussed then I think it could be awesome. I'd love to go into a store like that and find the exact type of Gibson I could play and enjoy, I know I want to but I haven't been able to find the LP that agrees with me, maybe it's actually a Flying V or an Explorer, or some sort of lovely acoustic...

One of my best ever purchasing experiences was when I made the purchase decision to buy a Taylor acoustic at one of the Taylor road shows. None of the other road shows, while interesting and a fun evening out, were anywhere near as engaging and actually dragged me towards making an actual purchase that I love, and I still hold out a dream to buying another Taylor that's at least $2K more than the one I have...

Again I think it's a wonderful idea, but I can only see it working initially in the biggest of cities to get started (New York, LA, Las Vegas, Chicago, Paris, London, etc.).

I also feel that while it's a worthy aspiration, because music retail could do with a decent wake up and an excuse to get the high value into the sale/experience, I think Gibson's corporate structure and financing woes will bring them to their knees well before they can raise the finance to do this - so I doubt they'll be doing this, and to be honest the tone of Henri's comments seems to indicate that he thinks it's someone else's job out there in general retail - just so long as the put the Gibson product at the top of the tree.

Terexgeek wrote: It also doesn't explain the Firebird X, the styling, the pricing, the launch.

Interestingly I think if Gibson had an established retail channel the Firebird X might find it's audience, it's out there somewhere, but you can't just Press Release it and throw it into the standard retail channel, it'll get crucified just like it did.

have we talked about the $2 shop auto tuners yet