Wow, Gibson 2015 changes... seems like more bad decisions

[gutter rock]

Check out the 2015 Gibson news:

http://reverb.com/blog/gibson-to-increa ... n=rn091014

No more satin finishes = no more affordable Gibsons
Price increases on already insane prices
less color options
stupid tuning system on most guitars
more dumb commemorative cosmetics for Les Paul, nothing against the man, but these type of things do nothing for me.

[Larry Mal]

You think? I like the looks of the new nut, the automatic tuners I'm not against, and the rest of the models look pretty good. The price increase is a drag, but they've always been expensive, maybe they are simply trying to compete more upmarket than where they have tons of competition. And why not? They have the designs, they have unique features, they should be able to command the dollar.

[shoule79]

I'm sure that there are still good ones out there, but I haven't played a new Gibson I liked off the shelf in years.

I hope who ever scoops up the name when they go under brings the brand back to at least where it was in the 80's/90's.

[PaulDesmondTutu]

All the more reasons for me to buy a Heritage instead.

[mackerelmint]

I'm sure that there are still good ones out there, but I haven't played a new Gibson I liked off the shelf in years.

I hope who ever scoops up the name when they go under brings the brand back to at least where it was in the 80's/90's.

This. They're not even equal to Chinese Squiers anymore in terms of attention to the neck, in my experience. I'm sure their premium special issue guitars are fine, but the standard lines leave a whole lot to be desired in terms of quality... I'm certainly not going to be buying any new gibsons. The average epi seems better built these days, to be honest.

[gutter rock]

Well I personally haven't really seen these quality issues myself. I haven't picked a ton of them up, but the ones I have have felt nice and seemed decent quality all around. I liked the faded series and the fact Gibson was the only one really offering a new USA made guitar in the 500 range. Granted it was a very stripped down basic guitar, but it was an affordable US made option. It seems this will be the end of sub 1000 dollar new American made guitars and I think that is kind of a shame. I wish I could have started out on one of those cheapy US Gibsons, probably wouldn't have been so frustrating to learn how to play. My first guitar was some crap imported Harmony with microphonic pickups!

[mekhem]

Think about how much better the tonewoods will be with that 25% price increase....

but seriously, I might like Les pauls better if they weren't such bricks....

[umalt]

You know what, the only legit Gibson I've ever considered buying is one of the 2014 Melody Makers in TV Yellow.

Hearing this news actually makes me want to consider buying one during the next sale, considering that all of the news 2015 models don't bode well for their future.

[Harrison]

I know Fender gets a lot of flack for stamping out endless Strats and Teles, but I think Gibson is just as bad if not worse. I can barely stand the looks of a sunburst Les Paul, but the faded ones were okay, and I like SGs well enough. This just looks like more glossy features for the sake of that high dollar aesthetic.

[Larry Mal]

This. They're not even equal to Chinese Squiers anymore in terms of attention to the neck, in my experience. I'm sure their premium special issue guitars are fine, but the standard lines leave a whole lot to be desired in terms of quality... I'm certainly not going to be buying any new gibsons. The average epi seems better built these days, to be honest.

Thank fucking God.

Mack-erel-mint, I completely disagree with you. I own no less than five or six Gibsons made within the last six years. Two Firebirds, a Les Paul Jr, a Melody Maker, an ES330, and probably some other shit I forgot.

Nothing but happy with any of it. All of it well corresponded to the quality that I had expected. Well, I had to do the usual shit of pulling the bridge and getting it all setup, but the necks play wonderfully, they are solid guitars.

It's a pleasure to finally disagree with you. It was getting creepy. It was getting weird. I might buy a God damn Stevie Ray Vaughn album and get mah blooze on. Texas rain, or something? I don't know.

[rrtxoso]

None of those changes sound appealing to me at all.

[mackerelmint]

This. They're not even equal to Chinese Squiers anymore in terms of attention to the neck, in my experience. I'm sure their premium special issue guitars are fine, but the standard lines leave a whole lot to be desired in terms of quality... I'm certainly not going to be buying any new gibsons. The average epi seems better built these days, to be honest.

Thank fucking God.

Mack-erel-mint, I completely disagree with you. I own no less than five or six Gibsons made within the last six years. Two Firebirds, a Les Paul Jr, a Melody Maker, an ES330, and probably some other shit I forgot.

Nothing but happy with any of it. All of it well corresponded to the quality that I had expected. Well, I had to do the usual shit of pulling the bridge and getting it all setup, but the necks play wonderfully, they are solid guitars.

It's a pleasure to finally disagree with you. It was getting creepy. It was getting weird. I might buy a God damn Stevie Ray Vaughn album and get mah blooze on. Texas rain, or something? I don't know.

Well, bully for you. I'm sure you picked good ones. Just pulling them off the rack, and playing what my friends have, I've seen nothing but mediocre to shitty fretwork, honestly. Some of it not as good as the frets on my $30 fender starcaster strat neck. It's a bummer to behold.

[Larry Mal]

I didn't pick shit, I bought them off the internet. I can't be lathered about going to stores and trying shit out. All good, all fine. Gibson isn't putting garbage out no matter what the internets have you think. You are always welcome to come see them all, Mack-RL-mynt.

[mackerelmint]

I didn't pick shit, I bought them off the internet. I can't be lathered about going to stores and trying shit out. All good, all fine. Gibson isn't putting garbage out no matter what the internets have you think. You are always welcome to come see them all, Mack-RL-mynt.

Well, you didn't pick cotton either! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE!! ONLY I KNOW!!

it's not the internets that have me thinking it, though. It's shitty frets that I've played and made horrible faces about.

[Larry Mal]

You might be a little more persnickety than myself, M-ack-reel-munt. That doesn't even make sense, that last butchering of your handle. It's late. Pray forgive.

I gotta say, though. I've been nothing less than happy with my Gibsons. I might have to sell one, or two. It will hurt me to do it.