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Gibson price increase


houndman55

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Actually, they dropped the quality. You won't see a AA flame top, until you get up around $3000 now. They rate them as B now (which is substantial difference).

 

I love Gibson. Waited 30 years to get one, now own two. Won't ever buy a new one again, however... until things change. I almost didn't buy one, because seemed like every single one had Min-Etune, coil-tap, splitting, etc. I grabbed the nicest, least gadgetry, LP, I could.

 

Glad I did, when I did...might never have bought one had I walked in and seen/played the 2015.

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Actually, they dropped the quality. You won't see a AA flame top, until you get up around $3000 now. They rate them as B now (which is substantial difference).

 

I love Gibson. Waited 30 years to get one, now own two. Won't ever buy a new one again, however... until things change. I almost didn't buy one, because seemed like every single one had Min-Etune, coil-tap, splitting, etc. I grabbed the nicest, least gadgetry, LP, I could.

 

Glad I did, when I did...might never have bought one had I walked in and seen/played the 2015.

 

Yeah it's like Microsoft with Windows 8. Completely forgetting and ignoring their past. Some kind off attempt to be "modern" and "innovative" but end but looking like a total joke. Don't get me wrong I love Gibson about up to this point, P90 Goldtop, L5, ES 330 etc. love all that stuff but what they offer now is highly strange.

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or do they "just feel like it"?

 

[biggrin] They were probably playing one of the beautiful AA Top LPs and were inspired by the incredible enlightenment.

 

Still I think its a decent time to find a well priced Gibson. Now next year I don't know. I don't have that gift of prophecy.

 

Peace

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If the price increase was to help offset the employees wages to make Gibson the money they need I would be infavor of a increase .. but in reality.. it doesnt..

 

I offed all the new Gibsons I had.. Not worth the value paid.

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http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-GIB-LPCS15-LIST

 

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPCS15HSNH-15

 

Guitars always go up I dont recognize this guitar anymore but its not that much more than I paid for my 2014. It looks the same but is so different I dont think I want one.

 

 

150004058-front-large.jpg

 

Pretty cheap act to not include humbucker covers. Shouldn't humbucker covers be standard in guitar manufacutring?

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You're right, but isn't the thing that most people smile about.

Well, one could be patient hoping and waiting for a bargain, but I fear it's a bit different here. To my impressions, it will be mostly about products only few people really like.

 

My guess is that Gibson will react and add some more conventional models during 2015, featuring "normal" headstock front and back, familiar fretboard, and manual machine heads. If the buyers appreciate them, and that's what I assume, they will cost dearly I think.

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As many have pointed out previously, it would've been one thing to bring what they call the "2015" models to market as additions to their lineup and let the buyer decide which they prefer. Making them the ONLY choice (with a few notable exceptions) was a decision I can't wrap my head around. Those of us who prefer the more traditional models will (sooner or later) drive prices up on the used market as well. But Gibson doesn't realized any of that revenue, so I can't understand the reasoning that went into the decision. Yeah, I get that maybe Gibson wanted to be seen as a little more forward thinking, but again, that could've been achieved by making these sweeping changes available as options, or as an additional model.

 

FWIW, I've played 4 of the 2015s. As guitars, they were okay. I didn't hate them (except the wonky Min-e-tune/G-Force which didn't work properly on of 2 of the 4 I tried). But I didn't love them either. Not what comes to mind when I think of Gibson, and certainly not enough passion for me to cough up $3000+ for one. I already have what I want in Les Pauls & SGs and I'll stick with those.

 

Just seems...wrong to have to spend more $$ backdating the '15s with traditional tuners, pots, nut etc after they've jacked the prices so high to begin with. And short of MAJOR surgery (and someone who knows what they're doing won't be cheap), you can't do anything about that neck.

 

Who knows...maybe Gibson will "New Coke" us for 2016 and offer the models we know and love for an extra 70% above the revamped line.

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My guess is the new ideas they have on the new guitars will make last years model a historic reissue. of a reissue.. when there really not historicly correct on the reissues any way.. there just mistakes ...

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It is lame, but do you honestly think all Gibson guitar sales will just halt. Be real. Gibson makes em and people buy em. It's the 6k and up guitars that sell that baffle me.

 

No.. Gibson Guitars wont halt at all.. now for the 6 g and up guitars .. not the new ones.. no way ,... I dont see the value in those..

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Inflation my friends....its only going to get worse now that the US is not the leading world economy.Get used to it.Obama and Bush have destroyed US manufacturing,the ONLY time i will not buy a Gibson is when they are made somewhere other than the US.

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I would not buy a new Gibson . Period.. lots of other makers making high quality guitars that deserve paying the dough for... my brother went through 5 Les paul standards.. last year.. not one was worthy of the 3500 price tag.. from warped necks, to splitting seams.. and these were guitars fresh out of the stores not even a week or two old.. the stores were not very helpful... more of a headache than anything.. so when a company can boost there prices up.. there are suckers out there to keep them rolling.

 

I like Gibson Guitars and Ive bought many ....but now they look nice from a distance .. But I would not ever buy a new one.. lots of used ones to fill a void if it needs to be done without spending the hard earned dollar and loosing half as I walk out of the store.

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I find this hard to believe. Gibson has sent me 4 Les Pauls new in the box the last 4 years and sight unseen not one was a problem. Everyone right out of the box was perfect. Played perfect sounded perfect and looked perfect. So it seems a bit odd to me that your brother got 5 in a row that were defective. Im sorry Im just not buying that at all, maybe he was to picky? Maybe the truth is being stretched here I dont know but I cant believe 5 in a row were no good.

 

 

Believe want you want.. I stand behind what Ive said. I also think for the money spent.. being picky is a good thing. Ive owned enough guitars to know what Ive seen and had to deal with. when the new Gibson got the ball rolling in the 90s.. they were on a good streak.. it fell along the way. somewhere..

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Inflation my friends....its only going to get worse now that the US is not the leading world economy.Get used to it.Obama and Bush have destroyed US manufacturing,the ONLY time i will not buy a Gibson is when they are made somewhere other than the US.

 

Remember when Obama wanted Gibson to relocate to Madagascar during the wood raid that produced the Government series?

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I think Gibson needs some people in the design department who actually played these guitars and know and understand their history from a players perspective. And it wouldn't hurt if they actually asked those who repetitively bought their guitars over the decades for survey consensus.

 

This year is no different than the last two with experimental designs. Geez man that SG went through more changes in the last two years than a Walmart dressing room. And where did Gibson land with the SG this year, with two models Special and Standard. Astonishing as it is everyone I spoke to liked the SG Tribute 50 and 60 and 70, all gone. For example, when was a P-90 SG ever not popular? Its a freaking iconic design. Let me stop and be charitable.

 

Maybe reverse psychology is in order.

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Also with QC and production =sales and profit/supply and demand. In theory for example again with the SG and two models. Production should be more consistent thus better quality should be expected? And for example a special P-90 run would be profitable, and be better constructed. So all that isn't bad. Whats certainly debatable is what design will sell, and to me it looks like a game of chance?

 

For example if Fender increased their price and limited their US production line to Tele and Strat and added a roller nut on all of them how do you suppose that would go? Rather experimental if you ask me.

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http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-GIB-LPCS15-LIST

 

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPCS15HSNH-15

 

Guitars always go up I dont recognize this guitar anymore but its not that much more than I paid for my 2014. It looks the same but is so different I dont think I want one.

 

 

150004058-front-large.jpg

 

This thing looks terrible [thumbdn] Who is going to pay over $2270 for an LP with a mismatched top, brass nut (seriously why???), terrible electronic tuners, some sort of boost switch instead of a tone control, and mutilated speed knobs? How do they have the balls to call this model a Les Paul "CLASSIC" - What is classic about any of this garbage????????

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I think it's only fair to suggest that the guitar shown probably HAS got a perfectly book-matched top.

Having photographed quite a few of these myself I can say that the figure on many 'flame-tops' only really comes alive when the light comes from one particular direction.

If the guitar here remained in the same place and the lighting-direction was reversed then it would be the opposite side which appeared to have the figure.

It is precisely because of this phenomenon that in Yas Iwanade's book "The Beauty of the 'Burst" there is always what is called the " 'Burst View " to accompany the main shot.

 

P.

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I have to agree with Donny re the "Gibson quality issues", on certain forums it seems to be "the in thing" to talk about poor Gibson quality. The only Gibson quality issue that I've ever seen is a slight flat spot on the top of a Les Paul Studio Tribute Goldtop, the rest of the guitar was fantastic, so much so that I still bought it. Every other Gibson that I've seen, the build quality has been flawless.

The most vocal Gibson knockers seem to be Martin owners, I think that's a bit rich comparing the companies, when one makes guitars from the same materials that kitchen worktops are made from!

 

 

Ian

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