T-Rev Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Gibson I feel the need to write this post and see if you are listening at all. I have tried to give the 2015 USA lineup the benefit of the doubt. (with the exception of the Les Paul Standard in Golden Pearl) I understand from a business perspective making the entire USA lineup with (standardized specs across the range of LP's) however... You need to return the Traditional Les Paul to Traditional specs. I have played the new studio, classic, traditional and standard and I simply can't get past the neck width, or the terrible new tune-o-matic that sucks the life out of the tone of the strings. I would not be opposed to a brass nut per say or to automatic tuners with the option to be able to pull them out in replacement for traditional Grover Rotomatics. I really love the new pick guard option it's the best new feature and should be carried on to all the USA models. I just think and I know your company has missed the ball with this lineup. It's one thing to offer all sorts of new features on all these variations of Les Pauls but its another thing to leave behind a traditional playing guitar that the average LP lover will snatch up. Last year and a half I bought 4 LP's. 3 Traditionals and 1 Standard. Even in Canada it's next to impossible to find the 2015 Les Paul Standard Golden Pearl in a local Long & McQuade shop. Just sending you some food for thought. The Custom Shop stuff is now $5100 plus in Canada and way out of league for the average musician and there currently is no other option than the 2015 Les Paul Standard Golden Pearl at $3449 CDN plus tax as a traditional Les Paul in the USA lineup for the traditional guitarist. I think there's a market for a Standard Traditional Les Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Amen brutha, well stated And you would think you wouldn't even have to tell them this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Rev Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 Amen brutha, well stated And you would think you wouldn't even have to tell them this. Thanks! And 100% agreed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american cheez Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 if they're gonna "hear our cries" i can think of several things i would ask for first. for example, more realistic pricing. not that the class trad isn't a cool guitar, but if we're cloud talkin, i'm goin all the way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Like many of you, I've been actively buying, selling and trading guitars for personal use for many years (15+ for me). Also like many of you, I've settled on Gibson as the brand that I connect with the most... ...I do hope you are listening, Gibson, because that is starting to change. I found it particularly disturbing when Gibson removed the industry exclusive "nibs" on the binding on most of the beloved guitars coming out of Nashville, trying to convince us that it is a product improvement. Some of you may prefer it, but if I'm spending my hard earned $$$ on an American made guitar from a manufacturer that's been at it for 120 years, I'm not having one without nibs. They are one of the things I felt added exclusivety and value to a Gibson. And then there are the big price increases, year-over-year, that have made their new guitars overpriced (in my opinion). I don't believe the price of materials or labor or anything else has anythnig to do with it, since Fender and most all other manufacturer's pricing has remained quite stable. Consider that the new retail price of a LP standard was in the $2800 range just a few years ago, and now it's approaching $3800? I haven't seen an increase in used guitar prices, so just consider what that says about the true value of a somewhat exclusive brand like Gibson when the guy (or gal) that paid the big price for a 2015 model can only squeeze maybe half of what they spent out of it if they try to sell it. Yes, it devalues the product and a reason for owning a Gibson. I absolutely can't stand the 2015 model lineup. So, if I am to purchase any Gibson's, they will be used 2013 or older models. Thank goodness there are a ton of them out there. And if things don't change, I'll be looking at new products that other manufacturers are building, like Dusenberg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaygl Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Agreed. The 2015 lineup is a joke both feature and pricewise. We'll see about next year, but as another poster stated, this is also the first year in the last 5 that I have not bought a new Gibby. Thanks to the 2015 lineup for one thing though...I've discovered how much I love Fender Strats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 The traditionalists are demanding equal rights again? "Gibson - Hear our Cries" And we want fair world wide pricing and with American craftsmanship AT its highest standard and with qualification left to be decided. Lets stop playing around with the neck joints while we are at it. Shoot HIGH!!!! Don't sell yourself short. You have the right to peaceful protest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american cheez Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 And we want fair world wide pricing and with American craftsmanship AT its highest standard and with qualification left to be decided. considering that most of the guitar is machine made, and only hand finished/assembled, i would say most of what you're talking about is vaporous myth and legend. even the processes which are still done by hand have been stream-lined for efficiency, removing most of their human factor from the work. production is all about gettin product on the truck. anyone can go onto youtube and see the process with their own eyes. by all means do not take my word for it. if they anything at all about production work, (been doing it myself for several decades)they will immediately see that the assembly of a gibson guitar is treated no different than any other factory produced object. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 I'm sure what matters most is the bottom line - if sales tank they'll go back to what worked. They kind of went off the rails following the seizure of the black or grey market ebony and the last year that appeals to me is 2013. Every electric I've ever bought since 1973 has been a Gibson but I'm sure that my opinion doesn't matter one little bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 The traditionalists are demanding equal rights again? "Gibson - Hear our Cries" And we want fair world wide pricing and with American craftsmanship AT its highest standard and with qualification left to be decided. Lets stop playing around with the neck joints while we are at it. Shoot HIGH!!!! Don't sell yourself short. You have the right to peaceful protest! To be perfectly honest, I'll be just fine if I never find another new Gibson that appeals to me because there will always be plenty of beautiful second hand Gibbys around to satisfy my thirst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaygl Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Just an idea here....why don't they put all the experimental "improvements" on one model and leave the rest of the line up alone. If that model, with it's wider neck, Les hologram, and robo tuners flies off the shelves, then maybe introduce a second model with the "improvements". Weird thought, I know.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Well, the ONLY way Gibson listens is when you don't buy it! I think all the pros and cons have been discussed on the web enough. Trying to tell them whats good for the brand is wasting your time. Just stop buying until they go back to the right path. This would solve many, many problems on this planet. Cash is power, if you don't give them your cash they will start acting different. And there are some people out there that actually like the changes. I'm not on of them. Don't liked the changes, didn't buy the guitars. Easy right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Well, the ONLY way Gibson listens is when you don't buy it! I think all the pros and cons have been discussed on the web enough. Trying to tell them whats good for the brand is wasting your time. Just stop buying until they go back to the right path. This would solve many, many problems on this planet. Cash is power, if you don't give them your cash they will start acting different. And there are some people out there that actually like the changes. I'm not on of them. Don't liked the changes, didn't buy the guitars. Easy right? You'd think so wouldn't you. Gibson's message to the market is that if you want a traditional "Traditional", buy a reissue. Can't afford/justify the price? Welcome to the modern management of premium brands. You see, the way people approach brands has changed, everyone, no matter their income, wants premium brands. I believe the mobile phone and clothing markets were the initial catalyst. Premium brands now find themselves in a different market place and can afford to cut some of their market, which is now basically everyone in favor of higher markup on lower turnover. Makes sense really. The brands themselves aren't to blame, 20 years of poor international politics making everyone believe they can have the best by faking success and building debt have brought about this change in approach to brands and I think it will stay for some time to come. The brands who find themselves less exclusive and more mainstream because of this shift in expectation will react accordingly. The power of economics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 "Gibson's message to the market is that if you want a traditional "Traditional", buy a reissue. The power of economics." Thats the pattern. I don't see it as unrealistic the Traditional traditional will make a re-entry into the equation. Also in the meantime they appear to still be offering the 2014 spectacular model which caused all the rave. http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gibson-2014-Les-Paul-Traditional-Electric-Guitar-109875252-i3483086.gc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 I agree Farns, my theory is utopic. It would only work when EVERYONE stops to buy a product. And yeah still 14 Trad's out there guy's! I got mine yesterday and I'm f***ing in love with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skilsaw Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I keep looking for it on the Gibson web page, and would pay top dollar for a Standard Studio Classic Traditional Vintage Custom Les Paul.... Oh, yeah... its gotta have the new age 2015 tuners. Either that or I'm so confused by all the LP varieties that I can't decide what I want and slouch out of the store empty handed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I keep looking for it on the Gibson web page, and would pay top dollar for a Standard Studio Classic Traditional Vintage Custom Les Paul.... Oh, yeah... its gotta have the new age 2015 tuners. Either that or I'm so confused by all the LP varieties that I can't decide what I want and slouch out of the store empty handed. i think you should just go back to your local mega music store and walk up to the clerk and just say, "I'd like to by a Gibson Les Paul" then you could spend the rest of the day watching them wait dumbly expecting you to complete the sentence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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