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Gibson Europe Custom Order Situation for Lefty Acoustics


Leonard McCoy

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Sorry to hear. Were you allowed any follow up questions? It's my understanding that the "custom shop" is open!? Just not for the 1/3 (?) of the population that is left handed? Makes no sense to me. Someone can get his initials inscribed on the headstock, any finish option they choose, etc. but a person predisposed to using their left hand is S.O.L. Maybe I have misunderstood what a "custom shop" is. I think Martin understands the concept.

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L,

 

Hey I am sorry that the customer service rep said that.

I think there is a fair amount of disconnect between gibson brands and the actual Bozeman factory.

It might be Europe thing only but here what I know so far about the situation:

 

Jimmy at Southpaws is getting custom colored J 45's And Hummingbirds.

He sold the white Dove he ordered and is expecting a J 200 and Dove also in white.

 

A forum member custom ordered a 60's style J 45 lefty.

 

And in this video Don who is one of the Product Specialists states that the core line is available lefty

+ that Customers will be able to custom order a guitar they want through Made to Measure program:

 

 

 

 

I haven't tried to order anything for a while but I'll see what else I can find out for you.

 

 

There hasn't beeem any official announcement that there is a made to measure program for Bozeman yet.

 

 

I'll get back to you when I know more

 

 

 

JC

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It's my understanding this to be a Europe-specific issue due to CITES regulations and additional costs on their part making the custom order not worth the effort, since, as you said, you can custom-order lefties from within the States or Canada just fine via Southpaw or directly through Bozeman.

 

I clarified in my initial request to Gibson that my inquiry was based on the fact that lefties recently got a lot of love from the Gibson Acoustics department. I was also told by Gibson Europe that, lo and behold, the J-180 were out of production.

 

I inquired directly with Southpaw months ago whether they could take the order but they denied explaining that they didn't have a rosewood export license to begin with.

 

On another note, the Made 2 Measure program only seems to be for Gibson electrics: from what little I could find online, it supposedly did come to Europe at some point, but doesn't seem to have stuck around for long. It would make sense since Gibson's profit margin tends to be found in their electrics business; the manufacturing of their acoustics probably loses them more money than it makes them in the grand scheme of things regardless what great guitars they are.

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Sorry to hear. Were you allowed any follow up questions? It's my understanding that the "custom shop" is open!? Just not for the 1/3 (?) of the population that is left handed? Makes no sense to me. Someone can get his initials inscribed on the headstock, any finish option they choose, etc. but a person predisposed to using their left hand is S.O.L. Maybe I have misunderstood what a "custom shop" is. I think Martin understands the concept.

 

Ten Percent, not 1/3rd.

Possibly Martin, due to it's size is better able to accommodate variations - they do seem to have 100x more models.

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It's my understanding this to be a Europe-specific issue due to CITES regulations and additional costs on their part making the custom order not worth the effort, since, as you said, you can custom-order lefties from within the States or Canada just fine via Southpaw or directly through Bozeman.

 

I clarified in my initial request to Gibson that my inquiry was based on the fact that lefties recently got a lot of love from the Gibson Acoustics department. I was also told by Gibson Europe that, lo and behold, the J-180 were out of production.

 

I inquired directly with Southpaw months ago whether they could take the order but they denied explaining that they didn't have a rosewood export license to begin with.

 

On another note, the Made 2 Measure program only seems to be for Gibson electrics: from what little I could find online, it supposedly did come to Europe at some point, but doesn't seem to have stuck around for long. It would make sense since Gibson's profit margin tends to be found in their electrics business; the manufacturing of their acoustics probably loses them more money than it makes them in the grand scheme of things regardless what great guitars they are.

I have been told Bozeman is the most profitable of the 3 divisions (it's obvious the production volume is not the same as In Nashville or Memphis)

That's what happens when good people are left alone for the most part.

 

We don't really hear much about what goes on there because Gibson Corporate is in Nashville.That's why the Gibson Acoustic website is vague ... It's done by people in Nashville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

JC

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