tokairic Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I have just bought a Gibson Nighthawk and I am very pleased with it both for general fit and finish (although the guitar top finish is uneven, not sure if its uneven sanding or lacquer thickness ) and sound- yes I have seen all the comments, but I have owned a Les Paul and didn't get on with the weight. The Nighthawk is great for me - a strat that isn't a Fender - I love quirky guitars. One issue I have, and if anyone from Gibson reads this please take note.....This is supposed to be a 20th Anniversary Model, but no certificate, no hang tag, no registration form. In fact nothing to mark it as Special except the truss rod cover. The case is another issue, I have had much better cases on cheap Korean guitars (even Epiphone) - I know it is made in Canada but the quality and finishing of the lining is crap, with glue lines showing and scraps of lining material peeling off. Oh yes, and the Owners Manual is just a 'cover all' the same as the Epiphone manual which gives examples of the range of guitars and nothing specific to the guitar you've purchased. If Gibson want to remain a top company they need to take a leaf out of Paul Reed Smiths book. (Yes I own a couple of PRS guitars). I know PRS are expensive (but cheaper than many Gibsons) but customers are treated as though they are important to the company - email queries are responded to promptly and quality is second to none. PRS play the 'Anniversary Guitar' game like no other manufacturer........and live up to expectations. When I opened the top quality hardcase on my PRS I was knocked out by the look, the feel, the quality and later the sound of my new guitar. When I opened the case on my Gibson I thought 'Hmm, not a bad guitar but the case is crappy.' The PRS also came set up really well - low action, no buzz and intonation bang on. Unfortunately the Gibson came needing a full set up - truss rod, string height, intonation - luckily I can do this myself or I would be off to a tech and in a 'pay before you play' situation - not so good. Gibson - if you are selling an Anniversary guitar, give it a certificate of authenticity, a 'guitar specific' owners manual, an owners registration form and a decent quality case!!! These are the small details that make a guitar feel special to the customer and don't add a significant amount to the cost. You won't be able to rely on the Gibson name to sell expensive guitars for ever. (If you think this is not true look at the case of the British Motorcycle manufacturers of the 60's who thought the Jap bikes were no threat to them. They thought people would continue to buy the names of Norton, Triumph, BSA over Honda, Suzuki etc and they were very wrong). I would like to see Gibson continue but wake up, please! and put quality first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drog Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I agree that Gibson does not do a very good job of offering case candy or much fancier cases. Even, Fender does this better. They offer a nice strap, cloth, certificates , strap locks, guitar cable,picks, tool kit and fancier cases ( ex, the 60th anniversary logo on the inside of the case). With Gibson we get some better cases from the Custom shop, but nothing to write home about. It would also be nice if they filled out the certificates completely, lol. The one exception is the new LP Peace, with its fancy hemp case and tie dyed interior, I love it! You sometimes get the odd case that has different material or logo ( ex, slash vermillion with his silk screened logo on case). Here is what I would want from Gibson on Custom shop guitars or limited run guitars: brown cases ( or special cases made for that limited model), with leather handles, custom shop or LTD logo on outside. Plush interior ( pink is fine), with the satin cover for all guitars, stitched custom shop logo or ltd logo, guitar strap, certificate, truss rod tool, cleaning cloth, guitar spec sheet, headstock pillow ( for all guitars, including LP). If it is a very limited run, how about adding a story card of the build? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I Agee with the quality of guitar and case but case candy is overrated, I do not need all that crap that then I need to make sure to keep around so the guitar does not lose resale value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 This reminds me of a long ago thread of thousands of posts on usenet about cases, because Paul Reed was just catching on, and the average SKB was being replaced by the new and fancy Callahans and TKLs and these other "boutique" cases. A lawyer from Canada, srd, summed it up nicely: "...I keep all my cases on stands in the living room. My guitars are under tarps in the back yard...". I laughed. Hard. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drog Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 This reminds me of a long ago thread of thousands of posts on usenet about cases, because Paul Reed was just catching on, and the average SKB was being replaced by the new and fancy Callahans and TKLs and these other "boutique" cases. A lawyer from Canada, srd, summed it up nicely: "...I keep all my cases on stands in the living room. My guitars are under tarps in the back yard...". I laughed. Hard. rct I guess he made his " case"!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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